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[eatsmanybowls]

@koussikka

Nodding along on Gar’s explanation he unties four ribbons, smoothing them out and laying them over his shoulder to keep them nice and tidy. There’s a mischievous glint in his eye as the dunmer loosens another ribbon.

”Not all enchantments have cumulative effect when paired with each other, like, they can malfunction and get messy and all, but… I’ve never tried putting on this many enchantments, we should totally do it.”

With a sly grin Koussikka smoothes out the last ribbon and stands up. ”If this works without anything not-intended caught on fire, you’ve earned two kisses. Now, I think it the best to take this little experiment outside city walls, I doubt guards would let us go through it in here.”

The Argonian stared down at Koussikka, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to sound out cumulative. “What’s... cool-moo-late?” He asked, still repeating the word silently. “Anyway. If you want to do it, let’s do it!”

Tail free, he turned around and nodded at the Dunmer. “Uh. This time though, maybe you shouldn’t be sittin’ on my head and we probably shouldn’t go near trolls and rivers, okay? Let’s just find a sabercat or somethin’.”

[eatsmanybowls]

majaara

Ma’Jaara cracked a smile, closing her eyes and simply listening to Gar-Tei. “She is quite talented with magic. I think it is Illusion, but I cannot be sure–Ahza summons spectral butterflies. Whether it is on purpose or not I cannot tell, but she is fascinated by them.”

She slowly opened her eyes as her companion trailed off, letting out a soft “hm” when his gaze fell downwards.

“Are you interested in having children yourself?”

“Butterflies? That sounds pretty.” He said, already trying to think of faintly visible butterflies just fluttering about. “Unless they get to be like, you know, giant butterflies. Like, ones that are as big as houses. That would be kind of scary. The pretty scary. You know?”

He took another sip, before doing his best to not spit it out all over her.

“What? Me? Hahah! I don’t think I’m good enough to be a dad.” He said. “I don’t know what dads do. And considerin’ I’m usually out there almost dyin’ and stuff, that’d be pretty awful. I mean, I wouldn’t want to live a life where I can’t see my kid everyday. I’d want to be there for them, you know?”

He also thought about it some more, quickly hiding his face behind his tankard. “And that’d, y’know, mean I have to bang a girl.”

[eatsmanybowls]

shoka-of-skingrad

“An expenditure is what we have to spend to get you there, or supplies you will need.”. He took a sip from his mug, “also the longer you stay with us and prove your worth the higher that base rate goes. As for what you’ll be doing, that depends on the jobs we get. Most are simple caravan guarding, others are the odd adventuring, and bounty hunting. We also do strict interviews with the client to make sure they’re legitimate. We’ve heard tales of people kidnapping mercenaries in order to perform odd rituals on them. Skyrim isn’t as safe a place as it used to be, that’s for sure!”.

A lot of this sounded far too out of his league, but Gar-Tei just nodded. Money was money, and as long as the man was going to pay him a fair rate, that’s all he cared about. Besides, none of the work sounded like anything he didn’t do on the regular, so he had no problems with it.

“Wait, kidnapping?” He asked. He looked at the other with a face of shock, jaw dropping. “What do little kids sleepin’ have to do with Skyrim bein’ safe? Is someone givin’ them nightmares? That’s bad.”

[eatsmanybowls]

koussikka

”They are enchanted?!” His grip on Gar-Tei’s tail tightens and he’s practically hugging it against his face, trying to wrap his head around what wonderful gift he’s just gotten. All those beautiful ribbons, just for him?

To cover up an emotion making his eyes a little misty the dunmer busies himself untying a ribbon closest to his hands. ”You’re too wonderful, absolutelytoo wonderful! I could smooch your wonderful face right now if you weren’t so damn tall I’d need a stepladder to get up there!”

He twisted around to try and look at the other, not moving his tail out of the other’s grip. He did give it a slight little wag in the other’s hold, though, and he chuckled. “Well. When you get yourself all ribboned up and stuff, I could always just bend over for some kisses.” He teased.

