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Friendly Conversationalist
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 Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 11:00 pm
Who: Claire, Aaron (alpha lyrae), Henry, and Ethiriel (NeonMace)
Where: The Holmes residence
When: June 27, 2015, around 11 AM
Weather: Warm but not sweltering, with a little bit of cloud cover
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"Do you mind some company over in a few?" Aaron tried to sound as nonchalant as he could when he brought it up over their morning coffee. Claire's eyes flickered up to him as though she sensed something was up, but if he was good at one thing, it was playing it cool. "It's been a while since we've seen anyone that isn't family." A terse moment passed between them and her eyes fell to the table again, and she sipped her coffee thoughtfully.
"Wish I'd had more notice so I could clean properly, but I don't have a problem with it, no." She did not sound completely enthused with it either, but he could not necessarily blame her. Only a few days had transpired since her and Ivy's return from Russia, and the sight of his wife's messily cut hair and bandaged burns nearly gave him a heart attack. She was still very quiet about what exactly had happened, but he had learned long ago that she did not like him to fuss over her. When he had mentioned as much to Henry over a brief text, a plan had been hastily cobbled together for an impromptu meeting - one that had been talked about in passing before but now had an additional meaning. Aaron almost felt a little bad about that, but on the bright side, he and Henry would be getting the girls together.
Maybe this would give her something to smile about again.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 11:20 am
Henry had spent most of the morning getting ready, having woken up at his usual 6:00 routine – there was little else for him to do. He had packed their first aid kit, as well as several different items that he had brought home after speaking with Aaron last. Claire had probably already been looked at by a professional, but the nurse certainly didn’t mind having a second opinion. Besides, he was looking forward to meeting the two of them again; they were such lovely people.
”Are you ready, Ethiriel?” he asked, knocking lightly on her door. A small, soft confirmation was given and the man entered the room. ”I’m sure you’ll like them!”
”I am sure.”
The car ride, like all others for the Frei, was uncomfortable but short lived as the two lived in Gambino as well – she was beyond glad to exit the vehicle as soon as they parked. It was a lovely day; rather warm, for Ethiriel’s tastes, but they would be inside shortly. Henry opened her door and helped her out.
The nurse planted three heavy knocks on the Holmes’ door.
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 12:35 pm
Claire leaned back into the sofa as comfortably as she could manage with the bandages on the back of her neck. As much as she did not want to, she would have to make an appointment at the local clinic to get them checked and changed out soon. Cradling the cup of the coffee between both hands, she took another sip and paused when three resounding knocks caught her attention. Aaron jumped up, almost a little too quickly.
"I've got it, stay put," he said, holding a hand up when she made to rise. His nervous maneuvers made her all the more suspicious, and she raised her eyebrows at him as she slowly lowered herself back to the cushions.
"Is everything okay?" she asked, a bit dubiously. He snorted (something that only made her more suspicious) and waved his hand.
"You worry too much, just getting the door is all. Finish your coffee, babe," he said and crossed the room. He opened the door with a little more energy than he had anticipated and had to reach again to stop it from slamming into the wall, but he beamed at the two newcomers on the front porch. "Henry, good to see ya, man. And I don't think we've officially met, but I've heard much, Ethiriel." He stepped aside to allow them inside. "Come on in, couches are to the left here, as is my wife. Claire, you remember Henry from the Lab Halloween party, right? He and Ethiriel were both there, but I don't think we got to really meet while there."
"Oh yes, that's right, almost didn't recognize you without the green hair." Claire replaced her coffee cup on the table and stood, crossing the room to greet the guests. Her cheeks flushed a little when her burns began to itch, and then her eyes fell to the case in Henry's hands. So it seemed her suspicions were correct.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 12:55 pm
”Hey, man! Great to see you too!” Henry said, initiating a small, one armed hug after unlooping his own from Ethiriel for a brief moment. He then ushered Ethiriel forward, who gave a small bow for Aaron.
”A pleasure,” she said, her head still dipped.
The two of them followed Aaron into the house and through to the living room, and as soon as Henry saw Claire his smile grew. ”It’s Britany Spears in the flesh! Hey, Claire; it’s nice to meet you!” he said, offering his hand to her.
Ethiriel gave another bow.
The nurse noticed the glance to his pack and laughed, raising his free hand, palm out. ”Nothing nefarious here, just doing a small favor for Aaron. I heard you had a rough time in Russia, huh?” he asked, putting the pack down onto the coffee table. He then led Ethiriel to the couch to sit next to Claire. ”It’s nothing major, just cream and new bandages. He just wanted me to look – I’m a registered nurse.”
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 1:27 pm
"Oh did he?" Claire's glance was redirected towards Aaron, who looked skyward before sneaking a peek back at his wife's face. However she smiled and shook her head; she could not be mad at Aaron for it. Things had been strange between them for a long time, but he was trying. This much was clear to her. "Well, thank you, Henry. I was going to have to make an appointment this week as it is but you saved me the trouble." She reseated herself on the sofa as Henry led Ethiriel towards the couch and seated the Raevan next to her. "I just feel bad about asking a guest to work."
