RP:A Brief Encounter

Part of the The Day I Tried To Live Arc

Summary: Heading out for a walk, Brand starts a snowball fight to cheer Khitti up. Krice shows up, on his way into the tavern, and it's made painfully obvious that neither male cares for the other. Meanwhile, Khitti's still distraught about the murders Amarrah forced her to commit in Kelay.

End Of The Frozen Road

Brand was in an unusually good mood today. Why? Who knows. Does he ever share his inner thoughts? Not often. Might have something to do with the whiskey he’d had for breakfast, though. Also, Khitti made banana pancakes. (C’mon, did you think he’d had whiskey and nothing else? He’s not -that- alcoholic.) Bananas and whiskey go really well together for some odd reason. It’s one of life’s great mysteries. Anyway, it was time for a walk. Because, reasons. (Secretly, he thought maybe it would cheer Khitti up after recent events, but shh. Brand’s got a surly and selfish appearance to keep up.) He was all bundled up in his coat, hat, and gloves gifted to him by Khitti this past Yule (okay, maybe there are some chinks of sentimentality showing up in the armor!), and the scarf he’d bought himself to replace the one given to Francis, their goofy cow-sized spider pseudo-child. Long story. Aforementioned scarf trailed behind him like a cape in the wind as he ran along the path, trying to get far enough ahead of Khitti to gather up some of that fluffy white stuff coating the ground and pelt the vampiress with one snowball after another. Technically, he probably could have just conjured snowballs with magic, but where’s the fun in that?

Khitti was her usual quiet, introspective self today. It’d taken quite a lot to get her to go outside. What if word had reached from Kelay about what she’d done? No. What -Amarrah- did. Anxiety ran rampant, enveloping the vampiress in its cold, dismal embrace. She’d reluctantly decided to join Brand however--it was better to indulge a man that’s downed half a bottle of whiskey for breakfast instead of arguing with him--and wandered slowly outside behind him. The scales of midnight blue that covered her duster shimmered in the sunlight, nicely complementing the button-up green shirt she wore, untucked, with those soft leather pants of hers and her well-worn boots. She’d not been paying attention to the Catalian as the first snowball hit her, her line of sight shifted elsewhere. “Brand...quit it.” Then, there was another. And another. A nice string of unsavory curses followed before she finally gave in, picked up a snowball of her own, and whipped it at his face. Thankfully for him, she didn’t use any of her vampiric abilities to aid in her frosty assault, but it’d likely still hurt regardless if she managed to hit him.

Krice wasn't part of the duo who had taken to the icy streets of Frostmaw for a bit of snowball-throwing fun. He was an enigma as always, dressed in the usual black attire with his katana strapped to his back and a quizzical expression on his face. He stood off the side, a few metres away from the dueling couple, observing their behaviour from afar. Undoubtedly the vampire would have sensed him by now per her supernatural awareness, along with perhaps his intention: he remained away from Khitti and Dominic, harbouring no want to interfere with their game. Khitti's frustration was noted, and Brand's icy onslaught inspired a wry smirk to the line of the warrior's mouth. Though Krice was hardly a sentimental guy, he wore a dark-blue ribbon around his right wrist, its knotted ends wriggling in the breeze.

Brand caught something out of the corner of his eye. Something... vaguely familiar. Maybe one of those wolves. A wyvern. His fellow blonde Catalian. Esche, maybe. Eh? Wait, no, that’s Krice. Gorram stuffy warrior guy. Brand was about to make some sort of grumpy expression at the man when karma smacked him in the face, in snowball form. “Oi!” He whipped back around towards Khitti. “Not the face.” Scowling, he rubbed at the impacted cheek. Oh, Brand. Don’t be such a child. You’ll be -fine-. Khitti got her way, though. There would be no more snowballs lobbed her way, for now. Instead, he merely jerked his head to the side, indicating Krice as if Khitti couldn’t have noticed on her own. “Besides, truce. We’ve got company.” Could be worse. at least it wasn’t that pointy-eared bastard. Or wolves.

