Day 071: Awkward
Summary: While bringing Kai to a pub in Polis, Britt has an awkward reunion with Sev and meets his sister.
Date: 9 Aug 2016
Related: Follows soon after A Skaigirl In Polis (Kai and Britt touristing in Polis). Refers to Long Way Home (Sev finds his family).
Sev Britt Kai 


Polis Pub
A pub in Polis.
Day 71

After cleaning up at the baths earlier, Britt played tour guide all afternoon, showing Kai around the coalition capital. The young woman's wide-eyed wonder at seeing the city seems to have rubbed off a little on Britt. While she's still more subdued than usual, it is certainly an improvement over the gloomy state she arrived in. Apart from a few 'welcome backs' in the barracks earlier, though, and a couple ex-students saying hi on the training ground, there hasn't been anyone in town that Britt seemed particularly interested in talking to or visiting with. They're in the marketplace now, with plans on visiting the pub after. As they peruse the wares, Britt says off-hand. "If you see anything you need, or perhaps a trinket for a remembrance, I will trade for you."

"You'll have fun, I promise. You need to get out more." Gins, otherwise known as Ginny tugs at Sev's arm. The pair, or rather the older dark-haired woman is pulling her older brother toward the pub, the latter only reluctantly following along. "You had your time to have your heart to heart with mother, it's my turn now, damnit." Gins is one of those rare beauties that comes along rarely in life. The kind of woman who is almost never in a bad mood. Or if she is, it tends to run this side of chilly sarcasm. But clearly, she can't be in a bad mood because she hasn't seen her elder brother in ten years, and to her, that's a reason to celebrate. "You're only going to be here a day. So I refuse the idea of you being all morose and grumpy while you're here."

Sev, for his part, does not look to be in much of a drinking mood, but allows himself to be pulled along for the hell of it. "You really think I'm going to want to get drunk before goes back to Tondc? That's a long ride, Ginny. I find little appealing about doing so hungover." Morose and moody might not be exactly right. He's just distant. Instead of having less to think about since seeing family, he now has more. "I didn't know our parents had another child." he says by way of conversation. "Alright, I shouldn't say child, she's twenty, but I've never met her. It feels strange."

"Is it any stranger knowing you're also an uncle too?" Ginny peers at her brother, gauging for that reaction. "My Nim is ten this year. You didn't know because I didn't know last we spoke. But my man is watching him tonight. Because I cleared everything for you, dear Sevelt." Gins is not beyond using guilt as a weapon.

"Do you really want the answer to that questions?" Sev utters plainly. "Fine, fine. Drag me where you want, even though I know it's a pub. But I'm not getting drunk. And you're not going to hook me up with any of your friends. Delbt with enough of that lately. And yes, if you want to know, it is strange being an uncle to newphew I don't know. Not even sure what I'd say to him."

"<In Trigedasleng> I already have much debt to Starling and Benning." Kai utters wryly in Trigedasleng,"The kru has given me what I need, but thank you." simple words in Trigedasleng make it a more difficult proposition for her to find all the words she wants, and she ends up in dropping to Gonasleng,"I am not yet a good enough hunter to want to take on more debt, and sadly few enough of the things I am good at are.. useful." she grimaces,"On the way back from Audo Nix helped me bring in a deer.. my first, but sometimes it feels like being the idiot child." she admits quietly.

"<In Trigedasleng> You are family, Kai, you owe no debt to me," Britt insists, ping pong-ing back and forth between the languages as the younger woman does. "I'd be happy to get you something if there was anything that caught your eye." Speaking of catching eyes, it is her subconscious that first tugs her gaze to the man and woman walking just a little ways in front of them, finding something familiar about the movement. It's only after a moment that she realizes who it is. Then there's a flicker of surprise on her face. Britt looks back to Kai then. "You are still learning, but you are far from useless. Give it time." She finds herself saying that a lot lately, and it's not entirely a happy reminder.

