nexus_sages | made waves with some friends I know

Is something wrong? Yes. There is.

"I had an awkward run-in with one of the hosts. And the beach reminds me of a ... dead person." Sure, there's plenty to expand upon for both of those details, but that's the gist of it. "There's just a lot going on in my head."

And he feels vulnerable because of it. Please, don't make him admit to that part out loud.

Amid all of that, the idea of skinny dipping with spring royalty is enough to drive a lot of that to the back of his mind. "I expect you to." Does he care about getting naked on the beach in front of all these people? No. Not really. Hell, there's at least one person at the party who has seen his equipment already.

"Oh. I'm sorry." The distance between them is closed with a step and a hug, one arm wrapping around him before she reclaims her hand to finish the gesture. Her shawl falls off when she does this, but she doesn't seem to mind much. He'll keep her warm. He never has to admit anything he doesn't want to. Not to her. She'll take what he offers and if he's going to keep so much of himself closed off from her, well, she'll find friends to trust and who trust her elsewhere. She doesn't have time to be picky.

And it's not like it isn't working so far. "I'm glad you know I'm a woman of my word." Two, maybe three, but that doesn't mean everyone else wants to see it. He's handsome, but not to everyone's tastes.

Yeah, see that's the part Han doesn't understand. How he's not everyone's taste.

If he were to get naked on the beach - hypothetically - it would be at the shore a couple of hundred yards away from the fire. Thereby making it the kind of situation that most people wouldn't reasonably get to see much of anything unless they were trying. Anyone that determined to catch a glimpse, at that point, can get quick look. He doesn't care all that much.

She's got kindness in her touch, besides just straight magic. More than enough to comfort this smuggler. "It's all in the past I suppose." He says, after a moment of just holding and being held by her in turn.

It feels like she lost a layer. They should probably pick that up before it blows away or gets all wet or ... uh. Is that sheer? And now you've got a space pirate that's eyeing you like a pile of unattended credits, Frea. "That looks nice." Finally, he stops eye groping her enough to bend down and pick up her shawl for her.

Would he really want everyone to be into him the way Frea is? He'd be exhausted. Lucky, but exhausted.

"Yeah," she agrees quietly, "but that still hurts sometimes." It's easy to be kind to him when he allows it. Holding him, listening to him, or just being there for him. It doesn't take much sometimes. Kisses and sweetness must go a long way in space.

The eyeing is kinda welcome. She dressed like this for a reason, after all. When she catches him at it, she smiles and poses a little. "Thank you. I like it."

She takes the shawl back and ties it around her shoulders, then slides her arms around him again--around his waist, this time. "If it's too much to be here right now, you don't have to stay on my account. We can see each other tomorrow."

~~Well, when you put it that way, it sounds like one of those wishes a spiteful genie would grant.~~

There's not much in space. There's a reason that when people ask about what it's like the answer is often 'dark, quiet and cold.' It's definitely lacking for kisses and sweetness. At least he brings along a dashing wookiee for a company. He doubles as a nice bodyguard. Though ... he wouldn't go to him for any of the previously mentioned things.

"Oh, I don't know." He says taking a deep breath. "I'm sure an hour or so wouldn't be so bad."

~~You'd be spiteful too, being stuck in a bottle.~~

It's good to have boundaries in a friendship. Chewie might make a grand companion, bodyguard, and wingman, but that doesn't require romantic entanglements ~~shut up fanfic~~.

"Don't suffer on my account," she warns him quietly. "I'd rather you be happy." But she hasn't let go of him yet, either.

~~I mean, one would have to believe that you could find worse people to cuddle with than Chewie, if he'd let you, but they aren't those kind of partners.~~

"How bout we make a deal?"

Has he piqued your interest, spring goddess? Will divinity hear a proposition from an obvious scoundrel? He wouldn't mind if you didn't, but at least take a little time thinking it over. He likes being held like this around the waist so you're all nice and close like.

