Worthy of a visit
It's been a month since Asha's birth, and Miniyal stops by to give the happy family their presents. She gets out alive, leaving Reyce and Issa to talk about her and her gifts.
7-28-2007 (Reyce, Miniyal, Issa):
The Weyrlingmaster's assistant and her Bendenite are nothing if not predictable, and they have become even more so now that they have Asha trailing along. The baby decided to draw attention to herself at dinner, suddenly bursting into screams while her parents and those around her were trying to eat dinner; shortly after, Reyce and Issa had to retreat, with the former putting away their mostly-finished dinner plates while the latter moved into more quiet corridors to mollify the babe. Since they didn't come back, they could only have returned to Issa's weyr, and that is indeed where the two are sitting now: Reyce sunk into the comfortable armchair while Issa took Asha with her to the rocking chair beside him. A fire crackles in the hearth, completing the scene of sickening domesticity.
It is Issa who gets the first warning. Well, technically it is Oshisyth who gets the first warning as Peloth makes her polite invasion into the green's mind to inquire if they might come up. She leaks excitement through cool tones and informs the green to inform her rider that they are bringing a gift. And to be polite they await permission in the bowl before invading. After all, it's not as Miniyal imagines anyone up there will be particularly thrilled to see her. Bearing gifts or no.
Issa sits cross-legged in that rocking chair, Asha cradled over her ankles as they both sway faintly back and forth on the runners. They're cooing softly at each other in between the snippets of conversation sent Reyce's way and a garishly colored ragdoll, one of Issa's that existed long before Asha came, is dangled from above. It's done a good job of cheering the fussy girl, for she waves away happily at the floppy thing. But while the baby goes on gurgling at the toy, Issa straightens a bit, cocks a brow at the bright fire across from her. "Seems our newest goldrider has decided we're worthy of a visit," she comments out of the blue, turning her still-distracted gaze on Reyce. "And a gift," she adds, surprised brow joining the first as she refocuses on his face. In that same moment, Oshisyth is straightening and pulling down off of her couch, slipping out to a corner of the ledge as she sends permission and welcome to the gold waiting on her word. Issa continues to look at Reyce dryly, about as thrilled as she's expected to be.
Reyce has his eyes closed and his arms stretched out along those of the couch, making himself as comfortable as possible in what's already a pretty comfortable chair. He's not relaxed enough to be asleep, however, and whenever Issa speaks to him he answers promptly in a murmur; thus when she tells him there's a visitor coming, he says with little pause, "She can't hold Asha." Very few people are allowed to hold Asha, though, as far as he's concerned. His eyes peel open and he glances over at Issa, keeping the ledge entrance in his peripheral view.
After permission is given there are a few minutes more of peace before out on the ledge there is the sound of their visitor arriving. Peloth curls up once her rider has departed, but remains where she is. Likely told to stay close in case a quick getaway is required of her. Since her arrival has already been announced Miniyal doesn't wait out on the ledge in the cold winter wind. She doesn't pause until she's just inside the weyr and then she lingers right there. "Umm." One hand tugs off a glove on the other and once both have been tucked into the pockets of her coat she tries to speak again. "Hi. Umm. I'm sorry to bother you at dinnertime. It's just, I wanted to bring by, you know. I mean, gifts." Feet shuffle as her nervous gaze travels from where Reyce sits along to where Issa sits with the reason for the gift thing in the first place. "I'm sorry it's late. I mean, I had to wait for it to be done and finish it and, umm. Yea."
"If she asks, I'm not going to be rude," Issa replies, shoving the toy to one corner of the chair while she goes about gathering Asha up into her arms, putting her feet on the ground. She manages to stand and get a few light bounces in to keep the baby happy before the newest weyrwoman makes her appearance. A pleasant smile greets her. "Hello, Miniyal," she says, friendly and polite as she's been since Miniyal was assigned as her assistant-of-sorts, "it's no bother." She pauses, letting Miniyal babble on as long as she will while she shifts Asha carefully to her shoulder, shoots Reyce a glance. "Oh, don't worry," she replies warmly, smile sticking soundly, "I'm sure it's worth the wait. Your gifts are always so thoughtful. Come in. Sit." A hand waves a few inches from the baby's back to indicate the couch then drops back into place.
Reyce growls at Issa's noncompliant reply, his eyes flicking to Asha and probably wondering what other unworthy sorts have been entrusted with his daughter for the sake of not being rude. That hostility is only marginally worn down by the time Miniyal arrives, so he doesn't trouble himself as Issa has to get up and greet her: just turns his head in her direction and watches from the armchair. Eventually, when there's a break in the speech long enough for him to offer it, he grunts a greeting at her and takes the strain off his neck by looking forward again, his face faintly tilted to the side so he'll be able to see Miniyal when she reaches the couch.
Her gifts are always thoughtful. Of course, sometimes the thoughts aren't the sort other people want to have. It's not Miniyal's fault that is the case. Once more her gaze slides to Reyce but it slides back to Issa more quickly. The lesser of two disturbing evils it would seem. Reaching the couch takes a bit of time as she has to decide if she is going to or not. Finally, if only to not be rude she does move farther into the weyr as she slips a hand into her pocket again. "I won't take up much of your time. I promise." As if this promise might get her a warmer reception. "Congratulations by the way. I'm sorry this wasn't done sooner." Chewing on her lower lip she pauses by the couch without sitting down.
Issa crosses to the side of Reyce's chair nearest the couch and leans her hip down onto it, half-sitting while she watches Miniyal stand there. "Thank you," she accepts graciously for the both of them. "And, really," she passes a smiling glance down to Reyce while patting Asha gently on the back, "we've had so much to keep us busy. It's probably better you waited." A small chuckle escapes as she turns back to the weyrling. "Did you want something? To drink? We have tea, wine." That last offering is made with a slight tip of her head, her hand flicking dismissively out toward the vacant couch again, permissively; no telling, honest.
When Miniyal actually arrives near the couch, Reyce actually bothers to turn towards her, though now Issa's in the way. He hooks his arm around her waist distractedly as he pushes himself back in the chair, pressing his back into it and straightening his posture so there's a clear line of sight between him and Miniyal, around Issa's side. He glances up at the greenrider when she smiles down at him, watching after her gaze for a half-beat before he removes his arm from her, gives a nod for Miniyal's congratulations. "Doesn't matter," is his far simpler reply to the apology, but he shuts up to let Issa take a longer swing at it. So he's just watching the young goldrider, which must be excellent encouragement if she's nervous, his gaze neutral but unwavering.
