[ she was taught how to swim before she knew how to walk.
the sea is quiet in its embrace; she learned the movement of currents, grown accustomed to the gentle and steady pressure of it the further she dove, and warned against its flightier tendencies when the moon swells and ebbs. there's hardly any need to talk during the migration, and for the longest time she had been silent, placing her trust in the tide. but that was her earliest memory -- these days, she recalls a richer sound that pierces the silence, that coaxed her to the surface. a voice that inspired her to trust herself instead, to believe in the legs that pushed her forward and not just the waves that buoyed her up. the sea can only take you so far, she'd said. the rest is all you.
it's been fifteen years since she last saw khara. many things have changed since then, but she supposes some things don't. koko found her through her song again, something slower and deeper, smoother now with age and practice. despite the years, khara's voice always managed to make her pause no matter where she's going, and in many ways koko figures it was a blessing. khara had taken her soaking hands in hers and showed her the steadiness of land, the gentleness to its solidity. her voice guides her in the silence; she fills the negative space.
but it's been fifteen years, and being with khara again feels both like coming home and rediscovering all the hidden nooks and passageways. things are the same yet also different -- they've both grown over the years in more than just appearance. and while koko is thankful that they are able to get along like they've been apart for a mere fifteen days instead of years, there's still a subtle sort of distance that makes itself known on occasion. there's something a little darker beneath khara's smiles, a dimmer light when koko catches her looking out over the sea, and sometimes she wonders if maybe she should ask about it or let it be. khara never liked to be pushed and koko doesn't like pushing, opting to go with the flow (hah) instead.
but maybe one day they'll sit down on a quiet night and koko will gently test the waters, to hear the story of khara's travels during those long fifteen years. or maybe they won't and she'll let it be. sometimes, it's better to look towards the future instead. ]
[ Kharasar thinks of Koko whenever she finds herself on one of La Noscea's many glimmering shores, seeing her eyes in the way the water catches the light. Khara sometimes finds herself examining just how drawn she is to the sea, almost to a preternatural degree; in many ways, those most important to her all have a strong connection to it, leaving her, by nature, equally bound to its whims and wiles. Koko was the first of these individuals, and Kharasar distinctly remembers watching her in awe the first time they'd met.
The girl had moved through the water the same way a cloudkin moved through the air: elegantly and with ease, darting about for all the world like she was a fish herself. To Kharasar, she lived in a world completely separate from her own, one that she could never hope to visit for more than a few moments before it threatened to fill her lungs and leave her fighting for her life. It was almost like magic, though she knew better than to call it that. When Koko had surfaced, all bright eyes and a smile to rival the sun, Khara had known that she'd found a part of her that she'd never known to be lost.
Though fifteen years had passed, Kharasar felt that she'd lived at least eight lifetimes since the last time she'd seen her friend. She had been twelve years old, in La Noscea with Lorimer on business; she'd seen Koko surface at the edge of the docks, far from the Steppe, and her face had revived something inside of her that she'd thought long-dead. Lorimer had business to attend to and had left Khara to her own devices, allowing her to rush to the edge of the water, heart in her throat.
Their conversation had been brief; the Ejinn were moving on, and Lorimer would be returning in short order. In that time, Khara had been nearly lost for words, gripping Koko's hand with a silent desperation in spite of the way she spoke to her. When she'd slipped away from her, it had been a mutual parting, and though Khara had wanted to cry, she'd had a job to do. Lorimer had taught her about holding her color too well for her to let her tears interfere with the task at hand.
Koko speaks of Kharasar showing her the steadiness of land, all without realizing the way she'd taught her of the solace to be found in the ocean's all-encompassing embrace. The peace to be found in the rush of water in her ears, the tranquility in allowing her tides to move her in surrender. Rook had taught her of the ocean's fickle playfulness, and Solis the breadth of its power; in Koko, however, she found its peace.
When Koko finds her again, it's on the fifth anniversary of Rook's burial; Khara is in her usual spot, singing a sea chanty she'd learned on a ship headed to Hingashi. She'd brought a small offering of the finest confections Kugane had to offer, consigning it to the briny depths before beginning her song, focusing on the steady crash of the waves. When Koko approaches her, she hardly notices; it isn't until she opens her eyes that she feels as if she's fallen into a dream, seeing her friend before her, real as day.
The years have molded and shaped them in ways Khara can scarcely count. Still, when they get to talking, they pick up where they've left off; Kharasar is a little more weary, more ostentatious than she had been before, and Koko? Well. Koko is still the same, as far as she's concerned.
Kharasar takes Koko to The Bismarck on a quiet day, rain greying the sky and painting the sea in shades of slate and steel. The lunch crowd has thinned to the point of nonexistence when they are seated, and Khara lifts the edge of her mask in order to place it at a jaunty angle atop her head, knowing full well of the risks that such an action may invite. ]
Order whatever you like, darling. Everything here is delicious. [ She speaks rapidly, the accent of her tribe giving way to the Ul'dahn cut-glass elocution embedded in her from her time spent in the glimmering city state. She knows that there are things between them that need to be said. Knows that she owes Koko that much after so long.
