Logs:If Not For Her
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| RL Date: 29 January, 2010 |
| Who: K'del, Teris |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Teris congratulates K'del on re-winning his Weyrleadership. |
| Where: K'del's Weyr, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 22, Month 11, Turn 21 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Milani/Mentions, Tiriana/Mentions |
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| K'del's Weyr, High Reaches Weyr Rank certainly has its privileges, and among them are amply appointed apartments. The short flight of stairs from the Weyrleader's Complex opens up into the larger of two chambers, formally decorated and clearly designed to cater as much to important guests as the occupant's personal living. Old, but obviously expensive, llama wool rugs dyed blue-and-black cover the stone floor, leading towards the second chamber, the stairs, and the rush-filled dragon couch and ledge beyond it. A formal seating arrangement - a sofa and chairs, all blue-and-black - sits around a large, tiled fireplace, whilst along the other wall, a finely made, if now somewhat antique, desk sits between a bookshelf and a tall cupboard to which tack-hooks have been attached, riding gear arranged neatly inside. Two tapestries hung from the high walls depict overdone splendour for High Reaches Weyr, one a long view of the snow-covered bowl, and the other a hazy impressionist piece of dragons flaming over a springtime countryside. The inner weyr, made up of a sleeping cavern and a private bathing area, is smaller and cosier and distinctly less ostentatious. An oversized wooden sleigh bed fills much of the space, the mattress piled high with overstuffed down pillows and comforter, their covers dyed in varying shades of navy blue, light blue and bronze. There's a nightstand on either side, both with reading lamps, and against one of the other walls, a tall, heavy wardrobe made from a dark wood that matches the bed. The bathing area is part of the same cavern, a folding screen shielding the toilet and slightly raised, double-sized bathtub built into the stone, and a small shelf holding toiletries, shaving equipment, and clean towels. It's evening, and one of those evenings when K'del is home alone, not that that would be common knowledge. Evidently, having no plans of an evening tends to mean working late for K'del, who can be found stretched out on the couch in socks but no shoes, and with a whiskey bottle and glass sitting on the table next to him. Reading, and making regular notes, he lifts his head to glance at the fire every so often, thoughtful; he's doing just this when the sound of knocking turns his gaze away further, in surprise. After a pause that lasts no more than a couple of seconds, the Weyrleader says, voice raising to a question; "Come in?" He? Is totally not moving from that couch. Teris does just that almost at the same time that K'del says the words. "You know, when someone knocks on your door, you could at least have the decency to get up and welcome them in," she says as she lets herself in and sees just what's kept the Weyrleader from doing as much. "And don't you ever even ask who it is?" If anyone was hoping for some break in her personality, that's just too bad. "I can't believe you're still here. I was all ready to come help you move out." "Too comfortable," says K'del, dismissing the idea of actually getting up; indeed, it is quite cozily warm over where he is, and distinctly less so towards the door. "Anyway, what's wrong with welcoming you from here? Hello, Teris." He's set down his notes to allow himself to cross his arms lazily and watch her, amused. "Should I ask who it is? Reckon it might've been a convict here to murder me, or something?" Beat. "Figure they probably wouldn't /knock/." He ignores her last remark, for the time being, except for in the way he shrugs so easily; so smugly. Teris makes her way toward the cozy warmth, though it's probably not the warmth she's thinking about itself. Just a nice benefit. His welcome is met with a tight smile and a roll of her eyes but she says politely anyway, "Thank you. Maybe I should have an actual conversation with some of the convicts and invite them to come visit you." Her smile there is quite brilliant. Fake, but brilliant. She helps herself to a seat nearby and glances at the fire instead of paying attention to any smugness. "/I've/ already had a conversation with them," says K'del, evidently somewhat proud of himself. "Got them some gloves." This is important news: he punctuates it with a nod of his head, whether or not she's looking at him to see it. "Care for a drink?" The bottle is indicated with a tilt of his head, though, of course, there's only the one glass on the table. "Here for something particular, or to congratulate me, or--?" Are his eyebrows waggling? Smooth. Really smooth. "Congratulations would suggest that I /want/ you to be Weyrleader," Teris points out almost good-naturedly. And