In this world, Magic is Everything. All people, all races, are granted with the power to perform mystical and magical feats via grimories, mystical tomes granted to each and every child on their 15th birthday. Those blessed by the mana can have their names written down in legend.
Shattered Grimoires is the work of the mind(s) of Ardere & Shattered Grimoire's staff. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. Black Clover is owned by Yuki Tabata and published by Viz Shonen Jump. All images belong to their original owners. The theme you are currently viewing was made by Eliza of ElizaCodes exclusively for Shattered Grimoires.
To be honest, Suna was slightly surprised when the mercenary crossed the threshold into her house. She would have thought he had somewhere else to go, something else to do. Or perhaps she thought he would be more resistant in that bold invitation. Yet, here he was, inside her house. Her first visitor since she moved in, actually.
Upon entering the small house, one would see that there were two main rooms, and the front one was the general living area. There was a table and a few chairs near the middle of the room, and the kitchen off to the left side. The right side of the room led to the back part of the house, where her mini library and bedroom was located.
"Sit down wherever you like!" She waved him towards the table and chairs. "Make yourself at home. Let me get you something to drink first!" The blue-haired elf flitted over to a cupboard and was rummaging through it. "Hmmm...what do you like to drink?" She peered around it to catch Hans’ response.
"I’m guessing that you need something stronger than just iced tea?" She tapped her chin thoughtfully. He looked like the type who needed alcoholic drinks...or 'manly drinks', as she calls them. It was a good thing that she had a bottle on hand. Actually, more than one, though drinking was not the reason why she had it on hand.
"And by the way, do you want to eat something sweet? Or savory?" Come to think of it, she knew nothing of what Hans liked to eat, but she would make sure she finds out today. Suna was no fancy cook, but she was decent at everyday meals. However, there was no telling that her style would be to his tastes. There was also something else. He had also mentioned that he cooked, which was slightly surprising. "What do you usually cook?" She asked curiously.
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
To be honest, Hans was surprised with himself too. With how he's been acting so far, one would of thought that the man would decline Suna's offer and be on his way, but he couldn't say no. The dark mage honestly just wanted to spend more time with the elf he gave his heart to. Plus Hans would be lying if he said he wasn't curious about Suna's abode.
The moment he was on the other side of the door, the air felt different to Hans, more homely for obvious reasons. Hans looked around at the furniture that was about. There wasn't that much, but then again the elf did say she recently moved here. Hans looked over to Suna as she started to talk, gesturing him to sit wherever. "Ah...thanks." She told him to sit anywhere, to make himself at home.
Home...
It's been a while since Hans lived in a legit home. It was when Barrett was still alive. He used to live with him after his mother passed, but once Barrett died, the man was once again out on the streets....
Hans walked over to the table and on one of the chairs. Despite how welcoming the elf was being to Hans, the merc couldn't help but feel a little tense still. Part of him still felt like he shouldn't be here, but he can't bring himself to leave. "I'll be okay with anyth-" Hans put a halt to his sentence the moment Suna brought up..."something stronger" causing his head to perk up a bit. "Err sure. If you have anything strong...I'll take that." Hans claimed. The man is no alcoholic, but he still enjoyed partaking in the "devil's nectar" which is something he and Barrett used to bond over whenever finishing their training routines. Now he usually grabs a drink whenever completing a job.
The sound mage was now asking Hans about his food preference. He thought for a second before shaking his head. "I'm not picky." He claimed. Growing up the way he did, Hans pretty much had to get whatever food he could manage to get. Then another question was thrown his that reminded the merc of the previous outburst he made before entering the house. "I...hmmm..." Hans rubbed the back of his neck, looking away from Suna. The man was no chef. It was always his mother who did the cooking, but of course he tried to help whenever he could....which reminded him of something.
"Oh." Hans stood up from his chair, his expression currently in the mixture of a eureka moment and his usual neutral self. "Actually, there is something." Hans started to make his way over to the elf. "Have you ever heard of Tonkatsu?" The merc looked at Suna before setting his sights on the cupboards. Whether she'd try to give an answer or not, Hans would start talking again. "It's slices of deep fried pork, served with rice and vegetables." The merc claimed, an interesting hint of enthusiasm in his tone, a small nostalgic smile forming on his face. "It was one of the things my mother used to make." And his favorite dish, but he decided not to say that, not that he had to due to how he was talking about it...
"Do you have any panko and frying oil? Worcestershire sauce?" Hans was just about to place his hand on one of the cupboards before immediately stopping himself. "Err..." The merc finally realized how he was acting as well as almost touching Suna's stuff without permission. He then backed up a little before giving a small bow. "A-apologies!" He said genuinely, a hint of being over dramatic.
POW
30
DUR
60
SEN
10
STA
22
CON
30
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
Suna hid a smile as she brought out a bottle. So she was right. Thankfully, she had a couple bottles on hand, though she usually used it for cooking. Sake was really useful when it came to cooking fish or seafood, especially if one wanted to get rid of the fishy smell.
"I only have sake, would that work?" She carefully placed the bottle and a small shot glass on the table in front of him. "Be careful, though, this sake is for cooking, so it’s much much stronger than the beer the local tavern serves." She was not sure of the man’s alcoholic intake, but thought it best to put it out there. Waving a hand at him, she smiled. "Help yourself. I only need my tea."
Suna brewed herself another cup of tea, then poured the seeped liquid into a glass of ice. Leaning against the cupboard, she sipped her drink while she listened to the dark mage respond to her food question. "I love tonkatsu! I’ve just never made it before at home." Excitedly, she clapped her hands together, like a child who is about to enter a candy store. "And pork, you say?" She bent over to open the cooler box, and after a few moments, her hand came up triumphantly with two slabs of the meat wrapped in brown paper. "Here!" She placed them on the counter and washed her hands. "What else?"
Hans seemed just as excited as she was about this. Besides talking about his sword, this particular dish was also something he sounded enthusiastic about. He almost seemed like a different man, slightly different from the reserved and quiet mercenary she has known before. "Is this your favorite dish?" She ventured to guess. It definitely seemed like it, by the fervent way he was talking about it. It was also interesting how he mentioned his mother. It must be linked to a happy childhood memory, and she was all for it.
As Hans was listing the items, she was already thinking of where all her ingredients were. "Rice and vegetables? I have rice over there in the corner, in that barrel. I haven’t started my garden yet, but here are some I got from the store yesterday. Second shelf over there." The blue-haired woman was already moving, scooping out two cups of rice and starting to wash them, preparing to cook them.
"Panko is up there in the top shelf, oil over here...but not the sauce. Maybe we can mix something else together? Soy sauce and hmmm...maybe hot pepper and a dash of lemon and sugar? That's the closest I think I can make it." She had finished washing and draining the rice, and now poured in clean water for it to cook. She placed the pot into a larger pot, intending to steam it.
The elf turned around to see the mercenary looking uncomfortable in the middle of her kitchen. "I did say to make yourself at home. Were you even listening, hmm?" She walked over and smacked him playful on the arm. "Do I need to use my sound magic to make sure you hear everything the first time?" The blue-haired elf laughed—an unreserved, joyous sound. "Now, do you want to start chopping those vegetables or do you want to fry the meat?"
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
"I only have sake, would that work?"
Hans' head perked up even more. Now that was the sort of drink Hans was hoping for! He honestly didn't expect Suna to have that...or any alcoholic beverage in her home. She never really struck the guy as a heavy drinker, but then she claimed that it's used for cooking so that made sense. Hans nodded his head in thanks as Suna brought the bottle and glass over. "I'll be fine." A smirk formed on Hans' face. The man took his lady's comment about the drink being strong as a challenge, another thing he had gotten from Barrett.
