Drinks With a Sort of Inlaw

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

Le Poulet Gauche seemed like a likely place to meet with Julie's brother since at least here if we got into a brawl no one would really notice. Naamah's tits I suspected me and the fellow would see eye to eye if we manged to chat in a less domestic setting. Kushiel knows we both seemed to be difficult enough to bond on at least some levels.

I had procured a side table and no one was messing with me. I suppose the few pointed examples I made the last time I came in had served their purpose. Ah, the joys of life like showing some toothless bar twit where they sit on the peeking order. I had a full mug and a pitcher of ale and another almost clean but empty mug as I waited to see if my guest would show. My chair was leaned back against the wall and I had one foot lazily propped up on the table.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I wasn't sure if I'd come.

The last time, and first, in truth, that Gadleon and I had met had nearly ended in blows, and in my own townhome at that. The only thing that had stopped me was Julie taking a knife to her hand and crumpling to the floor, and even then the thought had crossed my mind to let her lay there til she woke, sore and with a good number of kinks in her muscles. It was a rash thing for her to do, but more than that foolish - the only thing that had stopped me was the blood and the fear that she'd severed a tendon or five.

Still, she'd gotten her way and Gadleon and I had retracted away from one another. I'd successfully pushed them out of my mind until the screeching and screaming had started, no doubt blooming from their lovemaking, and that alone had driven me out of the townhome to spend the night at the White Hart, blessedly alone.

And now I stood across the street from the low-run tavern, finding it ironic that this should be the chosen place. Ironic, and fitting. Splashing through the mudpuddles that lay strewn across the street, I made my way into the establishment, glancing around and finding the blue-black head of the man I was to meet. I walked to him and took a seat across, sitting down with a sigh that hinted at being relieved to be off my feet. "Imagine meeting you here," I said, giving a dry attempt at humor.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

"Imagine" I motioned to the mug and pitcher. "Help yourself I would wager it is no more than half water and rat droppings but I kind of like that atmosphere here and it avoids all the fancy happenstance drama of the rest of the world." I sipped my mug as I regarded Kendrick and did not bother to remove my boot from the table. I found the fellow rather grounding despite the fact we would probably happily lay into another brawl right here in the middle of the floor if the mood struck us and we would probably both enjoy it immensely.

"And you will have to take your chances with the toothless wench in the corner. She will distract you with a rather morbid attempt at seduction whilst trying to pick your pocket." I gave a predatory smile "I found stopping just short of breaking her wrist helps dissuade her."

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I ignored his boot as he left it on the table; whether he was trying to make a statement of pointedly not caring or whether he truly didn't mattered little to me. I cocked a brow as I took the pitcher up and peered inside it, then inevitably shrugged and filled the empty glass on the table. "As long as I don't feel any chunks of anything on my tongue I'll be fine." I picked up the glass and swirled the liquid, my gaze going to the woman in the corner.

"Oh, come on," I said idly. "She looks like an honest sort of woman to me." My tone was devoid of humor, though dry enough that the sarcasm could easily be discerened. "Besides, without teeth you don't have to worry about getting your phallus bit."

My lips quirked a little at that, and I took a drink of the well-watered ale, my gaze going from the woman to the mug before lowering it again. "Gods, I hope you didn't pay much for this stuff."

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

"I find you can sift the larger chunks through your teeth." I smirked "Well that is if you have them." With that I let my gaze drift over to the lady in question then back to Kendrick. "And it is an old saw I have heard about gumming but I must confess I have never felt an overt urge to find out if it was true whilst in person."

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I gave a near imperceptable shrug, my gaze moving from the woman and to Gadleon. "Are you turning your nose up at a form of love, Lord Shahrizai?" I asked, my voice holding a thin reed of amusement. "Tsk tsk, what ever would Elua say?"

My lip flashed a quirk of a smile before I lifted my mug to my lips again, letting the stale flavor wash over my tongue and down to my stomach.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I smirked “Well then I suppose Elua can do her because I surely shall not.” I then dropped my feet to the floor and sat up more “Though if you feel the uncontrollable urge to show proper deference to religion by all means be my guess” I quipped. “It might certainly show you are a better man than I am and my hat would be off to you.”

