The Khajiit’s ears pricked, looking up from his cup of tea he’d been carefully blowing cooler as to not burn his tongue again.
“Um…I-I don’t know? Ghost knows the way here now so I just um…I just work on my homework on the way.”
Tag: askdusty
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Send 💬 and my muse will say what they really think about yours.
“I mean…a little odd, but she seems to mean well. Got some secrets to hide, but who doesn’t? I wouldn’t be jumping at the chance to tell Skyrim’s magic-hating populace I’ve got some magical undead dog running around getting into my food.” J’hasi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
“There’s always the chance that she’s actually a Thalmor spy…but I haven’t smelled anything off about her.” Or anything other than the dozens upon dozens of herbs and roots and Hist knew what else crammed into that tiny space. His nose twitched and he rubbed it in response, remembering how numb it would be when he left after each visit.
“Usually spies act a little more…impenetrable. No weaknesses. She was practically begging me not to speak about her…housemate, which if she were a spy, that…that would be too much attention, wouldn’t it? Unless it’s to throw someone off about the fact that they’re a spy…” The Khajiit’s brow furrowed, thinking for a few moments before he shook his head, ridding himself of the conundrum for now.
“I-it doesn’t matter. Unless she shows her hand, far as I’m concerned she’s helping me get some sleep.” He frowned a little, teeth pressing against his lower lip.
“…she might just be a witch. A witch wouldn’t give a damn about what the Thalmor want.”
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Send 💬 and my muse will say what they really think about yours.
“She seems honest. I mean, she has a…undead…dog, but like…rather that than find out that she’s actually a Thalmor spy tryin’ to poison me or slit my throat while I’m sleeping.” The Khajiit frowned, fiddling with a braid he’d started in his mane, small and with great attention paid to it.
“She actually reminds me a little bit of Sees, but like… I don’t know how to describe it. Their personalities are very different, but there’s this sort of…feeling…” He scratched at his neck, leaving the braid to drop and partially untangle, feeling anxiety crawl up the back of his neck and start working on brewing a headache. J’hasi closed his eyes, shaking his head.
“Dust seems like a harmless eccentric that plays it down for sake of business, which is not the worst sort I’ve come across. Honestly, I prefer knowing that she’s like that. Makes things less awkward.” He pressed his knuckles into his brow, trying to press away the tension, and prevent the headache from growing from the tiny spark of discomfort inside of his skull. He sighed after a few moments.
“She makes great tea, and she’s friendly. Time will tell if I keep coming back. So far I have no reason to seek out alternative alchemists.”
Dust has somehow gotten ahold of a lute. She isn’t entirely sure how, honestly, but with the bonfire roaring behind her, sparks crackling and the air so crisp and clear, it hardly seems to matter. She strums and sings merrily, happy to welcome any listeners with a little wink.
“Somewhere in a hidden memory
Images float before my eyes
Of fragrant nights of straw and of bonfires
And dancing till the next sunrise…”
J’hasi was drawn in by the singing and the calming strums of a lute, sitting down in front of who he recognized as Dust. He beamed at her, drunk, but knowing enough to keep quiet during a performance. He rocked a little in place, occasionally taking drinks of his spiced pumpkin mead. He couldn’t help half-humming along, trying to be quiet but the music pulling at him to sing too.
Ghost settled down behind him with a huff, the Khajiit leaning back into her pale side with a happy smile spreading over his face. She was a soft warmth at his back, while the bonfire warmed his front, helping against the oncoming chill of dusk, cinders trailing up into the darkening skies… His whiskers fanned out with a purr, tail tip tapping along to the rhythm.
“So what all have you done so far?”
The Khajiit beamed, having found a few more leaves to carefully braid into Ghost’s mane, tail curling up happily.
“Food, drinks. Uh…haven’t gone too far with drinks yet, though. Ghost likes to steal some of it sometimes. I’ve met and chatted with some people too, I’ve never been to a festival in Skyrim before and I gotta say, it’s really cool!” He finished a braid, tying a shred of hay on the end to keep it in place.
“I think I tried all the pies so far that I’ve found. And the drinks. Still working on the roasts and other dishes. I want to try some of everything before the festival is over.”
“What is your favorite thing about the festival so far?”
“Oh, oh! The food! Dust, the food is so good, and they got this spiced pumpkin mead, I think it’s pumpkin, and so much pie, I think I had like ten kinds, and there’s this roast pork and sweet apples and venison and roast chicken and-” Ghost snorted into the Khajiit’s ear and he giggled, hugging her around the neck, actually stopping for a moment to breathe. His mane was mussed and he distinctly smelled of the aforementioned mead and fallen leaves. J’hasi beamed, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet.
“M’tryin’ to try all the different foods but there’s so many and my mouth is only so big.” he giggled. He was possibly a little drunk.
The Dusty Cauldron – Dust/J’hasi
askdusty:
Doht seemed to quite enjoy the Khajiit’s attention, making a low, satisfied growl while slowly rocking his head back and forth against J’hasi’s knuckles. Dust, too, relaxed.
“Thank you.” Her eyes drifted briefly shut before she composed herself, moving to the hearth with the little satchel she’d fetched, readying the tea. “Thank you, dear. It’s true that at the college one might see similar things, but out here – well, it isn’t particularly welcome.” A weary smile over her shoulder before she left the kettle to boil, frowning at J’hasi’s plate.
“Did he eat some of what I gave you? Doht, you know better.” She scolded the hound, who somberly bowed his head. An affectionate sigh and she addressed J’hasi again. “I can get you something else if you like, while the kettle boils.” Without waiting for an answer she moved back to her kitchen, rummaging through to find more leftovers.
“So, you’re a student at the college?” There was still a little twang of guilt and loss at the memory of Winterhold, but it was becoming weaker over time. “I used to teach there.”