~~Imagine how long it'd take to get the fur off your clothes, though.~~

"Hmm?" Yes, he has piqued her interest. She looks up at him with naked curiosity and a smile. "What sort of deal?"

"We go back together." He says as he begins outlining the terms of their potential deal. "If I don't have any fun, you can make it up to me later. If I really hate it, I can leave."

It's going to be a little bit awkward, no doubt, for him to walk over there, but he has a feeling it won't be so bad with the spring at his side.

Frea's still looking at him like she's waiting for something because all of that was stuff she was planning to do anyway. So she just waits. And waits.

Oh. Was that it? "Yeah, of course."

Yeah, that was it. Pretty simple, eh? Maybe chalk it up to the fact that the egotistical spaceman wanted going back to the party feel like his idea. Moreover, opening the door to a possibility where Frea spoils him rotten doesn't seem like a bad play in his eyes.

There was ~~and could still be,~~ the opportunity for her to make a provision of her own if he does go and happens to have fun.

All the waiting for the reaction he ultimately gets makes him chuckle. "I'm not into deals with a lot of provisions and red tape. It's sticky."

Edited 2016-06-02 13:26 (UTC)

From one point of view, yes, very simple. But he's a complex man and his reasons probably are too. If he thinks he needs to make deals like this to get Frea to spoil him rotten, she's not doing a good enough job and will be trying harder in the future.

There was, yes, but why would she? If he has fun, she'll be happy. Fun is its own reward.

Frea smiles, and there's a faint blush spreading across her cheeks this time. She knows he's laughing at her. "I was waiting for the part I wasn't already planning to do."

He would protest that he wasn't laughing at her if he knew that she was thinking that. Sadly, he doesn't. He thinks the world (or even the galaxy) of her and the last thing he would want to do is belittle her. The laugh was a tool. Something he's used in the past to try to smooth out the slightly awkward moments in conversation.

As it is, by now she knows that he's a man who doesn't chuckle or laugh very much and she seems to be letting it slide. He would appreciate that too.

He's known for a long time her smile is lovely, but less often does he see her blush. It's very fetching on her. It reminds him that he ought to tell her just how remarkable he thinks she is. "So pretty." He says, in the honey coated murmur that sometimes gets into his voice when he's talking to her. "Being around you makes me feel awfully lucky. Do you know that?"

It doesn't particularly bother her if he laughs at her sometimes. Everyone is foolish at times. And hearing him laugh is worth being its cause. If this is the price, she's happy to pay.

Her blush deepens when he remarks on it. That's how blushes work. But that doesn't stop her from looking up into his eyes again. "You are." Pretty and lucky both. "So am I." She lifts herself up to give him a kiss, even through her toes sink into the sand. He's worth the effort.

She would think that. He might have wanted to tease her with the excess optimism when he first met her, but at this point he's quite taken by it. He finds so often, the most magical things about her are the things that aren't magic at all.

Does she need a little lift? Because he can help with that. His two hands support just above her hips and take most of the effort out of reaching up onto her toes. She's not so much shorter than him that he feels like he really needs to pull her up into the air or anything, just something to keep her calves from needing to strain to kiss him.

He stays in the kiss for a lengthy couple of moments. He has no shame letting his lips meet with her's were people might potentially see what he's up to. If anything, it's kind of nice to have a woman like Frea want to hang around with you at a party.

Magic is as magic does. Whatever makes him believe in something undefinable and bigger than himself is magical.

A little support is appreciated. Not straining to reach him is nice, but he's worth the effort if she has to. He could even put his hands there for less supportive reasons, that'd be okay too.

A long kiss? Heck yeah, sign her up. If he wants to be seen kissing her she has no complaints about that. But she will insist he come up for air eventually, and when she leans back it's with a laugh. "Now that's the spirit."

Frea is a force of nature and a thing of magic that mortals are not very quick to catch on to. Brienne is her guard. And a guard to a queen is no guard at all if just anyone can keep her company.

In this manner.

