Be Our Guest! [Open]

Jayden Heartly

As Jennise skipped off for food, it seemed the tables had entirely turned. Jayden was initially checking to see if his customer was okay, but was then requested to take care of her instead. He blinked at her for a good five or six second, then looked at her hand and gulped. Then back to her face, and a few more blinks, before raising a pointed finger to his face.

"W-w-wha, m-me?

His voice stammered, nearly unable to produce words. Before he even knew it, her hand was extended out to him, with the roll of bandage in his hand. He nodded anxiously, taking her hand and putting the bandages down. He touched her fingers for a moment, once more swallowing kind of hard as he held her hand gently with one of his own, removing the bandage with the other. He the gash wasn't ridiculously large, but it was definitely kind of deep. Jayden caught his own breath a bit, biting his lip.

"Holy..." He stopped himself mid-phrase, taking the rag from the pail and reaching farther for her hand, accidentally pulling her a bit closer in his haste to try to clean the wound. He leaned back a little, blinking while sputtering out apologies as he tightly pressed the rag to her hand. Not so much to cause immediate pain, but the cold rinsing of the water, paired with the coarse fabric from the rag might cause a bit of an outcry.

The buzz of the tavern was starting to die as the evening passed on, many Familia having gotten their fill of food and entertainment. Most were sleepy, or full, or simply needed a breath of fresh air again after the tension this past eve. Some were even putting their blind courage to the test, deciding to head back into the Dungeon again for an extreme workout.

Jayden, however, was breathing a bit heavy, trying to gently wash out the wound with the rag, which quickly saturated with blood. Unlike Jayden's wound, which was able to at least go without being washed for now, was the fact it was not very worrisome in length. It barely ripped muscle, in fact. Though Marzipan's look a bit more severe, yet despite this she seemed to kind take it in stride. He was envious of her ability to mask pain, or simply endure it.

"You were brave, y'know. Just kinda coming into battle like that. Sorry if I'm complimenting a bit much--, this is gonna hurt a little."

Jayden scooted a bit closer to get a good wrap to Marzipan's hand, now seated directly next to the Hume Bunny. He got the bandage wrapped around twice, taped on the end with two pieces, and firmly squeezed to keep in place after its washing. Getting it properly stitched might be wise, but he left that out and just sort of looked up to Marzipan.

Who he didn't realize was a bit closer than before. He blinked again, his face rising red from the bottom to top over the course of a few seconds.

"H-hope it helps.

Jayden's voice carried a shake with it, as Jennise just narrowly interjected with a plate of food for Marzipan, and two small glasses of bubbling cider for both of them. Jennise clapped her hands together bowing in apology, as they were somehow out of mead. She suggested it must have been a shortage from earlier in the week they've been unable to restock because of. Jayden simply sat there, quietly gulping his entire drink down to cool off.

​

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

After that fiasco was over and both Marzipan and Jayden had their fill however large or small it should have been, he straightened his back, realizing he was still technically on shift. He shot from his seat, dusting his ripped up apron and dress, using the bar to his left as a crutch once more. He looked over to the girl who seemed to be enjoying herself with her meal so evidently as she downed her drink nearly instantly. Jayden sort of scratched the back of his head, chuckling lightly.

"Like I said, on the house. I'm sure the guy upstairs wouldn't mind if he lost a few valis on account of you saving my hide."

Jayden smiled, far less toothy as usual, but instead sort of sincerely. His heart thumped at a rapid rate, most likely the recognition that the adrenaline of the evening was coming to an end, and so it tried its best to slow down, yet it didn't. Instead he just stared at Marzipan for a few minutes, at her ears and then her face. He didn't dare let his eyes fall any lower, lest he want to face consequences for staring inappropriately.

Instead, he took a deep breath, then shut his eyes, turning around and facing the bar. He sent a few words to the bartender, who simply nodded absent-mindedly as they was drying off glasses. The place was shutting down for the evening early, due to the fight that broke out. Jayden quietly apologized again, which he was pardoned from on account of sustaining injuries for his defense. Once more, he turned to the yellow Hume Bunny.

"It's, kinda late out. You walking it home alone?" Jayden curiously scratched his cheek, kind of observing the surroundings of the bar in the meantime while his hungry companion went about sating her hunger.

​

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

Jayden sort of eyed around the establishment, listening keenly as Marzipan finally came to answer with a matter of fact "I'll be okay" kind of phrase. Jayden teetered on the balls of his feet as he blinked at her. He bit the inside of his cheek, shutting his eyes and mustering courage to make a "heroic request."

