RP:Krices-Pieces and Khit-Khat: A Deliciously Awkward Meeting

Summary: The warrior and the weird girl manage to cross paths again. This time things actually go well! Mostly. Sort of. No one died and that's all that counts, right?

Northern Highlands

Khitti somehow managed to actually leave that frozen town again, though of course it wouldn't be for long. The hop, skip, and jump down the mountainside was easy enough as usual and now the direction she took was towards the mage town, specifically the Destrier. She was clad in black as usual, the near-mini skirt of her dress was an odd thing to behold in this sort of weather, but it's not like she felt the cold anymore. With the hood of her duster pulled up, she stalked through the area, headed south, brows knitted beneath and that frown of hers ever present. Feeding outside of Frostmaw was so inconvenient; she shouldn't have to leave, but she wasn't about to anger Hildegarde either.

Krice emerged onto the snowy pathway - as defined as it wasn't - from the east, where-in stood a log cabin several metres away from the main stretch. Silver hair blowing in his face, but not hindering his vision, the black-dressed warrior moved silently and without haste, his collar open and sleeves rolled to his elbows. In that, he and Khitti were alike; the cold didn't seem to bother them. Yet as his heart pumped pure, rich blood through his body, a solid and consistent beat, she'd be able to sense - and hear - that he did not have undeath to thank for his immunity to frost. Anyway, as he turned for the south, he caught sight of Khitti in his periphery and slowed, turning his gold-streaked gaze her way. He had only seen the girl once, many months ago, but it had been alongside Dominic - someone with whom the warrior was more familiar. Arching a brow in slight portrayal of surprise, the warrior halted and turned to face Khitti as she ventured closer - purely because she was moving south, toward him. " Hey," he called, greeting her nonchalantly but with an air of expectation.

Khitti had, in fact, heard that badum badum badum of his heart, but she'd thought nothing of it. She knew her intended targets and they didn't venture this far out here. Only when he offered that greeting did she stop...that scent...where did she know that smell from? Mere feet from the male, she narrowed those emerald eyes somewhat, studying him, and then suddenly they were opened wide in rememberance. "You." Their time together last time had been an odd one from what she could recall, but it had been so long now that she couldn't tell why. All she remembered is that it was awkward as hell, but then again, when wasn't her interactions with other people awkward?

Krice 's head tilted a fraction to the left at Khitti's answer. He didn't think it aggressive or judgmental, but it -did- confuse him. With that confusion touching the edges of an otherwise calm tone, he asked for clarification by speaking a simple, " Uh, yeah?" With his back - and the sword strapped there - to the cabin, his left side to the south, and his right side angled at a northeasterly position, the silver-haired enigma waited patiently while Khitti responded to his query.

Khitti didn't move an inch besides a slight twitch to the fingers that rested at either side of her, her brows still narrowed, a concerned frown still planted firmly on those pale lips of hers. "Vhere do I know you from...?" She too was quite confused, the events from the past few months had certainly jumbled everything. Not like her head was ever on straight anyway, regardless. "Ve've met before I zhink?" She almost seemed uneasy, like a rabbit unsure of whether or not to flee.

Krice was relaxed where he stood, though Khitti's apprehension was not lost on him. Following her questions, he offered answers that were honest to the best of his memory. " Yeah," he began. " Once or twice, more in passing than anything. I know Dominic - and Brand."

"Oh." was all that was said for the moment as she gathered herself, nodding a little. Well, if he knew about -both- Dominic and Brand, then they had to have put some amount of trust into him. "Right. Uh. Sorry. I've been uh...out of commission, I guess you could say for zhe past few months. My memory on some zhings are a bit foggy." The redhead eased a bit, but only grew more confused as she noticed those outward peculiars about him, most importantly the fact that he seemed unaffected by the cold and yet he was clearly not dead. Things were never going to stop being weird around here, apparently. "I can't recall if ve've had any formal introduction, so...I'm Khitti. And you are...?"

Krice shook his head. " I don't think we ever did," he echoed. Reciprocating the introductions, the warrior gave his name, " Krice," and then spoke a gentler - out of respect, " Dominic told me that you'd been captured by a dragon. It's good to see that you're free."

Khitti seemed a little taken aback at the fact that he knew of Raiez, but then she soon eased again. "Ah, yeah...zhat's uh..." She nods, letting her words trail off. Sure he could gather that that's what she had meant about her being indisposed. A pensive look crosses her features, and she grows silent for a few moments. She looked from him, to the snow beneath them, then to Krice again. "Sorry," was muttered faintly, "Zhings are still processing. A lot more zhan just being kidnapped by an overgrown lizard happened." Another pause. "Do you come around here often?" It wasn't said, of course, in the typical fashion that most people used that question, ie when hitting on someone, but instead just in vague curiosity.

Krice was quiet as Khitti processed the change in conversation. Clearly it was still a sore subject for her, the topic of her captivity, recent as it was. He didn't ask anymore questions, reluctant to be a source of distress in that regard. The warrior shook his head, dismissing her apology for the momentary lapse into pensive silence. Following her question, Krice himself was silent a moment before shrugging a shoulder and gazing around at the snow-capped mountains. " I pass through here, mostly. I go wherever."

