Insults in the Rec Room

Involving

Fiona

Tyree

Rahier

Ativus

Sephora

Taye

Dagda

Thad

Salamandastron: Recreation Room

• -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Salamandastron *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

The recreation room for the army of the Longpatrol. Here soldiers come to

relax after a hard day's work and the officers come for a game of cards or

a quick drink by the fire. The room is quite large, having to deal with a

lot of hares at one time. Along one wall there is a large worktop with

some cuhsioned stools lining one side of it. On the other side of the

worktop there stand many kegs and bottles, lined so that they can be

easily opened by someone standing on the inside of the bar but well out of

reach of the rowdy hares on the other side. There are a few woollen cloths

on the bar and mats in front of each stool. The next thing nearest to the

bar are the round tables, each with 4 chairs around and a lantern in the

middle of each one. There are a couple of slightly larger oval tables with

8 seats around, obviously for larger crowds. The other end of the room is

littered with armchairs, comfortable armchairs, each pair with a small

table in between. The armchairs are near the fire, used to heat the room

and provide extra comfort for the relaxing soldiers.

• -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

                 Visible Exits:

Contents:

Message Board

Taye is drinking! Which is no surprise, given he's in the rec room. He's seated at the bar with one arm resting on the bar and the other still tucked against his chest in a sling. He picks up his glass and takes a sip, his eyes narrowed as he peers across at a row of bottles.

Dagda enters with little fanfare, quietly and slowly making his way to the bar. The buck eases himself onto one of the stools; in particular, the one adjacent to Taye. His eyes move like the magic bouncing ball from one keg to the next, gauging his options.

Taye's ears flicker when he spots someone sink into the stool to his side - and he glances that way. Dips his head in a brief nod before going back to stare ahead. "If two or three more healahs show up again, I start swingin'," he jokes.

Dagda emits a light chuckle as he roots in a trouser pocket for a few coins. "I'll hold y' down at let the females prattle y' t' death, wot." The sought-for coins are placed on the bar and he waves for the tender. "One part elderberry wine, two parts water."

Sephora steps into the rec room, her tunic rumpled and looking tired. Pretty normal for a new patroller parent. Her ears twitch as she picks up Taye's statement, and grins, heading toward a vacant, cushioned armchair. "'m off duty, do I still count 's a healer?" she asks, and sinks down into the seat with a slow sigh. Mm.

"Ugh. Does," Taye mutters in commiseration with Dagda - just as one of the bothersome thing shows up! He glances over his shoulder while sipping at his drink, squinting at the fellow lieutenant. "Don't you think I won't hit a gel." He smirks.

"'d /hope/ you would, Taye," Seph responds with a laugh, leaning her head back against the back of the chair, in a twisted position to look at him. "Nothin' says respect like bein' willin' t' hit a patrol doe, righ

righ'?"

"You're jus' lucky m'paw's occupied," Taye mutters with a faint grin. And! Another drink. He twists back around on his stool, to lean against the bar again. Tsk, Seph can come over to the bar if she wantsa chat!

Ativus steps in...bundled up completely. The hare is covered in layers and layers of clothing, his face, his hands, his feet. He comes into the room looking like a snowman made of cloth. He glances about once or twice, shivering madly, before he sees the fire. Waddling over, teeth chattering, he almost sits in the fire, hugging himself, muttering bitterly about how evil the Western winds are.

Dagda accepts a goblet from the bartender, one eyebrow quirking. "Apparently high-brow drink get high-brow vessels," the hare murmurs. He looks with curiosity at Ativus, nudging Taye. "Wha's up with that one?"

Taye glances back at the nudge, eyeing Ativus before shrugging. "I 'unno. Mayhaps he was out... playin' in the snow." He looks dubious.

"Don' make me call you 'son'," Seph warns Taye with a laugh, now turning all the way, her body draping against the back of the chair. With her chin perched on one arm, she gives the buck a cheeky smile, followed by a glance at the two not-so-familiar privates.

Ativus seems to slowly defrost, taking off the head covering first, then the hand coverings, then on and on. It takes him a good, full three minutes to get down to his normal wear. Finally, he looks about, blinking slightly, still shaking. He offers a quick nod to the others, trying to shrug off the chill.

