[ it doesn't have to be poetic - it's perfect the way it is, actually. unconstrained by high court etiquette or politeness, brash and open and lively.
there are parts of this city car that remind taair of lightgloam city - a place he would be hard pressed to call 'home', but a place where he lives. the architecture, the food, the austere nature of many of the buildings call to mind similar structures of noble bearings, elegant, untouched towers and structures, lived in by aristocracy, with gleaming marble floors and towering, echoing ceilings: even the actual construction of the fountain in front of them. lightgloam city, for its elegance, was cold. gilded cage wrapped around a city of nobles outcast from their perches of power, vultures that smiled politely to your face and plotted your downfall with a knife behind their back.
but in this moment, standing in this little plaza hand in hand with someone dear, the cobblestone streets are as warm as the sea breeze that ruffles their hair. forget propriety. the unfiltered reaction of awe is a reminder of exactly how far away that gilded cage truly is.
(and maybe it's okay to forget. let yourself have things.)
he returns the squeeze - there's a heart-thudding familiarity to it - and finds himself smiling back before he even really thinks about it, then leads the way over to sit by the water, on the rim of the fountain. it takes a bit to fiddle around, adjusting to put the bag of sweets down within reaching distance for them both, sitting close - hesitant to let go of his hand. close feels far easier than it used to be, far more natural to sit so their knees brush.
by now, fidelio can probably tell when taair is going to shift into storytelling mode, and this is no exception as he turns his upper body just slightly, eyes drawn upwards. wonder and poignancy settles into the slow ease of his voice - a true storyteller, beginning to end. ]
What makes this fountain interesting is that it is not just an astounding work of art, but a work of preservation. Apparently, a fountain of some sort existed here for thousands and thousands of years, and it served as a hub for aqueducts, which brought running water all through the city - the best tasting and softest water in all of the nation. The technology itself was a marvel for its time, but the fountain wasn't very beautiful - merely functional.
The leader of the Church at the time wanted to make it more magnificent to symbolize its importance as a place at the center of three roads - "tre vie" - and a heartbeat of the city it existed in. He searched the entire country to find the best architect in the land, and the young man who was chosen built the new recreation over a span of thirty years. The project was abandoned when one church leader passed, then picked back up, until it was finally completed. The statues within it of the god Oceanus, Abundance, and Health are symbols of the city's old religion, a pagan one long lost in favor of the larger Church.
The fountain was built with local stone, by the people's hands. And, what could have been papered over by the smothering hand of a powerful church was instead a dedicated monument to the past - a preserved icon of the history of the people.
[ perseverance of the people. perseverance of history. both topics so precious and important to taair that he can't help but talk about it in adoration. ]
And - supposedly, there's a legend, too, that tossing coins in it can grant wishes! That's a bit sillier, but still.
[ thousands of years... he wasn't wrong about this place having a lot more history than his own world, then. damn.
he bristles a little at the initial mention of the church; of course a church wanted to claim something as theirs and build it up in their own image. outside of eupha's island, any large-scale work of art he can think of in euchronia was commissioned by the church. nothing but garbage propaganda in his eyes, no matter how shallowly beautiful they might be.
but this is a much better ending than that. and of course it is, because taair knows well how he feels about the church and its abuses. he wouldn't have been so eager to show him this place and tell him about it if he didn't think it would have some meaning for him too.
he turns his head to look down at the pool of water, where some coins are indeed glinting under the lights in the dark (not that he has any coins of his own to toss in)... and then looks up, back over his shoulder at the sculptures, with more appreciation this time for both them and the work that went into them. thirty years... (more than half majima's life, he thinks with a little nostalgia back to a past exchange.) pretty remarkable dedication to a single project. ]
Bloody impressive. Was the church on board with that, or was the sculptor just doin' his own thing?
[ the bristling doesn't surprise him at all: more than anything, taair appreciates the way he eases, the patience for the end of the tale more than he could ever really say.
his gaze flicks to fidelio's profile as he's looking at the coins, finally tearing himself away from the majesty of the statues, then back to the water itself, to the coins and the lights and the lovely sight of the fountain itself as he lets the story percolate between them, over the soft smell of fine baked goods nad sea breezes, the soft bubbling of the water. it's a swirl of feelings, nostalgic for something he's never known, impassioned by the wonder and joy of a work of the soul, by a piece of breathing history to be shared with another person, who not only listens but asks questions. who wants to know.
the question is a good one, in fact, and he hums in response. ]
Mn - they were on board. Surprising, isn't it...? I couldn't believe it, either.