The Khajiit’s ears pricked, having forgotten that the food on the table was for him, patting Doht’s neck before finding a piece that hadn’t been slobbered on and tearing it off, sniffing briefly before eating it. His ears and tail pricked at Dust’s mention of the College, stroking a thumb over the hound’s brow as he licked his lips.
“Yeah, I started not too long ago, actually.” And made very little progress during his time there, but maybe after getting help with his sleep it would improve. And maybe the Thalmor would leave and never come back. J’hasi’s thumb brushed between Doht’s eyes, rubbing over the bridge of his nose.
“What did you teach, if I can ask?” he questioned, tail curling in curiosity.
The Dusty Cauldron – Dust/J’hasi
askdusty:
Can I pet him.
For a good few moments she simply stared, unblinking, unable to wrap her head around the question he’d asked. So completely in the opposite direction of what she’d expected – threats, screams, terror, she’d been ready for. Part of her dared hope for simple agreement, whether out of understanding or fear. But this…
Finally she broke down into laughter, doubling over, helpless. Only after recovering, still giving little chuckles between inhales, did she try to answer.
“If – if you like, of course. He won’t hurt you.”
Doht, confused by his mistresses’ odd behavior, circled from her side back to J’hasi and tilted his head as though asking him for an answer. Dust gave a long sigh, dragging a hand down her face as she sat.
“… He’s very gentle, really. Unless I tell him not to be, of course.” A little, lopsided smile. She stroked along his flank, feeling the smoothness, coolness of his strange hide. Finally, the kettle whistled – she moved to stand, going still as a realization struck.
“… You still haven’t promised.” All humour drained from her expression once more, lips going tight. “J’hasi. I need you to promise me – you will not tell a soul.”
The Khajiit smiled a little once given permission, seeming more at ease now that Dust was laughing rather than looking so cornered, so afraid. He stroked the hound’s muzzle, back over his head and around his ears. His own ears twitched once the kettle started to whistle louder, almost not catching what the Breton said afterwards. He swallowed, breaking eye contact and focusing on Doht’s smooth neck.
“Well…at the College, lots of people, lots of mages have some sort of familiar or summon. I don’t see anything unusual with yours.” he said, eyes glancing up at the lass’ briefly. Doht’s skin felt chiller than expected, and he wondered again if the hound was undead. Smelled strange, like undeath, but also like something familiar… It was hard to focus on what it was exactly, with all the scents of herbs and whatnot in the shop.
“I promise I won’t tell anyone about him.” the Khajiit stated seriously, meeting Dust’s eyes when he said it. He rubbed his knuckles against the side of Doht’s neck, careful to not scratch him with his claws. While Dust said he had been summoned to protect them, he wasn’t all that sure how fragile that skin was. It was an odd, but neat texture though.
The Dusty Cauldron – Dust/J’hasi
askdusty:
“Sorry about the wait, dear – took some digging to find it. I – “ As she rounded the top of the stairs she stopped short, eyes doubling, jaw dropping at the sight before her. Her hound – her vicious, Daedric hound – was calmly snuffling the hand of the Khajiit, who looked bewildered, but must have extended it in greeting.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“I – ah, oh, gods, it must be the – the necromancer’s hound! F-from down the paths, there’s a cave, and sometimes his hound gets loose, and – “
Doht, satisfied with the scent and peacable nature of this stranger, turned his attention back to the hare on the table, lazily stretching out his tongue to try and drag it closer. Instinctively Dust rankled, glaring at him and snapping.
“Doht! Bad boy!”
Immediately the hound fell back onto his haunches, turning his gaze onto her, and Dust realized her mistake. Flushing she swallowed back a lump in her throat, scrambling to try and think of another lie.
Nothing.
After a few more moments of sputtering Dust gave in, hands falling to her sides, a heavy sigh leaving her. The fact that J’hasi hadn’t already attacked him – or worse, run out the door screaming, alerting the guard – was a good sign. Doht, apparently sensing his mistresses’ distress, came to her side and rubbed against her.
“Alright. Alright. He’s mine, I confess. He’s a – a summon, to protect me.” Not the whole truth, but enough of it. Typically he would never be here when a customer or a guest is, but I must have forgotten to dismiss him.” Needing something to do to keep from wringing her hands she set about making the skullcap tea, sidling to the hearth. “He won’t hurt you, I swear on my own life. But please – “ When the kettle was ready she whirled on her heel to face him, expression grave.
“Please, keep it to yourself. It isn’t unheard of for mages to have such things, but the people of this town – they might not understand it. So, please. Swear to me you will tell no-one of this.”
He’d jumped only a little, just a small tense of his fingers into his palm at the Breton’s voice, but it was clear not long after that he wasn’t in trouble for being so close to their…dog. What was also clear was the absolute blatant lie that followed. Even if the dog looked undead (and maybe it was), there was no way it would make it into town without the guard killing it.
J’hasi’s ears pricked a little as the hound went back at the meat, the sharp reprimand making them flick right back again, his tail curling in towards himself even though the tone was not directed at him. As Dust explained the dog…Doht, he listened patiently, calm with only a brief moment of tension when they turned to ask him to keep quiet. The Khajiit’s eyes flicked from the alchemist’s, to the hound’s, then back.
“…can I pet him?” he asked, brows rising a little, ears slowly pricking, holding out hope that he’d get a yes. Doht’s breath had tickled the fur on his knuckles with his breath, and made him curious as to how his skin would feel.
✘ Secrets (Like that giant skinned hound amirite)
“Talk about underestimating a new acquaintance… I’d never have taken Dust to be the type of person to have…well…whatever that dog-thing is running around. But I can’t say I mind. Especially after that tea… Maybe they could teach me how they make the chamomile stuff too…”
vvardenfellcat 