Logs:Practical
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| RL Date: 9 September, 2009 |
| Who: Madilla, Teris |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Madilla and Teris talk over dinner. They're practical. |
| Where: Kitchen, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 13, Month 9, Turn 20 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: B'tal/Mentions, Delifa/Mentions, Leova/Mentions, Milani/Mentions, Oysric/Mentions, Tiriana/Mentions, W'chek/Mentions |
| Kitchen, High Reaches Weyr Polished marble and granite surfaces, gleaming metalwork and pale woods characterize the vaulted fastness of the kitchen. Several large hearths gape red-mouthed against the outer wall of the cavern, their fires almost always stoked for the constant cooking the Weyr requires to feed its denizens. Sinks line the wall to one side of the hearths, providing ample space to wash large quantities of dishes, while to the other, cabinetry and a deep pantry provide storage space for items commonly needed on a day-to-day basis. The remaining wall space is taken up by passageways and extra seating: swinging doors that lead variously to the main living cavern, the inner caverns and the storage rooms, a counter-height pass-through for food service to the Snowasis, and a series of nooks equipped with tables and benches for quick, out-of-the-way meals any time of day. It's early yet for dinner exactly but that doesn't keep Teris from getting a bowl of stew when she can. And she has. Right now she's sitting at the outside seat of a table in one of the more private nooks, dipping pieces of her bread into the stew to nibble on and completely ignoring the clipboard just off to her left. Early for dinner, perhaps, but most of the preparations are done, which is perhaps why Madilla is escorting a small boy - perhaps three or four turns old - into the kitchens. He clings to her hand for most of the way, but lunges away as one of the cooks disentangles herself from a last minute examination of dinner, to hold out her arms to embrace him. A moment later, she glances up, grinning at Madilla; "Thanks for bringing him, Dilly. Want some food now, before we head off?" Madilla's response is warm, and more confident than her usual; "My pleasure, Landra. You two have fun tonight. Dinner would be lovely." So, it's with an over-brimming plate, filled with delicacies, that the apprentice makes her way back across the kitchen in search of a quiet seat. It's hard to say how much of the exchange Teris herself had witnessed but when Madilla comes back across the kitchen to find a seat, the stores assistant lifts a hand sans bread and waves it in an attempt to get the healer's attention. "Madilla," she greets with a polite smile. "Join me if you're looking for somewhere to sit, will you?" Even though it's said in question form, it somehow doesn't come off as question-y as it should. Proper question or not, Madilla turns immediately upon recognising the sound of Teris' face, and her expression - already set with a warm smile, probably something to do with the proximity of small child - takes on a note of relief. "Teris," she greets, as she alters her steps towards the other woman, sliding in along the other side of the table. "Thank you. It's always nicer to eat with a friend." Now that her plate is sitting in front of her, she gives it a dubious glance, adding, "I have no idea how they expect me to eat all this. What a waste." Teris looks at the plate, too, once Madilla is settled. Then she looks down at her much more manageable bowl of stew. "I suppose you could give it to some guy," she suggests. "They seem to eat a lot. Maybe it would be the start of a beautiful romance. Can I try this, though?" she points at a certain little something on the healer's plate as she asks. When she glances up, she smile, too. "We're friends?" asks Teris, curious rather than anything negative. Madilla's expression is quizzical, and then amused, at Teris' suggestion of what to do with her excess food, though she hastily bobs her head to mark a yes: yes, she can take something from the plate. "Should we not be friends?" she asks, head tilted to the side as she reaches for her fork. "Perhaps I consider people to be friends too quickly. I'd like to be friends." And then, as she gathers together a forkful of food, "They always say the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach." Taking the bit that she's curious to try, Teris laughs then actually tries it. She approves of it, too, with one of those meaningful sounds and glances toward the kitchen proper. "That's good," she says, then, "I've never actually tried that out on any man. But if you do you'll have to let me know how it goes." She settles back to her stew, breaking off a bit of bread to dip in the bowl. "I don't see why we couldn't be friends if that's what you want. I don't usually... do that." Madilla seeks out another piece just like the one Teris has taken, in the wake of that reaction to it, trying it for herself; she seems to approve of it too, though her expression fades off into more thoughtful consideration as her companion speaks. Ignoring the first strain of conversation, at least for now, she narrows in on the second: "You don't... do friends? Why