Kharasar stares somewhere beneath the other woman's eyes when she looks towards her, her expression slightly faraway. Still, her tone remains jovial. ] I never did ask what brought you to Aldenard... you aren't traveling with your tribe, either. Have you simply decided to venture out on your own?
[ khara was always ostentatious ever since they first met, and maybe that's what had drawn koko to her in the first place. the sea is bright when it wants to be, but khara was always radiant in her silk dresses; things that koko could never have dreamed of wearing, much less owning. even in the deepest darkest depths, koko can still see her and hear her, and she supposes maybe it was just that easy how she'd found khara again. she had pulled herself up onto the ship, dripping onto the floorboards and holding the small offering in her hands. she didn't know who exactly it was for back then, only that she had followed her song, much like she did when she was only eleven. she remembered the tightness of khara's grip around her hand, the juxtaposition with her softer tone that contained more of the qalli lilt then, and it's just as tight now, fifteen years and what feels like eight lifetimes later.
but that's the funny thing about time; it's a nebulous and fickle thing, much like the ocean herself. it's difficult to tell in its depths, the sea preserves and erodes what she will and time is of no consequence when all that matters is the flow of her currents. on land it's much easier, and koko sees the passage of it now. she feels it in the calluses on khara's palms from a lifetime of wielding the handles of her blades; sees it in the way khara has grown, from a young girl to the beautiful woman she is now, her longer dark hair framing the smoother angles of her face. she hears it in the weariness that seeps into her voice on the rare occasions they are alone, voices hushed as they talk about everything and nothing until the candle burns out.
it doesn't take being with khara for those fifteen years for koko to know that she'd been through much during that time. perhaps a little too much, if the way her expression shifts is any indication. koko goes along with it as she usually does, giving the menu a cursory glance. ]
That's some high praise coming from you. [ khara always had very specific tastes; she likes what she likes. but that doesn't stop koko from teasing her about it. ] I still remember when you'd wanted to eat nothing but bacon bread and onion soup. You insisted everything else in Hydaelyn was inadequate.
[ she puts in her order when the waiter comes by, a hearty stew that goes easier on the seafood, just in case they end up sharing. koko rests her elbows on the table, chin in her palm as she considers the weather outside and khara's question. ]
... I suppose I'd wanted to find you, [ she says, turning her smile back towards her. ] But once I left, I discovered that was only part of the reason. The sea will always be my home, but it can only take me so far.
[ It's vaguely true that showmanship had run in her veins; even for a Qalli, there was always a certain performative air to Kharasar's actions, and it's likely because of this that she'd become to proficient at wearing both her proverbial and literal masks over the years. If Koko were to ask Khara, she'd likely say that Koko would every ounce belong in one of her dancing silks, what with her long, lithe frame and soft features. To Kharasar, Koko was utterly beautiful in every way, in ways she couldn't even hope to compare.
When Koko had pulled herself onto the ship with Khara's offering to Rook in hand, she had laughed. "Careful," she had said fondly. "Or a very irate Miqo'te ghost will likely come for your horns if you don't return that to the sea." Koko had, understandably, looked confused, but she'd complied... Just as Khara had known she would. She'd strode across the deck in mere seconds, enfolding the taller girl in her arms and getting the entire front of her silks wet, but she'd hardly cared. Time had indeed ground steadily on for the both of them, but to Khara, it was almost as if she'd never left Koko's side that fateful day in La Noscea.
Even now, when she looks to Koko's face, she's happy to see that time hadn't marked her the way it had herself. She knew not of Koko's journeys or of what she'd seen in their decade and a half apart, but she saw that the years had scarcely touched her in terms of demeanor. Quiet and gentle, Koko commanded a certain intensity and attention about her person, turning heads in spite of her unassumingly striking features. Kharasar regards her friend with a well of pride and warmth from her spot across the table, though she doesn't miss a beat in placing her own order when their server stops by. ]
Everything else in Hydaelyn is inadequate-- [ Khara begins with a sweeping gesture of her hand. ] -- Save for what you've ordered. That in itself is enough to get me to want to broaden my horizons.
[ Kharasar can't help the puff of laughter that escapes her lips in response to her friend's words; folding her arms across her chest. ] Come now, am I really so predictable? I pride myself in keeping the people around me on their toes... Though, I suppose that never did work with you, did it?
[ There's a certain degree of tenderness in her voice when she speaks, and at what Koko says next, Kharasar feels warmth bloom somewhere within her ribcage. ] ... I'm sorry I did not seek you out sooner, my friend, [ She intones almost shamefully, dropping pretense in favor of sincerity. ] I've become a bit, ah, embroiled in some... thing. Someone? [ Another laugh, though it's mildly sheepish. ] Rumors of my dalliances aside, I had no means of finding you, save for singing at every possible shoreline I came across. I'll have you know that I covered the perimeter of my residential ward's shores, roving up and down and singing in hopes you might turn up. My neighbors likely thought me quite mad... Though, I suppose they wouldn't be too far off the mark.