Oathkeeper is sheathed at her hip. Nonetheless it's presence, like Brienne of Tarth's, is quite necessary. Her hand is on the hilt as she announces her presence by saying, "Frea, come back to the encampment. It is not safe." Away from everyone else and with...whoever this is. Her blue eyes are very critical.

She'd been wondering when Brienne would show up. That's the thing about public displays of affection: there's always someone who thinks they're entitled to comment on it. And in this case, Brienne isn't entirely wrong. She is Frea's guard.

The fact she took the time to get Oathkeeper and put it on gets a look. No comment, just a deliberate lingering of the eyes when Frea turns around, and then an arched eyebrow.

"I'm always perfectly safe with you around, Brienne. This is Han. Captain Han Solo. He has a ship that travels in the stars." Because that is cool and Brienne should be impressed.

"Han, this is Brienne of Tarth, she's my guard and looks after me." So play nice, you two.

Well, excuse the scoundrel for not knowing that the Queen of Spring, who no doubt could leave Han hanging from a tree somewhere with a snap of her fingers, needed to be rescued from this display of affection. A display of affection that this lady would have seen her starting as she came over because it isn't as if they were kissing for that long.

But damn she is not a small, nor lightly armored lady, is she?

Han can't imagine someone that big is also fast. Powerful, sure, he'd buy that she might be able to cleave him in half with that weapon. You have to wonder about a person who would bring a blade to a gunfight, though. She's either confident or crazy. Or perhaps hasn't seen a blaster before. He'd believe any of the three.

At any rate, Captain Solo doesn't have to make a display out of going for his weapon to have it ready to draw, so much as lower his right hand. He leaves the left one on Frea if she hasn't pulled far enough away from him. Because it was a wanted touch, after all. There's never been any indication that his touches haven't been.

"Anyone looking after her Frea is a friend of mine." Though, he doesn't sound friendly when he says it, if anything the words come out a bit cool.

As rash and well-meaning as ever, she stands solid at a short distance from them. No, she didn't see who had begun the the contact. Only who is participating. Frea, who is a dear friend as well as the only person in Nexus she has sworn her sword to and... the gentlemen. Or apparent gentlemen. There is a touch of Jaime Lannister in that face. Smug, laughing and ready for japes. It makes Brienne feel like more of an oaf and sets her mouth in a more thin line.

She dares to look at Frea, her eyes soften. "You had stepped away. I was concerned." Any knight who is any knight is going to interrupt armed. Perfectly safe might not mean the same thing to both women.

"Lord Captain Solo," is her curt greeting, cold even to her own ears. Come now, she bids herself to try. "Navigating the stars? That's curious bit of work." And he is a captain of the deed no less.

Han imagines correction. She has no awareness of anything close to a blaster. And she's no where near as fast as she is strong but still capable of speed. The speed of a zinging bolt of skin cleaving, exploding energy? Nope. Not that fast. Her hand still is on the sculpted handle of the Valyrian steel sword.

"Then perhaps you won't mind friendship closer to the firelight." And not off in one corner, in secrecy. If he means to honor Frea's virtue (that Brienne likely upholds much more than Frea herself) it should not be a problem....right?

Brienne needs to stop thinking Frea isn't virtuous just because she'll sleep with scruffy space captains. That's going to be a problem if she keeps it up. They've got enough to worry about without arguing among themselves.

Frea knows about the blaster, and she can recognize the tones in their voices. This is not going well. She glances between them, one hand covering Han's and the other reaching out to cover Brienne's hand where it rests on the hilt of her sword. "It would be warmer there. Good idea, Brienne, thank you."

If she has to drag them both over to the bonfire by the hands, she will. But she'd rather everyone do this with something approaching civility. "But what to do once we're there? I think we should dance. There should be more dancing in the world."

If Han knew more about the Arcane, perhaps he might understand why someone like Brienne wouldn't like him on sight. Nearly all the overtly observable traits he has and many of the ones left for people to discover would seemed to be aligned with the court of winter. He hasn't really put together that this loyal knight is taken with the May Queen either, that he'll understand immediately upon noticed, though it's not apt to changing his behavior all that much.

