Post by Theodren Galanos on May 8, 2009 12:56:06 GMT -6
Ren = Ren had made most of the day with a few things he needed to see to. A small trip into the forest produced another successful hunt and so when he returned with his catch of the day, he had set to harvesting everything from it as usual. Of course, he did this back behind The Briar with permission from Rose, especially since she always got first pick on whether or not she wanted his catch of the day or not. She had made it known she didn't mind the Greek hunter making his money back behind her establishment as long as he cleaned up his messes and got rid of the unwanted. After doing exactly that, Ren made his coin before returning back to make sure he had everything put back in place and cleaned as best as possible. Everything looked as it should and so he turned to make his way back into the Inn. That was of course until he heard a noise. Brows furrowed, slowly he moved into the area where he had been working previously and what should he find there? A small dirty little smut colored kitten sniffing about and trying to consume a piece of Ren's hunt that had been discarded and thought cleaned away. He must have missed it, but shrugged it off and bent down to pick up the little kitten that was now staring up at him with it's big yellow green eyes. It hissed at him to start with, but once Ren gently stroked him, he allowed the man to pick him up and scratch him behind his ears. The large male smirked as a thought crossed his mind and so he set off toward his recent and favorite hang out lately. With the kitten tucked snuggly and gently in one arm, he knocked on Ada's door.
Ada = Ada muttered at the brass scales as she polished them with a cloth, wishing they would not tarnish so quickly, and save her a bit of headache. Or arm-ache. She was only one woman, after all! But as far as the day went, business was brisk and the shelves had already been restocked, what was missing accounted for in her books, and the floors swept out. When her customers finally thinned out to none, she closed her door but kept the shutters open, used to last-minute requests and minor emergencies, and usually well enough tempered that she handled them with her usual grace and humor. The breeze also felt nice stirring the scents of her shop around, and she always imagined she was in a potpourri satchet when the shutters were bolted -- stifling, hot, and cloyingly sweet. She heard a knock at the door, and assuming it was just the time of the day to expect her favorite visitor, she tossed her work apron on a peg and went to meet her cat. She was notably surprised to find that her cat was holding a cat, and her eyes widened as she let them both in. "What did you bring me?" she asked unnecessarily, gently prying the animal from Ren's arm and balancing it against one shoulder. She reached up on the tips of her toes to plant a kiss on his lips. Ada charmed everyone she met, even this little cat who would sooner bat his tiny claws at a stranger than let her drape him over her shoulder. No doubt he would soon have free run of the place. "He's wonderful!"
Ren = Ren was looking and petting the kitten in his arm when Ada opened the door, having him look to her and then follow her inside. The healer took the kitten from him and he grinned. ``Just a nosey little friend of mine. Found him snooping around out back at the Inn where I usually do my own handy work.`` He replied. Ren watched as the kitten seem to make himself quite comfortable with the woman that held him. Was that purring he heard? He chuckled, the man couldn't blame him... she made him purr too. At Ada's kiss, he smiled and followed her a few more steps before stopping and crossing his arms. ``Maybe... but he's dirty...needs to be cleaned up a bit I think.`` He said with another chuckle. ``So... now you have yourself a black cat to go with the image and reputation you already hold. I think he suits you well...`` the Greek hunter jested lightly.
Ada = "Oh, we can give him a little bath in the garden. There is a pump out back." She smiled and motioned for him to follow. Her patient had left that morning to find quarters nearby, on the promise that Ada would be allowed to visit to check on her handiwork. It meant a little more breathing room, with the space now available for her to use it what it was originally intended for. Scratching the cat at the base of it's skull, amazed at how tiny and delicate the bones were, she led the way through the still room. The still was silent, nothing boiling today, and the cot in the corner was ready to be folded up, though for now, blankets had been folded and rested neatly like a pillow at the head. There was a fire in the hearth, but it had been reduced to glowing red coals, and a few scattered kettles rested here and there, waiting for Ada to pick them up and put them away. Which she kept promising she would do. Crates lined one wall and held all of her stock shipped from France. Soon she would have to make new contacts to ensure she did not run out of anything, but for now, her supplies were ample, and would carry her through the summer, at least until her garden yielded something useful. Through the back door and out into the garden, where fire had ravaged the weeds and left her with clear, beautiful soil ripe for planting, a pump standing closer to the building. It was the newest feature of the property, really, as all her surrounding neighbors drew from a common well. The kitten was content to rest on her shoulder, back end supported by the shelf of her breasts, but the work involved drawing water meant the cat would have to move. She set him down on the ground, and he twined through her legs before joining Ren to watch. Ada put just enough water in the basin to do the job. "Ah, rumors, rumors. I am a witch and I have a drugged Frenchman in my work room, and now a black cat. I also seduced a handsome hunter who keeps me thoroughly occupied day and night." She winked at him. If only work did not intervene!
Ren = Ren nodded as she spoke of the pump out back and of course followed when she motioned for him to. He noticed they were now able to make their way into and through the still room. He assumed her patient was well enough now and had left to return back to her own place or sought out a place elsewhere. He saw the cot, the folded blankets and the red coals in the hearth. There were kettles and crates... she looked to be a busy woman. They reached the garden and he saw where fire had made it's presence known but also saw how she had made use of it, or was in the process of doing so. Ren looked to the pump she neared and then to Ada as the kitten continued to stay perched on her shoulder. The little guy had to be put down for a moment and he smiled as he saw the fur ball weave in and out between Ada's legs before coming to him. The hunter squatted and began to scratch him behind his ears and under his chin until Ada had a basin of water for the kitten's bath ready. ``Okay fellow... time for you to get cleaned up.`` He stated as he picked him up and moved to hand him off to Ada. At her comments, he chuckled. ``I do my best...hopefully it's good enough. And speaking of your work... we need to see if we can't make less time for it and more time for... well... me.`` He said with a wry grin.
Ada = "Ah, feeling neglected, cat?" she asked him, grinning. She took her kitten and chatted with him for a few minutes. "I bet you don't like water much, do you? But how would you know, you have never had a bath, obviously." She gave a sniff behind his ears. He smelled fine to Ada, but if he had anything foul on him, it was good to get it off before they got on her! "Well, I suppose we will need soap." She disappeared briefly back into her store room and emerged a second later with the proper glass bottle. Soapwort and a few herbs for chasing away fleas, meant for humans but it would do in a pinch. The cat would have full-volume and perfectly shiny fur when she was finished, she thought wryly. And now it was time to convince her cat that a bath would be beneficial. Possibly even feel good. After a little splashing, the kitten decided the battle was futile, and suffered the indignity of letting Ada suds him up. He even purred despite himself as she got right behind his ears, and arched his back into her hand as she ran it along his spine. "I told you so," she teased the animal, careful not to get her face too close unless he put out one last salvo. She washed her cat free of the soap and let him out of the basin, carrying him back inside so that he wouldn't leave muddy paw prints leading back through her store. She set him on the floor and let him figure things out in the store room. "I am thinking about hiring an apprentice," she told Ren.
Ren = The Greek male gave a light shrug of his broad shoulders and grinned. He then watched as Ada spoke to the other feline now in her life and chuckled softly to himself as his arms folded over his chest. He would be surprised if this little guy didn't scratch her to the point she got cat scratch fever. She needed soap and disappeared with kitten in hand to get it and returned, placing him in the basin and getting him use to the water. It seemed to take a little longer than he thought, but between Ada and the kitten, Ada won. Then he saw something he didn't think possible... the kitten purring, in water and soap as Ada cleaned him up, only to rinse him before they all set back to return inside to the shop. He watched as Ada sat the less than fluffy fur ball down and mentioned her wanting to hire an apprentice. ``You are needing help then?`` He asked, scratching at his chin a little.
