RP:Not Bad
Tyler carries himself down Kelay Way in complete silence. The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the cool wind is blowing, but this doesn't aid in lifting Tyler's spirits. The human doesn't physically appear upset, but rather deep in thought. His expression nearly stern with slightly squinted eyes as he progresses through the lightly populated streets. The good news, his weight seems to be returning, his wounds have almost all healed and he is starting to look more human than undead. He had spent the night pondering on the predicament of how to deal with Skylei when next he saw her. He was ill at how she had treated Emilia and him like lesser beings, and was frustrated that he somehow felt responsible. Never-the-less, he aimed to attempt to make amends. His destination was none other than the infamous Kelay Tavern. He figured he would begin looking for her there. Maybe she decided to stay in their room. Then again, maybe she busted up his guitar and left. The thought made him feel a bit queasy as he'd become rather fond of the instrument. Still, he pressed on. Nodding to those of interest who pass, and glaring to those of intimidation, quite a long way this new human had come from cowering at the sight of Josleen to being ready to slice the throat of even the largest Ogre. Quite the hero, eh? He arrives at the steps of the building and would pause to rest. A moment to gather his wits and emotions before entering. After all, he didn't want to make things worse. Which as of late, seems to be his expertise.
Skylei is in the tavern, upstairs in the room that she was paying for but had as good as gifted to Tyler before taking back the key. The door is locked behind her; Sky doesn’t want to be disturbed by anyone, especially not by the only person who would know she might be here. After the altercation on the way, which she still doesn’t entirely understand, she had simply made her way into Kelay Tavern, climbed the stairs, unlocked the room, locked it behind her and got into bed. She hasn’t moved from this spot since. Hell, she hadn’t even washed the forest mud from the soles of her feet before she got into bed. Skylei hasn’t eaten, hasn’t drunk, she’s simply spent the last day oscillating between bitter tears, unfulfilling sleep and silent contemplation. Currently in this cycle, she is onto the third phase; contemplation. The blankets are pulled high up, so that all that could be seen of her is those stormy grey eyes, ringed with black circles and red puffiness, and a mass of tangled black hair. One hand dangles out and over the side of the bed, holding the chain of her amulet and swinging the jewellery as though it is a hypnotic pendant. Skylei isn’t expecting company, and she certainly doesn’t want it.
Tyler has had enough time to mentally prepare for the meeting ahead. As he stands at the edge of the bottom stair he notices a small group of beautiful flowers at the edge of the building. A bundle of white roses that Mesthak must have planted to add a better atmosphere around the usually violent establishment. Crossing to the side of the building, Tyler reaches down and plucks one of the flowers from it's firm hold in the dirt. Breaking off the root to leave a clean base he fiddles with his satchel to store the item in order to avoid conflict with Mesthak, who already has a bad taste in his mouth for the man. When Tyler enters the tavern he is quite surprised, the place is completely vacant. He checks behind the counter to ensure the usual crew is at work and that the place hasn't been shut down. After seeing Nancy and Mesthak shuffling about he gives them a kind smile and nod before advancing upstairs and to the third door on the left. A twist of the bronze handle offers pressure and Tyler realizes Skylei must be inside if the door is locked. The preparation he had done outside seems to be lacking now as his heart rate picks up pace. A deep inhale steadies his nerves as his knuckle hovers by the surface of the wooden door for a few seconds before opting three light knocks. Quick on his feet, he figures the wood elf would be less than excited to see him, so he presents the scenario that he is simply here to receive what is his. A slight call of affection to allow a bit of pondering to the mind in order to let her know all hope is not lost. "Skylei, -hun-, are you up? I wanted to come get my guitar."
At the twist of the handle, Skylei literally jumps from her horizontal position into a vertical one. The amulet in her hand is dropped with a clatter on the floorboards, her knees are pulled up to her chest and her hands grab at the blankets, pulling them in close to her body. Then the three knocks on the wood, each one making her jump and the sound of his voice that makes her bury her head in her knees. Not him. Anyone but him. She toys with multiple options. Screaming at him to go away and leave her alone seems like the most appealing initially. Ignoring him and crawling back under the blankets is her second choice. But Skylei is not a brat teenager or a spoiled princess. Try as she might to ignore it, there is a constant gnawing in her stomach that she is an adult and must behave in the adult way. So she opens her mouth for the first time since the pair last spoke and attempts to sound dignified, “Just a moment. I need to get dressed.” A lie, she is fully dressed, but she needs to cover up the signs of her misery; easier said than done, especially with one arm. First she washes her feet clean of the mud, and then washes her face, scrubbing at it with cold water until the entire thing is pink in the hope of disguising her sad, tired eyes. Then she forces a brush through her hair, quietly yelping as the catch the larger tangles, before pulling it into a messy knot behind her head. Finally, she makes the bed, attempting to disguise the fact that she hadn’t left the thing in 24 hours. With a quick tug at her crumpled clothing, Skylei picks the guitar from where it stands next to the bedside cabinet, only setting it down to unlock and open the door before picking it back up and thrusting it, wordlessly at the human. She avoids eye contact. She avoids physical contact too, shying away even from the touch of his hand against her own as the guitar exchanges hands.
