A social meeting

[homeless_pard]

Who: Khemrys, Jason, Nat, the leopards in general?
When: Saturday of the second week in this new world?
What: A cookout to meet other leopards! And maybe drama!

Her feet were still far more tender than she wished but at least her fingers were healing far faster? She did not need bandaging on her fingers anymore and that made most things far easier, such as finishing the lord Jason's silver bordered shirt with pawprints and silvery moons picked out in embroidery thread! It was far later than she had intended such to be completed but that was neither here nor there it seemed. She had delivered it, folded, with breakfast in the donor quarters as she'd taken up cooking as she had promised, but had been too shy to await his chance to open it.

She had much to do this day after all, such as debating which of her simple garments was best suited to an outdoor gathering (she settled for the full, deep brown skirt and cream tunic over a sage shift), and...wincingly slid her feet into boots she laced tight about the thinner bandaging. It might aid her feet in not swelling near as much? Of course, the loaned slippers were to be returned today as the lord Nathaniel had been too busy to be oft at the holdings she now lived at. She had naught else to bring, but had been assured her aid in preparing items would be a far more welcome host gift. The days were shorter here she had learned, twenty four hours with sixty minutes apiece rather than her own twenty hours with a hundred, but there was a clock that she was learning to rely on at the bedside table yes.

It was past dawn now and quiet around her, but nearing nine thirty and so she stood and brushed nervous hands down her skirt to...go wait in the hall for the lord Jason so he might drive them. She was trying to focus on the fact she would be cooking with Nathaniel rather than the trip there!

Comments

[jasonpschuyler]

It wasn't a long wait before Jason was coming down the hall, and he grinned when he saw her. He was already wearing the shirt she'd made for him over a pair of jeans, and he gave a little turn as he neared. "How do I look?"

He smoothed his hands over the fabric, then traced over the embroidery with his fingers. "This shirt is awesome. I have no idea how you made something like this by hand so fast."

[homeless_pard]

She tilted her head to watch him, smiling, "it fits as well as I had hoped lord," she admitted. How not? "The days here are so short...it took far longer than I wished." So the obvious answer was 'I work faster than this world is used to' with a dash of 'I keep my hands occupied'.

"It is proper attire for this event?"

[jasonpschuyler]

He cocked an eyebrow at that. "I can't even imagine you sewing faster without a machine," he snickered. He smiled admiringly at her dress and nodded. "It's a barbecue, so whatever you're comfortable wearing outside is proper enough."

He paused, shaking his head with a laugh. "Seriously, I'm amazed by all the things you've made so fast. Your clothes, a blanket for me...this shirt?" His eyes sparkled merrily. "Nat's gonna be so jealous."

[homeless_pard]

"I am unfamiliar with machines," she admitted simply. "But my skill does suffice it seems until the herbs are well grown at the least." The she would have stillwork!

Ah, that was not...the intent? "I will e working upon such for him as well..." if that was reassuring?

[jasonpschuyler]

Jason winked. "Take your time: I like that I have the fancy handmade shirt and he doesn't."

He offered his arm. "If you're ready?"

[homeless_pard]

"T'would be an unkindness to cause a rift between you two," she noted gently. She'd not wish to the cause of such to those who'd been so kind!

She tucked Anita's slippers in the crook of one arm and laid her fingers upon his wrist with the other! "Of a certainty lord."

[jasonpschuyler]

"Nah," he said cheerfully, "it wouldn't make any sort of rift. He'll just get all excited asking questions if he hears you saying you'll make him one."

He led her slowly up the stairs, still watching for soreness in her feet as she walked. "You and Nat are doing a lot of the cooking today?"

[homeless_pard]

"Is that a suggestion that I shouldst make his a surprise?" she chuckled softly. A shirt yes, but the embroidery secret?

And sore, yes, and slow but far more steady at least for his peace of mind? "Aye! I set stew and bread loafs out for the donors this eve in my absence!"

[jasonpschuyler]

Jason thought about that and nodded, a distant smile on his lips. "You know, you should. Don't even tell him you're making him one. He never got nice stuff as gifts when he was younger, at least not without strings attached. He'll be so happy to be given a gift just because."

He held open the door for her, ushering her into the bright morning. "You're seriously spoiling us all."

[homeless_pard]

"A cruel thing," she blinked, "that he was mistreated so!" Obviously, yes, there would be a shirt gift at the least and perhaps a shirt and blanket of his own!

She stepped into the light with a smile, lifting her face to it as any cat would, then smiled, "care is needed in the balance and care of any holding lord."

[jasonpschuyler]

Jason nodded. "At least he's in a better place now. And he's really been doing well having a real house to live in. You should've seen his face when he first saw the kitchen."

As he was getting well used to doing, he hurried forward to open the car door for her with a reassuring smile. She might be getting better, but she still seemed very much Not Ok with the car. "Sounds like the old 'it needs a woman's touch' thing they used to say. But I can't knock it: it's definitely making the Circus a lot more comfortable to hang out in."

[homeless_pard]

"As he is tended well and cared for I'll not complain?" she offered softly. "But still a cruelty to one so kind. My regrets for his sorrows." He was a sweet young lord!