“But yeah! They’re all enchanted with pile-o-tectonic stuff.” He quipped, slowly working out that last word. “Your fire is supposed to be super firey and one of them is supposed to make your spells drain you less. Or... was it drain the enemy? I don’t know. I don’t know how to use them. I wonder if you just wear them and they work.”

He let out a small hum. “I wonder what’d happen if you put them all on, then tried to shoot a fireball?”

[eatsmanybowls]

shoka-of-skingrad

“Well you get a base of 100 gold a week, as well as room and board. As well you earn 30% after expenditures for each mission you complete. That and we’re on the same lake as the meadery.”. He shrugged at the bar keep who wasn’t too pleased to be losing one of his best customers, “sorry…”

Gar-Tei looked over as well. “One hundred? That sounds real paltry, but a place to stay is pretty nice. I don’t know what an ex-pen-and-chirr is, but somethin’s better than nothin’, I guess.”

He set a small pouch of coin onto his table to table, nodding at the other. “When do I start? And what exactly am I doin?”

[eatsmanybowls]

majaara

Having ordered nothing but a small tankard of a simple juice blend, Ma’Jaara nodded to Talen-Jei as her drink was sat before her. A chuckle escapes her throat as Gar mentions the usage of the term “cub”.

“Some may do so! I remember a few people in Elsweyr calling me a cub when I was young. They usually favor ‘kitten’, though that might be more of a nickname than anything else.” She sips her drink, letting the atmosphere of the tavern wash over her senses between sentences. “M’ahza is doing quite well, but she does not talk. I try to get her to repeat after me but she instead stares blankly, turning her attention to something else.” Another swig, another pause.

“I doubt it is because of my inexperience when it comes to parenting, but one can never be sure.”

“Okay, but kitten makes it sound like they’re nice and sweet and quiet. Last time I saw your child, they were yellin’ and screamin’ at me.” He pointed out. “They’re gonna grow up to be a real handful. Uh. Pawful. Uh...” He looked down at his hands. Nope, not talonful. Pawful was probably right.

“Maybe she’s one of those newts where they don’ talk? Or, or maybe she’s gonna become one of them powerful mage-types and talk without movin’ her mouth! You know, all echoey and stuff. That stuff freaks me out.” HE said, taking a sip.

“But I don’t think it’s cause you’re a bad mom. You’d make a good mom! I think. You’re patient and kind and you care. That’s what moms do... right?” He looked down at his tankard. “... From what I hear, anyway.”

[eatsmanybowls]

majaara

She clapped her hands together, beaming. Finally, a reunion that would not end in sorrow! That was only an assumption of course–but Ma’Jaara could hope.

Leaning forward, Aara’s smile grew even wider. Her excitement was unusual, but definitely not forced. “We can just head down to the Bee and Barb and sit at the counter, if you would only like one drink,” she parroted. “Let us not waste any time!”

Still nervous, the Argonian couldn’t do anything but nod and follow her. After all, a promise was a promise, but he couldn’t help shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, this was all potentially going to shit. 

But she was so happy. And he hated when he took that away from her. So off they went, the Argonian holding the massive door open for her, heading right to the counter like she’d offered. And upon his arrival, Talen-Jei already began to prepare the large tankard that the Argonian often downed near a half-dozen times on his regular visits.

“Just one.” He repeated, watching the large drink be set down in front of him. “... But I guess it’ll take a while for one. How’s the little one? Cub? Do you call them cubs?”

[eatsmanybowls]

koussikka

A loud gasp is all the warning Ger-Tei gets before the dunmer squats down to grab his tail, eyes shining with excitement. Though he couldn’t see all the colors anymore it doesn’t stop Koussikka from loudly exclaiming, ”BY AZURA GAR THESE ARE AMAZING! Oh, oh, describe me this one’s color? No- wait, this one looks even better! It’s kind of blue but is it blue-green like the sea or blue like mid-day sky?”