Tyler pulls back as the door swings open and the guitar is thrust at him. Holding his ground for a moment as he looks upon her noting the obviously washed face and the poorly dressed hair. The back of his hand is used to push at the head of the guitar moving it away from him as he uses his free hand to move the door open further and enter the room. Once inside, he shuts the door with the heel of his boot and stares at her in silence. His eyes taking her in as he examines every single flaw that he might find and a small frown falls upon his visage. Something catches his eye just behind her and he adjust to face the shimmering amulet laying on the floor board. An audible pop resignates from his jaw as he flexes it before taking three steps to the bed and bending down to retrieve the amulet. He turns to her and says, "Chain's slippery, isn't it?" before crossing the distance between them to place the amulet around her neck. He would try to make eye contact before popping the single button on his satchel and digging around for the white rose. Twisting it around in his hand for a moment before attempting to place it in her own. "I'm sorry." He admits, the audible pop of his jaw echoing once more in the small room before he takes hold of the guitar and turns to leave Skylei in peace.
Skylei doesn’t object as he enters the room, much as she has to fight with herself not to start screaming and beg him to leave her in peace. In spite of her internal turmoil, she doesn’t object when he places that amulet around her neck She tries not to make anything of it either. This amulet is their connection. It’s the only real connection that Sky can claim to new Tyler and he has just, in the simple action of placing that amulet around her neck, reinstated it. Does that mean something? Don’t be a fool Skylei. Stop telling yourself that there is something behind his actions; you will only hurt more in the long run. Then her places that single white rose in her hand. White, the colour of peace, of forgiveness and calmness and serenity. Her mind is drawn to the other rose she had received, all those months ago from Tyler, that time, a black bloom. Her scholar’s mind immediately draws the parallels; her Tyler was the darkness, symbolised by the black of the rose whereas this Tyler is the light… stop it Skylei. Drawing her hand into her chest, she holds the rose in close for a few seconds, before dropping her arm down to her side. She still hasn’t said a word, but as he turns away with an apology she opens her mouth. She has to say something. There are so many things she longs to say, words, good words, words of affection, apology and love, churn around her mind as magnificent whirlwinds and yet when she opens her mouth all that comes out is, “I’m sorry too.” She curses her ineloquence. That is it then. This is the end as she sees it. As soon as he’s gone she will bury herself in the bed and not leave for a week.
The bronze door knob is already clutched between Tyler's middle and ring fingers, his wrist turning to free the door from it's hold. Her voice calls out, the apology reaching his ears and his body would halt. Running his thumb over the rounded front of the handle before setting the guitar down at the side of the frame. Releasing his grip on the door knob he turns to face Skylei, his eyes giving her the once over yet again before he casually moves over to the half-elf and slides his arms around her. Once under the free arm, the other over the sling so that he may offer her a gentle embrace.
Skylei feels her heart skip a beat as he looks at her. Her eyes are instantly cast down to the ground; she knows she must conceal the way she feels in that moment, she does not want it written across her face for him to read. Still, all hopes of concealment vanish when he steps towards her and embraces her. Where his hold is gentle, hers is tight. She clings to him as though it will be the last time he will ever hold her, as though he is a life jacket and she is drowning. It is a embrace that seems to suggest through every sense that he is what she needs in that moment. Her body shakes once, with an attempt at hiding the single sob that forces its way through the façade of ‘I am okay’ that Skylei has worn sine Tyler arrived. The rose is still held in her hand, the one that is wrapped around his neck, balled in her fist as though she will never let it go.
Tyler releases a heavy exhale through his nostrils as his eyes fall shut when Skylei shutters in his arms. His next step carefully planned as he decides to return a long overdue favor. Thin lips part to send a whisper down to the wood elf's ears, "It's OK, baby." His right hand begins to rub her back in a circle motion as he tightens his grip. With his motions, he approves her need for emotional release, he holds her in silence awaiting a flow of tears and sobs to erupt from the woman who tries to present herself in a stoic emotionless manner in times of distress. He craves for her to show some humanity and give in, to let her human side take over and for once, let it out.
