More old google doc rps.

Nicholai sat on one of the wooden boxes outside of the tavern, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a book in his other. He’d recently gotten a book about different building methods. He was reading the chapter on Cathan methods. He took a sip of the whiskey now and then, a sip, then a page turn. When getting through a good number of pages, he sat the book down and mesmerd a little looking Cathan house in front of himself and moved a few things around, pondering if he could actually build this in the Precipice somewhere.

The rook passed slowly by, finally coming out of his home into the Precipice for the first time since being taken by the odd sylvari in Salma. While he'd been back to work, this was a completely different matter. Though he wore the heavy black robes that covered all of his bark he was out for the sake of being out. Hooray progress. He paused by the tavern, spying the count in front. He moved silently behind and peered over his shoulder. “Wh-what-t-t are y-you r-reading?” he stammered softly, voice light.

The guardian stiffened a bit when his shoulder was looked over, then softened once he recognized the voice. “Building methods. I figure, if we ever leave here, or find some other place to live. I could make small additions, or alterations to people's houses if they so wished.” he replied while still shifting things around the seethrough able house. Shifting windows, doors and walls around, till he finally came to something he liked. “Yeah.”

Aeolian watched the mesmered display quietly, dark eyes peering between the gap in his cowl. “Th-this is s-s-something you enjoy,” he observed, a smile in his voice. “Wh-while I have b-been given b-books on interior design b-by his Grace, I've n-n-never actually s-st-tudied a-architecture.” He confessed. “B-but it l-looks good t-to me?”

“Interior, huh? ..You know.” Nicholai shifted a bit and moved to pull the thing a bit closer to Aeolian. “What would you add into this then?” the house looked like a plain Cathan house, something akin to real life looking dojo maybe. “I can build.. But can never come up with a inside.”

He faltered a little, not expecting to be put on the spot, but after a quick glance to Nicholai slowly began to speak. “A l-low t-table w-with cushions f-for s-seat-ting,” he stammered, gesturing to one area of the room. “Annd… mmm…” he leaned a little closer, inspecting the model. “Sh-short c-cabinets along th-the l-lower w-wall for s-st-t-torage and d-display…”

Nicholai licked his lips and twirled the model around and added in the things Aeolian said to, then cut the thing in half once he made it solid. It was still plain colors, just full white, but turning the model around, one could look at the inside. “What about colors for the outside? I see a lot of reds and blacks, but that can get a bit boring.” NIcholai hummed and turned the thing bright fucking neon pink, because why not?

He was about to reply when Nicholai turned the entire damn thing pink; instead of words, a choked laugh came from the cowl.

Nicholai grinned, then chuckled when he heard the choked laugh. “To good for words, ey?” he looked back to Aeolian.

He had to step back as he literally buckled over. Not entirely sure why he found the little thing so funny but also not entirely sure he could stop the giggles the rook just… laughed. Laughed until there were tears in his eyes. Aeolian reached over to hold his hand against the wall for support as he caught his breath and the giggles finally died down. Oh man. He hadn't laughed like that in… ever.

The guardian arched a brow and just kept on grinning as he made the model of it disappear for the time being. “Someone got quite the laugh out of that little display. Maybe I should do more things like that. Cause, hell, it’s good to actually hear you laugh.”

Aeolian slowly caught his breath and, though an occasional giggle broke through, calmed himself. “I… d-don’t know wh-what,” he paused to let out a sigh, “wh-what c-came over m-me.” He turned his eyes towards Nicholai’s face. “It f-feels g-g-good t-to l-laugh,” he agreed.

“It does feel good to get a good laugh like that now and again. Maybe I’ll think of something that’ll do that another time.’ he put his hand to his head and started looking like he was deep in thought for a bit, then gave a shrug. “I’ll think about it later. Annnnyyhooooww. What’re you up to?” he asked.