"Oh, I'm fine, thank you, ma'am." Miniyal finds a polite smile and tries it on ever so briefly. "Please, really. I am fine. I'll just- right. The gifts." Yes. Better to hand them over before sitting down. From her pocket she pulls out three small bags. One in green, one in pink, and one in black. "I hope you like them. I mean, I wasn't sure what to get or anything." You know, since neither of you like me, is only sort of hinted at in her awkward tone. "But it would have been rude and impolite not to get something and-oh!" Biting down on her lower lip she ignores the rush of color to her cheeks as she clears her throat. "Not that I mean I am only- I mean, it's not just because it's polite. I really did want to do something." It's a cautious creep she makes towards the trio to hold out the little bags. The black one to Reyce and the other two to Issa. The offering is made in silence, surely she's said enough by now anyway. Surely Reyce can be blamed for the faulty conversation she offers. It's impolite to stare, not that she would point it out. Since she is trying to be polite and all.
"Of course," Issa allows for Miniyal's swift backtracking, nodding her understanding, "I wouldn't assume anything like that." Never. She draws her smile even wider as she accepts the more prettily colored offerings with a free hand, uttering a soft, "Thank you," as she does so. That free hand, clutching the bags gently by the tops, is quickly drawn back to Asha, though, bracing the baby as she moves her down to a cradling position. Asha doesn't take to the switch very well, though, and begins to sputter a protest, face crinkling into a bit of a frown. "Here," she says to Reyce, handing off the other two bags to him as she stands to jounce Asha back into good spirits. "Open them."
Surely Reyce can be blamed, but one doubts the accusation would do much to trouble him. He lifts a brow slightly when she trips over herself with the mention of obligation behind her decision to give them a present, but at least, if he's staring, his gaze is level and not judgmental in any discernible way. One might guess there's another "Doesn't matter" behind that lifted brow, but he doesn't bother voicing it this time and it might be hard for the nervous to guess at. At least Miniyal's given a break when she approaches with the presents, even though it's Asha - not the gifts - Reyce has his eye on, and he's a bit late moving his hands up to receive the little black bag. And then to have the other bags pushed onto him. "Okay," he says, dragging his gaze away from the protesting Asha and starting with her present, then Issa's, then his own. They'll all gather in his lap as they're revealed, or be handed off to Issa if she wants them and can get the baby calm enough to put up with it.
A nervous glance is given towards Asha. She might try to cry or something and that would be no fun. Miniyal, at least, makes no move towards the baby. Any of Reyce's concerns about the weyrling wanting to hold her seem completely out of place. Once the bags are taken there is a swift retreat towards the couch. She perches at the end closest to where the others are and waits for bags to be opened. Fingers lacing tightly together as she keeps her hands folded in her lap she tries not to watch with much overt nervousness for the way the gifts are received.
The gifts are the same but for a single difference in each of them. Hanging from a ribbon, the colors matched to the bags, is a silver locket. It's not very fancy with a simple oval design and a single snowflake etched onto the front. The clasp to open the locket is easy to find and use although there's nothing inside of it. Embroidered on the ribbons in white is the same snowflake as on the locket although it is repeated down one side on each of them.
"Anyway. It's not great, I know. But I thought, you know. I mean. And, you can do whatever you want with them. I mean, miniature portraits or locks of hair or, you know, toss them into a drawer and forget about them."
Issa peers over into Reyce's lap while her arms jiggle Asha back to quiet gurgling again, a fainter smile on her face as her eyes run over the lockets as they're revealed. "They /are/ great, Miniyal," Issa assures the nervous woman with an ounce of firmness in her tone, tilting her face to spare her a glance before she does reach a hand down to take one of the gifts from Reyce. The pink one dangles from between her fingers as she lifts it to examine the locket, and Asha's eyes follow the shiny thing on it's slow arc upward, letting out a small coo. "Very pretty," she comments further, smile drawn wide as she runs a thumb over the snowflakes embroidered along the ribbon. "Thank you," she utters yet again for the goldrider, as the locket is lowered back to join the others, handed off to Reyce to let him handle it. "I'm flattered you spent your free time making them."
Reyce handles the presents with a matter-of-fact air that's not the most encouraging thing for a gift-giver, but at least Issa and Asha are there to coo approvingly at them. And at least the lockets are a simple oval shape, which - once he has them all out - he turns around on his thumb, then wedges open with some difficulty using the short edge of a squarish fingernail. After he's had some more opportunity to prod at his own black-ribboned locket, he balls it up into his palm and shoves into a pocket. "Thanks," he responds, finally, to the woman who went to the trouble to give him such a thing, and who up to this point has been spared the pressure of his steady gaze again. A short nod, somewhat stiff, adds to the thanks, although it's rather a bit awkward and obligatory, for Reyce is worse at receiving gifts than Miniyal is at giving them. He busies himself taking the other lockets back from Issa and bundling them together.
"I'm glad. I mean, I wasn't sure. And I tried to- Anyway." Miniyal cuts herself off again and sits in silence for a minute before she rises to her feet. "I enjoyed the work. I mean, it passes the time. I mean, embroidery. Right. Anyway. I should be going. I don't want to intrude any more." Into her pocket slips a hand to pull her gloves out although she doesn't put them on yet. "Congratulations again. She's very pretty. Have a nice evening."
Issa's thank you quota has been depleted, so she merely nods at the goldrider as she offers more congratulations. A few steps are taken to mirror Miniyal's own, accompanying her at least part way to the curtain that marks her exit. "Wait a second, so..." she begins, pausing on the stone and bouncing Asha softly on her arm to prevent any sudden fusses the baby may be cooking up. "How are things going with B'rok at the helm? Honestly," she adds, a brief curl at one edge of her smile acknowledging that it's really a formality, asking Miniyal outright for the truth behind all the rumors.
This time, Reyce does trouble himself to get up and keep up the veneer of hospitality, stepping to Issa's side to present a solid parental front. His arm nudges against hers, a rapid glance sliding down from her face to the baby in case Issa's tired of holding her. Whether or not she takes him up on the offer, he shifts an extra step forward to create the beginnings of a conversational circle that could trap Miniyal if she's not careful. Reyce himself isn't doing it consciously, for his eyes are on the baby whom he can just see better if he's out a bit in front.
Miniyal's steps pause when she is halted by a question. There is no change in her expression when asked to make her answer honest. Issa knows, after all, there was no need to ask it that way. She tries not to notice Reyce moving closer, but it's impossible. So, she just takes another step backwards and tugs on one glove. "He can't do hidework to save his life. But so far there has not been any serious complaints from anyone. At least that I have heard. But I suppose I wouldn't hear considering what is said." Her nose wrinkles up briefly before she continues. "Things are going well, ma'am. There were worse choices to replace D'ven. I'm sure you know how thrilled I am to be yet another person's project so I won't burden any of you with comments on that. And I really should be going." Another backwards step is taken. She'll flee somehow.
