[PRP] The Haunted Woods (Zarina & Blake)

[xo maho]

Blake watched her get to her feet without so much as a wobble, and more relief flooded through him. He shook his head in good humor. "At least the dispute with the tree doesn't seem to have done any lasting damage. If you don't mind my asking, what has led you to lurk in the forest like a haunting spirit? Since the... shall we say, more poltergeist-like interaction you and I have had seems to have been mostly for entertainment value." He grinned at her. "Not that I blame you, I'm sure that my slack jaw and downright astonishment must have been well worth it."  

[Niyaru Delacroix]

Her smile and laughter faded as his question registered in her head. "I'm not lurking like a haunting spirit." She didn't mean for the attitude to come with the words but it was to.late. "I live here...I didn't realize what all the strangers were looking for until you brought it to my attention." She managed to take the bite from her words but she still wasn't thrilled to talk about it. The whole thing seemed incredibly stupid and she wasn't blaming him but he was getting the brunt of her emotions. She moved past him before she continued to talk. "You definitely kept surprising me." She gave him a small smile as she looked back at him. She didn't want to apologize for her words or attitude spilling out because it was well placed but he didn't deserve it.
WC:139  

[xo maho]

Taking her correction in stride with a nod, Blake cleared his throat. "Well then," he said, "maybe I can help dispel whatever rumors are spreading by coming to visit you? My friends were convinced a ghost inhabited these woods, and I set out to prove them wrong... Which I hope I have done." He exaggeratedly furrowed his brow. "Unless you're just incredibly good at hiding how transparent you are." Blake walked a little half-circle to her other side, pretending like he was looking for a see-through spot in her leg. "In all honesty, though, I could probably use a friend who knows how to use levity at the right moments. And also a friend outside of my immediate family."  

[Niyaru Delacroix]

She had thought he would be upset with her and he had the right to but he surprised her once again. He wasn't upset with her and even offered to help her. "Why do you want to help me?" She couldn't help but ask the question because she really wanted to know the answer. She batted at him playfully when she realized he was inspecting her to make sure she wasn't transparent. So that was why he wanted to help her. She considered it, having a friend to come visit all the time. She stopped walking and turned to look at him again. "You. You are the only one permitted to come visit me. None of these friends of yours or anyone else." She gave him a stern look to make sure he knew she meant business. She didn't want anyone else coming around and she was still a little hesitant to have him around. The deciding factor in letting him come back to see her was realizing that she was going to miss his personality and warmth when he left but she wasn't going to tell him.
WC:188  

[xo maho]

Once again, Blake tilted his head at the mare. She raised so many questions in him. Why would he want to help her? Why wouldn't he? Blake turned his head a little to the side in his version of a shrug. "You seem like a person I'd like to get to know," he said genuinely. "I could use more fun in my life." Giving her a grin, Blake nodded in agreement to her condition. "Understood. Thank you for trust," he said solemnly. Thinking it best to let her gather her thoughts - especially after running into a tree and all - Blake bowed deeply to her and held his pose for a moment before resuming a standing posture and gazing into her eyes. "I will leave you to your own devices, now that I know you are both not a ghost, and that you appear to have not broken anything. If you ever wish to seek me out, you can find me by the grove of apple trees about a mile to the west. I look forward to seeing you again soon."

Flicking his hair, Blake turned around, heading back in the direction he had come. His mind spun with everything he had learned today - rather than a ghost in the woods, there lived a beautiful, haunting mare, with a personality to match the giddiest of spirits that... probably didn't exist. Blake rolled his eyes at himself. Should he tell his friends there was a ghost in the woods to keep her safe from prying minds? Of course, his friends would want to know one way or the other how he had come by his information, whatever he told them. Mulling this to himself, Blake walked toward the edge of the woods...

...And right into a tree.

Before he knew what was happening, he was groaning and coming to with a headache. Well, he thought, now I'll have a story to tell them for sure.