No, not alright in the least. To fast and too strange and utterly disorienting! "...no?" she blinked. "Just that all in a holdings shouldst work to see it healthy?"

[jasonpschuyler]

He smiled at her for that. Damn, she was a sweet girl; he'd never met anyone so...pure-hearted. Except maybe Nathaniel, but even he had his dark streaks. This girl, if she could even have a dark streak? It would probably be something like...setting cold butter out with someone's bread instead of the soft butter.

He gave her a second once they were in the car to get her bearings before starting it. "It's rare to find that here. Maybe with roommates or close-knit groups like the guys at work, but usually here people do their work and go about their own business."

[homeless_pard]

Hardly, cold butter would not even be a consideration when she was not raised to relying on the fridge! Rather unwelcome sorts would receive store blocks rather than fresh made pats and seasonings!

It was routine by now, settling belting, tensing as the car started! Alas. "A holding is not a close knit group?" she blinked.

[jasonpschuyler]

Jason pulled the car onto the road and started towards Anita's house, settling his hand on the gear shift in case she felt the need to take his arm again. Something she might not need anymore, true, but not something he really felt like questioning and having stop.

"It is and it isn't? Jean Claude's kiss are...I guess as close to a family as they've known? A lot of the vampires here came when they heard he could support his own bloodline. The rats apparently used to be at the Circus a lot when the old Master of the City ruled because she could call them. Jean Claude calls the wolves, so we're there more, but he still has a good relationship with the rats." He was quiet for a moment, thinking. "I live there because of my relationship to Jean Claude, but a lot of the others have their own places; apartments, homes, roommates, stuff. And then all the lycanthropes have their groups."

He was rambling.

[homeless_pard]

"Ah, I have now met Dame Lillian, she is going to see if I might aid at her clinic after quizzing my knowledge," she smiled. She liked the rats she had met? And the elder lady had reminded her of the Dames deeply, honestly. No nonsense but gentle at need!

And so, "they oft drift through rather than stay?" she offered, considering that. "Then I might hope to aid in their settling a touch at least. It feels more settled when people are glad to linger in a holding." To say the least?

It made it a...home.

[jasonpschuyler]

"Oh yeah, Lillian is great. She's a little no-nonsense, but I guess that's good if you're a doctor?" Though he'd noticed a smile in her eyes a time or two when he tried to make her laugh.

"I don't know how many would stick around, but that doesn't sound like a bad idea. Even the people hanging out after feedings more has been nice."

[homeless_pard]

"She is well versed in healcraft," she agreed with a smile. "And in need of aid.' And that meant Khemrys could be of use! Wasn't that nice?!

"So far it seems that meals at least are friendly?" she chuckled softly. "Though a touch imbalanced. So few women stay..." it was odd and made her worry she was violating some unspoken rule!

[jasonpschuyler]

"She'll like having you around, I'm sure." How not? He liked having her around. Who wouldn't like having her around?

He did snort a bit at her comment about women. "Yeah, not a lot of women hang out at the Circus. There's not a lot of lycanthrope women who really want to donate, and the ones that occasionally do don't really ever feel like sticking around."

[homeless_pard]

"I will enjoy being able to practice my craft and aid," so it was certainly a good fit!

How...odd? Was there such a vast difference between how men and women might be fed upon? "Ah?" Umm? Ah well, it was just oddly...lonely.

[jasonpschuyler]

He caught that confused sound and pursed his lips, thinking. "A lot of vampires don't really care about gender preference for food, and really there are more guys in our groups. Not by a whole lot, but still more."

There was a pause and then, "And remember what I was saying before about Anita and Jean Claude? And how she's not just with Jean Claude? She's not really a big fan of any of the men she's with to be with any other women. She gets pretty jealous, even if she says she doesn't."

[homeless_pard]

That got a stricken, horrified look honestly, "that is incredibly imbalancing to a holding, to enforce such even in standings below that of the High Lord!" Immensely!

Should she worry at her own welcome?

Could she afford not to?

Oh dear.

[jasonpschuyler]

He gave a small laugh, meaning to be reassuring. "Really, though: it's fine. It's generally considered rude to...uh..." He remembered that trying to be 'delicate' might go over her head. "You don't have sex with your food. Usually. If they find a lover they can usually get permission to keep them at the Circus, but just as many choose to keep places outside of the Circus with them."

He smiled. "So it's not really that big of a deal."

[homeless_pard]

"So if I may be clear, this woman Anita may enforce her will not only on who may feed upon whom, but whom they may choose to take to their bed, to the point permission is needed though it is mayhap best for female loves to be housed far and away from the High Lord's holding?" This did not seem healthy to her.

At all.

"...and how long may I have before my circumstance is no longer excuse for my presence?"

[jasonpschuyler]

He made a face. "No, not exactly like that. It's just the ones she's involved with."

Which...was a startling number to be honest.

"I mean, maybe the girls all know something about her that I don't, or they all talk and decide to not come to the Circus? I really don't know. But it's not like there's never any women."

Just...rarely.

He did smile at that though. "No one's going to kick you out, Khemrys. You don't seem the type to try to go poaching someone's lover, so why would she be upset about you being there?"