Issa smiles knowingly as those choice rumors are touched upon, though they are as amusing to her as they are distasteful to Miniyal. "Oh," she starts cheerfully, sparing Reyce a glance that subtly assures him she and Asha are both fine for the moment, "I'm just waiting to see how you handle being no one's. But that's all very good to know." She gives Asha a quick jostle and the baby gurgles softly in response. "We appreciate you coming by. Go and enjoy your free time. I imagine Peloth will be craving a bath sometime in the next few minutes." If the conversation she and Oshisyth have been having, idly appreciating the warm waters in all this cold, has had any effect. She stays put, but Miniyal is free to make her escape, facing no more resistance from the greenrider.
Since Reyce doesn't have to take his daughter off Issa's hands, he retreats back a half-step and lets both of them alone. He tunes back into the riders' conversation about when Miniyal's talking about being a project. So predictably, it's time for her to be trained with a stare again while he considers the words. She won't find fleeing very hard, though, since as soon as she steps back, Reyce puffs a soft breath through his nostrils and drops his chin to his chest, cutting off the stare to let her start that retreat though he's obliged to tilt his gaze back up and add, "See you," when Issa cheerfully waves her off to tend her dragon.
"Oh, I'm sure I'll find a spectacular way to fuck up on my own, ma'am. Good evening." The good evening seems to be aimed at the couple in general although no effort is made to look at Reyce. Miniyal turns to go, leaving the bath comment be since it's likely the truth anyway. Well, she lets it be until she's nearly gone and then she lets out a little sigh. Shaking her head she looks over her shoulder at the new mother. "No wonder she picked you." Peloth surely willing to share her conversation to help explain why she /must/ have a bath now. Her gaze drifts down to Asha and there's a faint smile. "I hope she grows up to be just like the both of you." It's such a pleasant little curse offered in a politely cheerful sort of way. And then the weyrling sees herself out and a few moments later her and the bath craving gold are gone from the ledge.
Issa's eyebrow twitches higher for those parting comments, but her smile doesn't budge an inch, amused of all things by Miniyal's curse. "So much for not presuming motives," she mutters, mostly to herself, and on the heels of it Oshisyth peeks in past the curtain, seeming sheepish and a bit confused at how her pleasant visit ended. Issa motions Reyce over with a quick tilt of her head and hands the faintly wriggling Asha over to him, the transfer completed by the time her green has pulled herself all the way into the weyr, crouching behind her rider who then turns to offer reassuring little caresses. "I never can help it, though," she says, casting her now-louder voice over her shoulder toward Reyce. "Needling her a bit." Mischief shines in the little grin she turns back with and, caresses done, Oshisyth pivots to head back to her couch.
Reyce's reaction to the swear is completely opposite, his muscles building up with tension and his eyes flashing with sudden hostility. Miniyal's already leaving, else it's possible he might chase her out, and by the time she turns around to deliver her parting shot, Reyce has shifted slightly to the side so his shoulder's blocking Asha from view, and an unmoving glare is ready to absorb Miniyal's cheery curse. As soon as she's gone, he lets some of his anger out in a growly rumble, poorly timed to coincide with Oshisyth's puzzled re-entrance to the weyr. He doesn't notice, though, having caught Issa's gesture and already turned to take Asha off her hands, curling the wriggling thing closer than she might like before he catches himself and makes up for it with a few soft jounces before she can object. "She can't hold Asha," he restates, going back to the point he couldn't finish before Miniyal walked in. Holding Asha himself has necessitated that some of his tension ease, so it's a much calmer, though still plainly angered, look he turns to Issa.
Issa meanders a step or two back to him, rolling her eyes a bit at his irritated manner before she concedes with a placating, "Fine." She gives him a second to soak up her compliance and then, placing her hand along his hip for balance, leans her head against his bicep, gaze turned down to watch the overprotected Asha. Her hand lifts and touches down gently along her soft cheek. "I didn't know you held such a grudge over her," she says idly, her voice quite a bit lighter for the little girl she's looking at.
Placation works its wonders on Reyce, who relaxes yet more in the face of such easy obedience. He watches Issa for another beat more, the huffs through his nostrils and turns his eyes back to Asha, whose empty baby gaze provides the last push for him to calm down. "She's careless," he explains, pressing his thumb into the tiny cheek. Asha gawps her mouth open obediently, but is too busy staring back at her father's face to try very hard to catch his finger right now. "And she put her thoughts out on the kid. Don't like her." Since Asha's not really going for it, he takes his finger back and shifts his gaze a bit more to the side, looking back to Issa on his shoulder.
"Yeah," Issa agrees, a drawn out syllable that lifts into a deep breath. "Can't say I'm overly fond either. She tries. Sometimes. But." And there it ends, her shoulder lifting in a shrug into his. Her head moves, tilting to put the point of her chin against him while she looks up, eyes skimming his face before catching him in a steadier stare. "She won't hold her," she assures him again, the hand on his hip squeezing down briefly. "I'm hardly ever going to see her outside of the training cavern anyway," she tells him, "and even then not for much longer. I've given up on trying past that by now." She dips her face briefly into the fabric of his shirt, a quick nuzzle before she pushes away, heads back to the pair of chairs and the ragdoll that was put on hold by their surprise visitor. "You still have the lockets?" she asks out of curiosity while she wanders back over.
Reyce just keeps his eyes fixed on her while she scans him, and when she reasserts her promise, gives a nod. Both his hands are busy with Asha, and there's no way for him to return the squeeze, but he puffs a tiny breath as his eyes finally move away that hints at a return of the affection. "In my pocket," he informs her as he follows her back to the chairs, watching his step in case the familiar stone floor should suddenly sprout new ridges to trip him up. While Issa's reclaiming her ragdoll, though, he's moving towards the rocking chair that was recently her seat; realizing she's right there, too, he stops short and looks at her.
Issa closes the ragdoll into her hand, petting back the green and orange yarn hair with a fond hand while she nods Reyce down to the chair itself. "Here," she says, shoving the doll into the crook of his arm near the Asha's feet, for him to resume the job of entertaining that was interrupted by the gift-giving session. But before he can sit, her hand snakes into his pocket-- the wrong one first, it turns out-- until she comes up with all three lockets and bags. With them, she returns to perch on the nearest arm of the more stable chair, turning the silver baubles over in her hand and flicking one open with her thumbnail. "You want me to put a lock of my hair in it?" she asks him teasingly, one of her bare feet sneaking over to the edge of the rocking chair's seat, nudging his leg with her toes. "So you can wear it close to your heart always?" And the handful of lockets gets pressed to her chest in a faux pose of romantic longing.