Ada = "Mm. There is so much to be done during the day, and I still have to mind the store. I could really use two to help, though one would be sufficient. Someone to help with the gardening, at least temporarily, and someone to learn the trade in the shop. If I had that much, I could spend more time fixing other parts of the building, or exploring the isle for more supplies or new herbs." While they talked, Ada finally picked up the kettles. The one with food still in it, she found the cover for and set it away from the hearth, lest the oats burn onto the inside and become impossible to clean out. But the kettle with water in it she set over the flames, nudging a new piece of wood down and puffing air across the coals until it caught fire. "I will ask Rose if she knows anyone. I would post a flier, but not everyone reads, and I do trust Rose's judgment. More than my own, sometimes," she teased. She watched the kitten amble toward the fire, just close enough that it seemed to scour all the water from his fur and make him suddenly puff out as if he had seen a ghost. Ah, this little guy would provide endless amusement for the healer, no doubt. When she found some string, a stick, and a spare bit of cloth, she might have no real need for Ren! The thought stuck in her head for just a few seconds, long enough to look up at the Greek, consider it, and then decide she had time for both.
Ren = The hunter nodded as she explained more in depth as to why and how nice it would be for her to turn her attention to other things needed on occasion. ``Well, I can see to the repairs... I don't hold a title of carpenter... but I'm capable of fixing things.`` He said as his eyes followed her movements. ``Rose should know of someone if not a few...and yes, she's a smart woman. Knows a good majority of the people around here and can tell you who would fit and who to avoid... not to mention as to why.`` he stated as his eyes turned to the kitten. He chuckled seeing the hair fluff almost instantly, and had Ren knew of Ada's thoughts, he would have to agree. This smut colored feline was going to be both amusing and trouble. He looked back to Ada then, his head tilted as she seem to be thinking on something and he wondered what. Did she realize she was grinning? ``I'm scared to ask why it is you are grinning like that.`` he teased.
Ada = No, she didn't, but she wouldn't mind if he pointed it out, which he eventually did. "Oh, I was just thinking. I have a new toy. I thought it might keep me from playing with my old toy, and then ... I decided I can make room for both." She sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall of crates. "Then I will talk to her about it. And we should talk about the repairs I need made, though of course, only when you're able and if you're willing to do them. I think the most important one is the door going upstairs -- it scares the living daylights out of me sometimes. Just ... slam! And my heart goes into my throat, you have no idea," she explained, going so far as to place a hand over her own heart to demonstrate. "I am sure it is doing damage to that wall. Anyway. So! Before you found the kitten, what did you do today? I was not able to leave the shop at all." Not that it felt like a prison, but it was occasionally nice to see sunlight. Ada woke before dawn and didn't close her shop doors until sunset most days, unless business was unusually slow and she took a day off to go mushroom or Ren hunting.
Ren = At her reply, a smile slowly grew wider with each word she shared. ``Is that right? Hm.. well.. now I see where I stand...`` He teased back as he watched her then move to the floor. The dark male nodded and moved to do the same, sitting across from her really so that their new friend was between them. ``I can see to that first thing tomorrow if you like.`` He said as he motioned to the door with a lift of his chin before looking back toward her. ``I can just imagine... `` He added a minute later. ``The wall I can inspect a little later, and if I feel I can't be of help there... I'll help you find someone that is better suited for the job.`` Ren looked to the kitten that was now coming toward him, with Ren sitting Indian style...the little guy made it look like he was climbing a mountain. Ren chuckled with arched brows as he felt the fur ball's claws latching into the leather pants. ``Easy there fellow.`` said the Greek as a hand helped him up the rest of the way to save Ren's breeches... and his leg.
Ada = "Mm, indeed, only I am allowed to claw at his breeches." Ada laughed, and watched the kitten make his way up Ren. The animal was going to be trouble, which of course made him a perfectly suitable gift for Ada. There was nothing, it seemed, she could not handle or would not tolerate. She was a instigator and imp, though she put on a reasonable facade for her public that she might be, if coaxed, a good and biddable woman despite low-cut dresses and the swing to her hips. "That would be nice. Anything you can do. Benoit bought this shop for me," she mentioned, looking around the still room, as if expecting to see her Master's touch on everything, though he had never set foot in Skye. "He wished to set up somewhere far enough from Paris, though I do not know if he meant to live here himself, or give it to me. He was a strange man, but he always had good taste. I wish ... well, we left a lot unsaid, and now it must remain so." She wished Gauthier had not pretended there was a letter from Benoit. She hadn't found any among his possessions, something she shamefully admitted to ransacking, just in case he was merely withholding. "Hmm," she added thoughtfully, letting her head rest against the crate and eyeing both cats lazily.
Ren = Ren laughed at her little comment about her being the only one allowed to claw at his breeches. His eyes narrowed some as he looked back to her, picking up the kitten in one hand and bringing the little guy to his chest. Using his free hand to scratch behind his ears, under his chin and then down along his back before setting him back in his lap. ``I don't mind seeing to it, and it will help you save your coin.`` He said as he glanced down to the nameless feline who was climbing out of his lap and now making his way over to inspect Ada. Ren could see how much the place meant to her, not just because it was her way of life, but because of her former Master. His face seem to show a bit of sympathy for her as she spoke of the man. ``You can still share them with him... your thoughts and such. Just because he is gone from one place, does not mean he no longer exist.`` Ren said. Was he suggesting ghosts or spirits... not exactly, not in the sense one might think. The large burly male readjusted his body, with a leg still bent it rested against the floor. The other remained bent as well but upright, he braced some of his weight on a hand to the floor and the other arm rested on the knee at the elbow. He smiled faintly, and his head tilted as he stared at her, though it wasn't in any ill manner. On the contrary... it was just the opposite.
Ada = "I do, almost every day. It is difficult, missing someone who had such a strong voice in life. He had opinions about everything. Mostly, that he hated it." She grinned. "I do not know why he kept me around so much. I do not think I could hate anything even if I tried. It probably made him a little mad. Talk about the rainy, dismal weather and I could always point out it was good for the plants. Mention the stench coming through the window and I told him how nice the lavender smelled in comparison. I was insufferable, in other words." Laughing now, she let her kitten crawl onto her skirts and across her thigh. "Oh, he is so tiny!" she exclaimed, but his claws were certainly not tiny! They felt like little needles climbing up her leg, and she understood why Ren had been anxious to reposition the cat. She placed him back on her shoulder, letting him crawl around her neck, paw at her hair, and then finally, come to a rest like he was some sort of familiar, purring happily in her ear through a curtain of her curls, drawn out of the loose knot and apparently in existence for his pleasure. She wasn't sure she wanted to give her kitten a name. Cats were fiercely independent, and he could come and go as he wished. But she did need something to shout at him when he got into what should not be gotten into. A name would come in time, once she was sure of his personality. "What are you thinking now?" she asked him, curiosity getting the better of her at that look he gave her.
