Young Love

“Pray tell if you’ve ever plans to relent of this ridiculousness?” Despite the condescending tone in his voice, Alphinaud couldn’t help but find himself smiling at the rapid waving of the young Au Ra’s tail, flittering about to display the frustration that was so well hidden upon Yura’s face by the back pf her head.

“No.” Yura’s response was curt and aggressive, turning her head for the briefest moment to look towards the young Elezen standing behind her as she sat crossed legged on the floor, hunched over, arms crossed and unwilling to share herself with the world at that moment. It’s not like she had anything to relent. She had nothing to apologize for! Too many times had she been mocked, jabbed and insulted for her height, her appearance, her age. It was time she earned the respect so oft denied to her! Not that this display in particular was helping her case…

“You’ve been at this for hours Yura. Is your damaged pride truly so worth wasting precious daylight?” His question range true, and through his smile Alphinaud found himself sighing heavily at the young woman’s display. Too often had this become routine of them. 

“Until someone come to understand I even have any, then yes! I have… my own demands for respect equal to any else to whom it might be given!” Yura gave a sharp glare over her shoulder, her tail shooting stiff as a board as she glanced past her own body, a look of fire in her eyes.

The smile finally left Alphinaud’s face as he allowed his shoulders to slump at her reaction. He thought to consider what such pride had wrought, thinking back to the moments before this very encounter, in the forgotten knight. Simple information had they sought but a disaster was all that had ensued. “Starting such vicious fights with local tavern folk does not generally equate to saving your pride, Yura.”

Yura shot up, stiff as he tail as she loomed towards Alphinaud “He found himself insulting my honor as a warrior! The place I carved out for myself here! I would not stand for such disrespect!” Yura’s intensity was burning with the intensity of the dragons which she was so accustomed to fighting in that moment, her fire ever lingering. Still, Alphinaud was not about to relent.

Confrontation entered Alphinaud’s voice as he looked into Yura’s face, a knowing glare upon his own. “He called you cute, Yura. Tis hardly the words of disrespect, but rather that of truth.”

Yura was taken aback for a moment as rage continued to seep back into her body, seemingly ready to jump upon her childhood friend. “What the hell is that supposed to mean!?”

Alphinaud considered his next words carefully, finding himself, for once, a bit lost as to how to respond to such a question. He had allowed himself to speak too brashly in his reasoning’s with her. Politics seemed so much easier than dealing with matters of emotion. Yet there was a struggle to find this display in particular frightful. Such a pout upon her face was comforting, reminding him of past experiences, years of affection between the two. “It means he was right, in a sense. You are… cute.” Alphinaud recoiled a bit as he finished speaking, ready to jump out of the way of any incoming shots, but found himself lacking for reasons to dodge. “And yet here you hold your temper…”

Yura’s face had softened from one of frustration back into a soft pout a she looked Alphinaud in the face. Too long had she been staring before she let her gaze fall to the side, taking a step towards him slowly. Suddenly, she allowed her head to fall lightly against his chest, catching him off guard as she spoke in a muffled tone. “It’s… not as bad… coming from you.”

Alphinaud stood in surprise for a few moments more, but it wasn’t long until a soft smile found its way back onto his face. Gently he laid a hand on Yura’s head, encircling the other around her shoulders as she looked down at the back of the girl’s head. “I speak only the truth dear friend”

Alphinaud laughed as Yura’s hands forced upon him a light punch before gripping to his own back. Muffled but cloaked in laughter, Yura commanded to her dearest: “Shut up.”