Topic: Clearing Things Up

Katt Batten

Date: 2011-11-08 15:26 EST
.: Nov 3rd - Early Morning :.
(Snipped from live play. My many thanks to Sergei, Paul, Yeardley, and Harper for some monstrously huge giggles)

It's been a long day for Sergei -- up at five for a quick flight past Star's End, back into the spaceport to check out the junkyards, a short race along the Daggertooth Mountains (the Maria ranked, but only just), back to the farm to check out the plane, a test flight, and back to RhyDin for a shower at the Bon Bon and a burger on the way to the Inn. He balls up the wrapper, jumps and pitches it (b-ball style!) into a bin across the street. Three points!

Although Regan wasn't fond of the cold weather, there was one benefit to the impending winter -- the days were getting shorter. Fewer daytime hours led to more shadows to slip in and out of. He was feeling safer already. Yet, he still checked his back from time-to-time and switched up his route as much as possible. Passing the back alley that led to the Inn always provided him an opportunity. He'd slip in the back and out the front. He turned the corner into the alley and then through the door.

Eyeballing the left behind bottle of whiskey Katt had thought about pouring herself a glass. Then..to her bottle of unopened cranberry juice. Hm. Mix? A sigh and the bottle was picked up to be put away. "Meh..probably shouldn't.."

Sergei slips in through the front door, spots Paul and Katt across the room, and gives them both a wave. "Evening!"

A smile flickered across his face but never cemented into an actual expression. A friendly nod to Sergei and Katt accompanied the twitch of his lips as he casually let his feet lead up towards the bar.

She blinked to Sergei then to Paul. "Oh hey..sneaking in here?" Her eyes went to Sergei again and she smiled very lightly. "Hey you.."

Something about the smile and the greeting and the long tiring day makes it so that Sergei's reaction to Katt is to just get plain old twitterpated. His cheeks color a bit, he looks away and rubs the back of his neck. Eventually he recovers. "Hi... So, I placed in that race! The Daggertooth Dash? It was just fourth, I didn't get a medal or anything... but I got a cash prize! And some lady wants to interview me." Beam.

Katt glanced to Paul. "Can I get you anything to drink, Mister?" Lord..she wasn't sure if she ever got his name. That wasn't normal. She gestured Sergei to the bar so he wasn't talking across the way. "That is great! A lady huh." She grinned a bit. "So you got yourself a date." Couldn't resist the little tease. Specially when he was all blushy!

Sergei's wanted currently, though not for an interview: a courier arrives at the Inn, having followed Sergei at a distance, called to get his attention, failed to do so, lost him in the crowd, and has now finally caught up. He comes in through the front door and stoops over to catch his breath. Then he clears his throat. "Mr. Rodovic?" He crosses to the center of the room and holds out an envelope for him.

"What?!" There go his cheeks again. "No, no, it's not like that at all, it's strictly professional," he counters. "She's a reporter interested in my success as a -- huh?" He looks up at the courier, goes to retrieve the letter. The poor, winded man has to clear his throat twice before Sergei remembers to tip him, and he goes away while Sergei stands there and reads.

"Uh huhhh. Strictly professional." She totally believed that. Not. Slowly Katt's head tipped as she watched the courier and the letter that Sergei had. She shouldn't be nosey in his affairs after all but she couldn't help it.

"No, thanks. Not sticking around long." His reply to Katt was almost apologetic. He'd forgotten the flirtatious tension between the kids. Paul twisted a wrist over to glance at his watch with a sudden frown.

He mouths over the words, then purses his lips, thinking... "...one grand if I can do a passenger flight out to a ship at sea by ten. I gotta dash." He leans forward to give Katt a quick, one-armed hug, then waves to Paul on his way to the back door and out.

She blinked to Paul for the reply and she smiled a bit. "Geez you are busy too huh. Must be a guy thing." She tilted her head to Sergei who was busy busy. Wait..what? Hug and dash? She turned to watch Sergei blaze out. "Rest my case.."