Dagda returns the nod, but shakes his head slightly as he looks away. A relaxed salute goes to Seph in response to the look, being in the Rec Room. "Private Dagda Fintan, healer."

"If you want everyone thinkin' you're old 'nough t'be my mom," Taye retorts with a snicker into his drink. He drains the remainder of it, then, and signals the bartender for another two.

"Old enough t' be datin' your dad," Seph shoots back at Taye, then gives Dagda a grin, and responds in kind. "Lieutenant Seph Keyes, also healer. Saw you th' other day, helpin' m' poor kiddo here." She hooks a thumb toward Taye's back, her tone light and joking.

"Oh, yer /datin'/ him? Hell, alla this time I thought 'e'd just gone 'n' adopted anothah kid." Ahahha. Taye takes his drinks when they arrive, taking a nice long drink of the first. Ahem hem hem. Victory sip.

Dagda refrains from putting himself on Taye's side for the moment, preferring to abstain from the current banter, and instead nodding to Seph in affirmation.

"No no, Taylor, don't worry," Seph responds, standing up now, to wander over to the bar. She leans into it next to Taye, ducking her grinning muzzle toward his ear. "You're still the only one that's not /really/ his kid.."

Taye snoooorts into his drink, so much so that it almost comes out his nose. "Aw, Seph, c'mon. At least come up with somethin' /good/..."

Dagda is in the midst of a sedate sip from his goblet when Taye decides to snort into his drink. The buck represses an answering snort, but sets his drink aside to cough something out of the wrong pipe.

Sephora drops her hand onto the top of Taye's head and ruffles his hair. "'s okay, drunken-Taye. I know you're jealous, I know you've always had a cute widdle-boy crush... it mus' be so hard f' you, likin' your dad's girl." She manages to say it all without even a hint of laughter in her tone. It's miraculous.

Dagda scratches at his belly as he calmly turns his head to face the pair and say, "Didn't I see y' with that spiffin' example of female perfection, sah? The two of y' looked rathah... attached." His right eye twitches at Taye.

Taye smiiiiirks at Seph, ready to roll his eyes when Dagda interjects. The roll of his eyes, therefore, ends with him turning to him - with a nod. "That's... /righ'/. You /did/ see me attached t'a rathah spiffin' example of female perfection the othah day. S'not like /she's/ goin' prematurely gray or anythin' like tha'. Not like some does 'round here I know." Beeeeam. He winks at Dag, with his head turned away from Seph. "I guess 'tis fortunate there's oldah bucks 'round who don't mind that sorta thing."

Sephora's ears drop back, and she gives Taye a level look. Sliiightly unamused, is her expression now. "F' /one/ thing, I c'd date any buck in th' mountain if I wanted t'. F' /another/ thing, you're lucky you went an' robbed a cradle when you did, 'cause I hear cripples don' get th' ladies real easy.."

Dagda is now leaning back against the bar and looks on with calm assurance as Sephora makes her quip. "Couldn't date me," he replies, taking a sip from his goblet. He glances over at Taye. You're on your own with the second.

Taye's ears jerk back and the grin is effectively wiped off his face. His fist tightens on his drink and he jerks up off his stool, knocking it backward onto the ground with the sudden force of anger. Without looking at Seph, he hurls his glass into that line of bottles he'd been staring at earlier, shattering the mug and bottles both. And with a shallow grunt, with nary a word, he turns and moves stiffly towards the door.

Sephora turns her muzzle a little to arch a brow at Dagda. The moment of distaste in her expression suggests.. well. She doesn't want to anyway! Then she looks after Taye, a small scowl on her features, and calls after him, "Fire wit' fire!"

Annnd just then, Tyree unluckly decides to come through the door himself as Taye comes upon it. Not even aware of whatever it was that just transpired, he perks his ears and a somewhat pleased light comes to his eyes, even if he doesn't smile. "Oh, Taye. Fancy meetin' you here. Were ya just leavin'?"

Dagda lifts his goblet to his mouth again, shrugging. The buck looks over to the doorway, and, seeing Tyree's position, nearly leaves his stool to warn him. But. He doesn't.

Of course, to avoid running smack into Tyree, Taye has to stop. He doesn't even react to Seph's retort. He just fixes Tyree with what is unintentionally a dangerous 'I will kill you' sort of look. It's not intended for him, honest! "Yes," he grits out.

