Go Wild

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Norte"]

"Gotta strip me off it to know for sure."

Wink.

He had been here for a while already, but honestly? Part of the fun was that there was always something new to discover. Something new to see. Maybe it just popped up. Maybe they simply hadn't noticed it the first round, but it was what made it an experience. Eventually they ended up leaning against a ledge, watching the crowd for a bit. With new sausages in hand tho. Because right after the lemonade he had wanted to go for seconds. It didn't take long for Hiron to notice it.

Drawers.

Like four or five of them sitting on their benches and making paintings of people sitting down before them. It seemed like a pretty popular attraction. "Heh. Always wanted to have that done once. You ever got a caricature artist to draw you?"

Asked curiously.

In truth Hiron was far less worried about these sort of things than Norte. Which. Made sense in a way. His job was about clandestine chit too, but. Not in the same way as living in a secret society. He'd probably understand if he ever found out about it.

 

[Aristotle Tater]

She smirked at him, but didn't respond verbally.

Her own gaze had skipped over the artists. She'd noticed them, cataloged, and then dismissed them. Not of interest nor a threat, which was good enough. Until he asked that and she snorted into her lemondade.

"I can honestly say that I have never even considered having that done, no."

Hell, when she could she avoided areas where her face might be recorded in general. Nar Shaddaa had been fine, that place wasn't prone to that sort of observation. Here? She'd gambled on the size of the crowd to keep her safe on that one. That said, she had deliberately settled them with their backs to a street cam. And it wasn't the first time she had done it. It was easy to miss unless someone was paying attention very, very closely and knew what they were looking for.

The question was, what sort of thing was Hiron paying attention to?

"What in the world is the appeal?" She asked with a laugh, head tipping to the side to look across the way and actually look at the sketches. "They look ridiculous."

[member="Hiron Vizsla"]

 

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Norte"]

Oh, he did.

Notice that is.

But their business was different at the end of the day. While Norte needed to be a ghost (he noticed that much), Hiron... Hiron needed a careful mix. One of notoriety and confidentiality. Nobody was hiring you for a high-end job, if they didn't know you. So you needed a... business card, so to speak. But you couldn't be running face-first into walls either. Then nobody was hiring you for a different reason. This was why (and Card might have noticed it herself) that Hiron picked his appearances.

Sometimes, not often, he'd be the one to guide them around a camera she hadn't noticed.

Sometimes? He went past it even while she avoided it.

"Hmmm." Hiron considered her question. Leaning a bit against her and a bit against the railing, his thumb running across the edge of her knuckles. "Matter of... seeing the exaggerated features ya dun' want or can see, when ya looking in da mirror. See what others see. See that blown up."

A shrug.

"Reminder maybe." A grin to her as he leaned in to nuzzle her jaw a bit. "Maybe just for the hilarity of it. Either way- I want to do it, but I won't do it alone. And if ya dun' want, we dun' need, yah?"

More than just some muscles and a tool, eh?

 

[Aristotle Tater]

Card snorted.

"I'd give you the 'just for the hilarity of it' as a reason to consider it. The rest sounds like a different sort of vanity."

She side eyed him, eyes tracking up and down. Didn't move away from his caresses but was clearly more focused on the thoughts at hand.

"Alright," she said finally, using her hips to push off from the railing. "But you're paying. And if it's terrible I expect you to make it up to me."

There was a smile then from him that made the choice itself worth it.

And made her question the wisdom of being here at all. A smile shouldn't matter that much.

But for now she stayed. In truth it was such a small risk. If it had been some sort of portrait artist in truth she would have said a flat no. But the cartoony, over exaggerated pictures they were doing was infinitesimally unlikely to come and bite her in the arse.

[member="Hiron Vizsla"]

 

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Norte"]

Smile bright.

"You know me, miss Card, I always make it worth it." A wink there, before he followed her towards the drawers. It took a bit for them to get a bench though. Seemed to be one of the more popular attractions of the fair, which was understandable to Hiron. It was absolutely hilarious. They spend some time bickering, even shared a deeper kiss that (again) made people cough, until eventually it was their turn. "Y'all want individual ones then?" The glint in the drawer's eyes identified him.

Absolute troll.

"I dunno. I guess we could find another bench, place them next to one another and ya can draw us separately."

Card elbowed him in the side and Hiron laughed. His hip checking hers, before they settled down on the bench. "You have a sharp elbow, you know." Hiron murmured from the corner of his mouth. For the most part he remained rigid and straight.

