pandokofswamp

[pandokofswamp]

"A feast!"

Yazi had now suddenly completely forgotten about the bloody display outside and the strange manner of royalty that was the jester with a crown. Or well, for a minute at least, as he collected a plate of fish. "What even is the difference between a king and a mayor?"

[pandokofswamp]

Happily Yazi led them back towards the town, smiling proudly now that he’d completed the first part of the plan. A walk would be nice, they’d walk through one of the parks and he’d give her compliments - this was very important if his colleagues were to be believed. When they’d made suggestions he’d laughed because that would just be stating facts - and afterwards he’d take her to a place where the food was good - his colleagues telling him of several “fancy” places, but Yazi had decided to listen to the person who had suggested eating somewhere with food that Zaya liked. And he remembered one place she’d commented on that had food that reminded her a little of home. His face filled with glee. Such a surprise it would be, he was already happy with just the thought of her face when she saw where he would take her out for dinner.

“Watching and listening!” he told her. “They also said a lot of things that made no sense. Like buying you a hat, and flowers. I had to tell them that you are the one with the better taste and I’d rather do things for you than buy you things. Unless it’s things that make you happy. They’re silly sometimes. But none of them are actually married or anything so they don’t know everything.” And this was the truth.

“I am taking you with me and we’re going to do fun things that you like because I like to see you smile and not worry about me.” This was true. Yazi could joke about his witch and could grumble like a fat house cat when he needed to do things, but seeing Zaya happy - not content, but happy - made him happy too. “And I think me taking you out will make you happy.” 

Reaching the town limits Yazi led Zaya to one of the parks, navigating this new route to perfection because in preparation he’d walked it five times before. He almost made it seem natural. “This park smells the best,” he told her. “It reminds me of you.”

His exclamation only amused the woman further, extending the pouch to Yazi so he might hold it and use it for whatever plans it was he had in his mind. Zaya presumed they were less plans as much as general concepts of an idea, which did not bother her remotely, simply overjoyed that Yazi had decided he was so driven by something that he had chosen to seek some independence.

Zaya's smile grew when he called her beautiful and as she did not imagine Yazi was going to tae her anywhere that would involve sitting in uncomfortable chairs and using cutlery - since they both detested them - she agreed that she did not need to change, simply picking up some of the golden necklaces she had in a small container to elevate the sheer brown material she had wrapped around herself until it became opaque.

With one of her longer necklaces she approached Yazi in the beautiful top he wore, bringing the golden metal around him and clasping it behind his neck. "We are beautiful together and we may go," she agreed, taking the arm he had extended for her.

Zaya let Yazi lead, unconcerned with the potential for magical beans to be purchased. The young witch kept their money because she knew in this culture it was necessary but she was not so worried on it that if Yazi mistakenly overpayed that evening she'd be upset. She'd rather he attempt to show he could survive on his own, or take care of her when the need arose, and end up making a mistake than him not try at all. It was moments when he swayed her emotions that she found it hard not to just let him be pandok.

Grasp on him tightening in affection Zaya smiled to her soulbonded pandok. "Have you been watching the two footers at work to learn courting, my little Yazi?"

[pandokofswamp]

“Your coven has many children,” Yazi said, studying the kids. “Why do they need so many? Are they like… school kids?” He did not know all the words of two-footer language - they honestly had far too many. “Are they going to school?” 

School seemed to be a thing parents did here, you gave your child to someone else and they would teach them things. Yazi had been taught almost everything a Pandok should know by his mother, and a little by his father, everything else he was supposed to learn on his own. To set out and experience. He supposed if he and Zaya did have children, they would do what felt right. 

If his kids were two-footers, maybe school was a good option. These kids all seemed to interact with each other. That was a good way to learn.

“I am making notes on what two-footer children do, for when I am a father.”