Sephora rests her elbow on the bar and her chin on her hand. She glowers, looking a combination of put-out and guilty.

Of course, Tyree's expression falls to something rather glum. He pretty much wilts when he sees Taye glaring bloody murder at him, and gets the hint very quickly. "Gyuh... right. Don't... get held up on my account, m'bucko," he says, quickly side-stepping out of the way and honestly looking quite confused.

Uh oh, the train is backing up! Rah has to kind of eeedge around Tyree, and realizes who he's edging around. "Hey, Ty," is his quick greeting, before he turns to enter and.. hey, it's Taye. Rah brightens, grinning. "Taye, what's.." Up? Of course, the way his grin falters at his kiddo's deathstare, it turns into.. "..Wrong?"

Dagda finishes his wine and slips off his stool, quietly heading to a seat by the fire and away from the evening's drama, in two acts.

"Don' take it personal, Tyree," Seph says, a moment before Rah's appearance makes her ears splay out. "... f' th' love of.. nnh," she mutters under her breath, and turns her face away, gesturing at the not-very-pleased-looking 'tender to order a drink. A big one.

Ugh. The way Tyree just. Wilts. Kicks the steam right out of Taye. His shoulders slump and he drags his fingers through his hair before muttering, "Sorry, Ty." Deep breeeath and there's dad. "Nothin'. Nothin's wrong. How's it goin', da'?" There's no more death stare, at least.

Ativus has been sitting rather still, and it would appear that he'd fallen asleep. However, his eyes are still open, flickering in the candlelight. He watches the proceedings, the smashed glass, the verbal cutting, and he snorts sharply. "Disgusting," he mutters to himself, a frown tugging at the corner of his lips. "Absolutely undignified..."

Well, it's hard not to take it personally when he was the one who apparently almost got his face rammed into a wall. He nods, however, and there's little evidence, on the outside at least, that he was offended or hurt in his straight back and hands crossed behind him. "Don't worry," he says simply, then tilts his head. The gesture seems to be his way of looking sympathetic. "Though, there's little evidence somethin's *not* wrong, if ya' don't mind m'sayin'."

Wah. Obviously what Taye needs is a hug. Mercifully, Rah keeps it short, and restricts it almost to a pat on Taye's shoulder. The one that isn't all squished and torn at the mo'. "I'm good, 'course," he replies, that grin flickering back into life. "Y'sure?"

There it is. A big big drink for Sephy, which she takes in both hands, then gets up from the bar and retreats to the far side of the room. The doe sinks low into a chair that's turned with its back to the bar.

Taye cuts off a sigh at the hug, which is at least mercifully short. He gives Rah a look at his final question, managing a wan smile. "... Yeah. M'sure," he mutters. He gives his dad a return pat on the shoulder and then glances to Tyree. He just shakes his head. "Nevah mind. Ya wanna get a drink, Ty?" Surely the bartender won't mind his return.

Ativus shifts slightly where he's at, watching Sephora walk past, watching the interaction between the two at the door, and finally shrugs on a coat, trying to get a little warmer.

"Ah... very well. That sounds agreeable," Tyree says, nodding once more and glancing around at the sullen atmosphere. Oh, the shattered row of drinks, too... that'll be a devil to clean up. "Ativus," he greets the desert hare as he goes by, towards the bar for said drinks.

Well if everything's spiffy then! Rah grins as Taye and Ty (T and T!) head to the bar together, but tilts his head a little at the mess. Someone get a little angry? Ah well. He /thought/ he saw Seph escaping the bar over toward the fire, and so he moves over that way, peeking over chairs and sniffing her out.

Ativus lifts a brow at Tyree, and he cracks a smile. "Tyree. Good evening." His ears flicker and swivel a bit. "Watch for glass shards," he hums lightly, smilingly.

Glass shards, indeed. Taye first rights the stool he kicked over before and then moves behind the bar with an apologetic glance at the bartend. He holds up a paw in surrender, then goes to grab a broom to start sweeping up. Ahem. He cleans up his own messes! "So... how's it goin', Ty?" His eyes wander after Rah and towards Seph, briefly.

Sephora's ears are low, so they don't poke over the top of her chair to help Rah find her. Not that it'd be hard for him, once he's over on that side of the room, and she lifts her muzzle from drinking out of the big pint-mug she has cradled in her hands. "Oh. Hi. You wanna share?" she asks him with a wan smile, uplifting her beverage in offer to the major.