not? Surely everyone needs friends. People to talk to. Spend time with." Of course that's what the healer focuses on. Teris' expression there suggests she probably should have known better than to say something like that even with her limited knowledge of Madilla. She shakes her head, shrugs one thin shoulder, "It just doesn't work out, I suppose. I talk to B'tal sometimes. And the people I work with. It's not a big deal. Do you have friends? You have a pretty busy schedule, don't you?" Madilla's expression is earnest, and her fork pauses from gathering up more of her dinner as she listens, and then, a beat after Teris finishes, responds. "I do. And yes, of course I'm very busy, but not too busy for that. B'tal and Milani and Leova and Oysric and Delifa-- they're all my friends. And you." Because she's decided that, now. "Why doesn't it work out? It doesn't seem /too/ difficult-- well, I suppose it took me a little while, when I got here, but I managed." Teris watches Madilla while she lists off her various friends, arching one brow just a little bit above the other. "Huh," she says, either impressed or really not sure what she thinks about it. "Well. Thank you, I think." She dips another piece of bread and eats that before continuing, "It just doesn't. I don't-- Hmm. I just haven't ever really felt the need for them, I guess. I talk to people when I want to talk, hang out in the Snowasis when I want to spend time with them." That reaction makes Madilla go faintly pink, somehow, and her gaze ducks. It takes until she's gathered up another forkful of food before she finally says, "Truly? I always found it a little lonely, not having actual friends. But if it works for you..." She shakes her head, extending a brief, albeit warm, smile. "It's not that I judge. If it works, then that's wonderful. Truly." For whatever reason, Teris smiles at Madilla's blushing, then it turns a little distant and her blue eyes drop to her meal. "So how are you doing?" It's an obvious change of subject but the question sounds sincere anyway. "I talked to W'chek the other day. He seems to be doing well." She makes it sound like it was perfectly pleasant, too. Madilla chews, first, and then swallows, before she says anything more, which gives her enough time to stop blushing and look simply pleased again. She seems to believe without question that this mentioned conversation was perfectly pleasant; "I'm glad. I... worry about him, I suppose. I spoke to him for the first time since-- recently, too. I wish he'd stop feeling sorry for himself, but I think he's doing okay. I'm," beat. "Well enough. My Journeyman's been put on bed rest, so she doesn't given birth too soon, which has made things busy, but-- I'm well." "I don't think he seems like he's feeling sorry for himself. He's just... him. Maybe it's just you," Teris says, not unkindly, looking at Madilla consideringly before returning her attention to her stew so she can finish it off before it gets cold. "I'm glad you're doing well. When is she due? Did I ask that before?" Her eyes go a little squinty to think if she has or not as she pushes her bowl off to her right. "Perhaps I just remind him of things," says Madilla, consideringly. "He said outright that I would find someone else to have a family with, but he was doomed to be alone, and no one understood how that made him feel." It's not that sounds bitter as she says this, nor even unsympathetic, but her head shakes nonetheless, and she lets out a low breath. "She ought to have another two months. But... we'll see." Beat. "How are you, Teris?" Something more cheerful. "I'm sure you remind him," Teris says. And she smiles again, more to herself than actually to Madilla. "Anyway, he's obviously not alone, so I'm not sure what he's going on about." Men. "That still seems like a long time," is murmured thoughtfully and then she falls silent for a handful of moments before answering, "I'm well." Not the most convincing but definite. Madilla's lips twist, ruefully. "Not alone," she agrees. "But no chance of 'family'. At least in the sense of what he wants. I suggested--" But she breaks off from that, frowning, and goes back to her dinner. "It is a long time. It's too soon. But..." She doesn't query how well Teris is, or is not, simply nods, smiles, adds, "That's good to hear. I need to come down into stores soon-- I'm out of the fabric scraps I use for my quilting, nearly." "We have more since the last time I saw you there. B'tal took most of the reddish ones last time he was through." Teris seems a little confused by this but she doesn't voice any reasons. "You suggested what?" If that was supposed to be obvious, Teris is obviously not following. "Do you want some klah or anything?" she asks a second later. "Did he? I was supposed to teach him how to quilt... perhaps that's why. I should seek him out, to start." Madilla looks pleased though, and adds, "I'm glad you have more. I don't suppose you can remember off the top of your head if there's anything olive green?" It almost seems as though she's casually sidestepping that other question, head shaking to the offer of klah, as she scoops up another mouthful. But then, finally, "I tried to imply to w'chek that perhaps we could still have a family. I don't know