A chuckle rumbled in Paul's chest and the frown had disappeared before he lifted his gaze. "Hardly busy. And I doubt that's something men have cornered the market on."

"I guess that is true." She shook her head and smiled a bit to Paul. To note she wasn't flirting just couldn't help but tease when Sergei was blushy over his success. At least that is what she figured it was. "So if not busy..hot date?"

His amusement seemed to be growing by the moment. This time the smile seemed to stick around as he reached up to being unbuttoning his cargo jacket. "A woman once told me that I wasn't much good at dating. Therefore, I try to avoid dates."

Her brows raised. "Wow..that kinda sucks..Can't really say I am any good at them myself. Every time I try to ..something goes horribly wrong. Maybe I should avoid dates too." She considered that thoughtfully and pointed to the shelves. "Sure you don't want a drink?"

"There's too much pressure to it. You have to make sure you dress up, you have to make sure you don't fall, you have to make sure you don't say anything stupid." His gaze slipped past her to the alcohol and with the guilt of interrupting the pair no longer weighing on him, he gave a nod and took a seat at a stool before the bar. "You know... maybe I have time for a drink. I'll have whatever you're having."

"Uh.." She blinked at that. "Not exactly my reasons but each to their own?" And since her bottle hadn't been opened she nudged the bottle of cranberry juice over to Paul. Hey..he did say whatever she was drinking. His fault!

The jacket was dropped over the back of the stool. He gave a laugh at the cranberry juice before falling to his feet to head for the break in the bar. "No, no, no. People don't commiserate over juice. We need beers at least." The sleeves of the plaid button-down shirt beneath the jacket were rolled up to his elbows along the way. "Well, if you don't mind me asking, what are your reasons?"

She made a face at him. "I don't drink bear. Yuck. And I've already stated as to why. Things just go horribly wrong. Usually with spilled blood involved." Just thinking about it made her hand lower to rub across her torso. "And you did say what I was drinking. That was what I was going to drink. Make up your mind."

"I'll give you that. I did say whatever you were drinking." And since she didn't seem to want one, he only grabbed a single bottle of Badsider. The flat of a palm fell against the top, twisting it open as he slipped back out from behind the bar. "Spilled blood? Well, you definitely one-up me. Maybe I shouldn't complain about spilling food on my shirt then."

"Course I've only *tried* to be on two dates. I bet you have actually gone through dates." Katt snorted a quiet sound like she might of laughed. Maybe. A nod was given to Saphira and she nudged the container of beignets. "I think I am just ..you know..cursed." Sage nod. "If food is all your problem then I think you aren't that bad at dates. Things like that happen."

"Not the least of my problems. But I must admit my problems are usually related to my own failings. You know, lack of social graces and an inability to keep my foot out of my mouth." There was a note of humor to Paul's voice as he settled back onto the stool, eyeing those beignets suddenly. He rarely passed up food. "I don't think two is enough of a sample size to know whether or not you're truly cursed."

A wave went to Bayliss who sorta seemed ..wow apparently she wasn't the only one in a icky mood. Slowly Katt's eyes went to Paul. "Do you want me to challenge that?" She seriously seemed to mean it too.

There was a flash of a friendly smile upon spotting Bayliss. It had been a while since he'd laid eyes on her. The smile slipped to a curious look as Paul's brown eyes bounced back over to Kat, brows furrowing in a look of concern. The seriousness in her tone seemed to cut through his layer of good-natured humor. "I think looking at it as a challenge is perhaps the wrong way to go about it. But, then again, I don't think you have to date. Relationships can start more casually than that."

When it came to the certain thought her mood seemed to grow even more grim. She forced it down and offered Paul a near apologetic smile. "Suppose that is true. Course..wouldn't know." She shook a finger at Paul. "So there is hope for you yet."