Picking up the bottle, Hans filled the shot glass to the brim before placing it back on the table. He then placed his fingers around the glass and picked it up. He looked at the liquids within before placing the cup to his lips, and tilted his head back. In one take, the sake within the glass was gone, completely downed by the merc. He placed the cup back on the table and cleared his throat a bit. His throat was burning, causing him to scrunch up his face a little, but then he let out a sigh and did a small nod. He didn't have anything this good in a while. With that, the man poured another glass, and again downed another shot, taking it much better compared to the first time.
The merc would be right in the middle of finishing his fourth shot as the cooking thing was brought up by Suna. He then placed the cup on the table and got up, asking the elf about tonkatsu.
Hans couldn't contain that small smile of his after hearing that Suna's a fan of that dish as well! It was nice to know that he had something in common with her besides kicking butt.
Speaking of butt...
As Hans made his way over to Suna, the man immediately stopped in his tracks as he caught the elf...bending over to retrieve some pork from her cooler. Hans did not utter a word, and looked almost like a deer caught in headlights! Her rear was exposed...well of course there was still clothing around it, but it was still very noticeable in this position. Hans was now shamefully staring, his surprised expression dying down but his gaze not letting up. He remembered back at the modeling place, he had his hands on her...and that moment back at the town entrance. He remembers how his hands felt around it, the tender squeeze he gave, not the biggest, yet still plump...and this is all while it was still hidden behind fabric. He was starting to wonder how it would feel...unclothed.
Once she stood back up with the pork, Hans was snapped out of his...temptations with his cheeks now flushed. With a bit of hesitation at first, Hans was able to get back into talking about the dish, which helped distract him from...other thoughts.
"You could say that..." Hans replied, with yet another slightly teasing smirk. At this point, the man didn't need to give an accurate answer. How much he was talking about the dish should make it obvious that this is one of, if not his favorite dish. He hasn't had it since his mother however, but the mouth watering taste is something he could not forget easily. The couple were pretty much now geeking out over tonkatsu which is something one would probably expect from Suna but Hans was a different story. With a nod, Hans was just about to go to the cabinet to retrieve the oil until he stopped himself, leading into his apology and bow...
Once again, Hans was overthinking things. Suna was not at all bothered by it, further proven by her jests and laughter. "Aha..right." Hans let out a light chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck once more. He really did need to start loosening up, especially around her. "Hmm, I'll get to chopping." Hans claimed before walking over to wash his hands. "I always found myself assisting my mother with this first, along with setting out the necessary ingredients." the merc claimed while drying his hands. Before tending to the vegetables, Hans went over to grab the oil and panko before placing them on the counter. He then went back to the table and placed his broom, sword, and grimoire beside it so that they wouldn't get in the way.
Hans was back at the counter, and had the various vegetables with him, and washed them before placing them on the counter. With a knife in hand, the merc started chopping away at the vegetables. He did it so well that one would think that these precise cutting skills came from his sword combat skills, but nope....this was all from dear Drusilla Walker.
How the two were now preparing the food together, it was almost like a newlywed couple.
"Hmm, I've never had this without the sauce..." Hans claimed as he continued to cut, referring to was Suna said not that long ago. He then shook his head a little and looked at the elf. "N-not saying that I'm disappointed or anything. I trust your substitute for it....I'd be lying if I said it didn't sound good." Hans added before going back to cutting. "I'm guessing you cook a lot, considering the amount of ingredients you have on hand. You know more than me about this stuff, that's for sure." Another light chuckle escaped the man's lips. With the vegetables finished, Hans would move over and begin to prepare the pork if Suna hadn't done so already, and if she was then he'd just work on something else she'd want him to do.
POW
30
DUR
60
SEN
10
STA
22
CON
30
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
Suna raised an eyebrow as she watched the mercenary down one shot after another. She saw the gleam in his eyes, like he was taking up on her words. It was merely a warning, but apparently he was taking it as a challenge. "J-Just be careful..." She laughed nervously. She had never seen him drunk before, and was already thinking ahead of where he could possibly pass out for the night—she doubted he knew how potent her cooking sake was. But he seemed to enjoy it, so that was good. At least one of them could hold their liquor. She was a lightweight, and only if she even chose to drink at all, which was once in a blue moon.
It was probably a good thing that the elf did not notice the man staring at a particular part of her body, otherwise she would have been backed off entirely...or teased him to no end about it. Back by the outskirts of town and in the forest, she had felt the toned muscles he had underneath his clothes. Perhaps it was a little unfair that she had gotten to see him shirtless more than once, but that was something she would not complain about. She did wonder, however, how those muscles would feel like under her exploring fingers...
"How nice of you to help your mother cook." She glanced over at him busy at work. He had such a different vibe now, compared to his usual brooding self. "What else did you help her with?" She took the oil that he had placed on the counter and poured it into a large wok. Then she grabbed a couple eggs and beat it up, ready to start preparing the meat. Some salt and pepper to season the meat, and now it was ready to be dunked.
Upon hearing the mercenary’s uncertainty about the sauce, Suna paused in her work. "Hmm, did you want to go run to the store and get the sauce?" She looked through the windows, trying to judge the time. "If you hurry, you can get it before they close for the day." Whether he wanted to go or not was up to him, but if not, she would grab the substitute ingredients to make the sauce.
"Do you want to do the fun part? Covering the meat with flour and dipping it in egg and panko?" She went over to the sink to wash her hands from handling the meat, and admired the man’s work on the vegetables. Who would have thought a swordsman would be handy with a kitchen knife as well? Hans seemed to be a man of hidden talents, and just looking at him now, he looked so...relaxed. And happy. That brought a smile to her face.
"So, where are you staying tonight?" She asked him casually. Since they were basically making something for dinner, she figured that even if he did have a place to stay, he would not be able to make it back in time before the sun went down. "I have a couch in the back if you want to take it." She tilted her head towards the second half of the house.
The elf had not given Hans a tour of the place yet, but the couch she referred to was on ground level. It was where she usually snuggled up to read, when she was not out and about. Her bedroom was above her mini library, although so far, she had put in more time and effort in organizing her book collection than arranging her bedroom. Leave it to a bookworm to take care of her books first before anything.
Her back was towards the man, as she was slightly nervous about giving him that offer to stay overnight. Actually, make that just plain nervous. Would he think she was too straightforward, too bold? It was not like she had any other intentions other than making sure he was comfortable. "Er, the oil is ready." She quickly switched the subject to hide her embarrassment.
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
Hans' cheeks lit up a little in embarrassment over his mother. It was obvious that Suna wasn't trying to tease him or anything, but he couldn't help feeling that she might now see him as a..."mama's boy" now...even though he kind of was.
"I used to help with her...garden..." Hans added, a bit hesitant at first with the answer for obvious reasons. Big ol dark and brooding Hans...tending to gardens? Very laughable to most, but he trusted Suna enough to tell her. "She had a garden in the backyard where she grew a lot of fruits, and a small one in the front that grew flowers." Hans claimed. Of course they were long gone by now which was made clear during the duo's recent visit to the man's former home, but the memories were still there. "Helped keep the house clean too...I wasn't the best at it though, I'll admit." Hans added with a sheepsih smile, continuing to cut away at the vegetables. "But she didn't mind."