Ren = ``I say that because I do that.`` He commented, meaning spoke to those that have already passed from this world to another. ``It's good to do that... some people wouldn't understand it, others think it's something a mad person would do.`` He then listened as she shared more about the former Master of her life in another place and time. It all had the Greek male chuckling and nodding, easily seeing things as she described them. ``I don't think you were insufferable. If I can tolerate you... anyone can.`` He teased. Dark eyes watched as the black kitten moved about his master freely, a smile slowly growing. At her question, he sort sniffed and gave a innocent act of shrugging his shoulders. ``Nothing really... just... thinking.`` He said before taking a minute to pause and then added. ``Moments like this are nice...``
Ada = "They are," she agreed, with a warmer smile. They remained where they were for a long time before Ada's stomach was compelled to break the spell. She put a hand to her stomach to quell its rumbling. "Let's go, cat, I am hungry, and you will need milk." Distinguishing between her two cats was going to be a wonderful adventure for anyone who had any sort of in depth conversation with the healer, but she considered that their problem, not hers. Her cats were very well distinguished all on their own. Holding the kitten steady on her shoulder as she stood up, she waited for Ren to join her and then opened the door of the still room out to the main shop. Through the open windows, she called to one of her favorite urchins to run for some milk, and perhaps some cured meat in case Ren was hungry. It could keep indefinitely, so he would not have to eat it all tonight. She slipped the lad some coin and promised him more if he returned promptly. With a sharp salute to his mistress, he dashed off into the crowd. Ada turned back to face Ren. "I couldn't honestly think of a nicer conclusion to my day." There was no tease to her voice, just honesty. She walked to the counter and set the little cinder-colored cat down, where he pawed at the scale she had just polished and then leaped back, shocked that it retaliated by swinging back at him.
Ren = He sighed in a contented manner with her agreeing and watched her and the kitten a little longer before silence was no more due to Ada's stomach. He chuckled lightly and nodded, standing after she had and then moving in behind her as they walked back into the main part of the shop. He could tell that this little black fur ball was going to make a good companion for Ada and keep things interesting for her around here. That was good, he could do that when Ren wasn't around and able. Dark eyes watched Ada call for the boy he had met a couple times before, but only in passing, as she sent him out to fetch a couple things. He chuckled at the boys salute to Ada and crossed his arms with an arch of a brow. ``Have males saluting you now hm? Maybe Danae can use a second in command... aside from Merick.`` He teased. The Greek male bent down and kissed her cheek then... lingering perhaps a little longer than he should have. Then again... neither of them ever complained about such actions. ``Good... because I am sure there will be more days just like this one to come.`` He offered softly with a little grin before looking to the kitten who was now standing with his hair raised. The Greek male laughed a little then and straightened in his stance.
Ada = He knew how much she reacted like a cat herself when he came in from behind and placed that lingering kiss to her cheek. Perhaps he didn't have food on the mind as much as she did at that moment! "Oh, I hope so." She pulled his arms around her like he was her coat, and let her hands rest on his crossed arms. The little kitten's fur slowly began to lay flat again, though he was cautious not to go near the scale, instead wandering in the other direction, sniffing here and there, finding interesting scents wherever he went. He would be quite happy here, Ada realized. Particularly if he was a social creature, who didn't run hissing in the opposite direction when people came through the front door. Judging by how easily he went to Ada and Ren, and how he did not seem to mind being picked up, she doubted he would. "That sort of response makes some part of me wish to see what else he'll encounter that he does not like," she laughed. "But he is my pet, not my science experiment." The cat eventually found a place near her tray of seedlings to curl up and ponder the strange humans watching him. But they weren't really all that interesting, and so he took to cleaning himself, starting with his paws.
Ren = Ren indeed knew that, but perhaps this time it had been purely accidental. Okay.. maybe not entirely... but oh well. When she pulled his arms around her, he let them go freely. They both watched the little kitten wander off to have a closer look at a few other things. Ren was glad his idea of bringing the fellow here proved to be a good move it seemed. The kitten was happy, Ada was happy, which made the Greek male happy, so all was well it seemed. ``Oh, I am sure he will have us smiling and laughing a great deal.`` replied the hunter. As they watched him, the feline seem to take an interest in Ada and Ren, but it didn't last very long as he turned to focus on himself with a bath. ``Decided on a name yet then?`` he asked out of curiosity. Curious to know whatever name was bestowed on him, if he would live up to.
Ada = "I think it can wait," she decided. "Names are powerful things. Though I do not think he is a 'Bob' or 'Jean,' so at least, there is progress in knowing what will not suit." Names were very powerful things, indeed. First was the Word, and then all of Creation came into being. Stars had names and courses in the heavens, people had names and courses through their lives; everything that had a name had a purpose, everything with purpose had a name. Names imparted ownership, or at the very least, a stewardship, the relationship of owner to item. Naming things and people was a daunting task, any way Ada chose to look at it. "Neither is he a 'Cinder' or 'Boots,'" she added helpfully. Sadly, their conversation and his embrace were broken by a shout from the window. Her urchin had indeed moved quickly! He shoved a bottle of milk for her to take through the window. She set it down on the counter and came back for the other items -- meat for him, fresh cheese for her, and a loaf of brown bread. Ada found more coin and placed it in the lad's hand. "You are untold help, mon cher," she told him. The boy snorted, and perhaps used to being swindled by adults, bit the coin to ensure it was real before wandering away. "I do not think your sister gets that sort of reaction from her soldiers, though," Ada said thoughtfully, her arms filled with food as she stared after the boy. "Salute, yes, but the sarcasm comes for free. Well, kitten, whatever your name will be, let us pour you a bowl of milk for tonight, yes?" So the other cat could come upstairs and play, was Ada's plan. She filled a dish for him and set him on the floor, in case the counter was too high for him to jump from. There wasn't much trouble he could get into from his height, but the still room would be a safer place for him anyway, just in case he decided to frolick in her open baskets of dried herbs. Or use them for a litter box. Both of which would be extremely unpleasant to clean up.
Ren = The man behind her nodded and grinned which was followed by a chuckle. ``This is all very true...`` he commented as he was able to stay just as he was a short time longer before Ada had to move off to fetch the items her runner had gone and got for her. Ren stood back and watched as milk was set aside, then meat, cheese and bread were produced. A brow arched and he moved a little closer by one or two steps. He then listened as words were exchanged between boy and woman then smirked when the boy checked the coin's authenticity. The boy left with a happy grin and Ada commented on his statements of saluting and such. He nodded and chuckled. ``This is true...they simply follow orders and that is it.`` he then moved in to help her with the items and chuckled. ``Sarcasm... what would I do without it ... especially from you.`` he teased. Ren watched as Ada made the black fur ball a little more at home and once he was seen to, the hunter would move in behind and follow Ada.
Ada = "You would not like me half as much. Or at all." She smirked right back, and after closing the still room door on her little ball of fluff, led the way upstairs. It wouldn't do to get crumbs on her bear, which she liked just a bit more than Ren, unless he was also present, so they ate at her table. She brought out a little jar of her pickled grapes toward the end of the meal. He had more to eat, with the cured meat, whereas her cheese was easily devoured and chased down with the brown bread, so when he was finished, she hammered the cork back down on the jar to save it for later, sticking the jar on a shelf in what passed for her kitchen -- well, pantry, really. The shelf was kind of the extent of her kitchen, though her homemaking skills had improved a little bit -- there were more items on that shelf daily that would satisfy any snacking desire Ren had, and she could cover the whole thing with a beautiful piece of cloth she had found in the market, one covered in interesting patterns and designs, all painted on by hand in dyes local to Skye. There were a few other touches here and there that showed she had taken an interest in making her apartment feel more like home, like curtains on the windows, but one couldn't expect a housewife out of Ada, and what she had was almost too gaudy for her tastes.
