Logs:Jo's Idea of Scenic and Private
| |
|---|
| |
| RL Date: 6 August, 2013 |
| Who: Jo, Tayte |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Tayte asks Jo to get her out of the Weyr for an afternoon. The Rusty Nail is Jo's idea of scenic and private. |
| Where: Rusty Nail, High Reaches area |
| When: Day 13, Month 6, Turn 32 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Ali/Mentions, Azaylia/Mentions, H'vier/Mentions, K'del/Mentions, Markarin/Mentions, Yvalia/Mentions, Z'ian/Mentions |
| OOC Notes: Backdated and played via gdocs. |
  |
| When Tayte approached her about taking her away somewhere private and nice, the only place in Jo's usually busy schedule that matches is the Rusty Nail - which maybe, it's not 'nice', but it's private enough. Apparently the bluerider was meeting with someone briefly at the place, and so, the only way the vintner was going to catch her was right after the meeting concluded. The Rusty Nail wasn't the most seedy bar, but it had its share of filth in its men and women. The busty barmaids present seem to know Jo well with their overly-flirty greetings toward her, and even the bartender from behind the counter passed her over some drinks without her hands even dipping into her black leathers for payment. She's well known here. She drops the drinks by Tayte's table in the more shadowy corner of the bar before she spots her meeting companion and heads off to join his table. The man looks nondescript as he talks in earnest with Jo, a lot of nodding going on from her before he slides a hide-wrapped package across the table towards her. She pockets it into her jacket without skipping a beat, the two continuing their conversation before they both abruptly get to their feet and Jo pats him on the back. In five minutes, she's back at their table while the man is heading out into the night, reaching for her drink. "Sorry 'bout that," she says to Tayte as she leans back more comfortably in her seat and takes a long drink. She seems to be looking for someone, too, but it's obvious that she's searching vain since she gives it up and gives the blonde her full attention. "As ya can see, I don' get a lot of downtime, and he's not the only one I need to see tonight. What's good, Tayte?" If it's a bar, it's home so far as Tayte's concerned. Her eyes follow the moves of the barmaids (busty or not!) with interest, observing the bartenders, and the patrons alike. There's a smile for Jo as she accepts the drink and her eyes follow to where Jo heads, but don't linger there. She's just finished her own brief conversation with a barmaid when Jo starts heading back. A smile waves the wench off and is then turned on the bluerider. "I do see that. If I'd known, I'd've let you about your business and not asked you to trouble with me. I just-- wanted to see you." She shrugs her shoulders, "It's been a while." Too long, by the blonde's tone, though it's not a complaint. Without directly answering Jo's inquiry, she asks, "How've you been? Other than busy." Jo's already through most of her first drink of the night, crossing her legs as she takes a brief and liberally look about them. "It has," she allows on it being awhile, meeting her gaze. "And I've been good. Always good, even when I'm not." It's brisk, almost flippant and rehearsed as if it's an answer she gives far too often. There's a browlift at the fact that Tayte does not answer her question, but she doesn't say anything else other than with a gesture about, "Ever been to the Rusty Nail? Or any bar outside of Snowasis since movin' here?" for she hasn't seen her beyond the Weyr limits, her interested tone implies. Now Tayte answers. Well, sort of: "That's two of us. That are good. Even when we're not." Her eyes linger on Jo. The blonde's manner isn't flippant, but collected. "I hear Hraedhyth's flight has sent a bout of that good even when we're not going around." She reaches to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, then toying with the braid that snakes across her crown and down one side, though most of her hair is hanging loosely around her shoulders. "This is my first time. I've not had a chance to see the local scenes outside Snowasis. I'm going to make a point of traveling more, I think. Maybe even take Vali with me some places." Her eyes turn around the room as she lifts her glass, "Maybe not here." Her smile is amused at the idea though. Jo snorts on the flight, shaking her head. "I wasn' around for that," she tells her with a look. "In fact, I wasn' around the last time when both queens went up, either. Perhaps I'm lucky that there's far too much to be done beyond the walls than within, but, I'm sure certain folks are happier with the outcome of this one than the last. Most don' like chaos, can ya believe it?" It's sardonic at best, but the bluerider's smiling. "I personally enjoyed it, but I suppose some stability