p e a c e && f r i e n d s h i p, layla & rily

[thomas north bale]

When you get worried I'll be your soldier.

He'd made quite the collection of odd friends since he'd joined the resistance. Having come from a part of the animated world where fantastical things like dragons and Gods were stories of myth and legend. Now all of that was real and such an ingrained part of his daily life, that it didn't seem the least bit strange to have a dragon for a friend. Not anymore at least. Though he remembered being utterly terrified the first time he'd met Astrid and Stormfly, he was glad he'd gotten past that. Stepping onto the bridge past the portal, he stretched his arms above his head and yawned. A breeze brushed past, carrying with it the less then pleasant smells of the city. Funny how even a few hours in the animated world made his senses revert back. No longer used to the blaring sounds of the cars in the distance or the smell of the city. "Alright, I said we'd get to hang out today and I meant it. Dragon's choice; any place you want to go?" Layla was as much his friend now as Astrid was, and he was actually thankful for the portal giving them the opportunity to actually interact. It certainly made understanding her when she was Stormfly a lot easier, even for someone like him who had about as much clue about dragons as he did about planes. "Just- uh, nothing too crazy."

layla malinda tanis | outfit | remember when we talked about them hanging out >.> and piggyback rides. oop | template by sam

[layla malinda tanis]

Layla was so excited to spend the day with Thomas. She knew him a little bit because they always battled together, but they didn’t really know each other. They knew strange, little things about each other, like their fighting tactics or what kind of food they liked. Layla absolutely counted Thomas as one of her closer friends, but she had to admit that she really didn’t know him that well. They had never talked about each other’s past. He obviously knew that she was a dragon, but that was the extent of it. Today, she was going to learn what Thomas was all about!

She crossed the portal into the real world and it took her a moment to adjust. It was so strange to turn from a dragon into a human. She had done this probably a million times, but she didn’t think she would ever get completely used to it. It was kind of a tingling sensation as her scales slipped back into her body and she shrunk down into her human form. Layla always felt strangely bare as a human. She didn’t have any spines or spikes or scales or even a tail. Over time, though, she’d learned how humans defended themselves, though, especially having spent so much time with someone like Astrid.

One of the stranger things about being a human girl was how tall she was – or rather, how short she was. Being a dragon in the animated world, she was very used to being taller than most beings around her. In the real world, though? Thomas towered over her! She didn’t know how she felt about it. On one hand, it was kind of nice to be smaller than someone, but at the same time, it made her feel weaker as well. Even though she was the furthest from weak a being could possibly get, even in her human body!

She groaned at Thomas’s comment. Crazy was Layla’s middle name and Thomas wanted her to tone it down? “Define “crazy,”” she said, using air quotes. Before either of them could say anything, though, Layla’s stomach growled loudly. “Maybe first get something to eat?”

thomas north bale

∎ ◣ ◥

[thomas north bale]

When you get worried I'll be your soldier.

He really hoped he hadn't gotten in over his head. Not that he thought hanging out with Layla was going to be dangerous or anything along those lines. At least really hoped it wouldn't be dangerous. Then again even though she looked so small and human in this world, he had to remember that even here she was a force in her own right. Able to take a lot more then he could, and unfazed by things that would more than likely knock him off his feet. As much as her groan at his words made him laugh, it also made a brief flicker of unease curl in his stomach. Not fear, but just a sense of having bitten off more than he could chew. "Heh," a soft groan of his own, head shaking. "Preferably something that won't get us arrested...or injured." As much as he complained or seemed apprehensive, it couldn't stand against the smile on his face. Genuine and wide, something that he hadn't done in what felt like a decent amount of time. Amazing what being around friends could do for a person. At least the suggestion of food was a welcome one. Easy and simple. Food he could handle. "Food sounds amazing..." His own stomach choosing that moment to speak its own mind. A gurgle that had him pressing a palm against it as though to quiet himself down. Just thinking about eating something here was enough to make him feel like he was starved. No surprising considering the poor food choices they had at the camps. "I think I have an idea of where we can go?" His eyes lifted, scanning around them to try and get his bearings. No matter how often he crossed over he felt like he needed to just center himself. Eyes scanning each direction branching out from the portal, like he somehow expected the city to rotate itself around them. Changing what he'd worked so hard to get used to, and leaving him to get lost again. Turning back to her he tilted his head, "How about burgers, or do you want something else?"

layla malinda tanis | outfit | cutefriendss | template by sam

[layla malinda tanis]

Deep down, Layla knew that there was a very good reason for Thomas’s limitation to their outing. Deep down, she knew that she could get a little crazy, blow things out or proportion, or overestimate herself. And everyone that knew anything knew that she was no stranger to trouble. It was the sort of thing that she would never admit out loud. No, in her head, she was perfect, never caused any problems, and could do no wrong. She got bored easily, so she needed constant threats, challenges, and adventures to keep herself occupied. Laughter won over the urge to pout and she shrugged her shoulders. “Okay, okay, we’ll have a casual, low-key day. Nothing too crazy.”

Thomas was one of her favorite people. She wouldn’t have backed down just for anybody. He was tough when he needed to be (which was a lot), but there was also something very gentle about him. That gentleness made her feel the urge to protect him. Not physically. Thomas was a strong and talented fighter and he could take care of himself. Emotionally, though, she felt like it was something a little different. He was so kind and he kept it all locked up. She was glad to see that he was smiling today.

