[ he waves his hand, dismissing the apologies — he thinks he can imagine how that sentence ends, how others perceive him, and he has no need to hear it spoken aloud.
instead, he sighs. ] I suppose that is a solution, yes.
[ is it an ideal one? certainly not, but he thinks he will be able to manage with two hands and one leg... probably. and if he crashes to the ground, at least it'll hopefully be less of a distance. ]
Right! Okay. Please give me a few minutes to ask around!
[ With that said, she doesn't wait before scurrying off.
... But more than a few minutes passes.
More like ten. No—fifteen? Actually... make it thirty. It's only then when Koharu comes hurrying back to the house as best one could while hauling a wooden ladder overhead. ]
Here—
[ Carefully, she leans it against the wall closest to the cage. Upon closer inspection, it's old and worn; definitely a little questionable. ]
It was the best I could find after asking around a lot... It doesn't seem like the people here are up to speaking much.
[ what else could he say, after all... he is stuck here until further notice. and really, it isn't that he expects that she's just forgotten about him, or decided that her time is better spent doing something else — well, alright, it is a bit. the longer it takes, the more he figures she's just decided to leave him, which is entirely fair, but means he should find another way of getting down —
except then he spots a wooden ladder walking down the street towards him, and then her underneath it, and promptly feels a little bad for doubting her. but in his experience, kindness like this is not something you often come across... or perhaps it's simply him, not coming across it.
but he's quick to say, softer than before, ] No, please do not feel bad. It is more than I expected. Thank you, Miss —?
[ so it's time to get out of the cage, then... he pushes the cage door open, and stares at his dilemma for a moment — his other leg won't hold properly, after all, so he's going to have to get creative with this.
with a sigh over the indignity that this is going to present, he lowers himself to a sitting position, legs dangling over the edge of the cage, and then he maneuvers himself down to the first step of the ladder; if he's going down one step at a time, sitting down, then his bad leg can't trip him up... technically.
it's slow going, though, and on the third-last step before he's close enough to the ground to simply make it there, the step gives out with a resounding crack; viktor, in turn, lets out a very dignified yelp and tumbles straight to the ground. ]
... ow, [ he mutters, and staring up at the cage he notices he's made a really grave mistake. ] My crutch, [ he says with the tone of someone supremely tired of his own existence, because his crutch indeed is still inside the cage. ]
[ It may be slow going, but Koharu isn't wont to display impatience—especially towards someone with an impaired leg. So far, it seems to be working out as best as it could... and right when she's about to offer him a hand to assist, a step breaks, and he falls.
She likewise yelps, barely afforded the chance to try (heavy emphasis on try) catching his fall, and looks horribly guilty in the aftermath of it. ]
One moment—I'll get it for you.
[ She can scramble up there far easier than he can, after all. But the ladder, uh... is in way worse condition than she thought if it broke underneath his weight. Quite literally, it's on its last legs. The cage is out of reach, but...
Koharu moves beneath it, leaping up, but she isn't able to get a good grip after the first, second, or even third try. After slipping out a quiet, but frustrated grumble, she gives it another shot—but this time, with as strong a flap of her wings as she could possibly muster, giving her just enough leverage to finally grip onto the bars with a hand. Surprised that it worked but not wasting the chance to hurry, Koharu reaches in with her free hand, pulls out the cane, and allows herself to slip back to the ground proper. ]
[ he gives one chagrined look at her as she is just as startled by his fall as he is, and then another as she starts to scramble up the steps; the words don't trouble yourself are at the tip of his tongue, but he swallows them back. after all, it's not like he can go back to get it himself...
so he watches with some resignation as she struggles, and then his eyes widen in surprise as her wings give her the much-needed boost. ]
Viktor, [ he answers, reaching for the crutch and using it to push himself upright again. ]
Thank you for your help. [ he pauses, debating whether to ask; but in the end, his curiosity wins out. ] Forgive me, but your wings, they are functional, then? Real, not for the... aesthetic.
[ It didn't come without a little trouble along the way, but she's happy to see him up right and on solid ground, at least. You're welcome almost comes out, but not before his question does. ]
Ah— Yes, they're real.
[ Demonstratively, said wings extend from her back, giving a gentle flutter. ]
... But if they're too strange for you, you can ignore them.
[ To which they fold back against her back, not unlike a bird. Koharu knows all too well that wings simply aren't normal among humans, so she wouldn't be surprised if many around here thought her weird at best. ]
[ the little flutter almost, almost draws a real smile from him — the corner of his mouth tilts up, and he shakes his head in answer. ]
Not at all. They are rather, eh, charming?