Khitti had definitely noticed Krice long before Brand had said anything. That scent of his had tipped her off, but she pretended not to notice. His scent, as well as Brand’s--anything really that reminded her of that need to feed that came with vampires--turned her stomach and worsened her mood. “Hm? Oh. Hello.” was all that was said as she eyed Krice warily, then shifted her attention elsewhere. Thankfully, it wasn’t so early in the morning that the scent of burning wood and coals wasn’t about. Smoke billowed from the chimney of the tavern just feet away, and she took to staring at that instead of either of the humans. Yes, yes. Think about the fire in the stove of the kitchen and not the fact that you’re a murderer and want nothing to do with blood now. Good girl.

Krice tilted his head at a subtle angle that told of expectation, his eyes locked on Brand's. Was he waiting for the other male to address him? When no such greeting came, replaced with a distant acknowledgment directed to Khitti, the warrior simply diverted his attention to glance between the two, his gaze a hint softer as it settled over the face of the vampiric woman. " Hi," he echoed, before Brand's cessation of events inspired him to move forward. He gestured lackadaisically with his left hand. " Just on my way to the tavern. Don't let me stop you."

“Hey,” Brand echoed, still frowning. This was the part where he should do an introduction, shouldn’t he? He couldn’t remember if Khitti had mentioned meeting Krice before, and usually this was Dominic’s sort of thing. Maybe he should let the kid handle it? … Nah. Sighing a cloud of frozen breath, Brand trudged forward and closed the gap between himself and Khitti. Trying to subtly bring her back to the present moment, he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Khitti, Krice. Krice, Khitti. In case you’ve not met.” There. Got that over with. To Krice: “And yeah, well, we were just leavin’. So.”

Khitti lowered her gaze from the chimney, bowing her head somewhat in silence for the moment as Brand touched her shoulder and introduced her to the warrior. “Ve’ve met already, “ was gifted to the Catalian as she looked towards Krice again, her attention fixing on that ribbon that flowed in the chilly breeze. “You never showed up for dinner. Or cake, ” her tone sad, but not necessarily directed at him. It had been awhile since she’d last seen the grey-haired male and she’d almost entirely forgotten her own invitation that’d been given to him. “But… I guess a lot of zhings have happened since zhen.” ‘A lot of things’ was a bit of an understatement. “It’s probably for zhe better zhat you hadn’t…” The redhead finally tore her verdant gaze away from the ribbon on Krice’s wrist, listlessly attempting to fixate on something else. She wasn’t at all like she’d been the last time they crossed paths; she may have been awkward then, but this was certainly an entirely different sort of demeanor. There was no fire or snark as there usually was--especially around Brand.

Krice slowed to a halt and turned when Brand went about introductions, his gaze once more filled with the vision of first the other man's face, and then that of the female vampire. Khitti might or might not have seen something akin to sympathy in the gold-streaked crimson of the warrior's eyes, softening his overall expression for the length of her words. He never showed up for dinner? " I was waiting to hear about a time," he retorted, recusing himself of any potential blame for their missed appointment. Rather than stepping away, he opted to continue conversation with Khitti--Brand had always been less receptive to Krice; would the enigma even get an answer from him? " How... long ago was that, anyway?"

As far as Brand was concerned, his announcement of him and Khitti leaving should have been the end of it. He’d even taken a few steps forward, until Khitti spoke of dinner and cake and he realized he wasn’t off the hook of interacting with Krice so easily. “Seven hells, peach, you were gonna cook for him?” Brand was maybe a bit jealous, nevermind that Khitti cooked for him or Dominic all the time. Begrudgingly, Brand retraced his steps until he stood at Khitti’s side for a second time. His stance might be interpreted as protective, the way he placed himself just slightly ahead of her, though what exactly Brand thought he was protecting Khitti from was anyone’s guess.

Khitti’s crimson brows knitted together, as slightly irritated inflection accompanying her words that were now directed at Brand, “Just because -you’re- not friends vith Krice doesn’t mean Dominic isn’t.” With a sigh, she shakes her head, regarding Krice again, “Awhile. Since before Larket. Before him--” a nod of her head was given towards Brand, “--and Lionel, and I vent back to Raiez’s cave for few zhings.” Of course, she’d not mention the bitchy butterfly’s return. “Zhe offer still stands, of course, but it might be awhile before I have time for something like zhat.” So secretive she was, as usual, another side-eyed glance given to Brand--he’s certainly know what he was referring to.

