[SE] Haul out the holly

After Koa's assistance as a most excellent wingman and finding out that the Dragoon knew and liked Alys, Tal had made an awkward invitation for the handsome man to spend the night at his place. After the usual round of delightful misunderstandings and innuendo the courier had swung by a few more shops to pick up some festive holiday items and led the way back to Meadowreach, showing off the road that stretched from the Exchange to Mourn as they did so.

Boreal was just happy to have a noodlehat again, and to show Pip all the best places to find mice in the snow and where there were sheep to harass along the way. Tal, on the other hand, was proud to nearly bursting as they crested a hill and the house he and Alys had built together came into view atop a small rise. It was downright picturesque in the evening light with snow limning the eaves and a faint curl of smoke rising from the chimney.

"She's out doin' a readin' for a merchant tonight," he explained as he led the way around the back to the door there and unlocked it so he could shepherd their little parade to the second floor where the private home was. "If y'can help me get the decorations up before she gets home, I'll even throw in dinner!" He tried a tentative grin at the Dragoon, though there was a flicker of anxiety in it as he waited to see how this attempt at comradely teasing would be taken.

If we're being honest, Koa had waffled as to whether he should accept the offer of a place to stay the night - mostly because the alternative was the House of Midnight, and boy did that sound like a good time. In the end he'd succumbed to the age old adage of bros before hoes, agreeing to help Tal decorate (though not without some lingering gazes in Hawthorn's direction, promising a future visit). The Courier had seemed like he needed a friend very, very slightly more than Koa needed a lay.

By the time they reach the little house Pip's fur is predictably full of snowballs; balefully she chirps to Boreal for help getting them out. Koa shakes his head at her, sighing at her predictably chaotic nature. "Deal!" he laughs from behind the armfuls of boughs and decor he's insisted on carrying, squeezing in after the dragon brigade.

Koa deposits his wares on an entryway table before stooping down to remove his boots and outerwear. Only after depositing them neatly wherever Tal delegates does he step in fully, his almond eyes eagerly perusing the home. "It's so... cozy," the Dragoon settles on wistfully, and the half-smile on his face is just a little sad. "Really feels like a home." Something he doesn't have right now.

Maybe won't have again.

The scaled dragon might not have had to worry about snow the same way that Pip did, but she'd been auntie godmother to enough sled dog pups to know the drill. Admittedly Pip was much longer than the round little butterballs Boreal was used to cleaning up, but the challenge was accepted with a contented rumble as she led Pip towards the hearth where they could flop down so the dragon's warm breath and rough tongue could clean the little noodle up with some help from the fire.

Tal wasn't entirely oblivious to Koa's sacrifice and he was grateful for the other man's company as much as for his advice in matters of romance - or at least, matters of romancing. The Dragoon was effortlessly suave, confident, and cool as the proverbial cucumber, not to mention looking amazing in uniform, and Tal would have been more jealous if he wasn't a little starry-eyed himself over the younger man.

His heart was firmly tucked into Alys's petite, capable hands, however, so as much as he might enjoy looking that was as far as things would go while the current status quo held true.

The boots came off in the entry and then it was a final, short step up into the 'house' proper; their two shops were downstairs, side-by-side with an adjoining door, but the upstairs consisted of a common room and kitchen separated only by a tall counter, while several doors led off the common room towards the back of the house, presumably to bedrooms and a bathroom. Tal watched Koa's reaction eagerly, soaking in the compliment like a grumpy little sponge, but the sadness in the Dragoon's voice didn't go entirely unnoticed. "Well... it is, yeah," the courier agreed, reaching out hesitantly to give his friend's arm a reassuring squeeze. "An' you're welcome here any time. What's your place back in Stormbreak like?" He hunted around for a minute before finding his hammer and some small nails and began eying the likeliest locations for some greenery. "Here, can y'bring a couple o' those wreaths over?" he asked, beginning to hammer a few in for Koa to fill with holiday cheer.

One might expect Koa to start prowling through the home like a curious kitten, but the Dragoon does no such thing. Trained from childhood to be polite, the young man stands at quiet attention, perhaps even a little stiff. He's not sure what to touch, where to look, and so he defers to his host, waiting for direction as to where and how he might proceed. It's unsettlingly like and unlike his own home, and the unfamiliar familiarity has him somewhat on edge

The hand on his arm is met with a smile, Koa relaxing a little bit at this friendly touch. "Clean," he answers without second thought, immediately backtracking as he realizes the implication of what he's said. "Not that your place isn't," he clarifies, holding up his hands. "It's just- my Ma, she always made sure we kept the house tidy. Though Noe - my sister - moved out, and I'd been mostly sleeping in my office in the Nest, so who knows what Dad's done with the place..."

He's rambling, he knows it. At least his rambling is still engaging, full of inflection and the easy humor so often used to shield pain. Still, he's grateful when Tal gives him direction, springing eagerly into the task of retrieving and hanging wreaths. Following the trail of nails, he begins to hang the first of the boughs. "Please tell me if I've fucked this up - I'm awful at anything aesthetic. It's kind of a running joke in my family." A lighthearted laugh of self-effacement; a wistful, nostalgic smile.

