Half Moon Bay Weyr - Tiki Lounge
As one walks onto the wood panelled flooring of the patio, they are greeted with the scent of burning oil, the likely source the various torches burning along the perimeter of the flooring. The flooring is littered with tables shaded with umbrellas, matching chairs tucked beneath when not in use.
The inside of the Tiki Lounge seems far bigger inside than outside, even when full of relaxing weyrfolk and travelers. Towards the front, in the western corner, is a small stage, generally occupied by harpers. Several tables with chairs decorate the floor and a small area is open for dancing. The bar is rather long and well stocked, glasses of different shapes and sizes hanging suspended from a rack above the bar. Behind the bar is another open window that gives one a view of the forest behind the tavern. Turning around, one is greeted by a lovely view of the lagoon. A decent breeze helps to cool the room. Up above, rafters provide a perch for fire lizards and local avians. The thatch roof, made of straw, rarely lets in any rain.
How many days has it been? Weeks? Who cares. It's been too long and time isn't important. What is important is that since K'vir's blunder with a firelizard flight and sleeping with Bethari on the beach no less, he's had A LOT to think about. Namely, focusing all his free time on mending the blunder he made with Risali. Maybe his timing was crap (it probably was) or maybe he worded it wrong or couldn't explain it. He's a young guy, after all and a bit stubborn headed and thick. He just DOESN'T GET how women think half the time. Either way, she'd left. Left with perfectly valid reasons but it still HURT and it still confused him and he was a sad, miserable jerk for several days. When he quit moping and feeling sorry for himself, he started to send little notes to Risali. Mostly just to test the waters but even if she didn't reply, the fact that his firelizards came back empty handed meant the world to him. He'd always send a different one and never Sage, the green that caused all this kerfuffle to begin with. Eventually he gathered the courage to send little gifts. Things he knew Risali would like or things that would make her laugh or at least smile. He could hope for so much, right? Somehow, SOMEWAY, he finds out that she's in Half Moon Bay and decides that on that very day, he was going to give the finger to Xanadu's winterscape and take himself and Zekath to the western isles. What POSSIBLY could go wrong!? Nothing. Or so K'vir so unwisely thinks. Dismounting from the straps, he'll affectionately thumb the bronze's foreleg and then step back as Zekath takes off to find a ledge to sun on and watch, sentinel and guard like, from above. Exhaling heavily, he'll take a moment to roll his shoulders and gather himself. You got this! Now… time to go hunt down his lady love! He'll start with the predictable locations first, among them the Tiki Lounge. She's got to be around here somewhere, right?
Even Risali doesn't remember how long it's been since she'd left a confused bronzerider with a surprisingly gentle acceptance and an IWillNotCryIWillNotCry, 'It's okay, I understand, I have to go,'; she doesn't even remember how K'vir had broken the news to her, only that his admittance had forced her to face the reality of what their relationship would be if she stayed - that K'vir would never be hers, not truly, not when he belonged to Zekath as thoroughly as Zekath belonged to K'vir. And maybe she had punched him too. And maybe he didn't deserve it. And maybe she knew that. And maybe she didn't care. OKAY SO SHE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE'D HIM FIRST, AND GAVE HIM GENTLE WORDS LATER. GEEZ. (While pressing a cold compress to his precious face and blinking away at what might have suspiciously been tears except that Risali was TOO TOUGH TO CRY. ESPECIALLY OVER A BOY.) The reaction probably fueled Risali's departure, adding the unfortunate duo of embarrassment and shame to her list of I'mNotReadyToDealWithThis emotions — despite Risali living more than a decade knowing what happened during flights and having even dismissed it as something encompassing normalcy. The fact of the matter is that she'd never had to face the truth of it on her own - and never had she thought it would come to pass with firelizards. Or Bethari (silly girl). And so Risali did what most people do when they don't understand something that's right in front of them: she ran. She didn't run from K'vir (though that fact may not be so clear), she ran from her own confusion and hurt, from making split-second decisions she knew she would regret, from acknowledging that all of her strength amounted to nothing in situations like these and maybe, maybe K'vir deserved better. Undoubtedly. Without question. He was better than her in every respect and he deserved better. And then the notes came. Nevermind the gifts, which surely had the desired effect: laughter, a smile, a hastily written reply with quick-witted sarcasm that she hoped would help him to understand that these gestures meant the world to her but that she still wasn't ready. No, the important thing was the notes. But that is not what's important. What's important