PENUMBRA (how the flowers grow)

6. Azalea

Note: This chapter contains a panic attack, so read at your own discretion if that may bother you. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Thanks so much for reading!

"Take care of yourself for me, temperance, fragile passion"

The streets of Ilsted are full of people in a way that the towns he and Sabina have passed through thus far haven't been. Ilsted is a big city. It's bustling and lively and Tuluvey loves the feel of it. After being away from lots of people for so long, the city is a welcome relief, even when he'd normally prefer being out in nature.

The smells are fantastic and everything is so beautifully decorated. People selling incense display their wares outside their windows. The roofs of all the buildings have bright red tiles. The wooden surfaces of every corner are painted with vibrant colors. Some even have designs on them. One wall they pass has a mural of the Gods depicted traditionally in their giant animal forms.

Tuluvey talks to all the people he and Sabina pass. They go in a few shops and browse. One of the shops they walk by sells clothing that Tuluvey is immediately drawn toward. The clothes he has work well enough, but he'd enjoy getting some new ones.

"Sabina," he says excitedly. "I'm going to go look for some clothes. I'll meet you by the fountain later."

"Um, all right," she says quietly.

Tuluvey almost leans to kiss her cheek before he leaves, but thankfully stops himself. Instead, he flashes her a smile and practically trips over his feet to find a clothing shop run by a fae. Sabina can look around on her own.

The shop that he finds is owned by a cute grey fae with argent hair and a visible silver glow that hangs around him and lights him all up like a star. The fae smiles brightly and greets him in Faerie as he comes in.

Oh, he's lovely.

Tuluvey flirts with the fae boy while he picks out clothes. It's harmless, simple flirting that lacks roots unlike the proper fae way he's been flirting with Sabina. He flirts because the boy is pretty and flirts back. It's good fun for them both. The boy's light grows brighter, and a few pink verbenas come to life in Tuluvey's hair. Tuluvey grows the shopkeeper a bundle of roses to give as payment for his clothing alongside a fun time on his knees behind the counter.

Exhilarated, he leaves the shop wearing wonderful new clothes. His new shirt is blousy and has delicate gold buttons down the front. It's made of soft, yet strong material. He'll be able to embroider it with the thread he got from another stand earlier. His new pants are made of various patches from different fabrics, like a wearable quilt. He feels good. It's always nice to get new stuff and talk to someone in your native language. Common is fine, but Faerie slides off his tongue as smooth as silk.

As he walks to the fountain in the middle of town, he stops and chats to numerous friendly faces that have already drifted from his mind as soon as he walks away. He pulls out some of the extra bracelets he keeps in his bag and adds them to his wrists. The jewelry clanks together as he walks.

When he gets to the fountain, he finds Sabina sat on the edge of it, looking more than a little out of place. A cute demon girl with pink skin is talking to her, at ease as she bounces on the heels of her feet. Sabina's posture is stiff and pin straight. Her hands are pressed to the tops of her thighs, the appearance of someone who's been set in a position and told not to move. The demon girl says something cheerfully to Sabina and her tail sways wildly. She gives Sabina a wave before flouncing away.