[PLOT] Till Next Time (come on back again) [FINISHED]

[Daisicle]

It'd been some time since his neighbor-and-family-friend's youngest child - Blush - had come to stay with Thulani in Telrunya City. What had been meant to be a week, maybe two, had stretched comfortably into its second month. The weather here was always comfortable, beautiful, he was rarely lacking for work, and honestly... it'd been quite pleasant for some company.

There really was something special about waking up to another's presence - honestly, he'd probably miss the feeling.

Still though... part of him - the logical part - was certain that this parting was for the best.

He'd spent too many days conveniently forgetting what role he was meant to play here, allowing himself to get swept up in his own loneliness and her young wiles and ambitions. The first time had been when they'd returned from dinner with her sister - Hortense - and her boyfriend more than a bit inebriated. 'It was the drink,' was what he told himself, 'It won't happen again'... until it did. 'Just once more... so what? She's an adult now...' At some point, he'd conveniently stopped thinking of her as being in his charge. It made what was happening easier - lessened his own responsibility.

But today they'd be waking up from their little momentary dream. Today was the day she returned home, once again taking the title of his neighbor's daughter rather than lover.

It was how it should have been, and as he sobered up from these recent simple pleasures, he actively tried to quell the nagging guilt and self-loathing that was whispering to his consciousness. He'd keep it at bay just long enough to see her off with a smile and return home. The introspection could wait until then.

He held a few last-minute purchases meant for her bag as Blush struggled to make room to bring it all back. "Ya know ya can just keep sum of this 'ere an' I can mail 'em back if'n ya need."  

[Dream WhiteWitz]

Blush giggled slightly as she watched Thulani from a near distance as she fiddled with her already bulging traveling bag. "I think mailing them back would be worst. Probably be broken," she muses, giving a blink. "I'll grab them when I come back, if you want me to come back. Or when you come visit your Mama."

The young pink-clad female just bounced around, nibbling on a sugared biscuit (cookie) as she did. "You look peak-ish, like how Mama does after she tangles with Ziva and Cote, mostly Ziva, she's a little handsy. Would you like some tea? I could open this tin of tea leaves. Smells really good. Like oranges," she squeaked, lifting the opened tin of tea leaves up to Thulani, looking hopeful as she enclosed the distance between them. The scent of wildflowers come wafting off her from her little trip through the market earlier.

Daisicle

 

[Daisicle]

He shrugged in a manner much closer to his stiffness from when she'd first arrived than how he'd been acting the past while... actually, perhaps even stiffer than that. He was highly cognizant of their roles with her returning back.

"Ah, that there's prolly true. Can't trust nobody tah do what yah can do yerself, but I hear it's been gettin' better recently cause the villages been getting larger 'n stuff." A slight pause. "But ya'd prolly hafta go down to Kurt's Village tah get it delivered." He offered a nod and shifted them into one hand as she made her decision. "Ya, I can bring it next time I head on down home. Prolly won't be soon, but it'll be some time fer sure."

Thulani couldn't help but wonder if the sweets meant as souvenirs would actually make it home the way she was already snacking away. At her comment, he laughed lightly before making a brushing motion with his hand as he tried to brush away her concerns. "Nah, I'm good. And we ain't got nuthin' to brew it with here even if ya break em out. 'ppreciate tha thought though."

"Ya got tha letters I wrote fer ya ma and mah own?" They were largely a summary of what had happened while Bush had visited... with some more personal details omitted, of course. "What'd ya end up deciding tah bring back anyways? Oh ya, did ya ever end up grabbin' Ms. Hanna 'r Metzli's contact info? I can pass it along if'n ya need 'r want me to."  

[Dream WhiteWitz]

"That is true. When our strainer breaks, we use cloth. Have to be inventive if you live out in open with lots of distance between you and closest shop," Blush said, smiling lightly up at Thulani and closed the tin of tea leaves, giving a nod as she turned about to check her bag once more, proceeding to take stuff out to see if she can stuff any more things in there. "Gotta be some room," she grunted.

"Sorry? Didn't hear you that time," she squeaked, as she started to re-stuff her bag, bouncing on it to get her things in there though with the last bounce, she squealed as she literally bounced off the overstuffed bag and landed on the floor. "Stupid bag," she said, although her voice is muffled.

Daisicle

 

[Daisicle]

A small smile formed on his lips as he saw Blush start unpacking in her attempt to pack more - how very like her. She really had grown into a fine woman, one that he was sure would make some other lad real happy someday. When that day came, he hoped he'd have these feelings of his sorted out so he could wish them happiness from the bottom of his heart.

"Ya got 'bout eveythin' but the damn kitchen sink in there at this point. Well, tha sink 'n all I got here." He laughed a bit. "I was askin-- Oh! Whoops! Ya good?" He paused until she confirmed. "I was askin' if ya got Hanna 'r Metzli's contact info. Y'all seemed ta get on real well, so figured y'all might wanna keep writin' each other 'er somethin'." He bent over to offer a hand to help her up as he finished saying this.  

[Dream WhiteWitz]

Blush coughed when she leaned up to take Thulani's hand, pulling herself up and brushed against the male. She blinked and blushed, clearing her throat, then gave a nervous laugh. "I guess so. Didn't exactly mean to make a mess of your place. One week because a month. I guess time fly by when h'ving fun," the young female said, giving a cough.