Gar-tei laughed, giving his tail a couple swings up and down. “Uh. I dunno, actually. I just saw them in the stall and figured I’d buy them. I even got one of my contacts to do some really neat enchantin’ stuff. I know you like shootin’ fire everywhere so they’re supposed to make your flames extra... flamey. I guess.”

“You just gonna hold my tail the whole day, or you gonna take them off and wear one?”

[eatsmanybowls]

majaara

As soon as her friend finished his sentence, Ma’Jaara’s stomach dropped. Was he really going to leave her again? Perhaps it was naive to get her hopes up. She peered up at him, a grimace on her face.

“Can I at least treat you to a drink? Dar’Shan has been gone for quite a while, if you were worried you would bump into him. He has actually been gone for a few weeks now–business, surely.” Starting to feel a creeping sense of concern, Aara clears her throat and adjusts her dress’ neckline. “I…I promise I will leave you alone after that. Please? I cannot just have you bring me marvelous gifts and not do anything for you.”

“He has?” Gar-tei said, sounding perhaps a bit too happy at that. He cleared his throat, before looking around again. “I mean. I’m sorry to hear that. I know you don’t like bein’ all by your lonesome. Sure, I could go for a drink. But just one.” He said, putting on his best scolding tone.

“... But it would be nice to be able to catch upwards after all this time.”

"Hey Ma-Jaa-ra!" Gar-Tei hissed from around the corner of a house. He looked around frantically, before waving her over. "Hey. Hey! I know'm not s'posed to talk to you, but I brought you back something from my travels."

Ma’Jaara froze in her tracks. There was no one she really knew who would hiss her name like that, which left her afraid to turn around. 

When she did, though, her eyes lit up and she rushed to Gar-Tei; the ruffling of her dress threw any sort of subtlety into the wind. “Gar-Tei, you are back! Goodness, if I had known I would have invited you over for dinner–oh, well…perhaps just out to eat,” she mumbled, remembering why Gar was trying to keep quiet. “What did you bring? Do not dare to keep me in suspense!”

[eatsmanybowls]

scalesandsecrets

A slight pause, followed by a soft, almost amused shake of his head. “I suppose that will have to do for now. Though I will need to find that lid sooner or later. But, worse comes to worse, I’ll just pick up another one the next time I’m in town.” A motion of the smaller Argonian’s hand. “Bring it here, then. The sooner we get it on the pot and cooking the sooner you get to eat.”

He moseyed on over, the shield on his tail, before curling said appendage around to offer the shield towards the smaller Argonian. His stomach rumbled again, and he was already licking his snout at the idea of getting to eat, before thinking about it.

“Next time we’re in town, we should probably also see if there’s bigger pots. That way instead of making you cook five times a night, we can just make one giant pork-shin and eat it all at once!”

"Norrrrrrr.... I'm hungry."

A glance upward from where the assassin had been pouring over a stack of parchment. “There should still be some stew in the pot over the fire, unless you already finished that off.” A smile is offered up as Nor leans back in his chair. “Do you need me to make more?”

[eatsmanybowls]

“A bar tab?” Gar-Tei asked. He looked up over at the barkeep, frowning. “He knows I’m good to pay. I’ve got more than enough money squared away to do so. But the job opportunities’ve been drier than the A’likr.”

He looked over at the idea of a “guild”, though he also took it with a grain of salt. “... I mean, how much are you payin’ me, at this point?” He asked. “Work is work, but I gotta know what I’m earnin’.”

Bored. He was bored. A part of him knew that it was because he wasn’t working, but prospects were casually getting slimmer and after having left and come back, it was almost like there was nothing to be had.

He even refused eighths from the pot from how down he felt, sitting there in the tavern with nothing to do. The large Argonian was bored. Someone out there had to have a job for him, right?

[eatsmanybowls]

majaara

Ma’Jaara nearly forgot to take the pieces from Gar-Tei, with her hands already preoccupied as they covered her mouth. She was completely gripped by astonishment, and it showed!

She had always used practical and plain pieces to do her work, and these tools were unlike anything she had seen before because they were so beautiful!Where on Nirn did he get these?