Skylei doesn’t disappoint. The words he whispers and the sweet physical affection leads to her instantly sobbing and shaking in his arms. Her head is buried in his shoulder, her fists are clenched with bottled up emotion and she cries a flood of tears. They’re not pretty tears either; they are tears of anguish, relief and regret. Her face is soon streaked with red lines and puffy eyes are bloodshot and in between sobs she snuffles and sniffs. Eventually, the sobs decrease in frequency and volume and once they have ceased, she would pull herself away from his hold and utter another apology, “I’m so sorry.” This time, her eyes, red and puffy as they are, seek his. She can only hope that he knows how genuinely she wants forgiveness.
Tyler isn't quite sure why Skylei apologizes again. His eyes locked with her, ravaged by tears and sorrow. He wonders if she means for letting go in front of him, but he denies to comment on the ordeal, fresh memories of his own breakdown from the night before still lingering in his mind. He shakes his head and simple states, "All is forgiven." As he looks upon her shaking frame he moves to take her by the good hand and lead her to the edge of the bed, offering a place to sit while he stands before her.
Skylei lets Tyler lead her and takes a seat on the bed. Her hand, once he has released it, moves to clutch at the amulet that he had put around her neck. The feeling of the metal and glass in her palm will help her to calm down, she hopes. After a brief second of clutching the jewellery, her hand moves to wipe the freshest tears from her face and she snuffles once more. “I didn’t mean to keep you. I’m sure you have places to be.” Her mouth stays open, poised to offer another apology, but she doesn’t speak it.
Tyler offers a exhale of humor, "Yeah. Important things on my to-do list. Sleep, walk, kill dark elves, find food, find a creek for a bath, you know, -must do's-." He's still a bit vengeful toward the drow that had attacked Emilia just a few hours ago. His coin pouch a little heavier from the gem and coins he found as loot from the corpses. Kneeling down so he is just below Skylei he looks up to her. "Why are you making yourself so miserable?" He asks with a soft tone. "Why don't you just tell people what's on your mind, instead of making it so hard?"
Skylei can’t look at him when he asks that question. To tell anyone what she thinks is difficult. To tell him would feel like death. She doesn’t respond, instead fiddling with her poorly tied hair, letting tendrils fall loose around her face. When she opens her mouth, a near panicked, breathless jumble of words falls out, none of them words that she had been planning to say, “I don’t know what’s on my mind. I don’t know how I feel. I don’t trust anything that I think anymore and everything that I do think, I probably shouldn’t be thinking!” Skylei pauses wide eyed, before shutting her mouth and looking down to the hand that now rests on her lap. She holds still for a good few moments before lifting her head and offering a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes and delivering the final piece of her tirade in a much lighter tone. I just… y’know, sharing the fact that I am clearly a complete basket case and a nutjob to boot didn’t seem to appeal to me.”
Tyler's expression never shifts from concern as Skylei rants like a lunatic. A light frown plaguing his features as he maintains a heavy stare with Skylei. A disappointed hum echoes from his throat when he repositions himself to lean against the wall, crossing his left leg over his right. "You're insisting you're insane then?" That pop rings out again as he grits his teeth tightly. The half elf declaring she may be mentally ill, be it light hearted or in a more reasonable case honest, only further presses the thoughts Tyler has had of Skylei only hanging around him due to the former. He is ready to speak again, but as his lips part his brain seems to win an internal struggle against his body and they are quick to seal once more. The man simply provides three short nods in silent agreement with something, all the while never breaking his intense stare to the woman on the bed.
Skylei shakes her head at the suggestion that she is actually insane, quickly refuting that idea, “I’m not insane. I just… I wish you could understand. I don’t know how to make you understand.” She trails off and looks down to the floor, shuffling her feet awkwardly. ‘Stop it’, she tells herself internally. ‘You can’t make him understand. It doesn’t matter how hard you try, how long you spend waiting for the right moment, however eloquent you are with the way you tell him. There is no one in the world that will ever understand the way you feel and he deserves a proper chance at a fresh start.’. Instead of saying any of this, she simply gets up from the bed, “I think I should go.”
Tyler remains against the wall. Gritting his teeth, flexing his jaw and clinching his fists as Skylei stumbles over her words and then rises up, so ready to 'go'. He fights the overwhelming urge to cry out to her, 'so that's it then?'. He bites hard on his tongue and forces his expression to look anything but distressed. His stomach is turning as his mind screams 'Stop her!', his head spinning and his throat tight. Despite this, his feet stay planted firmly to the ground. His body completely at rest. The only sign of anything is that his eyes finally fall from her figure to the floor below. He doesn't speak. He doesn't move. He's barely breathing. He just waits.
