[catch-all] old friend, I think of you still sometimes

[afoolsgold]

Characters: The Fool, Kit + you fine people
Date: Throughout April--dates specified.
Location: Throughout Aifaran: a textile shop in Malimo; Tamfen Row; the Union Quarter
Situation: Monthly catch-all for Kit and the Fool as they navigate various twists and turns in the Seaglass City; starters to appear in the comments.
Warnings/Rating: None currently, will warn as needed.



Kit!


The Fool!

Comments

[necrocabbage]

From behind them, the bell above the door chimes to announce a new arrival. It's not often that Trahearne has need of fabric, considering he doesn't wear normal clothes, but it does happen on occasion. Today, he needs new curtains. Duibhe had torn up his current ones in the process of learning how to fly, and he had put off replacing them far longer than he should have.

Normally he'd be quite content to browse the selection while the shopkeep was busy, but Trahearne had barely taken a few steps into the store before stopping to stare at the other customers. The Fool was most times quite impossible to miss, considering his usual attire, but that other man was - Devin? He seemed quite intent on invading the Fool's personal space, too.

Trahearne doesn't say a word, not yet. He already felt entirely too awkward.

[afoolsgold]

The Fool does indeed notice Devin's increasing attentiveness, and he's hardly oblivious to the kedan's clumsy advances, either. Under other circumstances, he might delight in the opportunity to watch Devin bristle and posture like some sort of wild animal in need of marking its territory--to a point, of course. The Fool is vain, and a bit of possessive jealousy flatters that vanity, but he won't encourage it to excess.

At the moment, however, he has no interest in encouraging it at all, for he has caught sight of Trahearne entering the shop, and all of this suddenly bodes very ill.

"I know my own measurements and will make the garment myself at home," he says to both Devin and the kedan shopkeeper, suddenly tense and uncomfortable, and motions to the till. "Let me make my purchase and we'll be off; you have other customers."

Customer, singular. The Fool steals a glance back at Devin that is almost pleading; please, behave. (Don't pick a lethal battle with his only remaining friend in this city.)

[annihilist]

Devin's attention turns when the door opens, just enough to note who's there: it's Trahearne.

Well, this could be awkward. Devin and the sylvari have never gotten along, although he understands why and hasn't made a lot of effort to resolve it. The Fool's pointed words regarding his obvious jealousy nearly go past his attention (or would if he were not already very attentive to his partner at this moment), but he does not miss the silent plea in the Fool's expression.

Even if he were of a mind to get into a fight, he wouldn't do it inside of a shop. He gives the Fool the slightest of nods to acknowledge he's gotten the message, following the Fool not quite so closely to the till. And to Trahearne, he also nods, though the angle of it and the slant to his expression are somewhat wry. Really, he's covering the discomfort that Trahearne might disapprove of him as a partner, and wondering whether there is any way to change that opinion. (Probably not.)

"Good plan; I would only make you a fashion disaster if I tried my hand at it," the vampire says to his partner, tone lightly teasing.

[necrocabbage]

Hmph. Trahearne doesn't much like that look Devin's giving him, but then again, when does he ever?

"There's no need to hurry on my account. I can take the time to browse." The Fool is acting quite strange, he decides, and that adds to his suspicions enough for him to feel a sour curl of doubt in his stomach. Trahearne wasn't the type to start a fight in a shop either, verbal or otherwise, but he still doesn't look entirely pleased as he finally moves across the shop to take a look at a display of plainer bolts of fabric.

He does keep casting sideways glances over to where they stand at the till, not feeling nearly settled enough to leave them be entirely.

[afoolsgold]

"Good plan; I would only make you a fashion disaster if I tried my hand at it."

"You've piqued my curiosity," the Fool tells him with a fond smile, and a gentle touch to his arm, but his distraction is evident. Given the conflict that had erupted at the Dreaming Bridge the first time these two met, the Fool is almost relieved by how well things are going--except for the undisguised displeasure on Trahearne's face. Gathering his thoughts, he focuses on fishing out the correct amount of rhinn from his change purse and hands it over to the kedan, who is also looking a bit sour after having his advances spurned.

In fact, after looking at the currency, he gives the Fool an annoyed look. "You're short thirty rhinn."

The Fool blinks, perplexed. "What? The fabric was marked for a discount."