Reyce expected that doll to be moved away, not shoved off on him, and when Issa does just that he blinks and clutches Asha tighter, startled but instinctually ensuring that he won't loose his grip. She doesn't appreciate his security measures much, though, squirming in his arms and waving her own about as they could do anything more than occasionally flop accidental punches against her father's chest. He grunts, not so much for the hitting as the squirming, and claims the seat that Issa waived to him. To all appearances, he's concentrates on settling Asha from that point, with an ear open but no clear attention given to Issa's tease about the locket, but if the latter's paying close attention she might just notice him shifting his grip on their little girl. When the greenrider starts pouring on the melodrama, the lockets held to her heart, his hand suddenly snakes free and gives her foot a playful sting of a slap, its fingers fixing quickly around her ankle before she can move away and his eyes turning up to her a squinted, amused glance.
Apparently all notice of that shifting arm gets lost in Issa's playful manner, for she starts when his hand slaps down, letting out a tiny squeal that tapers off into quiet laughter. Her foot presses down harder for a second, sending him and Asha into an even stronger rocking motion, carrying her foot along with him. "We should put something in them, though," she tells him, dropping from her teasing tones into more serious ones. "At least mine and Asha's," she adds, separating out his black one into a separate hand. "You can do whatever you want with yours," she says, giving another quick push with her foot.
As soon as Issa starts pushing down the chair, she gets her foot back, as Reyce doesn't trust his readjusted hold enough when the chair is dipping at that speed. Asha, for her part, is perfectly delighted with it, her limbs waving all the faster while she burbles out her glee. The poor doll lies forgotten, still, in the crook of Reyce's elbow, to be nudged aside when his other hand settles back in and secures itself around Asha. "You have - an idea?" he asks, his words swinging with surprise when the push from her foot sets him to rocking unexpectedly again. He pulls a grimace over the distortion it caused in his sentence, but Asha's still squealing with glee, and that covered most of the pause anyhow.
"Not really, no," Issa answers, laughter subdued under the words. Her playful bent takes a rest now, though, letting the rocking of the chair slow on its own while her foot lies still, maintaining that contact with his leg. She watches the happily cooing Asha with an unconsciously wide smile while her hands fiddle with the lockets, fingering the ribbons, opening and closing this locket and that one. When her eyes drop to the tripled present in her hands, it's the pink one that's fallen under her fingers. "Just something. At least something for Asha, for her to remember us by in case one of us leaves." There's no sappiness or particular solemnity to speak of there in the look she lifts to Reyce, simply practical concern. And it's not just Benden that bubbles up as an implication; as a fighting rider, even one who flies Thread so rarely, her own death can't be a neglected possibility.
Reyce starts to lift his chin at that simple concern of Issa's, but his gaze doesn't make it all the way away from Asha before her burbles draw him back. As the chair slows down, absent Issa's foot pushing it, he feels more comfortable changing his grip again, and a single finger finds its way to her chin, giving it a little flick that excites more gleeful cooing from her. But under the baby's loud delight, his soft voice sounds with a simplicity to match her own: "Yeah." Leaving Asha to continue being obliviously pleased, he looks up at Issa and twists his lip at her wryly.
Issa snaps the pink-ribboned locket closed again and returns to fiddling with the others, his black one tied with a bow so it leaves a handy loop. "Maybe we could do, like she said, tiny portraits," she suggests with a tiny shrug. "My mother's not the best at that sort of thing, but she'd be happy to do it. If we can't think of anything else." Her fingers slip through the loop she's created and holds it with the locket dangling, her foot peeling away to land on the floor. She stands a second later and hovers over him, returning her daughter's smile with an brief, open grin of her own. It's his hand she snags, though, and she slips his locket around his wrist. Her soft chuckle suggests she knows he's going to have a difficult time removing it with Asha in his arms.
Issa snaps the pink-ribboned locket closed again and returns to fiddling with the others, his black one tied with a bow so it leaves a handy loop. "Maybe we could do, like she said, tiny portraits," she suggests with a tiny shrug. "My mother's not the best at that sort of thing, but she'd be happy to do it. If we can't think of anything else." Her fingers slip through the loop she's created and holds it with the locket dangling, her foot peeling away to land on the floor. She stands a second later and hovers over him, returning her daughter's smile with an brief, open grin of her own. It's his hand she snags, though, and she slips his locket around his wrist. Her soft chuckle suggests she knows he's going to have a difficult time removing it with Asha in his arms.
Reyce watches her tie that girly bow into his - up till now - arguably masculine black-ribboned locket, and gives a snort. His eyes flick down to watch the retreat of her foot as his own feet push off the floor to restore a regular rocking motion, less delightful but more calming for Asha, though it doesn't affet her immediately and she's still happy enough to gape her mouth back at Issa when her mother leans over her with that big grin. Reyce, watching this and not expecting his hand to be assaulted, is taken by surprise when that's exactly what happens, and the locket goes on without him recovering presence of mind in time to protest. By the time it's already fixed over his wrist, all he can do is turn up to her a squinted, accusing gaze as he tries to get it hooked on the arm of the chair and use that to lever it off. "Make it special for her, somehow," he responds, since the topic of the lockets seems to be as inescapable as the one actually hung over his wrist. If he has any ideas about how to make it special, though, they're derailed by the fact that he decides to turn his attention back to the locket, focusing on his thus far fruitless efforts to get it off while still cradling Asha with his other arm.
Issa's eyes flick away from Asha, down to the unwanted locket around Reyce's wrist, then she turns her smile up to him, entirely unhelpful to his plight. While he's distracted with taking it off, she curls her free hand around the back of his neck, holding him steady while she presses a firm kiss to his cheek, puffing out warm, silent laughter. "I'm going to put these away," she murmurs to him as she pulls back, jiggling her hand full of the three bags and other two lockets, "did you want to hold onto yours?" Her hand moves to his forehead, pushing back through his curls as she smiles a bit of mischief down at him.
Once she's had her kiss, Issa may /try/ to escape, but Reyce's locket-burdened hand swings up to catch her cheek and trap her close to his face. "No," he answers, fetching the locket up on his thumb and pressing the cold metal oval into her cheek. His eyes flick sideways so he can watch her for a moment before he releases the locket, and her cheek with it, holding his wrist over her hand so she can take it back.
Issa's fingers curl down over his hair tightly and she gives his head a playful push before sliding her hand away to pick at the bow. It pulls easily free and his locket joins the others. "Play with her," she directs him, nudging the forgotten ragdoll with a knuckle. "I'll just put these somewhere." And then she's off on her momentary task, placing the lockets away with her other jewelry before she returns to Reyce's side for a night of quietly entertaining Asha.