Usually when Hans thought of his late mother, the bad moments involving his father or the events at Aries Garse would pop up, but speaking to Suna about her it made it feel as if those awful things hadn't happened, and the man could just think back on the peaceful memories. "I do wish you could've met her. She would've liked your company." Not to mention the combined teasing they could've struck upon poor Hans...
"A-Ah no it's fine really." Hans claimed, referring to the sauce. "As I said, this will be a good substitute. Don't worry about it...I'm not picky." The merc added, a small sense of pride coming off of the last bit with a small nod to boot. It's interesting how differently Hans was acting behind a closed door. He was still trying to keep up his calm and cool demeanor, but bits of emotions he rarely expresses in public were bleeding out. This is mostly because of the woman beside him. If it were anyone else, Hans would most likely stay within his shell regardless of him being in public or not. Hans felt like he could let down his defenses around the elf, something he thought was impossible to do.
With the vegetables done, Suna had another task ready for her man to do. "Hmph, you're too kind, Suna." Hans said with a smirk before placing a hand on his chest and giving a mock bow. "Sure." the merc made his way to pork and did as he was instructed. Felt almost nostalgic to the guy as he placed the flour onto the meat, except this time he didn't get it all over himself...
Next Hans was just about to dip the coated meat into the panko and egg but paused momentarily at the sound mage's question. "Oh." The man's mood almost did a complete flip from relaxed to tensed. He tried his best to look calm, but it would be obvious that there was some tension from that question. "I...I don't.." have anywhere to stay? Don't have a home? How could he possibly tell Suna that!? To have the blue mage find out that her significant other is practically homeless...it would be humiliating not only to him, but maybe to her as well.
Before he could say more, or try to fish up some lie, Suna spoke up once more, offering the man her couch for the night. "Ah..." Now his mind was distracted by other things. Sharing a house with a woman...for the night, specifically one he was now in a relationship with. His heart started to race, but it wasn't like they were going to share a bed, or anything...But now that thought started to cross his mind...
No...no, Hans needed to calm down. The couch will be enough....yes.
"Su-sure...Thank you, Suna." Hans looked over to the elf, still obvious how flustered he was. The man's gaze was once again on her..until she brought up the oil, snapping him out of it. "Ah right..yes...oil." He started to nod repeatedly. "And the pork is..." Hans looked down, realizing that he hadn't dipped the meat in yet. "It's...getting there." The merc wasted no time with dipping the pork, and now it was nice and ready to fry...with only a minimal amount of awkwardness still in the air!
Walking over to Suna with the pork, Hans rose an eyebrow as he thought of something. "How about your folks? Don't think I've ever heard you talk about them." Hans brought up. He talked a bit about his mother, so it was time for Suna to share. "They must be really something to have brought someone like you into the world..." the man added, a slight blend between a compliment, and teasing.
POW
30
DUR
60
SEN
10
STA
22
CON
30
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
"Garden?" Elven ears perked up at the word, and a growing smile lit up her face, although for a different reason from what Hans was probably thinking about. "Really? Because I have yet to start on my garden, and the soil in the backyard is terribly hard and dry." She tapped her chin thoughtfully for a few moments. Now, a more mischievous look danced in her blue eyes. "Hmm, I don’t suppose I can have those strong muscles of yours to help me till the soil? Or," her smile turned into something more sly, "are they only good for swinging a sword?"
Truth be told, she was really glad that the man was starting to warm up, and talking about his mother seemed to put him more at ease. "She sounds like a warm and wonderful person. I wish I could have met her." She said honestly. From all that Hans had told her, Drusilla Walker had so many great characteristics, and from the outsider’s perspective, she had passed on many of those admirable qualities to her son. Whether he admitted it or not was a different story, of course, but she could see some of the resemblance.
In response to Hans’ mock bow, she also dipped into a slight curtsy. "All yours, my good sir." With a flourish, she moved over to let him take her place and handle the meat. After her initial question of letting him stay on the couch, she heard his stammered thanks. Immediately she relaxed, thankful that he did not take it the wrong way. Or at least, not to her knowledge. She did not know what was going on in the dark mage’s mind, but if she knew, she would have acted upon it...or not. Who knew?
It felt almost surreal, cooking with her man for their next meal. It was something she had only read about in books, and usually that of newly wedded couples. Wait. Does that mean... Suna quickly pushed that thought away. The young woman still has yet to come to full terms about her relationship with the man. All she knew was that they were more than friends, but as for that next level, she highly doubted there was any thought like that running around in her partner’s mind. Besides, they were both new to this type of thing, so they should take it slow. Why should she even be worrying about that? Better to focus on the present and enjoy all these sweet moments, and let the future take them as it will.
"My folks?" Suna echoed, a little dumbly. Of course he meant her parents. The thing is, she did not know. The earliest memories she had was of an older witch who took care of her during her childhood, one of her many charges. It was almost like an endless cycle, how the witches lived in their secluded forests and even more secluded lifestyles. She had not grown up in a family of the traditional sense, and barely knew how she came about. It was almost like something had wiped away the memories and state of her infant years.
"Mmm...well, let’s just say that I wish I had a mother like yours." Suna sighed, almost in envy. "I only had a nanny who took care of me until I was old enough to fend for myself. Then she left to take care of the next witch baby. I cried and was so upset when she left, but we all knew what was going to happen eventually." She gave a little shrug, but her demeanor had lost some of that sparkle. It was also interesting that with the amount of curiosity that the female had, she never really thought to pry more into the history of witches. It was something she would rather forget and bury in the past. She really wished she had more to tell him, but she herself did not know much about how witches came about. It was all a mystery, but hopefully not for long.
"Do you mind telling me more about your mother? I’ve never really had one before, and I’ve always wondered what it’s like. What else did she do? What was she like?" Despite what it seems, her searching words were more of wonder, not of regrets over the absence of that element in her life. The only motherly figures she has known was what she has read in books. Those characters all had their strengths and their flaws, but it did not, and could not, account for the real thing. Despite all painful events that the mercenary has gone through in his childhood, Suna could not help but be envious of his mother’s shining love and light in his dark times.
Throughout this time, she had been getting the ingredients for the substitute sauce and was now mixing and tasting it. "Mmm yum..." It was not quite the same, but close enough. "Here, want to try some?" She had some of the sauce on her finger, and held it out in front of the man’s face to lick. But if he was not fast enough, she would smear it on his nose. "Too slow!" She laughed, then stepped back in case the man had any sort of retaliation in mind.
After that, the elf went over to check on the rice. Peeking under the lid, she saw that it was ready. White, fluffy, and steaming hot. Her mouth watered. "So, how’s the meat coming along?" She asked, now peering around the man to check on his progress.
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
"Y-yeah?" Hans blinked a few times at Suna. He was honestly not expecting her to get worked up about the garden stuff. He was more expecting her to tease him about it, but instead started to go on about her potential garden. The dark mage didn't really have a green thumb. He mostly just followed his mother's instructions, and tried his best to not topple over any flowers. Then a more different look appeared on the elf's face which felt more...mischievous, furthering Hans' confusion until she started to speak.
The way she spoke slyly to the merc, it made Hans feel strange...but certainly not in a bad way. He actually...likes it. A sneaky, playful side to this gentle soul.
A shade of red appeared yet again on Hans' face, but it was accompanied by a smirk, a mixture between shyness...and enchantment? "These "strong muscles" are capable of more than just...swinging swords..." Hans leaned in a bit close, his challenging smirk meeting with Suna's mischievous gaze. Of course, the guy was only referring to gardening...or was he? "Sure. I won't mind tilling your soil." Hans added...the wording sounding a bit odd to him, but he decided not to think too much about it, and went back to helping prepare.
