Post by Carbon Kiwi on Apr 24, 2011 8:41:13 GMT 10
Title: Welcome Home (Storm 5/5)
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 760
Pairing: Lark / Rosethorn
Round/Fight: 2B
Warnings: Mention of rape
Summary: At least Lark and Rosethorn didn’t look too haggard from their longer-than-anticipated trip. There was always that.
Briar, Sandry, Daja, Tris and Niko were staring at them as they entered the cottage, Rosethorn and Lark as muddy as the post-storm path outside. Even Little Bear whined at them, tail wagging slowly as if confused; he had never spent a night in Discipline without at least one of them being there.
“You told us you were staying in Summersea by messenger bird?” Niko posed, arms crossed over his chest and eyebrow raised over accusatory black eyes.
“There wasn’t another way.”
“Bird, Rosethorn? Scrying, magic, a precautionary plan before leaving…”
“Well and good to say that now, isn’t it, but we didn’t have one!” Rosethorn shot back, clearly impatient. Her face was turning red. Briar was grinning: he’d never seen his teacher scolded before, let alone both Discipline dedicates! Rosethorn shot him a glare that sobered him up quick.
“What if I hadn’t been here?”
“You were. You told us you would be.” Rosethorn’s eyebrow overshot Niko’s in its arch; she stared at him with cool brown eyes. “Should we start doubting your word, now? Is that your preference?”
Niko’s eyes narrowed. After a few uncomfortable seconds his arms dropped and he turned to Lark, who was flushed in the face as her eyes darted between the children. “Lark. You did your best. This will be the precautionary plan in the event of being swept away in Summersea, I suppose, at least when I am here.”
She nodded, her smile sheepish. “Thank you. I feel incredibly foolish.” At least Sandry looked sympathetic—and not secretly delighted like Briar.
“Oh, I see how it is!” Rosethorn exclaimed, stepping out of her boots and heading straight for Niko. “She ‘did her best’ but I’m the hare-brained one? Favouritism, Niko, favouritism?” she mimicked his voice, but was beginning to sport a grin.
“I am merely calling a spade a spade, as you would say,” he drawled, slow and unconcerned, as he turned to fix the newly-arrived dedicates tea from their own home. He seemed to be gathering a certain kick from the events.
“Well I am not a spade and Lark is not a singing cherub, so your assessment is lacking.” Rosethorn turned to Briar and gestured over her shoulder at Niko. “Briar, never listen to a word he tells you.”
Briar grinned. “But he was just telling me last night how I should appreciate you more.”
Rosethorn hid her face behind the tea Niko handed her—right on cue, with a perverse grin of his own. She might have been blushing as Lark was. “Well. Listen to him sometimes, then. But only when he’s right.”
The four children exchanged looks, all grins and trouble and appreciation. Everything was back to normal, then, save that Niko was officially a house-bird, no matter how much he travelled; he couldn’t keep it from them any longer.
In the evening, Rosethorn asked Lark if it had been worth it. Lark thought for a moment and concluded it was, and she’d do it again, but she’d prefer never to feel so shamefaced in front of the children ever again.
“It’s good for them, you know,” Rosethorn commented as she set the kettle back on the shelf. “It’s good for them to know adults can be wrong, and everything can still be okay—without massive earthquakes, pirate subterfuge-and-slavery and deadly forest fires.”
Lark stopped in her tracks and stared at her partner, eyebrows high. “Look who’s the expert now.”
Rosethorn shot her a look. “If I’m an expert on anything, it’s on how parents can be wrong. And raiders aside…raiders aside, I turned out alright.”
“You turned out better than alright,” Lark corrected, smiling softly and running her fingers through the woman’s hair. “You turned out wonderfully.”
“Shush you. Don’t go all mushy on me just because we had a night out.”
They heard movement from upstairs—children coming down the roof ladder. Rosethorn and Lark exchanged their own looks, acknowledging that it was clearly time to step back into their other role.
“We did well yesterday,” Rosethorn told Lark, eyes sparkling. “Our goods lasted a long time, didn’t they? And we got the secluded corner to ourselves, thank Mila. Though perhaps next month should be less exciting.”
“Perhaps,” Lark agreed, smiling wide, “but at least this month was perfect.”
Briar, Sandry and Tris wrinkled their noses—how could it be perfect if it was that muddy? Daja just laughed—kaqs were silly, fearing dirt and water as they did.
At least Lark and Rosethorn didn’t look too haggard from their longer-than-anticipated trip. There was always that.