is the Tiki Lounge, what's important is K'vir choosing this day at this time to come and rescue Risali from herself without either of them realizing that K'vir's just set foot in a proverbial lion's den. Oh, Risa is in the Tiki Lounge alright, and she's surrounded by three overly-familiar men. One of them has his arms over her shoulders, leaning into her with a devil's smile and words that have the man opposite them laughing while the man to the other side of her graces them all with little more than a quiet smile - and Risa is not the first one to notice K'vir. How unfortunate. If K'vir's ever met Risali's brothers before, he'll know immediately that she's surrounded by family, but even if he's never laid eyes on them, it's impossible to mistake the boys for anything other than kin. And then there's Ila'den, Ila'den who is the man opposite his daughter and who is suddenly turning his head just so. Grey eyes catch sight of the bronzerider, and suddenly Ila'den is leaning towards his daughter to impart words that have her rolling her eyes, shoving her brother from her side, and sidling out of her seat to disappear in the crowd with middle fingers raised and two of the three men left behind crowing laughter. It's all downhill from there, when Ila'den finishes off the drink in hand and slowly pushes himself to stand, weaving his way through the crowd like he's done this half a million times until he's standing nose to nose with K'vir and smiling in the way that vipers do before a particularly vicious bite. "K'vir," he acknowledges, turning only then so that his eyes can sweep towards the bar when he jerks his chin in that general direction. "I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Ila'den. Risali's father. Can I get you a drink?"
Aren't they just the most ADORABLE couple ever!? Neither of them know what they're doing! It's GREAT! Not going to head towards disaster at all! K'vir has gathered as much confidence that one his age can, which is to say that half of it is likely false and thin. So easily broken! So when he steps inside the Lounge and spies Risali there with men who are so obviously related to her, he does not falter. It's kind of a nice scene to walk in on and he will only slow his steps because it's not something he just wants to crash headlong into. But then Risali is moving away! What's this? And Ila'den is approaching. Daddy dearest! That slows his forward steps. By the time the older bronzerider has approached him, K'vir's already stopped and is meeting him with both a bright grin (that's his mother there, not Th'ero at all~) and a slightly wary look in his eyes. "It's nice to finally meet you, Ila'den." This is where they shake hands, right? RIGHT? Because K'vir totally extends his hand and straightens his posture and for that split second of seriousness, is so much like his father that it's almost painful (and adorable, let's face it here, folks!). "Oh, of course. Thank you." Because K'vir is an expert drinker here (of rum… with Risali). He'll gesture for Ila'den to lead the way as this is HIS TERRITORY and K'vir isn't here to get into some snit over it. Just over his daughter. Picking his battles, here!
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG in all this YOUNG LOVE? NOTHING! Not even parents like Ila'den, who're meeting their only (known) daughter's boyfriend in the Tiki Lounge with the kind of venomous patience that should tell K'vir to RUN, ABORT, RETREAT, FLEE. Instead, K'vir is exerting MAX CINNAMON ROLL politeness and Ila'den's sole grey eye (totally forgot he was missing one for a second there) is trailing to K'vir's proffered hand with one eyebrow raised. In lieu of being a gentleman and shaking, the older bronzerider adjusts the patch hiding his bad eye, crosses not-as-impressive-as-they-once-were arms over a broad chest, and rewards K'vir with another one of those smiles. "Let me get you that drink," comes the former weyrleader's roguishly husky brogue, and the man turns to move towards the bar with a gait suggesting he's still healing. Knuckles make contact several times with the bar until the tender's attention is on the bronzeriding duo, and Ila'den orders two drinks. Two drinks that come quickly enough, because they're shots. Oh, yes. Ila'den's ordered them something strong — a necessary evil, you see, when you're about to have a 'man-to-man' talk that is going to end rather poorly — and Ila'den downs his in a quick swallow that ends with him holding his glass to eye level as if in wonder before setting it back on the bar. His fingers never leave it. "Well, go on then, dragonrider. Drink." And oh how Ila watches, waiting. It might also be Ila'den's way of gauging how much of a man K'vir is up to being, given he passed on the opportunity to test the limits of K'vir's grip when he RUDELY forwent a good old-fashioned handshake. Whether or not K'vir takes the bait and drinks, Ila'den is motioning for two more shots before his attention is back on Risali's boyfriend — again. "So," he begins, almost sounding polite. But only almost. "I hear Risali is in love with you." SOMETHING SHE HASN'T TOLD K'VIR. Maybe it's a LIE? "How did you two meet?" THAT'S AN EASY ENOUGH QUESTION, RIGHT? RIGHT.