"You say 'hi I'm Sev, your uncle' and go from there." Ginny rolls her eyes, dropping the wrist she was holding onto at the enterance to the pub. "Really Sev, for being a trader, you sure are poor at talking to people. Mother would be horrified." she remarks, poking at the man's shoulder. Tilting her head, she sighs, using both of her hands to grib Sev's face, comically smushing his cheeks together. "Stop. Enough of the long face. It happens. Not telling you to just 'get over it' but brooding and thinking too much on isn't going to lead you anywhere. Mom is just too old and frail to see that. She just saw you, not whatever was on you mind. So stop." she pauses, making sure his is contored enough to get the point across. "Alright? You don't need anyone, Sev. Stop losing your edge."

Sev, with about as fish-faced lips as possible stares at Gins. "Ssssokah…" he mumbles out, looking a tad bit distressed about what he probably looks like. Jaw flexes, getting his mouth into a more normal look. "You're right, you're right. My sister, as always, is right. I will won't let whatever I'm feeling get int the way of us spending time together. But at least you'll be happy to know that I'm taking a healer's position in new Coesbur. They're going to need more than Keta for the rebuilding."

Ginny, looking pleased, smushes his face one last time for good measure, letting her hands drop. "I'll take it. You can sob in your cups to me about later if you want, though I know you won't." Her eyebrows raise a little bit a the last part. "You're…what? Are you settling?"

Kai manages a grin for Britt's words,"Patience is not my strong suit." she murmurs, distracted and following Britt's gaze she utters,"Isn't that.. Sev? I guess he came to Polis after all." her attention flits to the archer and then back,"I don't think he's seen us yet if you wanted to.." she dips her head back the way they came,"Or.. y'know. Y'could.." there's a gesture in the other direction towards him,"Looks like he's got someone with him anyways, yeh?"

Britt offers a distracted nod to Kai. "<In Trigedasleng> Yes, Sev. I didn't know he'd still be coming." Though it makes sense, since he would still want to visit his parents. "Looks like they're heading to the pub too." She chews on her lip a little, uncertain what she should do, then finally shrugs. "We can say hello at least. No sense in being rude. You sure there's nothing here you want?" she asks, gesturing at the marketplace.

"Ginny…" Sev almost sounds like he was about to start an argument right there infront of the pub. "It doesn't matter. None of it matters. It's done and over with. That subject I no longer have real desire to speak about. I was stupid." At that he pulls away enough to open the door, holding it open for her. "And it will never happen again. Can we just go inside, drink, and catch up? I'd rather do that, not try to listen to some therapy from my sister, no matter how good intentioned."

Ginny falls quiet for a moment, her amused expression flating just a little into sobriety. "…okay, Sev. Sorry. I just-" Then a shrug, heading inside. "If you ever want to talk about it." she offers, but then like he requested, shuts up about it, heading inside.

"There's not. Don't worry about it. I'll deal with it like I've deblt with an abcess. Cut it out and remove it." His focus is so much on Ginny, he doesn't bother to look behind him, heading inside after his sister.

Kai laughs softly,"There's many things I want, but there is not anything I need." is how she chooses to put it,"Besides, after we get back, I shall be heading back to the Maunon anyways to make sure we get our share, and to collect a few things for myself." there's a shrug of her shoulders,"Mostly it's clothing that I worry about, and books that I miss. I am used to the sword Wren gave me, though I suppose I shall eventually have to see about having one made, or replacing his in the least.. but truly, I don't need anything, Britt, thank you for asking.. seeing this place is.. enough. All of it is glorious." she insists before dipping her head,"Come then.. a drink. Not too much though, because it certainly makes staying on the horse harder when you're not even sure what's moving."

Britt nods once when Kai's sure she doesn't want a trinket, though the talk of returning to the Mountain causes her shoulders to stiffen. "<In Trigedasleng> Better you than me." She starts toward the pub. "<In Trigedasleng> And yes, no Break the Table for either of us tonight." As they near the door, just a dozen steps behind Sev and his sister, Britt observes mildly, "You worry about debt too much. Is this a thing among your old clan? If Wren wants another sword he'll ask the makers for one. And Starling is your sister now… aunt… something…" That relationship causes Britt's face to scrunch up a bit. "You will do for her as she does for you. It is not a matter of debt."