is needed to calm these folks down. They'll be good, stable leaders." That's the only opinion she seems to have on the matter, at least. "Did'ja get caught up in all that?" she asks now. The blonde's answer on the bar they're in gets a grin and a wry, "Ya should go around and check out. There's a lot of more decent ones than this one, but, the decent ones just aren' my thing. Here, there's more charm, and I don' need to worry about havin' to be polite'n shit like in those better ones.I wouldn' take Vali to these seedier ones, though," she catches the last, rumbling with amusement at the thought. "That girl don' need that sort of education yet." That might work on others, but Tayte? Tayte gives Jo a rebuking look. "Yes, and I'm sure it didn't affect you in the least that your bronzerider caught." At least she keeps her voice low in case it's the sort of information Jo wants floating around in a place like this. For all that she says it, it doesn't seem to be a press for information, simply a point made. There's an eyeroll for the matter of chaos and a soft, bemused and sarcastic drawl of, "Imagine." The gall of some people! Not liking chaos. After a few more sips, she answers the question: "I did. Ended up in bed with a bronzerider." Another drink and her eyes are sweeping around, "This place has personality, to be sure. I'll have to check out the others if Markarin will stop working me so hard." Her nose wrinkles in distaste at saying the name. "Oh yeah. Z'ian's caught," Jo is easy to say, as if she had merely forgotten that part of the flight news. There's a slight smirk to that though, as she's already trying to flag down a passing barmaid for a refill while adding, "I wasn' all that surprised, really. He'll be a good Weyrleader. Always told him so long before, when he didn' want to be. Not chaotic, but then, I suppose a Weyr shouldn' be, right?" She looks at Tayte then before she says, "Ended up fuckin' a bronzerider? There's worse things ya could've done, darlin'. Was he any good at least? Do I know him?" Pause. "Ya don' seem like a seedy bar type of girl," she observes now in slight amusement. Nodding towards the men at the bar, "They'll pinch yer ass in here. I know the guy that runs this place and he's as much an asshole as I am. As most folks in here. Ya might like the Left Six better though. Closer to Nabol. A lot of guards hang at that place." Tayte's not buying the ease, but she doesn't press Jo about it. "Well, good that he'll be good. As long as he's good at that and good to you, that's all I'd have care for." And that could end the matter, if Jo likes. As for her own chaotic experiences, "Yes. It was good. Really good. Only, he's not really the sort that--" She pauses and then redirects where she was going, "Only, I'd wanted to get with K'del. And he was off goodness knows where, so the first time I got with a man, it was with-- well, maybe Yvalia's blood father. Who wasn't a good choice then, and probably is still on the list of lovers I should avoid. It's definitely not the 'fewer more consistent lovers' that I'd promised myself I was looking for." She rolls her shoulders for whether or not Jo knows him. Doesn't Jo sort of know everyone? "I'll try not to break any fingers while I'm here." She notes of the ass pinching. "I like all kinds of bars, though. Don't need to worry about me." And whether she likes it here or not. Considering her for something said, "He's good to me, darlin'," Jo says with confidence, the crooked grin gentling. "We've been through a lot, he and I. Just another adventure. I let few get close to me, but him...." Well. There's a shrug to end that statement, draining her glass just as a passing barmaid finally comes by with a saucy smile for the both of them. Jo orders refills for them both with a look to Tayte and her glass before the woman saunters away, and she states, "K'del was missin' after the flight? Yeah, I would wonder where he got off to, too. I think a faction was still hopin' that he reclaim the leadership. Folks're used to him and the way he does things. Does he ever talk about it to ya? Ya know," and she gestures in a circular motion in the pause before saying, "His time since not bein'...?" And then, hearing that Yvalia's blood father-possible gets a brow raise from her before she drops, "I thought her dad was in Ista?" Beat. "Vintner," is all she says on her liking all kinds a bars. "Of course." Smirk. "Good." Tayte says of Z'ian's treatment of Jo. "So long as you're happy. Or near enough to." The smile for the brunette is one colored with soft emotion, affection mostly, and something not readily identified. "I don't know that he was missing, but he wasn't with me, or in want of my comfort." At the time, she might not have thought anything of it, but now? Well, there are the traces of something a touch bitter there. "He mentioned a few things. He seems