7-28-2007 (Reyce, Miniyal, Issa):
The Weyrlingmaster's assistant and her Bendenite are nothing if not predictable, and they have become even more so now that they have Asha trailing along. The baby decided to draw attention to herself at dinner, suddenly bursting into screams while her parents and those around her were trying to eat dinner; shortly after, Reyce and Issa had to retreat, with the former putting away their mostly-finished dinner plates while the latter moved into more quiet corridors to mollify the babe. Since they didn't come back, they could only have returned to Issa's weyr, and that is indeed where the two are sitting now: Reyce sunk into the comfortable armchair while Issa took Asha with her to the rocking chair beside him. A fire crackles in the hearth, completing the scene of sickening domesticity.
It is Issa who gets the first warning. Well, technically it is Oshisyth who gets the first warning as Peloth makes her polite invasion into the green's mind to inquire if they might come up. She leaks excitement through cool tones and informs the green to inform her rider that they are bringing a gift. And to be polite they await permission in the bowl before invading. After all, it's not as Miniyal imagines anyone up there will be particularly thrilled to see her. Bearing gifts or no.
Issa sits cross-legged in that rocking chair, Asha cradled over her ankles as they both sway faintly back and forth on the runners. They're cooing softly at each other in between the snippets of conversation sent Reyce's way and a garishly colored ragdoll, one of Issa's that existed long before Asha came, is dangled from above. It's done a good job of cheering the fussy girl, for she waves away happily at the floppy thing. But while the baby goes on gurgling at the toy, Issa straightens a bit, cocks a brow at the bright fire across from her. "Seems our newest goldrider has decided we're worthy of a visit," she comments out of the blue, turning her still-distracted gaze on Reyce. "And a gift," she adds, surprised brow joining the first as she refocuses on his face. In that same moment, Oshisyth is straightening and pulling down off of her couch, slipping out to a corner of the ledge as she sends permission and welcome to the gold waiting on her word. Issa continues to look at Reyce dryly, about as thrilled as she's expected to be.
Reyce has his eyes closed and his arms stretched out along those of the couch, making himself as comfortable as possible in what's already a pretty comfortable chair. He's not relaxed enough to be asleep, however, and whenever Issa speaks to him he answers promptly in a murmur; thus when she tells him there's a visitor coming, he says with little pause, "She can't hold Asha." Very few people are allowed to hold Asha, though, as far as he's concerned. His eyes peel open and he glances over at Issa, keeping the ledge entrance in his peripheral view.
After permission is given there are a few minutes more of peace before out on the ledge there is the sound of their visitor arriving. Peloth curls up once her rider has departed, but remains where she is. Likely told to stay close in case a quick getaway is required of her. Since her arrival has already been announced Miniyal doesn't wait out on the ledge in the cold winter wind. She doesn't pause until she's just inside the weyr and then she lingers right there. "Umm." One hand tugs off a glove on the other and once both have been tucked into the pockets of her coat she tries to speak again. "Hi. Umm. I'm sorry to bother you at dinnertime. It's just, I wanted to bring by, you know. I mean, gifts." Feet shuffle as her nervous gaze travels from where Reyce sits along to where Issa sits with the reason for the gift thing in the first place. "I'm sorry it's late. I mean, I had to wait for it to be done and finish it and, umm. Yea."
"If she asks, I'm not going to be rude," Issa replies, shoving the toy to one corner of the chair while she goes about gathering Asha up into her arms, putting her feet on the ground. She manages to stand and get a few light bounces in to keep the baby happy before the newest weyrwoman makes her appearance. A pleasant smile greets her. "Hello, Miniyal," she says, friendly and polite as she's been since Miniyal was assigned as her assistant-of-sorts, "it's no bother." She pauses, letting Miniyal babble on as long as she will while she shifts Asha carefully to her shoulder, shoots Reyce a glance. "Oh, don't worry," she replies warmly, smile sticking soundly, "I'm sure it's worth the wait. Your gifts are always so thoughtful. Come in. Sit." A hand waves a few inches from the baby's back to indicate the couch then drops back into place.
Reyce growls at Issa's noncompliant reply, his eyes flicking to Asha and probably wondering what other unworthy sorts have been entrusted with his daughter for the sake of not being rude. That hostility is only marginally worn down by the time Miniyal arrives, so he doesn't trouble himself as Issa has to get up and greet her: just turns his head in her direction and watches from the armchair. Eventually, when there's a break in the speech long enough for him to offer it, he grunts a greeting at her and takes the strain off his neck by looking forward again, his face faintly tilted to the side so he'll be able to see Miniyal when she reaches the couch.
Her gifts are always thoughtful. Of course, sometimes the thoughts aren't the sort other people want to have. It's not Miniyal's fault that is the case. Once more her gaze slides to Reyce but it slides back to Issa more quickly. The lesser of two disturbing evils it would seem. Reaching the couch takes a bit of time as she has to decide if she is going to or not. Finally, if only to not be rude she does move farther into the weyr as she slips a hand into her pocket again. "I won't take up much of your time. I promise." As if this promise might get her a warmer reception. "Congratulations by the way. I'm sorry this wasn't done sooner." Chewing on her lower lip she pauses by the couch without sitting down.
Issa crosses to the side of Reyce's chair nearest the couch and leans her hip down onto it, half-sitting while she watches Miniyal stand there. "Thank you," she accepts graciously for the both of them. "And, really," she passes a smiling glance down to Reyce while patting Asha gently on the back, "we've had so much to keep us busy. It's probably better you waited." A small chuckle escapes as she turns back to the weyrling. "Did you want something? To drink? We have tea, wine." That last offering is made with a slight tip of her head, her hand flicking dismissively out toward the vacant couch again, permissively; no telling, honest.
When Miniyal actually arrives near the couch, Reyce actually bothers to turn towards her, though now Issa's in the way. He hooks his arm around her waist distractedly as he pushes himself back in the chair, pressing his back into it and straightening his posture so there's a clear line of sight between him and Miniyal, around Issa's side. He glances up at the greenrider when she smiles down at him, watching after her gaze for a half-beat before he removes his arm from her, gives a nod for Miniyal's congratulations. "Doesn't matter," is his far simpler reply to the apology, but he shuts up to let Issa take a longer swing at it. So he's just watching the young goldrider, which must be excellent encouragement if she's nervous, his gaze neutral but unwavering.
