multiversallogs | OPEN :: A golden bird was singing

OPEN :: A golden bird was singing

Who: Everyone!
What: St Kelley's evening
Where: The Apache and surrounding environs.
When: Veerdi evening.
Notes:
(1) The topic threads are just suggestions; if you've got somewhere else that your characters simply must be, make your own thread.
(2) All mementos will appear overnight in some part of your character's apartment.
(3) Dance!

St Kelley's is one of the more sedate occasions in Baedal, at least as holidays go. It passes more or less unnoticed by the majority of the population as many of them feel it doesn't concern them. It's not their holiday; it's for the others. Those with severed ties and broken hearts. The temple and church preach that it's a time for reflection or for glorifying the generosity of the gods. It's one of the few days on which no one looks askance at first generation Citizens mourning their missing loved ones publicly.

As night rolls around and floating lanterns are set to sea, the Apache in Mog Hill prepares to accept guests from the newer cohorts. It's something that happens every year, making it a practical tradition. The alcohol will be cheaper for first timers, and the music will be kept at a reasonable level.

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"Oh, see, that's not a deterrent, Steph," Kaitlyn replies with amusement, her embarrassed fading fairly quickly. "But it probably wouldn't be nice of me t' make someone I just met squirm like that. Gotta let them get comfortable first." Her gaze settles on Steph, that grin still spread across her face as if to tell Steph to watch out. But rather than let it linger uncomfortably, Kaitlyn chooses to laugh and look down the shore.

"I guess. I mean, I had Facebook on my phone and all back home, but this is so much more... integral? It's kinda interestin', but it gets a little frustrating since I'm not really that used to following anything like that so constantly. She sighs and shakes her head. "I guess I'll figure it out. I really should be learning to use it more anyyway."

Steph quirks an eyebrow at that look, clearly amused, "Is that what you're doing with me? Buttering me up before the pick up lines come out?" Her own sexuality crisis is happening a lot quieter than Kate's is and she's still comfortable enoguh to make jokes about it.

"It can be helpful, especially with getting jobs and things. I started up a little seamstressing thing, and I got most of my customers from people seeing my announcement on the cohort network." That's been put a bit on the backburner lately, but she's stil doing pieces here and there.

For probably the first time that night, Kaitlyn seems at a loss for words, mostly because she's unsure of how to respond to Steph's accusation, even with it's joking nature. She'd be lying if she hadn't thought about it, and the way her lips quirk side to side as she quickly mulls over a response might give her away. She ends up smiling at Steph, tilting her head a bit to the side as she chuckles. "Maybe," she replies with that joking tone. "But I'd pick a better night than t'night if I was." A beat. "Though I hope it wouldn't bother you if I did." Because she can be an awful flirt, regardless of where who she's talking to stands.

Feeling embarrassed again, she takes the open opportunity to change the subject rather quickly. "Oooh, I must have missed that! That's a good way to make some side money. Maybe once I get some, I'll get you t' make a scarf or a sweater for me. Sounds like you've had a good bit of luck with it. That's awesome."

Steph laughs, "Yeah, tonight is not the night to try to pick up," It won't stop her from jokingly hitting on Jae later, but Steph's a little bit of a hypocrite there. She smiles gently, "It wouldn't bother me, but you're kinda barking up the wrong tree if you do." Only kinda. Steph isn't so sure these days.

"I do alterations and stuff too, so if you have a pair of pants that are too long or don't quite fit right, I can fix 'em up for you," Steph is a budding little business woman (not really), "But yeah, I've been lucky and it's nice to have a little extra cash."

"I've heard that before, it's what they always say," actually isn't a joke. Not entirely. But Kait likes Steph too much to make it more than that, simply grinning impishly at her. "I'll make sure t' remember that, though." Because the last thing she wants to do is make anyone, particularly Steph, uncomfortable.

"So far, the clothes I have here are good. A bit not really my style, but beggers can't be chooses and all that jazz." Hands slip back into pockets and she gives a light shrug. "Whatever I end up doing, I'll probably keep playing music out an' about for a little big extra. If you're ever in Dog Fen, I've been spending time in Main Street Park playing when I'm not trying t' be a responsible adult. It's actually been kinda fun, having t' do the whole street performer thing again." Not that that means she wants to keep doing it as a way of making money.

"And who might they be?" She's grinning as well, and she really has no room to talk considering she went on a date with Alter.

"There's some good thrift stores around, and they seem to have more stuff from back home," she wonders if clothes ever come through the fog, but she hasn't investigated stelanmancy all that much. "Main Street Park," she repeats back to show she's gonna memorize it, "I'll drop by sometime. I'm glad you're having fun with it."