Hans continued to work on the pork as he waited for Suna to answer his question. He didn't look at her at first, planning on focusing on the meat while just listening to the elf, but with her first response, it caused the man to look at her questionably but managed to continue what he was doing. She then started to talk about her nanny, the dark mage's face loosening up some in response. He looked more patient, and quietly listened. It was then Suna said something that caught the merc's attention.
Witch baby?
Hans tilted his head to the side slightly, not enough to be that noticeable. She's...a witch? This surprised the merc as much as the nanny thing. Suna never really struck Hans as a witch, but now that he's thinking about it, there were hints of this...mostly involving Vera. How familiar those two appeared to be with each other, and that language Vera spoke which Suna was seemingly able to understand...It all made sense now! Not only that, but the way that they were both able to use that necklace, but then again, Drusilla was also able to use it, and she wasn't a witch.
Unless...
Hans was able to break from his silent musings, and focused back on Suna. Her demeanor has shifted, and her liveliness dwindled. It made Hans frown, and feel sort of guilty. Maybe it wasn't wise of him to ask that. The guy was about to go in for an apology until Suna broke the silence first. "Y-yeah..." Maybe it was for the best that he didn't try apologizing or else it might just bring the mood down even more. "She use to work at this restaurant back at Aries." Hans was now looking at the pork again, just about done preparing it. "She was a waitress. She enjoyed working there, and her boss was nice, but a bit too...chatty." Hans claimed, stifling a light chuckle. "Maybe we could try going there one day." Hans said with a soft tone. It has been years since he was last there. The man wasn't even sure how much has changed, or if his mother's former boss was still around.
"She was sweet, and nurturing but knew not to take shit from anyone. We've been through...a lot, and guess that helped make her strong." With Hans finished with the pork, he backed up a bit and nodded. "I owe her a lot..." A longing smile formed on Hans' face. "B-but yeah. That's about it." Of what he can tell her for now at least....Rubbing the back of his head, Hans looked a bit sheepishly over at Suna. It was nice for him to be able to reminiscence about his mother, especially with the woman he cares for. Hopefully this helped ease Suna as well which appeared to be the case.
Now preparing the oil, Hans was once again focusing on getting this food done, glancing over at Suna from time to time. He watched her mix that sauce, tasting it a few times. She then stepped over, wanting the man to taste some of it s well. Hans turned around, expecting a spoonful of the sauce Suna wanted him to try, but it was a finger...her finger. What was she playing at? Did she really expect Hans to...lick it off? Then, the elf attempted her sneaky little strike, but Hans was able to stop her, wrapping his hand around her wrist. "Too slow." Hans looked into the elf's eyes almost triumphantly.
He then leaned his face a bit closer and did it...Hans slowly licked the sauce off of Suna's finger. "Not bad." As this happened, Hans sneakily placed his other hand on the counter. As he let go of Suna, the merc quickly did what Suna attempted to do, and poked Suna on the nose with his flour coated finger. "You should work on your reflexes." Hans claimed with a satisfied smirk, and went back to the pork. Maybe that sake was making him a little too bold!
The pork was now getting fried in the oil, giving Hans some time to relax. "Well, nothing's on fire." Hans gestured towards the frying meat before leaning his back against the counter beside Suna and crossed his arms. "Besides the nanny, what's it like growing up in the Witches Forest?" Hans asked, assuming that she did in fact grow up there
POW
30
DUR
60
SEN
10
STA
22
CON
30
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
"Oh?" Her voice held just the slightest hint of a challenge. "What else can those 'strong arms' do?" In keeping with the light-hearted atmosphere, Suna flipped her hair dramatically. "Ah, and you forgot about the part where those arms caught a cute elf. Not once, but twice." She even had two fingers up to emphasize the last word. "Or is that just a daily exercise for you, not even worthy of mentioning?" Her blue eyes were twinkling in merriment, lighting up her delicate features with an inner glow.
Whatever Hans was doing, he was bringing out another side of her. A more...impish, yet still feminine quality of her that she never knew she had. Even as he leaned in close in response, her smile only grew. Is this what happens when a woman learns of her influence over a man? It was making her act in ways she never knew she could...especially when her object of interest was responding in such a positive manner. She rather liked the reddened shade on that handsome face, and that light in his dark eyes...it seemed like she had unlocked a more playful side to him as well.
"So you can swing swords, catch elves, cook tonkatsu, and till gardens. What else am I missing?" In a way, this was an opportunity for him to list out all his points of prowess and skills. There was still a lot she did not know about him, and was eager for him to fill in the gaps for her. Despite what he said back in the dungeon, she found it hard to believe that such a good-looking and powerful guy like him was new to this type of thing. But then again, she had no cause to not believe him. As the man loosened up more around her, so did she. She never knew she could feel so relaxed around another individual, much less a guy.
It was that same relaxed atmosphere and mutual trust that allowed her to open up a bit more about her witch past. If he had any doubts about her past, she was willing to clear up any suspicions and guesses. "That explains why your mother has good taste." At the soft invitation to visit the mentioned restaurant, Suna nodded empathically. "If it’s still there, of course we can go!" Aries Garse. That final showdown with the aroma mage. On occasions, she would wonder where the pink witch was now, what she was doing. Or rather, knowing Vera, what she might be possibly scheming. But Suna pushed the thought of the other witch far away. She did not want any distracting thoughts now, not tonight.
"Your mother sounds like such an amazing woman." Suna sighed in deep admiration. "She’s like the strong yet flexible heroines in those books I read. Only, she exists in real life. I really look up to people like that." Another sigh. "But thank you for telling me about her. You must really miss her."
Then came her sneaky attempt to smear some sauce on his nose. Only, he anticipated her move and caught on to her wrist. "Hey! That’s not fa—oh!" Her breath caught. He really did lick it off, but slowly. Her eyes could not help but be gravitated towards that mouth of his. So caught up with the sight and tingling sensations from her finger, she did not realize he pulled her own move against her until she felt the flour on her nose and heard his triumphant voice.
"Hey!" She brushed her nose with the back of her hand, trying to rub off the flour. "I have great reflexes...you just caught me off guard." At least, that was her weak attempt for her defense. It would not have happened if she was so engrossed watching that mischievous mouth of his. "I see how it is, you sneaky man." The female put on a mock pout and poked a finger at his chest. That same finger he just licked off from. "I’ll get you back, just wait and see!" She declared, although she did not have the slightest idea of what the comeback would be...if there was any.
As Hans took care of the frying, Suna grabbed two bowls from the cupboard. Then she quickly rinsed and dried it before carrying it over to where the rice was cooking. "The Witches Forest?" She opened the lid to the rice and watched the hot steam rise. The haze reflected in her eyes as she thought back. "'Tis a beautiful place, with nature and magic all around you." Her voice had become more of a lilt, almost like a dream into the distant past.
"All of our homes and shops are on the trees, and there are long suspension bridges that join the buildings and trees together, so we could travel on foot if we wished." Her hands were busy at work scooping rice into the bowls, but there were no breaks in her recollection. "But I’ve always liked walking on the forest floor, even though most witches fly on brooms. I’m sure you know that those who choose to leave the forest are considered fugitives."
Another scoop of rice. "But even after leaving, I can never bear to be away from the trees for too long. That’s why I picked this house, even though it’s kind of far from the town square. I can see the forests from my window, and it’s close by if I ever wanted to take a walk there." Suna peered outside her window, and could see that the sun was fast disappearing down into the horizon. She left her post for a few moments to light up the lamps in the front room.
