RP:First Game, First Drink, First Base
Summary: Irenic teaches Clementine a bit about blitzball, gives her the first alcoholic drink and in turn, her first kiss.
Glorious Arena
A crowd of cheering and screaming spectators almost reaches the roof of this dome-topped structure. Some are seated, but most are up on their feet, stamping their feet and shouting out jeers and pumping their fists as several brawlers below in caged ring fight to the death against themselves, and possibly beasts that have been taken captive for such a glorious arena such as this. Severely injured combatants are carted off by healers that appear every once and a while, along with badly dismembered corpses. The stench of blood, gore and sweat is almost unbearable in this place, but it doesn’t seem to bother anyone inside. The adrenaline rush of the fight seems to be all that’s being focused on. In the centre of the arena, a massive statue of gold and white marble stands. This must have been a great and noble Avian warrior to be worthy of such idolatry.
Irenic sat in a seat, probably quite solitary was he watched as the start of the blitzball game kicked off. He looked quite bored, but much more relaxed and sober than a couple nights ago. A simple pair of black slacks that we would consider jeans, a leather belt and a plain black cotton short sleeve shirt which showed off a lot more tattoos than before. One encircling his neck disappearing into the V shape of his collar and groupings of different patterns swirling and zigzagging up tawny and muscular cut arms. He sort of slumps down into his chair till his long legs are poking into the back of someone's chair which earns him an over the shoulder glare, but the person saw Irenic and quickly turned around with a grimace of regret. One of the security guards approach Irenic asking him to see his ticket and sees it is in fact stamped with a symbol of two intertwined C’s in front of a pair of wings. “You mean -you- are apart of the cloud community,” the guy was heavily judging Irenic because of the lack of wings.
Celandine had come to the game for some inspiration, carrying her journal pressed tight against her chest which sported a black leather corset matching the black leather tights. Looking to her ticket, and each row trying to find her seat. Moving to the row Irenic was at, not paying attention yet as he was blocked from sight. “Excuse me, can I get to my seat?” She would move through and tuck her wings in as she sat, opening her journal ready to watch the game.
Irenic watched at the ticket checker excused himself and let Celandine through who ended up sitting just a couple seats up from him. He figured he would put her on the spot, “hey! Rent-a-guard, this lady isn't allowed to sit near me because I'm not a goody-two-shoe. Definitely not good enough for her or worthy of her presence.” The security guy just rolls his eyes and moves on. “Well if it isn't Clementine.” He smirks and sits up a little more now being less bored.
Celandine looked away from the game, to see who was hollering. Seeing who it was, she went wide eyes. "It wasn't me that said that.." She said it lowly, blushing and looking back out to the game. "It's Celandine, not Clementine." She glanced at him before looking away smiling.
Irenic didn't care, he got up and sat next to her, “you rooting for the home team or the blue jays?” As such a close proximity and in this lighting she would be able to actually see the gray flex of stubble on the sides of his head and even some streaks in the longer hair on the top of his head, but the crows feet at his temples might stick out more to show off his age. “You don't like the name Clementine?” His side eye showing the chilling silver one and his devilish smirk shows again in his teasing.
Celandine couldn't stop smiling as he came closer, "As sad as this sounds I didn't even know the team names til I came here. I don't even understand the game, but I look for inspiration anywhere and everywhere." Turning to look upon Irenic, seeing the grey stubbles. The grey streaks starting to show, the crows feet peeking through at the edges of his eyes. Reaching up with both hands as she put her hair up in a pony tail. Twirling hair around her right hand's fingers, "No, I don't want to be called some orange fruit." She chuckled, looking into his eyes, adoring the chilling silver one. "You must stop looking at me like that." She turned her head away, as a breeze came by and blew open to the page where she saved the flower he gave her. Quickly slamming her journal closed, "Who do you go for?"
Irenic spotted the flower, but didn't mention it. “You mean you don't want to be called a cute small sweet fruit? I thought it was fitting…” then she's mentioning to stop looking at her a certain way which causes the scarred eyebrow above the dark eye to quirk up. “Look at you what way now?” The announcer over the stadium mentions how the Cardinals lead the game with 16 points by their best soaring back, Hinder. The crimson dressed crowd around them stand and cheer wildly for the young Avian who is probably around Celandine’s age while the announcer even mentions he's a scholar at the Bards College in town. Another short dark chuckle, “of course this is your first game.” Some vendor was walking by selling some sort of meet on a stick wrapped in sweet breading (corn dogs?) Irenic stands up to shout he wants two, flips two silver coins the vendor's way and then he gets two gold foil wrapped foods tossed back his way. “Here have some bad food, too,” he mentions while handing her one when he sits back down next to her. “Do you want me to tell you the basics?” He's not about to ‘mansplain’ and be all arrogant when she seems genuinely curious.