Ren = Ren moved in after Ada up the stairs and into her room with items in hand. Once inside, he chuckled and replied to her last comment. ``Very true... you know me so well already.`` He teased back as they moved to her table, enjoyed the meal along with the pickled grapes she added to the little feast. After the meal was finished, he watched as she resealed the jar and put it away. His eyes drifted about the room and even though he had been here countless times now, he would notice each time something that was moved or added. The man thought it was nice that she had either made time, or had spare time to see to the small personal touches. Ren knew what sort of woman Ada was, and he was a man that would never expect anything more out of Ada than what she was already capable of doing now. He sat there at the table still, watching as she moved about here and there seeing to this or that, he casually commented. ``The place looks nice. I see you've added a few personal touches.``
Ada = Ada pinned the cloth into place over the shelves of food and glanced at him at his comment. "There is a certain aesthetic to a place newly moved into, with blank walls and a canvas primed to make of it what you will. It is the limitless potential for a space that makes a new home so exciting, at least, I think so." She rejoined him at the table, scooting her chair under. "But after a while, when nothing has been done with those blank walls, it begins to feel not like limitless potential but wasted and empty space. Something temporary, that someone else will decorate, when your time here has been finished. I do not plan on going anywhere, though." She smiled, then folded her arms beneath her chest so that she could sit back and observe him. "It looks good to me, the way it is now, and all the little things I add each day happen to fill the blank spaces I happen to care about." Though she wasn't exactly perfect homemaker material, she obviously would not be comfortable in rented space. She nudged her leg against his under the table, but had nothing else to say. Usually so filled with chatter, she could enjoy the silence when that seemed more suited for the moment, which it seemed to be just then.
Ren = ``I think you've done what you can, when you can with what you have. Which I also think is nice. Besides, I myself have help add to it with the couple of things I've brought.`` He said with a grin, meaning the bear skin, the kitten and of course himself. Dark eyes watched her as she sat back with folded arms and observed him. He too sat back, doing much of the same thing and then felt the nudge from her leg against his under the table. He grinned and leaned in, onto the table with arms still folded. The hunter said nothing to the healer for a long while, only smiled and stared at her in their odd sense of conversation through what others would see as an awkward silence. A few thoughts crossed his mind, possibly wondering what he could bring her next time. Whether it was something she would require... or something just because.
Ada = Ada's secret? She was terrible at giving gifts. But she was very, very good at expressing gratitude. "Ah, yes. The bear skin certainly gives my home a sense of charm. And ferocity. I appreciate the company." She grinned. A creature entirely of textile comforts, was the healer. Just wait until she had enough money to afford silk of her own! "No, more seriously, I do like that you've brought yourself into the room. Anything you wish to keep here, you are welcome. I know you have that room at the Briar, but you are spending so much time here." She wasn't inviting him to move in, merely stating that
it was easier if he chose to keep a few sets of clothes around. She supposed she could make room for him. Maybe. "When you go silent like that, I sometimes imagine you are plotting. But what are you plotting for and against whom?" When he was planning something for Ada, she'd recognized the little smirk that usually accompanied his silences. But now he merely seemed completely at ease just watching her. Yes, their silences were odd, but they were also comfortable. She used the current one to wonder what on earth a man like Ren would want that he did not provide for himself? Bah. Sentimentality escaped her even on her best days.
Ren = The smile he wore only seem to grow with her words of sarcasm. Something he was quite use to and strangely enjoyed. ``You're welcome...`` He replied with a little hint of sarcasm himself. When she truly thanked him though, he nodded and the smile was something of a warmer and more contented nature, genuine. ``I'm glad you do and I will remember that the next time I visit.`` He said, thinking that perhaps leaving a couple things here for his use (or hers) later was not such a bad idea. It would save trips back and forth as well as the time to do that. ``You think me to be plotting?`` He asked with an amused look. ``Hm... maybe something....and... someone I know, very well at that.`` the Greek teased. In time perhaps she would soon find out, but for now -- there was nothing decided upon. Merely ideas but yes... they had been in reference to Ada. He then leaned back in his chair only to scoot it back some but not before returning the nudge. He removed his boots and looked to her. ``Unless there is someplace you would like to go, I think I'll make myself a little more comfortable... if that is alright of course.`` A slight sense of teasing there as he began to unlace his boots and then removed them.
Ada = "I suspect you to be plotting, yes," she confirmed with a nod and a playful smile. "Though what thoughts are in your head are always very carefully masked." They were, too, she noted. He wasn't a man who wore his heart on his sleeve. Neither was he completely devoid of emotional substance, either. He was a happy middle, just as she was, though the fact that he had learned to restrict his chatter and she had not meant she naturally revealed a bit more about her active mind than he did. "You're asking me if it is alright to make yourself comfortable? Your first day in my shop, I had you standing in the nude." She laughed then, but let him make himself comfortable, never one to hamper a man and freedom for his feet. She pulled off her own shoes. "Aha, and do not think me too dry about your gift of the bear -- I couldn't imagine the place without him." Really, she couldn't. And she was still floored that he had given her such a thing. "I'd rather stay here, with him, unless you wish to go somewhere else? We should soon, though -- maybe as soon as I hire an apprentice. Now won't that be motivation? I can leave my shop early. We could let the bear recover a bit."
Ren = Ren laughed and heartily at that, making his form shake with the merriment, the corners of his eyes wrinkling more. The smile on his lips afterward reached those dark hues easily. ``Yes, you most certainly did. and I was... but being you've made your point by reminding me of that, I guess it was not necessary for me to ask, teasing or not.`` He paused then as he sat up straight in his chair once more and watched her remove her own shoes. ``No, I don't think you to dry...and I am sincerely glad you like him so much.`` he paused, glanced to the bear across her bed and then looked back to her. ``Then it is here we will stay because I have no place else I need to be or wish to go. I am right where I feel I should be.`` he said as he moved to stand to his feet. Ren then moved over to her, and with a chuckle, picked her up and playfully tossed her over a shoulder. ``Besides, if I were to go anywhere... I would have to bring you with me.`` said playfully. ``And in time, once you have your apprentice, he'll have enough time to recover, but as for now... he'll just have to suffer.`` He said as he moved over to the bed and put her down onto it and moved in beside her.
Ada = "Well, I am glad you are right where you should be. If you went anywhere now, I would...." Threats didn't really work against him. Well, then. "I would be very, very angry." She watched as he stood up, and though she probably should have recognized what was coming, she was still happily surprised when he swung her over his shoulder. He really knew how to impress a girl! Oh, how she adored that man and his strength. Any time he overwhelmed her with his size or force was exhilarating. It reminded her a bit of being caught up in a big wave, wonderfully powerless to stop him, though unlike the wave, a little sound of displeasure was enough to put a halt to Ren, as they compensated to one another's preferences. "Mm. Apologies to the bear. But I think he can withstand another night." She wiggled out of her dress and tossed it off the bed, slid her hands up his shirt to help him free of the garment, but before they dove in, she stretched out along her stomach to better reach the head of the bed, where she'd hidden some rope, not quite as harsh as those made with sisel, but they were not silk, either. What more could be said other than that Ada was a strange woman, and when she stretched out the length suggestively between both hands, brows arched, she hoped Ren would agree to the unasked question, rather than ask what the hell Ada thought she was doing. Just a ... minor hope.