"A-ahm, may I walk you home anyways? I mean, I'd probably feel better walking around a bit with someone while my leg heals, or, something like that...

He trailed off, his kind offer to help might come off weirdly depending on how Marzipan took it, and he definitely didn't want to further impose after what had happened here tonight. He leaned against the back of the bar, holding his blade kind of still, twiddling it on the wooden floor making very tiny holes throughout it. He gulped, putting a hand up to Marzipan and shaking his head timidly again.

"Y'know, that came off a lot weirder than I originally thought... it might... Just, forget I said anything, okay? I hope your trip home is safe and all."

With that, Jayden released a large breath, letting his arms droop kind of like noodles at his side, trying to regain his composure.

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

"Ah, yeah! S-sure!

Jayden mentally celebrated. Then he physically celebrated, sending a small fist to the air as discreetly as possible. He didn't want to make Marzipan any further uncomfortable for him heading off with her. He was in luck too, his place was also in the Old City! Or rather, where he was staying was. It was rather convenient and made the trip feel far less forced on his part.

"Well, we can head off now if you're ready. I just need to change out of my work attire really quickly, so I'll be back in a second."

Jayden sent her a non-chalant thumbs up as he limped a bit over to the back of the kitchen area. From the main inn, one might hear the sound of (many) crashing plates, cries of shock from several women, most likely waitresses, and Jayden repeatedly calling out apologies, as he emerged from the kitchen several moments later. He came out with a large black coat tossed over his shoulders, a tight chest garment, obsidian greaves and boots, as well as tampered dark gauntlets that resembled claws.

Despite it, he still stumbled a bit over to Marzipan as he replaced his antique horn ornaments over his ears to conceal them. He nodded with success as he finally got them on once and properly fastened as he approached the yellow Hume Bunny. His grin was a tad forced, mostly because he was trying to come off as friendly and not creepy, but he was almost ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure that his thoughts came off poorly. In reality, he just wanted to prove he could have a heroic, protective side too.

Just... walking her home. That's all. Nothing weird about that, right?

Jayden calmly analyzed the situation in his head, keeping his head on straight. Whenever you're ready, you can lead the way. Jayden nodded, once more somewhat forcing his smile, simply testing his own patience for Marzipan to get him so he could actually walk across town. In essence, this might have actually been a better idea, since she could help him out with walking whereas he would have had to do it all by himself before.

Though, in reality, that was just Jayden trying to rationalize it all by himself.

"Whenever you're ready!"

​

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

Jayden titled his head quizzically at Marzipan towards the comment on his horns. Demonic? He didn't even realize that he looked so strangely dressed. He decided it might be best to give an explanation, but Marzipan eventually just waved the comment away and requested his presence. He nodded with a grin, once more using his blade as a crutch as he approached the door.

Once reaching Marzipan, Jayden gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder, sort stepping onto the heel of his foot. It put far less strain on the calf, and relief washed over his face nearly instantly. He even smiled a bit, his breath catching. His fingers lighty clutched to the sleeve of her jacket, keeping himself from falling over. He realized he was kind of invading her personal space, but she didn't seem the easiest to embarrass when came to lending a hand.

"You're fine with this, right? I-I don't want to be imposing."

He had something similar to that "lost puppy" look resting in his gaze. Not intentional by any means, but he became extremely self-conscious of himself when becoming close to other people. Mentally, and physically in this case. He tried to speak scarcely to conserve his energy as best he could.

 

Jayden Heartly

Once more Jayden found himself I'm an uncomfortable predicament. He hobbled next to Marzipan, basking in the silence as they made their way through the remaining streets of the entertainment quarter. It was meeting midnight soon, time completely escaping the two. Jayden's heart must have been beating out of his chest, audibly, even.

He breathed a bit heavy, having trouble walking despite having the help of the Hume Bunny under his weight. Maybe it was simply the fact of the matter he really was in a large amount of agony. His leg didn't give in, putting on the pressure with every step. It wasn't until she finally proposed a question that the bewitching silence came to an abrupt halt.

"Hmm, the horns? Oh, they used to be my mother's.

He awkwardly waved his hands, laughing a bit at the potential misunderstanding.

"She was an Adventurer, these used to be one lf her enchanted artifacts. Though they don't do much anymore, after she...

His face almost wore over with grimace, though he saved his heart the aching and Marzipan any awkwardness for asking a question that lead down a rather grim lane. He took a deep breath, steadying himself from any tears. Say it plain and simple. It can't hurt if you don't let it, was his thought process.

"After she passed. Few years ago."

