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Post by artisan on Feb 23, 2007 9:34:11 GMT -5
Yishugei inhaled sharply and held his breath as Jericho moved his hair away from his eyes. It was as if time had stopped, something it's been doing a lot as of late. When she pulled away it felt far too soon, but her hand was still in his, and that was enough. For a moment, Yishugei had though he saw an invitation, of some sort, in her eyes, but he quickly pushed the notion away as his own desire.
His tongue seemed swollen, Gei desperately wanted to say but there was no room in his mouth to speak. He exhaled slowly, letting his mind work out something. He was an articulate young man, educated, well rounded, why was his vocabulary failing him now? Yishugei blinked once, trying to capture himself again, regain control. He thought back to the question that had started all of this, and something finally came to his lips. "You've herd about me, Jericho." He paused, allowing himself to reveal the slightest of grins. "Tell me about yourself." It wasn't a demand, it was a request. Hopefully one that she would comply to. Who could tell with Jericho Xanin? She was, after all, a Spit Fire.
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Post by jericho on Feb 23, 2007 16:19:00 GMT -5
A smirk slinked its self onto Jericho's lips, the inner candle flame dancing on her eyes. "What's there to tell?" She began as Yishugei had, teasing him ever so slightly. She blinked slowly ,her dark eyelashes touching her cheek, before continuing. "I do enjoy my share of reading." Jericho slid her forgotten fan shut and began to wave it about, talking with the hand crafted piece as if it were a extension of her own arm. "But my passion..." She continued, her smirk widening slightly to give a absolutely devilish gleam to it. "...Is painting, and..." She added matter-of-factly, flipping her hair away from her face with a swift movement of her head. "...my sword play, of course." Jericho held the very tip of her tongue between her front teeth in attempt to keep her sly smile from growing larger than it already had. It hadn't worked. "I'd like to fancy myself a master of both arts, the sword and the brush, but I know I'm far from it." In an agonizing slowness matching that of a turtle seal Jericho slid her hand away from Yishugei's. She placed her fan back between her obi and kimono, her amber eyes turned down until the task was completed. "I absolutely adore a good story." Jericho turned her eyes back up to his, a warm fire roaring behind them. "Whether I'm telling one of hearing one." She flashed a quick teasing smile before moving on. "And I enjoy what every young Fire Nation woman of breeding enjoys."
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Post by artisan on Feb 24, 2007 9:34:02 GMT -5
Yishugei had willed himself into silence, simply content with listening to Jericho's ember filled voice. An encouraging smile never left his thin lips, asking her without words to go on. He laughed at the appropriate places, just as he always had. The only difference is that these slight chuckles were real, and not forced. Gei had mentally prepared himself for nearly anything that could have shot out of her rounded painted lips, she could have said she enjoyed going on picnics with earthbenders or flying with the Dragon-Hawks and he wouldn't have been surprised in the least. She was a spectacular girl, very capable of doing spectacular things. Gei had thought he had prepared himself for everything, except, the last statement.
Yishugei blinked once taken aback, trying to find something to say to that. The only thing that had came to his mind was another question. He raised both his eyebrows, eying Jericho carefully to deduced if she were kidding. He couldn't tell. Pushing the surprise in his voice back into submission, Gei spoke. "And what, Jericho, does every young Fire Nation woman of breeding enjoy?"
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Post by jericho on Feb 25, 2007 19:56:18 GMT -5
Jericho worked hard to push the smirk off her lips, not an easy feat for someone who was very much prone to smirking. She pouted her lower lip in faux offense, parting her lips slightly to let in a sharp intake of air in a foe gasp. She made sure everything was noticeably fake, she over acted to the point that it was amusingly adorable, and completely flirtatious. "You mean you don't know?" She continued to act taken aback, touching her finger tips to her chest and widening her amber eyes slightly in mock shock. Jericho tilted her body so her upper body was leaning backward, her weight rested on her right leg which was placed further back than her left. She continued to act, speaking as if it was a matter of fact. "Why..." she paused for over dramatic affect. "A good cup of tea, of course." Almost instantly the smirk crawled its way back onto Jericho's lips. She straightened up and lifted her well manicured hand to cover her mouth as she giggled slightly. Her amber eyes were alight in joy, while it was completely cheesy it was fun. "Would you like some? The manor's outside dinning area isn't more than a few measures from here." She nodded toward the path no more than a few steps from the pond. A soft playful smirk never leaving her lips.