[ When she smiles again, it's warm. Genuine. A rarity among the ones she graces those around her with. ] You have seen a great many things I can only dream of. I hope that one day you are able to show me even a part of what lies beneath the surface of your home. In the meantime, however, I am more than happy to show you all of the glories and pleasures that my home has to offer... [ She looks thoughtful for a moment. ] Tell me, darling, have you had the chance to visit Ul'dah yet? There's a burlesque show that's simply to die for...
Just someone? [ koko's smile turns more mischievous despite her dry tone, dropping her palm in favor of leaning closer. ] I had thought it'd be more than that.
[ the thing is, koko is always on her toes, literally and figuratively. pointed toes are the secret to treading water properly, and changes in tides can happen almost instantly; being alert is just as important as being able to swim. khara isn't predictable so much as koko is simply observant, learning whatever the other woman decided to share. there are different sides to the sea just as there are different sides to people; the key is being able to tell which is which. koko wouldn't go so far to say that she knows khara, not completely, but she pays attention. ]
Please, don't trouble yourself over it. [ koko's expression softens, and she's quick to reach out to place her hand briefly over khara's to give it a small squeeze. ] I should have found some way to find you sooner, but I wasn't sure how long you were staying in La Noscea. By the time I went back again, you were gone.
[ it was a gamble from there to figure out where to head next, and travel on land is much slower than it is by sea. khara always was difficult to track when she didn't want to be found. ]
I thank you for your efforts, however. If you weren't singing on that ship, I would have missed you entirely. [ just knowing that khara had wanted to find her as much as she did was enough to make something swell in her chest. something like nostalgia or happiness, or both. ] But at the very least, we're together now... I suppose that's what truly matters.
[ fifteen years is a lot to make up for, but it is better to start late than never. besides, they have all the time to catch up now, and koko has no doubts that they'll pick up where they left off just as easily. like talking about burlesque shows and other pleasures as if they'd always done so. ]
You'll have to show me, I'm afraid I missed it while I was passing through. I made the unfortunate discovery that it's very easy to get lost there.
I have a, ah. A partner, I suppose you could call him. Ejinn, like you, but only by half. [ When Kharasar smiles, lights seem to dance in her eyes. Koko's smile only serves to encourage her, and Kharasar laughs when her friend leans in close. It feels almost conspiratorial, like two children staying up past midnight to trade secrets. ] He's a good man, originally from Kugane. I hired him to be my bodyguard for an event I attended, and we just... continued to run into each other from there.
[ She conveniently leaves out the part where she'd followed him for the better part of a moon. Khara knows that there's no point in couching her words with euphemisms, because Koko will likely see right through her. Still. Old habits, and all that. If anyone holds the right to say that they really and truly know Kharasar Qalli, however, it's Koko. Khara knows this, and while the thought should be all rights terrify her, she knows that Koko would never betray her trust.
When her friend's palm warms against her hand, Khara moves to tangle their fingers together, however briefly. ] We... left almost immediately after you did. Several bells after, actually, [ Khara sighs. Thoughts of Lorimer still have a way of driving something cold and hard into her gut, her tone going flat. ]
I was singing for a friend, [ She continues, looking up to Koko's face. Her eyes meet the other woman's and she silently marvels at how deep and blue they are; almost completely the opposite of her own. ] It was the anniversary of his passing. He'd requested a burial at sea. [ Khara's voice is solemn though her expression is warm. Affectionate. ] Oh, if only you could have met him... In a way, it almost feels as if he'd buoyed you to me, but that could just be sentimentality talking. You're right, though... This is what matters.
[ Kharasar keeps her friend's gaze as she nods. ] Ul'dah is the city of twists and turns... You simply must join me the next time I go.
On that note...
[ Khara's expression turns slightly serious. ] Where are you staying? I assume you don't make your bed in the waves.
A pity. [ she hides her smile behind the rim of her glass, though it doesn't keep the amusement out of her tone. ] I would've liked to meet him earlier.
[ khara isn't very generous with her praise. sure, she has an appreciation for things and people who are beautiful, but going out of her way to call someone good is something entirely different. and while there is no point in couching her words, koko plays along with it anyway. she's always been good at that; being part of the sea means being able to temper her flights of fancy, to be mutable and malleable, but still steadfast in her sense of self: to be able to move with the current and the force of the waves, yet firm in the direction she had chosen. khara tugs her along, buoys her up with her radiance, but koko is there to gently guide them back to steady land.
her expression softens at the mention of rook, an understanding that seeps into her gaze at the reveal of his passing. koko knows only bits and pieces of the miqo'te boy that khara traveled with for a time, but she knows he was important to her. khara has changed much from the solemn girl she had first met in la noscea: she's more talkative now, more confident, walking to the beat of her own melody. changes like these are cultivated, however, and scarcely happen overnight. masks take time to grow accustomed to, for one's own self and for others. ]
Perhaps he did. [ khara's fingers are laced between hers, and koko presses her other hand over them both. a part of her will always regret not being there for khara during the years they've been separated, but she tells herself that she'll just have to make up for lost time now. ] I'm sure we would've gotten along about as well as you and I do.
