volurofthehearth | Meeting the fiancé's otherworldly friends

Meeting the fiancé's otherworldly friends

The invitation was very clear about the nature of the gathering. Or as clear as the upper class get about these things. He had needed to insist upon doing them himself as her eyes had brightened and she'd smiled wide at the mention of making them. Rather than the texts that are often favoured by Nexus residents, these are paper invitations delivered by couriers post-haste. They specify the time and date that each person is invited to come and meet his new fiancé. A simple chat over tea to make introductions.

Isidor, insisting she would only be a distraction, left Viatorus to handle things with Lyall guarding the door as per usual. If Viatorus were the suspicious type he might linger on the notion that she vanished purposefully to put himself and his wife-to-be to the test, but then that wouldn't be very nice of her.

Viatorus' office apartment is... different. The main room which everyone enters into feels warmer, closer, inviting. The chairs and couch face each other a little more, tables positioned perfectly to make sure everyone can see everyone with ease. There are vases of flowers here and there, pale and demure bundles with little bursts of colour. Above each of the doors are smaller bundles of dried plants that twist and intertwine so that once pinned up they appear as decorations that makes the apartment feel more like a natural space. The air smells ever so faintly of vanilla and cinnamon, the last gift Ingirun gives to Viatorus' Nexus home.

It is only because of his company that Viatorus has chosen to wear a relatively untouched blue-grey suit and even a blue tie to match his light blue shirt. Ingirun's impeccably pinned up hair makes her retro ensemble of a loose white silk shirt and long green skirt appear as the perfect combination of smart casual. With cakes, pastries, sandwiches and mini-tarts all prepared, now all they need to do is wait for the first visitor to arrive.

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Viatorus' awkward answers get a sympathetic, uncomfortable smile from Harrowheart. He knows it isn't easy for his friend to find common ground with others, but it can't be that hard, can it?

He's relieved to say, a little too loudly, "You paint! I'll have to see some of your work some day, Runa. Maybe you'll find some nice things to paint here in the Nexus. Or, y'know, some day you might come to my world..."

Then he takes a moment to watch her and to think. It's a very long time before he remembers that he ought to keep up appearances and blink. He takes a sip of water for a hint of normalcy before he asks, "Have you ever been off Earth? Or away from your homeland? How do you feel about it? About bein' away?"

The more the conversation progresses the more Ingirun reveals her penchant for smoothing over uncomfortable silences with conversation and notes of noise. Harrowheart's enthusiasm is received with a demure little laugh. "Everything, and everyone, here is so inspiring. I will be painting and crafting without stopping!"

Even with her help carrying the discussion along she is also relieved when Harrowheart breaks the stare and starts to talk again. "This is the first time I have physically been off of Earth, but I have travelled to other countries before. This is... not the same. It's exciting, though! Viatorus has promised to show me around better after I have met a few of his friends."

When she turns to smile at the dreamwalker, he manages a smile back, even though he does start fidgeting again. "I... I wanted her to know a few people first. To introduce her before I showed her everything."

"I must explore the library fully," Ingirun tells them both. "I suspect I will find Viatorus there a lot."

Harrow nods along with mentions of the library. "I went a few times. It's easy to get lost there -- either lookin' for the books you want or readin' 'em." Then he fishes around in the lining of his cape until he finds his phone.

"I prefer the Internet. I can read anything I want any time I want, and I don't have to return it. If I don't know a word I can ask what it means, and my phone spells for me and everything. Shoot, I feel like I've learned more in a year since I got this than I did in my whole life and death before it. Almost everything I know about Earth I learned on the Internet. Look..."

He taps the activation button and instructs it to find, "Sweden." A robotic voice begins to explain what and where Sweden is, but he cuts it off quickly by navigating to a page full of images. He turns the screen often so that the mages can see what he's found: Annotated maps, images of the flag, and many landscape shots. One that catches his attention and comes under closer inspection is a sunset scene of a river winding through a tundra steppe in the summer, shadowed on both sides by steep cliffs dotted with pine trees. Wildflowers sprout in the foreground, and dim light tints the whole scene a colorful purple.

"Shoot... This looks just like a place on my world! Howling Fjord. You remember I told you about that, Viatorus? The place my ship landed when I first arrived on Northrend! There were stone giants there, and eagles with wings as wide as this apartment, and dryad women who danced through the forest with icicles on their ears. If Sweden's anything like that I figure it's gotta be a good --"

He's cut off abruptly by a repetitive beeping, shrill and obnoxious. A timer has gone off on his phone and he scrambled to shut it off.