Sev is seated at somewhere off to the side. Not looking miserable or anything. Just quiet, though it could be easy to confuse one with the other. But yes, lost in thought, about a great many things. Where one he had hoped to gain some kind clarity by visiting home, finds himself with only more stuff to think about. At least, if there's an upside to it, he's not think about worse personal stuff. Which had gotten completely shut done by him when Ginny to do a little too much probing.

Speaking of the woman, she's at the bar, getting said drink for the two of them. And since it's evening, that means there's a bit more business to it all. And obviously she's regular, by the random chatting she's doing. A barfly in her youth might've been a bit more apt for her. Although, she doesn't look but a few years younger than Sev. Granted, her brother may of spent a bit more time in woods than her. Not as prone to vanishing as he is.

Britt surveys the bar when they come in, her eyes quickly lighting on Sev at the table alone. She asks Kai to give her a moment, suggesting she either get them a table or some drinks, whichever she's more comfortable with. And then she's stepping over to the healer's table. "Hi." It's a reserved greeting, but friendly enough. But the way she stands there… yeah, this isn't awkward at all. (It is.)

It's going to take Ginny some time with the late what it is, so Sev is content to wait. His eyes are boring a hole through the wall at the moment, maybe not really paying much attention to his surrondings. Does he look sad? Upset? Hurt? Or all of them? Or even none of them? It's hard to tell. Either way, it's a mess of jumbled thoughts he's still trying to clear up. A train of throught that comes to a screeching halt the moment Britt decides to open her mouth. Eyes turn to look up at her. "Hi." he responds, shifting in his seat, unsure, just as equally not-awkward. No wait, yes it is. That's completely awkward.

"Break the Table is fun, but I need a lot more practice at it." Kai grinned at Britt, but when she asks for a minute, Kai opts to go get them some drinks, eyeing Ginny surrepticiously as she endeavors to work out whether or not this is another niron or what, exactly.

Britt smirks lightly at Kai as she moves off. While standing stiffly by Sev's table, she motions vaguely towards the bar. "Just brought Kai here. Saw you and, uh…" A helpless shrug there. "Just didn't want to be rude." Then, because when things are already awkward what's a little extra helping? She reaches into her vest pocket and takes something out. It's the little jade good luck charm Sev had given her, the strings wrapped carefully around it. "Realized I still had this - I thought you should have it back, since it was dear to you." Quickly, she shifts the topic away from that. "Did you find your family's shop?"

"Yeah…mix that with…that." Ginny remarks over at the bartender, who's creating…something. "It's for my brother. Haven't seen him in ten years so, if he's only going to have one, gonna make sure it's a good one, yeah?" Not going to get Sev too drunk. Just enough so he's not so damn broody to be around. "Need to cheer his ass up. Actually…put more of…yeah, that one, more of that in it. He'll appreciate it. Don't worry, you know my trade is good here." It should be, she helps run a store based on it. It's like owning a bank.

"My sister." Sev says tilting his head back at the vague direction of Gins. "She runs the shop with my mother. Old age. Father is gone. My brother, no one knows." It's said matter-of-factly, but there's the suggestion there's been a certain amount of grieving over that. "She wanted to…cheer me up. And I did. Resupplied. Leaving tomorrow for Coesbur. Accepting as a position as healer with Keta. Wanted to surprise you about that but, seems like it might've lost it's luster in past few days." A look at the charm, shaking his head. "Keep it. It was a gift." he says softly, then swallowing. "It is dear to me, yes." But his eyes go up from the charm to her. "But so are you."

Kai's just going with mead. Because well, she likes the taste of it, and it's not oh-my-god paint stripper like the stuff she was drinking on Dead Maunheda Day. It does take some haggling back and forth given that she isn't a local, but she does lean up against the bar rather than go interrupt the other two for the moment, content to loiter and wait for the drinks while pretending she's not watching the whole bar with some distant kind of pride simply for the presence of her chosen kru.