No point in ruining the drawing, eh?

"Think I am gonna have a bruise. Might need a kiss to heal it."

 

[Aristotle Tater]

"You realize that you don't need to sit that still yeah? It's not a portrait," she said with some amusement.

"If cartoon guy can't capture your weird lookin' face then no amount of saying still is gonna change that."

"Madam you wound me. You could jump up and down and I could still capture his weird face."

"Well yes, cause I'd be the one jumping."

"Precisely my point."

She laughed, casting eyes to the side at Hiron. He was.... fun. To do things with, to relax with. Easy. Easy to tease too. But that was a clear give and take.

"You have a high opinion of me then, I don't think that's how it works. Though I did hear a rumor about someone that healed with their tears." A pause. "Pretty sure they were just telling a fable from a kid's story. But maybe we can get you some of those, if you believe really REALLY hard, Hiron," she teased.

He'd talked her into this, so he had earned some as far as she was concerned.

[member="Hiron Vizsla"]

 

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Norte"]

"Hey. I am not an artist like this monsieur," Saluting the drawer with a lazy two fingers from his brow off. "How should I know the proper procedure for such art?"

It wasn't completely clear if he was being serious.

Or trolling.

There was a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. Faint. Maybe Norte just about picked it up, maybe not, but it hardly mattered. Not when the next moment he was laughing alongside them. Pleasant and relaxed, he seemed free in that moment. "Well, monsieur, if you feel the need to put up a show... I could wiggle back and forth a bit? So you can prove just how good you are." Now the smirk was right there in response. He was clearly having fun with it.

"Oh, no, you'd have to pay me more for a show." Sly wink there from the drawer.

Hiron's attention returned to Norte.

When she mentioned the tears he wrinkled his nose a bit. "Uh. I dunno, Card, sounds kinda unhygienic. Can you imagine rubbing someone's tears into ya or something?" He bumped his knee against hers softly in punctuation.

"Tho, makes me wonder how ya heard about that." Pause. "Naw, I dun wanna know, am good."

Some more seconds stretched past before Hiron got serious again. A fraction more serious anyway.

"Thanks for doing this, this is fun, right?" That last part murmured a bit softer.

 

[Aristotle Tater]

Norte watched the exchange with clear amusement.

"Oh, I hear all sorts of weird stuff. More of it real than you'd expect," she said with a wink.

She glanced out of the corner of her eye at him when his voice softened however, an eyebrow arching. Sure it was important that the person you were hanging with was also having a good time, but this seemed like something else. Tone too serious and searching. The question itself 'this is fun, right?' a surprisingly moment of insecurity from the man next to her.

"Hiron," she said, leaning slightly to bump his shoulder.

"I am hating every minute of this."

Deadpan.

"It's terrible and I wish I could burn the entire city to the ground because it has offended me so. I will salt the earth and hear the lamentations of those left to pick up the pieces."

Entirely straight faced.

[member="Hiron Vizsla"]

 

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Norte"]

"Oh, okay." A pause followed right after that. "Well, as long as you are having fun with it."

His tone was just as deadpan and neutral as hers.

But that didn't stop him from shifting his face just an inch. Then leaving a light peck at the corner of her mouth. Before returning his focus towards the drawer. To give him credit the artist had given them some room.

Focusing intently on the drawing he was making for them.

"Got anything planned for the rest of the day?" He looked up to the sky and hummed a bit. "Could explore the waves, if you'd like? Looks like it will be a nice evening."

A mischievous smirk at the end there.

"Maybe even some caf for you by the end of the day."

 

[Aristotle Tater]

"Mmmm, I dunno, if I have caf too late it keeps me up for hours."

A smirk there. As if that wasn't exactly what he was angling for.

The artist cleared his throat and the two looked up. Turning the piece around, Card burst out laughing.

"The heart eyes really suit you, Hiron."

Over exaggerated, as expected, the pair were sketched and coloured in all of their magnified glory. Laughing the whole time, Hiron paid the man, accepting delivery of the piece after it was rolled up neatly and put into a tube.

"I'm free until tomorrow probably," she said as they stepped away. "Assuming nothing changes."

Slipping her arm into his, she smirked up at him.

"Got no plans, though, unless you're offering, in which case, my plans are you."

[member="Hiron Vizsla"]

 

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Norte"]

"It does, doesn't it? Butwhataboutdoseflamesbehindyoutho."