[ the church in rodinia is no better than the one in euchronia, and taair has lived under its thumb for so long that it's a sentiment that they share, in many ways. the papal states would be a far kinder place if they chose to think this way - while he knows it didn't last, one little monument of peace, of togetherness, of cultural unity, means something.
absently, taair reaches his free hand down, to skim his fingertips over the surface of the water. ]
The wishes became so popular that apparently, in the true version of this place, the coins in the fountain are taken out daily, and donated to charities to feed the poor and hungry around the city itself.
[ their perspective on it is small, in the grand scheme of- it could be (and is) just as terrible as the crown theocracy. as the light of sanctuary. but right here, in this moment, it’s a little slice of what ought to be. ]
…It is truly wonderful to think what can be achieved, with a leader who dreams not of self-gain, but of peace.
[ there’s something reflective as he says it, quiet - but he won’t let himself linger on it, and he turns his head to Fidelio, and there’s a twinkle in his eye, not too dissimilar to one two seconds that came before he was peering into a grave. His hand is still in the water. ]
You don’t think they would mind terribly if we borrowed a coin or two to not line our own pockets, but perhaps… to toss back in?
Well said! And, surely, it is going to a good cause.
[ a very silly cause, but a good cause nonetheless. pleased taair pulls his sleeve back and fearlessly dunks his hand into the water plucking out a few coins, and holding them carefully in his cupped hand. let's see... ]
The legend I read said the trick is to face away from the fountain, and then toss the coin over your right shoulder, using your right hand - if it lands in the water, you make a wish that you will return to the city once again. A first coin for safe travels. And then, a second coin for...
[ there's
a pause, and the pink that had finally faded on his face starts to return in full force. ]
[ embarrassing, yes, but - well, he still smiles, as he hands two coins to fidelio. the legend is three, technically, but he's forgotten about it entirely in the face of both getting embarrassed and in how very fast his heart is beating, as he turns to face away from the fountain and closes his eyes. ]
On the count of three - the first one, for a happy return. One... two...
[ follows suit and throws the first coin over his shoulder on three! it hits the water with a little splash. feels kind of goofy wishing to come back here when it's just 20 minutes away on a train car, but he'll go along with it. ]
All right. [ clears his throat. ] Er... Same thing for the second one, then?
[ it does feel very silly indeed - he thinks much the same, and there's a smile on his face when he tosses it over his shoulder, a second splash to match. the second coin's a little chilly between his fingertips, and he takes it carefully, keeping his eyes closed.
ears beginning to turn red in his hair, he takes a deep breath. ]
... Yes. The second coin, on the count of three... a wish for love and romance.
[ saying it out loud feels like swallowing a butterfly. ] One, two...
[ tosses this one too! and it hits with another splash. honestly he's not sure how anyone could possibly miss these shots with how big the fountain is; if they're bad at throwing they probably have bigger things they should be wishing for.
... ]
Right.
[ takes a deep breath and turns to face taair.
...seeing how flustered he is now on top of everything else, it's not like there's any reason to still have doubts about his interest, is there? no matter how improbable it seems. ]
[ right. it takes him a second after the wish is made - wishes are the sort of thing he's often dabbled in, and though he mentally often puts words to them, this time, not so much. instead, he breathes in and holds it for a moment, lets the feeling put into wishes than words, and then slowly, his eyes flutter open.
he turns his head when he's addressed to meet his eyes - still pink, naturally, but smiling soft as he absently reaches up to tuck a lock of his own hair behind his ear for something to do with some of that fluttering bird sensation. ]
[ ...god he still has to stand on his toes to do this.
GETS UP ON HIS TOES and unless taair decides he doesn't actually want this once he realises what's happening, fidelio will lightly press a kiss to his lips. ]
admittedly - he probably should have seen this coming, actually, and he makes the tiniest noise, somewhere between surprised and oh, obviously one breathless note. taair can't even actually help himself - still just pressed to that light kiss, his mouth quirks up into a smile. ]
... [ he leans down a little further, so fidelio doesn't have to stay on his toes, and sets one delicate hand gently against his arm. then murmurs, flustered but not at all displeased: ] ... Granting wishes?