Hasbaki laughed at the notion they were his, helped him from wondering if they felt like anyone's. Certainly they weren't his though, no one he'd potentially been capable of having a child with had ever lived very long after their coupling, there was no change for conception. "No," he still laughed, trying to focus on the more amusing notion that he was a father than the reason he wasn't. "They're children from my coven, I'm just taking them on an excursion."

Yazi was still along though, and it was still strange, especially that he had a notebook with him, albeit nothing seemed to be in it.

"What are you here for if not to steal for your hag?" Hasbaki asked him, yet to correct his language regarding Yazi's other half.

[pandokofswamp]

"Oh yes, I've met Vampires before." Yazi just couldn't remember when and what exactly they were. Something with leeches? Wings? Two footers came in so many different sizes, all he understood right now was witches, and even they were so so different. "A Pandok?" He looked with wide eyes, by now he should be used to people not knowing what a Pandok was, but he still couldn't understand how people didn't know what a Pandok was! "I'm like... a crocodile but bigger, with wings, and I can breathe fire!" He was awesome. "What do Vampires do again?"

As she followed she watched. He was an interesting thing to say the least, and she liked that. Smiling to herself at the first part of his reaction, Fiadh struggled to maintain the same pleasant look when he mention that a witch had changed him but all the same it remained even if strained.

She looked at the stalls they passed for a moment before answering with only a partial truth and a fangs to grace her smile, "just a vampire." Was her simple reply before redirecting, "Tell me more about the form you prefer? If you don't mind of course."

[pandokofswamp]

Yazi put his foot down, gladly, because he was not an expert at standing on just one leg. “They’re now both in working order.” He nodded. “Do you still use your stick magic? Because I could use your help, I can even pay for it!”

Hiro is very good with faces, less good at recognizing feet but luckily the face is enough. “Ah, yes, I see,” dark eyes flick from the raised leg and aforementioned foot with an obvious expression of distaste that has nothing to do with the fact the foot is fine and everything to do that a foot is being brandished near his face. An awkward twitch of his lips, “You can put your foot down now.” Hiro much prefers others feet to remain at ground level. Something about a foot at eye-level being very unseemly.

“Did your witch heal you? As I recall, no other magic works on you,” which had caused quite the predicament for the young witch but it was sorted practically anyway. Hiro’s talents are not dedicated solely to magic which is a product of his education with his coven. Magic is meant to amplify and enhance skills and not to be a sole source of power because having only one strength is a weakness in itself and his coven abhors weakness.

[pandokofswamp]

@ueharahiro

Yazi walked straight up to the person who had once helped him after an unfortunate incident, no small talk, no ‘hi’, simply a beeline for him with a straight face. One that turned to a smile as he appeared in front of Hiro. “You! I have to thank you, because I forgot whether I did that before when you helped me with my foot.” He then grabbed his leg and held up his foot to the other. “Look, it’s in perfect working condition again! And I have since not fallen.” 

[pandokofswamp]

"Steal kids?"

Yazi looked appalled, shaking his head before he turned completely to face Has. He was holding a piece of paper and a pencil, but nothing had actually been written on it - Yazi could not write. It was mostly for show.

He bit his lip. He was about ninety percent sure that Zaya did not need kids for her magic, or anything else really. Maybe ingredients for her cream, but that was it.

"Are they your kids?" he asked, suddenly attention sparked. If so: Has had a lot of children. Maybe he had multiple women. It was not Pandok culture, but he knew people did things differently and two-footers had many strange ways that he did not understand.

Punished || Hasbaki&Yazi

It was a punishment, he was sure of it as he watched the young men of varying ages rush about the small and crumbling grounds. Surely the wooden children's castle was decades old, if not more, with wooden planks either broken or weather worn, the wooden swords that had once been available for play now gone, left only the supports that had once held them. Still, it was better than the temple. For them, at least.

For Hasbaki it was a reminder that if he stepped out of line too many times the young men would be without him to protect them as he had over the years, as best he could at least. Times like this would be gone if he didn't do what he had to with Hiro, there would be no trips to the decrepit wooden castle, one of the few times they got to smile, there would be no one to take the blame for small mistakes the boys made. This trip was intended as an obvious instigator. Get the information the coven wanted, or watch who could be hurt in the process.