K'vir does not have the same INSTINCTS as dear old dad and mom. Not YET anyways! He's young (eighteen!) and has much to learn. Today's lesson will be MUCH REMEMBERED. When Ila'den doesn't take his hand, that's the first hint that soemthing isn't right but it's not enough to deter him. The smile makes the back of his neck tingle though and from then on in, his smile is a little forced and he's eyeing Risali's father with growing wariness and unease. As they skip right to drinks, poor K'vir just follows along and does his best to make a decent first impression and not dishonour himself or his family. Brows knit when his name is no longer used (at least it's not Risali screeching his childhood name) but he'll knock back the first shot and… barely manage to not choke on it. There's a grimace, probably a few inner curses but he'll keep it down and only grit his teeth and cough. "And I thought my father's tastes in ale were the strongest there is. This have a name?" K'vir is attempting to breeze through this casually. He did NOT just about choke! Nope. He can handle his drink, damn it! Or he's not Th'ero's son. Ignore the flush of redness to his cheeks too! That's from the rush of alcohol, not the supposed confession of LOVE from Risali through Ila'den's words. OH HE BELIEVES IT'S TRUTH! Poor, poor kid if it isn't. "Ah… well…" He's not going to admit that he loves Risali and wax poetic here by her badass of a father. NOPE. So much nope! "We met here, actually. By chance. Back when I was a Wingrider still for Igen." He took Ila'den's precious baby girl BACK to Igen too but he's not going to blurt that out since it'll sound SO WRONG.
And Ila'den watches K'vir drink, not bothering to stifle the low, husky rumble of laughter that inevitably escapes him as fingers twirl his empty glass in a slow, controlled circle upon the bartop's surface. "Very good, kid, I'm impressed. And yes, It does have a name," Ila'den informs, but as to what the name is, Ila'den takes the low road and refuses to part with the knowledge, not even so much as answering a simple question for the bronzerider who's clearly trying so hard. What Ila'den does do is take the second round of shots once they're delivered, pushing the second glass towards K'vir for another drink while allowing his mouth to linger a moment on the lip of his own. "Since we're both asking questions, I'm asking myself what it is that you're doing here, in Half Moon Bay, after sending my daughter home to me in tears." It's said with nonchalance, void of any hint to the possiblity of anger beneath the words, and ended abruptly when Ila'den knocks back his second drink and sets that glass back down again. "And then I told myself, Ila'den. He's young. He doesn't get it." Now that grey eye is straying from watching his fingers toy with his emptied glasses to lock back on K'vir. "But I'm still a little confused. Maybe you can help me to puzzle out that little mystery, K'vir. Why is it that you thought you would be welcome here, much less that I would let you see my daughter again?" And he waits, with a smile that can hardly be called a smile at all. Tread carefully, K'vir. TREAD VERY CAREFULLY.