[ instinctually, his grip gets a little more sure as he comes down, carefully following in case he needs any support, and. well. he doesn't really want to pull away, either.
seeing fidelio smile makes something in his chest do a backflip, and he ducks his head to hide his own smile just a little, peeking at him through his lashes. ]
...You are succeeding. [ verbal confirmation, if the signals weren't enough. ]
[ the whole other reason they came down here! it feels all very giddy for a second - taair laughs and hurries to settle back to where he set the food down, patting the edge of the fountain. ]
Here - come, come sit, let's eat.
[ though, as he turns his head to busy himself pulling the napkins out of the bag, fidelio might see him very briefly touch his fingertips to his own lips before he turns back around. a ]
[ watches myself switch the spelling of donut halfway through this thread
fidelio laughs too, and joins him in sitting back down on the ledge... and he does notice that little motion, which gives him a happy fluttery feeling himself.
he'd resigned himself years ago to what had seemed like the probable reality that he would never kiss anyone or have any kind of romantic interaction; as genuine as his feelings for junah were, he never once seriously considered that she would ever return them. and that was fine, because he'd had much more important things to deal with.
but it's nice seeing now that someone actually can look at him that way, and for the right reasons. ]
Lookin' forward to this after the praise from earlier.
as taair gets settled, stretching out his legs, he laughs a little to that: ] I hope they don't disappoint!
[ there's a sense of giddiness to it - a simple happiness, fueled by those little butterflies. there's a pressing reminder somewhere in the back of his mind, a need to put things to words, but... for now, just for now, it's so much sweeter to simply savor the experience and all the implications that come with, to not think about the future but think about the now.
so. he plucks a donut free from the bag for himself, shaking off a little extra powdered sugar back into the bag, then offering it to fidelio. they're still warm because this is heaven.
and then holds his little donut out between his fingers afterwards. ] Cheers?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
historicals) wrote2025-02-17 06:17 pm
no subject
there are parts of this city car that remind taair of lightgloam city - a place he would be hard pressed to call 'home', but a place where he lives. the architecture, the food, the austere nature of many of the buildings call to mind similar structures of noble bearings, elegant, untouched towers and structures, lived in by aristocracy, with gleaming marble floors and towering, echoing ceilings: even the actual construction of the fountain in front of them. lightgloam city, for its elegance, was cold. gilded cage wrapped around a city of nobles outcast from their perches of power, vultures that smiled politely to your face and plotted your downfall with a knife behind their back.
but in this moment, standing in this little plaza hand in hand with someone dear, the cobblestone streets are as warm as the sea breeze that ruffles their hair. forget propriety. the unfiltered reaction of awe is a reminder of exactly how far away that gilded cage truly is.
(and maybe it's okay to forget. let yourself have things.)
he returns the squeeze - there's a heart-thudding familiarity to it - and finds himself smiling back before he even really thinks about it, then leads the way over to sit by the water, on the rim of the fountain. it takes a bit to fiddle around, adjusting to put the bag of sweets down within reaching distance for them both, sitting close - hesitant to let go of his hand. close feels far easier than it used to be, far more natural to sit so their knees brush.
by now, fidelio can probably tell when taair is going to shift into storytelling mode, and this is no exception as he turns his upper body just slightly, eyes drawn upwards. wonder and poignancy settles into the slow ease of his voice - a true storyteller, beginning to end. ]
What makes this fountain interesting is that it is not just an astounding work of art, but a work of preservation. Apparently, a fountain of some sort existed here for thousands and thousands of years, and it served as a hub for aqueducts, which brought running water all through the city - the best tasting and softest water in all of the nation. The technology itself was a marvel for its time, but the fountain wasn't very beautiful - merely functional.
The leader of the Church at the time wanted to make it more magnificent to symbolize its importance as a place at the center of three roads - "tre vie" - and a heartbeat of the city it existed in. He searched the entire country to find the best architect in the land, and the young man who was chosen built the new recreation over a span of thirty years. The project was abandoned when one church leader passed, then picked back up, until it was finally completed. The statues within it of the god Oceanus, Abundance, and Health are symbols of the city's old religion, a pagan one long lost in favor of the larger Church.