[ but she laughs at khara's questions of her lodgings, shaking her head as she sighs. ]
I may as well join the Kojin if that were the case. No, I've rented a room for a couple of nights... I did some hunts here and there for payment, but aside from that I don't have any lasting plans as of yet.
[ the ejinn never stayed in one place for very long and koko traveled very light, lacking the possessions girls her age would have. old habits, again. she hesitates for a moment, head tilting to admire their linked hands and the contrast of khara's paler skin against hers. ]
But, I would very much like that. Joining you, that is... if you'll have me.
Mmm, well, if you do end up joining me, you'll meet him soon enough. He pulls more Raen from his mother's side, and his scales shine like the moon when they catch the light. [ Is it overly poetic and corny? Definitely. But Kharasar's expression softens with a rare and alien tenderness as she speaks, her cheeks coloring like blood on snow in spite of herself. ] He moves like the ocean. Sinuous. Unrelenting. Not unlike you in battle, darling, when I stop to think about it. We share a free company with an estate located in Shirogane... And my quarters are yours, should you decide to join us.
[ There's no small degree of hopefulness in her voice as she speaks, though she leaves out the fact that her holdings have, as of late, become the venue for her and Solis' preferred form of communion. Still, Koko works her magic without having to exert any effort to do so, as Kharasar silently vows to keep her proclivities relegated to Solis' room so long as her friend is living with her. Where Khara pulls, Koko gently maintains and naturally leads. Their relationship is symbiotic at its core, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Much of Khara's personality is, honestly, Rook's; her ostentatiousness, her flirtatiousness, her cockiness and even her recklessness stem from following his example, though such traits come easy to her as breathing. Upholding the things Rook had bestowed upon her is Kharasar's way of keeping him alive long after his passing, from her personality to the comb decorated with a cluster of lilies that she keeps on her at all times.
Kharasar understands Koko's regret because it's her own; had their roles been reversed, she'd likely have felt the same way. But that isn't the case here, and she holds no ill will towards her friend for her absence. After all, fate had a strange way of twisting people apart as often as it pushed them together. Khara is just grateful she's able to make up for that lost time here and now. ] He would have tried to bed you, without a doubt. [ She laughs fondly, giving Koko's hand a squeeze. ] You're just his type: female and breathing.
[ Khara inclines her head slightly, though the corners of her mouth turn upwards. ] I have a proposal, then. Once your rental runs out, come join me in Hingashi. You needn't join the company-- though you will always have a place there!-- but I refuse to make you pay a single gil more than you have to. Consider my house and quarters yours, no strings attached. You may come and go as you please, and there's always room for one more in the jobs that Solis and I undertake.
[ A slight pause. ] Though-- and I mean this affectionately-- we will have to outfit you with a more... expanded wardrobe. Many of our undertakings involve rubbing elbows with nobility, and you know how finicky they can be. [ She gives a dismissive wave of her free hand. In truth, she has no idea what Koko knows of nobles, but she supposes that that's neither here nor there. ] Many of the jobs we take involve hunts, so there's no need to go shopping now, but I figure I should give you a fair warning, should you really and truly decide to join us. [ Khara fixes her with a lopsided, affectionate grin. ]
Do they? [ the mischievous smile still has yet to leave koko's lips, and amusement is still plain in her tone. she doesn't think she's ever seen khara blush, nor has she heard the tenderness in her voice directed to someone else. ] I thank you for your generosity, my friend. I only hope I won't get in the way of you admiring those scales.
[ but most of all, koko is glad to see it: khara has been doing well despite everything she's gone through and has found someone whom she clearly admires. it feels almost silly for koko to have worried about her at all, but she supposes that she'll always worry about her friend for however long they are together. now that they've reunited, koko hopes that they will remain close for a long time.
fate does have a strange way of pushing and pulling people together, and koko supposes it was fate that guided her to khara again. their hands are still intertwined, heads bowed toward each other and talking as if no time had passed at all between them; khara discusses koko taking part in her free company and sharing her quarters as if she'd left a space for koko all along. whether khara intended to do so or not doesn't lessen the swell of warmth in her chest; the idea that she can still find that sense of belonging even now, so far away from her tribe and its customs. ]
He seemed like a man of simple tastes.
[ much like how khara herself tends to flirt with any male in her vicinity should she choose to. koko supposes that's where they differ; she's always been a little more withdrawn around strangers, opting to keep to herself in a crowd. perhaps that's what a lifetime of travel results in -- never staying too long in one place to establish her roots and form lasting bonds. her relationship with khara somehow stood the test to that, and now here they are: khara making plans without even missing a beat, weaving koko into her life seamlessly. ]
You know that I wouldn't do well in anything lavish. [ her smile turns sheepish instead, shaking her head. ] Perhaps I can pretend to be a scullery maid instead.