"Oh, there they are..." Tyree mutters as he sees all the glass everywhere. "Ah, um, it's goin'... well, rather blandly I should say," he admits. "There's much goin' on, but I 'aven't seen much of it," he says with shrug. "I met him, though." He nods towards Ativus. "S'pose I... need ta' get out more, like Major Rahier suggests."

Lalala. Completely oblivious to previous angst - and the destruction of the bar? - Fiona saunters into the room as if she might be dancing in her head. As she travels she is pulling her hair down from its French braided style, shifting sideways to get out of the way of a departing buck as her eyes travel nonchalantly over the room. Oh, there's Taye. .. with a broom? That's where she sets her destination for, ruffling her hands into hair that is extra wavy now.

"Eh. Y'know what, Ty. You're all righ'. You just do what yer doin'. Seems t'be workin', ya ask me." Taye shakes his head and shrugs, sweeping the mess off to the side and out of the bartender's path. When that's done he comes out from behind the bar - just as Fiona arrives. He manages a grin for his doe, excusing himself briefly to Tyree so that he can meet her halfway. He ducks to press a kiss to her cheek. "I was just gonna have a drink with Ty? You wanna join us?"

Ahh, there's his honeybee. "Oh, hi, y'self," he says, his grin as wide as hers is small. "Whatcha doin' retreatin' over here? The buck takes the chair sat next to hers, his paw on the pint, taking a deep swallow before he hands it back to her.

"Feelin' guilty an' keepin' m' head low," Seph says honestly, and shrugs. She turns her focus to the pint, setting her mouth to the edge and taking two large swallows, then huffing out afterward and giving Rah a sideways glance.

Smile. Fiona offers an affectionate one up to Taye as she tilts her cheek to accept the kiss there, as sweet as can be. Are those dimples? "Of course, baby." She chirps, grinning. "I was lookin' forward to gettin' plastahed." She's an angel really.

Rahier has to give her the requisite hug, especially after that sideways glance. It's a bit more touchy than the one he gave Taye, reaching over to put an arm around her neck and give a little hug before he deposits the arm back onto his chair. "Wanna tell me why you're feelin' guilty?"

Taye catches her paw, then, and responds with a grin. Tension leaving him as they speak. Literally! He turns and leads her back to the bar, directing her to a stool and then taking one for himself. "Ty, you know Fiona, eh?" He calls the bartend back over and orders them all a few.

"'Lo," Tyree greets Fiona, scooting over to make room for her and wondering at the affection between them. He seems baffled by it. "Welcome ta' join us. Wasn't really plannin' on gettin' drunk, though."

Ativus sets his head on his palm, large ears attent. He's not eavesdropping so much as...well, no, that's precisely what he's doing. But it's hard not to, with such large ears.

Of course Ty knows Fiona. They love each other! Or, the way that the blonde grins at the buck one would think that. She fairly beams as she wanders over to the bar with her fingers laced with Taye's, eyes narrowing to make room for the expression. "Evenin' Ty." She pulls up onto the stool beside him, releasing the lieutenant as she does. "And I suppose no'un evah /plans/ t'get drunk."

Sephora's eyes shut, and she leans sideways into Rah when he gives her the hug. For a moment she's quiet, then gets up and moves over a little, abandoning her seat to perch on the arm of the major's instead, still with her pint in her hands. "Me'n Taye were jokin' 'round," she explains in a low tone, only for him, while she gives a quick glance over toward the three at the bar. "... an' it started gettin' mean an' he .. said somethin'. An' I got pissed an' called him a /cripple/." Her head ducks; her dappled cream-and-brown features have remorse writ all across.

"I do," Taye pipes up with a faint grin. When the drinks arrive he passes them down the bar to the other two, keeping one for himself.

Well. When she sits on the arm of his chair, Rah puts his own arm around her in succession, keeping her in place. Arms can be precarious spots, and all. The buck listens, mming to her in the same low tone. "Y'shouldn't call him a cripple," Rah muses. "After all, 'm a cripple."

"Oh, well. In *that* case," Tyree says with a faint smirk at Taye himself. But he'll just have one or two, though. He doesn't have any sorrows to drown. "What've you been up to, Fiona?" he asks the doe, taking a sip from his mug. Mmm. Spicy.