The fountain was built with local stone, by the people's hands. And, what could have been papered over by the smothering hand of a powerful church was instead a dedicated monument to the past - a preserved icon of the history of the people.
[ perseverance of the people. perseverance of history. both topics so precious and important to taair that he can't help but talk about it in adoration. ]
And - supposedly, there's a legend, too, that tossing coins in it can grant wishes! That's a bit sillier, but still.
no subject
he bristles a little at the initial mention of the church; of course a church wanted to claim something as theirs and build it up in their own image. outside of eupha's island, any large-scale work of art he can think of in euchronia was commissioned by the church. nothing but garbage propaganda in his eyes, no matter how shallowly beautiful they might be.
but this is a much better ending than that. and of course it is, because taair knows well how he feels about the church and its abuses. he wouldn't have been so eager to show him this place and tell him about it if he didn't think it would have some meaning for him too.
he turns his head to look down at the pool of water, where some coins are indeed glinting under the lights in the dark (not that he has any coins of his own to toss in)... and then looks up, back over his shoulder at the sculptures, with more appreciation this time for both them and the work that went into them. thirty years... (more than half majima's life, he thinks with a little nostalgia back to a past exchange.) pretty remarkable dedication to a single project. ]
Bloody impressive. Was the church on board with that, or was the sculptor just doin' his own thing?
no subject
his gaze flicks to fidelio's profile as he's looking at the coins, finally tearing himself away from the majesty of the statues, then back to the water itself, to the coins and the lights and the lovely sight of the fountain itself as he lets the story percolate between them, over the soft smell of fine baked goods nad sea breezes, the soft bubbling of the water. it's a swirl of feelings, nostalgic for something he's never known, impassioned by the wonder and joy of a work of the soul, by a piece of breathing history to be shared with another person, who not only listens but asks questions. who wants to know.
the question is a good one, in fact, and he hums in response. ]
Mn - they were on board. Surprising, isn't it...? I couldn't believe it, either.
[ the church in rodinia is no better than the one in euchronia, and taair has lived under its thumb for so long that it's a sentiment that they share, in many ways. the papal states would be a far kinder place if they chose to think this way - while he knows it didn't last, one little monument of peace, of togetherness, of cultural unity, means something.
absently, taair reaches his free hand down, to skim his fingertips over the surface of the water. ]
The wishes became so popular that apparently, in the true version of this place, the coins in the fountain are taken out daily, and donated to charities to feed the poor and hungry around the city itself.
no subject
Sounds a hell of a lot better than the churches in other worlds.
[ like the kind of church rella would have wanted theirs to be, he thinks. ]
Can't imagine the Crown Theocracy wouldn't just use everyone's wishes to line its own pockets.
no subject
[ their perspective on it is small, in the grand scheme of- it could be (and is) just as terrible as the crown theocracy. as the light of sanctuary. but right here, in this moment, it’s a little slice of what ought to be. ]
…It is truly wonderful to think what can be achieved, with a leader who dreams not of self-gain, but of peace.
[ there’s something reflective as he says it, quiet - but he won’t let himself linger on it, and he turns his head to Fidelio, and there’s a twinkle in his eye, not too dissimilar to one two seconds that came before he was peering into a grave. His hand is still in the water. ]
You don’t think they would mind terribly if we borrowed a coin or two to not line our own pockets, but perhaps… to toss back in?
no subject
Well, it's not goin' to feed anybody here. And it ain't the axolotl god's religion, so I doubt there's anyone who'd strike us down for it.
no subject
[ a very silly cause, but a good cause nonetheless. pleased taair pulls his sleeve back and fearlessly dunks his hand into the water plucking out a few coins, and holding them carefully in his cupped hand. let's see... ]
The legend I read said the trick is to face away from the fountain, and then toss the coin over your right shoulder, using your right hand - if it lands in the water, you make a wish that you will return to the city once again. A first coin for safe travels. And then, a second coin for...