pleased for Z'ian. No coups to worry about from him. But he doesn't mention anything to me now. Unless it pertains to our daughter." Do her teeth grind a little when she says that? A little. She decidedly takes another drink, this one longer. "Her dad might be in Ista. There's about five it could be, and a dozen more who want to think they are," She sighs, "But one of the ones it might be, one of the ones who never bothered me about it, never probably even thought about it, transferred to here. I didn't realize until I ran into him at the bar one night. He didn't even remember we'd slept together." "I'm happy," Jo makes note of that with a pointed look. "He's....good for me." Perhaps a difficult statement for her? But it rings too true. There's perhaps something unusual in her tone - something genuine and without all the bravado of ego when she says it - but it's brief when she cuts her attention to those about them and at where they are. Something said on K'del or maybe the tone gets her attention back as she stares at Tayte. She doesn't say anything right away until she takes a drink, and then, the barmaid does return with their refills before flouncing off. "Somethin' happened," she surmises now as Tayte answers on her daughter's possible father, but she means K'del. "With K'del. Ya have that-" That. A long finger lifts to wave in the direction of the blonde's eyes to indicate. "This guy sounds pretty special," she notes now in dry amusement. "Bronzerider, too? I bet I know him if he's been one of the troublemakers," because troublemakers know each other, right? "He sounds like a real piece," especially on that last bit Tayte says about him. Due notice and respect is given the words Jo speaks, Tayte's smile accepting, the words never meant to challenge that, just not to presume too much. "I'm glad," are her final words about Z'ian and Jo's relationship; it's not really her business beyond her care for Jo's happiness and now that's been well and truly assured. She follows the barmaid's retreat with her eyes before pulling her eyes from the swaying hips of the flounce. She sighs for all the rest. "K'del's become a one-woman man. And I'm not her. Even after we slept together. Between H'vier not remembering me and K'del still choosing to start a family with whoever she is instead of valuing the family he already has with me," Does she sound annoyed? She's trying not to, but not succeeding well at all. And that answers the identity of the other bronzerider as well. "And then I made an ass of myself to H'vier by--" She blushes and the words cut off. She's embarrassed. This is Jo, so no subject is taboo with Tayte, but apparently whatever she's not saying yet is hard for her to get out, even to Jo. With Tayte watching the barmaid's retreat, two things said get Jo to pause that glass going to her lips. "K'del? Really? He told'ja this?" Beat. "H'vier? He's Yvalia's father?" That gets even more incredulity from the bluerider as she looks the blonde in the eyes. "Shit. Yeah, I've met him long before. He's been keepin' low key for a good while though. A bit of a douchbag, but, that kinda has its own appeal to me. He bought me whiskey one night." Leaning a little forward, "Okay. So ya definitely gotta thing for choosin' pieces to shack up with," she states in slight amusement, "but I ain' one to judge. Whatcha do with H'vier?" Yeah, she pursues when Tayte cuts herself off, catching that look on her face. "H'vier might be Yvalia's father." This seems the most important point to clarify. "One of maybe five. I won't ever know for sure." But that's only after she is blushing and rolling her eyes for Jo's comment on her ability to choose 'em. "And yes. That's what K'del told me. When he told me we shouldn't sleep together after we'd been messing around working up to it for months. And then I sort of-- later -- convinced him to sleep with me anyway, and he still wanted to throw it all away." She lets her emotion show through in her eyes in a way most don't get to see. The hurt of it. "He was supposed to be the special one." Tayte sighs again. "And I felt so worthless after," Now she's going out of order, but she doesn't stop, "That I--" Here's that hesitation again, and lowering her voice she wincingly says, "I called H'vier back from his punishment to come use me. And I used him to use me. And he called me out on it, and then I just felt worse. I swear, I didn't recognize myself for a couple of sevens. I'm trying to get my head back on straight now, before H'vier gets back to the Weyr. I've asked K'del to keep his distance where Yvalia's not concerned. I think he will, now." It might be too tempting otherwise, or just too painful. Jo eyes that blush before she snorts and takes a drink. "Ya expected him to change his mind after baggin' ya?" K'del, she means, setting the glass down. "Risky, darlin'. It's been my experience