[Roue]

When the pair stepped inside the eatery, the noise, the lights and the assault of smells seemed to abate by quite a lot.? This place was still well lit, but a lot of the light came from the outside and the rest was turned up enough that it was comfortable but not blinding.? For that he was thankful because he didn't know just how much more he could take of that environment.? Here, things were quieter and only a low murmur of speaking voices was heard.? His ears peaked as he heard the sound of a bamboo pipe filling up with water and then tipping over, producing a hollow and bouncing but not at all unpleasant sound.? There was also music gently playing in the background which he recognized as a stringed instrument much alike the one he's heard being played in Amatsu.? He could tell, no, could feel even that this place was steeped in tradition.? The floor was lined with woven straw mats that were edged in black, layered in such a way as to produce a type of softness on the floor.? Each corner of the restaurant was bordered by live bamboo, and each table decorated by several of its branches cut and put into a miniature vase.? If he closed his eyes and concentrated, he could sense some kind of magic aura that hung in the air, barely palpable but it was there.? It seemed to be benevolent.

Roue's concentration however was broken by the approach of the restaurant's host.? The slightly shorter man was impeccably dressed and spoke in a distinctly different language than he previously heard from his companion.? They seemed to reach some kind of an agreement, followed by a deep bow of sorts, like some kind of a ritual, and then they were shown to a table.? It was set very low to the ground and had pillows instead of chairs.? Very strange, he thought, but when in Rome, so he mimicked Rabbit's motions, enacting the same bow and then picked a place across the table, crossing his legs as he sat down.? His companion then showed him a menu with a large variety of pictured foods but none of it was familiar to him so he felt losting trying to pick something.? Rabbit seemed to pick up on that and when another sharply dressed man approached them, he placed an order of several items with which the server did another ritualistic bow and rushed off to the back of the establishment.

While they were waiting for food, this gave Roue a chance to observe a little more.? He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that he was in a different world than his own.? Rune Midgard had its own connections to the spiritual and immaterial, but none of it was as readily accessible like he's been shown this day.? One couldn't just open a door and step through to an alternate universe, especially one so vastly different than the one he lived in.? This completely and totally flipped his knowledge of the world upside down.? If they could so easily cross over into this universe, how many more existed that he didn't know about?? How many knew about his world and have possibly journeyed into it?? As he warred within himself, he noticed how several guests here were also elven but he could not discern what ethnicity they were at all.? Some had ears longer than his and some just barely pointed.? Their clothing was also in high contrast to their class, the various fabrics of which were patterned in wild and outlandish styles, some loud and flamboyant and some muted.? Is it possible that his own people have journeyed into this world and mixed with the inhabitants of this one?? He felt his head exploding at the amount of information that forced its way inside, gripping his head as he closed his eyes, trying to shut it all out.? Just when it felt like he was reaching a critical point, he was broken out of his maelstrom by the sound of various dishes clinking and scraping against the surface of the table.

When he opened his eyes, Roue was greeted large plates containing varying amounts and types of food.? Some of it was wrapped in rice and seaweed which he recognized, then rolled and stuffed with mixture of seafood.? A different assortment, one which took most of the table, looked like a medley of vegetables deep fried in a golden batter.? To round out the fare, a cup of exotic smelling soup was placed before them.? Lastly, the server offered them some utensils, one of which was a ladle-like spoon that Roue knew was meant to be used with the soup, and another was a pair of sharply pointed sticks.? The server then said something and left, leaving Roue confused as to what he meant to with these things in his hands.? Again, Rabbit was on top of that.? His companion reached for the elf's hand, shaping them as he was meant to hold a pen and then showed him how to use them.? Though he concentrated on learning this strange, new craft, he couldn't help but notice how cool the hands were that touched his.? Why was he so cold, he wasn't sick, was he?? But Rabbit didn't seem unhealthy at all and was actually quite lively with the fidgeting that he did.? It was like a jigsaw puzzle that he had to figure out, but he didn't yet have all of the pieces he needed to piece it all together.

All that aside, however, Roue was mighty hungry, his stomach growling in protest to the elf looking at but not eating the food placed in front of him.? Before he could partake in any however, Rabbit offered Roue a tiny cup of clear liquid, that when he took felt quite warm to his hands.? He thought it weird that they shared some water that came from a tiny bottle and was poured into an even tinier cup, but he thought no further of it than the strange customs of this land that Rabbit seemed to follow.? The wizard opened his lips as he tipped the petite vessel into his mouth as the hot liquid rushed down his throat, warming his insides as it traveled down to his stomach.? He visibly shivered as a hiccup worked its way out his mouth and a rosy flush immediately colored his face and the tips of his ears. ? A strange sort of smile graced his face as he reached for the bottle again, pouring himself another cup, and then another and another, thoroughly enjoying the heat that worked its way out his belly.

"<You know,>" Roue started, hiccuping again which caused him to giggle a bit.? Placing his elbow up on the table, he tilted his head as rested it atop his palm, his eyes laser focused on Rabbit.? How is it that he didn't realize just how beautiful this stranger looked like sitting across the table from him?? He felt hopelessly lost in his companion's crystal clear blue eyes, like an ocean on a sunny day, not being able to look away.? A soft sigh escaped his lips as he reached for Rabbit's hand, the one free of a sharpened pair of sticks, running his fingers over the surface of the young man's skin.? He wrapped his fingers gently around the other's hand and pulled it to him, eyes fluttering closed as he kissed the top of it.? Then placing it right back where it first was, Roue turned to his food, placing a few wrapped rice rolls into his mouth, thoughtfully chewing them, though his attention never wavered from Rabbit, utterly mesmerized.