[ which, at the very least, still means that she intends to join khara. for better or worse. ]
Indeed they do. [ Kharasar's eyes take on a faraway quality when she speaks, Koko's amusement ringing fondly in her horns as she lets her words hang in the air. ] If anything, you should worry about what the sight of the two of you in one place will do to my vision; such radiance collected in one spot is sure to burn out my eyes and leave me blind for the rest of my days, with nothing but the beautiful memory of my two favorite people in one spot burnt into the hollows where my retinas should be.
[ When Khara laughs, it's soft but genuine, though her eyes travel to Koko's face as a sheepish expression clouds her features. In truth, Kharasar knows nothing of how to handle herself in this situation; she feels comfortable telling Koko all about her partner (in travel, in hunts, and most recently, in bed) should she let her, but at the same time, she wants to know so much more about where the years have taken her friend.
Whether she realized it or not, Khara had reserved a space for Koko, one that had been neglected over the years, but nonetheless deeply cared for. It wasn't until her friend was back in her presence that Khara felt completely and utterly whole, moreso than she ever had, and it was almost enough to set her to tears. ]
He was. You would have been far, far too good for him. [ She speaks with a certain affection for both Koko and Rook, gently squeezing her friend's hand between her own. ]
With a face like that? No one would believe you were a scullery maid. You'd be well-suited in the finest silks Ul'dah can offer, and I will see to it that you'll have some in every shade. [ Khara delivers this airily, lifting a hand to give a dismissive wave. ] But that's neither here nor there. Now that we're settled, [ and as far as Khara is concerned, they are ] I feel we've spent enough times talking about my comings and goings. Where have you been all of these years? What have you seen?
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wings it
the sea is quiet in its embrace; she learned the movement of currents, grown accustomed to the gentle and steady pressure of it the further she dove, and warned against its flightier tendencies when the moon swells and ebbs. there's hardly any need to talk during the migration, and for the longest time she had been silent, placing her trust in the tide. but that was her earliest memory -- these days, she recalls a richer sound that pierces the silence, that coaxed her to the surface. a voice that inspired her to trust herself instead, to believe in the legs that pushed her forward and not just the waves that buoyed her up. the sea can only take you so far, she'd said. the rest is all you.
it's been fifteen years since she last saw khara. many things have changed since then, but she supposes some things don't. koko found her through her song again, something slower and deeper, smoother now with age and practice. despite the years, khara's voice always managed to make her pause no matter where she's going, and in many ways koko figures it was a blessing. khara had taken her soaking hands in hers and showed her the steadiness of land, the gentleness to its solidity. her voice guides her in the silence; she fills the negative space.
but it's been fifteen years, and being with khara again feels both like coming home and rediscovering all the hidden nooks and passageways. things are the same yet also different -- they've both grown over the years in more than just appearance. and while koko is thankful that they are able to get along like they've been apart for a mere fifteen days instead of years, there's still a subtle sort of distance that makes itself known on occasion. there's something a little darker beneath khara's smiles, a dimmer light when koko catches her looking out over the sea, and sometimes she wonders if maybe she should ask about it or let it be. khara never liked to be pushed and koko doesn't like pushing, opting to go with the flow (hah) instead.
but maybe one day they'll sit down on a quiet night and koko will gently test the waters, to hear the story of khara's travels during those long fifteen years. or maybe they won't and she'll let it be. sometimes, it's better to look towards the future instead. ]
falls to knees and cries.... i've missed you
The girl had moved through the water the same way a cloudkin moved through the air: elegantly and with ease, darting about for all the world like she was a fish herself. To Kharasar, she lived in a world completely separate from her own, one that she could never hope to visit for more than a few moments before it threatened to fill her lungs and leave her fighting for her life. It was almost like magic, though she knew better than to call it that. When Koko had surfaced, all bright eyes and a smile to rival the sun, Khara had known that she'd found a part of her that she'd never known to be lost.
Though fifteen years had passed, Kharasar felt that she'd lived at least eight lifetimes since the last time she'd seen her friend. She had been twelve years old, in La Noscea with Lorimer on business; she'd seen Koko surface at the edge of the docks, far from the Steppe, and her face had revived something inside of her that she'd thought long-dead. Lorimer had business to attend to and had left Khara to her own devices, allowing her to rush to the edge of the water, heart in her throat.
Their conversation had been brief; the Ejinn were moving on, and Lorimer would be returning in short order. In that time, Khara had been nearly lost for words, gripping Koko's hand with a silent desperation in spite of the way she spoke to her. When she'd slipped away from her, it had been a mutual parting, and though Khara had wanted to cry, she'd had a job to do. Lorimer had taught her about holding her color too well for her to let her tears interfere with the task at hand.
Koko speaks of Kharasar showing her the steadiness of land, all without realizing the way she'd taught her of the solace to be found in the ocean's all-encompassing embrace. The peace to be found in the rush of water in her ears, the tranquility in allowing her tides to move her in surrender. Rook had taught her of the ocean's fickle playfulness, and Solis the breadth of its power; in Koko, however, she found its peace.