[ his head tilts a little as the word ends in a question, like he isn't quite sure if he has chosen the correct word there — but one thing is sure, he doesn't consider the wings "too strange", not by any definition. ]
May I ask what it is you are? I would not presume. [ an assumption would be "not human", but perhaps humans where she comes from do have wings. he really can't assume. ]
[ A short pause follows, a touch uncertain; humans typically shouldn't be able to see her, and they take measures to make sure they stay hidden away, unknown to civilization, so it feels like she might be breaking a rule by answering.
Might. They're in unusual circumstances, and it doesn't seem as if she can hide away any more, but Koharu is fairly certain she's never heard any rules about saying anything... Given what's going on, it should be fine, right? Goodness, she really hopes so.
After that internal debate, Koharu shifts on her feet a little, but manages: ] Um—no, it's okay. I think. I may look like a human, but I'm a cupid.
apologies for the delay!! i was out of the country 😔
[ as she hesitates, viktor runs some likely scenarios in his head — that the concept of what she is isn't something easily explained and she is struggling with how to put it to words; that it's forbidden for her to speak of what she is; that he may have offended her with the question, after all —
luckily, her answers puts a stop to his spiraling thoughts. ]
A... cupid? Interesting. [ he is doing his very best not to look at her like a particularly fascinating science experiment. he's maybe 50% successful. ]
We do not have people like yours in Runeterra, as far as I'm aware.
[ At least he wouldn't be the first to take her in as an odd sight; she's unusual, Koharu knows, so while it's attention she'd prefer to avoid, she does understand where it's coming from. ]
Well, we do try to stay hidden away from human's eyes. [ Not that she's familiar with Runeterra, wherever that may be. ] Normally you wouldn't know we're ever around.
[ at least he seems to be looking at her not as something of a novelty but with genuine curiosity — like he wishes to understand her, not (entirely) out of a scientific perspective but to be able to treat her better, appropriately, the way those like her should be treated. he doesn't want to assume. ]
I... see. So you are not visible to humans, under normal circumstances. [ then, with a wry smile, ] This must be quite the change, then. Being seen by everyone.
[ Honestly speaking, it's a bit of the opposite; a part of her is still growing accustomed to being wholly unseen, but that's something she keeps to herself for now. ]
But it's not so bad. We spend most of our time around them, anyway.
Good. A new place like this can be disorienting enough on its own.
[ it certainly is, to him... but then, there is really no other option except to adapt. to gather information, to find out more about what this world is, why he is here, all of it. ]
[ the offer is very sweet, and it gets viktor's mouth quirking up into a small smile, but, ]
Honestly? I don't know where it is I should be going.
[ given that he's only just been released from the cage, and has absolutely no clue about, oh, anything. he supposes there must be somewhere to go, instead of standing here, but given that he is quite limited in how much he can walk around... well. it's quite the conundrum. ]
Sheepishly, Koharu looks around, as if that might answer his question for them. ]
I... don't really know where we are, either—I had to be helped out of a cage earlier, too. But I was told some things, and I heard there's somewhere we can stay. If—that's what you want.
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expiationlogs2024-10-14 08:59 am
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instead, he sighs. ] I suppose that is a solution, yes.
[ is it an ideal one? certainly not, but he thinks he will be able to manage with two hands and one leg... probably. and if he crashes to the ground, at least it'll hopefully be less of a distance. ]
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[ With that said, she doesn't wait before scurrying off.
... But more than a few minutes passes.
More like ten. No—fifteen? Actually... make it thirty. It's only then when Koharu comes hurrying back to the house as best one could while hauling a wooden ladder overhead. ]
Here—
[ Carefully, she leans it against the wall closest to the cage. Upon closer inspection, it's old and worn; definitely a little questionable. ]
It was the best I could find after asking around a lot... It doesn't seem like the people here are up to speaking much.
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[ what else could he say, after all... he is stuck here until further notice. and really, it isn't that he expects that she's just forgotten about him, or decided that her time is better spent doing something else — well, alright, it is a bit. the longer it takes, the more he figures she's just decided to leave him, which is entirely fair, but means he should find another way of getting down —
except then he spots a wooden ladder walking down the street towards him, and then her underneath it, and promptly feels a little bad for doubting her. but in his experience, kindness like this is not something you often come across... or perhaps it's simply him, not coming across it.
but he's quick to say, softer than before, ] No, please do not feel bad. It is more than I expected. Thank you, Miss —?
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[ She does at least appear to relax when he responds with pleasantries, stepping to the side to hold the ladder in place. ]
I'll try to keep it steady from here.