clearly she doesn't. Maybe. She glances at the bottle with an expression that's neither smiling nor frowning, then she shifts for the glass to take a drink as she settles back into the seat, pulling her feet up to curl comfortably. "Of course now that you've screwed Tiriana again, I can't get the thought of you and me out of my head." It's dead pan to the point of sounding serious. No brow waggling here, though. "And are those reasons for not wanting me as Weyrleader personal or professional, I wonder?" K'del asks, though he doesn't, it may be noted, seem terribly offended by this. It's Teris; he probably doesn't expect anything different. Her second comment is enough that he gives her a very intent look for a few moments, appraising, awkward enough that he bites at his lip. Then, taking a deep breath, he attempts a joke - "Pretending it was you there with me, hm? Bet she'd've preferred it was, too." Though that last bit really is serious. "Both, I guess," Teris returns, sounding honest at least. She takes another drink but this time she has to clear her throat to keep from coughing. Whiskey isn't what she tends to drink by choice. She isn't all that awkward herself by all appearances but she is curled up and that's not a position she takes in just anyone's presence. "Yes, well... she probably would have preferred me over you, too." Definitely joking but probably not really that far-fetched. K'del accepts this with reasonable equanimity, too, laughing, "Guess there's a fair few people who'd agree with you on at least part of that." He? Has either had enough whiskey that he no longer cares about much at all, or he's just getting used to all of this. Or both. Eyeing Teris, he adds, "There's probably some beer or something, if you'd rather that." Maybe saying that distracts him from the idea of Teris-and-Tiriana, but... not for long. "That," he adds, eyes half closing, tone full of warmth, "would be /hot/. Maybe not hot enough to give up my weyrleadership for, though." "This is fine," Teris says with a very slight edge of offense. She can hold her whiskey! Even if it's going to be through force of will if nothing else. "Men are disgusting," she adds, tone a little wistful rather than actual disgusted. "Though I'd bet that if you actually would, there might be some actual consideration for a show there." But she probably wouldn't say that if she actually though he might give up his knot. "I guess it means we're still friends, at least." Easily; "Okay." The wistfulness in her voice draws K'del's attention closer, a frown lingering around the edges of his mouth and eyes though he doesn't voice anything. "Either that tells me she'd doing anything to get rid of me - and maybe you would, too - or you're both /actually/ hot for each other. Which is a far better concept to my thinking, you know?" He's teasing, audibly and visibly, though he adds, a little more seriously, "Still friends? Why wouldn't we be? Because if I wasn't Weyrleader you wouldn't need to be for Tiriana?" "She is pretty," Teris admits, blue eyes watching the fire again now as she takes another drink. It's smaller and less likely to make her choke. "Anyway, if she actually wanted to get rid of you, she would, wouldn't she?" So maybe he can just think they're hot for each other. "More or less, I think. Not sure it ever would have come up otherwise anyway. Besides, your weyr would be more difficult to get to if you weren't in this one." That actually earns a small, thoughtful smile. An admission easily agreed to: "She is. That mean you're--" Pause, as he works out his wording, "Disinterested in sleeping with women in the same way as you are in sleeping with men?" Or interested. Hopefully interested. "Suppose she would. Though... she hasn't managed this far, has she?" And that makes him smirk a little, obviously pleased. Though it's with mock seriousness that he adds, "People might think you /were/ sleeping with me, if you had to beg rides up to visit." "Mostly," Teris answers the question without giving much pause to think about it. "Never really thought about it, I guess." Which she does now, presumably, since she falls silent for a few long moments to take another drink. Then she stirs, unfolding herself from the seat and setting the glass back down where it had been as she leans forward. "You know, that could just mean she hasn't actually tried. And I'd rather people think I was sleeping with the Weyrleader than some random bronzerider." So there. While she's silent, K'del's watching her, interest marked in his gaze. "You're strange," he says, finally, with genuine-- something to his tone. Thoughtfulness? Consideration? As she sets the glass down, he reaches to pick it up, taking a sip from it himself. Well... he /was/ using it before she came in, after all. "Maybe she hasn't. Don't much care; she can try whatever she likes. Iovniath /wanted/ Cadejoth." Like this makes a huge difference. "You're a snob. All about appearances, isn't it?" A brow hitches up slightly when Teris turns her head