Kaitlyn chuckles again, clearing her throat as she continues. "There may or may not have been a few girls I've known who said the same thing before being convinced otherwise," she says a bit more quietly. Not uncomfortably, but a bit hesitantly. She lets out a bit of a sigh before the smile returns to her face. She's content to let it drop there, all things considered.

"Yeah, I play there a few times a week, just my guitar on a bench. It works pretty well, and people are surprisingly generous if you catch them in the right mood, with the right music. Hopefully soon I can return the guitar case and just play for fun, though. I know Inger will enjoy having the case back at the room to hide in."

Steph regards Kaitlyn carefully for a moment, noting the hesitation. After a second, she shrugs, "Good luck with that." It's not said meanly, but there is an edge of amusement to it, though she'll leave this subject alone for the rest of the night if Kaitlyn does.

"I couldn't ever do street perfomaning, it must take a lot of patience," Steph would get bored and want to wander off and do something else. Not that the library is super interesting, but at least she's guaranteed a pay check there.

And for that, Kaitlyn is eternally grateful. With any luck, that awkward moment (at least in her mind) will be forgotten by all sooner rather than later. One of these days, though, she'll actually learn that lesson about stopping talking before she regrets it. Tonight, however, was not that night.

"Well, I mean... I guess it's something you could only do if you really love music or performance. Or really need money," Kaitlyn says as she looks back over at Steph "Or all three!" she adds quickly, flashing a smile over at Steph. "But I figure it's like that for anything you love or are dedicated to, you know? I mean, you wouldn't do seamstressing if you didn't really like it or if you didn't need money, right?"

Steph is pretty hard to embarrass, so the exchange hasn't particularly bothered her.

"I think my problem is that even if I needed the cash I couldn't do it. My skill set isn't really applicable to street performances," This is not entirely true, if she actually gave it serious consideration, a lot of her acrobatic skills could be used, "And I'd have trouble staying in one spot for long enough to get any money."

It takes specific things to embarrass Kaitlyn, and they're usually all things she does to herself - like this. Still, she seems to have largely recovered by now, head craning back up so that she can look at the sky above them.

"I more mean that you'd have t' love something a lot or be really dedicated to it to put that kinda time and effort int' it, you know?" She looks back at Steph with a quirked eyebrow, hoping she's clearer this time. "Dedication is a bitch sometimes though," she says with a bit of a laugh. "Gets you places you really, really didn't expect. Or it becomes obligation and that just sucks."

"Oh, yeah, I guess that makes more sense," She smiles back, more than a little wry, "And I know all about dedication getting you into trouble. That's pretty much the story of my life."

Maybe dedication is the wrong word. Stuborness might be better.

There's genuine laugh at that, Kaitlyn nodding in agreement. "Isn't is crazy, how that happens sometimes? I like to think things always work out for the best, though." Which, of course, is blatantly untrue. But it can't be so wrong to hope for it, right? Right.

"You'll have t' tell me about dedication biting you in the ass sometime. Maybe we can swap horror stories or whatever." Assuming those are what Steph has. Kait isn't really sure if any of hers are truly horrific - awful, unpleasant, and maybe inhumane, but horrific carries a certain conntation to it. Still, that's what embellishments are for.

"Well, I'm not dead yet and neither are you from the looks of it, so it's worked out for the best so far."

Her expression drops a bit, the wording made her realize that no, she doesn't want to share her horror stories because a lot of them are actually really fucking horrific. But she shakes her head to clear it and smiles, "I should probably spare you, I don't wanna be responsible for giving you nightmares."

Kaitlyn gets that, and isn't going to press on the issue. She offers a small nod in return, hands on her hips as she looks back upwards. "Yep. Best way t' look at it, really. I mean, when you're dead, I say you've got a fair amount t' complain about. 'Cause clearly something went sideways." She probably could have phrased that better, but she still manages a little smile.

Still, that's a bit morbid for Kaitlyn's taste, and she'd rather the conversation not drift further down similar avenues. "Want a drink?" she inquires as her head turns to put the party behind them into her peripheral. She smirks, motioning back. "I know you said you're not really the party out type, but nothin' wrong with gettin' a free drink. Unless you already got yours." And even if she did, this one'll be on Kait.

I nearly died, it's suddenly on the tip of her tongue, but it's too much to explain and she doesn't like talking about it anyway. Normally she tries not to even think about it, but the way Babs looks at her sometimes reminds Steph that it's all fresh for her, and it drags up the memories and the guilt. It takes her a while to say anything, her gaze focused on the water.

"Yeah, let's get a drink."

If Kaitlyn knew exactly what was going on in Steph's head, she'd feel really bad. Just watching her for those moments as she stares out at the water does a pretty good job of that on it's own. Her eyes narrow a bit as she watches her, giving a small nod to Steph as she turns. "Sounds like a plan. An' hey, maybe your friend's up there waiting for you, eh?"