Skylei takes Tyler’s silence as a sign that he agrees with her assertion that she should leave. Her stuff is still scattered across the room and her bag remains sat at the foot of the bed. The half-elf sighs at his lack of response and starts to collect her belongings. She starts by pulling all of the clothes that lie in neat piles around the place into one large pile. She leaves this pile on the bed whilst she disappears towards the sink to find what few things she has left in the bathroom. Once the pile of items on the bed is complete she would finish packing them into the bag and attempt to sling it over her shoulder without catching her sling. Once that’s done she casts Tyler a look. What do you say when you’re fairly sure you’ll never see, and certainly never intentionally see, that person again? Skylei comes up with three options. The first is ‘Josleen was right’. The second is an apology. She chooses the final option, silence, and all she does is lift a hand in farewell before heading for the door.
Tyler remains vigilant in his silence while Skylei collects her things. His eyes glued to the floor as she shuffles around gathering up random items sprawled across the room. As she enters the bathroom he would finally breath. A deep exhale as his eyes fall shut for a moment, but he isn't allowed time to gather his thoughts as she reappears and readies to escape the room. Her hand raises and he simply nods again. It's slow motion as she makes her way to the door of the room. His eyes are closed once more as the sound of the squeaking bronze knob is turned. When the sound of wood parting wood resounds in the room he no longer thinks. His boot is already pressed against the door, slamming it shut, his hand armed with the rusted dagger that he uses to cut the strap on the bag sending it on a crash course to the ground. The weapon is tossed to the side of the room as he grabs hold of Skylei by the sides and jerks her over to the bed. He tosses her down, he tries to be gentle with her shoulder but he can't make any guarentees. Then, in the blink of an eye, he is on top of her, his lips locked with hers.
Skylei has no idea what is happening as Tyler pulls the door out of her grasp with his boot and slams it shut. She readies herself for another tirade of abuse, or questions or something. Then she feels the weight of her bag disappear and the sound of all her worldly possessions crashing to the floor. Then there’s the clatter of the knife against the floor and his hands are on her. Perhaps she’s too surprised to realise that, as he throws her to the bed, her shoulder takes a reasonable hit. She doesn’t even cry out in pain, her eyes are wide with confusion. Is he going to kill her? That would be the perfect end to this horrible episode. Instead, she feels the weight of his body on top of her and his lips on her own. She kisses him back, her hand wrapping around his back to pull his body in closer to her own. She doesn’t believe it’s real, but she doesn’t care. This is what she wants.
Tyler continues to kiss Skylei as hard as he can. His lips constantly gliding against her own. She pulls him closer and the man doesn't bother to resist. His right hand finds it's way to her head and his fingers run deep into her still tied hair and he grips it tightly as he presses in for a final, powerful kiss. As he pulls away the man's face is red, his breathing is frantic and his heart is clearly beating through his chest as it heaves rapidly. He's staring to her, almost in anger as he swallows the lump in his throat. He refuses to dismount from the top of her and would simply release his hold on her hair, leaving it in a mess, his palm moving to press down into the mattress beside her. He can't speak. He can't find the words to say. Finally he would simply let his body fall so that his head is beside her's once more.
Skylei simply gazes at him, once his lips are pulled away from her own. She’s breathless and just as red in the face as he is. Her own gaze is filled with fear, confusion and trepidation. Why had he done that? Did he mean it? Is the only reason he had done that so that she wouldn’t leave? Once his head rests alongside her own, Skylei closes her eyes, screws up her face and looks for her courage. Finally she finds enough to tell him how she feels. She doesn’t need to speak in much more than a whisper, but perhaps she’s finally found the way to explain what it is that she feels, what has made her act as though she is insane, what is was that prompted her vile fit of jealousy, “When we got out of the temple, you asked me what I said to him after you killed him. I asked him for forgiveness for the way I felt about you. I knew, I knew even then.” It’s not much, but it’s a start.
Tyler feels his body convulse as she speaks, picking himself up he glares down at her still. The anger still present in his stare and voice, "Then why didn't you just tell me!? Do you know how much easier it would've made this?!" He shakes before dismounting Skylei. He rummages through his pocket and pulls out a note from Emilia showing it to Skylei. "So that's why you got so-so-so... rude outside!? Well, you're right Sky. I have feelings for Emi. Do you know why? Because I thought you only hung around with me because I looked like him! Because you couldn't let him go!" Arms dropping to his side Tyler sighs and collapses to the floor with his knees high, his arms wrap around them as he stares toward her. His emotions calming as the red begins fading from his face. He's shaking his head now. He takes a deep breath. "I'm OK, You're OK... We're OK." He reassures himself and her alike before offering her a grin. "Not bad by the way."
