Avakaron ⇒ [Completed] A Partying of Words

[Solara Ekin]

Winter of 38th/320

Solara got out of bed, making sure she was wearing her favorite work boots and some casual clothing such as a clean cloth shirt and pants. She leaves her room with a smile to see her mother and father cooking while the Eachans set up the decorations, which she thought was nice of them to do.

Today the shop was closed for the day due to the party and because they all wanted to focus on helping Solara with making sure the birthday went smoothly with so many people coming. Solara wasn’t really too worried about potential customers coming up to them, wondering why they were closed as she tried to put the stress of the job out of her mind.

Solara said her good mornings to her parents as she went to check to make sure the alcohol was fine for the night, she also helped out as best she could to make everyone’s job a bit easier. She ended up helping the Eachans with the traditional decorations for a birthday girl in Avakaron. The food in the kitchen was full of sweets from the store that Avakaronians love and other assortments of food like trout and smashed spuds.

Solara smiled as she went ahead to eat one of the little mini-snacks which was a cracker with chocolate. Her parents smiled as she made a little happy noise, soon leaving to get back to work to make sure that everything is ready.

Soon Solara went to the living room which was an assortment of couches and comfy chairs around a fireplace and an open space of carpet in the middle. There were a few decorations on the walls such as paintings in frames on the right and even a crisscross of swords on the walls to the left when you walk in the room. Solara went over to the fireplace and grabbed some matches, she went ahead to start the fire and waited for it to light up. Once she got the fire going, she put the fire shield over it to make sure that it didn’t catch anything outside of the fireplace on fire.

Solara then went outside to the front door and waited for her invited guests to show up.

[Azat Usmanov]

Azat awoke early to get his workout in. A run through town, about 2 miles in total, and then back for his usual sit ups and push ups to try and keep his body healthy since he wasn't doing manual labor daily anymore. He had gotten accustomed to hard work and heavy lifting and made it a point to keep up with, at least, his body as classes and teaching wasn't the most physical thing be could do. It would be very easy to just go soft and get fat, but that was a criticism he was not going to subject himself too by his father, or anyone else.

After cleaning up he dressed, choosing to go with his casual attire instead of his usual students robes, he got ready for the party. Cotton shirt and pants with his leather boot and his belt to sinch it all in place. This was the first Birthday party he would attend in his life, sure he was invited before by neighborhood friends, but between the farm work and the bruises he would never actually go. For the first time in his life he would get to experience a party and he was very excited to be on his way.

Having no idea of party etiquette he picked up the bag of wrapped gifts consisting of a hand hammer, a portable Whetstone abs a pair of tongs and headed off towards the Blacksmith shop. He didn't know what Solara had of her own but 5 topaz sherriks was all he could afford and hoped it was a good smattering of gifts for an up and coming Blacksmith. Solara was proud of her work and he hoped this would help her progress.

Being careful where he walked as to not make a mess of himself, he waded through the Market and to the Blacksmiths shop. Judging by the sun, he would say he was early. Oh wonderful, awkward conversation to start his first interactions of the day. He hoped he wasn't the first to arrive as he began to knock on the door.

[Currituck Itavi]

The day after Solara invited Currituck to her birthday party...

It was known that, in human culture, different flowers have different meanings. A red rose would be given to someone to signify that the giver feels romantic attraction towards the recipient, for example. Currituck, having visited human ports countless times over the course of his career at sea, knew of this 'language of flowers' as well as a few meanings. Meanings that resonated with him personally.

Currituck knew what he wanted to get Solara for her birthday. The problem was that it was winter, and no flowers were blooming.

The young sailor wakes before the sun, as dictated by his internal rhythm, despite having had trouble getting to sleep the night before due to his mind being a-swirl with thought regarding what in Cheon's Domain he was gonna do about his out-of-season gift idea. His fuzzy eyes drift around his room, falling naturally on the shadowy wall decorations his mother put up over the course of his childhood and early teenage years. Small embroidery projects depicting nautical scenes and paraphernalia: an anchor, a sailboat floating on the water.

It hits him.

Currituck lies in bed for a little while longer, enjoying the cozies and smiling happily at having figured out how to make his gift idea work. He wiggles his hips around in sleepy giddiness.

Alright, time to pee.