"Well, we can always do something to even it up here." Aaron grinned and joined the group after shutting the front door. "We just made some coffee before you got here, can I get you a cup, Henry?" He turned towards Ethiriel and Claire. "Refill for you, Claire? And can I get you something, Ethiriel?" He vaguely remembered from their conversation with Anita and Cruz some time back that Raevans feed on different things, and he found himself wondering what it was that Eth needed for nourishment.
"That would be great, thanks Aaron." Claire held the mug out and passed it over to her husband. "If you would like anything else, we have other things. Milk, tea, water, I think there's some juice as well."
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 1:32 pm
Henry smiled wide at Claire, sitting in the seat across from her. They wouldn’t worry about dressing her wounds quite yet, they would get settled and talk first. At least, that as the nurse’s plan. ”I don’t mind! I agreed to it, after all!”
Glancing up at Aaron as he spoke, Henry gave a small nod. ”Coffee would be great, thank you!”
Ethiriel nodded as well, turning her head to match where Aaron’s voice came from. ”Hot water, if you would. Thank you.”
The nurse then turned back to Claire as Aaron left the room. ”You’ve captured a soul, right? That’s what Aaron said. May I ask what it was?”
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:42 am
"Got it, back in a sec." Aaron raised the hand with the mug in a half wave and headed off towards the kitchen. Claire, for her part, settled a little more comfortably back into the sofa, noticing that they were waiting to tackle the bandages, which she was somewhat pleased about. She did not want this to feel like little more than a house call, and she was eager to get to know Henry after Aaron had made mention of reuniting with him by chance at the pharmacy a few months back.
The conversation turned towards the inevitable, and Claire flushed a bit. It was a topic she knew she would have to address with Zeke sooner or later when she turned the bottle and essence in, and there was no shame in revealing the truth. She was still working on making it up to the leshy, but she did not know how yet.
"A leshy," she replied with a small smile. "They're Slavic forest guardians. I met him while we were visiting my mother's friend in Russia."
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Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 2:40 pm
”I see!” said Henry, turning to face Claire better. ”Sometimes, I wonder what kind of soul I would have tried capturing given the chance.
But I’m glad I have Ethiriel. Beyond glad.” His smile met his eyes. The Frei merely bowed her head, expression resting in a gentle, neutral smile. She knew he was grateful to have been given the opportunity to raise her, and she was finally getting to where he was who she wanted as a guardian – it had been that way for a while, and they were happy with one another, despite a few hiccups.
”You are too kind, Henry.”
”As corny as it is, it’s all true!” he laughed. He then turned his attention back to Claire with an apologetic smile. ”I’m sure you made the right choice! Or, a happy accident!”
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 3:21 pm
Claire heard glases clinking from the kitchen as Aaron shuffled around for new mugs, and the click of the stove top as the kettle was filled and placed atop it. For the moment, though, her attention was on Henry and Ethiriel, and her smile was fond. She had heard as much fondness between guardian and Raevan before, but Ethiriel's gentle protestation to Henry's compliments made her heart warm in a way she had not felt in a while. This was what she wanted, when her time came. When the leshy came back to her, this is what she wanted.
However her smile waned only a touch when the words "happy accident" left Henry's mouth, and she redirected her gaze to the tabletop, linking her hands together in her lap.
"Well," she said, carefully, "I suppose one could see it that way, but it was.. hard." She pursed her lips. "Really hard. Maybe I'll get to make it up to him when he comes back around as a Raevan, I just don't know how yet." She shrugged, trying to roll off the bad vibes struggling to the surface, and instead stuffed them back down. Instead, she latched onto what had brought her a smile just moments before and turned her full focus back to the guests. "It's really clear how much you care for each other, and I just want you to know that it's really sweet. It makes me happy to see." And she meant every word.
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2015 1:09 pm
Henry gave Claire the warmest of smiles, easily meeting his eyes. He reached over and hovered his hand over her knee for a moment, silently asking permission before touching. After letting out a small hum, he said, ”I’m sure you’ll do just fine. This new life is a blessing, no matter the means. You’ll be fine.”
This time, it was Henry’s turn to falter in expression, passing Ethiriel a sympathetic smile – the Frei, however, showed no change in demeanor.
”It wasn’t always like this. We went through some hardships but here we are.” Henry said, turning his attention back to Claire. ”This is why you’ll be fine. Things happen, things change. Everything’s going to work out, just you see.”
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2015 10:47 pm
Claire gave a small nod to let Henry know it was okay, appreciating the consideration for his personal space. The words he spoke were true enough, and as the topic turned towards her compliment, she did not fail to notice the slight change in Henry's demeanor. It was readable enough in the look he flickered towards Ethiriel, and she nodded once he had finished speaking.