"My mistake," the kedan replies, silkily duplicitous. "This textile is only available at full price."

[annihilist]

Under other circumstances, Devin might continue to subtly tease and needle Trahearne a little while they checked out and continued on their shopping trip. And then the kedan shopkeeper decides to take offense that his flirting was rejected and behave like an utter child. It does not speak well of his business practices, nor his character, and Devin takes a breath to decide how best to approach this problem.

Antagonism is his normal reaction, on his own. But in this case, in view of Trahearne (whom he would rather not take umbrage with the Fool for dating him), and in light of the fact that he wants the Fool to walk away with his fabric selection, something more moderate is probably a safer route.

He leans an elbow on the raised counter with all the casual sprawl of a cat testing what area they can claim of the furniture. "Come now, surely if you're going to take issue with anyone, that should be me." Devin says this cheerfully, grinning at the kedan. "It would be a shame to place distaste on someone so well suited to showing off your wares. Think of the business opportunity," he suggests ever so mildly, gesturing vaguely to Malimo and the many other fabric shops they could choose from.

Think, he does not say, of the damage to your business should you offend a customer with inappropriate behavior and false marketing.

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne could certainly hear what was going on from where he was standing. Now he was starting to doubly regret coming into this shop, but the Fool was still his friend and he felt that he should do something, even if Devin was already trying to handle the problem.

So, Trahearne turned to face the counter again, crossing his arms and watching the shopkeep with a stern look of disappointment. It was the kind of look he usually reserved for saplings that were dabbling in mischief that was a little too dangerous, and they should have known better than to stick fireworks in their friend's roasted moa or what-have-you. Of course, if this became any worse then he certainly didn't have to buy from this store, but he was willing to see how this turned out first.

[afoolsgold]

The kedan's attempt at one petty victory is backfiring spectacularly in his face, and he shifts his gaze uncomfortably from the smug vampire lounging like a housecat against his counter, to the stern and disapproving expression on the sylvari's face. It isn't hard to do the math; this is not a hill he's willing to let his business die on, as peeved as he is.

"Fine," he says tightly, relinquishing his grip on the fine fabric. With great effort, he forces his lips into an imitation of a courteous smile, which he directs at the Fool. "Please--enjoy your purchase."

With a flick of his wrist, the Fool collects up the fabric. "With relish," comes his clipped response, and under any other circumstance he would take his prize--and his vampire--and storm out of the shop with no intention of setting foot within it again. (Honestly, the nerve!) However, there is still Trahearne to consider, and so with a brief but gentle touch to Devin's forearm, he crosses over to the sylvari.

Oh, but he would have preferred to have this conversation somewhere else, and under better circumstances. He sighs and looks up at his friend, earnest. "I can barely stand to be in this store a moment longer," he said under his breath, "but I would speak with you, soon." About what? Just guess.

[annihilist]

Devin offers the offended shopkeeper a wry tip of his head as they begin to depart, like he might if he wore a hat. And then the Fool's touch at his arm pulls him to a halt, but he resolutely Does Not Look Trahearne's direction. The childish, self-conscious part of him extends his hearing just enough to hear the Fool's murmur - and then very quickly feels a stab of guilt at eavesdropping, and stops. The grimace is internal only, and he will wait patiently until the Fool is ready to leave.

He really wishes that he did not care what Trahearne thinks, and yet he does. He's just going to have to deal with that fact and try not to make too much an ass of himself for the Fool's sake. Devin chances a quick look over his shoulder at them and immediately lets his gaze skirt elsewhere. His partner can tell him all he ought to hear later, if it's any of Devin's business. He turns his efforts to appearing as aloof as possible.

[necrocabbage]

Trahearne relaxes once the kedan relents, uncrossing his arms. With that matter settled, he had no reason to turn around and leave - mostly to prove to the shopkeeper that he had done the right thing, though Trahearne couldn't say he had any intention of coming back after making his purchase. He was certainly grateful that he had his own home-grown leaves to wear at times like these.

Then the Fool approaches him, and Trahearne nods, managing to put on a strained smile. "Yes, you're right that we should speak. But it will have to be another time. I still have curtains to pick out." That sour feeling is back in his stomach, and all the worse now. There'd be nothing to talk about if he was mistaken about what he saw. Trahearne casts a doubtful glance Devin's way before looking back to the Fool, "Don't let me delay you."