"Sh-shit -- shoot! Sorry, not... I gotta get back to my station soon. I feel like I just sat down..." He stows his phone away again and looks between his glass and Runa.

"Say..." he begins, his tone one of a man with a crafty sort of plan in mind. "It wouldn't be fair of me to leave dirty dishes in someone else's home. My mother didn't raise me like that. How about I go wash this glass out in the sink? Runa, I'll do all the dishes if you want. And since you're the lady of the house you can oversee it all while Viatorus stays here and relaxes? How's that sound?"

For the first few images Viatorus leans in, hesitant about coming too close to his fiancée, more out of politeness than anything. But, naturally, when Harrowheart starts comparing it to one of the most entrancing descriptions he's ever heard, he starts to pay more attention. Beside him, Runa's smile reaches her eyes at the topic of giants and nymphs. She's just opening her mouth to comment when the alarm goes off, startling Viatorus nearly out of his seat.

"I will help you," Runa corrects and chirps,"You can wash and I can dry!"

Viatorus sits straight again, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "Oh, I… I should help too…"

"There is really not much to do," Runa tells him and gently pats his arm. "You did say you wanted to do some reading today. We can take care of the cleaning." Before he can properly protest, she stands and turns her full attention to Harrowheart as she leads him to the kitchen. It takes a minute and then she laughs at herself, smiling at Harrowheart. "You must know your way better than me."

Runa is a smooth operator, this much cannot be denied. Harrowheart is content to grab as many dishes as he can and follow her lead. He laughs at her sudden revelation. "Would you believe I don't come here often? I always ask to meet Viatorus outside. There's too much to see around the Nexus to be cooped up indoors."

He turns on the sink water for some cover sound, but washing dishes won't do with these gauntlets on. He doesn't rush in prying the gloves from his floating hands. The more time he wastes the more he has to talk, after all.

"You seem real nice," he says, distant yet certain. He only steals small glances at her now and then and otherwise watches his hands peel off his gloves and begin their work with the dishes. "You're exactly the kinda girl I'd hoped they'd find to be with him. Once he gets used to you -- gets used to havin' a lady friend at all -- I'm sure you two are gonna have a nice, quiet life together."

He watches her then as his hands pour soap into the sink and work it up into a froth. "Is that what you want? A quiet life? Stayin' in, readin', maybe goin' to a park every now and then? Or do you want adventure? 'Cause I don't know if he's the man for that."

His attention turns to the dishes again and he begins to scrub his own glass before he's struck with a thought that brings a scoff-laugh from his chest. He turns to her with an amused grin and assures her, "You can tell me the truth. I don't live y'all's life. Rich people's ways, y'know, they're lost on me. I ain't tryin' to trick you or anything like that. Getcha caught in somethin' you'll regret. I just wanna know if you think you're gonna be happy with all this. He's a nice boy, and like I said, I'm sure you're a nice girl, and I think it'd be real sad if you two wound up unhappy when it coulda been avoided."

"That is very wise of you," she tells him with a slow nod of approval. Just like Harrowheart, she takes her time in making sure her hair is all pulled out of the way, her apron lifted from the back of a chair and put on properly before she even looks at the dishes.

The first thing she does is smile at him knowingly. "You talk like you're his older brother." She lifts a towel and looks at him again with a more genuine appreciation. "I'm glad he has people who care so much about him."

Her eyes slide off to the distance and her lips pull back in a wide smile as her gaze glazes over. "I'm looking forward to it." Focusing on him again she nods. "I am. My sisters have all gone and started their own families and without them... I feel... lost. I am ready to start my own with someone kind and caring." Leaning closer she adds, "And we know children are an adventure all of their own."

Harrow is charmed by her comments on brotherliness. He tilts his head and looks away, humbled and momentarily quiet. He listens as she says what she needs to say, and he finds his smile returning. Looking at her once again he asks, "Are you really this sweet, or does someone pay you?"

He hands her the first clean glass to dry and starts in on the next dish. "Kind and caring... I think he can be those things. I know he's a gentle soul. He worries about folks. But there's more to caring than worryin'. I think he needs someone to teach him that it's okay to open up with folks who love you. I don't know if he has much of that in his life. I ain't gonna lie, you're gonna have to teach him a lot about movin' out of his comfort zone. I mean, I try, but I'm not exactly his fiance." He chuckles, but wastes no more time in continuing.