Celandine giggles, "When you put it that way, it's sweet calling me that. So you think I'm cute and sweet? I'm only little to you, but if I leave the cloud community I tower over a lot." Turning to look at him, "When you smirk and your entire face lights up. Makes it a battle to-" She stopped herself, not going to say it makes her want to melt to the ground. No one had given her smirks or looks like that, but him. Luckily the announcer came on, and she lit up about the Bards College. "I would do anything to get into that college, he is so lucky." Leaning back in her seat, taking the food, "Thank you, and yes my first game. Charlie has been very strict on where I go, he is actually here running security." She removed the foil, testing the temperature with her teeth before taking a mouthful bite. "Mmm." She closed her eyes enjoying the 'bad food'. After swallowing she pointed at it, "This is so good! Thank you. If I have a first date it needs to be here just because of these."
Irenic shrugs, “you know you're cute. You can't even pretend you aren't and I would wager that many men within this stadium right now would probably say much more than that. Probably some nasty things they would do to you as well. Men are pigs.” He says in such a way that seemed nonchalant and matter of fact like he could care less about the words coming out of his mouth. Her sentence was cut off at her wanting to- “what?” She moves on to the food and it's probably for the best while he also enjoys his unhealthy food. “Oh, of course he is,” comes out muffled due to a mouth full of food. Once they finish their treat he boldly puts his arm around the back of her chair in order to go over the basics, “eleven players on each team and they have one ball, the blitz, at the start of the game. Starting out at that line there,” he points with his free hand to a bold white line on the middle of the field which is enchanted to light a ‘wall’ into the air above. “Each team has four attempts to make it to the hoops on the ends to make points, but if they don't within four tries then it starts in the middle again. This sport is mostly dominated by the Avians and draconians and every once in awhile we will see dragons or those naga that can shapeshift.” Hinder scores another and there is more cheering, “the guys in the red are the Cardinals, the home team. The guys in the black with blue accents are the Blue Jays, what we call the away team. The one who just soared through that hoop is called a soaring back where they take the blitz thrown from the median and earn points or ‘goal’ for doing just what he did. Of course each time they do this it's sixteen points.” Another vendor was setting beverages of all sorts, including non alcoholic ones, “thirsty?”
Celandine shook her head, "No way, pfft. No way, not me. I'm boring all I do is write and sing." Then she caught on, "Oh! Yeah, never going to happen. I love kids but I don't want any of my own. My brother probably has more than a dozen roaming around out there. He kept a little black book even. My twin is a pig." She finished up her snack, rolling the wrap up into a ball. Celandine leaned towards him, only to move the other direction keeping herself under control over these charms. Not asking him to remove his arm, as if other males were looking at her that way. They can at least think she met him here on purpose. Maybe not have a chance? She listened and followed with her eyes where he points too. Opening her journal she wrote this down, more so her feather tattoo wiggling itself free enough to write it down. Nodding, placing her glasses on to read what she wrote. "Yes, I'll let you pick the drink."
Irenic paused a moment when she put the glasses on and his face softened a bit at how nerdy she looked with them on, but was curious if that had the same effect as when he had to put his spectacles on to read. Eh, it probably just made him look even older. Another quirk of the brow when she said he could pick what she drinks and he decides to do a social experiment when he stands to order. When he comes back he has two bottles and they both look to be fizzy drinks, but he offers her the pink one. The clear one would remain closed for now as the clear is a regular sweet fizzy drink while the one he gave her was a lightweight wine cooler. “Black book, huh? Smart,” he finally remarked while glancing back to her every once and awhile, “is there anything else about the game you want to know?”
Celandine closed the journal, standing when he came back so was easier than climbing over her. Sitting down she pushes her glasses upon the crown of her head. Taking the drink, opening it to take a large drink out of it. "Oh fizzy! What is it? Has an odd taste? I usually just drink the common stuff. You know like water, tea and milk." She leaned towards him, "A black book is not good when the girl you are chasing finds it and finds out you been with her mom not even forty eight hours ago. Roman is a handful, he is far off somewhere we write every once and while. He is shorter than you, two inches on me. Black hair and piercing blue eyes, has a tattoo on his chest in shape of a crescent moon." She took another drink of the mystery drink, "Yes, why do you come to watch? Did you use to play?" Her hand reached to the spot where his wings use to be, running along it then jerking her hand back to look back to the game blushing. "Sorry."
