The Dangling Conversation
You're a stranger now unto me / Lost in the dangling conversation / And the superficial sighs / In the borders of our lives ~Paul Simon
OOC Date: December 23, 2009
IC Date: Day 23, month 7, turn 21 of Interval 10.
Who: B'tal, Gabrion
Where: Living Cavern
Small talk with B'tal in the living cavern. For once, W'chek doesn't barge in. Somehow, it manages to be all awkward anyway.
Gabrion got off work late. So he's eating dinner at a table near the inner caverns entrace, but alone rather than with his new girlfriend. He seems content with his lot; he's purposefully shoving food into his mouth, only pausing now and then to take a drink from his wineglass.
The greenrider is a little flushed and windswept, probably recently back from duty, when he makes his way into the living cavern with a bowl of stew and a mug from the kitchen. His path wanders for awhile, dismissing seats and whole areas with a glance as he goes for one reason or another. B'tal pauses nearby, looking a little uncertain before he's focusing on the younger boy and asks, "Mind if I sit here?" Out of all the empty seats, it might seem an odd choice but he sounds sincere.
Gabrion grins at B'tal. "Hey. Sure, as long as W'chek doesn't show up and start insulting me," he says. "How's it going?" he asks before plugging his mouth with food again.
B'tal attempts a grin in turn but it's weak around the edges. He glances toward the inner caverns then shakes his head as he settles down opposite Gabe. "Don't think he'll show. Everything's fine." There's a pause as he stirs his stew and takes a small bite around the bread dipped in there. "You?"
"Pretty good," Gabe says. "Finally got that stupid epidelmic essay done. I really hope they don't make me redo it again." He scowls. "I hate research."
"The what?" B'tal asks reflexively, glancing up at the other but then he shakes his head a moment later and takes it back. "Never mind. Happy turnday, by the way. Didn't get a chance to say so to your face..." And he never goes to the infirmary. There's a small nod and he returns to his stew.
"Oh. I had to write a stupid essay about what would I do if I was Masterhealer and there was an epidelmic. You know, when a bunch of people get sick all at once?" Gabe shrugs. "It was stupid. Anyway. Thanks! Gev and I had a nice party, and all."
"An epidemic?" B'tal suggest uncertainly and with no small bit of confusion. But he takes another bite and adds after he's swallowed, "Think I met him when P'ax and I showed up later. Don't really remember what happened, though." Which makes him go unfocused and thoughtful for a handful of moments.
"Yeah, that," Gabe says, and waves a hand dismissively. He grins at the comment about the party. "Oh, yeah? Y'all must have gotten really drunk after I left," he says enviously.
"I'm not sure," B'tal admits, shifting in his seat and then shrugging. "We didn't stay very long since you'd left already. P'ax said he had a present for you or something, though. What was it?" Curiosity lifts his brows and stills his spoon halfway to his mouth.
"A journal," Gabe says with a smile. "Nice one, too. It was real nice of him." He peers at B'tal, though. "How come you're not sure?" he asks bluntly.
"I don't think P'ax got drunk. Wasn't really paying attention to anyone else." B'tal nods, drops his gaze back to his stew and seems content to go silent now as he sets into eating.
Gabrion gives B'tal a weird look, but "Oh" is all he says; he shrugs. Not his business, really. He, too, goes back to eating.
B'tal doesn't say anything else after that and instead focuses on his stew until he's mopping out the rest with his bread and finally sets into whatever's in his mug. He still doesn't speak but he does look at the other boy from time to time.
"Uh," Gabe says, finally, after a long silence. "Is there something...?" he doesn't complete the question, just looks at B'tal, confused.
"No. Sorry." B'tal hesitates for a moment, then starts gathering up his things and rising to his feet, ready to leave without another word.
Gabrion looks even more confused, but he gets up out of his chair. "Did I say something?" he asks, genuinely concerned. "I'm not trying to -- what's wrong?"
B'tal pauses mid-way out of his seat, then stands up the rest of the way and moves away from the chair. "No, you're fine. I just... I didn't mean to interrupt or bother you or anything. Anyway, Whit's probably expecting me back soon..." An awkward pause, then; "Told him I was grabbing something to eat and stuff."
"You weren't bothering me," Gabe says, mystified. "But uh. Okay. Sure. Have a good one, then?"
The greenrider chews on his lower lip for a moment or two, then he nods his head and he really doesn't seem to understand what's happening all that well himself either. But given little reason to try to figure it out, B'tal just turns to go with a purposeful stride.
