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"Stay still Taishi, theres no way I'll get this done like this."
"I'm sorry Queenie, I'll try."
The gold-scaled dragonborn tried to supress a flinch as Queenie March tugged at his hair a bit too hard, again. The rabbitfolk pulled, not necesserally to hurt her friend but rather to get all the tangles out that had built up over the last few days.
Usually Taishen cared for his hair. He knew how uncomfortable it could get but the last few days were to stressful for him to really take the time for it. When he saw Daisy detangleling Jornirs hair, sitting on the floor -Jornir sitting, Daisy had to stand in order to reach his hair- of the small cave in wich they decided to put up Camp for a while, he politely asked to join them. That resulted in Queenie eventually coming across them, taking his comb from him and slapping his hands away every time he tried to either assist or stop her.
Jornir sat calmly across from them, letting the human detangle the knots in his hair. Then carefuly braid the longer strands, trying out a few different styles.
As the minutes flew by the hairbrush than Queenie wielded got caught less in his hair until she eventually stopped. The fact that he was unable to see her expression made it hard for Taishen to predict her next action, but he decided, that he did not need any further help, so a 'thank you' was inorder.
But before he could turn around to properly show his appreciation for her help she was already moving, hopping to the other side of the cave to admire Daisys' handywork.
"Ya know Taishi", she started right as he opened his mouth ro speak, "maybe you should try n' change your hairstyle. A few braids or something?"
Now not only the Rabbitfolk, but also the resident humand and Goblin, the last mentioned having sat as close to the fire without actually burning himself as possible, watching the whole ordeal silently snikering to himself.
"Ha, maybe add a few flowers too, the next time we find 'em in this godforesaken place." Queenie rolled her eyes at Skrimms comment. Taishen felt the ever present pain in his heart intensify.
He had done his best to ignore it, for it wasn't even a phisical injury that caused his lungs to stop properly taking in air and his heart to squeeze uncomfortably tight. Maybe it was just the lack of proper, uninterrupted sleep these last few nights that caused him to be so sentimental but as his gaze landed on his teapot, on the carefuly drawn image of a flower his throat constricted and he choked on the breath he was trying to take.
He remembered very clearly how she had looked that day, smiling brightly up at him, hiding something behind her back. Assuming she was once again trying to smuggle in a "pet" without him noticing, he had been wary of her plans. (He didn't have anything against snakes, but after spending an entire afternoon attempting to get one out of her room without getting bitten he was a bit more concerned about what Mei Lee brought into the house.) Before he could inquire about her plans she had shoved a bundle of flowers into his face.
That same evening and the ones after that he had found her sitting in the kitchen, drawing the flower they had transferred into her favorite vase. Every time she was done with a sketch she'd murmur something about it 'not being quite right' and crumpled the paper into a small ball. Then she would start again, drawing one singular flower over and over again. At some point she'd notice him standing in the doorway and jump up from where she was sitting on the floor to push him out of the room, exclaiming that it was a suprise that he wasn't allowed to see yet.
She wasn't good at keeping secrets, always getting to exited even before revealing it, so she asked him: "What do you think about the flowers uncle, do you like them?". 'Yes, I love them.', he wanted to tell her but he couldn't. It still felt like he had something cought in his throat, something that prevented him from speaking.
"Uncle Taishen?"
He couldn't answer.
"Uncle Taishen?"
"Taishen?"
"TAISHEN!"
Sitting next to him wasn't his dragonborn niece, but his Rabbitfolk friend. She looked worried, his comb still in her hand.
Everyone was looking at him. Even Barnabos looked over from were he was guarding the entrance.
"Are ye alright there, Mr. Fireblossom?"
Taishen blinked, it took him far to long to understand the tritons' question.
"I am fine Barnabos, no need to worry."
The following silence was opressing, all eyes still on him and Taishen was getting more and more anxious with each passing second. He avoided eyecontact at all cost until his eyes landed on his teapot once more.
"I'm going to make some tea, does anyone want some?"
For a second nobody answered, then Queenie piped up: "I'll take some Taishi." Daisy snapped her fingers to get his attention and then made a motion like drinking tea, signaling that she also wanted some.
Carefully Taishen sat up, taking his teapot and a pouch of leaves with him towards the fire. As he sat down and started preparing to brew some calming tea he stopped mid motion. "Oh, and thank you Queenie for helping with my hair."
The ranger just smiled back at him.
"No problem Taishi."