The name of the drink Ila'den's choosing to poison him with will have to remain a mystery! Possibly FOREVER! K'vir's brows knit again when the other bronzerider laughs and he'll give a sort of nervous smirk. As the second glass is pushed on him, he'll stall for time by listening to every word he has to say. In the end? K'vir ends up taking that shot, despite the kickback from the alcohol! Why, oh why, does he always get himself into these messes? Gritting his teeth, lips drawn in a bit of a grimace, he'll wait for the drink to stop burning he back of his throat before he dares to speak. Tread carefully you say? HA! This is K'vir! He'll start off fine. "I regret upsetting her," He admits it, at least! He's a MAN OF HONOR! And then it just all goes downhill from there. Spectacularly fast. "Never meant to and I've tried to mend that. I am young," He doesn't get it. "But I mean well by your daughter! I thought…" Wait, he isn't welcomed? K'vir falters a little at that, perplexed and confused. Not welcomed by Risali or her overprotective family? Both? "I'd come by and see if she wanted to talk. That's it! And if it was, uh… obvious she didn't then I'd leave." Ha, what does he think Ila'den is? Born yesterday? Oldest trick in the book, that!
But believe it or not, Ila'den is actually listening; truth be told, Ila'den's attention is so focused that it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine that K'vir is the only one in the room, in the world, in this moment with anything interesting to say. And then it comes, the sigh signaling that maybe the conversation is coming quick to a close as the bronzerider pushes his drinks back and the younger of Risali's brothers approaches. Kielric, in case you were wondering. Oddly enough, the teenager is a replica of his father — but with a lack of the darkness, without a hint of the tired understanding, with an easily friendly smile as he approaches and extends a hand for K'vir to shake should the older teenager feel inclined. GOOD COP BAD COP. Except that, really, Kielric is just friendly. "Well met," he offers, smile in tact even as he withdraws to set eyes on his father moments before leaning in to whisper something that sounds surprisingly like, 'She's coming back,' and then straight Kiel's spine goes. Grey eyes linger on K'vir for a moment longer, and then he breathes a half-laughed, "Goodluck," to his sister's… people. He's retreating when Ila'den moves to stand, and then the older bronzerider is moving with alarming quickness to catch K'vir in his seat — by his throat. He doesn't stop there, though. Despite wasting away in a renegade camp for months and losing a considerable amount of his muscle mass, Ila'den manages to haul the younger bronzer up by the neck, pull him out of his chair, and slam him into the bar — be that on top of it, or against it. It doesn't matter. And in Ila'den leans, holding fast to that pleasant-without-being-pleasant smile as he leans in to press his lips against K'vir's ear. "Consider this your only warning. If she comes home to me crying again, I will practice what I quit being long ago, and there's nowhere far enough that you can run to get away from me." But it's ruined by Risali's sudden shriek of, "DADDY!" preceding a scuffling of sound that's most likely Risa being confronted by BROTHERS who're trying to let Ila'den finish. The bartender? WISELY PRETENDING HE SEES NOTHING, OF COURSE. HE IS THE BARTENDER. "Do we understand each other?" Though answering might be difficult without oxygen. "KYZENVIRO, PUNCH HIM!" WORST ADVICE, RISA.
See, things are ALMOST looking good! K'vir is delighted to meet Kielrich because at least HE'S friendly and wanting to shake hands! And then everything goes to hell. Before he can even clue in that he's missed his chance to RUN or even react, Ila'den's got him by his throat. Of course he struggles! He could even be swearing a blue streak but most of his words come out mangled and garbled between choked gasps and grunts. Nothing compares to being HAULED though and slammed into the bar. He doesn't quite make it on top and instead gets the edge of it rather painfully between his shoulder blades and then his lower back. By then, he's got a vice-like grip on Ila'den's shoulders and is trying to SHOVE the older man off. When that doesn't work, he claws at his wrists and attempts to break the bronzerider's hold. NO LUCK! He's at least got the sense to listen to the threat being delivered and when Risali arrives? It's almost like he's trying to warn her or wave her off. NO! No no no, everything's FINE! He's… totally choking and can't breath and has royally pissed off your father but… S'ALL GOOD! "Yes…" K'vir manages to grind out, the last bit half hissed, half growled. IS SHE CRAZY? He's not going to punch her father! HE'S PISSED OFF ENOUGH!