As it is, she just reminds him of so many people back home who take a glance at him and make derisive judgements. As if you could look at someone and just know there was no honor in them. As if there wasn't worse out there than Han Solo. Huk's and Phwoar's, the whole bunch of them. It just shows how little they know.

Due to the nature of a thigh holster, Han's weapon is always at his fingertips and Frea can't keep her his hand occupied all night. Or can she? Perhaps she'll ask him to take it off and if that's the case, he's not sure what his response should be. He's certainly fine with the idea of a truce, though, because he had no intention of shooting at someone Frea identified as her friend.

"You can just call me Han." He says, making his own effort to be friendlier. "Or Captain Solo, if you want to keep it formal. I have a ship, but ain't the lord of anything."

"We were just talking about going back to the fire, so, no need to worry."

If Brienne was more comfortable with the two of them to where she can keep a closer eye on them, that's all well and good, but it's not likely to curb many of Han's displays of appreciation for the May Queen. Proximity to her brings out his hedonistic side, he's noticed.

Also, why does everyone want to dance so much?

Edited (Whoops, wrong icon) 2016-06-04 13:25 (UTC)

Truth, honor and effort are all principles that Brienne upholds. It's safe to say she is being very, unfairly judgmental. This is what happens when world's collide. Clashing ideologies, personalities and passions. Have they truly even exchanged more than a handful of words though? Frea is what they have in common.

Her bare fingers beneath Frea's loosen up on the hilt. And for a moment her eyes downcast as though reprimanded. There shall be no battle here. At least none started by her hands. One better believe if it were to start she'd hope to finish it.

"Simply Han," she gives it a try too. Enough to try to iron out the scowl in her brow. It doesn't meet her blue, blue eyes and she doesn't trust her mouth to do more than speak as she bids it. Baby steps. "So it shall be."

Dancing? Now? Can it even be possible? Brienne steps aside, but not far from the touch of the May Queen's hand. "Go, I shall follow." To better defend from the rear and hope to collect herself enough to dance.

Can she keep Han distracted from the idea of a fight all night? Yes. Is she willing to do that in front of all these people? That remains to be seen. For now, she's hoping she can keep them both at peace without having to do anything drastic.

The fact they're both making an effort is encouraging, and she gives them both encouraging smiles for that effort. No, Brienne, she's not letting go that easily. They'll walk together as friends; nobody's following behind like a servant. When she tries to drop back, Frea pauses then takes a step back to link arms with Brienne. One arm for Brienne and one for Han.

"Or we could have something to eat. Are you hungry, Han?" She's going to keep talking until one of them replies to her, and preferably both of them. This isn't going to be one of those pissing contests that's ostensibly about her while they're both ignoring her. "Clint is a really good cook. Isn't he, Brienne?"

Han's only experience with dancing is the slow dance and dancing for this space captain is almost always on one end of the spectrum or the other - either it's deeply intimate or dispassionate. That the setting reminds him of how he learned is a little concerning for him, but with all the mixed feelings, if the May Queen asked him to dance ... he would. She'd got him inclined to do plenty that he probably wouldn't otherwise.

Is it too bold to just go right for her hand? That's more his style than on the arm unless he's standing on ceremony for some reason. And he can preen and be a well-behaved gentleman when he has to be, but it makes him feel like he's working.

Also, trust that you're the one he's not apt to forget is her, Frea.

"Barton cooks, huh?" He says with a thoughtful murmur. "If he's half as good at fixing food as he is with the bow, that probably makes him a savant. I'm not all that hungry, but I do need to make sure that I talk to him tonight."

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https://youtu.be/IyVPyKrx0Xo

So funky, such style. Love it.

Glad you like it! They're a pretty great band. :)

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My turn again I guess? IDK. Tell me if this needs to go away. :/

Nope, I was waiting for you two. Brienne, Frea, Han is a good order.

<3

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