if he understood, or if-- I suppose it doesn't matter. The Weyrwoman thinks I should be aiming for passion, but just comfort." "I think we might. I guess I didn't pay as much attention to the specific shades as the fact that they were fabric scraps. But there is green. Or was last I knew." The main problem with the storerooms from Teris' point of view? They aren't completely under her control. She looks a little surprised, just for a moment, at what Madilla finally says and she's not moving to go get herself any klah right now either. "I think," she begins carefully, "That you should do whatever makes sense at the time. Besides, passion doesn't last, does it?" Madilla, nodding, says, "I'll have to go and have a look for myself, then. If there's not... would it be all right if I asked you to keep an eye out for me?" The rest of what she's said, and what Teris says in response, makes the apprentice pause, looking nervous. "I suppose," she allows, eventually. "I don't know. It's all very confusing, now; that's the problem. It used to be so straightforward. I suppose I still have two turns to see how things go. It's funny," but not actually funny-funny, given her expression. "Tiriana and Milani both talk about how wonderful passion is, how worth it it is-- but you don't think so, do you?" "Sure, I can keep an eye on what comes through. Just olive green or are you looking for other colors, too?" Teris props an elbow on the table and rests her chin in her palm. "I'm sure you'll meet some guy that will come sweep you off your feet or whatever it is that happens there." Teris doesn't seem particularly interested in whatever it is and the last question receives a similar feeling. "I wouldn't know, to be honest. I can't see how it would be." "Olive green and sky blue-- which," Madilla considers for a moment. "Honestly, could be any kind of blue, so probably doesn't matter as much. There tends to be a lot of blue available." She looks pleased, for having this in progress, glancing down at her plate with a smile, before she pushes said plate out of the way. There's still a heap of food left, despite her best efforts. She barely seems to notice Teris' lack of interest in the whole passion thing, merely shaking her head and laughing, "I can't see it happening. But. Whatever does happen, I'm sure, will be quite all right." "Olive green and blue," Teris says, putting that to memory. Her gaze dips to the plate of food in front of Madilla still but she doesn't offer to take anymore. Her stew was plenty apparently. She murmurs some agreeable sound to the last, then repeats, "Quite all right, I'm sure, yes. You'll know when it happens, I guess. If it happens." She smiles, then sits up a little straighter, then, absently, "B'tal thinks it's worth it. He's tried hooking me up with guys before, but," she just shakes her head. "Thank you, Teris," says Madilla of the fabric in question, still smiling across the table at the other girl. "B'tal does seem like a-- romantic, I suppose." Which seems to amuse her. "You and I are much more practical, I suspect. Perhaps we'll just be--" she laughs. "Not-desperate and dateless. Or something along those lines." "Of course," replies the blonde with a smile that's more warm than her usual business politeness. "Definitely more practical. It suits me. I don't like--" But she makes a face and perhaps isn't sure how to explain it. Then she gets a grin that's decidedly more the Teris some people just plain avoid, "You could always just tell them you've fallen madly in love with a girl. I might pay to see anyone's face over that." She drums her fingers over the table, thinking about that with a distant smile still lingering on her lips. Madilla's nods of agreement are not accompanied by curiosity at the thought Teris doesn't finish; they rarely are. The rest of what the other girl says, however, makes her blush - and laugh, too, so it can't be all bad. "You and me both!" Beat. "Willing to pay for to see it, I mean. Almost. I imagine it would be the last thing people would expect." Her head shakes though, and she looks thoughtful. "From what W'chek said... I suspect a number of people would find that less shocking than my wanting to marry him." "They probably wouldn't be quite as shocked, no. Some might think that's a better idea." Teris is still smiling but she reaches for her bowl and then her clipboard. She pauses long enough to look at the healer, all thoughtful. "Anway, I'll keep an eye on fabric but I should probably get going. I'll see you later, hmm?" Since they're friends or whatever now. "Have a good evening, Madilla." Teris is moving to rise. Madilla's head shakes; "I still find it all strange." But that's a vague, thoughtful remark, not really requiring response. She straightens, as Teris stands, nodding her head hastily. "Thank you, Teris. You, too." Her last remark is only a smile - albeit her usual warm one. "It is strange," Teris reassures Madilla with a brighter, more genuine smile, then she turns to go drop off her bowl and then she heads for the storerooms like the workaholic that she is. Madilla's head shakes once more, and then she turns back to the table, reaching for her plate to take it back, too. |
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