Shy and awkward, what else is new -Svipday

Work had been calming down the past few days. It was getting darker faster and the cold did not help. Especially not underground. It made everyone stiff and it even made it hard to breath from time to time. Though that did not stop any of the miners to do their job. Even when their hands started bleeding because of the pressure of handling their tools and the old at the same time. He too already had some cuts and bruises on his hands. Banded up and ready to go again. Though… he made his days shorter than usual. Not wanting to last too long in the dark and the cold underground to then come into the dark and cold above ground. Though the outside world always was better than in the whole he sat most of the time.

Today he had some other things to take care of. As getting some clothes or at least getting his old clothes patched up. For just like his hands, his clothes had some cuts and rips too. Not too bad… But well he rather had no shirt on with a whole in it. And he knew one place he always could count on. Or more on person. Lillianna The shy one. As he liked to call her. She was shy and mostly pretty silent. Even when they had known each other for quite a long time. Not that he minded, that was how she was and it would not change the way he was around her. She was… A friend. One he liked to keep as uddevalla seemed to run out. But as she was a dressmaker he also knew that she would probably not mind to patch up some of his clothes. Of course he would pay the right price for it as well.

So now he was walking down the streets of uddevalla, the once he always knew and could walk in even if he went blind. He knew every house, who lived there. What their story was. It was hard to find someone you didn’t know or at least never had seen. Especially with Mac. A lot of people went to his ‘father.’ The blacksmith was popular in these parts after all and everyone needed a weapon. Most people at least.

With those thoughts he entered the dressmakers shop. Opening the door and letting it fall closed behind in. As he looked around. Soon his eyes stopped on the slim and quite beautiful figure. Well not Quite, people could say what they wanted about the shy one. She was a beauty and if she wasn’t so shy then… Well even with her shyness he heard men talk. He… Well he talked himself as well. He made his was to her table slowly. Letting the warmth of the shop get to his skin. ”Hello Lillianna.” He said as he watched her look up in surprise. Had she not heard him come in? He held in the chuckle that wanted to come out as she apologised. Watching her stand up as his gaze went to the fire for a sec. ”How can I help you…?”

He took a light breath as he turned back to her, walking a bit closer and taking the small bag he had with him from his back. ”I was hoping you could patch up some clothes for me.” He looked in her eyes and gave her a small smile as he took out 5 shirts and 3 pants that also were ripped at some places. Maybe he should be careful. Some of these had already been patched up before and if he kept going like that soon nothing from the original fabric would be left and it would all be made out of patches. Maybe he could start a new trend in clothe who knew. He placed them on the table and then looked back at her. ”For the right payment of course.” He said to make sure she knew that he would of course pay her for the job. He smiled again as he stood back straight. ”How have you been?” if he remembered correctly it had been quite some time since he last saw her.

Lillianna was such a curious thing to him. Shy as always, and yet still a friend. As she told him he knew that her friends got a discount. He knew well enough, but that didn’t mean he liked it. After all she did this job for the money, for a living and… As sweet as she was a lot of people might use that friendliness to no extent and that could end up really bad for her. Especially here, people were grim dark. Just the place he liked to be, but someone like Lillianna seemed so out of place here. Just like a small bunny surrounded by all big black wolves.  And like always he would not be able to say no to her. He nodded when she said it not going to argue with her but… He would make sure to repay her one way or another… Like if she needed new needles or anything she could use for her work that may involve some kind of metal he would make sure she got it. After all he did not like the feeling of that he might be in debt. But then he was thankful for her kindness of course.