Ren = The large man listened to the woman with her reply before he had to chuckle. ``Be very very angry? Is that all?`` He asked with a little more laughter that followed. Once they were comfortable on the bed, she removed her dress before helping him out of his shirt. ``I'm sure he'll understand.`` Ren said as he arched his brows while she stretched across the bed and reached for something. Was that rope? Oh my my my.... what have we here? He thought to himself with what had to be one of the most wicked smiles to ever cross his lips. What more could be said about Ada other than that she was a strange woman? What could be said was that she might be strange, but she was someone that was just as strange as he. The form for which her answer would be given was him presenting her with his wrists with the very same wicked grin from earlier. For Theodren Galanos, the night was going to prove to be very interesting and something very enjoyable for him as well as Ada.
Ada = Ada muttered at the brass scales as she polished them with a cloth, wishing they would not tarnish so quickly, and save her a bit of headache. Or arm-ache. She was only one woman, after all! But as far as the day went, business was brisk and the shelves had already been restocked, what was missing accounted for in her books, and the floors swept out. When her customers finally thinned out to none, she closed her door but kept the shutters open, used to last-minute requests and minor emergencies, and usually well enough tempered that she handled them with her usual grace and humor. The breeze also felt nice stirring the scents of her shop around, and she always imagined she was in a potpourri satchet when the shutters were bolted -- stifling, hot, and cloyingly sweet. She heard a knock at the door, and assuming it was just the time of the day to expect her favorite visitor, she tossed her work apron on a peg and went to meet her cat. She was notably surprised to find that her cat was holding a cat, and her eyes widened as she let them both in. "What did you bring me?" she asked unnecessarily, gently prying the animal from Ren's arm and balancing it against one shoulder. She reached up on the tips of her toes to plant a kiss on his lips. Ada charmed everyone she met, even this little cat who would sooner bat his tiny claws at a stranger than let her drape him over her shoulder. No doubt he would soon have free run of the place. "He's wonderful!"
Ren = Ren was looking and petting the kitten in his arm when Ada opened the door, having him look to her and then follow her inside. The healer took the kitten from him and he grinned. ``Just a nosey little friend of mine. Found him snooping around out back at the Inn where I usually do my own handy work.`` He replied. Ren watched as the kitten seem to make himself quite comfortable with the woman that held him. Was that purring he heard? He chuckled, the man couldn't blame him... she made him purr too. At Ada's kiss, he smiled and followed her a few more steps before stopping and crossing his arms. ``Maybe... but he's dirty...needs to be cleaned up a bit I think.`` He said with another chuckle. ``So... now you have yourself a black cat to go with the image and reputation you already hold. I think he suits you well...`` the Greek hunter jested lightly.
Ada = "Oh, we can give him a little bath in the garden. There is a pump out back." She smiled and motioned for him to follow. Her patient had left that morning to find quarters nearby, on the promise that Ada would be allowed to visit to check on her handiwork. It meant a little more breathing room, with the space now available for her to use it what it was originally intended for. Scratching the cat at the base of it's skull, amazed at how tiny and delicate the bones were, she led the way through the still room. The still was silent, nothing boiling today, and the cot in the corner was ready to be folded up, though for now, blankets had been folded and rested neatly like a pillow at the head. There was a fire in the hearth, but it had been reduced to glowing red coals, and a few scattered kettles rested here and there, waiting for Ada to pick them up and put them away. Which she kept promising she would do. Crates lined one wall and held all of her stock shipped from France. Soon she would have to make new contacts to ensure she did not run out of anything, but for now, her supplies were ample, and would carry her through the summer, at least until her garden yielded something useful. Through the back door and out into the garden, where fire had ravaged the weeds and left her with clear, beautiful soil ripe for planting, a pump standing closer to the building. It was the newest feature of the property, really, as all her surrounding neighbors drew from a common well. The kitten was content to rest on her shoulder, back end supported by the shelf of her breasts, but the work involved drawing water meant the cat would have to move. She set him down on the ground, and he twined through her legs before joining Ren to watch. Ada put just enough water in the basin to do the job. "Ah, rumors, rumors. I am a witch and I have a drugged Frenchman in my work room, and now a black cat. I also seduced a handsome hunter who keeps me thoroughly occupied day and night." She winked at him. If only work did not intervene!
Ren = Ren nodded as she spoke of the pump out back and of course followed when she motioned for him to. He noticed they were now able to make their way into and through the still room. He assumed her patient was well enough now and had left to return back to her own place or sought out a place elsewhere. He saw the cot, the folded blankets and the red coals in the hearth. There were kettles and crates... she looked to be a busy woman. They reached the garden and he saw where fire had made it's presence known but also saw how she had made use of it, or was in the process of doing so. Ren looked to the pump she neared and then to Ada as the kitten continued to stay perched on her shoulder. The little guy had to be put down for a moment and he smiled as he saw the fur ball weave in and out between Ada's legs before coming to him. The hunter squatted and began to scratch him behind his ears and under his chin until Ada had a basin of water for the kitten's bath ready. ``Okay fellow... time for you to get cleaned up.`` He stated as he picked him up and moved to hand him off to Ada. At her comments, he chuckled. ``I do my best...hopefully it's good enough. And speaking of your work... we need to see if we can't make less time for it and more time for... well... me.`` He said with a wry grin.
Ada = "Ah, feeling neglected, cat?" she asked him, grinning. She took her kitten and chatted with him for a few minutes. "I bet you don't like water much, do you? But how would you know, you have never had a bath, obviously." She gave a sniff behind his ears. He smelled fine to Ada, but if he had anything foul on him, it was good to get it off before they got on her! "Well, I suppose we will need soap." She disappeared briefly back into her store room and emerged a second later with the proper glass bottle. Soapwort and a few herbs for chasing away fleas, meant for humans but it would do in a pinch. The cat would have full-volume and perfectly shiny fur when she was finished, she thought wryly. And now it was time to convince her cat that a bath would be beneficial. Possibly even feel good. After a little splashing, the kitten decided the battle was futile, and suffered the indignity of letting Ada suds him up. He even purred despite himself as she got right behind his ears, and arched his back into her hand as she ran it along his spine. "I told you so," she teased the animal, careful not to get her face too close unless he put out one last salvo. She washed her cat free of the soap and let him out of the basin, carrying him back inside so that he wouldn't leave muddy paw prints leading back through her store. She set him on the floor and let him figure things out in the store room. "I am thinking about hiring an apprentice," she told Ren.
Ren = The Greek male gave a light shrug of his broad shoulders and grinned. He then watched as Ada spoke to the other feline now in her life and chuckled softly to himself as his arms folded over his chest. He would be surprised if this little guy didn't scratch her to the point she got cat scratch fever. She needed soap and disappeared with kitten in hand to get it and returned, placing him in the basin and getting him use to the water. It seemed to take a little longer than he thought, but between Ada and the kitten, Ada won. Then he saw something he didn't think possible... the kitten purring, in water and soap as Ada cleaned him up, only to rinse him before they all set back to return inside to the shop. He watched as Ada sat the less than fluffy fur ball down and mentioned her wanting to hire an apprentice. ``You are needing help then?`` He asked, scratching at his chin a little.
