SaDiablo Hall, Dhemlan, Kaeleer

[wwiii]

Training. Studying in Kaeleeran Court protocols, poring over any information that he could get his hands on regarding sanitary setups for new settlements in untamed territories, digging around for maps that could help Warren get a better idea as to where they were, and where they were trying to get... It was fairly safe to say that, when Warren wasn't busy running himself ragged in Kaeleer, trying to get budgets to balance and to work out supply options that weren't going to explode in his face, he was spending practically every waking hour training.

His teeth ground together as a stick whipped around, smacking him in the ribs with an audible crack.

Some types of training were easier than others, especially when he was running himself to the ground. He was tired, and it was starting to show. That wouldn't be so bad, if the person that was seeing it at the moment wasn't a sadistic Eyrien with a stick.

With a wince and a ruffle of feathers as he gasped to get his breath back, Warren straightened up and raised his stick again.

[For them what are in Kaeleer!]

Comments

[glacial_queen]

"I like your mouth." Because it was say that or fall all over herself giving Warren hugs and telling him he was wonderful. "I'm glad that was past tense."

But she remembered that flight, a chilly day in late winter or early spring. She'd told him about Eyrien tag and flown around with Ben for a time. "But that was ages ago," she protested. "You were still a newbie back then!"

[wwiii]

"You gave me an excuse to fly," he countered. "One that wasn't just running away. With other people."

And if she wanted to get really flaily and protesty, he could get into how the crush had started when he was still dazed and staring around the welcome picnic.

"Do you have any idea how afraid I was of people finding out what I was, back then? But you didn't just talk me out of that harness, you talked me into the sky."

Kind of a big deal.

[glacial_queen]

Karla would have a hard time believing it. She wasn't the kind of girl males pined over for months. Not that Warren had been pining DENISE, but the principle was the same.

Or something.

As it was, she was shaking her head. "You would have gotten there," she said. "I did what anyone would do. I saw you were hurting and told you this was a safe place. Mother Night, I was just excited to have someone else to go flying with."

[wwiii]

KARLA WAS TAKEN AT THE TIME. DENISE HAD SAID SHE'D DO HIM. HE WAS SEVENTEEN. FUCK YEAH!

"What anyone would do, Karla?" He was giving her that look. That 'my dad tried to strip me of my wings and my entire world would rather I never existed' look. "Really?"

[glacial_queen]

HARRUMPH. DETAILS.

It was a very eloquent look. "Well...anyone at Fandom." She thought about some of their classmates. "Almost anyone at Fandom." And a few more of their classmates. "A decent number of people, anyway."

She leaned up to give him a kiss to distract him from the number of corrections there. "The important part is, it worked."

[wwiii]

"Yeah," Warren murmured, and then leaned down to kiss her again, smiling against her mouth. "It really, really did."

If somebody had told Warren-at-seventeen that he was going to be half as confident as Warren-at-nineteen was, he probably wouldn't have believed them. And he still had a long way to go.

[glacial_queen]

What about if he'd been told he'd be getting that much curry?

Well, if he was going to claim a kiss, Karla would have to steal another just to keep ahead in the tally. "I guess this means we're going to Fandom?" she asked when she finally pulled away.

[wwiii]

If he'd been told he'd be getting that much curry, he probably would have wondered what was with the sudden obsession for Indian food.

"Just for a little while," he promised. "Depending on how much rest you let yourself get."

... They were going to be gone a while.

[glacial_queen]

"Oh, you are tricksy and mean!" Karla protested, laughing. "You really have been studying with the boyos!"

But that didn't mean she couldn't get some of her own back.

"You'll help me with that, right?" she asked, peeking up at him from under her lashes. He liked when she did that, she knew.

"...We can spend nice, relaxing evenings playing cradle together."

[wwiii]

Oh, that was cruel and unusual punishment. That, right there.

"... I can hardly wait."

Undeniable evidence that Warren loved Karla. A lot.

[glacial_queen]

"It's for my own good," she reminded. Batting her eyes at him.

[wwiii]

"You are so lucky I love you," Warren replied, with a short huff of a laugh and a shake of his head as he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. "You don't even have a challenge when you play that game against me, you know."

Just so long as he was the one providing the refreshments for the game, however, he would find some way to cope.

[glacial_queen]

"That's okay," Karla assured him. "I like winning. And if we play strip-cradle, I win twice!"

Also, if they played strip-cradle, she was far more amenable to getting distracted and calling it quits for the night.

You're welcome, Warren.

[wwiii]

"... I think I could be persuaded to find a place in my heart for strip-cradle."

Because it would help Karla relax. Naturally.

[glacial_queen]

NOT ANYMORE YOU CAN'T, BUNNY-SAVER

"You're so kind and thoughtful that way," Karla said, dimpling.

[wwiii]

NEVER AGAIN WILL WARREN HAVE MERCY ON A RABBIT.

"Only for you," he decided, and then stole one more kiss for good measure.

Because dammit, if he was going to be playing any incarnation of cradle, he was demanding advance payment in kisses.