"There's a man alone," one of the boys said, pulling down the black fabric that had covered most of his face, as it did all the boys. His words interupted Hasbaki's negative thoughts, replacing them with a different sort.

Placing a small hand on the young man's shoulder Hasbaki assured him he would look into it, that he should go back and play with the other kids at the castle, some part of the coven, and some not. As a child it had been one of his only chances to interact with those not in his coven, he didn't want to leave because someone was there that they didn't recognise, especially when Hasbaki clearly did, removing his own mask as he wandered over.

"Should I be worried your hag has you trying to steal kids for her magic?" Hasbaki asked, his tone joking, perhaps enough it hid that though he didn't believe Yazi was there for that, he had been told female witches would do this.

@pandokofswamp

[pandokofswamp]

Yazi nodded firmly, and gestured for her to follow, his back straight and his eyes scanning the streets for the route he did know. At her question, he did not beam, he was momentarily confused. “Well, I am, obviously.” It was not obvious, and he’d been told that enough times that he should at least know. “My witch changed my shape to look like this, but I am a Pandok. What are you?” They passed through the market, will all kinds of vendors trying to sell them things. 

A smile bloomed on her face, he looked confident enough in the place she was fine to check it out. At worst it was going to be a very entertaining adventure based off of the side quest it needed to start.

"Whatever works best I'm in," she motioned with her arm for him to lead, "but please, tell me more about this Pandok."

[pandokofswamp]

Yazi considered the question. He did not know what ‘fancy’ actually meant. Aside from the beautiful shirt he wore, he’d not thought of anything else. He did, of course, not wear any shoes. He held out a hand to her when she grabbed the pouch of gold. “I’m paying!” he said. He knew however that Zaya kept all their money - for good reason - and so he suspected she would be okay with him taking the pouch. If he promised not to buy any magical beans. Then he looked around the door to the cottage and grabbed the shoes Zaya had once bought for him that he’d never worn before, and put them on his two-footer feet. They were terrible. He hated them. But she was right. He needed to wear shoes. 

“So, now I have shoes.You always look beautiful so I think we’re good to go,” he decided. Zaya drew eyes, and Yazi understood why. Her skin was healthy and she moved elegantly and she wore clothes that accentuated all of this. 

He held out his arm for her to take - he’d been taught this as well - and hoped she’d understand the gesture. He intended for them to have a stroll and dinner, and he’d wear shoes and do his best to pay for the food afterwards. Normally Zaya did this, and he liked it better like that, but he needed to prove that he was responsible, and he needed to show that he wanted to take care of her beyond turning into a fire-spitting dragon if danger ever arose. He felt confident however, because while Yazi half-assed anything he didn’t like to do, he went all out when it was something he did want. That was why, for one, he still had his job as a bartender. And why he made art that actually sold. 

"My little Yazi, you are being so cute," she asserted at his proclamation. It did not immediately dawn on her what his intentions were, letting out a little giggle that he intended to take her out, as though their combined money was not cared for by the woman. He, obviously, had access to their money, but Zaya did tend to hold onto the purse strings so that Yazi did not inadvertently get tricked into buying a bunch of magic beans.

The weather was no deterrence for the young witch though. "Does this mean we have to dress fancy as well?" she asked him, presuming this to be some fun activity that he had been convinced of trying by some people at his work, or perhaps his rude witch friend.

Moving to grab the pouch of gold hidden away in the small swamp cottage she looked back to him. "We would have to wear shoes," Zaya pointed out, something that she knew he did not like at all and she was not too big a fan of herself. "You sure you want to go somewhere fancy?" she checked because Zaya herself was not fussed and not familiar with the sort of courting that came from the continent beyond watching it so the notion what Yazi was doing was to court her was quite lost.

