riskibusiness:

nebula1984:

riskibusiness:

nebula1984:

riskibusiness:

nebula1984:

(From here)

Destiney just had to smile. He had a point. What did it matter as long as she enjoyed herself. Not like she had ever cared what the other kids had thought back then anyways. She had come to care a bit more what some people thought now but… Nope still didn’t care what people who didn’t know her thought. Daisy decided to take a seat on her shoulder as she was walking with Riski.

Her eyes were more on the toads then the dimming of his smile. Ugh she hated those toads. Definitely did not want to get pulled in by one of their tongues so she made sure to remain close to Riski as they passed by. She looked back to him as he gave an answer that was evasive. She could tell as he avoided answering the question completely. It was still an answer though. Well that or he had misunderstood but she was leaning more towards evasion. Obviously something about it wasn’t something he wanted to discuss. She wasn’t about to pry though. “I’m originally from Gridania. Spent several years in Ishgard and now live in Ul’dah. So we’re both a bit of the traveling type I’d say. I don’t do near the amount of freelance work I used to though. So I see less of the world then I once did.”

Riski put a protective arm around Destiney as they skirted the toads, releasing her again when they were in the clear. It wasn’t that he didn’t respect her personal space, it just seemed like the right thing to do when she crowded in on him for shelter. “I like the freedom travel provides. I never have to stay in the same place twice if I don’t want to, and the faces change with the locales.” He chuckled and offered her a wink. “Except when destiny plays a hand,” he said with mock seriousness, violet eyes sparkling at the punnish phrase. It had additional meaning to him as well, which made it even more pleasing.

“Ul’dah is an interesting place. A little too hot for my taste, but I’ve had a few jobs out there. And learned some interesting dance moves.” It had been a while since he’d last visited the desert city. That, he mused, would need to be corrected sometime in the near future. “How do you deal with the heat, living there?”

It had been tempting to lean into that protective arm. Though not quite tempting enough. Mostly because she was relatively unarmed for combat against toads and maybe because the thought of toad tongues made her squeamish. That an the actual physical contact wasn’t so bad once she was past the initial blushing an shyness about such actions. His pun made her laugh merrily. Usually she just groaned at the ‘Destiny’ puns that were made but she was enjoying hearing them from Riski. Probably cause she could make puns in return. “Well sometimes the Risk is worth taking too. I must admit though that seeing everything the world has to offer is always a nice perk.”

A casual shrug at the mention of the heat on Ul’dah. It was never really something she gave much thought to. “I just do. I think maybe it doesn’t bother me very much after living in Ishgard for five years in never ending winter. Not that the snow isn’t pretty at times. I’d rather enjoy it from inside in front of a fire with a good book though then actually be in it. Not that I am interested in going back to Ishgard either.”

“I’m always up for taking a risk,” Riski agreed cheerfully. “And I think maybe you’re just a special person. Lucky, too!” He skipped a few steps ahead of her, turning around to walk backward while he faced Destiney. “So what’d you have to live in Ishgard for? Not a typical place to just move to for the sake of it.”

He turned again to face the path ahead just in time to avoid tripping on a fallen tree branch. He hopped over it instead, showing significantly more bounce than he’d had while stuck under that tree. Amazing what a difference it was when one was no longer partially paralyzed.

His cheerfulness was infectious. Heck just watching him behave like this was. It was like he enjoyed being so carefree. “Depends on your definition of lucky and special.” She chuckled softly. “Bad luck? Oh I have plenty of that. Though I guess I have my share of good luck at times too.”

“As far as Ishgard…” Her expression was hard to read, almost a blank mask. An automatic response for the most part. She reached into the pouch at her waist to pull out a white half-mask. Like those worn by the Woodwailers or Gods’ Quiver. She held it up to her face an gave a weak a smile before continuing. “I went to live with some relatives for a while right before the calamity. My father was a Gods’ Quiver. He had to join the fighting. My mother went with him because she was a conjurer. She was born an raised in Ishgard but left to become an adventurer before she met my father.” Carefully she lowered the mask an tucked it away once more. “I got shipped there for safety. Not that dragons and heretics are much safer then Garleans.” She shrugs casually.

He returned to her side as she spoke, listening attentively to her explanation. When she finished, he mirrored her shrug. “Maybe it gave them peace of mind. Even if it was just as unsafe where you were, they could pretend that you were safe since you weren’t where they knew what the danger was. It sounds like they loved you and cared about your safety, at least.”

Riski smiled, his shoulders sagging just a little before he spoke again. “My father died when I was six, and my mother when I was eighteen. Ever since then I’ve been exploring; going where I want, when I want, with whoever I want. I like not having ties to any one place in particular – gives you a lot more freedom.”

Her hand hesitated for a moment as she raised it. It was always a inner fight on what was she was feeling and what was appropriate. Just as with healing someone. It was always a temptation to do it without asking. But she was better at resisting that temptation then a simple gesture such as a physical comfort. Her hand came to rest on his shoulder. A silent gesture of comfort.

“I’m sorry. About your parents. I know mine loved me. They always did. I’m just sorry I didn’t tell my father that in the last moments I got to see him. He… Never made it back from that battlefield. I still visit my mother from time to time but she knows I have a life of my own.” A genuine smile as she took a few steps ahead of him, turning to walk backwards and look at him. Daisy giggles and waves at him. She holds her arms out to indicate the world around her before continuing to speak. “As well as I think she is a bit proud that I have in a way followed in her footsteps. I became an adventurer rather then remained trapped by the confines of the Twelvewoods by joining the Gods’ Quiver. I’ve gotten to see the world. An meet so many wonderful people.”

A raised rock in the ground. Of course the heel of her foot caught it in her attempt to walk backwards and speak with Riski at the same time. Daisy fluttered away from her as she fell backwards.