SHE IS TOTALLY CRAZY! Or, she just understands one fundamental fact: Ila'den speaks renegade. Regardless, K'vir (INTELLIGENTLY) does not take Risali's advice, and Ila'den's patting the younger bronzerider's cheek with a callous-roughened hand and a condescending murmur of, "Now that's a good lad. I'll pay for your drinks," before finally, finally letting K'vir go. Ila'den's stepping back to give the rider space as he retrieves marks from a pocket, only to look back at a sudden string of words that are MUCH TOO BRAZEN for delicate ears when one of his sons goes down holding areas we WON'T MENTION but all know well. And then there's Risali, a little hell cat breaking away from her younger (but stronger) siblings until she's toe-to-toe with her father and looking furious. SHE WILL NOT BE WAVED AWAY, K'VIR. YOU CLEARLY HAVE NONE OF THE THINGS UNDER CONTROL. "How DARE YOU," she shrieks, right at the man who raised her to be so headstrong. Ila'den's arms come up in a show of surrender, the scary disregard for rules and personal space dissipating with a quickness in the wake of his daughter's presence. "We were just talking, Risa," Ila'den says around words that are marred with hints of rumbling laughter, but it doesn't stop Risa from shoving him away. And then she's turning to K'vir, torn between worry, and joy, and something else that's quickly buried when trembling hands reach out for him, to touch his cheeks as her eyes find momentary focus on his neck and then jump up to his lips before finding his eyes again. "Are you okay?" The harper sounds like crying is on the list of things to do, but in typical Risali fashion, she puts a stopper on those puffy-eyed emotions with a little help in the form of distraction. Like the hug she's suddenly giving the MUCH TOO TALL bronzerider around his middle. She will hold on tight for just a moment, and then she's tilting her head back just enough to whisper, "Trust me?" And if his answer is yes, then Risali will whisper, "Kiss me." But it doesn't sound like a mewling, needy woman wanting affection affirmed. It sounds like a woman made of steel, making a split-second choice to stand her ground and make a damn good point while she's at it. GO ON, K'VIR. KISS THE GIRL. SHA LALALALA DON'T BE SHY.
K'vir's going to just watch the confrontation in SILENCE because he's recovering from being choked, here! Released, he'll take a half step away from the bar, keeping Ila'den in front of him and rubbing a hand against his neck where red marks are already forming. THANKS A LOT, ILA! He's going to bruise now and EVERYONE will know! Or wonder. He hates gossip! And while he was smart enough not to fight Ila'den, it won't keep him from glaring daggers at the man. Which suspiciously LOOKS FAMILIAR! Where has Ila'den seen that glare before? All too soon, his features drop to a more sheepish look as Risali descends upon him and he does not protest her fussing over his well being. "I'm fine, Risa…" They're on shortened name terms right? RIGHT. He's lying too. His throat and neck burn and ache and his back is on fire from being so uncomfortably slammed against a solid wood bar. But he is A MAN and he will IGNORE these trivial things in favour of keeping his lady love happy. The hug is returned (ow ow ow) and he will be brazen enough to press his cheek against her hair and remain close in so painfully obvious intimate fashion. Despite DADDY being right there! "Of course," he whispers back and he almost protests but decides that, no. No, this is the perfect revenge and it might just get him killed? But he'll DIE HAPPY! Oh, he'll kiss her, alright! Full on, passionate, no holding back, kissing her. Complete with him slipping his fingers under her chin first to tilt her head up and then going for it. Not at al faked! 100% genuine KISS and backed by who knows how much time away. He's missed her. He WANTS this. He wants her. He's completely forgotten her family (and other Half Moon residents) ARE RIGHT THERE! Risali wanted a kiss? SHE GETS ONE! And if Risali wants to get handsy? Well… K'vir won't protest. Others might but he sure as hell won't!
