Logs:Obvious
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| RL Date: 15 September, 2012 |
| Who: Brieli, H'kon |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Brieli and H'kon briefly exchange words in a busy bar. |
| Where: Snowasis, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 18, Month 10, Turn 29 (Interval 10) |
| Snowasis, High Reaches Weyr The Snowasis is rarely quiet, and even then, the high-ceilinged former weyr is kept from echoing by the fantastical booths tucked into its convoluted perimeter. The secluded seating spaces have been shaped from the truncated stalagmites that escaped the smoothing of the main floor, and are both softened and separated by colorful hangings that are thick and opaque enough to make each corner its own private nook. Some of the smaller stalactites still roam the ceiling, their jagged teeth tracing a bumpy, inverted spine to the hearth. There, a thick rug with a low klah table and comfortable armchairs and couches sit, their upholstery and cushions changed sporadically to match the season: bright, light colors in the summer, fresh greens and yellows in the spring, warm autumnals in fall, and clear, rich hues for winter. Small tables litter the rest of the cavern, enough to fit up to four people each, while stools stand along the smooth wooden bar behind which is the passthrough window to the kitchen. Glass-paneled cabinetry behind the bar provides a clear view of the available liquors, the many colors reflecting the soft light of glows tucked into strategic niches around the cavern. What a lovely day at High Reaches! Pouring rain and muddy, it's the sort of day that makes some people grumble that they'd rather the snow - until winter comes, that is. It makes the indoors attractive and the Snowasis even more so, given there's entertainment to be had, and alcohol besides. The place is fairly full up, with a few card games going and a conversational buzz that makes it difficult to hear anything specific, unless you're focusing. Brieli doesn't look much like she's focusing on much of anything from her seat at the bar, long legs crossed, boots spattered with the dirt everyone's tracking around. But her keen dark gaze is quick enough to flicker from one group to another as they come up for drinks, to the waitstaff complaining about who's most irritating today, even though her expression indicates boredom. She's a glass before her hall-emptied of some dark liquid. No girly drinks here. No ice even. The door's barely had time to shut behind him, and H'kon has the long-suffering look well-suited to a man wanting a quiet drink, and finding a full bar. His inspection of the bar is slow, unbroken when he needs to move out of the way of some patron exiting, or even when he starts moving forward toward the end of his visual sweep. There's a tight, almost painful-looking smile shared with a few tables of wingmates, or clutchmates, or some other people he most likely knows professionally, but once he gets up to the bar proper, all that falls away for a frustrated, tired sort of look. The bartenders are busy, and once he's vented his emotions in that grimace, H'kon is content enough to wait. And doesn't even bother looking at those around him, even when jostled. Why isn't Brieli with anyone? Or even looking all that uncomfortable with the crowded conviviality of the bar around her while she sits alone? Who knows. She seems accustomed to it though, and most of the weyrfolk around her seem to give her some little room, as much as one can today - and those that don't generally get a flinty narrow-eyed look. When H'kon comes up to the bar, looking so pained, she's picked up her glass idly, though she gives him a bit of the side-eye before drinking. After, over her glass in smooth tones with no discernible accent, "You can drink in your weyr, I'd imagine." Just saying. H'kon only grudgingly turns toward the goldrider, but once it's done, he looks her over carefully. Which is good, because then he'll not realise that a bartender has turned to him and passed over him when he's thus distracted. A slight push of air from his nose might even be what propels that little lift and fall of his head, while fingers find the edge of the bar, and set to twitching in a symmetrical pattern between either hand. "I normally do." Brieli isn't all that affected by being looked over carefully - it's as if she's quite unaware of the scrutiny entirely. But as the bartender passes, she finishes her glass and just sets the empty one on the tender side of the bar. "He'll be back," said with confidence, though there's no waving him down either. Sometimes, it's good to be a pretty girl! "So, then. Why not today? Why come to be alone in a crowd?" A pause, before forestalling any of H'kon's potential questions with; "I have my reasons." Not that she's elaborating either. And the bartender does in fact return, set to refill her glass - he'll even look the older man's way inquiringly. How nice! H'kon goes through the motions of turning his head quickly toward those behind the bar. For as quickly as it snaps back, it's unlikely he's seen much of anything. This look is far less scrutinising; he may as well be looking through her while he makes his mind up, one way or another. It's after such delay that, "I have nothing in my weyr at the moment," is allowed. "Nor reasons that are so secret," is nearly a quip, as he turns to the returned 'tender, muttering an order for one of the smokier liquors. At least Brieli is getting her glass refilled while she waits for answers, with what appears to be rum. Amused, quirking a slight smile, "It took a while for you to remember there was nothing at home." She pulls the glass over but doesn't drink yet, straightening out of her lean on the bar. Glancing at the brownrider, she shrugs easily. "It's not precisely a secret, but when I tell people I listen, some tend to consider that