(RQ) rock it, roll it
Zeph
Vervain Calob
Huntress / Witch

Age: 44 | Height: 5'9 | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 5 - Strg: 11 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 19 - Luck: 16 - Int:
COCO - Regular - Cloud Wyrm
Played by: Honey Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,328 | Total: 16,318
MP: 0
#15
to heal a wound, you need to stop touching it
Vai is, indeed, collecting up the rest of the pebbles, and hopefully that also means there will be less rocks available for Zeph to lob at the hels. Still, he's managed to throw a good deal of them at the birds by the time he realises they'll never stand a chance of hitting, and Vai is trying her best not to laugh when he's thrusting his jacket and shirt at her. "Oh?" She takes them, of course, folding them over one arm and shamelessly admiring him in the moonlight as he wades into the shallows.

Graceful her man is not, but he somehow makes it work as he emerges from the ocean, and Vai is grinning as she watches. "Gorgeous," she calls to him, beckoning him back towards her. "C'mon, oh siren of the sea. We've got a bag of rocks - let's go get a drink."
Vervain
Zephyr Kawaianu
Smuggler / Guildmaster

Age: 42 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 26 - Luck: 10 - Int:
KI - Regular - Panther Chamelon
Played by: shark Offline
Change author:
Posts: 680 | Total: 4,577
MP: 2580
#16
you'll breathe easier just knowing that the worst is all behind you
& the waves that tossed the raft all night have set you on dry land
Now very damp indeed (but also free of guano), you obediently make your way back to Vervain's side. Once there you of course shake like a dog to get some of the remaining moisture from your hair, fixing her with a mischievous grin and leaning over to plant a kiss upon her cheek as you take back the bag of rocks. The salt water has washed away the remainder of your irritation; you pull your shirt and jacket back on, then throw your arm around her waist, tugging your woman close.

"Drink sounds great." So you begin to meander your way back towards town, intending to hit up one of the beachside bars. There's a few on the outskirts of Haulani, near the 'Road, one of which you stop at, gallantly pulling out Vai's seat before flagging down a bartender for two Whatever's Goods and a Catch of the Day and some pūpū of poke and tempura shrimp.

The secluded table overlooks the waves, and you move your chair to be closer to Vai's - for the view, of course. "So," comes to your tongue as you wait for the drinks and food to arrive, "Th'people who came back. Know any'uv 'em?"
zeph
Vervain Calob
Huntress / Witch

Age: 44 | Height: 5'9 | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 5 - Strg: 11 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 19 - Luck: 16 - Int:
COCO - Regular - Cloud Wyrm
Played by: Honey Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,328 | Total: 16,318
MP: 0
#17
to heal a wound, you need to stop touching it
Handing him clothes and then bag-of-rocks, Vai tucks herself comfortably under Zeph's arm, smiling up at him and slinging an arm around his waist in return. "Mm, it does," she agrees, falling into step with him as they stroll back along the beach away from the Rainbow Road, towards the twinkling lights of Haulani and the bars that never seem to close. "It feels so strange for it to be Deepfrost again," she remarks as they head into one of the establishments.

Giving her date a roguish curtsey, Vai sinks down into her seat and scoots her chair up next to Zeph so they can be obnoxous and sit close. "You know, it was LongNight last year when you and I first met." It feels like it's only been seconds, some days. Speaking of which, it's been barely a moment since a crowd of people returned at the Festival of Lights. "I know of some of them more than I know them," Vai explains. "Edrei Launceleyn, Isla Lockwood, a few others... They were closer to Remi and Ronin than they were me. But yeah, a few familiar faces."
Vervain
Zephyr Kawaianu
Smuggler / Guildmaster

Age: 42 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 26 - Luck: 10 - Int:
KI - Regular - Panther Chamelon
Played by: shark Offline
Change author:
Posts: 680 | Total: 4,577
MP: 2580
#18
you'll breathe easier just knowing that the worst is all behind you
& the waves that tossed the raft all night have set you on dry land
"It was." Barely a year, and look at you now. Living together. Saying I love you. Somehow she's taken you from grumpy hermit widower to being alive again, which is as terrifying as it is wonderful. Even now as you sit together like two lovesick teens with your hand on her knee and your attention trained on her sparkling eyes, the infectious smile, you can't really track how you got to this point. Love's like that, you suppose- it keeps itself hidden for stretches of time, but when it's gonna show up there's very little chance of keeping it contained.