IS HE FINE? IS HE THOUGH? Risali doesn't agree with his assessment of WELLBEING, but she doesn't argue with him — not here, anyway. Not when there are brothers and fathers who need to be put back in their place standing around and waiting. But believe me you, Ila'den does notice a few uncannily familiar things: that moment of Th'ero-esque seriousness, the glare he's being fixated with now while his daughter ensures her person isn't permanently marked from the moment of testosterone exploding; all of which serve to raise one of Ila'den's brows again as the former renegade attempts to sort through why. Why? HE ISN'T SURE. But it's right there on the tip of his tongue, in the far reaches of his mind, taunting him with an understanding that eludes him with aggravating persistence. But what's important now is Risali and K'vir, and their vengeance upon her OVERPROTECTIVE father and possibly the brats she calls brothers as well. Oh, but she just intended for a kiss that maybe was a little more but not too much, only to remember that kissing K'vir is like catching lightning, leaving her tingling and breathless and desperate for more. The rest of the world falls away as quickly for her as it seems to for K'vir, and Risali's hands bunched in K'vir's shirt relax and flatten so that she can push them up his clothed chest to his neck and pull him down to her level (and for a much more intense kiss). Risali's suddenly burning up, flicking her tongue against K'vir's lips before biting down and pulling, only to come back in for a more vicious conquest of the bronzerider's mouth. Her body is pliant against his, back bending just so as she pulls herself in tight against him and contours to his person. Her fingers are in his hair before too long, and it's the sound that escapes her that seems to breathe life back into those around her. One of her brothers is catcalling and laughing while Ila'den? Ila'den is clearing his throat. And clearing it again. And clearing it louder this time before giving up and grabbing Risali by her upper arm. The harper jerks backwards from K'vir as if confused by the fact that she's here, and those K'vir-induced, dizzy eyes look at her DISAPPROVING father as he grits out a tight, "Point made, Risali." BUT THAT LOOK THOUGH, the one that Ila'den gives K'vir… it has Risali's spine stiffening as she stands a little straighter and keeps herself against K'vir and effectively between the men. "You look familiar," Ila'den murmurs, and then… and then a moment of eyes going wide before a devilishly sly smile tugs at the corners of the older bronzer's lips. "Risali," he says suddenly, softly, but still with marked agitation. "Be safe on your way home. And you, dragonrider. You take good care of her. I have to go to Fort." And yes, he locks eyes with KYZENVIRO and he SMILES. HE SMILES, and Risali looks CONFUSED, and Ila'den is laughing when he leans in to press a kiss against the top of Risa's head and then sidesteps them both. Give her a moment, maybe two, and then Risa's head is tipping back so that she can focus on K'vir's face. "Kyzen…?" One, two, three. And then a soft smile. "I missed you, you stupid bronzerider." AND THEN A PUNCH TO HIS ARM. "But Faranth, don't do this again. He could have killed you, Kyzenviro. Killed you. And I —" A pause, as brows furrow and Risali cuts off whatever it is that she was going to say. Softer now, under the pretense of smoothing down the fabric of his shirt (WHILE REALLY SHE IS JUST COPING A FEEL, SUE HER), Risali breathes, "Take me home?"
Cockblock Ila'den! SERIOUSLY. K'vir was really starting to enjoy that kiss and maybe it's for the best that his reunion with Risali is disrupted or all of Half Moon Bay were about to get a front row seat to the show. Even so, he can't help but growl a little in frustration at the interruption and WHO'S BEING PROTECTIVE now? Thankfully she doesn't end up caught in a tug of war between K'vir and her father, but when Ila'den smiles that devilishly sly smile, the bronzerider backs off with the attitude. Just a little. He'll stare right back into Ila'den's good eye, keeping one arm slipped around Risali and there's just a stiff nod when the bronzerider claims he needs to go to Fort. Okay, FINE! Go! K'vir could care less. It just means he's rid of the scary man who choked him. "I missed you too and I don't think he'd kill me. He threatened me but - - I'm fine, Risa. Honest! Everything's fine. I'm so happy to see you…" In case that wasn't obvious (in more ways than one)! She needn't ask twice! K'vir practically BEAMS with happiness at that point and tries to take her hand. "Of course. We can go right now." ESCAPE! RUN! While Ila'den is busy going to Fort to track down K'vir's father~