toward him for that first comment. But she's not sure how to respond to it, so she just leaves it alone, watching him pick up the glass instead. "No accounting for taste, I suppose. But I don't understand dragons." Or males in general. "Appearances are important," she assures him, rising to her feet and smoothing a hand over her shirt. Her eyes close for a moment, probably feeling that whiskey just a little bit, but she stays standing rather than sitting back down. "Not sure that makes me a snob." K'del, ever watchful, is probably aware of how much Teris might be feeling that whiskey; he keeps the glass in his hand, though he doesn't have any more himself. "You don't understand people, either," he points out. "Or love. Heard about your little conversation with Milani, little while back." He's silent for a moment after that, though his comment was light - not outright chastising. "Kind of depends. If a mere bronzerider isn't good enough for your appearance, guess I would call that snobbish. Bronzeriders are perfectly acceptable." "Love," Teris says the word along the lines of 'bah!' and waves a dismissive hand for it. "I understand people just fine." And there's no apologies for her conversation with the headwoman. "Anyway, I'll have you know I met a man that I quite like and he's not even a dragonrider or anyone important. So there you go. I'm not a snob at all." It makes her laugh for some reason, just a small one. "/That/ I doubt," says K'del, plainly, but not maliciously. "A man? You quite like a /man/? That's high praise, coming from you." His expression encourages further elaboration, even if his words don't say it outright. "Even snobs like people, occasionally. Very occasionally." Teris takes the step or so to where he's settled and she sits there where there's a bit of room for her on the edge. K'del is either safe as far as she's concerned or whiskey is not a drink she'll be indulging in at all in the future. "High praise. I'd like you more if not for her," she muses, more an out loud thought than an actual attempt at conversation. Then; "I think he's more or less as lost a cause as you, unfortunately." K'del even shifts his legs some to make more room for her, though, given the way he's laying back, the /most/ comfortable place would be snuggled up alongside him. Still - he doesn't actually seem to be expecting, or even encouraging, that kind of position. Much. "Well, she's not going anywhere, so I guess I'm going to have to live with that," he muses, lightly, shifting the glass from one of his hands to the other. "Lost cause, huh? Why?" While she does seem to consider the space there, Teris is by no means moving to fill it. There's a moment where she glances away and seems genuinely disappointed over the reiteration of his commitment to Milani before trying to school her expression. It's not quite as smooth a process as usual. "Another woman," she replies. Other women, the bane of her existence lately. Though that could probably be broadened to just include all people in general. Softly, K'del notes, "Even if there were no Milani, can't be what you'd want me to be, Teris. Not suited to sticking to one woman; wouldn't work." And he looks-- not outright apologetic, as such, but more serious than usual, as he notes that. And he grimaces, too, as he adds, "Sorry to hear that." And he means that genuinely, at least from the sound of it. "At least... if you've found someone you quite like, means there's a chance you'll find /another/ someone you quite like." "No," Teris murmurs almost reflexively to the idea of finding anyone else that she quite likes as she refocuses her attention on him. "I mean, obviously, I only like men that are taken or otherwise ill suited for what I want from them." She smiles, a little distantly, then moves a hand to pat him gently on the leg before she's rising again. "Anyway, I suppose, congratulations Weyrleader." It comes out probably without K'del really thinking about it: "Try women for a bit, maybe." Not very good advice, and actually, he looks a little repentant almost immediately, ducking his gaze, which conveniently lets him watch her hand withdraw from his leg. He pause for a moment, and then, quietly, tells her, "Thank you, Teris." Her first reaction to that is shooting K'del a quick look. But that dagger-y quality to Teris' gaze softens a moment later and she says agreeably, "Maybe I will." Then she's turning to start back for the door as she says to him, "Enjoy the rest of your evening, K'del." After a moment of awkward silence as she looks at him, K'del laughs merrily. "Shall look forward to you telling me all about your pretty girlfriend," he tells her, cheerfully, as he lifts his glass back towards his mouth. "You, too, Teris." He sounds fond, and watches her to the door. There's a small laugh before she quite reaches the door then when she does, Teris glances back at him briefly before slipping out without further comment on that particular matter. |
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