Sephora looks fairly well admonished, and rests her cheek against Rah's shoulder. One arm circles behind his neck, the other hugging the pint in against her chest, which in effect puts it against Rah's chest as well. After an apologetic huff, she tells him quietly, "'ll say sorry t' him. 'm gonna. Jus' give it time t' blow over, firs'.."

Fiona doesn't even know what she's just been given to drink. So it's going to be one of /those/ kind of nights. She snuffles it experimentally, before bringing the mug to her lips for a good swig. Her whiskers ruffle as she swallows it back. "About the same as ye as suppose?" She licks her upper lip. "Trainin'. Patrollin'." One ear goes up straight. "Been cultivatin' that garden up top a little. Bit cold fer it.. helps me think though."

Rahier takes hold of the pint when she offers it on in, and then shakes his head. "Tsk, no blowin' overage s'gonna go on." Removing her paw from the drink, he nudges her hip. "Go on an' apologize t'him. He'll do th'same, less he wants me t'tan his hide." It's unknown if he is serious. "Go'n."

"It'll be good fer it come Spring. Don't break a shovel off in tha' ground, though," Taye teases her with a smile. He takes a good drink of his own. This is already, what? Third or fourth? He's definitely workin' on drunk!

"Hmm... Gardenin'. Somethin' my Ma liked ta' do. Does. Or... some I'm told," he murmurs, taking another large gulp and never minding whatever burn or bitterness it may have. His perfectly erect ears dip. Just a bit, a *tiny* bit, but they're so straight it's noticeable. "I like ta', hmm... whittle, an' such. When I need ta' focus. An' train. Like the... the burn you get, when you go hard enough."

".. aw, maj, can't I even finish m' pint..?" Seph mumbles, but then responds to the nudge by setting her feet to the floor and standing up. One hand rests on the back of Rah's chair, and she leans into it, eyeing the three hares over at the bar, then heads toward them with a huff of a breath and a little shake of her head. Meh!

Thad plods into the room. sniffling. Cold outside... He's shaking snowflakes off of his ears, still. Having a quick huff as if to expel cold air from his lungs and replace it with the warm of the air indoors, Thad almost balks at how occupied the place is. He's too committed now, heading towards the bar quietly. Of course he has to stop and let Sephora pass before she bumps into him.

Ah ha. His plan to get himself alone with the pint worked! Ah, naw, he watches Seph go, giving her another poke when she protests. It's your duty, lieutenant. He sips the drink.

Ativus stands slowly from the fire, suffciently warmed, and calm for it. Smiling, he glances about the room, nods to Tyree, and begins to slip out the door. The need for sleep and all that.

"Been rearrangin' rocks." Cause when Fiona gardens.. she landscapes. "Got a nice path goin'." She seems to almost be lost in her own little train of thought. But it seems she's caught what Thad said. "Only whittlin' I've done is on m'bow. Ye should see it sometime." The doe nurses at her drink and leans sideways into Taye. Momentarily she brings the mug away from her mouth to drop a kiss on the nape of his neck, having to stretch up a little to do so. She catches a glimpse of Sephora while brushing her muzzle away so the blonde offers the brunette a smile of greeting.

"You like t'whittle, Ty? Wouldna guessed tha'," Taye offers to Tyree with a grin. He reaches over, giving the buck a rough pat on the shoulder. Sorry, Ty, you're one'a the boys now! But as one of the boys, you get ignored when there's kissing involved. His muzzle twists in a grin and he turns, to nuzzle at Fiona's cheek. He, on the other hand, doesn't notice Seph's approach!

"An a-... Ah, cider. Hot. Please." Thad smiles briefly to the bartender, having wedged himself between Taye and Tyree for juuuust a moment there. After he orders he steps back to wait for it, but not before giving another brief smile and an "Oh, hey," to Tyree. Then, paws are pocketed as he waits.

Sephora has both hands in her pockets, kind of hunch-shouldered. Just a little. The guilt, it weighs on her, perhaps? She brings one hand out to give Fiona a small wave, not much other than a flitter of her fingers in greeting as she steps up to the pair. "Hey," she says to Fiona with a small smile, "mind if I grab a word with Taye f' a minute?" It's definitely a round-about approach.

