bsumone | ❝ Our greatest glory is not in never falling ❞

Time's passing is so different for immortal creatures. Indeed, if not for the colorful winter celebrations of human, Gaja would hardly know another year has passed. But the lights in the west when the cold begins settle in is a sure sign of it. It was hot when he last so Nam, the height of summer... but was it this year's summer or some summer before? Well, if Gaja couldn't even remember, it's definitely time for a visit! He can only imagine how busy Nam must be at this time of year with humans coming to wish for good fortune.

It's dark by the time he reaches Nam's river. Dark save for the glow of a fire and the shimmer of it dancing off the jewels hanging from the dragon's neck. Even at so great a distance, Gaja recognizes the necklace he gifted to his old friend. There's more than just that glinting in the firelight. But Gaja will have to wait until he's closer to discern the details.

Once he lands, he takes human shape and draws nearer to Nam and his small fire. How breathtaking the dragon looks with his dramatic makeup and dark clothes. If Gaja gasps, he'll never admit it was Nam that left him breathless!

"Are you still accepting visitors?"

Even with the transition from one year to the next being clearly marked by humans visiting him in droves, it's hard to tell one from the other. A few hours over the course of a single day is barely more than the blink of an eye for one whose life has already spanned many centuries, and will go on for many more. Not that time is particularly important to a dragon. Or rather, no time matters aside from the wait between visits from a certain bird. He will never admit it, but any time between visits from Gaja is far too long, which is something he once thought he would never experience.

Nam rises from the large rock he'd been sitting on the moment he hears the bird's feet touch the ground. He takes a few steps toward the approaching Gaja, though until he fiery bird is closer, he won't stray too far from his own fire. This time of the year, he normally wouldn't dress in such light, sheer fabrics with so much skin exposed, but this is a special occasion. They're moving into the Year of the Dragon. He's gotten a visit from the only one he's still accepting company from. The most special occasion of all, however, is that Nam wanted to. He wanted to go all out and feel especially beautiful. He wanted to spend the early part of the evening, when it was still light out, gazing at himself in the river's reflection, vain thing that he is.

So he sticks close to the fire until Gaja gets close enough for Nam to be able to soak up the heat that radiates from him. "If you've come seeking blessings for the upcoming year, then you'll have to look elsewhere. However, if you've simply come to honour the dragon, then I'll accept one more visitor." He tips his head to one side, allowing the fire light to catch the sparkle at his inner eye as well as the gems in his hair. Just a little something more to catch Gaja's attention. Not that he's trying to make himself more appealing to some silly bird.

Gaja idly wonders how much any of these humans actually honor the dragon. Sure, they pay their respects, but is it not because they want his good favor? Is that truly honoring him? Or maybe Gaja just places himself above them when it comes to Nam. For the obvious reason of their friendship.

Nam looks especially breathtaking, positively glittering in the light of the fire. IF Gaja looks at him in silence a little too long, just mind you're own business, Nam! Because he does leave Gaja a little speechless.

Gaja's sure that that alone will play to Nam's vanity, but just to be sure to flatter his ego, he adds, "You look more beautiful than usual tonight. I suppose it's to be expected on an important day like this." There. He even let Nam have a reason other than being pretty just for his visit.

"I don't need any blessings," he begins as he draws himself beside the dragon. "But I, too, brought you a gift."

No one but the phoenix truly honours the dragon nowadays. Once upon a time, the humans did. They didn't go to see him just because there was something they wanted from him. Sometimes his generosity saw him gift them something in return anyway, but that wasn't their purpose. Perhaps he was too generous and did this to himself. Perhaps he's the reason why the humans came to him only when they wanted something. His willingness to give paired terribly with the humans' willingness to take. And take and take. There are the occasional humans who remember what it is to truly honour Nam, but they are the exception, not the rule. And they are usually humans not yet old enough to become greedy like their elders.

Nam tips his head the other way, watching in relative silence as the bird watches him. Then he looks down at himself as though he isn't fully aware of exactly how he looks, as though every part of his appearance isn't meticulously planned and executed. "I thought there could be no better way to start the Year of the Dragon than to look my absolute best." Nam will gladly take the reason (excuse?) that Gaja so kindly gave him. Though they both know that there's far more to it than that. Far more than either of them will easily admit.

Reaching out, Nam brushes a stray strand of fiery orange hair from Gaja's face. "If it's the gift of your time and company, then I have to decline. I'm afraid I've already had more than enough," he says as the hint of a grin tugs at the corners of his mouth.

Gaja appreciates the unspoken reasons as much as the spoken ones. Nam is one of precious few he counts as a friend. It's difficult to make friends when one lives forever and little else does. There are some long-lived creatures out there, but most choose to remain hidden and solitary. It's only by coincidence that Gaja met Nam.

A very happy coincidence, Gaja thinks.

"I'm not so egotistical to think my time and company are gift enough to properly honor the river's guardian," Gaja snarks. Even as he speaks, he reaches into the bag he often carries (specifically to stow gifts for Nam in). He wit draws from it an ornate box of rosewood with his gift for the dragon inside.

And Gaja is the only one who Nam counts as a friend. It really is difficult to make friends when one lives forever. To befriend anyone or anything that doesn't just feels like a waste. Their lives are but a drop in the bucket to something immortal. It's hard to want to get attached when the friendship will end before it ever really began. And then for someone like Nam who can sometimes take several human lifetimes to start warming up to someone, it's simply not worth it.

Add onto that the fact that Nam so rarely leaves his river (making it difficult to even meet anyone who doesn't already know where he is or doesn't just stumble across him) and that most only seek him out to request things from him...

The bird is his only friend and he finds he's quite okay with that.

Nam's eyes drop to the bag, and the box that Gaja pulls out of it. He's seen that bag plenty of times before and he knows the sorts of things that come out of it by now, but he's not presumptuous enough to assume that it's something for him. He doesn't reach for it and instead waits for Gaja to hand it to him. He runs his fingers over the box, taking in and appreciating the beauty of it. Had the gift been no more than the box, itself, that dragon would have been grateful for it. And he's about to express as much when he opens the box and sees what's inside. His eyes light up in a way that they only ever do for Gaja. The gift is truly remarkable. Beautiful works of art. He slips them onto his fingers and then holds one hand out toward his small fire, watching the way the light reflects on the metal claws.

"I think you've outdone yourself."

One might think Gaja's favorite hobby is adorning this 'plain' human shape of his friend's. One might not be wrong. Even as stunning as Nam's chosen human form is, it doesn't have the beauty and obvious power of a dragon. That is something Gaja's determined to correct. With jewels, with things that shimmer a shine in every form of light, with items to make this human shape seem more like the gorgeous and fearsome dragon he truly is.

What's a dragon without its claws? These especially reminded Gaja of claws and, well, wouldn't Nam's human body look more appealing with claws of his own? Something sharp to match the sharp look in Nam's eyes. Dangerous, but beautiful. Don't mind Gaja getting distracted by the light dancing over the details of those claws. He's a bird, after all.

❝ Our greatest glory is not in never falling ❞

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