Irenic was leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees this time as the second half was coming to a close, but they have been doing so much talking that they missed when the Blue Jays caught up to the Cardinals and they are now neck and neck. He knows her brother, actually, but still won't say anything on that. When she felt over the shirt she would feel raised skin left as welts where his wings used to connect and his shoulders sort of shrugged a couple times in the weird feeling of it. Glancing over his shoulder at her to see her blushing, “don't be. If I met a wingless Avian I would be curious, too.” His smirk was a little more sinister in saying that, “but I used to play for fun so I just come to watch and live vicariously through the young wing-abled players.” He's trying to joke and make light of his plight, but now he's wishing he would have just got himself an ale.
Celandine finished her drink, making her tipsy. "Hmm, I feel weird and fuzzy." Looking to the scoreboard, then back to him. "What you say we leave? Go get another one of those drinks you got me. And maybe I can do something about wings for you." She poke his shoulder, chuckling. "Being winless just makes you all that more unique and special. Other then being handso-" Nope, stop, freeze. She poked him again, "Or just get some fresh air, get drinks come back if you really want to keep watching." She offered a tender grin.
Irenic chuckled, “Celandine,” he started in a sing song tone. “Are you flirting with me?” He was grinning at her now at her poking and her words. They are already outside and the drink vendor is still nearby, but he will help her and take her for a walk. He is the one who got her tipsy to begin with and he stands up before offering a hand down to her to help. “Lets just take a walk?” Maybe exposing her to alcohol so soon was a mistake and now he has to sort of babysit her, but he figured it shouldn't last too long. Once she would get up he would lead her out to the isle and sort of escort her out, keeping her balance if she needed some extra support for the dizziness.
Celandine blushed, quickly going to lift her left hand to play with her hair. "I don't flirt, I don't know how to do that. You also said my name right! Bravo!" Slowly she slipped her hand into his, grinning from ear to ear. Standing up, and leading the way with her hand trailing behind her. "A walk sounds great, but get those drinks first. Let's sneak them out with us?" After all she might have a wild side that is freed from getting tipsy. Turning around to face him, "It be fun!" She spun around, the klutz never failing she she got tangled up in her own legs. Using his hand to help her balance herself back out. Then she decided to actually let him lead them, once more.
Irenic gave her his regular fizzy drink, “here have mine, I didn't even open it yet.” He glanced around checking for any guy that looked like her cousin more worried about her than himself. “Maybe after that one we should just get some water.” Once outside the arena and past the training field they were back out on the avenue which seems a lot more desolate because everyone is at the game. He takes some matches out his pocket and liberates the cigarette from his ear so he could start to smoke. He was making their way to he fountain of wishes.
Celandine moved up beside him locking arms with him as they walked, "Why you keep looking around like you're scared we are being followed? Are you like some kind of high notch spy in disguise to be an Avian, but really a drow!" Her imagination going wild, "Or a pixie hiding our using a glamour spell! Explains why you are so handsome." She continued to toss out other things, laughing to herself. "Oh I got it! You are a mer-man! Cast out from the ocean by your father because you wouldn't marry the princess because your heart belongs to the clouds!" Wiggling her nose at the cigarette, "Didn't know you smoke?" She held the drink on her right hand, using her left hand to open it. Once open she took a small drink, "It doesn't taste the same, but it's still good. Thank you, Irenic."
Irenic sat down on the edge of the fountain chuckling at her and her word vomit. “Just keeping an eye out for that helicopter-cousin of yours. I can take him,” a long drag of his cigarette and exhaling dense smoke as he finishes his sentence, “but you can't. Not in your condition anyway.” He flicks ashes from the end of the cigarette on the ground before placing the but of it to dangle on the side of his lips, “yeah. There's a lot you don't know about me, Clementine.” He runs a hand through the top of his hair to smooth it back, his smirk gone for now and those mismatched eyes look for hers, “uh… That drink won't taste the same because there is no alcohol in it.” He ready for another slap as he gives off a half hearted shrug.
Celandine sat beside him, watching him smoke. "Charlie just worries over me, I never do anything. My brother was the wild card, I am the calm, shy, klutz." Grabbing the cigarette out of his mouth to hit it, only to choke and gasp for air with a highly displeased cringe. "Gross! I'd never kiss you after you smoke that!" She took a drink washing the taste out of her mouth. "I'll never be able to take Charlie, he is a warrior I am a harmless bard. Like you said, the fly would win." Turning so she could look at the fish in the fountain, "I want to learn about you, you’re the first male Avian I've talked to not about my books. You are special Irenic, I would hang with you any day or night no matter how early or late." She winked, yes winked. But her smile faded, turning around so fast her wing would smack the back side of his head. "What? Accident right? Or did you purposely try to get me drunk?" Her hands rested on the curve of her hips, she would not smack him even if he deserve it.