"Yes. I, um. I actually have a... a collection goin', of a sort," Tyree fumbles, apparently trying to make that weird thing called 'small talk.' And then Sephora gets here, Taye and Fiona are flirting, and some other hare is ordering right over his shoulder. He is, effectively, drowned out, even though nobody's talking much. A verbal doormat he is, when it comes to casual conversation. "Sephora, ma'am," he says with a tilt of his head at the doe, and then back to Thad. "Ahh... hello," he says quietly. "Cider, eh? I... I like cider."

Poor Tyree. Sephora has Fiona's attention now. She has swiveled on her stool enough to rest her cheek against Taye's shoulder as both of her ears perk curiously at the other doe. "Well.. I jus' got him back..." The runner murmurs out almost begrudgingly. He's being her pillow after all. She shifts to rest the opposite cheek on Taye's shoulder so that she can glance up at his face in an almost cross-eyed manner due to the closeness. "Grabbin' a word then?"

"I like it 'cause it's warm. And I'm realy cold... Been outside lately?" Thad asks Tyree. He, too is making that small talk thing, except he's at least a little more adept at making it work.

Taye's attention shifts away from Fiona and settles on Sephora for a moment. The smile fades a bit and then he turns to look back into Fiona's eyes. He bumps his nose to hers. "Just gimme a moment," he murmurs. And pushes up off his stool, nodding for her to follow him off away from the bar.

"Not so much," is Tyree's answer to Thad. Beauty in brevity. "But I know it's still rather nippy. Does make for good, strenuous environment for trainin', an' wotnot," he adds. Flick of an ear. "Not so much use if you only drill when it's perfect out, after all."

Sephora takes a step back away from the two as Taye gets up, and then she turns from the bar to follow Taye, however far he deems appropriate. Then she faces him, ears back, keeping her voice low. "Hey, 'm sorry. I really am," she says, looking the buck in the eyes. "I was outta line, with what I said.."

.. and there goes her pillow. Sigh. Fiona leans away from her buck with a twitch of whiskers before leaning into the bar instead, running her fingers around the rim of her glass while she can't help but keep an eye on Taye and Sephora out of curiosity. Hm.

"Drill?" Thad's brow raises. "Don't you ever get missions? I have to run things up and down the shores all the time..." The cider comes and he grabs it, sipping at it immediately with a satisfied, warm sigh. "Mm... That's good."

"Oh, well, ta' be sure. There's patrols, an' scoutin' parties, an' raids" Tyree assures him, taking a sip of his own draught as Thad does with his. "Always vermin causin' trouble /somewhere./ Juska further inland. But, I mean. In my spare time. Gotta stay in, er... whaddaya say... tip-top shape, an' all that. Er, wot." He sighs, remembering the Halyard incident. Were it up to him he'd lead a patrol personally in there and clean the place of riff-raff.

"I... Try to stay out of combat, myself." Thad hehs, saying this quietly. "Need me to sprint for a while, deliver something, and come back? Scouting /maybe./" The hare shrugs, taking a nice full gulp of his warm beverage. "But anything with combat? I'd rather not. Nn-nn."

Taye turns 'round to face Sephora when they are indeed far enough away to avoid anyone overhearing the conversation. His eyes squint a bit as he looks back over towards the bar, not quite looking at Seph. "Ya don't need t'... do tha'," he mutters with a small shake of his head. Apologize, that is. "Don't even half remembah what we said 'n' if there's luck I'll have completely obliterated it by the end o' evenin'. A'right?" When he looks back at her, he can only do so briefly before his eyes get skittish and move away again. "Okay?" he echoes himself.

Hm. Taye looks upset. Fiona hasn't taken her eyes off of the two since they left the bar and now the expression on the officer's face causes a deeper curiosity. The doe's brow dips in a frown and protective feelings ripple through her chest naturally. Her drink returns to her mouth for a larger gulp.

"Seems like it," Tyree answers, observing closely the spectacles on Thad's nose. "Combat is, erm... well, I don't enjoy it. But I do realize its necessity. An' there's... there's somethin' rather satisfyin' about scatterin' a pirate lair, or the like. I dunno. It sounds strange, ta' say it out loud. But I like knowin' I'm makin' the land safer. Not the... the killin' part."