[Kendrick Deveroix]

"I don't need to defer to religion to know that I'm a better man than you," I said without missing a beat. My face remained stoic, though for the first time in Gadleons presence humor entered my eye, and, though it weren't much, I didn't bother attempting to stop it. I leaned back in my chair, swirling my pale drink around in its glass. "Should be at least four shades darker," I said, lifting my mug and peering through it. "Are you sure you didn't piss in this before I got here?"

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I smirked a bit at that and sipped my drink "If it involves her then I am afraid I will gleefully be a woman." I snorted "I would not do her with your phallus." I held up my glass to the light and swirled it a bit. Well what passes for light in this place anyway "And yes it should be but I do not come here for the drinks but the atmosphere."

I did not even bother to answer on the piss part and instead left him to wonder "I swear some people would complain if hung with a new rope."

[Kendrick Deveroix]

"You're right," I said idly, glancing up at him and taking in his smirk. "I don't know what way you swing, Lord Shahrizai, but you won't be touching my phallus to do anyone while I'm alive." I thudded my boot on the ground, knocking loose some of the drying mud that stuck between the lines that served as grippers. "But if you get your rocks off to fiddle with dead bodies, then by all means. I'll be done with this; you're free to take my leftovers."

I gave his smirk back to him, feeling my responses walking that tightrope between amusement and irritation. I expected that what I said would bring a quip about he and my sisters sex life and inwardly I steeled myself against it; Eluas balls, but he was driving me near as nuts as she did.

What a fit.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I simply raised my glass to him "Good one or at least giving as well as you take." I replied in a non pulsed manner. One does not serve in the military as I have from an early age and not develop a thick skin and gallows humor. "I have head some soldiers of questionable tastes say bodies are fine as long as you catch them whilst they are still warm but I think I will settle for taking their word on that and not seek out personal experience."

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I gave him an incredulous look for a moment, trying to discerne if he were joking or not. "I'd have to support you in the decision to not try it out for yourself," I said after a moment, my eyes holding steady on his face. "Just the thought of it... Being gummed sounds a hell of a lot better than that."

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I crinkled my nose a bit “No kidding. I think most who say such things are simply joking but you certainly can find some pretty twisted types out there at arms. Those who serve as sell swords tend to be the worst especially if they are from strange lands.” I sipped my drink a bit “Let us hope more are jesting than are serious. Well for that matter at least a serious majority.”

[Kendrick Deveroix]

"And were you a sell sword?" I asked bluntly, looking at him. The man who claimed love to my sister and she to him; he'd be daft if he thought I wouldn't question his motives or the length of his care, or his history. Julie was headstrong and carefree; as much as she wouldn't like it, she needed someone to shadow her and make sure she was safe. I'd pass the reins once I knew Gadleon was capable of handling them, but until then...

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I shook my head “No, I am simply a third son in a family of seven. You know the ones who do not inherit title or any real income?” I leaned back more “Father is a wise man though and he saw to it I was trained in the martial from a very early age so I would have a career rather than sitting back and picking the scraps from the table of my older siblings and the like all my life.”

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I nodded as I listened, considering his words. "Fair enough," I said simply, taking another drink of the watery sludge he called ale. "Still," I said after a moment, a grin suddenly coming out onto my face, "I do think you'd look rather good taking scraps from someones table."

I was teasing him for the first time; whether or not he accepted it or got angry mattered little; I was learning his personality, testing him. I wanted to see him, not the person he wanted to be seen.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

Now that brought an amused smile to my face as I shook my head. “Well I suspect the prospect of such might really amuse my oldest sister. Her tastes tend toward the exotic side and others groveling at her feet or mayhap begging scraps at her table terribly amuses her.”