“Gar-Tei…how much were these? They are so pretty I feel bad taking them from you,” Aara murmurs, reading the message from her “best student” and cracking a smile.

“Um.” He started, wondering just how much they were. “I took these instead of payment for one of my jobs. It was a simple one, so you don’t have to worry about it. I’d feel bad if you didn’t take them, because then they wouldn’t be good enough.”

He looked around again, before down to her, nodding. “I should go, though. I’m glad I caught you. I didn’t want to lug these around any longer than I had to.”

"Hey Ma-Jaa-ra!" Gar-Tei hissed from around the corner of a house. He looked around frantically, before waving her over. "Hey. Hey! I know'm not s'posed to talk to you, but I brought you back something from my travels."

Ma’Jaara froze in her tracks. There was no one she really knew who would hiss her name like that, which left her afraid to turn around. 

When she did, though, her eyes lit up and she rushed to Gar-Tei; the ruffling of her dress threw any sort of subtlety into the wind. “Gar-Tei, you are back! Goodness, if I had known I would have invited you over for dinner–oh, well…perhaps just out to eat,” she mumbled, remembering why Gar was trying to keep quiet. “What did you bring? Do not dare to keep me in suspense!”

[eatsmanybowls]

So after one sudden visit to emerg, one overnight stay, and one amazing night hopped up on drugs, I am now sans one appendix and one kidney.

Oh.

Will get to replies and stuff soon, going to be on bed rest for 2 weeks so I need to not go crazy somehow.

[eatsmanybowls]

The large Argonian grinned, holding up a finger. “Hold on. I’ve got it right... here!”

He spun around, making sure not to whack the Dunmer with his tail, showing off that there were an assortment of ribbons running down the appendage. “Look! There were so many colours and different kinds and I thought you’d like them.”

"Hey, Kous! Kous! I got a present for you from my travels!"

He seems to process this for a second -a present, for him. Baffled but pleasantly surprised an excited grin takes over his face.

”You… you have? Really? Ohhhh, what is it?”

[eatsmanybowls]

He quickly righted himself on his chair, but he didn’t turn around. “Uhh! I think a year? Two. Two years. Maybe.” He said, nodding at himself. “Hi there, Kii. I’d’ve thought that you and Zana would have left by now, off doin’ whatever.”

He spun around, smiling at the other. “And I’m not down on my luck. I’m just bored. That’s different.”

Bored. He was bored. A part of him knew that it was because he wasn’t working, but prospects were casually getting slimmer and after having left and come back, it was almost like there was nothing to be had.

He even refused eighths from the pot from how down he felt, sitting there in the tavern with nothing to do. The large Argonian was bored. Someone out there had to have a job for him, right?

[eatsmanybowls]

“That...” He started to say, thinking about it in his head. “That sounds like a lot of work. And like it needs a lot of greedy-ants to make.” He huffed out. “Cooking is hard, especially when people tell you to follow a recipe. What do you do when the recipe doesn’t make any sense?”

He shook his head. “Pah. Nevermind. I’m good with mammoth. The Sisters always said that it was good I was never a picky eater, and I like it that way. Mammoth is just fine-- all you gotta do is take off the fur, put it on a stick, and then put it over a fire. Delicious.”

As he spoke, his stomach gave a loud growl, and he looked down. “Aw, now I’m hungry.”

He leaned down curiously when she beckoned him down, and he nodded at her as the word sunk in. If she was expecting an angry reply, he didn’t give one– instead he stood back up tall, continuing to nod sagely. “Actually, it’s not all that good. I mean. Depending on who it is, I guess– but you have to get past all the scales and then the skin gets hard and the horns aren’t really ed-and-bull, but meat is meat.”

He looked down at her, almost a little disappointed. “I still think mammoth is better.”

[eatsmanybowls]

Bored. He was bored. A part of him knew that it was because he wasn’t working, but prospects were casually getting slimmer and after having left and come back, it was almost like there was nothing to be had.

He even refused eighths from the pot from how down he felt, sitting there in the tavern with nothing to do. The large Argonian was bored. Someone out there had to have a job for him, right?