"There we go...much better with light. Where was I? Oh, right." She now brought the two bowls of rice over to where Hans was and placed them on the counter. "The Witches Forest is a beautiful place, but unfortunately it’s not a place we can just go in and visit." She tilted her head to the side, a small smile appearing on her face. Despite the not-so-pleasant memories of the people living in the forest, she had no regrets growing up in that beautiful place.
"One of the reasons why I also chose this particular house was because a tree had somehow grown its way in the back room. This was pretty much an abandoned house that nobody wanted. Too far from the town center and with a tree growing in the middle of the house?" She laughed softly. "It was perfect for me. I’ll show it to you later. Hey," she nudged Hans’ arm. "Aren’t you supposed to be watching the meat?"
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
"Hmm, let's see..." Hans placed a hand against his chin, pondering over the many things his rock hard muscles are capable of. He didn't get to reply however as Suna chimed in, adding in a more recent feat. "Ah of course." The merc crossed his arms and gave a few approving nods, but of course his brief moment of cockiness was put to an end by the impish elf's next words. "Wh-what are you imply-" Hans didn't even need to finish asking that before coming to an answer himself.
"O-of course not!" Hans through his Hans up, growing flustered over the woman's teasing which was unfortunate for him because he was doing so well keeping up with the elf's antics. The dark mage didn't want to leave Suna thinking that he was some kind of...player. "B-besides, I wouldn't call that much of an exercise. Hans added, trying to calm himself. "You're pretty light." Hans replied, lowering his hands, returning to his equally impish expression.
Suna was now listing all the things Hans was capable of. The man found it hard to contain a light chuckle while listening to her. "How perceptive." Hans claimed with a hint of sarcasm. That pondering expression returned on his face, thinking of what he could add. "It seems you've forgotten about my..." The merc suddenly flexed one of his muscles. "...above average modeling skills." Hans added. Although returning to that modeling place was the furthest option in his mind, the guy felt comfortable joking around about it, at least to Suna since she had to share that misery with him...but it wasn't all that bad.
"You were better though, I'll give you that." Hans added. Now that he mentioned it, the guy was wondering if Suna actually held onto that...clothing the recruiter lady gave her. Flashes of Suna wearing it circled through his mind, but he decided not to ask about it...thinking that it would make things awkward, but he was still tempted to. Hans didn't feel as reserved as he usually is which is made even more apparent by opening up about his mother.
Hans gave a warm nod. Hopefully that restaurant is still around because as far as he knows, it wasn't a chain, and only exited in Aries Garse. Hell, even if it ended up expanding, the merc would rather have Suna experience it where he first did! The way Suna was describing Hans' mom, it was never really something he thought of. The man just thought of her as his mom which sounds dull, but to Hans, that simple meaning was so much more. "Yeah...I do." The dark mage was frowning now. "There's a lot I wish I could've told her." He then looked towards his grimoire which was leaning against a chair along with his broom and sword, letting out a sigh. "Like how happy you've made me." The man added, trying to end this on a positive note, cracking a small smile before looking back over to Suna. "Hey...maybe you could show me some of those books later."
Back to the elf's failed sneak attack...
"Tch, making excuses aren't your strong suit it seems." Hans added with a little grin as he relinquished the woman's wrist. Of course Hans wasn't one to talk due to how easily he can get flustered...
Suna was now pouting and poking the merc's chest but his expression hadn't changed. Here he thought the sound mage couldn't get anymore cuter, and now he happily stands corrected. "Sneaky? You're the one who wanted me to taste it." Hans claimed before giving a small sagely nod. "I'll be sure to catch whatever attempts you send my way." Another smirk was flashed. He accepted the challenge, and now all he had to do was keep his eyes peeled...But now, it was Hans' turn to stay quiet and listen.
Hans watched Suna as the pork fried in the oil. He of course has never been to the Witches Forest, but with how Suna was describing it, the man could sort of picture what it's like. Hans knew little to nothing about witches, but since they reside in a forest, he assumed that they're in tune with nature. He already thought of Suna as a nature person because of her elven blood, but this made her come off as even more of a forest lover.
A couple of head nods here and there, Hans seemed pretty focus until she brought the fugitive part up. "A fugitive...?" The dark mage isn't familiar with Witch laws, so this took him by surprise, even more so that it's someone like Suna...being branded as this. It also reminds Hans of how he and his mother fled from the Diamond Kingdom. Maybe he's now considered a fugitive as well? It oddly made Hans feel more connected to the elf, both coming from two different walks of life, but still having much in common. He then walked up to the window Suna was looking out of. Being too caught up on the house itself at first, Hans hadn't take time to notice the scenery. "This house fits you." he said, turning to watch the elf illuminate her home with well lit candles.
Hans continued to listen. It's a shame that the forest is very restrictive since her wouldn't have mind seeing it for himself. Even though it wasn't under great circumstances, Suna was able to see a bit of Hans' old stomping ground, and even his home, but it wasn't her fault. She didn't have any say so in that forest, and if that whole fugitive stuff is true, he imagines that it wouldn't be wise for Suna to try setting foot there again...
"Wait. You have a...tree growing in here?" Hans appeared to be very curious, and taken off guard by that comment. It was enough to make him laugh lightly...until he was reminded of the pork...
"The..." Hans' face shifted to the pork...which he should've been finished with by now. "C-crap!" Hans was now in a bit of a panic! He used a utensil to quickly remove the pork from the oil and placed it in its bowl! He looked at it, scanning it to make sure it was still okay! Fortunately...it only had a few burnt areas. With a sigh of relief, Hans presented Suna with the finished meat. "F-finish..."
POW
30
DUR
60
SEN
10
STA
22
CON
30
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
It was so easy teasing him, as Suna is finding out. It did not take much to make him flustered, and she was thoroughly enjoying it on her end. Seeing Hans at loss for words was adorable, and his reactions only spurred her. It also seemed like he enjoyed the back and forth bantering, as his mischievous responses showed. "Well, we elves are supposed to be light. We’re related to fairies, after all." She huffed. Of course, she totally made that last part up—or did she?
"All right, all right. I believe you...for now." She stuck out a tongue at him. "I can’t really imagine you catching anything else...maybe besides fish and butterflies." Just the thought of the dark mage catching butterflies was so bizarre and comical, she never would have thought he chased something else just earlier that day.
Then he brought up the modeling job they had recently and was flexing his muscles. "Oh, yes, of course." There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice, though she secretly agreed with him. It seemed like it made a significant impression on the duo, since they both brought it up. Perhaps because it was the one event that, in a way, forced them to get comfortable in each other’s presence. She had not minded it at all, as it provided the opportunity for her to really study the mercenary. It was an added bonus that his outfit had consisted of no shirt. She would be lying if she had not sneaked a few looks at his toned upper body. Perhaps more than a few.
"Really? But I had no experience with modeling though." In certain times and areas, Suna could be very naive when it came to compliments. That is, until it really sank in. "Oh." Only now that it hit her that he was praising her, and with that particular way he was staring at her, the heat jumped to her cheeks. Was he thinking of her in that outfit? She actually did keep those cheerleading clothes, though she had not worn it again. At least not in public. She had no desire to be gawked at by strangers, but if it was just Hans looking on...
"There's a lot I wish I could've told her...like how happy you've made me."
That totally caught the elf off guard. Her? Making someone else happy? Before, she had always been an object of envy and disdain, but to think she had a positive effect on someone... "Y-You make me happy, too." She stammered. For some odd reason, she could not think of any other good answer to his statement. His sincerity touched her and left her stunned.