After answering nature's call, Currituck dresses and goes outside to do...Currituck stuff. He was always first to awaken in the ol' Itavi longhouse, so he wouldn't be able to talk to his mom about his gift for another hour or so. Well, he could, but he's not a rude ass who wakes up his mom just to commission her. He spends time looking up at the early morning stars through the lenses of his glasses, thinking about the design of his idea. Yes, yes, this is a good design! He grows evermore excited as the stars fade in the wake of the coming morning.

...

The sun has risen. Currituck's parents have awoken.

His mother would be giving him a fresh haircut today.

Currituck sits up straight in the dining room chair that is currently known as a 'barber's chair.'

"Hey, mom?"

"Yeah, sweetie?"

His eyes bore holes into one of his mother's kitchen embroidered wall decorations.

"I need an embroidered patch done."

"Sure, what do you want it to look like?"

His eyes hammer nails through indeterminate focal points as he explains:

"One and a half inches wide... Two inches tall... Black border...white background..." He blinks and looks down at the floor, hair clippings catching on his eyelashes. "On the foreground there will be two roses, with their stems crossing over like this--" he makes an X-shape with his forearms, and his mom stops snipping to look. She nods--

"Uh-huh."

--and continues, Currituck rolling away with his explanation: "The head on the left--" He gestures with his left palm perpendicular to the floor to indicate the viewer's left. "--will be orange. The head on the right--" He gestures in the same manner with his right hand. "--will be yellow. And the areas between the roses and the borders--" He gestures rapidly with his palms at the top, left, right, and bottom of the envisioned design. "--will have coriander flowers."

"Uhhh-huh." His mom smiles. "Any particular reason for flowers, Currituck?"

Currituck smiles sweetly, blushing. "It's a gift for someone..."

His mother smirks, snipping away at his short hair. "Ahhh, someone caught your eye again?"

"Mm-hmm~" He moves his legs to and fro, pressing his feet into the floor.

"Sit still, sweetie."

"Yes, ma'am."

Currituck sits still, and soon his mother is done with his cut. She brings a mirror over.

"What do you think, handsome?"

Currituck gets a big grin on his face at the sight of his crisp, shorter hair. He reaches his hand up and rubs it vigorously over the lovely, lovely! texture, sending lingering clippings flying away.

"Love it!!!! Love it!!!!"

He can't stop grinning. He hops off the chair as his mom steps away, gesturing towards one of the spare rooms which she uses as an in-house workshop with her thumb. She stands three inches taller than her son. "Hey, can you sweep up? I'm going to start on your patch -- should be done by this evening."

"Yes, ma'am."

Currituck grabs the broom and sweeps up the discarded small clumps of hair on the floor, then disposes of them. His dad comes home from buying supplies for the shop and the two men chat for a bit, Currituck telling his father of his travels and ol' Pop regaling his son with how business has been going ashore. After their catching-up, Currituck heads north-northwest through town to the dockhouse to study the map of the Gordon Strait that is displayed on the wall there -- he'd be heading out there again soon so it is a good idea to get a refresher before his departure. He stands facing the tacked up chart and makes note of its compass rose. His index finger traces the northern shoreline, beginning at Avakaron, due west, muttering the names of the ports and settlements his finger passes over, picturing in his mind how the settlements and geography appear when viewed from ships' decks as he'd sailed past them before, tracing the angles at which each dock juts out from the land, further cementing the mental connection between the charts and what he's seen, envisioning himself turning the ship to starboard as the land juts north, straightening her out when the land becomes perpendicular to magnetic north, turning her southward, keeping her parallel with the land on her port side, moving his index finger further west along the shorline on the chart, crossing over onto the western half of the paper, naming those towns and ports, remembering the waves to the ship the crew saw the locals giving them from the edges of the piers as they departed, feeling the massive wave that hit the ship's starboard side when they came into that storm a day out from Paethsmouth, reaching that human-dominated seaport, then doubling back due east, envisioning turning the ship about -- easy does it! She'll capsize if you aren't careful -- and performing the same mental exercises on the imaginary return trip to Avakaron, remembering how a seagull flew alongside the ship that one time, how he waved at it, how it avented in response, how he blew raspberries at it for its rudeness -- alright, focus on the navigational parts -- murmuring the names of the settlements and ports over again as his finger passed over them once more, at last returning to Avakaron's happy ports. His home.

Currituck takes a deep breath and stretches. He had really gotten in the zone, and needed to ground himself in his surroundings. He looks around the lobby of the dockhouse, at a pair of sailors chatting, at the dockmaster reading a book behind the front counter idly; he feels the paper of the Gordon Strait map, the wood of the wall it is tacked onto, noting the textures and colors. He then heads home, raising a hand in farewell to the dockmaster and the fellow seamen as he walks out the door. Upon reaching the front stoop of the Itavi longhouse, he hears the sounds of his mother and father talking in the kitchen -- hmm, she must be done now. Currituck opens the front door and walks into the kitchen.