"Mm," Thad nods, mouthful of cider keeping him from forming words quite yet. "Mm... Yeah, I don't... Particularly like the fighting," he reiterates. "Not so much the killing. I figure if I made it this far I better not be particularly /against/ killing if it comes to it, but. I just don't enjoy fighting."

Sephora's ears press down more to her skull as she watches Taye's face, picking up quickly on his unwillingness to look at her. The doe's shoulders shift in a small shrug. "I feel bad 'bout it, 'm /real/ sorry.. You know, 's jus' when you said.." She stops as the buck echoes himself, and at his insistence she just nods. "Yeah. Sure." Her gaze drops off to the side. "Sure. Jus' forget 'bout th' whole thing." That settled, she turns away from him.

Taye's ears dip back and he glances after Seph. His eyes narrow a bit around the edges and his jaw works a second. "I didn't... mean. Anythin'," he mutters... and just trails off. But he just leaves it. Turning and just. Walking off back over to the bar. When he approaches Fiona again he forces a smile. "Didn't go 'n' finish off m'drink, didja?"

The major has been supping at the pint by the fire, and stealing little glances around the high back of his chair at the two. When they break, he raises his brow before returning to looking forward, eyes in the fire but ears perked.

"Fair enough," Tyree replies, raising his mug in a sort of salute. He takes another gulp from it, longer this time, and coughs under his breath. "I like the forms, an' rhythms, the /practice/ of a weapon, you know?" he says to Thad. "It... it calms me, much like whittlin'. The strain. The sweat. The coordination. Almost beautiful, ta' watch a skilled swordbeast in motion, aye?"

"No.." Fiona trails this off with a questioning tone, squinting up at Taye as she leans more into the counter. Her head tilts, ears splaying back into ruffled locks before she shifts to turn around with her back to the buck again, almost seeming to drag her gaze away from him forcibly. "Conten' with mine." Her muzzle ducks against the rim of the glass, taking in a deeper breath through her nose. "Probably gonna call it a nigh' soon."

"...I /guess./ I'd much rather just run things out. It's alright to go and spar on occasion, but I figure if I can't be any good at fighting, I better get better at being a runner." Thad shrugs. "I guess I'll at least do enough to be prepared if I ever have to fight with anything, but... I'd just as easy run away." The runner cups his paws around the hot mug, enjoying its warmth as he sips at it. "The structure's what bothers me. I'd much rather just get thrown into a spar than have to deal with all the... The forms like you said."

Taye sinks onto his stool next to Fiona, but not before kissing the top of her head. He picks up his drink, then, and drains a good half of it. "Figure me too," he agrees after a bit.

Sephora heads back to Rah, and drops into her chair next to his. She leans her head back with her eyes shut, and after a moment the worn out doe extends her hand in Rah's direction. "Gimme m' pint back, thief," she chuffs.

Rahier smiles when she sits down. "Thanks f'doin' that, see?" The buck sips only a little more before she extends her paw, and puts the drink into it.

Fiona sits in silent observation of the buck, with her cheek very close to her mug. With a hm, she goes to finish it off however, grimacing at the burn before it just fades naturally into the warmth that is starting to creep over her body. "Good." She nibbles her lower lip and takes in a deep breath through her nose as she lets her eyes shut. For a moment the doe appears to almost be meditating but when it is done she is sliding off of her stool - taking the time to catch hold of Taye's hand for a split second before she drags her fingertips over his palm as she lets go and steps away from the bar at the same time. She's heading for the door, with just a glance over her shoulder.

"I don' feel any better," Seph says with a sideways smile to the buck. Probably just for his sake, because she shrugs and takes a swallow after. ".. you're not tannin'." And another swallow.

Taye's eyes follow Fiona to the door... and he downs the remainder of his drink in one go, rising as well to turn and follow after his doe. He catches up to her and slips his arm around her waist to press a kiss to her temple as they head out together.

"Oh, ah... good night, you two," Tyree calls after Taye and Fiona. Not that they'd notice, the lovebirds. He shrugs and turns back to Thad. "It's just a way of keepin' my mind focused," he says, tapping his temple. "Runnin' is nice too. What's that sayin'? Ta' each his own, or... somethin'. Eh." He leans back onto the bar, using elbows to support himself. This is fun, talking like this. He's never really 'just talked' before, and this is perhaps the first time his posture is a little askew. This entire time he's been sitting perfectly straight. "M'sure you're a fine runner, sah."