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[ so it's time to get out of the cage, then... he pushes the cage door open, and stares at his dilemma for a moment — his other leg won't hold properly, after all, so he's going to have to get creative with this.
with a sigh over the indignity that this is going to present, he lowers himself to a sitting position, legs dangling over the edge of the cage, and then he maneuvers himself down to the first step of the ladder; if he's going down one step at a time, sitting down, then his bad leg can't trip him up... technically.
it's slow going, though, and on the third-last step before he's close enough to the ground to simply make it there, the step gives out with a resounding crack; viktor, in turn, lets out a very dignified yelp and tumbles straight to the ground. ]
... ow, [ he mutters, and staring up at the cage he notices he's made a really grave mistake. ] My crutch, [ he says with the tone of someone supremely tired of his own existence, because his crutch indeed is still inside the cage. ]
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She likewise yelps, barely afforded the chance to try (heavy emphasis on try) catching his fall, and looks horribly guilty in the aftermath of it. ]
One moment—I'll get it for you.
[ She can scramble up there far easier than he can, after all. But the ladder, uh... is in way worse condition than she thought if it broke underneath his weight. Quite literally, it's on its last legs. The cage is out of reach, but...
Koharu moves beneath it, leaping up, but she isn't able to get a good grip after the first, second, or even third try. After slipping out a quiet, but frustrated grumble, she gives it another shot—but this time, with as strong a flap of her wings as she could possibly muster, giving her just enough leverage to finally grip onto the bars with a hand. Surprised that it worked but not wasting the chance to hurry, Koharu reaches in with her free hand, pulls out the cane, and allows herself to slip back to the ground proper. ]
—Phew! All done, mister...?
[ She trails off, offering him said cane. ]
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so he watches with some resignation as she struggles, and then his eyes widen in surprise as her wings give her the much-needed boost. ]
Viktor, [ he answers, reaching for the crutch and using it to push himself upright again. ]
Thank you for your help. [ he pauses, debating whether to ask; but in the end, his curiosity wins out. ] Forgive me, but your wings, they are functional, then? Real, not for the... aesthetic.
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Ah— Yes, they're real.
[ Demonstratively, said wings extend from her back, giving a gentle flutter. ]
... But if they're too strange for you, you can ignore them.
[ To which they fold back against her back, not unlike a bird. Koharu knows all too well that wings simply aren't normal among humans, so she wouldn't be surprised if many around here thought her weird at best. ]
no subject
Not at all. They are rather, eh, charming?
[ his head tilts a little as the word ends in a question, like he isn't quite sure if he has chosen the correct word there — but one thing is sure, he doesn't consider the wings "too strange", not by any definition. ]
May I ask what it is you are? I would not presume. [ an assumption would be "not human", but perhaps humans where she comes from do have wings. he really can't assume. ]
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Might. They're in unusual circumstances, and it doesn't seem as if she can hide away any more, but Koharu is fairly certain she's never heard any rules about saying anything... Given what's going on, it should be fine, right? Goodness, she really hopes so.
After that internal debate, Koharu shifts on her feet a little, but manages: ] Um—no, it's okay. I think. I may look like a human, but I'm a cupid.
apologies for the delay!! i was out of the country 😔
luckily, her answers puts a stop to his spiraling thoughts. ]
A... cupid? Interesting. [ he is doing his very best not to look at her like a particularly fascinating science experiment. he's maybe 50% successful. ]
We do not have people like yours in Runeterra, as far as I'm aware.
:*
Well, we do try to stay hidden away from human's eyes. [ Not that she's familiar with Runeterra, wherever that may be. ] Normally you wouldn't know we're ever around.
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I... see. So you are not visible to humans, under normal circumstances. [ then, with a wry smile, ] This must be quite the change, then. Being seen by everyone.
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[ Honestly speaking, it's a bit of the opposite; a part of her is still growing accustomed to being wholly unseen, but that's something she keeps to herself for now. ]
But it's not so bad. We spend most of our time around them, anyway.
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[ it certainly is, to him... but then, there is really no other option except to adapt. to gather information, to find out more about what this world is, why he is here, all of it. ]
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[ This whole new place they've somehow landed in is far more strange than anything else, really. And speaking of... ]
By the way, do you need help getting anywhere?
[ Who knows if they're lingering in front of someone's house or something. ]
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Honestly? I don't know where it is I should be going.
[ given that he's only just been released from the cage, and has absolutely no clue about, oh, anything. he supposes there must be somewhere to go, instead of standing here, but given that he is quite limited in how much he can walk around... well. it's quite the conundrum. ]
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Sheepishly, Koharu looks around, as if that might answer his question for them. ]
I... don't really know where we are, either—I had to be helped out of a cage earlier, too. But I was told some things, and I heard there's somewhere we can stay. If—that's what you want.
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[ he delivers this with such deadpan that it almost obscures the dry irony underneath the words... almost. ]
Let us go, then? To... wherever it is that you have heard of.
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[ And so, onwards! Perhaps slowly and gradually, but nevertheless.
With that said and done, it's also a good spot to wrap this thread up!! ]