“Burgers, yeah!” she said, pumping both fists into the air,”C’mon, let’s go!” She ushered him forward to lead the way to wherever they were going.

After they entered the establishment, Layla closed her eyes and breathed in the lovely scent of food. It made her stomach grumble once again. She opened her eyes once again and looked around. Layla wasn’t the most comfortable when it came to food restaurants. After all, she was used to just hunting for her own food or Astrid giving her something. “Is this one of those where we sit first or do we order first?” she asked, looking up at him. Human things were confusing sometimes.

thomas north bale

∎ ◣ ◥

[thomas north bale]

When you get worried I'll be your soldier.

If he was honest with himself he probably would have been fine with whatever she felt like doing. Even if it was dangerous or over the top, she was his friend and there was a lot he was willing to put up with for that same reason. Still she was a dragon and her and Astrid seemed to have that same bold streak running through their veins. A thing that made him not the least bit surprised they'd been paired up as dragon and rider. So at the very least he welcomed her assurance that she'd keep things from getting too out of hand today. A small smile still stretched across his features. "How about a compromise? A middle level of crazy, because we do want to have fun you know? And a little crazy is always fun." Yeah, he could probably come to regret that, but he wanted to spend the day hanging out with her. And that meant actually her, not a quiet and subdued version that behaved like it wasn't Layla. Her enthusiasm made him laugh, and that in turned caused a very welcome feeling of lightness in his chest. Something he hadn't felt in a while and wasn't entirely sure he could feel again. A sense like the world wasn't in impending doom, or he didn't have people's lives hanging over his head. ( The concerns were still there of course, but at least they were dulled and he could function without worrying. If only for right now. ) He let her propel them forward and into the restaurant, the smell of food making his stomach grumble the second they stepped through the door. "I don't see a hostess..." He had about as much experience at this sort of thing that she did, though he was sure he'd been here before at least once. He just...didn't remember if he'd been seated the last time. Someone seemed to take pity on them standing awkwardly by the doorway, because she gestured to the empty restaurant from across the room. Suggesting they sit wherever they liked. "C'mon let's go sit by those windows." He nodded back to the woman, then turned his attention down to Layla before gesturing to some booths with a view of the street. Making his way over himself, he slid into the seat and snatched one of the menus from the small display. "Order whatever you want, okay?" He said, chin resting on the top of his menu to peek over at her.

layla malinda tanis | outfit |#blessed | template by sam

[layla malinda tanis]

Windows, yes!” she said, pumping a hand into the air before happily leading the way over to the booth that Thomas motioned to. Layla loved windows. It was a weird sort of obsessions almost. Being inside places was not her favorite thing. She’d heard people mention claustrophobia. Layla wasn’t sure if that was it, but all she knew was that if she was in a room without a window, she started to panic. Rooms without windows just reminded her way too much of being locked up right after the humans captured her.

It was interesting to look back and see how far she’d come from that, though. There was a time when she not only feared humans, but she hated them. They were the ones who kept her locked up in chains. Still, she learned that not all humans were bad and she was so glad she did. Things would be very different if she had never learned that. She probably would never have crossed over and she never would have joined the resistance. People like Astrid or Thomas would not be in her life right now.

Yep, she was pretty glad that she gave humans a chance.

Layla easily slid into one side of the booth. It was so rare that she got to just hang out with Thomas, especially on this side of the portal. They were both so dedicated to the resistance, so that’s where they saw each other most of the time. Of course, the bad thing about that was that she couldn’t even talk over there!

“We never really get to talk a whole lot, huh?” she asked, resting her chin in her hand.

Before Thomas really had a chance to answer, though, a waitress came zooming up to their table. She gave them their menus, took their orders, and left practically as soon as she appeared.

“Alright, uh….,” she said, pulling the menu closer to her, not even thinking about how she couldn’t exactly read.

It wasn’t that she was dumb. She’d just never had the time to sit down and learn everything. There were a few words she knew just because she’d seen them before. This menu was a little different.

“Um…anything catch your eye?”

thomas north bale

∎ ◣ ◥

[thomas north bale]

When you get worried I'll be your soldier.

"No we-" was all he really managed to get out before the waitress was at their booth. Her pen scribbling rapidly across the paper to notate their drink orders and then leave them to their menus. His eyes dropped down to his, scanning the vaguely familiar pictures and the words that described each item. While he understood what he was seeing he couldn't exactly say he knew what he was looking at. He'd eaten out a handful of times before, but generally stuck to the same thing. Meals in this world were largely different from what had been offered in his time and he wasn't entirely sure his taste buds or his stomach could handle most of it. Glancing up at her, he offered a sort of half shrug. The best answer he could give in that moment as he returned his gaze back to the menu in front of him. His eyes kept falling to the burgers since that was what he was most familiar with. Though there were other things that looked good as well just going off their pictures. He was thankful that this place at the very least had pretty straightforward names. He'd been to a few where they'd gotten fancy or changed the names to fit some pop culture reference he'd never possibly understand. "Um...." a soft hum, letting his menu fall to lay flat on the table. It struck him that he didn't remember if she could read or not. Something that others might not wonder offhand but considering he'd only really just learned to read himself? He kind of recognized the look on her face from what he could see behind her menu. Pointing at a rather large picture of the burger ( this place's special but the looks of it ) "Usually I get one of these- or something like it." His head tilted, "Do you like fish, it says here they have fried fish sticks or chicken if you'd rather have that?"

layla malinda tanis | outfit |#blessed | template by sam