[ there's
a pause, and the pink that had finally faded on his face starts to return in full force. ]
...ah...
no subject
looks over ]
For...?
no subject
... The second coin is for love. Romance.
no subject
I mean, it doesn't hurt to throw it, yeah?
no subject
... no, it doesn't at all. Two coins, then.
[ embarrassing, yes, but - well, he still smiles, as he hands two coins to fidelio. the legend is three, technically, but he's forgotten about it entirely in the face of both getting embarrassed and in how very fast his heart is beating, as he turns to face away from the fountain and closes his eyes. ]
On the count of three - the first one, for a happy return. One... two...
no subject
[ follows suit and throws the first coin over his shoulder on three! it hits the water with a little splash. feels kind of goofy wishing to come back here when it's just 20 minutes away on a train car, but he'll go along with it. ]
All right. [ clears his throat. ] Er... Same thing for the second one, then?
no subject
ears beginning to turn red in his hair, he takes a deep breath. ]
... Yes. The second coin, on the count of three... a wish for love and romance.
[ saying it out loud feels like swallowing a butterfly. ] One, two...
[ three! ]
no subject
... ]
Right.
[ takes a deep breath and turns to face taair.
...seeing how flustered he is now on top of everything else, it's not like there's any reason to still have doubts about his interest, is there? no matter how improbable it seems. ]
So. That does it, then?
no subject
he turns his head when he's addressed to meet his eyes - still pink, naturally, but smiling soft as he absently reaches up to tuck a lock of his own hair behind his ear for something to do with some of that fluttering bird sensation. ]
Mn. Just about. A fine tradition, isn't it?
no subject
[ except he's never really been one for superstitions or prayers or any of that. in the end, you have to make things happen yourself.
reaches up to lightly tug on his collar. c'mon, lower your head a little. ]
no subject
no subject
GETS UP ON HIS TOES and unless taair decides he doesn't actually want this once he realises what's happening, fidelio will lightly press a kiss to his lips. ]
no subject
oh.
admittedly - he probably should have seen this coming, actually, and he makes the tiniest noise, somewhere between surprised and oh, obviously one breathless note. taair can't even actually help himself - still just pressed to that light kiss, his mouth quirks up into a smile. ]
... [ he leans down a little further, so fidelio doesn't have to stay on his toes, and sets one delicate hand gently against his arm. then murmurs, flustered but not at all displeased: ] ... Granting wishes?
[ a ]
no subject
but he ignores that and smiles, face flushed. ]
Tryin' to, anyway.
no subject
seeing fidelio smile makes something in his chest do a backflip, and he ducks his head to hide his own smile just a little, peeking at him through his lashes. ]
...You are succeeding. [ verbal confirmation, if the signals weren't enough. ]
no subject
Ha. Glad to hear it.
—Ah, doughnuts are probably gettin' cold.
no subject
Ah! I almost forgot...!
[ the whole other reason they came down here! it feels all very giddy for a second - taair laughs and hurries to settle back to where he set the food down, patting the edge of the fountain. ]
Here - come, come sit, let's eat.
[ though, as he turns his head to busy himself pulling the napkins out of the bag, fidelio might see him very briefly touch his fingertips to his own lips before he turns back around. a ]
no subject
fidelio laughs too, and joins him in sitting back down on the ledge... and he does notice that little motion, which gives him a happy fluttery feeling himself.
he'd resigned himself years ago to what had seemed like the probable reality that he would never kiss anyone or have any kind of romantic interaction; as genuine as his feelings for junah were, he never once seriously considered that she would ever return them. and that was fine, because he'd had much more important things to deal with.
but it's nice seeing now that someone actually can look at him that way, and for the right reasons. ]
Lookin' forward to this after the praise from earlier.
no subject
as taair gets settled, stretching out his legs, he laughs a little to that: ] I hope they don't disappoint!
[ there's a sense of giddiness to it - a simple happiness, fueled by those little butterflies. there's a pressing reminder somewhere in the back of his mind, a need to put things to words, but... for now, just for now, it's so much sweeter to simply savor the experience and all the implications that come with, to not think about the future but think about the now.
so. he plucks a donut free from the bag for himself, shaking off a little extra powdered sugar back into the bag, then offering it to fidelio. they're still warm because this is heaven.
and then holds his little donut out between his fingers afterwards. ] Cheers?
(no subject)
(no subject)