Katt Batten

Date: 2011-11-08 15:28 EST
The problem with being even mildly sensitive to others' emotions was that you knew when you weren't helping a situation at all. He exhaled heavily after a draw from the bottle. "I don't think you're cursed if my opinion means anything. I also, and I think I'm thinking I'm stating the obvious here, think that Sergei's got a thing for you."

Katt blinked slowly at Paul and snorted quietly. "Okay before I state something about that I am going to ask why you think that."

"Hey hi, Fury. Want some cider?" Yeardley asked since she was pouring the liquid into a pan. Side long look to Katt and Paul. "He's right." Tossing her voice into their conversation.

Kastt sent a smile to Harper and Yeardley. Oh look Yeardly..Beignets. Pumpkin spice ones just for joo!

"The kid blushes every time you look his way. I'm surprised he can walk in your presence." The playful note to Paul's tone returned. The words were genuine but there was a hint of teasing to his voice.

"Uh..that basically goes for any girl. We are just friends. Trust me..he doesn't see me like that." Katt smiled a bit and shrugged her shoulders.

"Yes he does, Katt. I heard him talking to Edward on the camping trip, he wants to date you." Backing up Paul's claim and blowing Katt's safe little world apart.

Katt blinked over to Yeardley. "Nhh..Wha? That isn't funny Yeardley." She scowled faintly and moved the container away. Uhoh!

Regan set the beer down half-emptied with a flash of a smile as Yeardley piped in. Like anybody, he enjoyed being proven right. That smile was turned on her in gratitude for being his proof.

"I'm not joking." Yeardley didn't even fight for the beignets! Shoulders lifted in a wide shrug, pouring two mugs worth of cider into the pan. "Harper was there, but I can't remember how drunk she was at that point."

"He wants to marry you," Harper said absently to Katt. Because she was supportive.

With a warm laugh, he reached over to drop a couple coins in the till before dropping to his feet. "Your cider is on me tonight." To Yeardley before shifting his smile back on Katt. "It seems the Inn is in agreement."

Katt stared at Harper as she had done lost her mind! She spluttered and shook her head, brows furrowing.

"What?" she challenged Katt at the look. "He thinks you're hot. He wants to kiss you for sure, and if he kisses you, marriage is sure to come up. This is Rhydin."

"Do you want one?" Asking Paul, wink sent his way for all his smiling. Spices were being added to it while Yeardley stirred, leaving Katt to Harper's tender mercies.

"He thinks I'm..what? He ..what?" Color began to cross Katt's cheeks and she tried to hide it by quickly turning to the shelves. Okay yeah now? Now she needed something stronger then juice! "That isn't true, Harper!"

"I do not lie." Harper said solemnly, before a pang of melancholy hit her in the gut for the second time since she'd arrived. "Ask him."

Katt's head tilted and she peered over her shoulder, the tip of her tongue showing. "If that was true I would of been married like twice by now! Kissing doesn't mean marriage." She gave a quick nod.

"I will take a rain check on that." In reply to Yeardley, lifting a hand in a wave to her, Harper, and Katt as he cut a path towards the front door. His jacket as pulled back on along the way and he stepped out the door to let himself be swallowed up in the darkness.

Once the mugs were full Yeardley turned back to set the pan out of the way, voice dropping for Katt's ears. "I wasn't joking, he really is interested in you." Giving the girl a crooked smile. She still didn't go for the pumpkin treats!

Katt Batten

Date: 2011-11-08 16:02 EST
Katt blinked and looked to Yeardley then down to the ground. She nodded a bit to show she heard and instead of hitting the shelves? Went to Edward's stash. Dalmore was claimed. How couldn't he of told her about this!? A glass was grabbed and she motioned to the container of beignets. "If anyone wants any." And she left from behind the bar. Mumble mumble..She made her way along the patron's side to the end of the bar. A glance was made to Yeardley and Harper. "Um.." Pause..Might as well ask. "What..exactly did he say?"