He looked towards Nicholai, standing proper now that his laughter had calmed. “N-nothing, a-a-actually… I th-thought I sh-should t-t-try t-to g-get out, b-before I g-got ordered t-t-to. S-s-since m-my r-release f-from the inf-f-fermary I've… s-s-st-tayed m-mostly at h-home, as-s-side f-from f-for w-work, s-s-so…”

Nicholai shook his head to Aeolian. “You could use some fresh air.. Yes. Being in that stuffy house all day can’t be good for your health.” he got off the wooden, finished his whiskey, and went to go walk into the tavern to throw the empty bottle away. “HEY!” he called. “You wanna go on some picnic or something?”

Aeolian watched Nicholai and shrugged his shoulders a little. “S-s-so I’m t-t-told,” he mused. When Nicholai got up and moved to go back into the tavern the rook moved to continue on his way, but the loud call caused him to start and turn abruptly. He blinked. Picnic? He paused and really thought on that. “I… have n-nev-v-ver b-been on a p-p-picnic. D-do I h-have t-t-to… b-bring s-s-something..?”

Nicholai was putting a few things together, humming a tune to himself. “Nah! Not really, unless you want to. Just bring yourself, I don't mind making everything. Unless you want something specific?” he nabbed a basket from the kitchen and folded a cloth into it, to be used to sit on later.

Aeolian moved into the bar, shaking his head a little. “I h-h-have n-nothing s-s-specific I w-want,” he noted thoughtfully, watching Nicholai curiously.

Nicholai nodded and made a few sandwiches, a few veggie specific ones and meat ones, just to have a variety. He found a few pastries Nari made and also stuffed those in there, and some other things that would go good with a picnic. “Well, you gonna actually eat?” he asked as he turned around.

He stood a little straighter at that question, eying Nicholai with surprise that slowly melted away to uncertainty. While his expression was obscured by the cowl his exposed eyes narrowed slightly in thought. “I… I w-will t-t-try,” he offered after a long moment, speaking slowly and hesitantly. “It w-will b-be eas-s-sier if th-there aren’t m-m-many p-people.”

“Try? How about you actually do so? Even if it’s one tiny little bite.” the guardian smirked as he turned back to the basket and folded the cloth over the top of it. He put the top of the basket on and slipped a few utensils in it. “Besides, where we’re heading, there won’t be many people anyhow.”

He huffed quietly behind the cowl but there was at least a smile in his abysmal eyes. “Ev-ven i-if it’s j-just o-one t-t-tiny b-bite?” he teased.

Nicholai stuck his tongue out. “I could just make you stuff your face with a whole sandwich!” he grabbed the basket from the counter and strode over to Aeolian.

The rook huffed again, turning his face away. Was that blue shining from the gap in the cowl? It was hard to tell. One way or another, he was smiling; the crinkle to his eyes gave it away. “W-w-we w-will s-s-see,” he mused.

Nicholai scooted around the Shadow and took a look right into the cowl. “Still got that pretty glow going.” he teased, then backed away. “Common, let’s get going!”

The close proximity only made the glow brighter and he stared like a deer caught in headlights at Nicholai. He nodded his gas wordlessly in agreement, though, following along behind the other sylvari.

Nicholai made his way from the tavern and up past the bridge to the object Redshift usually used to open portals to other areas. He fiddled with it for a few minutes, then a portal appeared over the globe behind them. It flashed a picture of Timberland Falls, next to Nonmoa Lake. “This looks like a good spot.” he muttered.

Aeolian watched Nicholai, attentive. There was some confusion, some curiosity in his gaze but mostly he just… watched. His attention turned towards the portal and he nodded his head a little - though it wasn't as if he actually knew what a good place would be.

Nicholai fiddled with it for a few moments more, then turned to look at Aeolian with a shake of his head, but didn’t really say much. He turned to the flashing portal and made a gesture to it, before he himself hopped into it.

On the other side was a rather large body of water - Lake Nonmoa - around it was a couple of Quaggan underwater areas. The upper, more dry areas held a Hylek village and grassier areas. Nicholai made his way from the portals exit and stretched. “Man, it’s been ages since I was out here. Not ever since I killed some Risen back in the day.” he grinned, looking the area over.