Krice really didn't have anything against Brand, as told by his lack of animosity toward the other male. He was silent as Khitti and Brand had their moment, but it didn't take him long to slide back into the conversation. Before Larket... " Before the earthquake," he clarified, quietly, before another glance kept both of them in his attention. He said to the woman, " Don't worry about it. No rush at all." Thereafter, he asked of them both, " Were you two at the wedding in Larket?"

Brand didn’t show any acknowledgement of Khitti’s meaningful glance, but he most certainly did know what she was talking about. Best to keep that low key, maybe. “Wedding?” Brand inquired, tapping a finger to his chin and staring at Khitti as if reading something in her expression might jog his memory. What wedding? There was a wedding? “...Ohhh, right. -That- wedding. Nope, can’t say as we had a care to. Not really kept up much with what’s gone on outside Frostmaw of late, outside of that one thing with the bridge.” You know, that one thing, with the siege weapons and the fire and the armies. No big deal or anything. “Plenty here to keep us busy.” Not that Brand was inclined to divulge the particulars.

Khitti sighed heavily. She’d never been good at small talk and Brand was only making things more difficult with his clear dislike for Krice. She may not -entirely- trust the grey-haired warrior just yet, but Dominic did. And so did Lionel for that matter. That had to say -something- about him, right? “No. Zhere vas no vedding for us, zhankfully. I don’t really do zhe whole high society event things.” Well, she -had- gone to the coronation. And Frostmaw’s Yule ball a year ago. And that gods awful Larket ball not long after the Frostmaw one. Okay, fine. She does them sometimes. “Unless it’s something to do vith Frostmaw directly, zhat is.” There’s a dismissive wave of her hand, and a shake of her head, “Ve should let you get back to your business. I need some fresh air.” Ha. A vampire needing air. More like she needs away from people. People that she can hurt. “And, I vant to look for a place for a house vhile ve’re out. I, uh, need a change of scenery.” It’s definitely not that you tracked blood all through the tavern and Drargon’s not exactly happy with you. Nope. Not at all. “It vas nice seeing you, Krice. If you vork vith Lionel again, I’m sure I’ll be zhere too. He’s made me Briar’s replacement.”

Krice glanced sideways at Brand, acknowledging his answer with this look and nothing more. When Khitti stepped in to have -her- say, his attention was more focused and seemed a hint more interested in her. Nothing for Brand to be jealous about. Whilst Krice knew nothing of the happenings between Brand and Khitti during these several weeks apart, he still harboured an attentiveness that told of his awareness of -something- ailing the couple, though his lack of knowledge on the matter ensured that he couldn't quite figure it out. Still, his gaze lingered on the vampiress, a hint of empathy passing through the darker facets of his eyes, before he nodded in acknowledgment of her farewell and said to them both, "Sorry I interrupted your game." But then, a moment passed and he arched a brow. " Briar's replacement?" Echoed the silver-haired enigma. " So--I mean, what does that mean? You're Lionel's assistant?"

Brand was all too happy to start heading off again the moment Khitti gave indication of wanting to leave. And… house hunting? Yes. Sure. Whatever kept Khitti occupied. Whatever got them away from the bustle of living at the tavern, for Dominic’s sake. And with that limitless bottle of wine he’d found at Raiez’s cave, it wasn’t like he needed to be stumbling distance from the bar anymore, anyway. “Aye,” he responded, before Khitti could. It was nearly him calling back over his shoulder, what with him aiming to leave and all. “Kiwi here’s got herself a job helpin’ out Firesword Boy. Administrative tasks, moral support. Busy, busy, busy. See ya. I imagine the kid’ll want a chat next time.” Geez, Brand, why do you have to give everyone nicknames? Ya weirdo.

Krice glanced between Khitti and Dominic for the umpteenth time this encounter, but it was Brand's almost-dismissive answer that ensured the warrior's undivided attention thereafter. For reasons perhaps neither male could nail down, they always seemed a little less... -welcoming- of each other. He bowed his head to Khitti and said to the snarky male, " Looking forward to seein' the kid. -That- one I like." Again he nodded for the vampire's sake before turning to continue on his way, leaving the pair to their business.