"I don't remember exact words, he was interested and Ed told him to go for it." Summerizing what she could remember of the conversation.

Slowly Katt's head tilted to the side and she stared at Yeardley. "Edward..told him that?" Oh..dear..Edward? Big trouble. Yep. She should of grabbed the 60 instead of the 40! Why was she the last to know? Really.. "I..see. Um..is that all?"

Another lift of her shoulders. "All that I can remember." Half her attention was on Harper and Fury, cider lifted for a careful sip.

Realizing she was pulling Yeardley from her company she gave a few nods. "Okay. Thank you. Um.." She nodded a few times and glanced down to her glass. "Thanks.." She mumbled again.

She wasn't being pulled, she was trying to keep up with both conversations. "Take it that's not a good thing." That spoken to the mumbling Katt.

"It is..confusing." She mumbled to Yeardley. She hadn't yet taken the drink she had poured. Just sorta stared.

"Which isn't a good thing." Answering her own question. "What's so confusing?" Propping herself against the bar where she could hear mumblings.

"It ..just seemed like he'd rather me be with Leo..He was always pushing me.." She murmured quietly. "I mean..he is younger then me..why would he.." She mumbled until falling silent.

"No clue who Leo is." Tossing that out there. "Is he the one you like, this Leo?" She had to strain to hear some of Katt's comment, likely missed some, but filled in the blanks between sips of cider.

Thinking about Leo brought a painful expression across her face. "He was someone I liked...but..things changed.." She didn't want to get into it and explaining it that way seemed the best possible way.

"Uh." Articulate sound it wasn't. "Sounds like a mess." Sympathetic smile flashed Katt's way.

She snorted a quiet giggle and poured herself another round. "Yeah don't it just? Which is why..I'm confused. I will talk to him." Just not right now.

Seeing Tara had Yeardley glancing back to the coffee pot, then towards the door, then back to Tara, all the while sipping the spiced up cider. Eventually her attention landed back on Harper since the bag was squirming and talking. She lifted her mug back to Tara, semi draping over the bar to look at the bag on the floor. Trying to decide if it needed rescuing or killing.

Downing the rest of her glass she stood, grabbing the bottle and turning. Seeing Janie she blinked but it didn't stop her from waving to Yeardley, Harper, and Fury.

"Walk safe." To Katt who seemed to be going to walk and drink; she wasn't a mom sort, the kid could take care of herself.

Sighing she made her way to and out the door. She needed to walk..or ..yeah she'd go do something.

Katt Batten

Date: 2011-11-08 17:12 EST
.: Nov 3rd - Early Morning :.
(My many thanks to Sergei~)

Today was much lazier. It was about ten a.m., and he hadn't been awake for very long. Washed his face, gone downstairs to retrieve his favorite Star's End newspaper, made himself a cup of coffee, and now drank that, read the sports section and watched TV in the living room upstairs.

He only technically 'watched' it -- oddly Sergei treated TV's more like radios, picking a program like sports or news that involved lots of talking, turning it up enough to listen, and otherwise not so much as glancing at the screen. He fidgeted with his dogtags absently as he read a long article on the future of high-speed hovercraft races.

Talk about lazy! Nah there was nothing against him snagging a cup of coffee and darting upstairs during the morning. It had, for the most part, been regular customers. It was time consuming and allowed her to work with a numb mind.

A hand went up to wave to the Knights leaving. Katt swore Alain's men were eventually going to eat her out of business with their appetites! She had a little soft spot for them and they probably knew it by now considering they each went home with a little 'care package' every Saturday.

Once the door had closed her hand lowered and she glanced to the stairs, hands working on twisting a rag. After a load of consideration and arguing with herself she moved to turn the sign over in the door and headed up the stairs.

She'd know where he was because of the tv and soon enough was lingering in the doorway. I spy..a lounged out Sergei! He was watched silently for the moment while she worked out in her head how she was going to ..deal with what was simply hanging on the tip of her tongue.