Then he was talking about her books. "Oh, sure!" She immediately brightened up. "Might be terribly boring to you, though." Histories, biographies, encyclopedias, mysteries, fictions, romance—she was the type to dabble in a little bit of everything. Not only did she have a nifty book collection of her own, she also had a section dedicated entirely to her music books.
He was right about her being bad at making excuses. To that, she had no excuses to give, only pouted at him and tried to think of a way to get him back. But he seemed pretty focused when she was talking about the forest. Leave it to him to pick up on the fugitive part, but in a way, it was a relief that she had mentioned it to him. One less burden to carry by herself. "Yes, a fugitive. Those who leave are not welcomed back. I guess something like a traitor?" A small wince. She had always been a law-abiding soul, and it had taken a while for her to leave her past behind.
"I really like how Clover Kingdom treats its citizens, so that’s one of the reasons why I decided to leave. I was also impressed with all the Magic Knights I’ve met, they all seem really dedicated to their cause and their squads." Of course, the knights she had met all had their flaws, but on the whole, she knew they would drop everything to protect the kingdom and its citizens when needed. That kind of security was something the Witches’ Forest did not have. It was every woman for herself, and competition and power were the only ways of climbing to the top.
"I would take you there if I could, but we probably wouldn’t be able to get back out." She laughed, trying to make light of an otherwise heavy situation. "Remember where we first met? The forest by Silvert Lake? It was kind of like that, but much bigger." There were also a few other forested areas where the elf had visited, and had thought they could rival her home forest. It just went to show that Clover also had its share of beautiful woodlands.
Then she had mentioned the tree growing in the back part of the house, and Hans seemed awfully surprised at it. "Later." She promised. "After we eat." Speaking of which, he had quickly fished the sizzling meat out of the oil, and Suna almost drooled at the sight of the crispy breaded pork. Now he was handing it out to her, but with a bit of uncertainty. "That looks perfect!" She leaned it close to admire the golden color. "Can you cut it up into strips while I cook the vegetables"
With that, she quickly grabbed another pan, and with some of the frying oil they had just used, cooked the vegetables Hans had cut earlier. A few slices of garlic, a dash of salt, and her stomach grumbled at the heavenly scent. Assuming that the man was somewhat done cutting the meat, she portioned the vegetables into the bowls. She put the extra vegetables in another bowl, then brought that and the sauce dish over to the table.
"All done!" She had not felt that hungry before, not until now. The blue-haired fae skipped over to the sink to wash her hands one more time, and also grabbed eating utensils on her way back. "Thanks so much for suggesting to make this! It looks delicious." She slipped into a chair and admired the food. Then she turned to the mercenary and smiled slyly. "You know, you should come by more often and cook for me. It’s no fun eating all by my lonesome self."
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
"I...don't think that's true." Hans replied, sounding more puzzled than sarcastic. Great, now his mind was wandering on the possibility of Suna's claim, but he quickly found himself back in the battle...which he was now losing because of his flustered reaction....
A sigh of relief escaped Hans' mouth. He nearly forgot about all of the slyness and was just relieved that Suna didn't see him as some woman hounding scum...or something. "Good." Hans nodded just as the elf playfully stuck her tongue out. She then continued to poke fun at the merc, causing him to raise a brow. "Hey, fish aren't exactly hard to catch." Hans crossed his arms, looking a bit triumphant...even though he sort of missed the point of Suna's little jab. He then thought about the butterflies which oddly reminded him of the flower fiasco earlier, causing the merc to furrow his brows annoyingly.
Maybe it was for the best to not comment on that....
"Well...neither have I, but that modeling guy sure thought we were born for it..." Hans claimed. They definitely have the bodies of a model especially Suna. The merc was looking at her again, silently admiring the elf like he did back at the modeling place. Hans was not the type to just like someone for their body, but he couldn't deny how alluring Suna looks, especially when she was wearing those cheerleader clothes. He was able to see more flesh, see more of what the sound mage had underneath. With the most of her covered up again as he thought of this, it gave Hans a sense of longing...and warmth? He wanted to see...more of her.
Then the man's eyes shifted up, settling on Suna's own, and now realized what he was doing. Apparently Suna noticed as well, evident by her flushed cheeks. "I-I..." Welp, now Hans was blushing as well...again. Quickly looking away, Hans went back to the food, and cleared his throat. "S-Sorry." he apologized, his tone a tad lower. The thoughts remained in his head however...lingering in the back, but were currently being overshadowed by everything else going on.
Going back to the subject of his mother, Hans's face brightened up a little. He made...Suna feel happy too? He looked over at her, his face in a bit of disbelief then looked away, smiling shyly. All Hans felt that he was good at is brooding and violence, but to have her tell him this...it only reminded him more of how glad he is to have met her. "I'm sure it won't be that bad. I don't exactly hate reading." Hans claimed, a slight hint of sarcasm. Besides, I'll have you to read with...if you don't mind."
The banter, the sweet moments...the awkward ones. Hans was liking every minute of it, because it's with her.
Returning to the fugitive talk, Hans had his arms crossed, looking down at the ground while he listened. The denizens of the Witches Forest seem to be very controlling. It reminds Hans of the Diamond Kingdom...and specifically his father except there weren't any happy memories or beautiful scenery he could focus on. "Yeah, Clover is...nice." A small nod was given. "Hmph, I'm sure we'd be able to get out with our combined strength. With a few scratches and bruises maybe..." The merc shrugged. Although he was joking, the dark mage did feel stronger when working alongside Suna, even before their upgraded relationship. Their magics, although not related still mixed well together, and the merc knew no one else he trusted more than her.
Suna comparing that forest to the one the duo first met did further the merc's curiosity, but then his mind shifted to their first encounter. Maybe they could try returning there one day since the place is apparently a romantic hotspot. Hopefully there won't be any seductive witches around this time...but then again Suna would be there...
Now, it was time to feast! Or...almost....
With a nod, Hans placed the bowl containing the fried pork down and started to chop them into strips while Suna prepared the vegetables. Everything smelled good, nearly making the man's mouth water. Fortunately, the pork wasn't badly burned and looked delectable. With both mages done on their ends, Hans helped Suna place the dishes on the table and went to wash his hands after her.
Returning to the table, the merc couldn't help but admire his...or rather their handy work. It was like a five stared chef was responsible for this dish...It looked like the way his mother made it except with a few difference. The sense of nostalgia was still there though. "I'm glad you like it." Truthfully, Hans didn't think she would like his choice, nor have enough of the ingredients to make them. Thankfully it all worked out. Now the guy was just about to sit on the opposite end of the table until he noticed the empty chair beside the elf. Looking away at first, Hans decided to take that seat next to the elf, trying his best to play it cool.
Now it was time to feast! For real this time.
Hans waited for Suna to get her share out before Hans went in, placing a good amount of pork and the vegetables on his plate, not forgetting about the rice at all. Cutting a bit of his pork with a knife, Hans picked it up with a fork and placed it in his mouth. Hans lowered his eyes as he started to chew slowly at first, testing the taste. Then a more satisfied expression appeared after he swallowed it, and the man was now taking more bites. He added the rice and vegetables onto his fork along with the meat this time "This is...this is really good." Hans claimed, his mouth a bit full during the first part. He still think his mother made it better, but this was still mouth watering! He then glanced over to Suna, wondering how she felt about.
