The Shape of You [Attn: Terric Gaidin]

[Bella]

Some time had passed since they returned from Vaidulo, leaving behind that awful place and its curses but not any of the memories that planted themselves in the group's brain, growing and festering from that moment on out. Natlya had the least of the emotional blows and had rebounded somewhat better than others, but she knew Terric had taken more than one hit.

Day after day, they sparred. His energy and focus on the task reminded her of herself after Morgan died, although...more was at stake now, in some ways.

Nat had gently tried to use their sparring and the moments in and around it to draw him out. She felt her heart bleed for him and she wanted to help, but she knew men, and she had come to know Terric. She couldn't just reach in and pull it out. Such emotional things could not be cajoled or demanded. It had to be subtle.

So far, subtlety wasn't working.

She decided that a new plan was called for. One night, she procured two bottles of a decent, strong local brandy and made her way through the corridors of unbonded Gaidin quarters. She knew where Terric's was, although she had never visited him there. When she reached the right door, she managed to knock with a hand holding one bottle.

[Locke]

Terric

So much had happened. Terric often came out to his little balcony to read and look at the city. These days however, most books he read were on Shadowspawn or other creations of the Power. Most of them were fragments or lacked veracity. He hadn’t known where to start, but maybe, if he could figure out what had happened to Nathaniel Carridus, he would find some clues to follow. Maybe Shadowspawn was a false lead. If so, then where did he start? Darkfriends had attacked them both at the Tower and away. His jaw tightened as his thoughts drifted to the scars on the Hama Valon skyline.

Sensing his human’s distress, Dog Gaidin let out a small wine and a yip before curling up against Terric, tongue lolling. Terric had never had a dog before, but the big golden dog seemed more perceptive than any animal had any right being. “Good boy,” He murmured, scratching at his ear. Eventually, he turned his attention back to his book, a transcribed copy of a book written three hundred years after the breaking. So far nothing even close to what he’d seen in that village. He was frustrated enough to send the book sailing over the rails, if he could have brought himself to ever harm a book.

Suddenly, Dog Gaidin, leapt to his feet letting out a booming bark. The dog dashed inside, and Terric followed, grabbing one of the myriad knives he had laying around. They passed through his kitchen, which had originally been a wetlander bedchamber, into the main room. Dog Gaidin didn’t seem to be agitated, but he was focused on the door. Somebody must have knocked. Lowing his knife, he gave the dog a scratch behind the ears before crossing to pull the door open.

She stood in the hall, a slight smile on her lips, and a pair of bottles. “Come in, Natlya Cade,” he said, looking for somewhere to put his knife. A fluffy shape barreled past his knees, and before he could do anything to stop it, his friend found herself with a big friendly dog on her hands. He scampered around her ankles, sniffing at her and rubbing against her thighs. He needed this. It surprised him to realize, but seeing Natlya Cade outside of training, along with his dog demanding her affection, managed to put a crack in the brooding melancholy that had consumed him since they returned from Vaidulo.

Smiling slightly, he did his best to haul his dog off. “Go see if Gaval Hanania has something for you, ok?”

Stepping back with a bit Woof, the big dog trotted off.

“Smart dog,” Terric muttered. To Natlya Cade, he said, “Come in, sit, pull up a pillow.” He gestured about the main room. Both a living room and bedchamber, Terric's quarters had been decorated to resemble the inside of an Aiel tent. Various carpets from all over the world were spread across the floor completely concealing the wood, and the walls and ceiling were drapes with tapestries and curtains of silk.

[Bella]

Once recovered from the most enthusiastic greeting from the furrier Gaidin, she smiled--albeit a small one--at him and then walked in. "Beware Gaidin bearing gifts," she said, holding up the bottles. Her eyes took in a quick look at everything, but didn't linger on the setting too much because it wasn't his quarters she came to see.

She found a table and set the bottles down, then turned back to him with her hands behind her back.

"So..." she said, pursing her lips slightly as she took him in. Something ached in her chest suddenly. They had been on the mission together, and had sparred a lot, but hadn't really...seen much of each other since they came back from their trip. Oh, things had ended on a decent note when they returned and was very friendly. Some business as usual.

Standing before him like this in this casual, comfortable setting... Well, it just felt different. No. It felt. She felt. Some things came popping up like bubbles from water and she wasn't sure what to do with those feelings.

"I thought you could use...a friend," she said. "We haven't had the chance to talk a lot since coming back from that village." She didn't even want to say the name aloud. "I've been worried about you." She took a step closer. "So I wanted to...come see you and...share a drink, and talk." Smooth, Nat. Smooth.

[Locke]

Terric

Her smile wasn't quite as bright as it had been. This realization nearly pushed his recent perpetual frustration all the way to anger. Just another casualty of that Light forsaken village. Why is that so important? he asked himself, as his eyes drank in every inch of her. In light of everything else that had happened, a smile seemed minor.

His thoughts drifted back to his research. Maybe one of the books he hasn't read yet like the one by Dardenell Mindaren. The yawn that followed brought him back to the moment. He hadn't really sleep soundly since they returned, instead splitting his time between haunting the infirmary or the library. Maybe a drink with a friend was what he needed. Scrubbing at a baggy eye, he lead her further into his apartment.