"I've known him... Shoot... It's only been a year and a half, but it feels like a lot longer. And all that time, I don't think he's ever hugged me. He lets me hug him, sure, but it's kinda like holdin' a cat. When you let it go, it's ready to get gone. He lets me tell him about myself, but I think he's scared to tell folks about himself. Maybe he feels judged, or... Maybe he's afraid of the consequences. Haven't quite figured that out for myself."

Considering Runa once more he says quietly, "What I mean to say is: Don't feel like he doesn't like you if he seems a little distant sometimes... Or all the time. Just be patient, and be open. I guarantee he's gonna remember everything you tell him, so don't be scared to share. You think you're ready for that?"

His friendly complimentary question gets a small giggle from her, but she focuses on drying the glass and his next words. She's attentive to her task, but she looks over to him every so often to better appreciate his meaning and to watch him at key points.

"His family is very different from mine. We are very different from each other... but in a good way." She tilts her head as she sets the glass down again and then turns thoughtfully to Harrowheart. "I am a woman and he is a man, but I am also just a girl and he is just a boy. We have a lot to learn, but we can learn them together."

"I know he's nervous. I think he's a little scared of me." She flashes a small, encouraging smile lest Harrowheart look at all sad. "But I will show him he doesn't need to be." Once again she perks up and adds, "You and I, Isidor and all his friends, he will see he doesn't need to worry. Ah! I am excited about it! All of these amazing things around us, and all these amazing new people I'm meeting." She tips her head pointedly to him. "We will make a fantastic family with so many friends!"

Harrow clears his throat to hide the laugh he nearly makes when Runa suggests Viatorus might be scared of her. What a crazy notion!

But he can't laugh at what she says next. It's legitimately sweet, heartfelt... The sort of thing a hopeful young person thinks in all earnestness. She catches himself watching her, smiling softly, and shakes his head before looking back to the dishes. He hadn't realized how much his hands did while his attention was elsewhere and finds he has very little left to do. Better give that piece a second go...

"It's gonna be good," he says quietly but sincerely. "Everyone's gonna make sure you two are as happy as you can be. I know we're all his friends, but we're gonna be your friends too. Which means we're on your side, okay?"

He pauses his work and looks at her to be sure she's listening and taking him seriously. "If anything ever goes wrong and you need help, you can ask any of his friends here in the Nexus. Steve has an apartment here, and I'm positive he'd let you stay if you ever needed a place. I don't have much, but I'll kick anyone's ass if they bother you. That's mostly all I'm good for. Kickin' ass and givin' life advice."

He gathers up a handful of suds and flicks them playfully at her. "Which means you can get advice too! About anything. Growin' up, bein' wrong, romance... After all, I've dated a few folks in my day and maybe even had... Carnal relations."

He goes back to his dish washing with brief glances at Runa. Nonchalantly he says, "I do know one thing you might be interested in: I get the notion Viatorus really likes romance. He likes the idea of fallin' in love with someone, feelin' a spark. You oughta surprise him some day with some courtship. Pretend you're not destined to be together and really work for it. Hopefully he'll find the courage to do the same."

Glasses and plates are dried carefully, her slow, attentive motions a sign of how closely she listens as Harrowheart talks. She smiles at his kind words, her expression soft, grateful for this offer of friendship. The bubbles suddenly getting blown her way get a giggle and she very lightly flaps the towel at his hand in retaliation.

But at his last piece of advice she turns thoughtful and nods slowly as he speaks. She's quiet for a minute as she thinks it over and then smiles brightly at him. "Thank you, Harrowheart. That is very good to know, and a very good idea. I will think of something."

"And I have a feeling Viatorus will need your advice on 'carnal relations' more than me," she tells him with a laugh. "All my sisters are married, and they all have opinions they love to share."

Her hands drop onto the counter as she turns fully to look at Harrowheart. "I am glad I met you, Harrowheart. You have been so kind and welcoming. You're not like I imagined at all! Not even a little!"

Harrowheart leans his armored hip against the sink and laughs in embarrassment at her comments of carnal relations and discussions thereof with Viatorus Atlas Durant. Have his cheeks and nose turned a slightly darker blue? He's much better at dishing out awkward comments than taking them, it seems. He runs his wrist across his forehead as his chuckling dies down. "All sisters must be the same," he says, but quickly thinks better of it. "Or maybe only ours are. I can't see Isidor sharin' any opinions like that, if she'd even partake in the first place."