When Koko finds her again, it's on the fifth anniversary of Rook's burial; Khara is in her usual spot, singing a sea chanty she'd learned on a ship headed to Hingashi. She'd brought a small offering of the finest confections Kugane had to offer, consigning it to the briny depths before beginning her song, focusing on the steady crash of the waves. When Koko approaches her, she hardly notices; it isn't until she opens her eyes that she feels as if she's fallen into a dream, seeing her friend before her, real as day.
The years have molded and shaped them in ways Khara can scarcely count. Still, when they get to talking, they pick up where they've left off; Kharasar is a little more weary, more ostentatious than she had been before, and Koko? Well. Koko is still the same, as far as she's concerned.
Kharasar takes Koko to The Bismarck on a quiet day, rain greying the sky and painting the sea in shades of slate and steel. The lunch crowd has thinned to the point of nonexistence when they are seated, and Khara lifts the edge of her mask in order to place it at a jaunty angle atop her head, knowing full well of the risks that such an action may invite. ]
Order whatever you like, darling. Everything here is delicious. [ She speaks rapidly, the accent of her tribe giving way to the Ul'dahn cut-glass elocution embedded in her from her time spent in the glimmering city state. She knows that there are things between them that need to be said. Knows that she owes Koko that much after so long.
Kharasar stares somewhere beneath the other woman's eyes when she looks towards her, her expression slightly faraway. Still, her tone remains jovial. ] I never did ask what brought you to Aldenard... you aren't traveling with your tribe, either. Have you simply decided to venture out on your own?
no subject
but that's the funny thing about time; it's a nebulous and fickle thing, much like the ocean herself. it's difficult to tell in its depths, the sea preserves and erodes what she will and time is of no consequence when all that matters is the flow of her currents. on land it's much easier, and koko sees the passage of it now. she feels it in the calluses on khara's palms from a lifetime of wielding the handles of her blades; sees it in the way khara has grown, from a young girl to the beautiful woman she is now, her longer dark hair framing the smoother angles of her face. she hears it in the weariness that seeps into her voice on the rare occasions they are alone, voices hushed as they talk about everything and nothing until the candle burns out.
it doesn't take being with khara for those fifteen years for koko to know that she'd been through much during that time. perhaps a little too much, if the way her expression shifts is any indication. koko goes along with it as she usually does, giving the menu a cursory glance. ]
That's some high praise coming from you. [ khara always had very specific tastes; she likes what she likes. but that doesn't stop koko from teasing her about it. ] I still remember when you'd wanted to eat nothing but bacon bread and onion soup. You insisted everything else in Hydaelyn was inadequate.
[ she puts in her order when the waiter comes by, a hearty stew that goes easier on the seafood, just in case they end up sharing. koko rests her elbows on the table, chin in her palm as she considers the weather outside and khara's question. ]
... I suppose I'd wanted to find you, [ she says, turning her smile back towards her. ] But once I left, I discovered that was only part of the reason. The sea will always be my home, but it can only take me so far.
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When Koko had pulled herself onto the ship with Khara's offering to Rook in hand, she had laughed. "Careful," she had said fondly. "Or a very irate Miqo'te ghost will likely come for your horns if you don't return that to the sea." Koko had, understandably, looked confused, but she'd complied... Just as Khara had known she would. She'd strode across the deck in mere seconds, enfolding the taller girl in her arms and getting the entire front of her silks wet, but she'd hardly cared. Time had indeed ground steadily on for the both of them, but to Khara, it was almost as if she'd never left Koko's side that fateful day in La Noscea.
Even now, when she looks to Koko's face, she's happy to see that time hadn't marked her the way it had herself. She knew not of Koko's journeys or of what she'd seen in their decade and a half apart, but she saw that the years had scarcely touched her in terms of demeanor. Quiet and gentle, Koko commanded a certain intensity and attention about her person, turning heads in spite of her unassumingly striking features. Kharasar regards her friend with a well of pride and warmth from her spot across the table, though she doesn't miss a beat in placing her own order when their server stops by. ]
Everything else in Hydaelyn is inadequate-- [ Khara begins with a sweeping gesture of her hand. ] -- Save for what you've ordered. That in itself is enough to get me to want to broaden my horizons.
[ Kharasar can't help the puff of laughter that escapes her lips in response to her friend's words; folding her arms across her chest. ] Come now, am I really so predictable? I pride myself in keeping the people around me on their toes... Though, I suppose that never did work with you, did it?
[ There's a certain degree of tenderness in her voice when she speaks, and at what Koko says next, Kharasar feels warmth bloom somewhere within her ribcage. ] ... I'm sorry I did not seek you out sooner, my friend, [ She intones almost shamefully, dropping pretense in favor of sincerity. ] I've become a bit, ah, embroiled in some... thing. Someone? [ Another laugh, though it's mildly sheepish. ] Rumors of my dalliances aside, I had no means of finding you, save for singing at every possible shoreline I came across. I'll have you know that I covered the perimeter of my residential ward's shores, roving up and down and singing in hopes you might turn up. My neighbors likely thought me quite mad... Though, I suppose they wouldn't be too far off the mark.
