nexus_sages | made waves with some friends I know

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made waves with some friends I know

The season is a'changing, the weather is warmer. The forecast calls for high temperature, low humidity and a light breeze. A near perfect day. What better reason to gather the friends and have a good time with a bonfire? Grab a beer, have a seat. Cheery tunes fill the salty air. There's plenty of room and so much to eat.

Matt Murdock is actually dressed for the beach. Still likely more than usual. He burns so easily. There's no way he could have done this alone. Anyone who is anyone in Nexus knows that there is that distinct Verity Willis touch on everything. If the sounds and the sights don't get you, it is going to be whatever Clint has on the grill. That man is magic.

[ooc; Come on in, guys and gals! Hop threads, twist time for sooner, later and all things in between. It's a real party. Don't be shy!]

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Out of mindness is debatable. There has been significant talking about Han Solo in his absence, after all.

Though, he's no fool. He knows what can happen when you walk away at the wrong time. Someone else swoops in and makes a move or two of their own. A dirty trick. One he's pulled often enough on other people to be aware that it can happen to him too. Truthfully, he doesn't know what kind sort of attraction is happening between the two womenfolk, but he's considered the possibility that there's more than platonic feelings between them.

He's glancing over at them now. Because, he's interested to observe what might be happening. He's also assembling all the stuff together and deciding if he needs to make two trips.

Well, if he were capable of reading minds Brienne is sure he will be back at any moment. That sure does add urgency to the time the two women have together.

She swallows and nods. "Yes, yes, you're right. There's no real reason for me to be--to be like this." And yet she is. Through no fault of Frea's whatsoever. Nor of Captain Solo himself. They have no knowing of her other than any behavior she's shown. Brienne has just known that if she cared for anyone at all it would be best to keep it to herself for fear of laughter. The May Queen is not like that. There is no joke here.

Why is it much easier to conduct herself as though on the field of battle?

"Forgive me."

Okay, it's a fair cop, he's still on Frea's mind. He's rarely far from it. Isn't it nice to be absent but always in everyone's thoughts?

"There's nothing to forgive." Not what she's apologizing for, at least. But there's something wrong and she isn't telling and that's not good. Frea gives her hands an affectionate squeeze before releasing one to reach up and touch Brienne's cheek. "Please tell me what's wrong?"

Brienne should know by now that Frea would never laugh at her, or her feelings. She's seen how Frea tries so hard to be gentle and kind to everyone; can she really believe she won't be given the same courtesy?

Oh, he's just fine with being present in her thoughts even if he's not present in front of her. Matter of fact, it would be his preference to have it that way. That he's so fond of the May Queen himself does make him want her to be fond of him in turn.

Captain Solo has opted to make two trips, it wouldn't do to try to grab it all once and end up dropping everything, he figures. He is heading back toward the threesome's spot by the fire with roasting sticks and Frea's drink. The crate of s'mores things will be in the next go.

As it is, since he is heading back toward them, he is very likely to see what happens next, even if they're so wrapped up in each other that they don't see him.

So fond, so fast. That's how emotions work. They're dizzying and powerful things. That is the ground where both the knight of old and the space man stand.

Two trips and time is growing shorter. Brienne chews her bottom lip a moment and lifts her eyes. The touch on her cheek makes her face about set on fire. "I," her voice has become softer. "I fancy you, my lady."

And it's not a song or a story. There's no great proclamation in the heat of battle, great victory or loss. It just comes tumbling out in a mellow moment at a party.

Emotions are scary as heck. That isn't something that should change no matter how far away you run, through time or through space. But they can be a lot of fun, too.

Frea had been expecting something like that to come up eventually, but not just yet. Not at a party surrounded by people, anyway. Brienne is usually more private than that. This is not to say she minds. It may not be a story or a song yet, but it's a good reason for hugging.

It'd be a non-answer, an infuriating one, of she left it there. But she's never been keen on secrets, so: "I like you too."

There's going to be so much to think about and talk about, later. She hopes it'll suffice for now. There's a kiss for Brienne's cheek before she sits back again, and then oh hey Han is back. He gets a smile and she reaches out to take the drink and toasting sticks from him. "Thank you."

There are benefits to being quick on the draw. No doubt about that. Han himself would sooner be too familiar too fast and take a slap to the face, then walk away without knowing where he stood with the object of his affections.

He saw the hug and the kiss on the cheek. From the distance he was at, the blushing was missed and he wasn't privy to the dialogue, but he's always payed attention to body language. When you lived by the way of the gun, you needed to, after all. There was something exchanged - not anything to panic over, so far as he can tell, but something ...