"Thanks, Henry." Claire smiled. "I know we're looking forward to it, both of us, the ups and downs included." The activities in the kitchen had been quiet for a while, and she had no doubt Aaron was listening while he waited for the kettle to whistle, to make sure things were going okay. She knew he wanted them to click as much as he felt he was going to with Henry, and she appreciated it. Finally, the kettle let out its sharp whistle and there was the clink of mugs against the counter, and Aaron reappeared soon after balancing four mugs in his fingers (face continually reddening as he realized how hot they all were), and Claire hopped to her feet to take a few from him.
"Order up! Here's your coffee," he said jovially, presenting one mug to Henry. Claire took the opportunity to turn her attention to Ethiriel and presented her the mug of warm water.
"Would you like me to set it on the table to cool a little first, Ethiriel?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 11:52 am
The nurse gave Claire a smile in return, a silent ‘you’re welcome’ before Aaron came back into the room. ”Wonderful!” he cheered, gratefully taking the mug by the handle. Henry blew a few breaths in before taking a sip and setting it down – too hot, but it tasted great. ”Thanks a bunch, Aaron!”
Ethiriel didn’t hesitate to take the mug from Claire as soon as it was presented, before the question was even asked. She raised her free hand with a smile. ”All is well. I may not be one for the heat of the day, but I can tolerate water just fine,” she said, immediately dipping her thumbs into the mug.
”Not to rush, but before we get started,” he said, taking his mug for another quick sip. ”Were there any lacerations? Or are they just burns? Easy enough to take care of, either way.”
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:52 pm
Claire smiled as Ethiriel took the mug. She was such a well-spoken lady! Aaron took a seat in the recliner catty-corner from his wife and placed his mug on the table, leaning forward when Henry turned the talk to business. At the word "laceration," he shot an anxious glance at his wife, and wondered if there was worse she suffered than the burns and the mental duress.
"Slight laceration the back of the neck," Claire replied, fishing a hair tie from her pocket and pulling her hair into a bun on the top of her head. The bandages stretched around the sides of her neck and Aaron could see some of the redness creeping from the edges of it. "The doctor said they're second degree and I've been applying the cream they gave me, but he said it will take some time as the burn was pretty deep." She rolled up her sleeve to expose the other bandage around her upper arm, and the movement made it throb painfully.
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Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 12:55 pm
Henry waited patiently has Claire adjusted her hair for easier access, his smile gently resting on his lips. He didn’t pass Aaron a look, but he knew it was a touchy subject right now. Once the woman’s hair was up, he stood just a little closer – putting on gloves, he lightly (very lightly) touched the burn with a finger once the bandages were removed.
”It doesn’t look too bad for what it is,” he said, this time passing a glance to Claire’s husband. ”Just keep doing what you’re doing; antiseptic, cream and bandages should do the trick.”
The nurse then fished fresh bandages out from his bag and carefully dressed Claire’s wounds one at a time. ”It will take some time, but it seems like you’ve got everything in control. Unfortunately they may leave scars, but they sell creams and ointments to reduce them if it’s a worry.”
In the meantime, Ethiriel sat and remembered; she had absolutely no idea, but she had helped Cesc with his cut the first time they met. While she couldn’t recall being of use, she remembered the feel of the stitches under her fingertips and sighed silently. While it hadn’t been too long since they last hung out, last time at a theater, she did wish to see him again. Had his wound scarred? Technically, she didn’t necessarily know what a scar was, but it obviously had to do with cuts and burns. Would it be touchy for her to ask how it healed on the stag?
The Frei said nothing, waiting patiently for the nurse to finish his work.
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 1:50 pm
"I'm not all that worried about scars," Claire replied with a half shrug, careful not to interrupt Henry's work on re-bandaging her arm. "I'll have to get some more antiseptic and painkillers though. The arm hurts worse than the neck sometimes, especially when I'm trying to sleep." The leshy had suffered worse than she had, as had the forest. She could deal with a few scars on the back of her neck. Aaron, however, was looking a little more fretful than he had intended to while his wife was facing away. She hissed quietly when the nurse had touched her neck, as though to prove her earlier statement wrong, and he had nearly hopped to his feet, but instead busied his hands by clasping them together in his lap, yet his foot tapped softly against the carpet. He knew Henry would have need of somewhere to put the old bandages and he leaned over to grab the tiny garbage can that was hidden under the end table.
"I got you, dude," he added as he slid it within reach of Henry's arm, and leaned back. The atmosphere was certainly quiet while Claire went silent and Henry was working, and Aaron glanced over at Ethiriel. She seemed to be remembering something, and the small sigh that escaped her lips soundlessly was indication enough. Was she sensitive to this kind of thing, given her guardian was a nurse? "You okay, Ethiriel?"
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