Britt's brow creases when Sev mentions his father and brother. "I'm sorry about them, but glad your mother and sister are well." There's a glance toward Gins when Sev calls her out, and a soft ah. But then a surprised look is slanted back to him when he mentions coming to Coesbur. "Oh. Well." She's honestly not sure how to feel about that, but does sound sincere when she offers, "Coesbur will be lucky to have you." A brief twist of her lips follows, and she adds, tentatively. "And I'm glad." The charm stays held out for a moment, truly conflicted. Then she sets it on the table. "Thank you, Sev, but it should stay with your family. I have the watch, which I will remember fondly." She then takes a step back, before the Awkward swallows her whole. "I should get back to Kai. I forgot to give her something to trade for the drinks. Oh - and don't let on who she is, okay? She's enjoying just being another warrior from Coesbur here." Without the whole ex-Skaigirl stigma.

Whatever else Britt may of said, is just nodded at. He wouldn't be the type to tell anyone about Kai. Not his buisness. What matters the most is having the charm set on the table. He just stares at it, really not able to hide the hurt look in his face. Not what the charm may or may not represent, but the fact that she returned it. "Yeah…" he offers a bit numbly, distant. A sigh. "See you later." Nope, this was a bad idea. All of it was a bad idea. So Sev stands, going to the bar long to touch Gins shoulder. "I'm going home." No explanation, no reason, and he just moves to leave.

Ginny, who had only now just gotten her two drinks, look preplexed. "Wha? Hey, Sev!" he can't exactly move after him like this, so she just sighs. "Damnit."

Kai's got it. She might suck at deer, but well, she's still got a few rabbit pelts and enough fish jerky to feed a.. well, small warband, maybe. Fish jerky! It's Ginny calling out that draws her attention, before the grey-eyed girl looks over towards the distant pair also. She's unhurried about her steps towards Britt,"Mead. Nothing too strong." she murmurs for the archer with her own kind of awkward, eyes flitting towards Sev curiously.

Fuuuuuck. Britt may not say it aloud, but the sentiment is easily read in her face when she sees the hurt look on Sev's, and she sighs. Trying to do the right thing really sucks ass sometimes. Or maybe it wasn't the right thing. She doesn't really know any more. She nods to Kai's murmur. "Good." Having met the younger woman halfway to the bar, she's close enough to overhear the exchange between brother and sister. She tries to catch Sev's arm to stop him going. Whether he stops, or whether she speaks to him while chasing after him, either way she'll say, "Hey. Don't let me fuck up your night with your sister. Stay, please. I'm sorry." Maybe if she says it enough times, it'll matter.

Sev stiffens when Britt reaches for him, but at least he doesn't shake her off. There's a lot on his mind. There's words he held back when she spoke to him about and words now. And that is written all over him. In a 'we will have words later' kind of way, though it's not ominious or threatening, more along the lines of things that she needs to hear. Her only single saving grace is by the fact that he knows better than most what exactly she's had to deal with. So the words will go unsaid. But were they alone, he'd say a lot. A very long, and patient sigh, tilting his head back. "I was wrong." he finally says, but wrong about what, he doesn't say. Were it anyone else, he would've kept walking.

"Sev? What hell is that all about? And you? Who're you?" she's still holding a pair of drinks in her hands, clearly worried.

"Ginny, don't worry. It's fine. This is…" he looks at Britt, and perhaps he doesn't even know what to call her anymore. Wish there was a more clear answer. "…a friend of mine. Britt."

Ginny looks between them. Carefully. Like a mother trying to sort out what's true and what's not. "Uh huh. Alright, well, Sev doesn't exactly have a lot of those, so alright."

Kai passes Britt's drink over to her with a smile at Sev before her attention raises to Ginny,"<In Trigedasleng> Hello, I am Kai. A friend of Britt's." she elects to go with introducing herself to Ginny as with a brief beam of a smile, taking a sip of her mead with a glance at Britt,"Maybe we ought to sit?"

Wrong about what? Britt's confused peer at Sev's words is distracted by Gin coming over. She releases his arm, and nods to his sister. "<In Trigedasleng> Hi. I was just telling him he should sit back down and enjoy the evening with you. He tells me it's been a long time since you've seen each other." She shakes her head to Kai. "No. We should go," she says, her frown suggesting that she realizes now what a terrible idea this was. "Let me just speak to the barkeep first." She turns to do so, having a quick and quiet word with him. Promising to return his cups in the morning, and trading some baubles from her belt pouch for a bottle of something for the road.