Aeolian entered the portal behind Nicholai and quickly found his footing on the other side. He slowly turned to take in the nature, smiling under his cowl. There was a real sense of peacefulness here and he obviously enjoyed it. “K-killed s-s-some r-Ris-s-sen? Is o-our p-picn-n-nic g-going t-t-to b-be int-t-ter-rupt-t-ted?” he chuckled quietly, moving alongside his companion with comfort and ease.

Nicholai snorted, giving that a thought. “Who knows, some zombies at a picnic? That actually sounds kind of fun. Adds some more company.” he started walking again, taking in the view of the area. He hoped up a few smooth boulders that lined the coast of the lake. He sat the basket down. “Think this looks good enough?” he made a motion to the flat boulder they stood on, then the view of the lake in front of them.

Aeolian smiled a little from under the cowl, withholding his words; he’d never admit that he rather enjoyed and actually preferred time alone with the Count. So he simply watched, gaze warm, as Nicholai made his way up onto the boulders -- following closely behind. “Th-thisss l-l-looks w-wonderful.”

Nicholai maybe had a bit of feeling about what Aeolian thought, but he didn’t say anything. He gave the Shadow a thumbs up and plopped down - after putting a blanket down anyhow. He patted the cloth. “Sit down and let’s get our chow on. I’m pretty much starving.”

The shadow chuckled quietly to himself and settled down next to the count, humming thoughtfully. “You sh-should b-b-be b-bett-t-ter ab-bout eat-t-ting if y-you’re th-that-t-t famished,” he teased quietly, gazing out of his cowl at Nicho.

Nicholai made a face at him, then rolled his eyes with a chuckle. “If only you knew the half of it. Foods never been the first thing on my mind half the time.” he pulled the basket closer and laid out the food on the blanket, going to let Aeolian have choice of what he wanted. The Count grabbed a ham sandwich with lettuce on it. He took a bite and side eyed the Shadow. “Better?”

Aeolian regarded the laid out food curiously, hesitating only a moment before he reached out to grab a sandwich himself. There was another pause before he unwound the cowl and let it hang around his neck, breaking the sandwich up with his fingers and eating - slowly - like that. He glanced towards Nicholai and smiled a little, nodding his head.

Nicholai grinned as he watched Aeolian eat for a moment, then went to town on his own, finishing it almost not even a minute later. He’d grabbed another, this time nibbling on it and taking his time. He then looked back at the Shadow. “Huh.. you know. You really aren’t to bad looking.” he complimented. Aeolian blinked, turning his head sharply to stare at Nicholai before a glow slowly rose from his neck all the way up to the tips of his leafy, pointed ears. “Y-y-you’re alw-w-waysss s-s-saying th-that,” he complained quietly, burying his face in his scarf to hide it. “Y-you’d th-th-think y-you’d ssst-t-top b-being s-surp-pr-prised b-by now.” He mumbled, voice muffled -- not upset, just bashful and self conscious and a little embarrassed.

Nicholai had a blank face when he watched him moosh his face into his scarf. “Yea.. Well, I’m gonna keep on saying it ‘cause it’s true.” he lightly snorted. He sat his sandwich down and scooted closer to Aeolian. He sat his hands on his shoulders. “Look up.”

Aeolian let out a quiet cross between a groan and a squeak at Nicholai’s declaration, but didn't shy away from the closer proximity. At the request he lifted his face, turning a still bashful, sullen gaze on Nicholai. He said nothing, instead watching the other man with a subdued curiosity.

Nicholai had a smirk on his face as he pulled one hand from Aeolian’s shoulder and pushed it under the Shadow’s cowl that was blocking his face, he pulled it down, leaned in closer. Then without a word, locked lips with him.

Blue light glowed brightly enough to illuminate them both. Aeolian’s eyes grew wide - first, though only briefly, with an old and ingrained fear, and then work sheer surprise. But he didn't pull away. In fact, his eyes soon slipped closed and he allowed himself to relax into the kiss. Though his pulse pounded loudly in his ears, he was happy. And that happiness resounded in his empathy.