With a small bit of time going by, Hans thought more about Suna's witch heritage as he ate. After swallowing some more food, Hans was about to take another bite before pausing. She shared so much about herself...maybe it wouldn't hurt to return the favor. "You've told me a lot about the Witches Forest." The merc lowered his fork onto the plate, trying to think of the right words. "But I've told you nothing about my...place of origin." Hans exhaled and turned his head, looking out at the closest window. "I spent a good amount of my childhood in Aries Garse...but I wasn't born there....or anywhere in this Kingdom." Clasping his hands together in front of his plate, the merc closed his eyes. "I'm...I'm from Diamond." There it is. No going back on what he just said. Diamond Kingdom has a pretty bad reputation here in Clover for obvious reasons...
So now he waited for Suna's response, daring not to look at her.
POW
30
DUR
60
SEN
10
STA
22
CON
30
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
The young woman did not miss the way he looked at her, just like the way he did back in the town of Silva. For some reason, it made her nerves tingle, even though they were both fully clothed and perfectly innocent...well, at least from the outside. There was no telling what was actually going on in their brains. But from the way he flushed and apologized, she could tell that his mind must have been wandering towards a certain direction.
"The modeling guy? Why, that girl was practically drooling all over you." Just thinking about it brought a hint of jealousy to her tone, though she herself was oblivious to it. "Although, would you consider doing that for a living? I mean," her eyes flickered all over him, "you were born with a...well-built body..." she finished a little lamely. In truth, his physique was more than just well-built, but her tongue was not used to saying more descriptive words.
For once, the elf missed the slight sarcasm in Hans’ tone when he referred to reading. "Wait, really?" Her eyes widened slightly. Most of the people she has met did not share her love for reading, save for one. It had been such a joyful day when she found a kindred spirit, and she had walked away glad that she was not the only one who still enjoyed going through good old books. It was also a relief to know that he at least did not hate it.
"Of course we can read together...or I can read to you, whatever you want." Her mind was already thinking ahead to what kind of books they could read. Would he prefer a story centered around adventure? Or would he like fantasy? Or was he the type who secretly liked romance? Hmmm… They could decide on that later.
She was a little intrigued by his comment. Clover was just ‘nice’? Compared to the witches’ system, this kingdom had so much more freedom and variety. Most of all, they had a different way of thinking, and that really drew her in. As for Hans’ confidence on getting in and out, Suna took it seriously at face value and could only shrug. "Hmm, with a couple limbs missing and that is if we’re lucky."
However, she did not doubt that the dark mage would do some serious damage if anything did happen to her. It made her feel secure and safe, knowing that there was someone like him who would protect her to the best of his ability. Though she still had a long way to go in becoming stronger, Suna did feel more confident whenever she fought alongside Hans. For some reason, their fighting styles worked well together...although she has noticed that their mistakes often came when they lost focus on the fight to focus on each other. Well, it could not be helped. His safety and well-being was on top of the line for her.
But now, it was finally time to eat. The elf’s stomach grumbled again. What a traitor. She really was not that hungry, but apparently her stomach said otherwise. She was slightly surprised when the man chose to sit next to her instead of across from her, but she did not say anything about that. Not that she minded. But her attention was currently on the delicious food in front of her.
"Itadakima!" At the first bite, her eyes lit up. "It’s so good..." She mumbled, then had to force herself to slow down from gobbling up the food like some ill-mannered heathen. The fried pork was crunchy on the outside, thanks to the bread crumbs, and deliciously juicy on the inside. The vegetables balanced the meat out, and the rice brought it all together in perfect harmony. She had not eaten something so delicious in such a long time, and her satisfied face said it all.
"I’m sure your mother made it better, but I can’t imagine it being more delicious than this. Or maybe I’m just hungry." That must be it. There was a comfortable silence as the duo ate, but then the mercenary’s exhale and serious tone made Suna sit up and pay attention. He was saying how he grew up in Aries Garse, but was not born there.
"Diamond Kingdom?" Honestly, she had lived a fairly secluded life in the forest, and did not hear much about the kingdoms around it, besides the instilled knowledge that the witch race was the best. Whether that was true or not was subjective, but that was the ideology taught in the forest. All she knew about the Diamond Kingdom was that it had a strict system, much like in the forest. But as for the details and reputations, she did not know much else.
"I see..." She must have been missing out on something, by the hesitancy she heard in Hans’ tone, but she did not know what it was exactly "So, that makes both of us non-Cloverians." Her fork in the air, she paused for a second. "Does Diamond Kingdom also have a bad standing here in Clover, too?" She would understand his hesitancy if Diamond Kingdom had a less than desirable reputation like the Witches’ Forest, the latter of which had declared clear animosity. But for the moment, she continued eating, unperturbed and unaware of the inner struggle the man must be going through.
"Oishii..." She said appreciatively in mid-bite. Though it was a home cooked meal, she enjoyed it just as much if they had been dining in a fancy restaurant. It was made better with the fact that she got to share the meal with someone close to her. Both figuratively and literally. She had added more sauce onto her tonkatsu, and unbeknownst to the elf, she had some on the corner of her mouth. "What other delicious food did your mother make? Maybe we can try it tomorrow." Assuming that there would be a tomorrow, that is, though Suna had no idea how long he planned to stay...
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
When Suna brought up the recruiter girl, Hans was quickly reminded of how...flirtatious she was. She's no Vera, but it still made the poor merc feel awkward. Not only that, but Hans noticed the difference in Suna's tone when she mentioned her, appearing that she was bothered about something. Hans tilted his head slightly, not fully understanding what was up despite it being very obvious. Hans may be good at many things, but when it comes to relationship related stuff...such as jealousy, the man could still use some work with that.
Now Hans was blushing at the elf's question, specifically the comment that came after. "Wh-uh..." Hans is aware of how...well-built his body is, but to have those words come out of Suna's mouth, it felt different. He remembers how the woman's eyes wandered over his...glistening features back at Silva. It was hard to miss, especially since he was doing the same. The two saw each other in a brand new light that day, but thinking further back, this wasn't her first time seeing Hans shirtless as he took it off during the whole treasure chest thing. Was she...looking at him in that way back then? Hans didn't think much of it back then, and really only did it so he could swim better, but the fact that he actually did that made him even more flustered.
"U-uh...Of..of course not." Even so, Hans still didn't think modeling was for him. "Well..." The merc spoke up once again, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not in public...at least. If you catch my drift..." Hans looked back at Suna. There was still a hint of red on his face, but a smirk had replaced his awkward expression which made him appear a bit more...playful? He really did like the way she was looking at him back then, especially with the more he thought about it. He'd definitely feel more comfortable wearing nothing but those shorts around her.
Appears that Suna didn't catch onto Hans' sarcasm about reading, making him blink a few times over her reaction. "Y-yeah." He decided not to point it though since he found her reaction so adorable and didn't want to take that away. Plus it wasn't like he was being completely dishonest about it. "Well...I do like the sound of your voice." Hans claimed, playfully placing his hand on his chin, closing his eyes in a wondering fashion. "But I'm not a child. We can read together." the merc added, opening his eyes with a nod.
Hans didn't really seemed phased about the losing limbs comment and such. He figured that the Witches Forest isn't a place to be taken lightly. Even though he's now curious about the place, it's probably for the best to not try journeying there, but who knows? Maybe something will come up that will require the two to have to go there one day, but it would probably make the merc worry even more about Suna's safety.