His eyes moved around the shop before it went back to her. As he crossed his arm seeing the blush appear when her soft words came out. He had to bite his lip not to make a sly comment of the fact that she was blushing. It would probably make her more shy and he didn’t want that to happen. Though she was well aware of the kind of comments he could make. But he did it all with a good hard, at least towards his friends. Maybe not to people he did not like. Then he made sly comments as if he was joking but meaning it. ”Things have been busy, which is nice." He let out a hum and nodded. He could understand how she felt. If things were busy she could concentrate on her work and earn a lot. While she didn’t have to worry too much about other people. He liked it too when he was busy and didn’t have to listen to the complaining of bullshit some people sold. He smiled a bit when her next words came out. "How have you been? It’s been some time from the last I saw you." Well seemed like she was getting some more confidence. Seemed she was staring to warm up to him.

"Travel anywhere amazing?" he let his hands fall back to his side. His thumbs slipping in his belt as he nodded. ”I have been good as well.” he then shrugged looking of too the fire. ”And only to Kattegat.” He didn’t think of Kattegat as something amazing. Unlike many others. It was just a village like another. Nothing much special going on there in his eyes. Though he did have some very interesting encounters. All of those he enjoyed very much. The best maybe the one where he had seen Svart again… And of course Illiana. Now that he thought of it he did believe that she was good friends with Illiana. If he was not mistaking.

”I have met with Illiana, she has been doing well.” he said. While thinking about it, it was nice to see her again. Just like Lillianna, Illiana was a beauty and of course he enjoyed to see a woman like that. Especially because he was one of the very few people who got a smile out of her. ”She told me to say hello from her to you.” She didn’t actually but he was sure she would have done it if he had brought her up.
He thought about it a bit more. ”She also told me to give you a kiss from her.” He said with a slight teasing look in his eyes. He was joking of course, but then again… he could always try and Lilliana was too cute not to tease. He could simply not help it.

He listened carefully to her words as she explained how Kattegat had always seem so great to her. Seemed that the shy beauty might have some dreams of her own. But then knowing her well, he also knew that how great it seemed. She might not feel too comfortable there in the big group of people. And there were people everywhere. A lot too and it seemed as if that place never got quite. Even at night there always seemed to be something or someone you could hear. Though he was quite curious on how she would fair there. Thinking back at what he all had seen and done there. He did hope she might be able to visit Illiana one day again. After all those two would make a great pare. If they would work together… oh he could see how they could combine jewels in a beautiful dress. One who might be worn by a queen someday. He had respect for them as they worked so carefully, needed to show so much patient and always seemed to have such a perfect outcome. Something he himself could not do. He was too rough for that. He needed heavy work where he was allowed to break stuff.

A light shine of amusement fell in his eyes as he saw the shock in the girl her eyes. Had he gone too far with his teasing? Maybe but the reaction was priceless. He did enjoy seeing the look she gave him as she coughed a few times before speaking. ”She did?” She asked and he thought about telling her he was joking. But then he only could nod, not wanting to break the tease he had built up. Lillianna was just to innocent. It was pure and beautiful, but also so easy to break through that. Making her venerable. "Kattegat must have really changed her...for her to tell me hello and want you to give me a kiss. Are you sure that is what she said to you?" He held in the laugh that wanted to come out. Was what he had said so unbelievable. Yes it was true that Illianna probably would not do such a thing. But then he did believe the place you lived could change you. For now though the girl back in Kattegat seemed just the same as always. He took a slow breath and was about to say he was only joking. But the girl in front of him continued on. "Well of course you are, why would you just make that up..." He looked at her and somewhere he felt some guild. But he couldn’t help he also was amused. She really was such an innocent child. He could count up more than ten reasons why he just made it up. He let out a hum and once again he was about to say it was just a joke. But that he was sure Illiana would send her some greetings back. But then Lillianna said something he had not expected at all.

