Warm Whispers [open - Skimble?]

[kamaria]

Kamaria snorted a laugh. "A Scottish Rum Tum Tugger? Oh boy. Sounds like a handful."

[isthatasock]

"He certainly knows how to make himself noticed," Skimble said. "Unfortunately, he has little self restraint."

[kamaria]

"I can see how you'd be worried, then. Tugger is pretty harmless, though - isn't your brother?" Kamaria said, then admitted "Well, harmless besides the possibly bad influence on the kittens."

[isthatasock]

"Oh, he's perfectly harmless," Skimble agreed. "Which possibly adds to the trouble. He's so hard to handle, and I already have trouble saying no to anyone."

[kamaria]

Kamaria nodded. "Maybe you should start practicing saying 'no'," she suggested with a smile.

"I'm curious to meet him," she said with a playful grin. "He sounds like your diametrical opposite."

[isthatasock]

"He had a complete disregard for organisation and schedule," Skimbleshanks sniffed, by way of answer.

He stopped. This was not the way he intended to go. They were in a clearing that could almost pass of a garden, if you ignore the fact that the flowers were mostly thistles, as pretty as they could be, and the stream was a drain.

[kamaria]

Kamaria smirked, but made no comment.

She looked up when they stopped, and was surprised to see where they were. She'd been so engrossed in their conversation, and just reveling at being so close to Skimbleshanks, that she'd paid no attention to where they were going.

"Um. Where exactly are we?"

[isthatasock]

"Oh, just around the back," Skimble said. "It's usually quiet here because the kittens can't run around due to the thistles, and it's dangerous in the rain if it floods."

He looked around. "But it's quite nice in the sun."

[kamaria]

"That would explain why I didn't recognize it. I never come this way," Kamaria said, and looked around. Skimbleshanks was right, it was actually rather pretty.

"They're not the classical girly flower, but I've always been fond of thistle flowers. They're lovely, even if they are quite prickly," she smiled.

[isthatasock]

"It's always struck me as odd," Skimble thought aloud. "That humans make so much effort to keep them out of their gardens, just to replace them with other flowers that don't survive as well."

[kamaria]

Kamaria nodded her agreement. "I was going to suggest maybe they don't like them because they're prickly, but then, they love roses, and those are prickly, too."

"Maybe they're just not the right kind of pretty."

[isthatasock]

"I don't see how there is another kind of pretty," Skimble said.

He though for a moment, and then decided if his day was to be disorganised, he could allow some impropriety as well. He moved away from Kamaria, rolling up his pants to his knees, already barefoot, soaking his feet in the water.

[kamaria]

Kamaria shrugged. "People tell me I'm pretty, but I must be the wrong kind of pretty, because nobody ever looks at me in that way."

She smiled sadly at the thistles. "I guess the thistles and I have something in common.

Seeing Skimble roll up his pants and go for a wade in the water made Kamaria grin.

"Embracing the carefree life, are we?" she teased happily.

[isthatasock]

"More embracing the clean feet life," Skimble corrected.

"I see nothing wrong with your appearance," he said offhand. "Figures such as Bombalurina's may be all very well, but they are hardly practically ideal."

[kamaria]

Kamaria grinned. "If you say so."

Then, curiously, "What is ideal, then, if the Bombshell isn't?"

[isthatasock]

Skimble shrugged. "Don't know," he answered. "Can't say I've given it much thought. Probably plumper though. More practical."

[kamaria]

"Hey, I'm somewhat plump. Not sure if I'm particularly practical, though," Kamaria said with a small laugh.

Then she decided, what they hey, and discarded her shoes and rolled up her jeans to her knees, joining Skimble in the water.

"This is nice."

[isthatasock]

"It is pleasant weather, isn't it," Skimbleshanks replied, assuming that's what she meant. Surely his company was nothing worth noting.

[kamaria]

"It is," Kamaria agreed, then added with a smile "as is the company."

[isthatasock]

"Yes," Skimble replied. "I will admit that your company is rather relaxing." He still didn't think she was referring to him.

[kamaria]

"Well, I was talking about you, but I'm glad I'm pleasant company, too," Kamaria said with a somewhat shy smile.

She still didn't dare hope that Skimbleshanks would really notice her. She was probably just another random queen. Still, a girl can dream, right?

There was something beautiful about him as he was now, in just his singlet and rolled up pants, his feet in the water, surrounded by thistles in bloom. He seemed relaxed, like maybe he actually was capable of taking time to just exist, not constantly bustling about. And she was happy that she was part of that, their own little private moment. It probably meant far more to her than it did to him, but she didn't care. Right now, right there, she was happy.

[isthatasock]

"I'm sure you could find someone more interesting than me," Skimble said lightly.

It didn't even cross his mind that she could find him interesting, let alone attractive. That was just...well it just didn't happen.

[kamaria]

"You really don't think very highly of yourself, do you?" Kamaria said softly, eyeing him.

Apparently she, for once, was not blatantly obvious. That, or Skimble was just really, really bad at picking up the vibes. Kamaria had always been rubbish at hiding her feelings, much to her own dismay.

[isthatasock]

"Huh?" Skimble asked, not catching the comment. Or at least not thinking he had, since it didn't seem relevant to him.

Skimble was very good at missing affection directed towards him. Just ask Jenny how forward she had to be.

[kamaria]

"It's just, you keep making offhand comments about how boring and unimportant and suchlike you are. Why do you think so little of yourself?" Kamaria asked curiously. It made no sense to her.

[isthatasock]

"Uh?" Skimble repeated. "I'm not sure I understand. Am I expected to crow about myself like the Rum Tum Tugger does?" he asked.

[kamaria]

Kamaria snorted. "Oh, please don't! That's not quite what I meant. I'm not saying you need to start bragging about yourself, but... Why do you feel the need to talk yourself down? It makes me sad when good cats talk of themselves as if they're worthless."

[isthatasock]

"When do I talk myself down?" Skimbleshanks asked, genuinely confused.

[kamaria]

"Okay, maybe not down down, but I am pretty sure you've made offhand comments about how you're boring or nothing special," Kamaria said quietly.

"For what it's worth, though, I don't think you're boring."

[isthatasock]

"I wasn't aware I was supposed to be interesting," Skimble said. "I have never been, nor have any intent on being exiting."

"I would say that boring is rather underrated," he added, playfully. Someone else might be flirting with that. He wasn't.