[ When she smiles again, it's warm. Genuine. A rarity among the ones she graces those around her with. ] You have seen a great many things I can only dream of. I hope that one day you are able to show me even a part of what lies beneath the surface of your home. In the meantime, however, I am more than happy to show you all of the glories and pleasures that my home has to offer... [ She looks thoughtful for a moment. ] Tell me, darling, have you had the chance to visit Ul'dah yet? There's a burlesque show that's simply to die for...
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[ the thing is, koko is always on her toes, literally and figuratively. pointed toes are the secret to treading water properly, and changes in tides can happen almost instantly; being alert is just as important as being able to swim. khara isn't predictable so much as koko is simply observant, learning whatever the other woman decided to share. there are different sides to the sea just as there are different sides to people; the key is being able to tell which is which. koko wouldn't go so far to say that she knows khara, not completely, but she pays attention. ]
Please, don't trouble yourself over it. [ koko's expression softens, and she's quick to reach out to place her hand briefly over khara's to give it a small squeeze. ] I should have found some way to find you sooner, but I wasn't sure how long you were staying in La Noscea. By the time I went back again, you were gone.
[ it was a gamble from there to figure out where to head next, and travel on land is much slower than it is by sea. khara always was difficult to track when she didn't want to be found. ]
I thank you for your efforts, however. If you weren't singing on that ship, I would have missed you entirely. [ just knowing that khara had wanted to find her as much as she did was enough to make something swell in her chest. something like nostalgia or happiness, or both. ] But at the very least, we're together now... I suppose that's what truly matters.
[ fifteen years is a lot to make up for, but it is better to start late than never. besides, they have all the time to catch up now, and koko has no doubts that they'll pick up where they left off just as easily. like talking about burlesque shows and other pleasures as if they'd always done so. ]
You'll have to show me, I'm afraid I missed it while I was passing through. I made the unfortunate discovery that it's very easy to get lost there.
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[ She conveniently leaves out the part where she'd followed him for the better part of a moon. Khara knows that there's no point in couching her words with euphemisms, because Koko will likely see right through her. Still. Old habits, and all that. If anyone holds the right to say that they really and truly know Kharasar Qalli, however, it's Koko. Khara knows this, and while the thought should be all rights terrify her, she knows that Koko would never betray her trust.
When her friend's palm warms against her hand, Khara moves to tangle their fingers together, however briefly. ] We... left almost immediately after you did. Several bells after, actually, [ Khara sighs. Thoughts of Lorimer still have a way of driving something cold and hard into her gut, her tone going flat. ]
I was singing for a friend, [ She continues, looking up to Koko's face. Her eyes meet the other woman's and she silently marvels at how deep and blue they are; almost completely the opposite of her own. ] It was the anniversary of his passing. He'd requested a burial at sea. [ Khara's voice is solemn though her expression is warm. Affectionate. ] Oh, if only you could have met him... In a way, it almost feels as if he'd buoyed you to me, but that could just be sentimentality talking. You're right, though... This is what matters.
[ Kharasar keeps her friend's gaze as she nods. ] Ul'dah is the city of twists and turns... You simply must join me the next time I go.
On that note...
[ Khara's expression turns slightly serious. ] Where are you staying? I assume you don't make your bed in the waves.
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[ khara isn't very generous with her praise. sure, she has an appreciation for things and people who are beautiful, but going out of her way to call someone good is something entirely different. and while there is no point in couching her words, koko plays along with it anyway. she's always been good at that; being part of the sea means being able to temper her flights of fancy, to be mutable and malleable, but still steadfast in her sense of self: to be able to move with the current and the force of the waves, yet firm in the direction she had chosen. khara tugs her along, buoys her up with her radiance, but koko is there to gently guide them back to steady land.
her expression softens at the mention of rook, an understanding that seeps into her gaze at the reveal of his passing. koko knows only bits and pieces of the miqo'te boy that khara traveled with for a time, but she knows he was important to her. khara has changed much from the solemn girl she had first met in la noscea: she's more talkative now, more confident, walking to the beat of her own melody. changes like these are cultivated, however, and scarcely happen overnight. masks take time to grow accustomed to, for one's own self and for others. ]
Perhaps he did. [ khara's fingers are laced between hers, and koko presses her other hand over them both. a part of her will always regret not being there for khara during the years they've been separated, but she tells herself that she'll just have to make up for lost time now. ] I'm sure we would've gotten along about as well as you and I do.
[ but she laughs at khara's questions of her lodgings, shaking her head as she sighs. ]
I may as well join the Kojin if that were the case. No, I've rented a room for a couple of nights... I did some hunts here and there for payment, but aside from that I don't have any lasting plans as of yet.