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Post by artisan on Feb 26, 2007 10:52:54 GMT -5
Despite his efforts to push the gesture away, a grin pushed its way through on Yishugei's thin lips. Even his grin seemed calm and placid, a mere glimmer when compared to Jericho's. A small laugh jumped out between his lips, she was amazing. Some how Jericho had made the transition from being fiery enticing to completely adorable . and that's what caused the grin on Gei's face. He hadn't enjoyed himself this much since the last time he saw his twin, Kuangnu.
"I would love to have a cup of tea with you." He was completely sincere, and his calm smile shone in his voice. A slight breeze made Yishugei's bangs flutter slightly. He turned toward the path and gingerly offered his hand to her. This was a great act of daring, as if Gei were offering his to a viscous dragon. Somehow it didn't seem to matter. He seemed, comfortable, or, if anything, bolder. "Care to lead?" The smile stayed put on his face. He willed himself back to the exact set of words he had used only early that day. "You do know the gardens better than I. With my sense of direction we'd end up right back where we started."
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Post by jericho on Mar 6, 2007 20:16:11 GMT -5
Jericho tossed her head back giving a single shout of a hearty, roasting, laugh. A grin as bright as the sun itself continued to shine on her face, pushing her cheeks up so far that it made her catty eyes squint as they danced with the light illuminating from the smile. The yellow orb in the sky had competition, and her name was Jericho. "Of course I'll lead." She slipped her hand into his without a second thought. She was enjoying herself, there was no greater thought that appealed to the noble woman anymore than self enjoyment. Why not dazzle the world with a smile that wasn't inspired by malice or sarcasm? She continued to beam up at Yishugei, preferring to dazzle him with her smile appose to the world, if only for now. Taking a firm hold onto Yishugei's hand with her long pianist fingers she bolted down the path as fast as the elegant, yet confining, silk kimono would let her, dragging the thin young man along with him. Her feet slapped once more against the stone path and a chorus of closed mouth giggles managed to find their way out of her system. Why not give the wind competition? Why not? Why not.
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Post by artisan on Apr 3, 2007 15:36:58 GMT -5
Yishugei had no time to react to Jericho's hand sliding itself into his. Her fingers filled the empty spaces between his own, which seemed to send off static jolts through every nerve. Not uncomfortable, just surprising. The smile that seemed to be mounted on her pale face seemed to rival the very sunlight cast above
Before he knew what to do or say Jericho bolted down the small path, dragging Gei along with him. His legs soon began to work on the own accord and caught up, even though his mind had yet to, beside Jericho and was running along side her appose to behind. His shoes slapped the sun warmed stones and his ebony hair whipped his face, making it very difficult to see where he was going. Jericho's hand reassured him, some how he knew, or rather, he hoped, the the fiery young woman would not lead him into a wall.
Yishugei's mind had finally made sense of everything just in time to realize that he had been smiling, a broad toothy grin that seemed to shine in comparison to the meek smiles he was accustomed to giving. He laughed to himself silently before laughing aloud. Creating the chorus once more that had been lost only earlier that day.
The scenery sped by in a blur.