eavesdropping." The slightest pull at the corners of his eyes is the only suggestion that H'kon otherwise disagrees with the assessment of his answer. Fingers still tapping at the bar, the brownrider turns to watch the bartender busying himself with his order. "I see," is all the assessment he gives of -her- answer, reaching for his glass (something Scotch-ish) and bringing it forward for the lightest inhalation of its smell. Smile shifting into something closer to a smirk, "I'm sure you do." Brieli might notice that disagreement, but dragging information out of people isn't her style. There's no preliminaries to her drinking, but she's likely well acquainted with the stock. After a sip, she looks down to her boots with a little grimace, scraping the mud off on the edge of the bar rail. "Well, enjoy your evening, then," she offers to H'kon, her tone polite, diffident. If he's not talking, she's not bothered. H'kon brings the drink full up to his lips, takes only a sip, and holds that in his mouth a time before swallowing. Brieli's boot-scraping earns his attention over throughout this process, though there's nothing out of place about him when he looks back up to her. "And you yours, goldrider," is returned with only the slightest pause before the title is issued. The brownrider is quite content to be left, slowly twisting his tumbler on the bar between his fingers, and eyeballing the boots. It's only after a while, when they still haven't gone, that he looks back up to her with a little frown. "I'll hope I'm not in your way," doesn't quite ring sincerely. Brieli is still but a weyrling, goldrider or not. She won't take any offense to that pause, though there's another little quirk of lips, dark eyes brightened momentarily. Once she's done with the worst of the mud, she's likewise content to sit there and go back to... whatever she was doing. It does look an awful lot like wasting time, nursing a drink - but there must be some purpose to it. When he offers what's only vaguely an apology, she gives a little laugh, shakes her head. "Do you think you'd get in my way?" It's light enough, but there might be a darker thread there in her tone. It's time for another scrutinising look, for which the rotation of that glass in his fingertips never pauses. "You made it sound as if one of us were meant to leave," is plain enough, though it comes, again, only at the end of the look and deliberation. "There's no real way to be had in a place like this, on nights like this." That might be a break in the seriousness of him, a shimmer of something at the corner of his lips. H'kon closes his eyes and lifts his drink to his lips again. It goes away quite promptly. "You don't want to talk, I'm not going to make you talk, or talk at you mindlessly," Brieli says easily, with another of those shrugs, dark curls moving over her shoulders. With a glance H'kon's way, "It's a bar, there are people here. I have polite conversation with people I find far more offensive than you." How... comforting? As for his last, she does have to ask, "What's 'like this'? Elaborate." She'll keep lingering over her drink - much longer than the last. "Hmm," sounds almost approving for the first she's said. It's the underhanded not-quite-insult that brings a smile to his face that isn't fought off, for all it doesn't last long on its own. "It's a good skill for you to have," is just a bit didactic. Another sip of his drink, with one eyebrow raising over the glass before it's set back upright on the bar's top. H'kon's elaboration is a simple and curt, "Busy." Oddly satisfied for her answer, "Indeed, it is." Brieli will even look a little pleased with herself for some reason, though that disappears soon enough in the sip from her glass. Setting it down solidly - still something in there - she arches fine brows questioningly in return. Yes? H'kon's response makes her laugh again, shaking her head. "Of course. Obviously." At least she's entertained. "Sometimes the right answer is obvious," H'kon returns with an alarming rapidity - at least considering their conversation thus far. All the hints of smile are long gone, leaving just that deep seriousness. When he lifts his glass again, it takes quite a tip. The man is careful not to take the whole of the rest in this sip. When he sets that glass down on the table again, its slow turning is replaced by a clamping of hands. And he winds up looking at her boots. Or the mud. Or something. Alarming enough to cause the goldrider to blink once, look over properly for the first time. Brieli narrows her eyes for a split-second, but then it's gone - she falls back into something of a smirk. It sits more comfortably on her than paranoia, but it's a close thing. "I suppose anything is true sometimes," she can allow, magnanimously. She's only got about a quarter of a glass left, but she's in no rush. The hands and the looking down has her regarding H'kon, bemused for a moment before, "I'd argue that nothing is obvious, but." He's likely not much for arguing, and he's not really looking at her. H'kon isn't looking at her when Brieli puts forward her argument, no. And he takes that last bit of his drink before he turns to her, standing with the glass still in hand, and only setting it down as something of an afterthought. "The bar is busy." Not much for extended arguments, at any rate, he ducks his head to her. "Enjoy your evening, goldrider." And this time, those words do signal an exit. "Indeed it is. Maybe take it with you next time. There's a patio right out there." Brieli points it out helpfully, though in such dismal weather, it's not really enticing. Easily, leaning on the bar once again, "Enjoy yours. Or try." Perhaps because it really shouldn't be said H'kon is enjoying himself? She offers a little wave, a wiggle of fingers, before she goes back to her drink. Maybe she'll even finish it. |
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