There was a murmur going about those who were also spending their time at the tavern. Most of the other patrons were sitting within the building itself, keeping to themselves, but there was a tension starting to grow in the air. Whispers and soft speaking hidden behind hands were too quiet to make out clearly, but the man with the blindfold knew they were speaking about himself and his shaven-headed company. There was concern and worry in their hushed voices as one farmer eyed the shaven-headed man and noted at how he was staring at the silver-haired stranger. There was a light within the man's eyes that flickered and burned. Of course Nomi knew of this fire that burned within the man sitting opposite him, he didn't need to see it in his eyes. He couldn't of course, but at the same time, he could 'see' so much about the man opposite him then even the sharpest pair of eyes couldn't. It was an incredibly exciting feeling, and the silver-haired man did an awfully good job of hiding his excitement. In fact, as the wooden creak of the stool on the other side of the table took the shaven-headed man's weight, Nomi remained as motionless as a stone statue, hands still grasped about his cup of sake.

[color=blue]”Do they know each other?”[/color]
The voices of the patrons were getting clearer to hear for the man without eyes. This one was of a man who too had been drinking sake, as his voice was a fraction slurred, his breathing heavy but strong. Must have been a farmer having a rest or perhaps a solider on his day off.
[color=green]”I hope they don't fight... The war has already ended...”[/color]
This one was the young jasmine-scented waitress from earlier. Her voice was shaky, scared. It sounded like she was gripped another one of those circular serving trays to her chest, perhaps hiding part of her face behind it nervously. There was other chatter, all hushed and whispered, but Nomi cared not for that. There was a man sitting opposite him but there were no words shared as of yet. The silver-haired man continued to hold his cup of sake up, waiting for his company to raise his the same way so they could drink. Nomi could feel the eyes of the man before him staring hard, burning furiously. He was not happy, it seemed.

Even as the mounted soldiers rode by, their gear clanking and rustling with the movements of the beasts they rode, no words were still shared between either man. Ah of course, he was being polite! Waiting for the men to pass so they could speak without having to raise their voices. This was a public place after all and they would not want to disturb the other patrons from their drinks and meals. Though as Nomi continued to hold his sake cup up before him in both hands, he could feel the shaven-headed man being distracted. That, was dangerous. But nothing come of it. The 'statue' offering sake remained as rooted to the spot as the many trees that formed the forest a short distance away.

The smallest of smirks appeared on Nomi's lips as the man from the forest eventually spoke up. He couldn't help it. To hear that tone of his, to feel the anger in his voice within his ears. The lecture came as predicted, speaking of 'real friends' and family. How many times was he going to use that excuse? His wife was dead, yes Nomi knew that. News of his son though was slightly surprising. Not that he didn't believe he [i]had[/i] a son, but the fact that he had perished. Rustling of attire still was not enough to falter the sake offering blind man. The scrape of the cup on the table and the splatter of good drink going down to the sun dried, dusty ground. More harsh words from his 'friend' followed after the cup had been returned to the table. Only when he had finished speaking and calmed himself down, did Nomi finally move once more. Slowly and calmly, like he had been doing ever since he arrived at this tavern, the silver-haired man pulled his sake cup to his lips and drank the liquor within. With a tiny 'clink' of cup resting down upon table, Nomi calmly placed his hands either side of his now empty cup.

[color=teal]”My my my, aren't we rude today? Am I right in thinking something has possibly upset you?”[/color]
That sneer had returned from earlier and the blindfolded man just 'stared' directly at the man who was sitting opposite him, as if he were staring deep past his face, his flesh and his bones and was instead looking deep into his very mind, or even his soul. Nomi could 'see' the man before him, he was a torrent of wind and fire swirling about, uncontrolled, untamed. He actually felt tiny in comparison, staring upwards at a towering giant ready to lift it's foot and crush the worms below.
[color=teal]”Maybe you've been hiding in your cave or your forest for too long to have noticed, but the war has ended. Young men will no longer be taken from their villages and marched off to battle. Peace has come to the kingdom and a new age has been ushered in. The future holds promise and has room for good things to come now. Is this not reason enough to celebrate?”[/color]
Nomi had tilted his head to his right a fraction before shifting his torso slowly in the same direction. It appeared as they he were 'looking' to where the shaven-headed man had poured his drink onto the floor below. The creak of his stool reached his ears as he returned his posture to how it was before, upright and respectful.

[color=teal]”Besides, I don't know what you're talking about. Me? Toxic? Ridiculous. I'm but a blind man enjoying his sake on this peaceful summer day. What is so toxic about that? Perhaps the toxic one if the man who is shouting, the man who has fire in his chest, the man who currently holds the pommel of his sword like a frightened child clings to it's mothers hand. Don't be frightened, my old friend.”[/color]
Soft chuckling escaped his lips once more, the blind man 'looking' down to the table as he took hold of his first sake bottle and emptied the rest of its contents into his cup.
[color=teal]”Oh, and try to keep your voice down - ”[/color]
The blind man's left hand rose from the table and he jabbed a thumb towards the tavern, pointing out the patrons watching them from the door and behind the windows.
[color=teal]” - you're disturbing the peace here. That's not like you at all.”[/color]