The list of names means nothing to you, of course, because none of the people who came back were anyone you would miss. No Torchers among the resurrected ranks, and that's a solid testament to the stubbornness of your people, you think. The waitress comes over with your drinks - mai tai's - and you nod your gratitude, raising the fruity cocktail in a silent cheers.

Your drink returns to the table before your lips, a sign that you've got Serious Thoughts mulling through your mind, waiting patiently to be formed into words. "D'ya think... y'woulda wanted it t'be someone y'know?" You're looking at the orange beverage, not at her. You know her husband and daughter are at least presumed alive, but the implication is there. "When I first heard, I thought... I dunno. That maybe Ray was one'a 'em." Raising your hand from her knee to rake it through your steely curls, you bark a mirthless laugh. "Guess it's just as well he wasn'. 'magine me tryin'a raise a kid."
zeph
Vervain Calob
Huntress / Witch

Age: 44 | Height: 5'9 | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 5 - Strg: 11 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 19 - Luck: 16 - Int:
COCO - Regular - Cloud Wyrm
Played by: Honey Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,328 | Total: 16,318
MP: 0
#19
to heal a wound, you need to stop touching it
Zeph's got Deep Thoughts, and Vai's got a growing love of mai tai's - it explains why she's busy enjoying the cocktail while he's mulling over what he wants to say. It serves a dual purpose, giving him space to think, and not making a big deal of the fact that it's happening in the first place. When the question finally does come, Vai's brow furrows; she's not sure, honestly, and it shows on her face. "I don't know. If it happened now, with you or with Felix...? Yeah, I think I would. But too much water has passed under that bridge, for me."

She can only tell him her personal feelings on the matter - that doesn't say anything for Zeph. Vai smiles and nudges her shoulder against his, as if in reassurance. "What makes you say that?" she asks. "The Torcher kids love you. And you've been amazing with Felix. I can imagine it pretty well, thank you very much."
Vervain
Zephyr Kawaianu
Smuggler / Guildmaster

Age: 42 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 26 - Luck: 10 - Int:
KI - Regular - Panther Chamelon
Played by: shark Offline
Change author:
Posts: 680 | Total: 4,577
MP: 2580
#20
you'll breathe easier just knowing that the worst is all behind you
& the waves that tossed the raft all night have set you on dry land
She's so fucking patient with you, in a way El never was. And yeah, you shouldn't be comparing, but right in this moment you're fucking grateful for the woman you have. You try to show it in the squeeze upon her knee before your hand makes its retreat. "Same," you agree, eyes closed right as relief twinges with guilt at the difficult confession. Too much is different.

Too much is the same.

You scoff when Vai says you're good with kids, cheeks rugged red with secret pleasure, something you doubt anyone else could catch onto - but her? She knows you. "Felix's hardly a kid," you point out quietly, "An'th' urchins- they ain't mine." Oh, sure, they are in a grandiose and abstract way, but she knows what you mean.

Does she know what you're driving at, though? You scarcely do yourself - the idea's been there at the periphery of your thoughts for a while, sure, you've refused to look at it, let alone say it out loud. But now as you sit under the stars next to a woman who you trust with your heart, sipping a mai tai and waiting for shrimp, you figure, fuck it, why not let it out.

You take a long gulp of your drink. Then you set it down. Stare at the glass. Try not to clench it too tightly. Inhale.

"I think... I'd want it, 'gain. A kid who's mine." And now you turn to Vai with no expectation, just boyish innocence and love and vulnerability. "Ours."
zeph
Vervain Calob
Huntress / Witch

Age: 44 | Height: 5'9 | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 5 - Strg: 11 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 19 - Luck: 16 - Int:
COCO - Regular - Cloud Wyrm
Played by: Honey Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,328 | Total: 16,318
MP: 0
#21
to heal a wound, you need to stop touching it
He's closing his eyes and blushing in a way that Vai can't help but find adorable, and she leans in to kiss his shoulder after another sip of her cocktail. She might not know the ins and outs of these Very Deep Thoughts, but she can at least give them space to settle, like mist on the waves at the break of dawn. "Mm, he might not act like it or look like it, but I bet you he's still more of a kid than he lets on." She grins regarding Felix, knowing the boy to be the type to still climb into bed with them when a storm is raging outside.