Ada = "Mm. There is so much to be done during the day, and I still have to mind the store. I could really use two to help, though one would be sufficient. Someone to help with the gardening, at least temporarily, and someone to learn the trade in the shop. If I had that much, I could spend more time fixing other parts of the building, or exploring the isle for more supplies or new herbs." While they talked, Ada finally picked up the kettles. The one with food still in it, she found the cover for and set it away from the hearth, lest the oats burn onto the inside and become impossible to clean out. But the kettle with water in it she set over the flames, nudging a new piece of wood down and puffing air across the coals until it caught fire. "I will ask Rose if she knows anyone. I would post a flier, but not everyone reads, and I do trust Rose's judgment. More than my own, sometimes," she teased. She watched the kitten amble toward the fire, just close enough that it seemed to scour all the water from his fur and make him suddenly puff out as if he had seen a ghost. Ah, this little guy would provide endless amusement for the healer, no doubt. When she found some string, a stick, and a spare bit of cloth, she might have no real need for Ren! The thought stuck in her head for just a few seconds, long enough to look up at the Greek, consider it, and then decide she had time for both.
Ren = The hunter nodded as she explained more in depth as to why and how nice it would be for her to turn her attention to other things needed on occasion. ``Well, I can see to the repairs... I don't hold a title of carpenter... but I'm capable of fixing things.`` He said as his eyes followed her movements. ``Rose should know of someone if not a few...and yes, she's a smart woman. Knows a good majority of the people around here and can tell you who would fit and who to avoid... not to mention as to why.`` he stated as his eyes turned to the kitten. He chuckled seeing the hair fluff almost instantly, and had Ren knew of Ada's thoughts, he would have to agree. This smut colored feline was going to be both amusing and trouble. He looked back to Ada then, his head tilted as she seem to be thinking on something and he wondered what. Did she realize she was grinning? ``I'm scared to ask why it is you are grinning like that.`` he teased.
Ada = No, she didn't, but she wouldn't mind if he pointed it out, which he eventually did. "Oh, I was just thinking. I have a new toy. I thought it might keep me from playing with my old toy, and then ... I decided I can make room for both." She sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall of crates. "Then I will talk to her about it. And we should talk about the repairs I need made, though of course, only when you're able and if you're willing to do them. I think the most important one is the door going upstairs -- it scares the living daylights out of me sometimes. Just ... slam! And my heart goes into my throat, you have no idea," she explained, going so far as to place a hand over her own heart to demonstrate. "I am sure it is doing damage to that wall. Anyway. So! Before you found the kitten, what did you do today? I was not able to leave the shop at all." Not that it felt like a prison, but it was occasionally nice to see sunlight. Ada woke before dawn and didn't close her shop doors until sunset most days, unless business was unusually slow and she took a day off to go mushroom or Ren hunting.
Ren = At her reply, a smile slowly grew wider with each word she shared. ``Is that right? Hm.. well.. now I see where I stand...`` He teased back as he watched her then move to the floor. The dark male nodded and moved to do the same, sitting across from her really so that their new friend was between them. ``I can see to that first thing tomorrow if you like.`` He said as he motioned to the door with a lift of his chin before looking back toward her. ``I can just imagine... `` He added a minute later. ``The wall I can inspect a little later, and if I feel I can't be of help there... I'll help you find someone that is better suited for the job.`` Ren looked to the kitten that was now coming toward him, with Ren sitting Indian style...the little guy made it look like he was climbing a mountain. Ren chuckled with arched brows as he felt the fur ball's claws latching into the leather pants. ``Easy there fellow.`` said the Greek as a hand helped him up the rest of the way to save Ren's breeches... and his leg.
Ada = "Mm, indeed, only I am allowed to claw at his breeches." Ada laughed, and watched the kitten make his way up Ren. The animal was going to be trouble, which of course made him a perfectly suitable gift for Ada. There was nothing, it seemed, she could not handle or would not tolerate. She was a instigator and imp, though she put on a reasonable facade for her public that she might be, if coaxed, a good and biddable woman despite low-cut dresses and the swing to her hips. "That would be nice. Anything you can do. Benoit bought this shop for me," she mentioned, looking around the still room, as if expecting to see her Master's touch on everything, though he had never set foot in Skye. "He wished to set up somewhere far enough from Paris, though I do not know if he meant to live here himself, or give it to me. He was a strange man, but he always had good taste. I wish ... well, we left a lot unsaid, and now it must remain so." She wished Gauthier had not pretended there was a letter from Benoit. She hadn't found any among his possessions, something she shamefully admitted to ransacking, just in case he was merely withholding. "Hmm," she added thoughtfully, letting her head rest against the crate and eyeing both cats lazily.
Ren = Ren laughed at her little comment about her being the only one allowed to claw at his breeches. His eyes narrowed some as he looked back to her, picking up the kitten in one hand and bringing the little guy to his chest. Using his free hand to scratch behind his ears, under his chin and then down along his back before setting him back in his lap. ``I don't mind seeing to it, and it will help you save your coin.`` He said as he glanced down to the nameless feline who was climbing out of his lap and now making his way over to inspect Ada. Ren could see how much the place meant to her, not just because it was her way of life, but because of her former Master. His face seem to show a bit of sympathy for her as she spoke of the man. ``You can still share them with him... your thoughts and such. Just because he is gone from one place, does not mean he no longer exist.`` Ren said. Was he suggesting ghosts or spirits... not exactly, not in the sense one might think. The large burly male readjusted his body, with a leg still bent it rested against the floor. The other remained bent as well but upright, he braced some of his weight on a hand to the floor and the other arm rested on the knee at the elbow. He smiled faintly, and his head tilted as he stared at her, though it wasn't in any ill manner. On the contrary... it was just the opposite.
Ada = "I do, almost every day. It is difficult, missing someone who had such a strong voice in life. He had opinions about everything. Mostly, that he hated it." She grinned. "I do not know why he kept me around so much. I do not think I could hate anything even if I tried. It probably made him a little mad. Talk about the rainy, dismal weather and I could always point out it was good for the plants. Mention the stench coming through the window and I told him how nice the lavender smelled in comparison. I was insufferable, in other words." Laughing now, she let her kitten crawl onto her skirts and across her thigh. "Oh, he is so tiny!" she exclaimed, but his claws were certainly not tiny! They felt like little needles climbing up her leg, and she understood why Ren had been anxious to reposition the cat. She placed him back on her shoulder, letting him crawl around her neck, paw at her hair, and then finally, come to a rest like he was some sort of familiar, purring happily in her ear through a curtain of her curls, drawn out of the loose knot and apparently in existence for his pleasure. She wasn't sure she wanted to give her kitten a name. Cats were fiercely independent, and he could come and go as he wished. But she did need something to shout at him when he got into what should not be gotten into. A name would come in time, once she was sure of his personality. "What are you thinking now?" she asked him, curiosity getting the better of her at that look he gave her.
Ren = ``I say that because I do that.`` He commented, meaning spoke to those that have already passed from this world to another. ``It's good to do that... some people wouldn't understand it, others think it's something a mad person would do.`` He then listened as she shared more about the former Master of her life in another place and time. It all had the Greek male chuckling and nodding, easily seeing things as she described them. ``I don't think you were insufferable. If I can tolerate you... anyone can.`` He teased. Dark eyes watched as the black kitten moved about his master freely, a smile slowly growing. At her question, he sort sniffed and gave a innocent act of shrugging his shoulders. ``Nothing really... just... thinking.`` He said before taking a minute to pause and then added. ``Moments like this are nice...``
Ada = "They are," she agreed, with a warmer smile. They remained where they were for a long time before Ada's stomach was compelled to break the spell. She put a hand to her stomach to quell its rumbling. "Let's go, cat, I am hungry, and you will need milk." Distinguishing between her two cats was going to be a wonderful adventure for anyone who had any sort of in depth conversation with the healer, but she considered that their problem, not hers. Her cats were very well distinguished all on their own. Holding the kitten steady on her shoulder as she stood up, she waited for Ren to join her and then opened the door of the still room out to the main shop. Through the open windows, she called to one of her favorite urchins to run for some milk, and perhaps some cured meat in case Ren was hungry. It could keep indefinitely, so he would not have to eat it all tonight. She slipped the lad some coin and promised him more if he returned promptly. With a sharp salute to his mistress, he dashed off into the crowd. Ada turned back to face Ren. "I couldn't honestly think of a nicer conclusion to my day." There was no tease to her voice, just honesty. She walked to the counter and set the little cinder-colored cat down, where he pawed at the scale she had just polished and then leaped back, shocked that it retaliated by swinging back at him.