Scooping up one of the bottles, he reclined on his side and gestured her to join him. “How are you still holding together?” These kinds of experiences didn't away leave physical scars.

[Bella]

She followed him and sat down when he did. Instead of reclining, she sat with her legs folded and crossed in front of her. Dressed comfortably, her red hair was clean and dry, hanging loose around her face except where she had it tucked behind one ear. Her eyes were earnest and her expression open as she looked him over with that faint smile.

"I'm as well as can be expected," she replied with a small lift of her shoulders. "It takes time." I miss you.

Since he hadn't opened the bottle in his hands, she reached out and took it. Her fingers slipped over his hand as she did, then she opened it and took a drink, passing it back to him. "I came to find out how you were doing, Terric," she said. Her voice was soft and plaintive, mouth curving around his name as she held out the now-open bottle.

[Locke]

Terric

He hadn’t taken his eyes off of her for more than a moment, and it was obvious she was nowhere near as ok as she let on. She still sat up, while there were perfectly good pillows everywhere. One didn’t turn down comfort or a chance to relax, because next time was never guaranteed. Taking a drink of brandy, Terric said, “I’ve just been spending a lot of time buried in books.” His voice was dismissive, but anybody who’d been observing him over the past few days would have spotted the growing obsession.

Pushing himself up, he moved to sit closer to his fellow Gaidin. “Are you sure you’re ok?” he asked, searching her hazel eyes. Losing himself in them slightly he said, “If you have something on your mind, you can always tell me.” He handed the bottle back.

[Bella]

Nat held his gaze as she took the bottle, though she looked away as she took a long drink. She felt like she needed it suddenly. She wasn't exactly alright, no, but likely not for the reasons he was surmising. Licking her lips, she looked around for a place to put the bottle. As she did, she noticed the little kitchen area.

Being a woman of perception, it didn't take a long glance to realize that it hadn't been used much lately. If at all? As she turned back to him, she again saw how...tired he looked.

"Terric," she said tenderly. She leaned closer and touched his face, letting the brandy warm her quickly as she traced the tip of her thumb along the top of his cheekbone where the signs of fatigue had already stretched to. "I'm worried about my...friend," she said, stumbling on that one but continuing right along.

"You're obviously not sleeping well, and it doesn't take a master observer to see that kitchen hasn't been used for a while." Her eyes glinted slightly in the light as she let them roam through his gaze. "A young Ji was once very concerned about a fellow trainee working herself into the dirt...and now a not as young Gaidin is worried about him for the same reason."

[Locke]

Terric

Can’t hide much from you can I? he thought fondly. He touched the back of her hand on his cheek. His other hand reached for the bottle, but he didn’t quite take it. Instead, just leaving his hand on hers. The corners of his lips flickered briefly in an appreciative smile.

“I doubt I will work myself to death, Natlya Cade, I’m just doing what I must,” Terric said with a tired laugh. It wasn’t a false show of bravado, he just didn’t see it. He had failed way too many people back at that village. HIs previous opinion of his own competence had been shaken as well. Staying up long hours to look for clues seemed perfectly reasonable.

Reclining back and taking the bottle. “Thank you for caring though,” he said, before putting the bottle to his lips. Now that she was here, he might as well run a few of his findings by her. Reaching for a book on one of the low desks, he opened it to a marked page, “What do you think about this? It’s a reference to a reference to some sort of Shadowspawn that’s immune to the One Power. It might be a myth, but it’s better than nothing.” He found himself taking a second drink.

[Bella]

The problem with "just doing what I must" was that it could be used to justify anything, up to and including exactly what she was concerned about. How did she know this? She said the precise same thing when she was spending all of her time training and working herself so hard in the weapons yards. The very thing he approached her about.

Still, she knew she couldn't push too hard. Nat stifled a sigh and pushed her around slightly so she was sitting beside him, facing the same direction; sides and shoulders touching as she took the book.

"Gotta start somewhere, right," she said. She took the book from him and began to read over the page he'd marked. She thought back to Vaidulo and tried not to shudder, but put all that together with what he was pointing out here. After reading for a few, she asked without looking up, "So when was the last time you ate?"

[Locke]

Terric

Terric was beginning to feel warmth blossoming in his stomach as he took another drink before passing the bottle back. How long had it been, indeed. “I did bring food with me when I came back from the library,” he said doing his best to recreate the past few days in his mind. “I can’t say when, but I guess I did run out,” he said sheepishly. Her disapproval was palpable. There was no point trying to deflect though.

Suppressing a yawn, Terric leaned in to read over her shoulder. Pointing at a passage he said, “See, that’s why I don’t think this is the same creature. They were able to use the Power on Nathaniel Carridus, it just wasn’t easy from what I understand. Maybe it is because he wasn’t fully turned. This is all just speculation.” A hint of frustration touched his voice as he said, “I feel like I'm running in circles. I feel like I’m reading children’s tales and trying to base reality on them.” His stomach growled as he spoke.

“I know, what you’re going to say, but back at that village, people got hurt, some people died because of me. I’m not a healer, so I can’t help them that way. Nobody can reverse death. I’m a Red Shield, I hunt down evil doers. It’s my training, it’s my life. My honor is in tatters these days and this is the best way for me to do something about it. Hunt down the shadowrunners responsible. You can join me in this quest if you would like,” he added softly.