"Hey, mom. Hey, pop." He raises a hand in greeting.

"Oh hey, sweetie. I just finished your patch." His mother shows him the finished product. Currituck's eyes light up.

"It's perfect!!"

His mom beams. "Only the best for my son~"

Currituck hugs his mommy-dearest, then pays her for the work. She hands him the embroidery, when his dad chimes in:

"So, I hear this little patch is for a special someone! You gonna bring this one home to meet the family this time?"

"I dunno." Currituck shrugs. "I mean, I wanna be good friends with her, so maybe?"

"Ahh." His father looks a little confused, but sports a supportive smile, like his wife in turn, who says: "Well, if and when you do want to bring someone home to meet us, we'll be here." Her husband nods in agreement, then interjects: "Well, time for dinner! Let's all get washed up."

After dinner and goodnight hugs and kisses, Currituck konks out in his warm, soft, cozy bed.

He's so excited for the party.

~~~

The afternoon of...

Currituck doesn't get back to Avakaron from his laden voyage until the afternoon. He's excited.

First order of business to prepare for the party: bathe and wash clothes. He heads over to the communal bathhouse to do just that. A few other hygiene enthusiasts are there, cleaning their bodies and clothes. Currituck joins them to their mutual end, beginning with washing his clothes. Scrub scrub scrub like it's that tercer filthy deck -- gotta get these clothes clean! He pauses abruptly at one point in his scrubbing, overtaken by a memory. He snaps out of his thoughts and continues cleaning his clothes. And once they're devoid of salt and grime, Currituck hangs them up to dry. Then he moves onto washing his own giss, scrub-a-dub-dubbing everywhere. If only he had a toy seagull with him, that would make bathtime all the more fun. And maybe less painful... He has to wash himself gently around his horns and back -- especially his back... Currituck's shower thoughts...the realization hits him all at once...this past week...and he cries. Currituck cries, right there in the bath, into his wet, pruny, grip-shot hands. He cries and he cries and he cries and he cries. But he did it. He got through it, and it's over. It's over. It's over... Currituck wipes his nose and smiles with happy fatigue, resuming his bath. Once every miniscule crevice on his body is spick-and-span, Currituck lounges around the bathhouse and has a little pamper sesh by filing his nails as he waits for his clothes to dry. And once they're dry, he makes sure they're perfectly pressed and ironed.

Gotta look and smell perfect for Solara.

And himself.

Currituck smiles at his reflection in a mirror after he redresses himself. Clean clothes and clean body feel so nice~ He returns home to give his parents his love and set his pack down -- he was only going to bring his glasses, compass, changepurse, and the embroidered patch with him -- there was another gift he'd pick up on the way. Before he departs, he straightens his cap and squares his shoulders -- he's a little obsessed with his posture. And off we go!

Lil' 'tuck makes a pit stop at the market first to purchase his second gift to Solara: a bottle of rum, since her parents are allowing her to drink (and uhh hopefully share?). Hmm... Kiwi notes, strawberry notes, blueberry notes, BLACKBERRY notes! ...No, blackberry might be too tart for the guests... Currituck ultimately decides on the blueberry rum for its mild flavor, and then he's off again! The wee sailor sings a shanty from his diaphragm for his pace to match the beat of -- he's a little obsessed with rhythm -- as he journeys towards the Ekin abode. There is much happiness in his heart, and lo! A flutter of butterflies is gathering to dance in his chest! O happiness! O friendship! O infatuation!

...Oh, the pain...

His back is killing him.

His heart cascades into the song he sings. And soon the Ekin estate is within sight. He stops singing and slows down. The excitement and nervousness are tying a knot in his throat... You'll be fine. Currituck takes a moment there in the street to recalibrate his posture and hat placement as well as straighten out any wrinkles in his clothes that might have intruded on the way before continuing up to the door.

The butterflies are gonna bite clear through Currituck's skin...

[Boga Negura]

Parties. Boga has a love-hate relationship with parties.

On one horn, if he's invited to a party that means that someone who is a close friend has invited him and he will have time to talk with them. On the other horn, however, that means that there are going to be other people there as well. Lots of people. At least in the Negura household, parties weren't real parties until they have at least 30 people. And Boga doesn't like being in crowds. He makes exceptions every year for the seasonal festivals as well as his parents or sibling's own celebrations if they choose to have one, but he refuses to attend any extended family gatherings that don't require his presence. There is more than one reason for this, but one of the key factors is simply too many people.