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Post by jericho on Jun 10, 2007 17:34:41 GMT -5
Jericho's laughs mingled in the air with Yishugei's as the had just earlier that day. Was the scene repeating itself? She certainly hope so, only that the intrusion of the spider-snake had edited itself out. The world felt at peace and the raging, constantly subject to change, inferno that usually world deep within Jericho's mind had given way to a burst of firecrackers. Colorful explosions of these shimmering embers seemed to erupt from her very being, nearly stealing her very breath as I slid rampantly from her painted lips. Everything seemed right, everything seemed perfect! Had Yishugei snubbed out 'The Xanin Spit Fire'? It had seemed so, if only momentarily. Jericho burst through the shrubbery. Finally out of the garden's reaches, Yishugei in hand. The bright welling grin continued to play on her expression as she heaved heavily to regain the breath she had lost during the exertion. Not that the young noble woman wasn't used to physical exertion, not at all, but the run seemed far different than anything else she had ever encountered. Subconsciously, she gripped Yishugei's hand tighter. Everything would have stayed as such, if Jericho's dancing amber eyes hadn't caught those of her mother's. Ai and Yuan had been sitting just outside of the garden, near the manor, taking tea and each other's company. She instantly became self-conscious of her bare-foot disheveled appearance. It wasn't that she hadn't been seen as such before, but Jericho did not want to be seen as such while her mother was with a guest, Yishugei's mother. It was one thing to embarrass her family with her venomous tongue aimed at her suitors, it was another to do it with ill taste in behavior. Silently, she tore her hand from Yishugei's and moved it about her body, smoothing down her rumbled kimono and tucking loose strands of ebony hair back into place. "Jericho." Her mother, Ai, spoke, her voice completely calm and composed as Jericho straightened up to mirror the feeling in her mother's voice. "I trust you and Yishugei are enjoying yourself." A soft knowing smile played not only on Jericho's mother's lips, but her eyes. Instantly Jericho flushed, and was glad for her painted face that had hid it. "He is..." Jericho trailed of, her heart pounding against her chest in warning. She had never cared if she callously spoken about her previous suitors as if they weren't around, but Yishugei was different. Her catty amber eyes shifted to the floor once, and then to Yishugei, flashing a soft smile that hinted to a smirk. "Acceptable."
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Post by artisan on Jul 21, 2007 22:57:25 GMT -5
The young man of the Fire Nation had not expected to run into his over-baring and over flashy mother so suddenly, but taken aback as he was about running into both his and Jericho's mother, he was more so at the smile she had flashed and the tone in her voice. "Acceptable" it what she said but it seemed to hint at more, something else beyond just plain old "acceptable"- though he would gladly be happy with being considered just that in her eyes considered Jericho's scrutinizing-to-a-t reputation. Yishugei was dumbfounded by her, Jericho's, response, but did not dare to show it on his features considering his mother's wide eyed eager gaze. Her lips were parted in a ridiculous grin, knowing that her son had 'conquered' (Yishugei was silently disgusted at himself for thinking such a word about Jericho, for a young woman of her caliber could not merely be "conquered") the Xanin Spit Fire. He simply returned Jericho's knowing smile.
"Well, Yishugei," came Yuan's, Gei's mother's, sly voice, "I think we should be leaving."
Yishugei's face flushed as he pursed his lips, forming a thin even line. He wanted to spend more time with Jericho but denying his mother in this would not only be out of character, though there had been plenty of out-of-character actions today, but ill to the family name. He would embarrass her, and Gei could never bring himself to do such a thing, despite his wants.
He unpursed his lips letting, a sigh escape them making his long ebony bangs shift slightly. "Of course, mother." With his arms straight at his side he gave a shallow bow of the head to both Jericho, and her mother Ai. "It was a pleasure meeting you both."