He didn't hear her at first; then one ear twitched and he looked back at her with a smile. "Morning."

She blinked slowly and a tiny smile twitched the corner of her lips. "Morning.." She pushed out from her spot. "Don't mean to bug your down time."

"No-no, it's fine," and he patted the sofa cushion next to him.

She couldn't help but wonder if that was a good idea. Nodding she moved over to sit on the couch, taking up the end so that she could tuck a leg under her and not crowd his space. With him now closer she avoided looking to him. Instead she paid a bit of attention to the tv.

It was an extremely detailed news report on a drop in canteloupe sales after the outbreak of a poisonous new fungus. It was a safe bet Sergei wasn't paying close attention to it. "I read one of that reporter lady's interviews this morning... I think she's pretty brutal, I'ma have to be careful..." He smirked, pointing out her face next to her article on the facing page. "She compared Don Chaney, ranked second in high-speed levitation planes, to a neurotic jackrabbit." Grimace.

No wonder why he wasn't paying attention. Boringggg. Tilting her head she looked at the picture he was pointing out. "When is your interview?" Jackrabbit? In her head..bunnah! The fluffy cute kind.

"Four o'clock. I uh, I'm really not looking forward to it..." He laughed then, rubbing the back of his neck. "And anyway, isn't it a little soon to be interviewing a rookie like me? This is only the fourth time I've ranked!"

They were probably more fascinated by the fact that he was an out-of-towner, seventeen, and ranking with a decent amount of consistency, but Sergei somehow missed that most of the pilots he raced against were twice his age.

"Uhh..Probably because of how young you are and the fact you have beaten the snot out of everyone in those four races?" Her face screwed up into a very much 'duh' expression. "So your date ..i mean interview is today?" Her lips twitched briefly in the tease.

Leaning back she turned her attention back to the tv, not even looking at the results her tease might of caused.

She could probably predict them with her eyes close: first he blinked, then he blushed, then he looked kind of angry and flailed as he countered, "It's not a date! It is strictly professional. She's a journalist who... okay, calling a pilot a neurotic jackrabbit isn't very professional, but the point still stands!"

It wasn't that hard not to see the flailing limbs even though she wasn't looking at him directly. Her lips twitched faintly. "Uh huh." She left it at that for now. Catching the rusty auburn tip of hair between her fingers she started to work the strains back and forth. "Hey..you said when you went camping you talked with Edward?"

"Uh... yeah," he nodded.

"What did you two talk about?" She didn't remember if she had even ever asked that.

"Oh, uh... stuff," he shrugged. Now his face really was burning. He looked the other way, fidgeted with the dog tags some. Shit shit shit, how do I get outta this?!

The hair was released. "Just stuff huh?" She peeked over to him to find him looking the other way. Made it a tiny bit easier but not by much. Okay she seriously sucked at beating around the bush. "I sorta ..know. And before you are going to blame Edward it wasn't him." Other ears and such!

"Crap," he said out loud. He shivered a little, breathed a sigh, and turned to look at her. "Well, uh... I guess it's my fault you didn't hear it from me... first..." He itched the back of his neck, glanced away, then back at her. "I like you, Katt."

"I mean... of course I like you, and I care about you, you're my friend, but uh... you know... I like you. I have... for a while."

'Crap' threw her off a bit. In fact confused her a little and it showed. It was strange hearing it coming from him..and not other people. It made her..nervous. Her eyes tilted away as she listened to him. "Is that the..reason you have stayed? I mean..working at the Bon Bon and staying here?" Her brows furrowed for a moment and her mouth opened then slowly closed. One question at a time maybe..

He shook his head. "I mean... I mean it when I say, I like being here... liking you doesn't hurt things, sure, but uh... no, I mean, I decided to stay here, and that I liked it here, before I really, you know... knew how I felt about... you."