OOC Date: December 23, 2009
IC Date: Day 23, month 7, turn 21 of Interval 10.
Who: B'tal, Gabrion
Where: Living Cavern
Small talk with B'tal in the living cavern. For once, W'chek doesn't barge in. Somehow, it manages to be all awkward anyway.
Gabrion got off work late. So he's eating dinner at a table near the inner caverns entrace, but alone rather than with his new girlfriend. He seems content with his lot; he's purposefully shoving food into his mouth, only pausing now and then to take a drink from his wineglass.
The greenrider is a little flushed and windswept, probably recently back from duty, when he makes his way into the living cavern with a bowl of stew and a mug from the kitchen. His path wanders for awhile, dismissing seats and whole areas with a glance as he goes for one reason or another. B'tal pauses nearby, looking a little uncertain before he's focusing on the younger boy and asks, "Mind if I sit here?" Out of all the empty seats, it might seem an odd choice but he sounds sincere.
Gabrion grins at B'tal. "Hey. Sure, as long as W'chek doesn't show up and start insulting me," he says. "How's it going?" he asks before plugging his mouth with food again.
B'tal attempts a grin in turn but it's weak around the edges. He glances toward the inner caverns then shakes his head as he settles down opposite Gabe. "Don't think he'll show. Everything's fine." There's a pause as he stirs his stew and takes a small bite around the bread dipped in there. "You?"
"Pretty good," Gabe says. "Finally got that stupid epidelmic essay done. I really hope they don't make me redo it again." He scowls. "I hate research."
"The what?" B'tal asks reflexively, glancing up at the other but then he shakes his head a moment later and takes it back. "Never mind. Happy turnday, by the way. Didn't get a chance to say so to your face..." And he never goes to the infirmary. There's a small nod and he returns to his stew.
"Oh. I had to write a stupid essay about what would I do if I was Masterhealer and there was an epidelmic. You know, when a bunch of people get sick all at once?" Gabe shrugs. "It was stupid. Anyway. Thanks! Gev and I had a nice party, and all."
"An epidemic?" B'tal suggest uncertainly and with no small bit of confusion. But he takes another bite and adds after he's swallowed, "Think I met him when P'ax and I showed up later. Don't really remember what happened, though." Which makes him go unfocused and thoughtful for a handful of moments.
"Yeah, that," Gabe says, and waves a hand dismissively. He grins at the comment about the party. "Oh, yeah? Y'all must have gotten really drunk after I left," he says enviously.
"I'm not sure," B'tal admits, shifting in his seat and then shrugging. "We didn't stay very long since you'd left already. P'ax said he had a present for you or something, though. What was it?" Curiosity lifts his brows and stills his spoon halfway to his mouth.
"A journal," Gabe says with a smile. "Nice one, too. It was real nice of him." He peers at B'tal, though. "How come you're not sure?" he asks bluntly.
"I don't think P'ax got drunk. Wasn't really paying attention to anyone else." B'tal nods, drops his gaze back to his stew and seems content to go silent now as he sets into eating.
Gabrion gives B'tal a weird look, but "Oh" is all he says; he shrugs. Not his business, really. He, too, goes back to eating.
B'tal doesn't say anything else after that and instead focuses on his stew until he's mopping out the rest with his bread and finally sets into whatever's in his mug. He still doesn't speak but he does look at the other boy from time to time.
"Uh," Gabe says, finally, after a long silence. "Is there something...?" he doesn't complete the question, just looks at B'tal, confused.
"No. Sorry." B'tal hesitates for a moment, then starts gathering up his things and rising to his feet, ready to leave without another word.
Gabrion looks even more confused, but he gets up out of his chair. "Did I say something?" he asks, genuinely concerned. "I'm not trying to -- what's wrong?"
B'tal pauses mid-way out of his seat, then stands up the rest of the way and moves away from the chair. "No, you're fine. I just... I didn't mean to interrupt or bother you or anything. Anyway, Whit's probably expecting me back soon..." An awkward pause, then; "Told him I was grabbing something to eat and stuff."
"You weren't bothering me," Gabe says, mystified. "But uh. Okay. Sure. Have a good one, then?"
The greenrider chews on his lower lip for a moment or two, then he nods his head and he really doesn't seem to understand what's happening all that well himself either. But given little reason to try to figure it out, B'tal just turns to go with a purposeful stride.