Skylei shuts her eyes below his angry stare and her body tenses at his words. Once he moves from her body, she curls her knees to her body and rolls onto her side. It’s a physically defensive position, the only protection that she has from the anger of his words. She only opens her eyes at the sound of paper rustling in her face. She would scan the words quickly before feeling bile rise in her stomach and threatens to force the empty contents of her stomach to be expelled. The combination of that and Tyler’s confession of feelings for Emilia confirm that her suspicions had been correct; at least one blessing in this situation means that she hasn’t acted incorrectly in her haste. Still, although the human, who is now in the floor reassuring himself that everything is fine, doesn’t seem worried, Skylei is simply distressed. Although she doesn’t want to leave the foetal position that she has pulled herself into, she forces herself to sit up and look at him. She wants to be calm but she is overcome with more than one powerful emotion; regret, jealousy, passion and relief all play a part in her words as she seeks to refute, confirm and apologise all at once, “I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have said anything. And you’re right! I will always see him when I look at you, because it’s like you’re wearing his skin, but that doesn’t mean I don’t see you beyond that skin! Now, I see you before I see him. I thought I wanted what he wanted for you; a second chance! Freedom from all the ties of his life and I’m one of those ties. Why would you ever have wanted anything to do with me?” She goes to bury her head in her hands as she finishes her response, but then his final words and that grin register in her conscious mind, “Wait, what? What do you mean ‘not bad’?”
Tyler's waved off Skylei's explanation and questioning with a chuckle. "Nothing, Sky." He claims from his seated position in the floor. Caramel eyes stay locked to the wood elf on the bed. Scratching at his nostrils he sighs while shaking his head. "I guess I can see where you're coming from. It's all just a big mess to be honest. I still don't even know -what- I am and I'm too busy falling for people to care." He smirks in recollection of one of her earlier questions. "Why wouldn't I want to have something to do with you? You're... well, awesome. Apart from the whole snobby 'I'm an elf! Lick my boot!' scene outside and the bit of crazy lady I saw when we first met, I can't think of any flaws to point out." He shrugs, "I like you, Sky."
Skylei doesn’t believe it’s nothing but she doesn’t have time to utter words to that effect before Tyler is singing her praises and pointing out her flaws all in one intricately smooth blow. Admittedly, the two ‘flaws’ he points out do not go down well and she becomes defensive yet again, “Erm, excuse me? When we first met you were wearing the skin of my fiancé who had killed himself seven days previous. If I’d be acting like a sane and rational person it that situation then you’d have likely had a psychopath on your hands. And as for the scene out there, that was entirely your fault. And might I remind you that it was ‘your- friend who caused the scene? She was the one bellowing as if I’d said something offensive…” Sky resists the temptation to add an offensive word onto the end of this tirade, instead turn her head downwards and brushing her hair behind her ears. Then she looks back to him and speaks much more quietly. The defensive tone has been dropped and she seems to be attempting to connect with him on a human level, “And I’m half-elven. Half. Half-breed, scum, dirty little secret of the elven world, y’know? Nobody licks my boot…” Skylei can’t help but smile and add a final half-serious clause, “Unless my boot’s in their face ‘cause the need a good kicking…” At this point she gets up, unwilling to linger in this part of the conversation. She goes to pick up her bag, though Tyler has slashed the strap so it’s now basically unliftable, especially with one arm. Dropping to the floor she attempts to find a way to tie the bag strap back together “I don’t share well. So make your mind up and let me know.” Then she changes the subject completely, “You owe me a new bag when you make some coin.”
Tyler is still smiling as Skylei speaks, despite her putting the entire blame of the scene outside upon Emilia and himself, not to mention the freakin' circus that happened up in Frostmaw when they first met. As she readies herself to leave, she makes the statement about sharing. The pieces finally seem to fall in place. Skylei indeed cares about him, perhaps for more than just his skin. In fact, she's even offered him time to get his heart right. He's a little more than thankful for this and parts his lips to speak such though they quickly snap shut as he finds silence to be his best friend at this time, but that smile never leaves his face. As she struggles with the bag he's all but destroyed he leans over to snatch up his dagger from the floor and then stands up. Grabbing his satchel he pulls out the two dirtied glowing blood stones and pockets them along with the blade before tossing the satchel to Skylei. Moving to the door he smiles and her and presses a soft, quick kiss upon her cheek before fleeing out the door.