He was actually really excited about the drawing. It was all over his face there. As he carefully, oh so carefully picked it up and let his eyes drink it in. A big-ass grin plastered and chuckling like an idiot at the tiny details the drawer had left them both.

Small things.

But enough that it was clear this man was a maestro. "Truly monsieur de artiste, thank you." Hiron even gave him a fat tip with the actual price. Soon after they were back to strolling. The cylinder with the drawing safely tucked under his arm. A bit away they settled again. That smirk of hers tho. He leaned easily against the railing, smirking back and shrugging softly. "Wellll, me as ya plan can never go wrong. I always give out a satisfying... end."

Wink.

He looked over the railing.

There was a canal there, flowing beneath them, with little boats and people on them being fared here and there. Some could even say it was romantic. "Back to my ship then? I got a spare plank for ya." A teasing glint in his eye. "Ya taught me pool, I can teach ya how to ride da waves, eh?"

 

[Aristotle Tater]

He was kind of adorable when he was excited.

Damn it.

"Deal," she said with a laugh.

Hailing a cab once they reached the edge of the festival grounds, they headed to where his ship was docked. Walking distance of the water, it was easy to deposit the drawing and her jacket before picking up the boards. She eyed the extra one a bit dubiously, but tucked it under her arm as they headed out.

"You make a habit of surfing across the galaxy? Oceans' that different?"

Genuinely curious. Card had never spent that much attention on the sea, to be honest. It was just one more detail that rarely mattered in her day to do.

"Are.... where are the boosters on this," she asked, actually bemused when she realized that there were no gizmos or gadgets. It was literally just a board with a little fin on the bottom.

[member="Hiron Vizsla"]

 

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Norte"]

"Dunno." He wasn't an expert at them or anything. "But I use it as a mark-off point, yeah? If I enjoy a place, I try and get some surfing in, explore the ocean. If I don't? I just get my ass outta there." It was a fun way to keep track of his travels.

Besides.

When you got done murdering someone or blowing something up or.... well, you get it, it's a good way to blow off some steam.

You versus nature.

He had been pondering about it, before he finally said something again. "Honestly. Yeah, they are mostly different. It ain't any different than the planet itself. Every single one is different, no? Even two city-worlds like Coruscant and Nar Shaddaa are opposites of one another, no? Same with the oceans. Some are rough, others are peace, a couple are straight-up jackasses tho." And then there were a few that straight-up wanted to murder you over and over again.

Sometimes those were the best.

A SNORT followed that question.

"Boosters? Naw, man, we don't use those." Hip check. "Gotta learn balance, speed, force without 'em." Mischievous glint there as he glanced over at her. "Having second thoughts?"

 

[Aristotle Tater]

"You.... literally..... ride on giant arse waves. On nothing. Except. A glorified cardboard box."

Face entirely blank as she said it.

"You are an absolute crazy person and I'm having second thoughts on the whole thing," she finally said with a laugh.

Half serious though.

"Alright, I'll be crazy too, leggo."

They reached the shore, kicking off their shoes to tread through the sand barefoot. The sun was coming down past the midway point, the day was still warm, and the waves were.... well.... apparently good ones. Card couldn't tell. Waves were waves right? But Hiron pointed out this feature and that, and she mostly just nodded, then shrugged.

"Still just a wave," she said with a laugh. "But if you say it's swell I believe you."

[member="Hiron Vizsla"]

 

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Norte"]

A blink.

Blink.

"Oh, no, yeah, but it also means-" He thought better of it and waved (hehehehe) it off. "No matter."

Hiron glanced at the waves one more time, before gesturing to the sand. "Drop ya plank there and get on top of it." If she asked him if he was serious, she'd get a very serious look out of him. "Look, yeah, we are going to get you on a wave today, but let's first run you through the basics. I am kinda getting used to that face and I don't need it all bloody right now." A wink, before he plopped his own next to hers and let her step on hers. Once she did that he'd step up behind her.

Getting close and right against her.

Wonder above wonder it didn't seem like he was playing games right now.

Wasn't about that. Maybe he really did take all this chit seriously. Either way, he'd slowly run her through the basics. Explaining balance, how the wind and the waves work together. What to do with her legs and with her arms at the same time.

What to pay attention to.

By the end of it he did leave her a nibble down her neck tho.

"Theeeere, I think you are ready for a small wave, what do you think?"