"Oh, I'm fine, thank you, ma'am." Miniyal finds a polite smile and tries it on ever so briefly. "Please, really. I am fine. I'll just- right. The gifts." Yes. Better to hand them over before sitting down. From her pocket she pulls out three small bags. One in green, one in pink, and one in black. "I hope you like them. I mean, I wasn't sure what to get or anything." You know, since neither of you like me, is only sort of hinted at in her awkward tone. "But it would have been rude and impolite not to get something and-oh!" Biting down on her lower lip she ignores the rush of color to her cheeks as she clears her throat. "Not that I mean I am only- I mean, it's not just because it's polite. I really did want to do something." It's a cautious creep she makes towards the trio to hold out the little bags. The black one to Reyce and the other two to Issa. The offering is made in silence, surely she's said enough by now anyway. Surely Reyce can be blamed for the faulty conversation she offers. It's impolite to stare, not that she would point it out. Since she is trying to be polite and all.
"Of course," Issa allows for Miniyal's swift backtracking, nodding her understanding, "I wouldn't assume anything like that." Never. She draws her smile even wider as she accepts the more prettily colored offerings with a free hand, uttering a soft, "Thank you," as she does so. That free hand, clutching the bags gently by the tops, is quickly drawn back to Asha, though, bracing the baby as she moves her down to a cradling position. Asha doesn't take to the switch very well, though, and begins to sputter a protest, face crinkling into a bit of a frown. "Here," she says to Reyce, handing off the other two bags to him as she stands to jounce Asha back into good spirits. "Open them."
Surely Reyce can be blamed, but one doubts the accusation would do much to trouble him. He lifts a brow slightly when she trips over herself with the mention of obligation behind her decision to give them a present, but at least, if he's staring, his gaze is level and not judgmental in any discernible way. One might guess there's another "Doesn't matter" behind that lifted brow, but he doesn't bother voicing it this time and it might be hard for the nervous to guess at. At least Miniyal's given a break when she approaches with the presents, even though it's Asha - not the gifts - Reyce has his eye on, and he's a bit late moving his hands up to receive the little black bag. And then to have the other bags pushed onto him. "Okay," he says, dragging his gaze away from the protesting Asha and starting with her present, then Issa's, then his own. They'll all gather in his lap as they're revealed, or be handed off to Issa if she wants them and can get the baby calm enough to put up with it.
A nervous glance is given towards Asha. She might try to cry or something and that would be no fun. Miniyal, at least, makes no move towards the baby. Any of Reyce's concerns about the weyrling wanting to hold her seem completely out of place. Once the bags are taken there is a swift retreat towards the couch. She perches at the end closest to where the others are and waits for bags to be opened. Fingers lacing tightly together as she keeps her hands folded in her lap she tries not to watch with much overt nervousness for the way the gifts are received.
The gifts are the same but for a single difference in each of them. Hanging from a ribbon, the colors matched to the bags, is a silver locket. It's not very fancy with a simple oval design and a single snowflake etched onto the front. The clasp to open the locket is easy to find and use although there's nothing inside of it. Embroidered on the ribbons in white is the same snowflake as on the locket although it is repeated down one side on each of them.
"Anyway. It's not great, I know. But I thought, you know. I mean. And, you can do whatever you want with them. I mean, miniature portraits or locks of hair or, you know, toss them into a drawer and forget about them."
Issa peers over into Reyce's lap while her arms jiggle Asha back to quiet gurgling again, a fainter smile on her face as her eyes run over the lockets as they're revealed. "They /are/ great, Miniyal," Issa assures the nervous woman with an ounce of firmness in her tone, tilting her face to spare her a glance before she does reach a hand down to take one of the gifts from Reyce. The pink one dangles from between her fingers as she lifts it to examine the locket, and Asha's eyes follow the shiny thing on it's slow arc upward, letting out a small coo. "Very pretty," she comments further, smile drawn wide as she runs a thumb over the snowflakes embroidered along the ribbon. "Thank you," she utters yet again for the goldrider, as the locket is lowered back to join the others, handed off to Reyce to let him handle it. "I'm flattered you spent your free time making them."
Reyce handles the presents with a matter-of-fact air that's not the most encouraging thing for a gift-giver, but at least Issa and Asha are there to coo approvingly at them. And at least the lockets are a simple oval shape, which - once he has them all out - he turns around on his thumb, then wedges open with some difficulty using the short edge of a squarish fingernail. After he's had some more opportunity to prod at his own black-ribboned locket, he balls it up into his palm and shoves into a pocket. "Thanks," he responds, finally, to the woman who went to the trouble to give him such a thing, and who up to this point has been spared the pressure of his steady gaze again. A short nod, somewhat stiff, adds to the thanks, although it's rather a bit awkward and obligatory, for Reyce is worse at receiving gifts than Miniyal is at giving them. He busies himself taking the other lockets back from Issa and bundling them together.
"I'm glad. I mean, I wasn't sure. And I tried to- Anyway." Miniyal cuts herself off again and sits in silence for a minute before she rises to her feet. "I enjoyed the work. I mean, it passes the time. I mean, embroidery. Right. Anyway. I should be going. I don't want to intrude any more." Into her pocket slips a hand to pull her gloves out although she doesn't put them on yet. "Congratulations again. She's very pretty. Have a nice evening."
Issa's thank you quota has been depleted, so she merely nods at the goldrider as she offers more congratulations. A few steps are taken to mirror Miniyal's own, accompanying her at least part way to the curtain that marks her exit. "Wait a second, so..." she begins, pausing on the stone and bouncing Asha softly on her arm to prevent any sudden fusses the baby may be cooking up. "How are things going with B'rok at the helm? Honestly," she adds, a brief curl at one edge of her smile acknowledging that it's really a formality, asking Miniyal outright for the truth behind all the rumors.
This time, Reyce does trouble himself to get up and keep up the veneer of hospitality, stepping to Issa's side to present a solid parental front. His arm nudges against hers, a rapid glance sliding down from her face to the baby in case Issa's tired of holding her. Whether or not she takes him up on the offer, he shifts an extra step forward to create the beginnings of a conversational circle that could trap Miniyal if she's not careful. Reyce himself isn't doing it consciously, for his eyes are on the baby whom he can just see better if he's out a bit in front.
Miniyal's steps pause when she is halted by a question. There is no change in her expression when asked to make her answer honest. Issa knows, after all, there was no need to ask it that way. She tries not to notice Reyce moving closer, but it's impossible. So, she just takes another step backwards and tugs on one glove. "He can't do hidework to save his life. But so far there has not been any serious complaints from anyone. At least that I have heard. But I suppose I wouldn't hear considering what is said." Her nose wrinkles up briefly before she continues. "Things are going well, ma'am. There were worse choices to replace D'ven. I'm sure you know how thrilled I am to be yet another person's project so I won't burden any of you with comments on that. And I really should be going." Another backwards step is taken. She'll flee somehow.