Irenic was calm and the silence between them grew as his eyes lingered over her for what seemed like an eternity after he had picked his cigarette up which she dropped in order to puff from it again. “What you had is considered a wine cooler and it's more like a fountain drink than anything and has maybe three percent alcohol in it.” His gruff tone didn't show remorse or apology, but he wasn't making excuses for what he did. “I just figured you were having a nice time trying new things and you might enjoy a small bit of an alcoholic drink. If you caught on earlier I would have gave you the drink you have now, but you really seemed to enjoy it. Yeah, what I did was wrong, but I'm not taking it back and I could have easily bought more to actually get you drunk.” He shakes her head lazily, “that's not me though. Should I kiss you and make it better?” Calling back to what she said about having a drink with her first real kiss.
Celandine crossed her arms over her chest, "Well wine coolers are good, that small amount seemed a lot to me. I told you I never drank, now you saw proof." She didn't look mad, her tone calm but hint of excitement. "True you could've given me more, but didn't. So…. Thank you, for not. I had fun at the game with you, and trying new things." Blushing, dropping her jaw over the fact he just offered to kiss her. She didn't know what to do, but stand there staring down at him.
Irenic looked up as a few spots of rain started to fall and one splashed right down in the middle of his forehead. That look she was giving him, she was too scared to say yes and it was obvious. He starts to explain, “well… As stubborn as us Avians can be, I cannot let you break that deal with yourself can I?” Once he stands up the skies start to sprinkle over them in attempts to put a damper on what's about to happen and once he was close to her he took the drink from her after flicking his cigarette away. His gaze unmoving from her own after taking a large swig from the clear fizzy drink in order to rid his mouth of cigarette taste and handing the bottle back to her. “Plus, you are quite gor- ...pretty,” he finishes quite lamely and by now the skies were near pouring down on them when his athletic frame became pressed against her own. His hands found themselves at the sides of her head with his left thumb smoothing over her cheek and the right one caressing over her lower lip. Slowly, in the rain, his face lowers over hers right before his eyes looked at her lips until they were closed because their lips finally met. His top lip fitting into the small space between her lips while his lower lip was plum against her bottom one. His right hand shifted from the side of her face on up behind her ear and into her hair.
Celandine | Rain didn't phase her, she loved the rain as long as it wasn't a thunderstorm, she hides under a fluffy blanket when it does due to her parents dying in a storm. She took a step back, blushing deeply at him. She watched him take a drink from the fizzy drink he originally bought for himself. Grateful for him taking a drink to get the taste of cigarette out. Her body shuddered from being so nervous, not sure to do her first kiss with him or not. He was handsome, had a sweet side, tricky even. Why didn't she turn and fly off? What was it about this one Avian that made her more of a klutz? Then when he spoke she was reminded of it, "I am what?" She smiled shyly, but it faded as she swallowed hard. Feeling his athletic form against her own, "Irenic." She sang out to him in a whisper, feeling hands on each side her face. The left thumb rubbing her cheek made her eyes close, giving a purse to his thumb as he caressed her lower lip. Her hands moving to wrap around his waist inviting him closer. As soon as his lips touched her own, her left foot raised behind her. His lips felt perfect, better than she anticipated for it to be. Hands stretch out along his lower back, curling into fist and open again in a manner of caress.
Irenic let the kiss linger on for a few seconds and when they pulled away he was smirking, “ribbit.” The mimicking of a toad to prove he’s probably not the one for her, or for anyone. “You… Seemed like you needed to live a little without all the supervision,” that was possibly an excuse for his actions and a loud clap of thunder booms through the air directly after a bright flash of lightning nearby, but Irenic didn't flinch and he notices they are still very close.
Celandine could barely open her eyes yet, still feeling his lips lingering. But his joke caused them to open, making her laugh. "Nope. You are a prince of trouble, very much so." Her hands move up to rest on his chest, "It was nice." Clap of thunder heard, and she jumped. Making her pull away from him, "I need to get home, I don't like storms." She turned and moved to leave, "Thank you for today. "
Irenic watches her flinch, watches her turn and as he watches her scamper off he calls out, “bye Clementine!”