Days Like Today (Finished)

[titania]

Titania strolled through evening Hyrule looking for some sort of a last hurrah before her return to the forest. This was a particularly uneventful trip. It started out nice in Westport, but Hyrule Castle Town wasn't exciting at all. She almost wished one of Nightmare's associates would swoop down and terrorize the town. Just a bit of fun, nothing too catastrophic, there were enough catastrophes around Hyrule recently.

She sighed and headed up to the town square, letting her imagination run wild about her usual things: men, not politics, men again, that little pet Nightmare had. Not a particularly broad range of thought, but it was her own.

[zaph]

The day hadn't been a fun one. Zaph spent the entirety of the day putting on shows for those who had come from across Hyrule to see his piano skills, and he'd shown them exactly what they had come for. Now that the morning shows were over, however, Zaph practically had nowhere to go. Deciding it would be best to kill some time doing whatever he wanted before his next recital, Zaph decided to check out one of the stands on the street, which appeared to be a vendor of some various types of delicious-looking fruit.

Stepping into the line, Zaph realized how different he was than everyone else. He was in a tie and blazer, and while they were thin and light, he was contrasting against the common attire of the people. Plus, his hair was red, and the hair of most everyone else was a more subtle color like brown or blonde. He scoffed at these people that valued their conformity; Zaph knew he was an individual, and hadn't ever spent his days conforming.

When it was his turn in line, he asked for (rather rudely) and paid for an apple, which he immediately took a bite out of. It was delicious and juicy, exactly what the young man needed, and it was, he deemed, a good way to spend his money.

[titania]

Titania was passing the street vendor when Zaph rudely asked for an apple. She turned her head inconspicuously and glared when he couldn't see her.

Wonder what's got him all in a rut. She decided it would be exciting to follow him, see where he was going. He didn't need to know about the royal beauty following him. Although on one hand, she did want to be noticed, if only to start what would likely be an awkward conversation.

She started to walk a few paces behind him, wondering how long it would take for him to notice her.

[zaph]

Finishing the apple with a rather particular haste, Zaph tossed the core into the alley containing the most trash as he walked. He didn't litter, as he thought it was unsophisticated not to, so he figured it would be wise to throw it somewhere that it would be taken care of. The young man shoved his hands in his pockets and continued to walk, though as he looked around at the sky and the people around him, he noticed he was being followed. This stalker probably meant no harm, else she would have better hidden herself.

A bit irked at the fact that he was being followed, Zaph exhibited an expression of irritation upon his face, though he pursuer couldn't see it. He continued a few meters on, waiting to see, listening for footsteps, to determine if she would split paths, though that didn't seem to be the case. Eventually he stopped and turned to her with a cruel look on his face. "Can I help you?" He asked in a spitefully polite way.

[titania]

Upon Zaph's rather irritated and rude question, Titania rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip. Her wings were retracted, so for all he knew she was just another person on the streets. Of course, irritation begot irritation, which Titania was more than happy to supply.

"Probably not. I was going to ask you for directions, but it seems the Great Fairy has a stick up your ass so far you can't see straight. I'll go ahead and bother someone else." Her statement was dripping with sarcasm as she calmly approached him, looking him dead in the eye. Something was bothering him, and she would get to the bottom of it, but for now she just didn't have time to deal with his attitude.

[zaph]

"Oh, wonderful," he said with a quiet exasperation, though he couldn't help but smile and laugh and he ran his hand through his mess of hair, then back down to his side. The young man sighed heavily and rolled his eyes too, looking to the ground, then back at her, feeding her gaze with his own intense glare of distrust. Part of him felt bad, but most of him wanted to punch her square in her pretty face.

He held back the temptation though, keeping it at bay with the thought that she was damn gorgeous. Though his expression showed no interest in her period, he didn't deny that. As she approached, he stuffed both his hands back in his pocket. "Please tell me you're not another admirer. I'm tired of them, and if you want my autograph, you can go screw yourself. I'm not some god whose feet you need to lick. I hope you have more dignity than that." He offered coyly, adding a slight smile into the equation.

[titania]

Titania widened her eyes skeptically. He had admirers? Not surprising for his looks, but astonishing considering his attitude. She was only a couple feet away when she began her retort.