"I suppose you may do it...if it’s what she really wanted. I would hate to be rude and give her any more reason to be mean when she comes back to visit." He stared at her in surprise almost shock as he hear her ask if it was her cheek. He let out a hum slightly and was weighing the possibilities he had. He had the chance to kiss this beautiful woman, even if it was just on the cheek… He also could tell her it was not true and that he had been joking. But then he would lose the chance to kiss her. He of course could tell her he still wanted to give her a kiss if she wanted him too. Just teasing her more. He then thought of what could happen if he did kiss her. If her brother found out… well. That would cause some drama for sure but would be fun for him. If Illiana found out he was sure he might get in trouble. But then Illiana knew he was quite the flirt. A joker. So weighing it all he would give her a kiss and hope something fun would come out of it later. He gave her a smile and then nodded. Slowly leaning in and moving some of her hair behind her ear, before he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. He very light smile coming to his lips as he did. Before he pulled back. Looking in her eyes. ”I’m sure Illiana will be very happy now.” He said as he gave her a light wink. Being very pleased with himself at the moment. After all he had kissed the shy girl in town. Something he was sure no one else had done before. So he was very pleased, and it was showing in his eyes.

What a horrible friend he was being at the moment. Lying or teasing her like this just for his own pleasures. Getting a kiss and then the troubles that could come and haunt him later on. Yes he should not have done it maybe. But he liked to keep his live a bit more interesting like that. Not knowing if someone would hear about this. Maybe they would and he really did want people to know. Just so that he could have a little bit of a fight about it. And if they didn’t it would be a still a win as he had gotten a kiss. Maybe he could brag about it himself around some friends. What of course would spread. He would have to think about it. But for now he was satisfied that SHE actually let him give her a kiss. His eyes travelled to hers as she looked back at him. The shy act just slipping of her once more and it seemed to be strong this time. Making him want to smile, though he kept a natural face on as she continued speaking. No one has ever...kissed me like that or at all before..." His brow went up at her words. No man had ever touched her before? Kissed her like that? No one? It was easy to say that his pride in this moment did grow a little bit. But he was also thinking about how extremely lucky Lillianna was. Especially in this place.

There were a lot of men who wouldn’t think twice about harassing an innocent girl like her, though he knew she didn’t go out much and she had her brother to protect her a lot of times. That she never had been kissed was a surprise. Not even by a drunk man? Even he had been kissed by a drunk man before. So it was really impressive for a maiden with such good looks to keep men away like that. He also slightly wanted to make a comment on it, saying that it was a shame he was not able to kiss her on the lips. But he swallowed it, not wanting her already pink cheeks to overheat. ”It wasn’t horrible at all.” he said reassuring her that it wasn’t horrible. He also swallowed the need to say that it was in fact really pleasant as she started to speak once more. "I...I don't know why I just said that to you." He smiled at those words and crossed his arms taking a breath. Her cuteness was in overload that was for sure. ”I think it is because you know you can trust me.” And when you trusted someone you let things slip out more easily.

"I...I'll make sure to have those ready by the end of the week, if that’s okay?" He nodded at her proposal. To him all that sounded good. He let his arms fall back to his side took a deep breath. ”Take all the time you need on them Lillianna.” He gave her one of his warmer smiles. ”There is no rush on it.” It was not as if he would suddenly start walking around naked or anything. Though that would be quite a sight. But he was not planning on it, especially not in this snow and cold weather. He would be frozen solid before he even could walk anywhere. So if he was naked he would keep sitting next to a warm fire in his home. ”If there’s anything else I can do for you in return, you know where to find me.” Yes he paid for it, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t willing to help a friend if they needed something. And he liked to think he was skilled in a great many things. And well he wanted to keep reminding her, knowing how shy she was and knowing she probably wouldn’t ask even if there was something. He liked to believe that one day this delicate flower would bloom open. The day she no longer would be shy and know her worth in the world and be able to proudly show it. What a say that would be. And it would be a day she maybe asked something from out herself, without anyone having to ask first. Though what did he really know, he hadn’t seen her in a while, spoken to her even less. So maybe she was hiding behind a mask of shyness and could come out really surprisingly one day. He did hope he was there to see it then. How amusing that would be. ”Now then if there isn’t anything else, I will leave you to your work.”