She gave her bright red curls a shake, the heavy locks bounced around her face. "Pardon? Yuh! Definitely will love that!" the pink colored female squealed, doing a genuinely happy twirl.

Daisicle

 

[Daisicle]

Once Blush's footing was stabilized, Thulani took a step back and away in as subtly a motion as he could, which may have not been altogether all that subtle at all. "Don'tcha worry 'bout a thing - give me a day 'r two an' it'll be right back straight." That was to say, he'd have it (mostly) back to how it'd been before her arrival.

In a sense, this almost felt like a breakup.

In another sense, it might as well have been.

He smiled warmly as he placed a hand on his hip. "Feel free to write me as well, if'n yer bored in any case. I'll read em. Just er... well, ya know..." his cheeks flushed lightly as he rubbed the back of his head. "...prolly best ta' keep all of that b'tween you an' me? An' not somewhere my mum might hear of it?" He hoped she was picking up what he was putting down, so to speak.

"Still though, been nice havin' ya." He moved to help her get her backpack situated on her back. "Yer not gonna get lost transferin' from the landin' pad, right? Is yer mom meetin' ya there?"  

[Dream WhiteWitz]

Blush, for the moment, shook out her brightly colored red curls and looked up at Thulani as he helped her get the heavy back-pack strapped onto her back. She wrapped the cords around her abdomen for better weight balance. "No, I'm walking home. It should be good to walk there. I'll catch a cart if there is one that passes by, but I think farm air would do me good. I got too used to city living being here a month," she smiled at the older male, giving a nod.

"Um, yea. Me and you, for s're," the young pink female said quietly. "Thank y'u, I loved everything. Even.... that. Very educational," she then blushed a scarlet red. "I best be off. Walk me to the pad?"

Daisicle

 

[Daisicle]

"Need any coin then in case ya try an catch a ride? I ain't got a clue if ya got any left after yer latest shoppin spree." He'd have recommended she fly... But there was no way that was happening with this much weight. "When ya put it like that... Well, that makes me a full-fledged City lad, now don't it?" He'd probably been here long enough at this point to count as a local.

Thulanis faced flushed an even deeper pink as he very deliberately tucked away his conflicted mess of emotions to sort through and deal with later. Once she was gone. Maybe with some drink?

"Sure, can do. Ya might need a bit off help ya keep from runnin into everything in the streets like this anyhow"  

[Dream WhiteWitz]

Blush laughed at Thulani's response to her light weighed flirtation. At one point in her life, she was trying to push him and her own mother together because he was much better than the typical guys that come around. But now, she just quite so happen to like him, in the area of like-like with pink floating hearts. The pink-bodied female leaned up a bit on her tippy-toes and gave Thulani a sweet kiss on the cheek. Thank you, Thu," she murmured, giving a blink. "Escort me then?"

Daisicle

 

[Daisicle]

Oh Guardians he was definitely going to need to process the last couple of weeks at some point when she was gone.

Scratching his chin after the little kiss, the flush on his cheeks very much unlikely to disappear anytime soon, he cleared his throat before nodding and walking on ahead. "Can do; don'tcha go wanderin' off without me now." He looked back behind his shoulder to make sure she was actually following along before continuing forward. By taking the lead, he could make sure their path was cleared before she and her comedically-large backpack.

Dream WhiteWitz

 

[Dream WhiteWitz]

"Like I would deprive you of my wonderful c'mpany," Blush giggled, giving her body a little wiggle; the large bag followed suit with a shuffle. She pursed her lips and proceeded to give Thulani's swinging tail a little playful tug before hurrying up to meet his gait. She then proceeded to look at him in an attempted innocent way, as if she just didn't pull him by his cat tail.

Daisicle

 

[Daisicle]

Thulani continued forward, already in the process of disconnecting himself from recent memory from how he was, and how he intended to be, when a sharp tug from behind sent a damn near visible chill running from the tip of his tail, up his spine, and all the way to his scalp. Oh he did not handle that feeling well.

He half-glared - well as best as he could - and half-pouted as she ignored his intentions to carve out a clear path for her and sauntered up next to him instead. His tail flicked behind him in little motions. "Well, if ya got enough energy tah be messin' 'round like this, maybeh ya don't need me seein' ya off after all?"

Dream WhiteWitz

 

[Dream WhiteWitz]

"S'rry," Blush murmured quietly, glancing up at Thulani. "You were looking too sad; thought to put a smile on your face," she stammered, giving a blink. "I'm terribly s'rry though!"

Daisicle

 

[Daisicle]

Thulani ran a hand through his hair before reaching over with that same one to ruffle hers. "Don'tcha be worryin' about me. Ya got enough of a journey ahead of ya - save yer energy fer that, ya hear me?" He had a solo-date over at Sweet Hazelnut for some coffee and friendly musings planned, if not today, within the next week at least. Tariq there was always good at giving him what he needed to hear, even if it wasn't what he always wanted.

A warm grin spread across his lips as he brought his hand back and smiled at Blush. Yeah, she really had grown into a fine woman. Her mother was certainly proud.

And like that, they continued in their teasing, their small talk, and, some time later after reaching the pad, their goodbyes. He'd await correspondence for when she had safely finished her journey and settled on back at home with her mother and... familiars? Whatever it was that Ziva and Cote were.

Dream WhiteWitz

The End