Ren = He sighed in a contented manner with her agreeing and watched her and the kitten a little longer before silence was no more due to Ada's stomach. He chuckled lightly and nodded, standing after she had and then moving in behind her as they walked back into the main part of the shop. He could tell that this little black fur ball was going to make a good companion for Ada and keep things interesting for her around here. That was good, he could do that when Ren wasn't around and able. Dark eyes watched Ada call for the boy he had met a couple times before, but only in passing, as she sent him out to fetch a couple things. He chuckled at the boys salute to Ada and crossed his arms with an arch of a brow. ``Have males saluting you now hm? Maybe Danae can use a second in command... aside from Merick.`` He teased. The Greek male bent down and kissed her cheek then... lingering perhaps a little longer than he should have. Then again... neither of them ever complained about such actions. ``Good... because I am sure there will be more days just like this one to come.`` He offered softly with a little grin before looking to the kitten who was now standing with his hair raised. The Greek male laughed a little then and straightened in his stance.
Ada = He knew how much she reacted like a cat herself when he came in from behind and placed that lingering kiss to her cheek. Perhaps he didn't have food on the mind as much as she did at that moment! "Oh, I hope so." She pulled his arms around her like he was her coat, and let her hands rest on his crossed arms. The little kitten's fur slowly began to lay flat again, though he was cautious not to go near the scale, instead wandering in the other direction, sniffing here and there, finding interesting scents wherever he went. He would be quite happy here, Ada realized. Particularly if he was a social creature, who didn't run hissing in the opposite direction when people came through the front door. Judging by how easily he went to Ada and Ren, and how he did not seem to mind being picked up, she doubted he would. "That sort of response makes some part of me wish to see what else he'll encounter that he does not like," she laughed. "But he is my pet, not my science experiment." The cat eventually found a place near her tray of seedlings to curl up and ponder the strange humans watching him. But they weren't really all that interesting, and so he took to cleaning himself, starting with his paws.
Ren = Ren indeed knew that, but perhaps this time it had been purely accidental. Okay.. maybe not entirely... but oh well. When she pulled his arms around her, he let them go freely. They both watched the little kitten wander off to have a closer look at a few other things. Ren was glad his idea of bringing the fellow here proved to be a good move it seemed. The kitten was happy, Ada was happy, which made the Greek male happy, so all was well it seemed. ``Oh, I am sure he will have us smiling and laughing a great deal.`` replied the hunter. As they watched him, the feline seem to take an interest in Ada and Ren, but it didn't last very long as he turned to focus on himself with a bath. ``Decided on a name yet then?`` he asked out of curiosity. Curious to know whatever name was bestowed on him, if he would live up to.
Ada = "I think it can wait," she decided. "Names are powerful things. Though I do not think he is a 'Bob' or 'Jean,' so at least, there is progress in knowing what will not suit." Names were very powerful things, indeed. First was the Word, and then all of Creation came into being. Stars had names and courses in the heavens, people had names and courses through their lives; everything that had a name had a purpose, everything with purpose had a name. Names imparted ownership, or at the very least, a stewardship, the relationship of owner to item. Naming things and people was a daunting task, any way Ada chose to look at it. "Neither is he a 'Cinder' or 'Boots,'" she added helpfully. Sadly, their conversation and his embrace were broken by a shout from the window. Her urchin had indeed moved quickly! He shoved a bottle of milk for her to take through the window. She set it down on the counter and came back for the other items -- meat for him, fresh cheese for her, and a loaf of brown bread. Ada found more coin and placed it in the lad's hand. "You are untold help, mon cher," she told him. The boy snorted, and perhaps used to being swindled by adults, bit the coin to ensure it was real before wandering away. "I do not think your sister gets that sort of reaction from her soldiers, though," Ada said thoughtfully, her arms filled with food as she stared after the boy. "Salute, yes, but the sarcasm comes for free. Well, kitten, whatever your name will be, let us pour you a bowl of milk for tonight, yes?" So the other cat could come upstairs and play, was Ada's plan. She filled a dish for him and set him on the floor, in case the counter was too high for him to jump from. There wasn't much trouble he could get into from his height, but the still room would be a safer place for him anyway, just in case he decided to frolick in her open baskets of dried herbs. Or use them for a litter box. Both of which would be extremely unpleasant to clean up.
Ren = The man behind her nodded and grinned which was followed by a chuckle. ``This is all very true...`` he commented as he was able to stay just as he was a short time longer before Ada had to move off to fetch the items her runner had gone and got for her. Ren stood back and watched as milk was set aside, then meat, cheese and bread were produced. A brow arched and he moved a little closer by one or two steps. He then listened as words were exchanged between boy and woman then smirked when the boy checked the coin's authenticity. The boy left with a happy grin and Ada commented on his statements of saluting and such. He nodded and chuckled. ``This is true...they simply follow orders and that is it.`` he then moved in to help her with the items and chuckled. ``Sarcasm... what would I do without it ... especially from you.`` he teased. Ren watched as Ada made the black fur ball a little more at home and once he was seen to, the hunter would move in behind and follow Ada.
Ada = "You would not like me half as much. Or at all." She smirked right back, and after closing the still room door on her little ball of fluff, led the way upstairs. It wouldn't do to get crumbs on her bear, which she liked just a bit more than Ren, unless he was also present, so they ate at her table. She brought out a little jar of her pickled grapes toward the end of the meal. He had more to eat, with the cured meat, whereas her cheese was easily devoured and chased down with the brown bread, so when he was finished, she hammered the cork back down on the jar to save it for later, sticking the jar on a shelf in what passed for her kitchen -- well, pantry, really. The shelf was kind of the extent of her kitchen, though her homemaking skills had improved a little bit -- there were more items on that shelf daily that would satisfy any snacking desire Ren had, and she could cover the whole thing with a beautiful piece of cloth she had found in the market, one covered in interesting patterns and designs, all painted on by hand in dyes local to Skye. There were a few other touches here and there that showed she had taken an interest in making her apartment feel more like home, like curtains on the windows, but one couldn't expect a housewife out of Ada, and what she had was almost too gaudy for her tastes.