"<In Trigedasleng> He talked about you, Kai. Said plenty of good things." Ginny smiles lightly. Apparently who the Second is was never brought up to her. Maybe that doesn't matter. "<In Trigedasleng> Wait. Britt?" she casts a look at her. Hard to say what she feels at first, but then he smile goes even wider. "<In Trigedasleng> Sev has talked a lot about you. I just had hoped to actually meet you. Oh, it all makes sense now. When he talked about all of his troubles in Tondc, he said you were the only person that bothered to talk to him. I want to thank you so much for that." Sev is a storyteller afterall, not like he'd give the entire truth. Or at least a version of it.

"<In Trigedasleng> Excuse me, I need to talk to her alone for a moment if you don't mind." And now it's Sev's turn to take Britt's arm, trying to pull her away for a moment, and hopefully if she does, he'll be able to talk. "<In Trigedasleng> Damnit. Stay. You didn't do anything wrong. You never hurt me. I hurt myself. This isn't on you."

Kai can't help but blink, nodding vaguely for Britt's words and electing that working on her mead is the better part of discretion at the moment. When Britt walks off and Sev follows, she finds herself in the company of Ginny again, only half following some of the Trigedasleng exchanged. An awkward smile is given to Ginny,"<In Trigedasleng> He said he had family here." she opts for rather than go for 'nice weather' or comment about the other two,"Your brother did good work at the Mountain." she elects to add though.

Britt is taken aback by Ginny's reaction, slanting a confused look to Sev. Certainly not the reaction she was expecting. "<In Trigedasleng> Oh, um. Well, he's too kind. You know how he likes to embellish." Yeah. Awkward. She allows herself to be pulled aside, and shakes her head. "<In Trigedasleng> You may be a good storyteller, but you can't fool me," she says firmly. "<In Trigedasleng> I can see well enough the hurt in your eyes. I will go. This would be awkward enough, but with your sister, and Kai's Trigedasleng… it's too much." A glance to Ginny briefly, then back to Sev. "<In Trigedasleng> Enjoy your night with your family, and I will see you back in Coesbur."

Ginny nods. "<In Trigedasleng> Me and mother. My son. HIs father passed on about five years ago. And we haven't seen our brother for eight. But…that's not unusual our family has never been close." It's not as simple as she makes it sound, but hey. "<In Trigedasleng> Traders. Don't expect see family a whole lot. I'm here simply because I took over the store when dad left us. My houmon works here as well so…about a good a reason to settle as any. Though it was kinda fun to let Sev know he has a sister he doesn't eve know about." There's a pause, like she's considering something. "<In Trigedasleng> Thinking about sending her with him. She needs to get out of Polis for a bit. See more of the world. Coesbur might be good for her, the lazy slacker." She says the part kindly, even if a little frustrated.

Sev doesn't let go of Britt's arm. "<In Trigedasleng> Stop it, Britt." he counters. "<In Trigedasleng> Just stop. Stop taking on all the world's pain. My pain is my own, damnit, I don't ask you to share it. Did I never not say that I missed you? Did I ever once say that I still didn't care about you as a friend? Does that mean nothing to you." He looks away for a moment, licking his lips, before looking back at her. "<In Trigedasleng> My feelings were wrong. I care about you a great deal, but it's not love, alright? It's always been…somewhere in between, and I lied to myself thinking it was something more. But that's on me. Because sometimes I'd look at you and I'd see her. I hurt, sure, who wouldn't? I mean, look at you. I am not going to stop caring about you, regardless of you feel, even if you can't do this anymore. But it's not going away just because you'd like it to. And I for one am not going to forsake you because of it. So." he says seeking out her eyes, even his volume is soft, his tone is intense. "<In Trigedasleng> I want something with you. I don't care what, but you're too important to just cast aside, and it would be too easy to simply hate you for it. The fact is, I don't. I can't. Maybe somewhere long in the future things will change between us. Maybe they won't, I don't know what'll happen and neither do you. But for right now, until then? Can you at least care about me enough that you won't insult our friendship by walking out that door? And take back a gift I gave to you because I wanted to? Not because I was trying to win you over? I never was trying to."