Khitti nods, then tilts her head, watching Krice, a faint smile mustered for him. "Yeah, same here." She was full of hesitance as ever, but she managed to touch back on the subject of her disappearance, "H-how vere zhey? Vhen I vas gone? Did zhey seem vell?" Her lips remain parted as if she something more to say, but she thought better of it and pressed them together into a thin line as she reflected on things further. "Likely not, I imagine. At least, Dominic anyway. Nothing ever bothers Brand."

Krice lifted his chin at a subtle angle as he considered Khitti's query about Dominic's well-being during her forced absence. How to answer that... Her additional words allowed him some extra time to properly contemplate his reply, to -remember- his encounters with the dual-minded man while she was gone. " Dominic was keeping it together, but he was worried about you. He didn't like leaving you there." The warrior shook his head, slightly. " I don't remember if Brand showed up - but I didn't see either of them that often, anyway."

Khitti considered his words, another nod offered, "Right." Her line of sight shifted towards the mountainpass, down towards the town. "I've, uh, got something to take care of down zhere in town. It's um..." Nope, don't tell him you intend on going on a blood frenzy, most people don't take kindly to that. "Vould you like some tea or food or anything? Or, you likely have zhings you're doing, yeah?"

Krice watched Khitti quietly when she looked away, for reasons that were his own - though his gaze was not lecherous or even judgmental; it simply held curiosity and thoughtfulness. As she returned her attention to the warrior and voiced that invitation, he arched a brow but gave a shake of his head. " I'm not really hungry," he said, adding a wry, " And you probably don't like company while -you- eat..."

Khitti scrunched up her nose as she looked at him again, "Trust me, it vasn't an invitation to -my- meal. I don't--I'm not..." She pursed her lips together, unsure of how to proceed. "I'll leave you to your business zhen." She frowned a little, a step or two taken towards the south. "It vas lovely to have met you. I'm sure ve'll see each other again, and perhaps vith Dominic. I'm sure he can hold a conversation better zhan I can."

Krice arched a brow at Khitti, this time in bemusement at her reaction to his words. He lifted a hand to gesture that she wait, his words expressing that they had miscommunicated. " No - I... wasn't saying... I mean, I'm not hungry so I wasn't going to eat. If -you- were going to eat, uh...." He winced slightly and lowered his hand to his side once more, adopting a wry expression. " Never mind. I'm not even sure what I was trying to say." Noting her iminent departure, the warrior nodded his head in farewell. " Take care."

Khitti paused once she had passed Krice, her boots pivoting about so that she faced him again, "I'm not like zhe rest of zhem, you know, if zhat's vhat you mean. I'm not a--I don't even feed in front of Dominic and Brand." Why did she feel the need to explain herself to him? She didn't even know him. "It's alright. I'm not gonna force you to go vith me. I just figured if either of zhem gives you zhe time of day zhat you must be alright. But, I probably should go. It's been awhile since I've been back down here." She manages another smile for him, "I can't live off of carrot cake and tea forever unfortunately." With that said, she gives a slight nod, and then a wave before finally heading towards the village.

Krice truly had been highly misunderstood. Reluctant to let Khitti wander off thinking that he feared or judged her for being a vampire, the silver-haired man took a step toward her, and then another, before he fluidly fell into a more consistent rhythm. If she stopped, he would halt as well. If she continued, he would walk alongside her. She was one of the few vampires who seemed to take no interest in the sweeter smell of his blood; whether or not this helped him come to such a decision was unclear. " I have friends who are vampires," he said, trying to reassure the woman with calmly spoken truths. " I meant... I really -am- 'not hungry'. Since you're a vampire, I didn't think that you'd be sitting down to eat cakes and drink tea, and the alternative"--drinking blood--"is something that you probably don't want some stranger sticking around for while you do it." He shrugged his left shoulder and adopted a smirk, one that was almost bashful in its apology. " Sorry. I have nothing against vampires." He halted, then, if both of them hadn't already been stopped, and turned to face the woman. " Rest assured."

Khitti did continue to walk along the path with him, occasionally shooting the silver-haired male a glance as he spoke, and stopped when he finally did, giving him a hard stare after his apology before softening a bit. "I'm sorry too. I'm, uh...not great vith people. A bit too cautious, I guess." A pause. "I know you're not lying and I'm sure your friends are lovely." There was a 'but' lingering in the air. "I don't know. I don't really ever talk about zhis to anyone. Not even really vith Dominic. Better for zhe humans to not see or zhink of it." The word 'humans' wasn't said with disdain, but rather with a hint of sadness. "I remember now...vhy you vere so familiar. Vouldn't have even known if I vasn't zhis damned zhing."