Ren = Ren moved in after Ada up the stairs and into her room with items in hand. Once inside, he chuckled and replied to her last comment. ``Very true... you know me so well already.`` He teased back as they moved to her table, enjoyed the meal along with the pickled grapes she added to the little feast. After the meal was finished, he watched as she resealed the jar and put it away. His eyes drifted about the room and even though he had been here countless times now, he would notice each time something that was moved or added. The man thought it was nice that she had either made time, or had spare time to see to the small personal touches. Ren knew what sort of woman Ada was, and he was a man that would never expect anything more out of Ada than what she was already capable of doing now. He sat there at the table still, watching as she moved about here and there seeing to this or that, he casually commented. ``The place looks nice. I see you've added a few personal touches.``
Ada = Ada pinned the cloth into place over the shelves of food and glanced at him at his comment. "There is a certain aesthetic to a place newly moved into, with blank walls and a canvas primed to make of it what you will. It is the limitless potential for a space that makes a new home so exciting, at least, I think so." She rejoined him at the table, scooting her chair under. "But after a while, when nothing has been done with those blank walls, it begins to feel not like limitless potential but wasted and empty space. Something temporary, that someone else will decorate, when your time here has been finished. I do not plan on going anywhere, though." She smiled, then folded her arms beneath her chest so that she could sit back and observe him. "It looks good to me, the way it is now, and all the little things I add each day happen to fill the blank spaces I happen to care about." Though she wasn't exactly perfect homemaker material, she obviously would not be comfortable in rented space. She nudged her leg against his under the table, but had nothing else to say. Usually so filled with chatter, she could enjoy the silence when that seemed more suited for the moment, which it seemed to be just then.
Ren = ``I think you've done what you can, when you can with what you have. Which I also think is nice. Besides, I myself have help add to it with the couple of things I've brought.`` He said with a grin, meaning the bear skin, the kitten and of course himself. Dark eyes watched her as she sat back with folded arms and observed him. He too sat back, doing much of the same thing and then felt the nudge from her leg against his under the table. He grinned and leaned in, onto the table with arms still folded. The hunter said nothing to the healer for a long while, only smiled and stared at her in their odd sense of conversation through what others would see as an awkward silence. A few thoughts crossed his mind, possibly wondering what he could bring her next time. Whether it was something she would require... or something just because.
Ada = Ada's secret? She was terrible at giving gifts. But she was very, very good at expressing gratitude. "Ah, yes. The bear skin certainly gives my home a sense of charm. And ferocity. I appreciate the company." She grinned. A creature entirely of textile comforts, was the healer. Just wait until she had enough money to afford silk of her own! "No, more seriously, I do like that you've brought yourself into the room. Anything you wish to keep here, you are welcome. I know you have that room at the Briar, but you are spending so much time here." She wasn't inviting him to move in, merely stating that
it was easier if he chose to keep a few sets of clothes around. She supposed she could make room for him. Maybe. "When you go silent like that, I sometimes imagine you are plotting. But what are you plotting for and against whom?" When he was planning something for Ada, she'd recognized the little smirk that usually accompanied his silences. But now he merely seemed completely at ease just watching her. Yes, their silences were odd, but they were also comfortable. She used the current one to wonder what on earth a man like Ren would want that he did not provide for himself? Bah. Sentimentality escaped her even on her best days.
Ren = The smile he wore only seem to grow with her words of sarcasm. Something he was quite use to and strangely enjoyed. ``You're welcome...`` He replied with a little hint of sarcasm himself. When she truly thanked him though, he nodded and the smile was something of a warmer and more contented nature, genuine. ``I'm glad you do and I will remember that the next time I visit.`` He said, thinking that perhaps leaving a couple things here for his use (or hers) later was not such a bad idea. It would save trips back and forth as well as the time to do that. ``You think me to be plotting?`` He asked with an amused look. ``Hm... maybe something....and... someone I know, very well at that.`` the Greek teased. In time perhaps she would soon find out, but for now -- there was nothing decided upon. Merely ideas but yes... they had been in reference to Ada. He then leaned back in his chair only to scoot it back some but not before returning the nudge. He removed his boots and looked to her. ``Unless there is someplace you would like to go, I think I'll make myself a little more comfortable... if that is alright of course.`` A slight sense of teasing there as he began to unlace his boots and then removed them.
Ada = "I suspect you to be plotting, yes," she confirmed with a nod and a playful smile. "Though what thoughts are in your head are always very carefully masked." They were, too, she noted. He wasn't a man who wore his heart on his sleeve. Neither was he completely devoid of emotional substance, either. He was a happy middle, just as she was, though the fact that he had learned to restrict his chatter and she had not meant she naturally revealed a bit more about her active mind than he did. "You're asking me if it is alright to make yourself comfortable? Your first day in my shop, I had you standing in the nude." She laughed then, but let him make himself comfortable, never one to hamper a man and freedom for his feet. She pulled off her own shoes. "Aha, and do not think me too dry about your gift of the bear -- I couldn't imagine the place without him." Really, she couldn't. And she was still floored that he had given her such a thing. "I'd rather stay here, with him, unless you wish to go somewhere else? We should soon, though -- maybe as soon as I hire an apprentice. Now won't that be motivation? I can leave my shop early. We could let the bear recover a bit."
Ren = Ren laughed and heartily at that, making his form shake with the merriment, the corners of his eyes wrinkling more. The smile on his lips afterward reached those dark hues easily. ``Yes, you most certainly did. and I was... but being you've made your point by reminding me of that, I guess it was not necessary for me to ask, teasing or not.`` He paused then as he sat up straight in his chair once more and watched her remove her own shoes. ``No, I don't think you to dry...and I am sincerely glad you like him so much.`` he paused, glanced to the bear across her bed and then looked back to her. ``Then it is here we will stay because I have no place else I need to be or wish to go. I am right where I feel I should be.`` he said as he moved to stand to his feet. Ren then moved over to her, and with a chuckle, picked her up and playfully tossed her over a shoulder. ``Besides, if I were to go anywhere... I would have to bring you with me.`` said playfully. ``And in time, once you have your apprentice, he'll have enough time to recover, but as for now... he'll just have to suffer.`` He said as he moved over to the bed and put her down onto it and moved in beside her.
Ada = "Well, I am glad you are right where you should be. If you went anywhere now, I would...." Threats didn't really work against him. Well, then. "I would be very, very angry." She watched as he stood up, and though she probably should have recognized what was coming, she was still happily surprised when he swung her over his shoulder. He really knew how to impress a girl! Oh, how she adored that man and his strength. Any time he overwhelmed her with his size or force was exhilarating. It reminded her a bit of being caught up in a big wave, wonderfully powerless to stop him, though unlike the wave, a little sound of displeasure was enough to put a halt to Ren, as they compensated to one another's preferences. "Mm. Apologies to the bear. But I think he can withstand another night." She wiggled out of her dress and tossed it off the bed, slid her hands up his shirt to help him free of the garment, but before they dove in, she stretched out along her stomach to better reach the head of the bed, where she'd hidden some rope, not quite as harsh as those made with sisel, but they were not silk, either. What more could be said other than that Ada was a strange woman, and when she stretched out the length suggestively between both hands, brows arched, she hoped Ren would agree to the unasked question, rather than ask what the hell Ada thought she was doing. Just a ... minor hope.
Ren = The large man listened to the woman with her reply before he had to chuckle. ``Be very very angry? Is that all?`` He asked with a little more laughter that followed. Once they were comfortable on the bed, she removed her dress before helping him out of his shirt. ``I'm sure he'll understand.`` Ren said as he arched his brows while she stretched across the bed and reached for something. Was that rope? Oh my my my.... what have we here? He thought to himself with what had to be one of the most wicked smiles to ever cross his lips. What more could be said about Ada other than that she was a strange woman? What could be said was that she might be strange, but she was someone that was just as strange as he. The form for which her answer would be given was him presenting her with his wrists with the very same wicked grin from earlier. For Theodren Galanos, the night was going to prove to be very interesting and something very enjoyable for him as well as Ada.