that once they claim themselves a one-woman man, it takes chainin' them to the bed to get them to change their minds. Most of'em, anyway. Some of them can be easily pushed back." But yes, she can see the hurt in Tayte's eyes despite all that she says, the ex-con's lips pressing together before she adds, "Sucks it happened at all, darlin'. Shit like this ain' ever easy." Love. She falls silent to listen to what the blonde did next involving H'vier, shaking her head at what's told before she states, "Damn, woman." Well, she doesn't seem to know what to say to all that, the slight crease of a frown marring her features as she mulls it all over in her head. "This all happened right after the flight?" "I hoped it would open his eyes to what was between us." Tayte answers before letting her lips lose a sigh in favor of a drink. "Sort of... Well, no." Her blush darkens. I slept with H'vier the night of the flight. Spoke with K'del a couple of days after he came back and that's when he told me we shouldn't sleep together. I'd brought outfits and everything." The pauses to make sure that Jo understands from the emphaticness of her expression how important and of what nature she means. "And then a couple of days later I asked H'vier to come back. And then a couple days ago K'del surprised me with his company and we--" She bites her lip. It's an on-going drama. "I probably should've just come to you instead," Instead of... maybe all of those other things, "But I didn't want to bother you when you were busy and with maybe other things to attend to." Like Z'ian winning the goldflight. "Can' lead a man to the table if he don' wanna eat, darlin'," Jo notes with a nod. "It's unfortunate. Buyin' outfits'n shit. He's still gonna see yer daughter?" As Tayte goes through the time table of events, the bluerider whistles down at the number of events that did happen at all as she leans back. There's a crash of a chair somewhere behind her that gets her to look over her shoulder, spotting two men up on their feet at one of the card tables and looking ready to throw down before one of the burly-looking men had them by their shoulders. Towards that last as she looks back at her, "Send word next time yer thinkin' of gettin' used again," she drawls back with an amused look. "Ya don' need that kind of abuse, darlin'. Maybe get one of the riders to give ya a brief trip somewhere to clear yer head. I do that all the time before I go do somethin' stupid. Even if I end up doin' it afterwards anyway." "Yes." Tayte's voice is quiet, "I can't take that from her." And then quieter, "Or him." The blonde not over the other blonde? Yeah, it can be said and be truth. The crash of the chair draws Tayte's eye too, and then Jo's looking back at her so her ocean gaze moves to meet the browns of the bluerider. "I'll try that, next time. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll have no next time, or fewer next times." She smiles warmly to the woman, "Jo? Thanks. For bringing me out today." And the talking. Both seem to have helped her mood, her booted foot slips across the distance under the table and aims to brush along one of the bluerider's calves, but only briefly. "As much as I like spending time with you in, I like talking with you, too." Jo seems to approve through the nod she gives even though she speaks out with, "Keep it from bein' a next time, eh?" she gives, showing that glimmer of concern. "Shit, men will fuck ya over. Most of 'em, anyway. I would know. And no problem, darlin'," that's toward the gratitude, even as the altercation is heating up behind them. A table gets shook, and the burly-looking man seems to be having a hard time breaking the men up from the brawl they're itching to have with each other. With Tayte's boot brushing her leg, there's laughter at the last thing said before she says back, "We don' really talk all that much, do we." But then she's eyeing the commotion behind her before she she's dropping down a couple of marks for their drinks as she says, "Things're about to heat up here," which, she's saying even pleasantly enough, "so it's best we head out. Unless ya wanna end up throwin' glasses at someone's head. It's entertainin', but ya end up leavin' here needin' stitches yerself." All in good fun, her tone seems to say. The nod from the blonde seems to agree with the brunette's feelings on men. "Well, I do enjoy a good fight," Tayte admits, glancing towards the 'trouble' a little wistfully, "But I do try to avoid ones that give me stitches. It tends to distress my daughter." She notes wryly, slipping from her seat after polishing off the drink. "Shall we?" "Now that's somethin' I wanna see," Jo remarks as she leads them out of the Rusty Nail. "You, in a fight." They shall, leaving the place behind with a nod towards those familiar in her passing, before the night swallows them whole. |
Leave A Comment