For Zaya courting was not typically done between bonded souls. Things simply came to be, but she was from a land where souls like Yazi's knew they would be bonded, were prepared for what it could mean. And if your soul bond was not your romantic partner, but someone else entirely, most courting was done through the soul bonded person who assessed whether or not the match was a viable one. In the end Zaya was not expecting anything from Yazi in terms of a flourishing relationship beyond the efforts she'd observed in him to be more mature. Perhaps 'fancy' seemed mature to the pandok, and if that was the case she did not intend to begrudge him her company while he practiced.

[pandokofswamp]

CLOSED STARTER FOR @zayaeze

Yazi had thrown his all into this matter of becoming a more responsible person. He’d asked advice from the most unlikely sources: his colleagues at the tavern. Half of them were women, half were men, some identified as something completely different, but they all agreed: he should court Zaya. Show her he was interested and he was willing to put in the effort. 

He’d spend over a week arranging it all, carefully planning things, writing it down, practicing, committing it all to memory, and creating a cheat sheet - he was going to need it.

So now he believed he was ready, standing outside their cottage in the woods in a white embroidered suit that he’d found on sale - and hassled the price off even further. His two footer hands were sweaty, and he looked over the little note in his hand again. Before pocketing it and stepping inside. 

“I wish to take you out to a fancy restaurant and stroll through town in the moonlight!” he proclaimed. It was overcast outside, but he hadn’t understood the phrase to begin with.

[pandokofswamp]

Yazi thought two footer children were strange, they were odd, all limbs and screams, cries and energy. He recalled having been a small Pandok, always on adventure, together with his siblings. But he’d been forced to grow up quickly, by the age he thought these children had, he was already on his own hunting. His mother only taking care of him the first year and a half. His father only appearing on occasion, often bringing some beautiful lizards for his mother. 

He narrowed his eyes for a moment when he heard the play of two footer children, then decided that if he wanted that kind of future with Zaya, he’d need to get over his judgement and understand them better. So he walked up to the playground, then stood and watched with interest. He felt like one stalking his prey, yet he did not move, staring forward and trying to make sense of what these kids were doing. 

“You have a child here?” he asked a tall and broad stranger. “Was raising them difficult?” he asked. 

Playtime || Yazi&Taurus

The young woman gave Taurus a small spin as she showed off the pants she had put on to play with the other children in. He had not wished for her to keep getting the nicer clothing she wore dirty and so had bought her some attire to play around in and she seemingly felt quite powerful in the clothing that was quite similar to her father's, showing off some weak punches.

"Don't actually hit any of the other kids though, yeah?" he checked with the young dark haired girl who gave her father a strong nod before she rushed towards the wooden play castle that had been erected in the Rochielles district by one of the locals. There were a few other children there, parents too it seemed that sat nearby watching. Taurus himself kept his eyes very firmly on his daughter, not intending to let them wander because there was every chance the young woman would try and hit someone who said the wrong thing to her.

For the moment, she seemed contented though, waving to him as she got to the top of the castle, having climbed around the edge of the wood so she could climb on top of the roof and seek the weather worn fake flag made of wood at the very top. He waved back, and probably should have been more concerned she would fall but as she wandered around the roof, holding onto the rod of the flag, he decided he was content she was willing to be so reckless. At least it meant she had his spirit for adventure.

@pandokofswamp

[pandokofswamp]

Yazi hadn’t picked out his own clothing since he’d become a two-footer. He thought it was ridiculous, that two footer skin wasn’t made to weather the elements. And Zaya always got the good deals. He had however brought clothes to the seamstress, since he ripped through them very quickly. He’d grown a lot in the past years.

“Oh! I think I know that place,” he said. “But I don’t know if I know the fastest route. I know how to get there from my place of work. So if you don’t mind a d-tour. If I were a Pandok right now I could fly you there, but I only have two feet.”