"Oh good." He says with a little smile. "I see Frea was able to keep Brianne safe." He's not trying to tease or poke fun as much as trying to be somewhat involved in the goings on here. And while the knight probably sees herself in fealty to the Queen of Spring, Han suspects that the lady herself has enough magic to make herself pretty handy in a fight.

So very many benefits for being quick on the draw, for being quick period. Brienne has not yet thought that they were observed. Not when there is so much activity and not when her whole attention was wrapped into this moment where time, gravity and the rest of the world ceased to be.

One press of Frea's lips and the warm, strong embrace and all the unsettled, fearful flutterings in her heart stop. Brienne reaches back and holds her tight just that one perfect moment. So much to think about, so much to talk and feel through. For now it is like the sprawling issue has been wound up like yarn to be in one piece to unknot later.

And then Captain Han Solo returns.

"Captain," is how she greets him again. "All went well on your mission?"

No reason for anyone to panic. Hugs are good things and will be shared around. Right now, it's Brienne's turn for hugs. A good hug is a world unto itself, and it's one in which Frea is happy to dwell for as long as possible. And when she has to leave she knows she can go back later. It's a lovely thought.

"Of course. As if I'd allow my friends to be hurt." Frea smirks up at Han before pointing at him with the toasting sticks. "You promised you'd bring me chocolate. A man should never break promises about chocolate."

"So far so good, Lady Brienne." Though the task is a little on the incomplete side. Han did all the leg work and took inventory of what needed to be brought back and forth so, he's completed two very important aspects of the job. He just hasn't finished carrying it all over yet.

Which ... Frea is content to bust his chops over, isn't she? He's getting pointed at as well as getting the smirk. For some reason, in that moment, the idea comes into his head that she would have made a good smuggler in another life. That's obviously not and never going to be her destiny, but something about the way she carries herself makes him think that she could have been. The thought makes him smile. Not to mention he finds it fetching when a woman will give him a little bit of attitude.

It goes without saying there's a fine line between the right amount and too much snark, though, right? He's been guilty of taking it too far himself.

He takes a few steps nearer to her and looks down at the Queen of May. He regards her with a look of interest, pleasure and bemusement. It's a good look, but like most of the looks he tends to offer, it's a bit of a smoldering one. "You wound me when you go implying that I'm a man that doesn't deliver what he says he will." As if he doesn't get enough of that back home.

Edited 2016-06-20 02:52 (UTC)

Pity Brienne and Frea cannot share an embrace forever. The May Queen pulls away. The moment will live forever in her heart. No one can change that. No matter where they are from.

The captain and the knight are both charmed by the sweetness and the spice of Frea. She has been mostly sweet. There is a hidden danger and twisting vine of thorns that can match any blow. If they only truly knew. Her sass is refreshing.

"Are you suggesting you need aid?" Because Brienne can get up. She hasn't yet. He is a capable man. The smuggling nature is yet unknown. For the better because it would mean he isn't to be trusted if he is so very liberal with the property of others. Without the detail, with the new reassurance she almost feels... good right now.

No embrace lasts forever, but the feelings they inspire can. The pulling away is purely physical. They're closer than ever in all the important ways.

Sweetness and spice are an excellent combination. She'll have to introduce them to the pleasure of cinnamon sugar toast someday. Simple and delicious. Just like her! She is a showy garden bloom and surely there couldn't possibly be more to her than that.

She likes to tease sometimes. Hasn't Han noticed? The intent is never to hurt, only to amuse. Then again, if he's going to give her smiles like that every time she teases, she might start to think teasing is for other things. It's already a mercy she leaves him fit to walk some days, he might want to be careful.

"Wound? I hope not. I don't aim to wound, only to warn." Reassurance and teasing at the same time? It's tricky, but she'll try it anyway. Her smirk shifts into a more appealing smile and her tone softens, saccharine sweet and dancing along the line of trying too hard to sound innocent. "Chocolate is very serious business and I'm sure you want to make sure you get it right. You're so very... thorough."

Since his introduction to the May Queen, Han has been able to walk every day. He has been sore plenty, though. Finds himself straining muscle groups that he never used to have any problems with. It's the damnedest thing, but he's not complaining. Not even a little.