"Is that how you treat all of your fans? I'm surprised anyone would lick your feet. Unless the skin on your feet has some kind of magical properties." So he was famous in some way. She couldn't imagine why. She shook her head, licking her lips. For all his bitchiness and unlikability, he was cute.

[zaph]

Zaph smiled, showing a few of his teeth, and addressed her again. "Yeah, most of them." He said bluntly. "I'm a musician, and I do what I do because I like it, and they assume that I'm some high and mighty deity, and in truth, it pisses me off." He guessed, however, by her response, that she was unfamiliar with his work and the concerts he'd put on in Hyrule. That was fine by him. Maybe now he'd be treated like a person.

The young man ignored her attempted witty remark and dismissed it as a failure. He didn't take his eyes of her, but he also didn't remove his cold stare. He didn't plan on sticking around for very long, but surely she had approached him for a reason; a reason he wanted to know, and wanted to know now.

[titania]

Titania nodded slowly, now understanding how he got his one fan. So he'd performed around Hyrule.

"You're a musician? Big deal, we have plenty of bards in this region, but none with their own cult. What, did you find a secret shrine to you in the sewers once?" Her voice did come off with sarcasm, but also curiosity. Musicians rarely become deified. They also rarely play at the Sacred Grove, which is why Titania knew all of none of them.

Her cold stare matched his chill for chill. She wasn't about to back down. Especially from this bitchy, though cute, man.

[zaph]

Zaph smiled, his eyes still cold. "Run from me, dear, or you'll never be alone," Zaph sang quietly, his voice escalating beautifully into the higher minor ranges that it could reach. His tone echoed with a pretty vibrato, and he came down in pitch as he finished the other lines of the song he was singing. "'cause I've got too many chances to watch you fall to let it go now." He finished wonderfully, adding in a soft glissando, not a mistake or simple error in the lines of the song he was singing. He approached her a bit more closely, though he still stared her viciously in the eyes.

"Though I'm better known for my piano pieces. I write and preform across Hyrule. I played at the Masquerade Ball, as well," He said matter-of-factly, as if to emphasize the types of roles Hyrule had offered him. "Bards don't suit my fancy." He turned now, not facing her, and continued to walk down the path, a smile writ upon his face. He was very curious to see if she'd follow.

[titania]

Titania nodded approvingly. He certainly did have a nice voice. She believed his statement that he could play piano, even though he currently could not prove it. No good reason to lie in that scenario. She was critiquing his performance in her head as he made a statement about where he played and then walked off.

"You do have a nice vo-hey! I'm not done with you yet!" She ran up to catch him before passing him and standing in his way. "You don't get to leave in the middle of a compliment. Fine, maybe you don't have a nice singing voice." She let out a loud "hmph" and put both fists on her hips, looking at him sternly, upset that he would have the gall to just walk away. From her, the fairy queen, of all people.

[zaph]

Zaph stopped, his hands back in his pockets as customary, and bit his lip with a smile. He knew she'd give chase, though it was still interesting to see her do so. Quite strange it was that someone who seemed to be so out of place also didn't know who he was. Though Zaph did believe that it should be common knowledge; that was simply arrogance, however, and he was proud of his work.

"Maybe I don't." He said, shrugging, still smiling. He looked up to the sky momentarily, then back to the woman in front of him. He was distracted momentarily by her figure, as he was a man of physical interest more than emotional interest. "But if I don't, everyone in Hyrule must have terrible taste." He finished curtly, and then attempted to walk around and past her, intent on getting her to follow him again.

[titania]

Titania was certain this man was many things, but modest was not one of them. However, in a brief moment of devious thinking, he slipped past her. However, she did notice him take a moment to eye her approvingly. A lot of people did that, their social cues were second nature for her to identify. It's what happens when you're the most beautiful in a race of beauties.

Somehow, she knew this was playing right into his hands. But she didn't really care at this point. If he was going to be difficult, then she would have to match him. Once again, she made her way ahead of and right in front of him. She wouldn't be distracted by his looks aga...and she was, taking a moment to eye him over approvingly.