Krice seemed to relax a bit--was he even tense?--when at last he was able to convey to Khitti what he meant, or at least better explain himself. Her words inspired a thoughtful expression to the contours of his chiseled face, but he ultimately nodded in agreement; some humans were weak of mind and opinion, and couldn't see past a vampire to the human beyond. Some vampires were no longer human at all. He acknowledged her want to refrain from talking about her affliction and opted to say nothing further on the matter, respecting that wish. Following her memory as to why he was so familiar, especially given that her vampirism was linked to it, the silver-haired enigma asked, " What do you mean?"

Khitti shook her head, reddish brow knitting together again, "You smell different is all. Zhere's other zhings too, of course, now zhat I've had a proper glance at you. None of it is any of my business, however. You seemed to sense back zhen zhat I'm different too. Moreso zhen zhan I am now, I zhink. And, I don't just mean zhe vampirism." She gave another shake of her head, as well as a sigh, "Zhe smell...it's only strong now because I've not fed for a bit. Otherwise, I'd likely not even noticed it. I'm too distracted, my senses aren't as sharp as a tack like most vampires." Another sigh. "Sorry. I don't know vhy I'm rambling on like zhis."

Krice listened attentively to Khitti's reply; after all, he had posed a question, which he wouldn't have asked if the interest wasn't there. Following her concluding apology, the warrior shook his head and murmured, " I'm not a vampire, though. I just have... better senses than other humans." He hoped that this would reassure Khitti, also. " But yeah - I noticed you when we last crossed paths, and you didn't bother me then, so..." It followed that she wouldn't be bothering him now, purely because of her vampirism.

Khitti took a little comfort in the fact that she 'hadn't bothered him' last time, a nod given in acknowledgement, "I know you're not. A vampire, zhat is." A subconscious wringing of her hands begins anew as it often did when her anxiety flared up, her line of sight shifting away from him. "I'm glad it didn't bother you, but it bothered me. Likely vhy I pushed it out of my head." Suddenly she was starting to wish she could do the same with stuff from recent events. "Zhings are even more different now, and I'm not sure vhat to make of it...I just..." She shakes her head, "I don't like taking chances."

Krice observed Khitti without meaning to, from the micro-expressions in her face as she spoke, to the movements of one hand rubbing against the other; it was his keen eye, his 'warrior's instinct', that made him ever watchful. As she spoke once more, avoiding his gaze, he was patient and quiet to allow her time to formulate her words, to work through his thoughts. His answer to her concluding statement was a straight-forward, honest one: " You don't have to take chances. Surround yourself with people you trust--Dominic is trustworthy--and you'll be alright." If the vampire looked up at him again, Krice would afford her the smallest of casual smiles, the left corner of his mouth tilting upward.

Khitti nodded, and soon did actually look at him once more. A brief smile of her own appeared, the hand-wringing slowed, but wasn't entirely gone. "I know he is. He--zhey--zhey're really all I've got. Zhem, and Pilar." Not that he'd know who Pilar was likely. Finally, she manages to tear her digits from one another, another attempt at composing herself surfacing, "You should have lunch or dinner one day vith us. Ve live in zhe inn above zhe tavern in Frostmaw. Any time you're properly hungry zhat is. If you give us enough varning, I could even make a cake too, if you'd like." She tilts her head, giving him another study, "I'm sure you're quite capable, but do be careful around here, alright? Raiez might be gone now, but zhere's plenty of other awful people about. Just send zhem my vay. I could treat zhem to 'dinner' too." The smile shifts into a bit of a mischievous grin; it was of course a joke, a bad one. Maybe.

Krice seemed pleased that Khitti was a little more at ease, even though not entirely, as told by the softening of his expression; it was subtle but noticeable, one of those 'subconscious' things that she would be able to pick up on without realizing it. Her invitation to join them for dinner was met with a nod, her mischievous concluding comment inspiring a vague smirk. He was amused - though on an otherwise stalwart warrior, it was hard to tell. Both eyes harboured hints of warmth relating to mirth. " Sure," was his answer to the invitation, before he bowed his head again to initiate a farewell. " I don't wanna keep you away from your business. It was good to finally meet you properly, Khitti."

Khitti's grin shifted once more back into that sort of awkward, shy smile she'd held before, "Oh. Right. Yes. Um. It vas good to meet you too, Krice. Stay out of trouble, a-and don't get kidnapped by dragons, and all of zhat nonsense." She nodded in agreement with her own words as if they were the best pearls of wisdom anyone had ever heard in their life, then squinted at them when she processed what she'd said, and shot a shifty-eyed side glance towards nothing in particular. She really did need to work on her people skills. "Goodbye." With that said, she's headed off finally towards Xalious for a lovely 'meal' with the drunk and disorderly of the Dancing Destrier.

Krice observed Khitti curiously and almost cracked a smile at her well wishes, odd as they were - but the warrior was hard to crack in general, so his features remained pleasantly passive. Another dip of the head was his farewell to the vampire, and as she departed the mountain, he would busy himself for a little while until she passed into Xalious; perhaps worried that she might think he was stalking her if he descended along the path right behind her. They could have walked down toward Xalious together, but they had different business to attend to, anyway.