Luckily Talyson hadn't jumped to conclusions for once - or at least, hadn't taken offense. He just snorted and gave an understanding nod. "Mine, too," he murmured to the comment on mothers who insisted on cleanliness. At least until that last year, when she'd chosen death by bottle and stopped caring about the rest. "What's your dad like?" Alive, at least, it sounded like, and Tal hoped it was a safe enough topic as he grabbed the nails and got to preparing the resting places of the wreaths and garlands.

He glanced over at the request for feedback, but his own grin was lopsided and on the sheepish side. "Can't say I'm much better," he admitted freely. "I've always preferred outdoors t'in, so usually it was my sisters that did th'decoratin'. I didn't even get around t'doin' my old place in Halo th'year I lived in it. But for Alys, well... I figure it's worth th'effort, y'know? An' somethin's gotta be better'n nothin'!"

Oh, optimistic young fool. That wasn't even a little bit true, but with a little luck he'd manage to remain blissfully ignorant of that fact of decorating for another season.

"Uhhhhh." What's his dad like? That's a difficult topic to broach, the Carpenter men never having had a relationship that could be described as 'close'. "He's... stubborn. Workaholic. A craftsman - mostly woodwork, but can work with pretty much anything." Unlike Koa, who's not inherited a single artistic gene.

Koa puts his hands on his hips, stepping back to admire his work. Which is... passable, he supposes, all things being the same. "My is the same," the Dragoon chuckles fondly, expression warming at the thought. "Every winter, she and dad would decorate while mom and I were out. Dunno why, but it always surprised us. Though we haven't really done it since the war." Again his sunny expression fades. Nothing has been the way it was, not for a long time.

But now isn't the time for sulking. Clearing his throat, Koa rallies, forcing his expression to warm again. "So, spill. How'd you and Alys wind up getting together?" His eyebrows waggle expressively, eager for a sappy love story to brighten the mood.

"Yeah?" Tal perked up at hearing that the elder Carpenter had been a woodworker - the name should have been a clue, but sometimes he was a little slow on the pickup. "I learned it from my aunt," he chipped in, jerking his chin towards the dining table that he'd made of burnished cherry wood. "He sounds a lot like my dad, 'cept mine didn't do much more'n whittlin'. He was more th'soldierly type." Tal got his artistic talents from his mother's side of the family, for sure.

"Wait, you've got sisters, too?" Tal paused in his hammering to step back and examine the results so far, but he also glanced at Koa with a lopsided grin of unexpected brotherhood. "Well, one. Which is more'n enough if she's anythin' like mine!" His grin faded alongside Koa's smile and he cleared his throat a little awkwardly before leaning in to bump his shoulder against his pal's in silent solidarity for things that would never be the same again.

The followup question brought a smile back to his face. He wasn't really built for 'sunny' but the expression was uncharacteristically soft as he ducked his head and went to grab a few more nails. "Ah. Well. Y'know. Th'usual way?" Which didn't explain anything, so good job Tal. Realizing that, he cleared his throat again and headed for a different wall to begin tackling the decorations on that side. "Ran into her in a tavern in Halo when she was fresh outta th'Grounds. She offered t'do a readin' for me an' I was kinda... skeptical." His ears warmed now at the memory in lingering embarrassment of how dumb he'd been, but at least he hadn't been rude. "Was one o' th'rare times I didn't put my whole damn foot in my mouth, though. We kept runnin' into each other after that an' became friends, an' then she wanted t'see more o'Caido an' I had a skyboat an'... well... one thing kinda led t'another?" He glanced back, his smile turning sheepish. "I figured out I was happier when she was with me'n when she wasn't. So... I asked her t'make it official an' for some reason she agreed. We'll be comin' up on a year t'gether, th'end o'Deepfrost."

They're opposites in inheritance, but still neatly mirrored, their similarities forming yet another bond between the two. Both having sisters is another nail in the friendship coffin, (a metaphor that falls apart under any close scrutiny), and Koa feels himself opening more to the Courier, eased by companionship's warming flush.

Koa's elbows hit the counter, his chin settling attentively upon folded hands. Having abandoned any further dreams of decoration in favor of gossip, he is fully invested in the tale of Tal and Alys, despite the little twangs of jealousy the sugary story strums. "Romantic as fuck," he grins to the Courier, copper eyes twinkling at the sheepish smile. "You two are adorable. Hope it all works out for you."

Which... maybe isn't the right thing to say, given how downtrodden the man had looked earlier. But Koa isn't quite emotionally intelligent to follow that thread. Shifting his weight and pursing his lips, he tilts his head thoughtfully. "One year is a big deal. What're you doing to celebrate?"

Tal kept working until he realized that Koa had pulled up a chair. And, really, the place was looking green and festive enough that once he hung the last couple of swags of garland they could call it done. He stood back to look around at the common room in satisfaction but Koa's verdict on his romance brought renewed heat to his ears and neck. The courier ducked his head and flashed his friend a wrinkle-nosed grin of mixed gratitude and uncertainty.