Zeph can find that out at monsoon season, though.

Granted, thoughts of Felix or the urchins or anything else pretty much shoot out of her mind like a cannonball at his next remark. Vai can feel it coming, almost, like a tremor in the earth, and she's sat herself up and busied herself with also taking a large gulp of her drink when the bombshell drops. The result, of course, is that she almost breathes it all in.

Spluttering spectacularly, the witch has to hold up a finger to tell Zeph to wait a moment while she recovers from drowning on the mai tai. The alcohol burns, and that's not a bad thing, Vai sitting up straight and clearing her throat in as dignified a way as she can manage.

"I'm sorry - come again?"
Vervain
Zephyr Kawaianu
Smuggler / Guildmaster

Age: 42 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 26 - Luck: 10 - Int:
KI - Regular - Panther Chamelon
Played by: shark Offline
Change author:
Posts: 680 | Total: 4,577
MP: 2580
#22
you'll breathe easier just knowing that the worst is all behind you
& the waves that tossed the raft all night have set you on dry land
Okay, well, you'd be lying if you said you weren't a little taken aback by her reaction. You'd expected... well, you hadn't really expected anything, but even so you can feel yourself deflating as Vai chokes on her mai tai, looking for all the world like you just proposed she marry a merman and become the Queen of the Sea. Like what you're asking is so outrageous, instead of a normal thing that normal people do.

Your grip on the glass tightens, knuckles beginning to blanch white. The hopeful smile that had begun to spread over your face abruptly dies; you frown at the orange liquid, now finding the color off-putting rather than pleasant and warm. "Never mind. Forget it." Are you being a big sulky baby about this? Maybe. Maybe that's why Vai doesn't want another one - she's already saddled with you.
zeph
Vervain Calob
Huntress / Witch

Age: 44 | Height: 5'9 | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 5 - Strg: 11 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 19 - Luck: 16 - Int:
COCO - Regular - Cloud Wyrm
Played by: Honey Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,328 | Total: 16,318
MP: 0
#23
to heal a wound, you need to stop touching it
It's absolutely a thing that normal people do, but given how at least half of their time together is spent joking about being old, it would be a lie to say that Vai has been expecting to carry another child in her life. Hence the choking. And once she recovers and it's so clear that she's somehow offended the usually rough and tumble man beside her, the witch finds herself feeling a curious mix of guilt and outrage. Guilt, for making him feel so badly. And outrage for the lack of forethought.

"I don't think it's possible to forget it now that you've said it," she tries, raising an eyebrow at him and tilting her head, trying to catch his eye. "Sorry if it wasn't the resounding yes you were hoping for. It's not... this is big. A baby is a lifetime of responsibility."
Vervain
Zephyr Kawaianu
Smuggler / Guildmaster

Age: 42 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 5 - Strg: 25 - Dext: 19 - Endr: 26 - Luck: 10 - Int:
KI - Regular - Panther Chamelon
Played by: shark Offline
Change author:
Posts: 680 | Total: 4,577
MP: 2580
#24
you'll breathe easier just knowing that the worst is all behind you
& the waves that tossed the raft all night have set you on dry land
Well this has all gone right to hell, hasn't it? You've put your foot in your mouth yet again, and now you're choking on it, unable to come up with anything helpful to say. Are you more hurt because you really wanted a baby, or because she doesn't want one with you? Now seems like a good time to put aside your wounded pride and get some clarification for yourself, but here you are, balls-out sulking, and quite frankly Vai isn't making it much better.

"I know that," you grumble in response, now transitioning to downing your beverage in one big gulp. "Just- forget it." Your voice holds no room for protest or further discussion, at least right now. If you didn't have food on the way you might walk off to cool your head; as it is you sink into your chair, glowering as the appetizers are delivered to your table. You'll pick at them and make very awkward conversation for the rest of the night, and then when it's time to go home you'll excuse yourself to take a walk and calm your fucking tits. And absolutely nothing will go wrong as a result, with LongNight drawing near and tensions high.

Nope, nothing. Nothing at all.

{fin}
zeph


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)


RPG-D