Issa smiles knowingly as those choice rumors are touched upon, though they are as amusing to her as they are distasteful to Miniyal. "Oh," she starts cheerfully, sparing Reyce a glance that subtly assures him she and Asha are both fine for the moment, "I'm just waiting to see how you handle being no one's. But that's all very good to know." She gives Asha a quick jostle and the baby gurgles softly in response. "We appreciate you coming by. Go and enjoy your free time. I imagine Peloth will be craving a bath sometime in the next few minutes." If the conversation she and Oshisyth have been having, idly appreciating the warm waters in all this cold, has had any effect. She stays put, but Miniyal is free to make her escape, facing no more resistance from the greenrider.
Since Reyce doesn't have to take his daughter off Issa's hands, he retreats back a half-step and lets both of them alone. He tunes back into the riders' conversation about when Miniyal's talking about being a project. So predictably, it's time for her to be trained with a stare again while he considers the words. She won't find fleeing very hard, though, since as soon as she steps back, Reyce puffs a soft breath through his nostrils and drops his chin to his chest, cutting off the stare to let her start that retreat though he's obliged to tilt his gaze back up and add, "See you," when Issa cheerfully waves her off to tend her dragon.
"Oh, I'm sure I'll find a spectacular way to fuck up on my own, ma'am. Good evening." The good evening seems to be aimed at the couple in general although no effort is made to look at Reyce. Miniyal turns to go, leaving the bath comment be since it's likely the truth anyway. Well, she lets it be until she's nearly gone and then she lets out a little sigh. Shaking her head she looks over her shoulder at the new mother. "No wonder she picked you." Peloth surely willing to share her conversation to help explain why she /must/ have a bath now. Her gaze drifts down to Asha and there's a faint smile. "I hope she grows up to be just like the both of you." It's such a pleasant little curse offered in a politely cheerful sort of way. And then the weyrling sees herself out and a few moments later her and the bath craving gold are gone from the ledge.
Issa's eyebrow twitches higher for those parting comments, but her smile doesn't budge an inch, amused of all things by Miniyal's curse. "So much for not presuming motives," she mutters, mostly to herself, and on the heels of it Oshisyth peeks in past the curtain, seeming sheepish and a bit confused at how her pleasant visit ended. Issa motions Reyce over with a quick tilt of her head and hands the faintly wriggling Asha over to him, the transfer completed by the time her green has pulled herself all the way into the weyr, crouching behind her rider who then turns to offer reassuring little caresses. "I never can help it, though," she says, casting her now-louder voice over her shoulder toward Reyce. "Needling her a bit." Mischief shines in the little grin she turns back with and, caresses done, Oshisyth pivots to head back to her couch.
Reyce's reaction to the swear is completely opposite, his muscles building up with tension and his eyes flashing with sudden hostility. Miniyal's already leaving, else it's possible he might chase her out, and by the time she turns around to deliver her parting shot, Reyce has shifted slightly to the side so his shoulder's blocking Asha from view, and an unmoving glare is ready to absorb Miniyal's cheery curse. As soon as she's gone, he lets some of his anger out in a growly rumble, poorly timed to coincide with Oshisyth's puzzled re-entrance to the weyr. He doesn't notice, though, having caught Issa's gesture and already turned to take Asha off her hands, curling the wriggling thing closer than she might like before he catches himself and makes up for it with a few soft jounces before she can object. "She can't hold Asha," he restates, going back to the point he couldn't finish before Miniyal walked in. Holding Asha himself has necessitated that some of his tension ease, so it's a much calmer, though still plainly angered, look he turns to Issa.
Issa meanders a step or two back to him, rolling her eyes a bit at his irritated manner before she concedes with a placating, "Fine." She gives him a second to soak up her compliance and then, placing her hand along his hip for balance, leans her head against his bicep, gaze turned down to watch the overprotected Asha. Her hand lifts and touches down gently along her soft cheek. "I didn't know you held such a grudge over her," she says idly, her voice quite a bit lighter for the little girl she's looking at.
Placation works its wonders on Reyce, who relaxes yet more in the face of such easy obedience. He watches Issa for another beat more, the huffs through his nostrils and turns his eyes back to Asha, whose empty baby gaze provides the last push for him to calm down. "She's careless," he explains, pressing his thumb into the tiny cheek. Asha gawps her mouth open obediently, but is too busy staring back at her father's face to try very hard to catch his finger right now. "And she put her thoughts out on the kid. Don't like her." Since Asha's not really going for it, he takes his finger back and shifts his gaze a bit more to the side, looking back to Issa on his shoulder.
"Yeah," Issa agrees, a drawn out syllable that lifts into a deep breath. "Can't say I'm overly fond either. She tries. Sometimes. But." And there it ends, her shoulder lifting in a shrug into his. Her head moves, tilting to put the point of her chin against him while she looks up, eyes skimming his face before catching him in a steadier stare. "She won't hold her," she assures him again, the hand on his hip squeezing down briefly. "I'm hardly ever going to see her outside of the training cavern anyway," she tells him, "and even then not for much longer. I've given up on trying past that by now." She dips her face briefly into the fabric of his shirt, a quick nuzzle before she pushes away, heads back to the pair of chairs and the ragdoll that was put on hold by their surprise visitor. "You still have the lockets?" she asks out of curiosity while she wanders back over.
Reyce just keeps his eyes fixed on her while she scans him, and when she reasserts her promise, gives a nod. Both his hands are busy with Asha, and there's no way for him to return the squeeze, but he puffs a tiny breath as his eyes finally move away that hints at a return of the affection. "In my pocket," he informs her as he follows her back to the chairs, watching his step in case the familiar stone floor should suddenly sprout new ridges to trip him up. While Issa's reclaiming her ragdoll, though, he's moving towards the rocking chair that was recently her seat; realizing she's right there, too, he stops short and looks at her.
Issa closes the ragdoll into her hand, petting back the green and orange yarn hair with a fond hand while she nods Reyce down to the chair itself. "Here," she says, shoving the doll into the crook of his arm near the Asha's feet, for him to resume the job of entertaining that was interrupted by the gift-giving session. But before he can sit, her hand snakes into his pocket-- the wrong one first, it turns out-- until she comes up with all three lockets and bags. With them, she returns to perch on the nearest arm of the more stable chair, turning the silver baubles over in her hand and flicking one open with her thumbnail. "You want me to put a lock of my hair in it?" she asks him teasingly, one of her bare feet sneaking over to the edge of the rocking chair's seat, nudging his leg with her toes. "So you can wear it close to your heart always?" And the handful of lockets gets pressed to her chest in a faux pose of romantic longing.
