Wonderlander // Nebulous

[lobsterquadrille]

[this city has all sorts of weird things hidden away, tucked in its history and forgotten in plain sight... but those things sure aren't a dragon in Millenium Park. that one's pretty new.

which is why, wherever Tekhetsio decides to settle, he's eventually going to notice that someone is... watching him. in kind of a not very subtle way. they don't look dangerous, or even particularly alarmed, they're just kind of staring at him and have been doing so for entirely longer than necessary.]

Comments

[heresyandlace]

[Tek likes fountains.

whatever the year, whatever the world--wherever there are cities, there are usually fountains at the center of them (if they have anything worth boasting about). like an elaborate, sculpted heart, fountains have always been the best places to sit watch the people flow in and out, gathering up the rhythm of the city. and this city in particular has felt busy, in that sort of way that has no time for him, or anyone else lost. so, it turns out that this fountain has also been a good island to anchor to, getting out of the swift current of the streets and just resting for a few minutes. he'll just loiter here for as long as he can get away with, and let the rest of the city busy around him.

and being that the city never slows down, the eventual fact that there is a stare solidly stuck on him does stand out.

not that he minds the attention or anything. in all honestly, it has been more difficult to turn heads here than he'd like.

so, he's quick to smile when he finally turns to address the gawker, looking the skinny thing over with an up-and-down glance.]

...See something you like?

[lobsterquadrille]

[oh, they're talking to him. with words that make his skin crawl.

Alec startles back to reality, pulled from the spiral of fantastic things he'd been imagining and left suddenly very unprepared to respond.]

Um-- No?

[with a question mark, of course, and very quickly regretted. he doesn't mean to be rude, but how do you... what do you say to something like that? he's going and making himself look ridiculous in front of someone who was just minding their own business.]

I'm-- Sorry, I just. Was looking at your hair.

[he continues standing near the fountain, ducking his face down into his scarf. it's late springtime, and he's not wearing a jacket. just the scarf, and maybe only for this purpose.]

[heresyandlace]

...But not because you like it?

[which, would imply that he's staring because he doesn't like it, wouldn't it?

he doesn't actually seem too offended by it, but he is going to make this guy answer for his own words.]

[lobsterquadrille]

[it's terribly familiar. Alec, of all people, should have known better than to speak without thinking. he knows exactly how much trouble one can cause if one does not say exactly what one means.

so while his first instinct is to gawk in embarrassment, he quickly bites it back and glances up instead--to give it a moment of careful consideration.]

... No, I do like your hair.

[and now he sounds sure of it. he even looks back down, through his bravery comes at the cost of his ears turning a little bit pink.]

I think it's a nice color, and I wanted to ask if you dyed it to look like that.