[PRP] W-Watashi ... ! (Salbei + Ying)

[chiickadee]

Ying probably looked far too dolled up. Shed spent the entire morning cooking (with Jing's expert help, lucky for Salbei), packaging it into a tiny, cutesy box, and then the rest of the morning getting ready. Combs, beads, jewels, hairpins- she had the works, thanks to dear Lifen who had offered her all the advice. Though he outfit was simple, her hair and makeup was done to perfection.

All thanks to Lan's prodding and Lifen's encouragement, Ying was now standing outside of Salbei's abode with a tiny box in a bag placed oh so carefully in her arms at some time around noon. Between her fancy robes and the small box, Ying looked almost buried in her belongings.

Arriving at her destination, Ying panicked. Maybe she should go home. Maybe she could just enjoy the food by herself. Maybe he would think this was too much. All the work Lifen and Lan had done to push poor Ying to this spot was draining away with each additional second.

Finally, she squeaked, "Mr. Salbei," to his door. It was barely more than a whisper, so of course there was no response. She took a gulp of air and with a bit more volume, stuttered out, "M-Mr. Salbei! Are you in?"

enoh love

only 1 million years late

 

[Enoh Love]

The first time Ying called out for him, he had only glanced up from his work. He had listened long enough to pass the voice off as his imagination and went right back to scribbling in a notebook, recording his findings on the half mutated piranha plant to his right. The second time was louder, and couldn't be passed off as imagination. Ying was at his door, it seemed...and still calling him by his full name.

Clicking his tongue in amusement, Sal set his quill down and put the glass jar back over his experiment and straightened out his robes, trying to be somewhat presentable under the circumstances of a surprise visit. Why she was here was beyond him, but that was something he could easily get to the bottom of.

"Of course, my dear...though I do wonder what---Ah." As he spoke he crossed his small home, and after opening his home to her, paused when he noticed her appearance. "My my." He hummed, giving her one very obvious look over, from the tip of her horns right down to her feet. Without much of a thought he reached out, carefully taking one of her hands with his so long as she wouldn't drop her little parcel. "You look stunning today, Ying." He was smiling at her, and then he bowed his head to brush his lips against her knuckles like a good gentleman aught to.  

[chiickadee]

Cue the red face that Ying so often wore around Salbei. He was, of course, looking as handsome as ever, and Ying, of course, was starstruck as ever. Even his blood spatter seemed to be handsomely placed on his clothing, and his dark eyes murmured dark, mysterious secrets to Ying's romanticizing mind.

"Y-You look stunning as well!" she replied mechanically. Mentally, she berated herself for being so awkward about this whole thing. "If y-y-you were not busy, I thought we could maybe go for a picnic?" She held up the bento box as proof of her claim.

She then shook one of her hands quickly and said, "But if you are busy I would be most happy to return at a later date- or not at all! Anything you'd like ..." She realized she was staring at her hand a bit fanatically and quickly hid it behind her back. She was never washing that hand again.  

[Enoh Love]

"Ah, but what Stallion could say no to a lovely Mare such as yourself?" Sal shook his head as if dismissing the idea of a future date. "Especially after you went through the trouble of dolling yourself up and making lunch? I would be out of my mind to postpone." He chuckled, shaking his head just enough to make the trinkets in his hair chime softly. "Hmm." With that thoughtful hum he looked back over his shoulder, staring at the vials and glasses he had been experimenting with just before she arrived. They would be okay, he assumed. At least for a few hours.

Besides, if he miscalculated and everything exploded, it may actually be beneficial for him to be as far away from it as possible.

"Did you have a place in mind, my dear?"  

[chiickadee]

Ohhh how Ying wished she was romantic. She could've just confessed her love there and then, something like, "but I want no other stallion but you!"

Alas, she was peckish and nervous, and everything that was far from romantic. So instead she just stood there dumbstruck that Salbei wanted anything to do with her.



Until reality set in and she realized he was asking her where she wanted to eat. She shook her head, quickly dispelling every shoujo bubble that had formed and said, "I-I was thinking perhaps the Famine gardens? It is very close to here, so you wouldn't have to walk, and I think the flowers are lovely- though some of them s-scare me..." She looked down, somewhat bashful of the brazen request. "Oh! But you probably visit them daily, don't you ... So it isn't a very good spot at all ..."  

[Enoh Love]

"I'm sure I know who planted the ones that scare you, and I assure you I am very adept at handling whatever mess those creatures make." Faiyum was a thorn in his side, even when it wasn't actually nearby! Now that was a special talent. She started to back peddle, which was something he had come to expect from her. Thankfully he found it endearing; it was just something she did.

"Well, I've never been there with you, if that helps. Honestly, anywhere you are comfortable is fine with me." He meant it, but part of him just liked to see her scramble.

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Ying blushed and said, "Oh ... umm ... that is very kind of your Mr. Salbei."

She gestured toward the door, quietly pondering who would've planted such terrifying plants. Surely they were a master of FEAR, as if they terrified a fully grown horseman, they must've terrified humans. So that horseman must have been very powerful indeed, at least in Ying's mind.

"Shall we then?" she said bashfully, "I believe you would know the best spot."

enoh love

 

[Enoh Love]

"I am not as kind as you think, my dear." Sal admitted modestly, with a small glint of amusement in his red eyes. "Of course I will lead." Though he had wanted her to do so, he imagined it was unavoidable. He had stepped out of his tent, offering her his arm. Once she accepted his offer - and not a moment before - he lead her towards the Famine Gardens, careful to take her on the path that would put the snapping, vicious flowers on his side, not hers. He found a spot for them under a tree, shaded for her benefit more than his.

"How is this?" Sal used his free hand to gesture to a grassy spot, all the while looking down at her for any visual clues he could pick up.

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Ying was elated just to walk with him, even if it was for a short time. She giddily took his arm, nearly bursting with excitement on the inside. On the outside, she was trying to play the cool Conquest woman. While they walked, she hummed a little happy song, cheerful to walk in blissful silence.

"It's perfect!" she concluded, nodding at his selection. Then again, anywhere would have been perfect with senpai Salbei.

She shrugged the blanket off her shoulder, gently setting the box down for the moment. "Could you help me lay this out?"

enoh love