QC by: journeycat
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 760
Pairing: Lark / Rosethorn
Round/Fight: 2B
Warnings: Mention of rape
Summary: At least Lark and Rosethorn didn’t look too haggard from their longer-than-anticipated trip. There was always that.
Briar, Sandry, Daja, Tris and Niko were staring at them as they entered the cottage, Rosethorn and Lark as muddy as the post-storm path outside. Even Little Bear whined at them, tail wagging slowly as if confused; he had never spent a night in Discipline without at least one of them being there.
“You told us you were staying in Summersea by messenger bird?” Niko posed, arms crossed over his chest and eyebrow raised over accusatory black eyes.
“There wasn’t another way.”
“Bird, Rosethorn? Scrying, magic, a precautionary plan before leaving…”
“Well and good to say that now, isn’t it, but we didn’t have one!” Rosethorn shot back, clearly impatient. Her face was turning red. Briar was grinning: he’d never seen his teacher scolded before, let alone both Discipline dedicates! Rosethorn shot him a glare that sobered him up quick.
“What if I hadn’t been here?”
“You were. You told us you would be.” Rosethorn’s eyebrow overshot Niko’s in its arch; she stared at him with cool brown eyes. “Should we start doubting your word, now? Is that your preference?”
Niko’s eyes narrowed. After a few uncomfortable seconds his arms dropped and he turned to Lark, who was flushed in the face as her eyes darted between the children. “Lark. You did your best. This will be the precautionary plan in the event of being swept away in Summersea, I suppose, at least when I am here.”
She nodded, her smile sheepish. “Thank you. I feel incredibly foolish.” At least Sandry looked sympathetic—and not secretly delighted like Briar.
“Oh, I see how it is!” Rosethorn exclaimed, stepping out of her boots and heading straight for Niko. “She ‘did her best’ but I’m the hare-brained one? Favouritism, Niko, favouritism?” she mimicked his voice, but was beginning to sport a grin.
“I am merely calling a spade a spade, as you would say,” he drawled, slow and unconcerned, as he turned to fix the newly-arrived dedicates tea from their own home. He seemed to be gathering a certain kick from the events.
“Well I am not a spade and Lark is not a singing cherub, so your assessment is lacking.” Rosethorn turned to Briar and gestured over her shoulder at Niko. “Briar, never listen to a word he tells you.”
Briar grinned. “But he was just telling me last night how I should appreciate you more.”
Rosethorn hid her face behind the tea Niko handed her—right on cue, with a perverse grin of his own. She might have been blushing as Lark was. “Well. Listen to him sometimes, then. But only when he’s right.”
The four children exchanged looks, all grins and trouble and appreciation. Everything was back to normal, then, save that Niko was officially a house-bird, no matter how much he travelled; he couldn’t keep it from them any longer.
In the evening, Rosethorn asked Lark if it had been worth it. Lark thought for a moment and concluded it was, and she’d do it again, but she’d prefer never to feel so shamefaced in front of the children ever again.
“It’s good for them, you know,” Rosethorn commented as she set the kettle back on the shelf. “It’s good for them to know adults can be wrong, and everything can still be okay—without massive earthquakes, pirate subterfuge-and-slavery and deadly forest fires.”
Lark stopped in her tracks and stared at her partner, eyebrows high. “Look who’s the expert now.”
Rosethorn shot her a look. “If I’m an expert on anything, it’s on how parents can be wrong. And raiders aside…raiders aside, I turned out alright.”
“You turned out better than alright,” Lark corrected, smiling softly and running her fingers through the woman’s hair. “You turned out wonderfully.”
“Shush you. Don’t go all mushy on me just because we had a night out.”
They heard movement from upstairs—children coming down the roof ladder. Rosethorn and Lark exchanged their own looks, acknowledging that it was clearly time to step back into their other role.
“We did well yesterday,” Rosethorn told Lark, eyes sparkling. “Our goods lasted a long time, didn’t they? And we got the secluded corner to ourselves, thank Mila. Though perhaps next month should be less exciting.”
“Perhaps,” Lark agreed, smiling wide, “but at least this month was perfect.”
Briar, Sandry and Tris wrinkled their noses—how could it be perfect if it was that muddy? Daja just laughed—kaqs were silly, fearing dirt and water as they did.
At least Lark and Rosethorn didn’t look too haggard from their longer-than-anticipated trip. There was always that.
QC by: journeycat