Seeing Suna's delight over the meal only made Hans enjoy his more! It was nice to have someone to share this part of his past with. "Glad you like it." Hans claimed before putting more of the sauce onto his pork, and taking another bite. "There's a saying. "Nothing beats Mom's cooking." The merc nodded before raising his fork up, only to stop halfway. "I'm pretty sure that's how it goes...Maybe." He added, mumbling the last part before taking another bite. Hans was trying his best to not look like a total slob, but the food was just so good that it proved to be a tough challenge. He was able to keep his face clean...save for a few crumbs. So far this has been a really good night...until the man decided to bring up his true origins...
"I see."
Hans was still looking away from Suna, remaining quiet. He was beginning to regret telling her this, and would not be surprised if she tried kicking him out. In fact, the man was just about to reach for his belongings before hearing the elf's next comment. "Huh...?" He was so caught up in expecting the worse that he didn't fully register the woman's comment until he turned to face her. "I-I suppose it does..." A runaway Witch and an Ex-Diamond Citizen, both who had fled their countries.
So different yet so a like...It seems that Suna's knowledge on the Diamond Kingdom is minimal though. Explains why she didn't react in the way Hans was expecting. Just how closed off is the Witches Forest from the rest of the world? "They're not exactly on good terms..." Hans looked down at his nearly finished food. The two have declared war on each other multiple times, leading to a lot of bloodshed. It's how Hans lost his mother, and eventually Barrett. "My mother is Cloverian however. It's complicated." Hans really didn't fully understand how his mother ended up in Diamond...and with that awful man, so it truly was complicated. "The way you described the forest, it reminds me of that Kingdom. Controlling....restrictive. Being helpless." As Hans uttered the last part, his clasped hands tightened, a look of frustration on his face as he was reminded of his father again.
Hans could feel it, another episode trying to rear its ugly face. Not now...not when everything's going so well...
He already ruined the date...he couldn't have his happen again.
Breathe in....and out. Breathe in...Breathe out.
Hans' hands loosened as he continued to calm himself. He glanced over to Suna, looking a bit worried that he may have killed the light mood. "But...but none of that matters now." He finally spoke up, attempting to save the moment. "It's just us...and this good food." Hans added, furthering trying to distract as he took another bite.
The merc grabbed his shot glass which was still on the table and poured more sake into before raising the glass up. "My compliments to the chef." he said before downing the drink, a sigh escaping his lips right after. He'd offer the elf some, but it doesn't look like she brought a glass over for herself...and he wasn't sure if she even likes drinking this. The sound mage did say this was for cooking after all.
Looking back at Suna, the man would notice a bit of sauce on the side of her mouth, making a small smile form on his face. "We should make something that you like for breakfast instead." Hans claimed as he looked back towards the kitchen. "I want to experience your tastes as well." Hans added with a nod before glancing back to Suna...specifically at the sauce that was still there...
Speaking of tastes....
"Oh, by the way..." Before finishing, Hans would quickly lean over...and lick the sauce from the side of Suna's mouth if she didn't move out of the way. "This sauce. It really is a good substitute." He continued, his tone hushed, face very close, and that same playful look showing itself again. Maybe the sake was finally getting to him...?
POW
30
DUR
60
SEN
10
STA
22
CON
30
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
"Ah," a mischievous light twinkled in her eyes, "so that means you would model in private? For me?" There it was, out in the open. Though Suna could be subtle at times, some occasions called for a more straightforward approach. Besides, she liked watching him squirm, and the elf rather liked this playful and cheeky side he was showing, especially when he proclaimed he did not need anyone to read to him.
"Yes, yes, we both know you're not a child." She had blushed when he said he liked the sound of her voice, but tried to cover that up by rolling her eyes at him. "But I do have some books with pictures in them. Maybe you would prefer them over boring black and white text?" She inquired, a little jab at him. Then she cocked her head to the side, a bit more serious. "Did your mother read bedtime stories to you when you were little?" She wondered aloud. She could certainly picture Drusilla Walker doing just that, reading a story to lull her child to sleep. If she did, that was just one more thing Suna could envy about Hans.
It seemed like it was true, that a mother's cooking is the best. It was not just about the ingredients or the dish itself—it was about the heart and soul that went into it. She could almost feel that parental love surrounding them. Suna let out a deep sigh of satisfaction. This was better than any five-star restaurant or fancy diner. Here was comfort and the simple joy of sharing a meal with someone she cared about. Namely, him.
She noticed a few crumbs around his mouth. Hiding a sly smile, she tapped him on the shoulder, getting him to face her. "Hey, you have something on your face..." She murmured, leaning in. Her mouth hovered right over his, but just before their lips could meet, she used her thumb to brush off those crumbs. Then she suddenly pulled back, a satisfied look on her face. "There we go!" She said brightly, and turned back to continue eating. Whether she got him back or not was up for interpretation, but if she unsettled him for a moment there, that was enough.
Even when Hans revealed his true origins, her view towards him did not change in the slightest. "So we're not too different then." She had her fork up in the air, waving it around in time to her words. "I mean, most people rarely have a good impression of witches anyways." Save for a few, the majority of Cloverians viewed witches as something less than normal. Which was fair, as the mutual animosity between the two kingdoms was something that had been implemented in their citizens at an early stage.
Suna did not know that the mutual hostility also applied to the Diamond Kingdom. In a way, that made her feel closer to the mercenary, as they were both unwelcomed fugitives in their past kingdoms. However, she understood when he said things were complicated. "Life is rarely simple." Blue hair flew as she bobbed her head up and down. She had her fair share of obstacles and complications, and could imagine that Hans had his.
"But whether you came from Diamond or Clover Kingdom, I’m just glad that I met you." Her hand reached out to cover his hand, and she gave it a gentle squeeze. Then something in the man’s demeanor changed, and his eyes had seemed to darkened—but not in a good way. Her hand squeezed his again, but this time, she held on. "You’re not helpless now..." She murmured, and with her free hand, cupped his cheeks. "You’ve saved me so many times. That’s not being helpless."
She did not know whether her words were of any effect to him, but after a few breaths, he seemed to calm down. Only then did she let go of her hands. In truth, she was more concerned about him and his mental welfare than whatever they were doing. Somehow, he had wiggled his way to the top of her priorities, and she was not content to see him struggle with his past hurts like that. But she appreciated his effort in making the situation more light and pleasant again, and played along. "Compliments to the chef?" A raised eyebrow in mock disbelief. "Are you complimenting yourself?"
Then he was saying how they should make something she liked for breakfast. "My tastes?" She shrugged lightly. "I eat pretty much anything. What do you usually eat? Do you like omelettes?"
Then he was leaning in and...
Her mouth dropped open like a codfish. Very ladylike. "D-Did you..." She sputtered, blinking rapidly. "Did you just lick me?" Strangely enough, instead of it being repulsive, she felt...stimulated. Her whole body seemed to flush hotly at his sudden action, and her mind buzzed at the unfamiliar sensation. He had got her right back, though he had been more bold about it.
She stared into those alluring dark eyes, seeing the playful note in them. "Uh, was that from Hans or was because of the sake?" Her eyes darted to the bottle, seeing how much he had already consumed. Perhaps it was a mistake to give him the entire thing. She did not mind if he finished it all, and guessed that he could hold his liquor, but she also knew how terrible hangovers could be. She glanced back at him, pursing her lips in thought. At least he had some food in his stomach, so hopefully the alcohol’s effects would not hit him too hard. Hopefully.
An idea came to her. "Let’s play a game." She got up and filled a large pitcher with cool drinking water, then carried it back to the table. "For every five shots of water you drink, you get to kiss me. And if you finish the entire thing," she tapped the glass pitcher, "I’ll dress up in that modelling outfit you like so much." Her impish smile was back. "How does that sound?"