 

[Aristotle Tater]

She paid actual attention too. Asked questions, serious about the whole thing as he was. She wasn't sure she would ever use any of this past here, but you never knew when something like this would come in handy. So why not learn it for real? She might not be interested in the skill itself particularly, but the general increase of those sorts of skills was something she was interested in on its own.

"Alright," she said, honestly more dubious about the whole thing now than she had been starting. "I'll follow you."

The way out was pretty easy. Card hadn't brought a bathing suit, but she wasn't particularly fussed about getting her pants and tank top wet. They'd dry. Wading out to hip high, settling chests against the board. She watched how he paddled and followed a moment behind as they headed out farther.

This part was easy. It was the whole 'stand up and ride a wave' part that she was dubious about.

Once they got out far enough, they sat up, straddling the boards.

"How about I watch you do one," she said, a hint of a smirk at the corner of her lips. "See what I'm getting into. Also so I have a point of reference for how bad I'm doing once I try."

[member="Hiron Vizsla"]

 

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Norte"]

The clear interest (even if it was a professional one) only helped to excite Hiron even more.

Tips, thoughts, considerations, Norte would soon find that Hiron knew more about surfing and the ocean than he let on. Equally, Hiron had noticed the leaning of her questions. They seemed natural enough. But there was that little something that told Hiron what he need to know. This was as much for her job as it was out of interest. Which was fair enough to Hir. If he could help a 'colleague' do better at their job? Why not. Especially considering he was growing fond of her.... ass, of course.

Rather not have her get wrecked, if she suddenly found her on the ocean.

"Man, all you want to do is check my ass out, while I am going through my knees." A wink there, before he nodded. "Yeah, that sounds alright. For real tho- pay special attention to the knees, yeah? That is where most of the difficulty lies."

It is how one steered, modified their direction and speed.

He peddled further, before suddenly seeing a stir in the waves. It was a good wave. Big one too. There was no hesitation when he immediately went after it. Wouldn't be long (relatively speaking) before Hiron was already on the board, balancing, the wave growing higher as he speeded. It looked.... dangerous.

 

[Aristotle Tater]

"Well yeah of course. It's the only reason I'm here right now, Hiron. I'm sorry, didn't you know?"

He made it look easy, but then, that was how competence worked. Either someone was too stupid to realize that and was lulled into a false sense of security.... or they were smart enough that it was very clear, very fast, just how ridiculous they were about to look trying to do the same thing.

She sat with her legs dangling in the water on either side of the board, head tilted slightly, just watching.

Then, it was her turn.

While he paddling back out after being a damned show off (it had been a good show too), she mimicked what he'd done. It went well at first. Catching the swell, letting it left and propel.

Maybe it was just timing. Maybe she biffed the stand itself. Whatever happened-

Norte ended up, rather surprised, under water.

She swam up, breaking the surface, and looking around, blinking owlishly.

"I.... genuinely don't know what happened," she admitted, as he came paddling up to check on her. "That's harder than you make it look."

Okay so many she'd been a *little* too much in the first category.

[member="Hiron Vizsla"]

 

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Norte"]

Even for an experienced surfer it was difficult to really get a good grasp of what was happening.

Especially when there was speed behind it. Distance. Hiron thought she had misplaced her footing, but he wasn't sure. "Might'a been your stance, your arm positioning was good tho." He watched her climb back up on her board and smiled. "Did do a good though. Am impressed for your first time." He remembered his first time. The first couple of times Hiron had caught himself with his face. It had been... sobering. Really hit home that you couldn't control everything.

Not immediately anyway.

"Want to share a plank for one run? I hear tandem surfing is all en vogue these days days."

A smirk there.

He hadn't ever actually done it before, but it sounded like a good time. Fun. Complicated for sure tho.

 

[Aristotle Tater]

She laughed.

"I ended up arse over tea-kettle, what are you talking about. You don't have to butter me up, I already like you."

It was out before she thought about it. But it was already obvious right? She was spending time with him when she didn't have to. She was not the sort to hang around for someone else's feelings. That was an enormous waste of time and energy.

Of course something being obvious versus saying it was a little different. She cleared her throat.

"Wouldn't it be harder with two people on the board?" She asked, tone dubious. "Seems like I'd mess up your balance and stuff."

Not a no, just cautious.

"I already ended up with a mouth full of salt water and I'm reconsidering my options," she added with a smirk.

[member="Hiron Vizsla"]