"You know..when I was told this last night.." Yes last night! "I had considered not even bringing it up. I guess part of me wanted to ..I don't know..give you time..? But it ..confused me. I mean..why did it seem you were pushing me to be there for..with Leo?"

"...because it didn't seem... honorable?" he tried, but the word didn't fit right. "Fair. It didn't seem fair to him... he asked you out, I thought he was pretty interested, and with him in his condition... I'd thought about telling you about this, asking you on a date or something, around then, but then when that happened to him... it didn't seem right, when he couldn't speak for himself, you know?"

"So, I backed off for a while to... well, see how things worked out with you two. I'd been jealous of him before, and I felt... bad about that, you know? I wanted to give him a chance. It felt like the right thing to do."

She listened quietly and a quiet sigh escaped her. There was so much she could say on the situation of Leo. "Honestly..he hasn't exactly allowed me to be there for him. I've only seen him once and from what Edward has told me he is ..different." She couldn't give detail on that.

She blinked slowly and glanced over to him. "You were..jealous.." She considered this a moment. "You know..I.." She winced when she almost told him and she shook her head, looking back to the tv. "You are very considerate of others, Sergei."

"Thanks..." That brought color to his cheeks. Probably not as much as if she'd followed through on that typo, but still.

"I... you know, I... it wasn't easy. I really like you. You're very kind, and very... there's something about you," he laughed, looking away a bit as he colored more. "I don't know... I'm bad at this... But I think you're wonderful, and I think we could... you know..."

"...go out."

Despite the fact she had liked him too she was starting to see a pattern with her and relationships. As she had told Paul..she was quite..cursed. "(s) I don't want to hurt you too.." She actually didn't like the thought much at all.

Blink. Wonderful? Her? She wanted to snort and laugh at that. Wonderfully screwed up maybe..

"But you haven't," he protested. "I mean... how do you feel? I hope you feel the same way, but if you don't... that's okay. I'd want to know that too, honestly. If you feel the same way about me, or if you don't."

"Yet.." She stated it weakly. She wanted to lie to him. If anything to save him. In that she'd hurt him but on a smaller scale? What if he ended up hating her like Toby? Or..hurt like Leo.. Thinking about hurting Sergei caused her face to twist in a struggle.

"I had this crush on you..but I never said anything because..you are younger then me..and I ..I don't want to ruin your life. I don't want to hurt you..or you be hurt because of me. So I ..stuffed it down as hard as I could. I was...am happy with you being my friend..."

"Oh..." His face fell. "It's... over now, then...?"

He shook his head. "I don't think you would've hurt me, and... you know, you're a little older, yeah, but we do the same things, you know? We're responsible for our own businesses, we pay bills... I think we're both... pretty grown-up, you know? But if you don't like me like that, anymore, I'm okay with being friends. But if you do... I think we should give it a chance, even if we're afraid. Especially if we're afraid. I'd like to be brave, with you."

Okay she had never heard anyone say that to her like..ever. Be brave..with her? She blinked a bit over to him. Chewing her bottom lip a moment she considered how to answer him. Harper's words kept rolling around in her head which was such a dangerous thing.

Pushing herself to her feet she started around the couch only to stop at the arm of the couch he was closest to. "Does that mean..you are going to ask me out?"

This was a surprising turn for Sergei. "Well... yeah. I'm asking you out."

Be brave..right? She'd be lying if she didn't admit she was terrified. Leaning over the arm of the couch and to him. She willed..silently begged..a number of things just for him not to move just long enough to graze her lips against his cheek in a chaste kiss. "(s) Okay." To his ear before she slipped away and even out of the room. Not even waiting for his reaction. That was a note on how scared she was.

He was too twitterpated to protest her departure. "Buh," he articulated, cheeks bright red. That was about the sum of it. Give him an hour or so to sort out his brain and his hormones, get downstairs to see her and figure out a first date.