Nothing around them seemed even a little familiar and she wasn't even certain the place was still around so his response didn't particularly surprise her. A part of her thought of abandoning the task all together and just looking for some place to people watch. It didn't help that this was something she could put off to another time if she didn't find her way, she was in no rush.

"I need a seamstress or anyone who can mend clothes. I'm terribly hard on mine." She made a bit of a face then smiled as she picked up the hem of her cloak, revealing a tear.

[pandokofswamp]

Did he not need her bribery? Perhaps Hastalik would understand better if he was the one being bribed. It was very hard to say no to Zaya. Getting scratches on his head? Impossible to resist. “I shall try,” he promised, for that was all he could do. He was strong, yes, he was a Pandok, Hastalik had seen that well, but not THAT strong.

Yazi took a moment, looked around himself, and then surely walked into the direction he THOUGHT was where the place was. Though a two-footer, Yazi walked slightly like a Pandok, a bit more like stalking than walking. He never knew what to do with his hands, so he kept them at breast level. “I will treat you, as a thank you for your advice!” he decided.

"You've got to resist that," Hastalik insisted, a seriousness to his words. The man was surely under some sort of magic or trance this woman was controlling him with. Each time Hastalik spoke with him he seemed so content to be the woman's puppet. "You are strong, think about that next time she tries to bribe you. You don't need her bribery."

The idea of lizards was not good but Hastalik could hope there were other things, giving his friend, of sorts, a nod. "Okay, yeah, let's try that, lead the way." Spice was certainly his friend, he could handle that. Spice made the bland food he was given by the coven at least have some taste instead of just the nutritional value the coven insisted was more important than flavour.

[pandokofswamp]

Talking about each other’s cultures was not new, they had done this plenty of times. But there were subjects they had never really gotten into. They had been kids when they met. Yazi was supposedly an adult, for a Pandok at least, but he had looked like a child and while his body had grown up quickly, his mind had needed - and still needed - plenty of time to catch up.

He considered the question and nodded. “I think so yes,” he admitted. “I know my parents had never had another mate.” He’d been one and ten when he left the swamp behind, and Pandok weren’t creatures who lived in big communities.

His whole world had been his mother, siblings, and on occasion father. He’d seen a few others from afar, but he had yet gone off to look for a mate, had yet been told by his father to leave his hunting grounds.

The Pandok offered a grin, happy to hear he would still enjoy mud, and that Zaya would enjoy it with him. He nodded. “No, I will not give up anything, I will learn new things and be more responsible and I will provide for you like my father did for my mother. But then with things two-footers need.”

Yazi leaned into the gesture more than he’d ever done. Maybe he’d taken it all for granted, maybe he did. There was a closeness always between them that never needed explanation or even to be requested. It was just natural. 

His face turned a bit sad, a bit contemplative, but he nodded. “I don’t ever want that to happen,” he said. Then he paused. “But if it does… yes, I will learn my food order, and I will learn how to pick clothes, and how to buy things for a good price.” All things he let Zaya do and dictate because she did that best. 

Yazi smiled, nuzzling his nose against her forehead. “I am glad I brought up the mud conversation,” he said. “So I could show you I am strong. I will show you I am the best Pandok you could’ve chosen!” he proclaimed. “Now let's go get chicken.”

end.

"Do pandok pick only one when they mate with one another?" Zaya asked, since she realised she never had. Yazi was young, even by pandok standards, when they had met. They both had been children so it had been, ultimately, of no interest to either of them to discuss such topics. Perhaps that was why they had lingered in a strange intimacy where they laid beside one another, held hands, cuddled, and Zaya kissed his cheeks when he was in various animal forms but not much beyond this. As they had grown Zaya had certainly enjoyed these more, falling asleep without Yazi in some form against her always left her with restless sleep, but she still felt very responsible for him, so any steps further based on his loyalty and handsomeness that certainly appealed were not quite able to be truly desired.