I watched Kendrick as thoughts turned over in my head. Yes an intersection of him and my oldest sister would be a terribly amusing thing. When the irresistible force met the immoveable object. If such a meeting ever came to pass I vowed to have a drink and sit and watch from a distance.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I chuckled as he showed good humor, taking another, and longer, swig from my glass. "Are you insinuating that you wouldn't enjoy the sight of your older sister begging something off of you?" I asked, giving him a mutedly amused look. "Or is that saved more for cousins?"

I flashed him a grin for that one, though I didn't understand the lure of it. Shahrizai - pure, deep, dark, complicated, and apparently born with an innate lust for the members of their own clan. I shuddered on the thought of Julie in anything less than proper clothing - I couldn't imagine anything more. My brain might very well pack bags and leave.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

Now -that- would amuse me and I am sure my predatory grin said that. Of course the odds of that happening were about the same as me growing breasts and my phallus inverting and turning into a set of nether lips. “I never said I would not enjoy it but I suspect neither of us is man enough to see it come to pass. My siblings are very how shall we say complicated.”

[Kendrick Deveroix]

"Seems to me all Shahrizai are complicated," I said dryly, quirking a brow at him. "Unless you're a Valerian, anyway, and even then I'm sure there's exceptions."

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I smirked at that remark "That is a very accurate observation. I often use that term when it comes to my family. But I think all people are complicated as they each bring their own experiences and perceptions to the table."

[Kendrick Deveroix]

"Very true," I said, acceding to his statement. "Its been my limited experience, however, that some families seem prone to being percieved one way over another more than others do, though." I paused, studying him. "Do you see yourself being percieved differently than you would be if you had not the Shahrizai look to you?"

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

“Oh definitely” I nodded “to be honest it is more often than not quite irksome. You see if one does not act and react as others perceive they should then people treat them oddly for lack of a better way to describe it. Of course since I cannot change how others perceive me all I can really do is use such slanted perceptions to my advantage with those who would try and gain an upper hand over me.” I shrugged and smiled “With the rest I just grit my teeth and bear it.”

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I studied him as he spoke, trying to gauge if he were speaking for the simple want to smooth things over for his relationship with Julie, or if he were doing it for himself alone. "Forgive me if it's brash, but I don't see you gritting your teeth and bearing much." I paused, looking around the establishment. "Then again, mayhap somewhat." I reached for the pitcher and filled my glass, then held it out to him, silently offering him a refill.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

“Thanks” I held my mug for him to refill. “I admit it is not my first choice when it comes to such matters but one learns that they have to do just that on occasion. If not then they are not terribly suited for carrying on in polite company.”

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I refilled his mug and set the pitcher down again, then took up my own glass and leaned back in the chair. "Of course," I said in differently; I'd learned that long ago, still a child and tugging on my mothers hand. "One does what one must, especially if they are ambitious and think they will get further ahead in life."

I didn't say it pointedly, merely taking another drink to follow up my words. "Tell me, Gadleon," I said, changing the subject on the point of a sharpened pin, "How'd you get that scar on your face?"

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

“I did not duck fast enough” was my simple response. “Night battle on the boarder during a Skaldian raid. A small thing really the enemy was just out for some quick booty and then back cross the boarder. But night complicates things and then when blades start clashing it gets more complicated and I got nicked by an ax.” I shrugged “Twas not bad but could not be properly tended for a while and it went septic and nearly ended me. Such things kill more men than outright cuts but the poets are not much on saying that.” I took a sip of my mug.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I listened without comment, though the bit on the septic would made my brows draw down a bit. "I can't imagine why," I said dryly to his comment on the poets. "These days are not much for realism; people seem to favor fantasy instead, ideas rather than the truth."

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

“I think it has always been that way” I shrugged. “But facts are most who die from battle have always died of fever. There are relatively few wounds that are out and out fatal though that is not the pretty picture many expect.”

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I nodded, leaning in my chair and listening. "Anyone with half a brain wouldn't think of a fight as pretty. Then again, though, the lack of intelligence in people is sometimes astounding." I took another swig of my ale, downing a long drink.