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Post by jericho on Jul 23, 2007 22:50:15 GMT -5
While Jericho was taken aback by Yishugei's mother insisting upon them leaving she dare not show any of it on her surprise or dismay her face. Instead she stood steadfast, posture straight and calm. She had assumed that Yaun's, Gei's mother, insistence of leaving had been made to gage Jericho's true feelings for the boy. She knew how Fire Nation women of class played this game, but she could play it better. Tilting her chin upward in a slight show on unyielding dominance as she caught Yaun's eyes as Gei bowed, Jericho silently expressed this thought. Her hands were held in her flowing kimono sleeves as both the Jericho and her mother, Ai, nodded their heads at Yishugei as both he and his kin began to leave. With a small smirk poised on the young woman's painted lips, the same smirk glinting in her catty eyes she spoke, her voice sounding as dark as smoke. "Yishugei, have you heard mention of the Kite Festival?" She paused, her amber eyes becoming suggestive. "I will be there watching the glass blowing performance." Jericho paused once more. Though her body language gave weight to nothing other than grace both the smirk on her lips and the glint in her eyes hinted at invitation. "It would be an absolute shame if we were to miss each other." Jericho turned her head slightly so her eyes met her mother's, a soft smile of approval waiting her. "Yes" Ai spoke in her slow elegant voice. "That it would."
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Post by artisan on Sept 28, 2007 20:41:26 GMT -5
Yishugei wanted to jump for joy. He wanted to shout to the heavens that he had received an invitation from the Xanin Spit Fire. Though his insides were burning with the same fire he assumed fire benders felt the young man contained himself. It would be ungentleman like and very dishonorable to his mother if he should display himself the way he wanted to.
Instead he nodded his head slowly by way of bowing once more, a soft smile settled on his lips. "I will be there watching my family's kite fly." He paused a moment, straightening up slightly to lock his eyes with Jericho's. It was then that he burnt her image into his memory, the gentle curve of her cheek and the slightly smeared make up. The loose wisp of her dark ebony hair that had caught in the wind and the smirk in her eyes. Yishugei vaguely wondered if his emotions were portrayed in his eyes like Jericho's were in hers. He vaguely wondered if she knew how much he wanted to celebrate. He vaguely wondered why she had even hinted at an invitation at all.
"Perhaps we'll bump into each other." It wasn't a question, or a statement. It was a promise. "Once again, it was a pleasure." With that Gei turned slowly, following his mother's lead. Side by side they walked out the gates of the Xanin Manor. Silently, Gei suppressed his grin.
[Gei has left the thread]
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Post by jericho on Sept 29, 2007 17:27:01 GMT -5
Both Jericho and her mother, Ai, nodded their head at Yishugei and Yaun as they left. A comfortable, understood silence settled between both mother and daughter as they waited for ever-ready-to-gloat Yaun to be out of ear shot. A gentle breeze caught Jericho's ebony hair and it was in this silence she was able to be with her thoughts. The smirk on her face had vanished leaving a look of serene calm, or so it would seem. A raging inferno danced feverishly in her amber eyes, and a thousand questions to herself burnt on the tip of her tongue- the first of which being why had the promise in Yishugei's voice made her suddenly so excited about the Kite Festival? Yaun and Gei had long since shrank into the distance, but it wasn't until a meek diminutive woman, a servant, whispered to Ai that they had left. Almost immediately after that Jericho's elegant mother let her tongue slip, though her voice still sounded like a dance- elegant and composed- it had an edge of excitement to it. "Well?" Jericho's catty eyes widened by the eagerness in her mother's voice. She had heard a gentle excitement in there before, a soft cunning even, everything diluted by the calm, knowing smile Ai always seemed to wear. But she had never seen her mother like this. Jericho took a slight step back before composing herself. She made her features placid, though a smirk twitched on her still red lips. "Well?" Ai turned to face her daughter full on, Jericho could see the strain in her mother's face. She was trying to keep the emotions off her face. "Do not play coy with me Jericho. I have never heard to utter anything more than contempt for your suitors. What happened?" Jericho merely shrugged, a smirk curling around her lips, making her forget her rampant thoughts. "Poetry." With that the Xanine Spit Fire walked past her now dumbfounded mother into the manor she called home.
::Jericho has exited the thread::
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