He wasn't sure how he felt about being called adorable. Pip and Sasha were adorable. Boreal was adorable when she wanted something she couldn't bully out of him. But him? "Um... thanks. Hey, can I get y'anythin' t'drink?" Making his retreat way the short distance to the open kitchen he listened over his shoulder as he put the kettle on. The other man's question had him tilting his head, like a dog presented with a math problem.

"Celebrate? Uh... should I be doin' somethin' in particular?" Because while Alys wasn't Tal's first partner she was his first relationship and boy, did he need some help with the basic expectations.

“Sure, I’ll take whatever you got. I’m easy,” Koa says with, yes, a wink, because some habits die hard and it’s just so fun to mess with Tal. Taking the offer as an official dismissal from further decorating (at least for now), Koa pushes off the counter, moving instead to lean against a nearby wall. His gaze is attentive as he watches Tal, only slightly disappointed when the Courier produces a kettle rather than something strong.

"Well, yeah. It's your first anniversary, after all!" Not that Koa himself has ever managed to hold down a relationship for a full year, but you know that when he does, he'll go all the way out. "Tell me you're at least taking her out somewhere nice. And getting a haircut," he adds, eyeing Talyson's scruffy mane with unabashed criticism. Maybe Alys is in to the wild-man look, but there's a difference between roughing it chic and cut my hair blind in the bathroom with dull shears, and (least in Koa's estimation), Tal's leaning dangerously toward the second of the two.

The courier only took a moment to get the innuendo and then he snorted, ducking his head to try and hide the grin that flashed across his face. "I mean, if y'say so..." He wished he was quicker to think of witty comebacks or clever wordplay to join in, and in about three more minutes he'd have formulated the perfect teasing reply. But by then the conversation would have moved way past the one moment when it would have worked, so Tal focused on making the tea and fussing with a pair of mugs and some honey.

While he clattered his way around in the kitchen, Koa began his lessons in How To Be Less of a Schmuck Boyfriend and the courier found himself listening in carefully and trying to take down some mental notes. At the - somewhat rhetorical - question, he flinched a little and looked away from the Dragoon to watch the kettle and help it boil faster with the heat climbing over his ears and neck. "Uhhh... I c'n tell you that," he said slowly. "I mean... I can definitely say that, yeah." Would it be true?

What do you think, Koa?

Which was about the time that the rest of his buddy's words hit and Tal shot the other man an indignant look over his shoulder. "Hey! What's wrong with my haircut? I cut it m'self just five or six months ago!" So he wasn't due for another for at least a month or two!

Oh, no, Tal. Koa shakes his handsome head, the picture of a worldly mentor fondly exasperated by his mentee. ”Okay, here’s what you do. Find a nice restaurant. Don’t tell her where- girls love surprises.” He speaks with the great authority of youth, rather than any real knowledge. ”Then you meet her there with flowers and the bracelet, dressed in your nicest suit. Alys won’t know what hit her,” he finishes with a nod.

And he’s right - Alys will probably be very surprised. Especially since it isn’t really a Tal style move.

The horrible truth of Talyson’s grooming habits has the Dragoon aghast. ”Oh, dude. No.” A strict acolyte of the ‘every three weeks’ rule, Koa cannot fathom letting his hair go for months. Pushing away from the wall, he strides over and pulls gently at his friend’s hair, ‘tsk’ing mournfully at the split ends. ”Ok. Haircut, first thing. And then I’m getting you some new shampoo- and please tell Mr you condition,” he adds pleadingly, though his tone makes it clear he doesn’t hold much hope.

Tal listened with his nose wrinkled in deep thought and then made a dive for a pencil. Tearing a sheet off of another piece of paper he began to furiously scribble down Koa's game plan. The tip of his tongue stuck out of the side of his mouth as he took his notes in a surprisingly neat and concise script. "Flowers. Bracelet. Got it," he said with a decisive nod. "I've done flowers before. Well, kinda." He snorted glancing over to where Boreal had finished cleaning Pip up and had proudly brought the fuzzy noodle one of her favorite toys to play with. "Boreal ate most of 'em durin' th'delivery. But I c'n definitely do that again! I'll grab some from Torchline next time I'm there." Except the next time he was in Torchline he'd be fighting a giant Void Horror and getting his skyboat smashed up so the flowers might or might not get remembered.

The kettle started whistling and Tal missed the look of absolute horror on the other man's face as he busied himself with the teapot, measuring in a couple of spoonfuls of something black and spicy before pouring the water in to steep.

He didn't even notice Koa coming up behind him until the Dragoon was already there, tugging on the shaggy mane of hair that was thick and clean but suffering from neglect. Tal wrinkled his nose at his friend, shaking his head to free his tress as he contemplated an early haircut. He was clearly unconvinced, but at the question he perked up. "Oh yeah! I mean, I jump in the hot springs sometimes," he assured his friend with relief that he could finally answer positively to one of Koa's questions. A hot spring was kind of like conditioning, right? All those minerals had to be good for his hair, too! "Wait, what kinda shampoo do you use?" There was more than one type??