[Open] Birthdays

[lostmarauder]

Where: Northern Fire, and Whirlpool
When: May 14th and 15th.
Notes: Come pester the birthday boy~

Peter hadn't intended to be away for his birthday, and just hoped that if anyone had remembered, that they weren't going to be upset with him for not being home on the day itself. He'd been headed that way before he got the lead after all, the day before, and thus it was that early on the 15th of May, on his 18th birthday, Peter took a straight path East instead of north, hopping the seal to somewhere else not Rice on a quest for an obscure, and honestly, not very important scroll. Still, it was a scroll he'd been looking for and that was honestly what mattered here.

Comments

[sensethis]

Karin slipped out of the administrative building and headed straight on toward the edges of the rebuilding village. It was one of those rare days where she actually felt the need to be a little less than responsible and serious. She took the long way out to the edge though meandering her way rather than taking her direct route as she usually would.

Once there she took a moment to just be still as she eyed a rare shady spot and wished she'd thought to grab a book on the way.

[lostmarauder]

He, on the other hand, had been taking the path at a decent clip... but slowed, then stopped. He'd been running into a lot of redheads lately it felt like. Still... he came to a halt as he got a better look at this one, something niggling at his mind.

No reason not to let her know he'd noticed her though. "Hallo!"

He didn't realize who she was.

[sensethis]

She turned her head slightly. Blonde, stocky, potentially non-threatening. She raises an eyebrow at him. The blond hair alone screamed not from around Uzu and that intrigued her some.

"Hello." she responds carefully with a quick nod of her head.

Blue eyes she notes somewhere in the back of her head. Pale blue eyes.

[lostmarauder]

And that had been the sum total of what he had to offer in this conversation. Hrm. He lifted a hand to give her a sheepish wave and padded closer, not even trying to go on the offensive... mostly because he wasn't a total idiot.

"So, uh, from around here?"

[sensethis]

"Something like that." For the last few years anyway she's been from there. Give it a few more and it might actually be the one place she spent the majority of her life.

"You?"

[lostmarauder]

"Ah, no no, just visiting." He paused, giving her a sheepish laugh. "It's my birthday so I think anyone back home might have had their plans ruined a bit with me being here instead."

[sensethis]

She almost laughs one side of her mouth twitching up in a smile. "Mhm, most people tend to stick close to home when their birthday roles around." She pauses head tilting a fraction to the left before she zeroes in on the visiting part of the statement.

"Visitors usually fall in a couple categories around here, merchant, or diplomat. I take you're neither so I'm intrigued." This is by far a much less hostile way of interrogating a newcomer than her more recent past. Oops.

[lostmarauder]

He gave a laugh, looking thoroughly caught. "You know how it is. Someone like me, a diplomat? Ha! Better to have me being the scribe along honestly. I'm not one of the big boys from pretty much anywhere. And I'm not even going to get into my feelings on merchants." He shook his head firmly, then put his hands behind his head, lacing his fingers to show he meant no harm.

Really, he was harmless. "I just heard about some things in this area that hit my interests that's all. I'm more of, ah... a scholar I guess."

[sensethis]

"Some of the diplomats that come through on business might surprise you. I've seen some very interesting one's so far. A couple that would pass for the average merchant and little else." In the last few years she'd gotten pretty good at judging more on how the person carried themselves than their actual appearance or dress. But she shrugged and left it alone, leaning back on her heels a moment before settling back down again.

"I can see it. You're sort of pinched like someone who spends a lot of time pouring over scrolls." She almost smiles but holds back even if it was painfully easy to slip into something akin to pointless banter with the newcomer she really shouldn't; harmless or not. And she was aware he was projecting that harmlessness into his body language, probably as much to put her at ease as to avoid in depth scrutiny.

[lostmarauder]

It was a habit, a self protective instinct that he'd developed in himself with care. If he was harmless, people were less likely to try and stab him in the face. "I'm not pinched! I'm erm. Just not pinched okay?"

[sensethis]

She laughs and shakes her head, "Yes you do."

[lostmarauder]

He gave her a pout, feeling strangely... light. He never felt like that anymore, so it was vaguely disorienting, and he struggled to keep it off his face. "I won't know why you're saying that but it's not true!"

[sensethis]

"Suit yourself." She says with a shrug. If he wants to believe he isn't a little pinched looking around the eyes then that was his business. "But a little more light when you read would probably help."

[lostmarauder]

"...But some things get damaged by light you know." It was a grumble, and he shook his head. "You still think I look squinty."

[sensethis]

"Then be careful about you go about it." She snaps, her eyes rolling at how ridiculous his comment was. "Most people that spend their time hunched over scrolls tend to be, so yeah." A hand wave, some of the paperwork grunts got that pinched look after several long days of squinting at nearly illegible print.

[lostmarauder]

"And yet you're the one wearing glasses." He paused a beat, studying them thoughtfully. "Not that they don't suit you."

[sensethis]

Her brows furrow. Okay, she's not sure what to make of that last bit and instead shrugs it off. "Thanks. Born with them. Came out with them and everything."

[lostmarauder]

That made him blink and he shook his head, not even thinking before speaking. Not... usually his habit, that. "You were not. They have to be much more recent than that."

[sensethis]

"You sure?" She asks leaning forward hand on her hip, "You weren't there. And they aren't as recent as you may think."

[lostmarauder]

He floundered a little, then crossed his arms, a defensive gesture he'd had to unlearn when he'd become a shinobi. "Um. Yes. Yes I'm sure."

[sensethis]

She smirks pleased with herself. "How?"

[lostmarauder]

That makes him pause, genuinely baffled, and he stared at her, looking a bit more serious. "Um. You see. Just. You don't look... normal? With your glasses on? Nice! But not- I mean! Theyjustlookliketheydon'tgo."

He said the tail end of it in a rush, arms unfolding in case she tried to wallop him.

[sensethis]

She doesn't look normal? Her nostrils flare, a sure sign that she's a touch insulted. No wild tentacle hair like her aunt yet but if he isn't careful it could very well be. "Of course they go. I wouldn't wear them if they didn't go."

[lostmarauder]

"They just. Don't." He pressed his lips together, looking a bit anxious because what was he saying??

[sensethis]

"Yes they do," she mutters and turns to walk around the outer edge of the village. Hands fisted she starts at a brisk pace. "You know for someone passing through you're being incredibly rude."