As for her tendency to tease, he's noticed. He even likes it. She tends to be just the right amount of both for his tastes. In fact, he's hard pressed to find most of her characteristics to be anything other than just right. Sometimes, when he's left with his thoughts, he wonders if it's the divinity or her and then he realizes he just doesn't care ...

"I am very thorough." He says in tones that agree, but also seem to say more. "I'm highly motivated not to disappoint you."

... he pauses, because those kinds of words and tones are always nicer when they have a moment to linger in the air and breathe, the way you have to treat some of the more classy spirits ...

Then he turns back to Brienne. "Or any of my other friends." He says with a handsome and easy smile. "I didn't want to drop anything in all this sand, but I know where the rest of the stuff we need is and I'll be right back with it."

And there he goes again - off to grab the crate full of S'mores ingredients. He'll be back more quickly this time.

Sweetness and spice have their appeal. Brienne of course loves the sweetness for all she tries to deny, hide or try to downplay. It's the spice that is what she's used to. And from the way they speak to one another in jest, she can tell the Captain feels the same way. Frea's easy going manner has been for the sake of fun and no harm. It's what is slowly knocking down the high, thick walls she has surrounded herself with.

Very thorough he says. Well, he did think to get exactly what they required. And not only that thought it best to take two trips. Wise decision indeed.

Classy spirits. Brienne's eyebrows lift as she listens. At least he can take to being more than trifling. They hadn't even reached their full height before he goes so far as to allude to their possible friendship. "Your aim is true." She'll give him that.

She leans to see what kind of things are going to be making their dessert. "Kind of him." The observation is at his back and with Frea. Bit by bit she can do better. The warmth and glow after from their embrace and briefly exchanged words have done that.

Han gets a brilliant smile before he turns his back to go. His shift to gentlemanliness is sudden and worth encouraging. And he can always count on her smile returning like the sun. "You never have. I knew I could count on you."

Whatever it is he finds making him feel so good, whatever he concludes about it, he can rest assured she's getting just as good a workout. Not just physically. He's a challenge in many ways that she loves rising to meet. He's just, well, fun. And now that he's being so nice to Brienne, it's even better.

"Yes, he can be kind," she agrees. Brienne getting to see him this way makes her feel so much better about so many things. She returns her gaze to her fair knight now, holding out her lemonade in offer since Brienne didn't get a drink. "I hope you two will be friends, but please don't do it just to make me happy."

Han Solo's temperament can change in a hurry, not unlike the shiftable and frankly, rainy nature of the early spring. A smile from Frea goes a long way toward encouraging good behaviors, though. When he sees her smiling that broadly, he wants to do the things he can do to keep it around.

And Brienne isn't the first woman that Han's extended a little bit more familiarity with than was socially appropriate. In this case, his actions were pretty benign all things considered. As far as he can tell, he hasn't done a single thing that he ought to be slapped for yet ...

A true storm cannot stay in the wake of such a radiant sun. It is not to be hidden. Especially when that sun is Frea's smile. Brienne and her own brand of gloom, hell she was raised in the Stormlands after all, are having a hard time keeping up the tradition. It's welcoming, real. And that's without thinking there would be the slightest touch of magic. Frea has a charm that is honest and true. No wonder she has not one, but two (perhaps more!) wanting her time.

She reaches for the glass and bobs her head in thanks. "I do not wish to hold any grudge nor be short. I'm trying because it is best to do so." Though surely crossed her mind that getting on well with Han would be pleasing. "I still am mastering how best to make alliances of my own accord."

Any of his less charming traits haven't inspired her to violence. And it would be more than a slap if that were the case. Yes, it is far better they get along well. Brienne dares a small smile to herself before taking a drink of the lemony water. "Mmm."

There will be no slapping while Frea has any say about what's going on. And let's be honest: she's the boss of both of them whenever she wants to be. But if something slap-worthy does happen, he'll know. He might wish she'd just slapped him.

"We're all learning. And you're doing a wonderful job so far. You've got me pretty much wrapped around your little finger, after all." It's only halfway teasing; there's very little Brienne might ask for that Frea wouldn't grant her. Not that she wants those limits tested.

When Brienne's ready to relinquish their drink, Frea takes it back and then returns to her spot cozied up against Brienne's side. It's so much warmer there. "I'm glad you came to the party with me. Thank you."

It's not as if Han is moving especially slow to grab the rest of the haul, but he isn't sprinting. He knew what he was getting, where to grab it from and nothing was exceptionally far from the centrally located bonfire.

If they glanced over, they'd see him heading back with the crate in hand. Or rather, hands.

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made waves with some friends I know

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