[zaph]

"Hmph," Zaph said, closing his eyes, as he drew a pleased smirk across his face. He knew what she was doing; the same that he'd done, though there would be no words to exchange; both knew what the other was doing, assuredly, so no words needed to be spoken. However pleased Zaph was with her body, he did not let his eyes show it. He still stared at here again, through cold, dagger-like eyes, as she remained in his path. She was not intent on moving.

That was certainly okay, though; Zaph intended on drawing this out as long as possible. Biting his lip carefully and experimentally, he stepped to the right, around, and attempted to pass her again, not exchanging any more words, to see how the woman would react. He didn't even know who she was yet.

[titania]

Titania didn't need approving eyes to know when she was being looked at. However, she also knew he was going to try and move past her again. She moved left, his right. And stood in front of him. Putting a finger upon his chest, she shook her head no, with a sly smile on her face.

"I don't think so, mister." She, unlike him, was not willing to waste time playing games. She played games rarely, and this was not going to be one of those times. She was not going to be ignored, not this time. At this point it was not about physical attraction or any of that nonsense, she simply wanted to show him up.

[zaph]

Sighing and jokingly rolling his eyes, Zaph gently placed his hand over the top of hers and moved it off of his chest and back down to her side. He stared at her coldly still, making sure she knew he wasn't going to be messed with easily. "You don't? Then what would you have me do?" He asked coldly, making sure she knew that he was serious in his efforts to get away from her, even though he wasn't.

In fact, Zaph wasn't exactly sure what he wanted out of this situation, though he did expect something. Perhaps a friend, though he didn't make those often because of his proficiency at the art of assholery. Not caring enough about what she thought about his personality or demeanor, Zaph looked her up and down again, curious as to what race she was. Most humans didn't have such a form, nor such a skin tone. Perhaps there was something she was hiding from him. Zaph placed a hand upon his chin and look back at her.

[titania]

Titania wasn't sure how to answer the question. Coming straight out and saying "I want to spend the night with you and leave in the morning" didn't quite sound like it would go over well. While she knew he knew of her beauty, he didn't really seem interested in anything beyond a how-do-you-do. He didn't even seem interested in that. What to say, what to say.

As he put a hand on his chin, so did she. "What to do, what to do? Well I had an idea before, but then I realized I don't have a sacrificial goat." She began to mentally kick herself for that one as soon as she said it. Not only did it come out wrong, but she wasn't supposed to be this passive. What magics was he inflicting upon her?

[zaph]

Zaph gave the woman a quizzical look. What the hell? A sacrificial goat? Surely this woman was insane. Insane, or of some strange mental status that was very near so. He stared at her blankly for a moment, contemplating what he could do. He could make a run for it, but she had approached him for a reason. Directions, was it? Perhaps he'd try that route of conversation.

Shaking his head, he addressed her again. "You said you wanted directions. Where?" He asked bluntly, in a small attempt to get her to leave him alone-- or rather, what it was more accurately was an attempt to get the woman to say what she had originally approached him for, whatever that was. Zaph wasn't convinced that she had really come to him seeking directions.

[titania]

Titania had completely forgotten that she had lied about the directions as an excuse to follow him. She scratched her head embarrassingly, then scolded herself again for being a embarrassing little girl.

"That was a lie. I wanted to know why you were an ass to the apple vendor, then you got mad for me following and I got caught up in the moment. Although you have answered my original question." She was asking herself what she was still doing here, though she truly knew why she stuck around. She was digging herself a hole she wasn't to have trouble climbing out of.

[zaph]

Zaph let out a bellowing laugh and then scratched his head. He eyed her interestingly. She really didn't know him at all, that much was certain. She definitely wasn't lying; but since she wasn't, who could she be, anyway? "I was an ass to the apple vendor because I'm an ass to everyone." He said plainly, having no remorse for his actions now or ever. It was who he was, after all, and he had no shame for that. He smirked at her again and put his hands back in his pockets.

"I wasn't mad at you for following me, I was irritated that you didn't just call me out and stop me so you could ask your question." Though Zaph was actually concerned with the reason she stopped him, he also knew that there was more than one reason she had. He had noticed, as surely she had, the way that she was eyeing him, and because of this, he chuckled. "So yes, that's me. My name is Zaph, and I'm a master of assholery. Would you like to get a drink?"