 

Jayden Heartly

It was awkward now. This was exactly the sort of thing Jayden was hoping to avoid in conversation, so he was trying to think of a way to change the topic, but Marzipan insisted upon apologizing. He listened to her words, as hollow as they felt to him. They were like empty condolences, sent a few years late. Though he appreciated her attempt at sentiment, he sort of dismissed it out of hand.

"Good? Try the best. She taught me everything I know about fighting, cooking, cleaning. Aren't too many people like her out there. My father used to look at her with these precious gems of eyes, like he'd never find a treasure worth as much in valis as she was to him in sentiment."

Jayden breathed out, laughing a little to cover up the depressing that was eating through the hole in his chest. He missed his mother so much that every memory he had of her was only fond and full of happiness, but burned to ash in his mind moments later. He could never see her face when he thought of her. Even her voice was clogged out by a thick mud when he thought of her. So, instead he chose to forget her. Or at least, forget his memories of her. All he needed was what she left him, skills for life, and the ambition and drive to move forward despite any nature or force that seeks to work opposition to Jayden.

His face was a mask, a smile painted across it. But instead living and eager eyes, his gaze was downcast and suffocating. Simply staring into those blazing rubies now would leave the smoke they produced in your lungs to the point that you'd kill yourself just trying to keep your eyes focused on him. So instead, he allowed his hair to droop over his eyes, playing it off like he can't exactly brush it out of the way trying to hold his blade and hold onto Marzipan at the same time. She briefly made mention of wanting to take him home first instead, and that was in a way, the exact opposite of what he wanted. After all, the whole point for this was to show his bit of chivalry, right? So he had to take her home... That was the thought process he was undergoing now.

"N-no, it's fine. I'll make it back just fine. Really, I'll be fine-

As if all the luck in his body drained at once, he felt bone in his leg make a snapping motion. He immediately dropped to the ground, just barely at a kneel as his blade kept him from falling face-first into the ground. He grit his teeth, seething out the path through the gaps between them. He muttered a curse under a breath, realizing the cleave from the axe must have damaged the bone in his leg a good deal. Great, how much was that gonna cost a healer to fix up?

"... Sorry about that. Jayden turned his face away from Marzipan, trying to escape the oncoming humiliation.

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

He would have apologized further if it weren't for Marzipan's curbed curtness. Not that he was particularly off-put by it, as by this point he had no chance of getting home without Marzipan's help, and the potentially bone-damaged leg was now at jeopardy. He blinked, taking her hand and using the point of his blade in the soil to help him back to his feet. As he finally found himself back to his feet, he realized what Marzipan asked him. He blinked, scratching his cheek.

"Ah, my address. Just take me down to the Wesker Mile Inn. It's on the south side of Old City."

He averted his eyes at all costs from the Hume Bunny, attempting to keep his composure as best he could. If his leg wasn't damaged enough, then his pride most definitely was in shambles. His "heroic act" was totally taken to a "zero act" because of this, eating at his conscience. He once more wrapped his arm around her, though now that the pain was more severe, he had to put even more weight on her, his head even briefly resting on her shoulder from time-to-time to keep his balance when walking alongside her. Though he did it unconsciously, he didn't realize what he was actually doing at first.

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

And so they reached the end of their short-lived journey together. The door to the inn was rather worn, but relinquished no secrets of what kind of lives existed in it. Burning sensations in his calf had spread up to his thigh and the bottom of his spine. The black-haired Chienthrope hobbled off of the comfortable spot he'd nestled from Marzipan. He used the archaically decorated handrail to hobble his way through the door.

"Guess this is goodbye, huh? I appreciate everything, by the way. His expression was grinning, warm almost. Over the time of their walk, Jayden managed to get a hold on his emotions, deciding that tonight might have been the best for it. He finally got to show his own strengths, even if it was a headlong strike that was incredibly risky. He took pride in his own little bits of heroism, smiling back at Marzipan now. He put his hands on his hips, giving her a nod.

"Thanks tons. Hope next time we meet its under better circumstances, yeah?"

Jayden turned to pop the handle of the door open, heading back into the tavern. Then he stopped, staring in the doorway, gently closing it and staying outside for a moment more. He turned back to Marzipan, blinking. He grinned, flashing the standard waitress pose they did at the inn, though a bit awkwardly due to his leg.

"Oh, and don't forget to visit "The Sinking Galley" again for all of your thirst and hunger needs!"

He laughed, then turning the door handle back and backpedaling into the tavern with a wave to Marzipan.

@Marzipan Loaf