"Eh, come on. Don't call me sir, that's just..." Thad shakes his head, sliding up on a now vacant stool. "Just call me Thad." The runner smirks. "Sir makes me feel like I'm old."

Rahier gives Seph another sideways hug. "I'll see t' it later t'nigh'. Maybe I'll get Fiona t'do it. She can discpline him." The buck makes a little grin for her, then snugs at her neck. "Don' worry, hun."

Sephora tilts her head off to the side as she's snugged, and shuts her eyes. "Don' worry 'bout it. He's not a kid.. he doesn' have t' be made t' say sorry if he doesn' think there's anythin' t' be sorry f', you know?"

"Nobody likes bein' called sir 'round 'ere," Tyree notes. "I have met precisely one officer who seemed rather sharp about it when I didn't notice his rank insignia." He smirks. "M'self, I'd rather like the idea of havin' an honorary."

"You don't wanna come across as stiff, though." Thad rolls his shoulders. "Besides, when it really matters, it'll fall into place. No need to interrupt lunch to hop up and stand at attention."

"Well, it. It's about respect, innit?" Tyree asks. Perhaps his tongue was loosened by the alcohol. "It's about keepin' things in order. I like it when they're in order. Everyone does."

"Not everyone." Thad raises a finger. Ha, little military anarchist. "...Hm. I think I'd actually better head to bed. Early morning for me..." He grins. Wow, he really kind of opens up when he senses he's actually more social than another hare. "See you around, Ty. Sir." And with that, he swings his legs off to the side and takes his mug with him as he heads off.

Well, that just leaves Ty, and... those two. Also snuggling and concerned mostly with themselves. What a strange way to pass the time. At Thad's departure, Tyree sniffs and returns to watching over the bar, nursing his drink. With perfectly good posture, of course!

Rahier snorts! "He is so a kid," counters the major. "He's m'kid. I can't help but see 'im as ten years old again, y'know?" Ah, sigh, the buck leans back into his stuffed chair, sinking into it. "He should be more polite."

"If he's a kid, 'm a kid," Seph points out, draping herself more sideways in her own seat so her muzzle is near Rah's shoulder as she eyes him. Disgruntled, but smiling a little. "Anyway, I shoulda jus' left it alone, not come back wit' a retort after what he said. So 's my fault really." She shrugs, and drinks again.

"Wha' started it anyhow?" Tyree asks rather mildly over his shoulder.

Ah, Rah forgot Ty was there. It seemed like he might've left when everyone else did, so Rah turns his head to grin at the buck at the bar, resting his chin on Seph's nose. "Y'should know y'conflict resolution, lieutenant," he says, a joking chide. But as for Ty's question, he is curious as well.

"Well he said--" Seph starts, then stops with a small jerk of her ears when Tyree speaks up. She glances over at him, and grins a little, shrugging in a manner meant to brush the whole thing off. "'s whatever. We were jokin' 'round an' it went sour. 's all."

"Ahh... I see," Tyree says, rather blandly. See, he doesn't have a problem with jokes going too far. Because. He never makes jokes. "Well, maybe fewer jokes would, um. Help?" he suggests. He doesn't have experience with this kind of thing.

Rahier laughs. "Oh, 'm sure it's okay." He lowers his tone a little. "But I'm proud o' ya f'apologizin'." Doesn't come easy for some people! Rah nudges her cheek with his nose, then raises his paw to settle his chin on it and look at Ty. "Y'could jus' be as stoic as Ty is an' no one will ever take offense."

Sephora snorts, and teases her mate, "You're /proud/ of me? Might 's well not be your girlfrien', jus' another adoptee, git." She leans in to kiss against his shoulder, though, her eyes shut for a moment and expression fond. Sorry, Tyree? Just gonna have to deal with it. Seph sneaks her hand out to grasp one of Rah's, fingers lacing.

Oh, he sees how it is. So that's how they're gonna play it, fine. Tyree can go be unfunny and melancholy by himself! With another strange look, he turns back to the bar and sighs. "Well. You two 'ave fun," he murmurs, and stands up to leave. He has library books to go alphabetize. Or SOMETHING.

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