Reyce expected that doll to be moved away, not shoved off on him, and when Issa does just that he blinks and clutches Asha tighter, startled but instinctually ensuring that he won't loose his grip. She doesn't appreciate his security measures much, though, squirming in his arms and waving her own about as they could do anything more than occasionally flop accidental punches against her father's chest. He grunts, not so much for the hitting as the squirming, and claims the seat that Issa waived to him. To all appearances, he's concentrates on settling Asha from that point, with an ear open but no clear attention given to Issa's tease about the locket, but if the latter's paying close attention she might just notice him shifting his grip on their little girl. When the greenrider starts pouring on the melodrama, the lockets held to her heart, his hand suddenly snakes free and gives her foot a playful sting of a slap, its fingers fixing quickly around her ankle before she can move away and his eyes turning up to her a squinted, amused glance.
Apparently all notice of that shifting arm gets lost in Issa's playful manner, for she starts when his hand slaps down, letting out a tiny squeal that tapers off into quiet laughter. Her foot presses down harder for a second, sending him and Asha into an even stronger rocking motion, carrying her foot along with him. "We should put something in them, though," she tells him, dropping from her teasing tones into more serious ones. "At least mine and Asha's," she adds, separating out his black one into a separate hand. "You can do whatever you want with yours," she says, giving another quick push with her foot.
As soon as Issa starts pushing down the chair, she gets her foot back, as Reyce doesn't trust his readjusted hold enough when the chair is dipping at that speed. Asha, for her part, is perfectly delighted with it, her limbs waving all the faster while she burbles out her glee. The poor doll lies forgotten, still, in the crook of Reyce's elbow, to be nudged aside when his other hand settles back in and secures itself around Asha. "You have - an idea?" he asks, his words swinging with surprise when the push from her foot sets him to rocking unexpectedly again. He pulls a grimace over the distortion it caused in his sentence, but Asha's still squealing with glee, and that covered most of the pause anyhow.
"Not really, no," Issa answers, laughter subdued under the words. Her playful bent takes a rest now, though, letting the rocking of the chair slow on its own while her foot lies still, maintaining that contact with his leg. She watches the happily cooing Asha with an unconsciously wide smile while her hands fiddle with the lockets, fingering the ribbons, opening and closing this locket and that one. When her eyes drop to the tripled present in her hands, it's the pink one that's fallen under her fingers. "Just something. At least something for Asha, for her to remember us by in case one of us leaves." There's no sappiness or particular solemnity to speak of there in the look she lifts to Reyce, simply practical concern. And it's not just Benden that bubbles up as an implication; as a fighting rider, even one who flies Thread so rarely, her own death can't be a neglected possibility.
Reyce starts to lift his chin at that simple concern of Issa's, but his gaze doesn't make it all the way away from Asha before her burbles draw him back. As the chair slows down, absent Issa's foot pushing it, he feels more comfortable changing his grip again, and a single finger finds its way to her chin, giving it a little flick that excites more gleeful cooing from her. But under the baby's loud delight, his soft voice sounds with a simplicity to match her own: "Yeah." Leaving Asha to continue being obliviously pleased, he looks up at Issa and twists his lip at her wryly.
Issa snaps the pink-ribboned locket closed again and returns to fiddling with the others, his black one tied with a bow so it leaves a handy loop. "Maybe we could do, like she said, tiny portraits," she suggests with a tiny shrug. "My mother's not the best at that sort of thing, but she'd be happy to do it. If we can't think of anything else." Her fingers slip through the loop she's created and holds it with the locket dangling, her foot peeling away to land on the floor. She stands a second later and hovers over him, returning her daughter's smile with an brief, open grin of her own. It's his hand she snags, though, and she slips his locket around his wrist. Her soft chuckle suggests she knows he's going to have a difficult time removing it with Asha in his arms.
Issa snaps the pink-ribboned locket closed again and returns to fiddling with the others, his black one tied with a bow so it leaves a handy loop. "Maybe we could do, like she said, tiny portraits," she suggests with a tiny shrug. "My mother's not the best at that sort of thing, but she'd be happy to do it. If we can't think of anything else." Her fingers slip through the loop she's created and holds it with the locket dangling, her foot peeling away to land on the floor. She stands a second later and hovers over him, returning her daughter's smile with an brief, open grin of her own. It's his hand she snags, though, and she slips his locket around his wrist. Her soft chuckle suggests she knows he's going to have a difficult time removing it with Asha in his arms.
Reyce watches her tie that girly bow into his - up till now - arguably masculine black-ribboned locket, and gives a snort. His eyes flick down to watch the retreat of her foot as his own feet push off the floor to restore a regular rocking motion, less delightful but more calming for Asha, though it doesn't affet her immediately and she's still happy enough to gape her mouth back at Issa when her mother leans over her with that big grin. Reyce, watching this and not expecting his hand to be assaulted, is taken by surprise when that's exactly what happens, and the locket goes on without him recovering presence of mind in time to protest. By the time it's already fixed over his wrist, all he can do is turn up to her a squinted, accusing gaze as he tries to get it hooked on the arm of the chair and use that to lever it off. "Make it special for her, somehow," he responds, since the topic of the lockets seems to be as inescapable as the one actually hung over his wrist. If he has any ideas about how to make it special, though, they're derailed by the fact that he decides to turn his attention back to the locket, focusing on his thus far fruitless efforts to get it off while still cradling Asha with his other arm.
Issa's eyes flick away from Asha, down to the unwanted locket around Reyce's wrist, then she turns her smile up to him, entirely unhelpful to his plight. While he's distracted with taking it off, she curls her free hand around the back of his neck, holding him steady while she presses a firm kiss to his cheek, puffing out warm, silent laughter. "I'm going to put these away," she murmurs to him as she pulls back, jiggling her hand full of the three bags and other two lockets, "did you want to hold onto yours?" Her hand moves to his forehead, pushing back through his curls as she smiles a bit of mischief down at him.
Once she's had her kiss, Issa may /try/ to escape, but Reyce's locket-burdened hand swings up to catch her cheek and trap her close to his face. "No," he answers, fetching the locket up on his thumb and pressing the cold metal oval into her cheek. His eyes flick sideways so he can watch her for a moment before he releases the locket, and her cheek with it, holding his wrist over her hand so she can take it back.
Issa's fingers curl down over his hair tightly and she gives his head a playful push before sliding her hand away to pick at the bow. It pulls easily free and his locket joins the others. "Play with her," she directs him, nudging the forgotten ragdoll with a knuckle. "I'll just put these somewhere." And then she's off on her momentary task, placing the lockets away with her other jewelry before she returns to Reyce's side for a night of quietly entertaining Asha.