A few moments pass, Kaitlyn offering an arm with a smile, as if offering to escort Steph up to the bar. "An' sorry. I mean, like- if I said somethin' wrong? I guess. I dunno, I just didn't mean t' put a damper on the mood." Not that the mood of the evening was particularly great, but small things at a time. She reaches up, patting Steph on the back. "Come on, let's go."

"Maybe," she doesn't know if Kate being there would make it better. Steph hasn't told her much about her past, and now isn't the time to start.

She's grateful that Kaitlyn lets her have a few moments; she needs them to shake off the thoughts. Eventually she looks back at her with a smile, it's sad, but looks genuine enough. "Don't worry, it's just bad memories. I'll be fine once I've had a drink." It might be worrying that this is her solution to the problem, but she'll think about that later.

She links her arm through Kaitlyn's, and turns them in the direction of the bar, "Sorry. Let's go."

"No need t' apologise," Kaitlyn notes as they start back up from the shore. "Everyone has bad memories." Kaitlyn has some of her own, though nothing as bad as Steph's. "Best you can do is learn from bad memories an' move on," she remarks with a bit fo a drollness to her voice. "At least, that's what I try t' do. Doesn't always work, though," she adds with a bit of a laugh. She has no comment about drinking away one's bad memories. This is a practice Kaitlyn regularly indulges in - easily one of her least healthy vices.

"At least you got it out a' the way now," she continues as they walk. "Now the night can only get better!"

"That's what my therapist used to say," she says it with a grin, "It sounds better coming from a friend." Not that she didn't think her therapist was right, but sometimes it's hard to listen to someone who looks like they have no actual idea what PTSD is like.

"Don't say that, you'll jinx us and the night'll end up awful," she leans into Kaitlyn a little, bumping their shoulders together, "If it rains, I'm blaming you."

"Pssh, therapists," Kaitlyn teases. "If I wanted t' pay people t' listen t' my problems and give me advice that doesn't work again, I'd throw money at my friends. They're better at it anyway." Not that can Kaitlyn can really claim to know what real PTSD is like, but she knows it's like Steph says - that stuff always sounds better coming from friends.

"I am not a jinx," Kaitlyn replies with a feigned sense of self importance, hand over her chest as if she had just been greatly offended. "I'm too fantastic to be a jinx." And at that point she can't keep from laughing. "If it rains, I'll run around without a shirt on or something as punishment. Freezing my ass seems like good penance."

"I actually didn't pay my therapist, and she did have some good advice, but I understand the sentiment," Leslie had taken care of it all; the therapist had been part of the recovery plan Leslie had made. Steph had fought it for a while, but eventually she gave in and started atually listening, with mixed results.

"I don't think you understand what jinxes are," Steph laughs as well, shaking her head in amusement, "But sure, take your top off, that sounds like a great plan." What was that about flirting, Steph?

"Oh, does it? You'll have t' join me," Kaitlyn fires right back without missing a beat. "Actually, I think this is the last place I'd want t' catch a cold, so I'd have t' figure out some other way t' make up for it if it rains," she remarks, as if actually considering it to be something she needs to worry about.

"Well... that's good at least. It's nice that that kinda thing works out sometimes," Kaitlyn remarks, voice a bit quieter. "The one I went to a few years back, she was ineffectual as all shit, but I guess it can't be like that for everyone. And not havin' to pay! That's just a tidy little bonus, I say."

"Nuh-uh, I'm not paying the price for you terrible choice of words," It would take a lot of convincing for Steph to take her shirt off in public, "You can buy me an umbrella to make up for it." It doesn't really look like it's about to rain, but you never know.

"My doctor took care of the costs, which made life easier. I'm sorry yours wasn't so great, sometimes you just have to keep trying until you find the right person," Steph went through a couple, mostly becaue she wouldn't even talk to them at first.

"An umbrella? That sounds like a good compromise t' me," Kaitlyn replies with a bit of a nod. "Makes up for rain and keeps me from catching a cold. I like the way you think, Steph!" It's Kaitlyn's turn to bump into Step, gently hip checking her as they walk.

"Well... I think sometimes, some things just aren't meant for therapists. I'm glad yours worked out, though. Just havin' someone t' talk to works wonders sometimes." SHe just prefers it to be friends rather than strangers. But she's right, it's all about finding the right person. "At least as long as they don't diagnose you as crazy. I'm glad I never told mine 'oh, by the way, I can pretend I'm E.T. at a moment's notice. Isn't that cool?!'. I'm pretty sure I would've been committed."

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controlledvariable - 2012-02-21 09:40 (UTC) - Expand

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OPEN :: A golden bird was singing

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Totally did not mean for this to turn into Kait semi-flirting. Oops!

aha, it's fine! Steph flirts with people all the time, it's about time she's had it turned around

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