At his assurance he would learn more she did still feel guilty. It did seem unfair she could manipulate his form as she desired but he could not do the same for her. It certainly would have been easier since Zaya's upbringing had allowed her to have a less restricted view of the fact Yazi was a pandok, if she could be too she would, if only because it would make him happy, but she could not. "You should not take this to mean giving things up," she promised him instead of allowing her guilt to let a 'sorry' fall from her lips. "You should still enjoy the mud, I will enjoy it with you," Zaya continued to vow.

The soft fullness of his eyes became reflected in her own, matching his gesture as best she could as she listened to him assure her of facts she had always stated without any doubts. It was still different to hear him say them without doubts though. "You are right," she agreed, swallowing because she had allowed her concerns over his maturity to imply taking care of one another was wrong when it was not what she meant. She didn't ever wish to give up that they cared for each other. Zaya took the moment to shift as he blushed so they were nearer to one another. The restaurant filled with pairs in such a close position, shoulders touching and eyes near as they looked at each other, while groups seemed to laugh and eat. It was certainly busy enough no one paid them any mind. "I also like you more than I like anyone, my most handsome pandok," Zaya promised him, her shoulder finding purchase against the side of his chest as she leaned in and placing her lips to his cheek, a warm affection, the tip of her nose by his temples, her own braided hair likely tickling at the tip of his.

It hurt her to hear him say he felt he was not smart though and as she sank back to where she sat, form still against his side as she maintained their closeness. "It is hard to know things everyone grew up knowing," Zaya reasoned, her hand nearest his own resting on it. "Neither of us will be smart like them, I just wish for us to feel grown. Like if something happened where I could not come to you then you would be okay in this form until we got to each other. Like, you could learn your food order, yes?" she suggested, something simple, that would show Yazi was maturing.

Once more Zaya leaned in, knowing she was not quite ready to kiss him properly yet, especially as they were in public and she felt as neither had kissed anyone before they may not want witnesses to such an awkward display, but wanting him to see she wished to get there. "You have been so strong today," Zaya complimented him, her opposing hand reaching up so her nails might caress the scales at the back of his neck, dragging softly back and forth along them. "Two big topics. Most two footers would have already thrown a tantrum. We should get you your chicken and go home, yes?"

[pandokofswamp]

Yazi had been in Destarin for a while now. Not that it accounted for anything, he'd been taught how to read, but as a Pandok he looked to the ground, not his surroundings. Meaning aside from his own place of employ, his favourite food place, the docks, and Zaya's place of employ, he didn't actually know what was where and what.

Thus when he was asked about a specific - he figured - business, he drew a blank. He frowned, thought long and hard - not too long and not too hard - and then shook his head.

"I don't know it, what kind of place is it?"

It had been much too long since Fiadh had been to Destarin and she was lost. Well not lost, she knew what she was looking for. She was just...turned around. She refused to admit she hadn't cared enough to remember where things were the last time she was here. There hadn't been much time to walk through the shops but she did recall there was a shop that could fix the clothes that hadn't made the journey in one piece. Fiadh grew bored of looking and tapped the closest person's shoulder, it was time to make new friends.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, can you point me in the direction of, uh," She paused as if she couldn't remember the name, "Red Thread?"

[pandokofswamp]

Yazi did not know what the word subdued meant, but it sounded very big and it sounded like something Zaya was doing to him. Afterall, her Magic dictated what he became. He was totally fine with that aspect however. He being able to change him was totally fine with him, as long as she changed him into creatures he wanted to be. “Yes, likely,” he agreed. “But it’s hard not to take her bribes, she knows how to bribe me very well.” Definitely one of her skills, she knew him so well. 

The Pandok smiled with glee, happy to be offered food by a two-footer who liked meat. Though he knew a lot of two-footers who liked meat, as they should. Meat was delicious. “We should go to Franci’s, she has the best meats, she even does lizards!” And everyone knew lizards were the best. “And she makes this spicy sauce that doesn’t make my mouth burn.” 