[ the ejinn never stayed in one place for very long and koko traveled very light, lacking the possessions girls her age would have. old habits, again. she hesitates for a moment, head tilting to admire their linked hands and the contrast of khara's paler skin against hers. ]
But, I would very much like that. Joining you, that is... if you'll have me.
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[ There's no small degree of hopefulness in her voice as she speaks, though she leaves out the fact that her holdings have, as of late, become the venue for her and Solis' preferred form of communion. Still, Koko works her magic without having to exert any effort to do so, as Kharasar silently vows to keep her proclivities relegated to Solis' room so long as her friend is living with her. Where Khara pulls, Koko gently maintains and naturally leads. Their relationship is symbiotic at its core, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Much of Khara's personality is, honestly, Rook's; her ostentatiousness, her flirtatiousness, her cockiness and even her recklessness stem from following his example, though such traits come easy to her as breathing. Upholding the things Rook had bestowed upon her is Kharasar's way of keeping him alive long after his passing, from her personality to the comb decorated with a cluster of lilies that she keeps on her at all times.
Kharasar understands Koko's regret because it's her own; had their roles been reversed, she'd likely have felt the same way. But that isn't the case here, and she holds no ill will towards her friend for her absence. After all, fate had a strange way of twisting people apart as often as it pushed them together. Khara is just grateful she's able to make up for that lost time here and now. ] He would have tried to bed you, without a doubt. [ She laughs fondly, giving Koko's hand a squeeze. ] You're just his type: female and breathing.
[ Khara inclines her head slightly, though the corners of her mouth turn upwards. ] I have a proposal, then. Once your rental runs out, come join me in Hingashi. You needn't join the company-- though you will always have a place there!-- but I refuse to make you pay a single gil more than you have to. Consider my house and quarters yours, no strings attached. You may come and go as you please, and there's always room for one more in the jobs that Solis and I undertake.
[ A slight pause. ] Though-- and I mean this affectionately-- we will have to outfit you with a more... expanded wardrobe. Many of our undertakings involve rubbing elbows with nobility, and you know how finicky they can be. [ She gives a dismissive wave of her free hand. In truth, she has no idea what Koko knows of nobles, but she supposes that that's neither here nor there. ] Many of the jobs we take involve hunts, so there's no need to go shopping now, but I figure I should give you a fair warning, should you really and truly decide to join us. [ Khara fixes her with a lopsided, affectionate grin. ]
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[ but most of all, koko is glad to see it: khara has been doing well despite everything she's gone through and has found someone whom she clearly admires. it feels almost silly for koko to have worried about her at all, but she supposes that she'll always worry about her friend for however long they are together. now that they've reunited, koko hopes that they will remain close for a long time.
fate does have a strange way of pushing and pulling people together, and koko supposes it was fate that guided her to khara again. their hands are still intertwined, heads bowed toward each other and talking as if no time had passed at all between them; khara discusses koko taking part in her free company and sharing her quarters as if she'd left a space for koko all along. whether khara intended to do so or not doesn't lessen the swell of warmth in her chest; the idea that she can still find that sense of belonging even now, so far away from her tribe and its customs. ]
He seemed like a man of simple tastes.
[ much like how khara herself tends to flirt with any male in her vicinity should she choose to. koko supposes that's where they differ; she's always been a little more withdrawn around strangers, opting to keep to herself in a crowd. perhaps that's what a lifetime of travel results in -- never staying too long in one place to establish her roots and form lasting bonds. her relationship with khara somehow stood the test to that, and now here they are: khara making plans without even missing a beat, weaving koko into her life seamlessly. ]
You know that I wouldn't do well in anything lavish. [ her smile turns sheepish instead, shaking her head. ] Perhaps I can pretend to be a scullery maid instead.
[ which, at the very least, still means that she intends to join khara. for better or worse. ]
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[ When Khara laughs, it's soft but genuine, though her eyes travel to Koko's face as a sheepish expression clouds her features. In truth, Kharasar knows nothing of how to handle herself in this situation; she feels comfortable telling Koko all about her partner (in travel, in hunts, and most recently, in bed) should she let her, but at the same time, she wants to know so much more about where the years have taken her friend.
Whether she realized it or not, Khara had reserved a space for Koko, one that had been neglected over the years, but nonetheless deeply cared for. It wasn't until her friend was back in her presence that Khara felt completely and utterly whole, moreso than she ever had, and it was almost enough to set her to tears. ]
He was. You would have been far, far too good for him. [ She speaks with a certain affection for both Koko and Rook, gently squeezing her friend's hand between her own. ]
With a face like that? No one would believe you were a scullery maid. You'd be well-suited in the finest silks Ul'dah can offer, and I will see to it that you'll have some in every shade. [ Khara delivers this airily, lifting a hand to give a dismissive wave. ] But that's neither here nor there. Now that we're settled, [ and as far as Khara is concerned, they are ] I feel we've spent enough times talking about my comings and goings. Where have you been all of these years? What have you seen?