He can't help but stay amused as Runa moves onto subjects of preconceived notions. Half-grinning once more he says, "Now I wanna know how my brother from another mother described me to make your imagination run wild."

The obvious awkwardness is allowed to pass without comment and she smiles, turning to her work when he brings up Isidor. She has her thoughts on the patron, but there will be a time and a place to sound them out, that's not here or now.

A nervous laugh escapes her and she echoes the amusing phrase, "Brother from another mother..." Returning to the topic, she shrugs a shoulder shyly. "Oh, he described you kindly. He said you were the best friend he'd ever known, and wise. But when he said you were undead, and from another world..." She sighs and lifts her face to reveal her apologetic expression. "All the undead I have heard of are violent, angry beings. They are vicious and horrible to look at. I... worried you might be like that, like a draugr."

Runa speaks, and Harrowheart's blue eyes are fixated on her. He watches and listens in unblinking, unbreathing, motionless silence. The word 'draugr' is the last thing said, but not for long. He smiles very genuinely when she's quiet again. "Everyone likes to have friends, Runa," he says. "Even horrible people. Even monsters."

He glances toward the sink again to be sure that the water is draining, but finds that it's easier to focus on that than Runa, and his neutral gaze lingers on the slow disappearance of the soap suds.

"I'm glad you think I'm not horrible," he says in an even tone. "But even if I was horrible. In secret. And Viatorus didn't know it. It wouldn't matter. Would it? Because he's my friend."

He finds it in himself to return to Runa with another sincere smile. "And you're my friend now, too, Runa. And I like having friends. And I work very hard not to be horrible to them, even by accident. And I hope it stays that way."

Rather than affix her with any more stares he looks toward the door and, very casually, says, "It's probably time for me to go back to my world, isn't it? My watch is starting soon, and I wouldn't want to be late. Will you come back to the sitting room with me for goodbyes?"

Edited (typos) 2017-02-13 12:07 (UTC)

The light hearted guilty expression fades from Runa's face as she listens, and she does listen. Carefully. Her wide eyes watch him staring off into his own thoughts. His choice of words are enough to make her wonder about her own but when he looks to her she smiles warmly again.

"Yes, I will. I must make sure Viatorus gives you back your helmet. He seemed to like it!" Tittering out a small laugh, she removes her apron and sets it aside, opening and holding the door for Harrowheart to return to the main room.

It looks like the mention of reading was a good call, as Viatorus has curled up with a large book while he waited. When they come back in, he scrambles to his feet and sets the book down, hoping they didn't catch sight of his informal lounging. "A-A-All done?"

"Harrowheart is very good at tidying up after himself," Runa tells him with a nod.

Runa's swift return to positivity, real or feigned, gets a good-natured grin and a laugh from Harrowheart. He lightly rests a hand atop her shoulder as they return to Viatorus. Seeing his friend rush to his feet does nothing to stop his smile, and Runa's friendly compliments get another small laugh.

"A washer's only as good as his dryer," he assures her. After a soft pat to her shoulder his hand floats away to retrieve his helmet.

"And Runa's great," he says loudly and with total confidence. He looks between the two young people and, grinning knowingly, adds, "I like her a lot. I'd steal her away and make her my fiancee instead if I wasn't so sure every one of your cousins, your mom, Isidor, and the Archon would come outta the woodwork to whup my ass from Stranglethorn to Silvermoon."

He snags Runa in for a quick, loose hug against his cold armor before he makes his way to do the same for Viatorus. When he pulls Viatorus in he holds him a while longer and whispers into his ear. "You and I are gonna have a Guy Talk one of these days, okay? 'Til then, try not to be so scared of her, hmm? She's real sweet and understanding, I promise."

When he's through he leans back and holds Viatorus at arm's length to inspect him with proud eyes and a subdued smile. The little man is growing up.

Runa gives a tittering laugh as she hugs Harrowheart gently back. "The Durant family coming out of the very wood. A terrifying thought!"

Their joking gets a small smile from Viatorus and, as if to demonstrate Harrowheart's earlier words to Runa, is somewhat stiff as he's pulled in for a hug. He only gets more tense as he concentrates on his friend's message, but by the time Harrowheart is pulling back Viatorus takes a deep breath, relaxing. He tries to widen his smile and nods at his friend. "Alright."

"Tell your sister to come over some day. I'll bake her a cake and we can chat over tea," Runa tells him. "Tell all your family they are welcome to visit any time."

Edited 2017-02-20 14:07 (UTC)

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Meeting the fiancé's otherworldly friends

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