Hastalik was genuinely worried for the 'man' before him but there was little he could do. He didn't have anywhere safer to take him. To bring him to the coven would be no better, though his Uncle might be sympathetic to the plight of him being held captive by a hag and give him shelter Hastalik could not say what the coven would do beyond it. He wondered if he might ask his Uncle permission to attempt to kill the hag to save his friend, then he might have whatever estate remained and be free of her. "You should not take her bribes, you are likely being subdued with her magic."

"It is fine," he said with a shrug. Hastalik had the exact amount of meat that his coven deemed would be beneficial for his health each day, along with the right amount of grains and vegetables. All of which was to say he did not crave these items. He wished he might just eat cake constantly but he had only been able to try it twice. Sweet foods were always considered to be evil, the sweetness of them hid the bad things they did to you, as toxic as the monsters in the world. "We shall get it because you like it," Has told him, though he didn't know what went 'boom.'

[pandokofswamp]

Yazi nodded. “Yes that makes sense, two-footers need more two-footers.” He wouldn’t have survived without Zaya. At her question he nodded firmly. Yazi thought she was beautiful, as a two footer, but that her good qualities would also translate to a Pandok form. He was a strong male, in the swamp however, it was the females who decided who they would mate with. He imagined Zaya would have many suitors, and he was glad she wasn’t a Pandok because he feared she might not pick him. “You are very beautiful and you have confidence, I imagine you’d have the most beautiful scales and many Pandok would be jealous.”

He turned a bit shy as she spoke further. Blushing - which was very un-Pandok-like - as she spoke about the two footer way and him learning more. He was a Pandok first and foremost, but his brain chemistry had slightly altered as a two-footer. His desire for Zaya different from how he might desire another Pandok. “I will learn more,” he assured her, and while every day was still a struggle, he had a job and all that. He believed himself capable of being a good two-footer. 

He set his food down and stretched out his arms on the table, leaning his head onto them and looking up at Zaya with warm eyes. A gesture that was wholly Pandok, one that expressed vulnerability and kindness. His eyes were big. “You are the other half of my soul,” he said, because that’s what Zaya said and he believed it. “We are each other’s guardians.” He touched her hand, smiling as he did. “I like you more than I like someone who is a friend.” He paused, still shy, still blushing. “I think you’re the most beautiful.” He paused then. “But I know I’m not the smartest creature.” A true understatement.

"How have you survived this long?" Zaya responded, figuring that he would be able to answer his own question but clarifying further regardless. "You have survived because you have me, I have survived because I have you. It is about family and community," she explained, offering him a soft smile.

Zaya listened as he explained, unsure what exactly would be considered beautiful for female pandok, perhaps harder skin, greener maybe? "You think I would be a beautiful pandok?" she asked him, presuming this was more hopeful thinking on his part than because of any particular element of her. It was sweet, and warmed her.

In the end though, even if it would have been easier raising pandok children that was not - so far as she could fathom - an option. "I unfortunately cannot be pandok, if we wanted to have children it would have to be as two footers. You would have to learn more, be more okay without me," she told him, because it would have been nice, and though his words were sweet and made her smile, she worried he would not ever desire to be out of reliance from her. That he would prefer to keep things as they were than develop their connection more. Zaya wanted it, she had seen it, and so knew it was possible. In some ways she had to assume it was her fault, she had cultivated the relationship they had because she cared for him, selfishly wished to keep him by her side as much as she could.

"I should also want to have children with someone who...cared for me the way two footers do," she spoke, a vagueness to her words because she did not wish to confront Yazi with such things he might find unappealing. To presume her pretty as pandok enough to bear children did not mean he wished romance or intimacy with her beyond the affection they currently shared. "Do you think of me as your guardian more than you friend?" she asked Yazi, to at least understand his perception of what they were to one another.

Before he could answer though Zaya spoke once more, food still between her fingers uneaten. "I think you are very handsome Yazi. I should wish to be more of your friend." Not intending to influence him to agree, but hoping rather to make sure he was not afraid of more, like he had to fall into the role she considered her part in establishing.