Kai is endeavoring to listen to Ginny's words and nods as if she understands everything, even if there's significant portions that she's just kind of vaguely guessing about,"<In Trigedasleng> New Coesbur will be near Audo, across from the Skai." she elects to offer in the hopes that it might be relevant to the conversation,"<In Trigedasleng> Much to build. We go there in morning." and drinking. Of course drinking, because that provides excuse for not talking too much, even if she is eyeing Sev and Britt carefully as she does so.

Britt listens to Sev's words, a pained expression creeping into her face. "<In Trigedasleng> It doesn't matter whether you ask me to share the pain, or share the blame. I do. I told you I still wanted to be friends - that hasn't changed. And I will gladly share a drink with you another time, but I can't do this now, all right? I can't do this here. Now please, let me go." She looks down at the arm he has a hold of, then back at him. "<In Trigedasleng> I need to go." A more gentle plea that time. She could yank her arm away, but she doesn't.

"Maybe you could help her. She's about your age, a little older." Ginny suggest, drinking from her own cup and setting the she had for Sev down. "And Sev needs to get to know a sister he's never met. He's missed out on a great deal of family things. Then again, I didn't meet her until six years ago or so. Was on the trail." To the trader, maybe Kai just prefer Gonasleng more. Some warriors do. "Huh, so that's where it's gong to be. Had only heard tidbits through the trader's vine."

"<In Trigedasleng> Damnit, Britt." Sev hasn't ever looked frustrated before. But better that he try to talk to her than run away from her. "<In Trigedasleng> You know, you always said there was nothing between us." he offers lowly, perhaps on the side…something. Hard pinpoint the emotion where it's coming from. "<In Trigedasleng> That it was just physical. For the first time, you make it sound like it was more than that. And now maybe I understand why you had to stop it when you could. And maybe you can't admit that to yourself, but your eyes don't lie." He shakes his head, and finally, the hand releases her. "<In Trigedasleng> Told you before I would never forsake you. I still mean it. And this," he opens his hand to show off the charm she returned to him, "<In Trigedasleng> will be waiting when you no longer feel pain over it."

"I could try?" Kai offers noncommitally,"I am not a trader, I fear. And only a Second myself. There are a lot of young ones there, but they are mostly Skaikids." she shrugs, it's the truth, even if she's mostly indifferent to it,"The Maunon sent fire and destroyed the old site. Although they are dead now, it is better to be closer to Tondc, and someone must keep an eye on the Skai, yes?" she smiles vaguely at Ginny as she keeps working on her mead without any particular hurry,"As long as there is peace with the Skai it should be a reasonably safe place to be."

Britt frowns a little at Sev's words. But she said she didn't want to get into it here, and she meant it. "<In Trigedasleng> I will see you in Coesbur, Sev. Safe travels." Then she's going. "<In Trigedasleng> I will be outside when you're ready," she says to Kai, not hurrying the young woman along. "<In Trigedasleng> It was good to meet you," she says to Ginny before leaving.

Ginny laughs a bit comically. "Oh no, she's not a trader. She's an archer. A warrior. You wouldn't believe how angry both of our parents were when she decided that's what she wanted to do." Another chuckle, then another drink. "Mmm, yes, she's the first one in our family line to do something that the rest of haven't in at least four generations. I found actually quite funny. Should've seen the look on dad's face the day she came home to announce it. I had only recently given birth to Nim. She's no longer a Second she's just…untested. Eager. Maybe going somewhere where it's a bit more rough an tumble would be good for her." A shrug at that.

Sev says nothing when Britt leaves, only instead going to Kai. "You better to with her. Apparently she doesn't need me and I've made her life too complicated as it is. Maybe it's for the best she not want to be around me." Finally, he takes the drink that had been waiting for him. "Let's go talk, Ginny. More than plenty to catch up on."

"She will be in good company, then, there are a number of archers in Coesbur." Kai offers to Ginny with a faint smile, her gaze flittering back to Sev with a dip of her head by way of acknowledgment. As the better part of valor she elects to keep her mouth shut, instead offering to Ginny,"It was a pleasure to meet you. Sev, good evening to you both." and unhurriedly she strolls after Britt, leaving the pair to catch up.

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