However, despite his near dread of being surrounded by people in a tightly packed longhouse, Bo is actually excited about Solara's party. He thinks it's because she's a human. Boga doesn't know many humans, at least not personally, and the only human he regularly talks to is Shawm, who is not a social man in the slightest. So Boga is curious to know how humans handle their celebrations and if they do anything different at all. But this too is a mixed excitement, for the unknown is fascinating, but not when he's having to make decisions about what to wear or when to show up or how to act at said party.

Currently, Sahkra is making the decisions for him.

"Are you sure this isn't going a little over the top?" Boga asks her as she adorns his face with white paint, putting two lines across his nose.

"Shh, stop talking, you're going to mess me up." She giggles. "But of course not. You said she grew up here in Avakaron, right? So she knows our customs enough to understand. I think she'll love it if she's not doing something similar herself." Sahkra dips her thumb in her paint and presses it to his brow line, dotting it with 5 dots.

"But still, she is a human. Her parents aren't originally from here, I don't think, so I don't know if they celebrate the same way or how much they have passed on to her." Boga fidgets with his hands.

"Bo, look at me." Sahkra instructs. Boga does so without hesitation, eyes looking at hers. "It's going to be alright. If it makes you feel any better, I heard humans are big on gift-giving. Go down to Deego's store and pick something out for her if you want."

"Okay." Bo nods, taking a deep breath. Sahkra continues with her painting, filling lines underneath his eyes and splitting them with a vertical line that goes down his cheeks.

"There, you look handsome." She kisses his cheek.

Boga smiles," Thank you, Sahkra." He places his fist and arm across his chest with a smile.

"Oh pfft," Sahkra shoves his hand down," don't you dare do that avent with me, you never have to thank me. Now go, quickly before Deego decides to be in a bad mood."

Boga chuckles, heeding her words and gets up from the floor they both had been sitting on, making his way through the longhouse to Deego's work-study. "We're closed." Deego says without looking up from a wedding band he's currently making.

"Even for your younger brother?" Boga grins as Deego turns around.

"Ah, alright, I can make an exception this one time." Deego teases. "What's up? Did father send me another message again?"

"No, I need to buy something. A gift for a friend's birthday."

"Oooh, you have friends now?"

"Shut up." Boga laughs.

Deego laughs as well," A birthday you say? Is it a man or a woman?"

"A woman. A human who had helped me some time ago."

"Aah, I see. Well, if she's human then none of these bands will do. What about a necklace? Would that suite your needs?"

"Sure. I think she may like that."

Deego nods and goes over to his counter of completed items. Deego specializes in wedding bands and jewellery but he does have some more casual items as well to help supplement the drier seasons. After all, not a lot of people choose to get married in the dead of winter. "How about this then?" Deego grabs a steel necklace with a blue and light blue swirl design inside of a round pendant and holds it out to him.

"That's beautiful, Deego. I'm sure she will love it." Boga takes it in his hand and examines it closer. Deego may not be any Dioppe, but he sure crafts like one.

"I thought so. That's an Agate crystal. It's supposed to bring support and stability to one's life. If she's friends with you then she's going to need it."
Boga glares teasingly, smacking his arm. "Ow! Hey, hey, okay! I'm sorry!" He laughs.

"I didn't know agates had a certain meaning," Boga says.

"Oh, yeah, lots of gemstones do, actually. There's a gemstone for everything. For healing, for joy, for anger, all kinds of stuff."

"Really?" Boga asks, intrigued. "You'll have to tell me more about it sometime. I didn't know that. But I have to go, I'm going to be late." Boga pulls out his bag of coins and gives him a topaz and five emeralds. "Thanks Deego."

"Anytime, little man."

The pair snicker at each other and Boga heads out with a nod. Just as he had before when he first met Solara, he turns a few corners and finds himself at the Eachan longhouse. Boga figures that the store would be closed for the night, so he instead chooses to go to the front door, knocking. He puts the necklace in the pocket of his grey pants, tapping his suspenders as usual.

Boga isn't wearing a shirt as usual, due to the stripes and dots of paint that shatter his back, chest, and stomach, one particular line of paint carefully concealing a thin-lined scar that stretches downward from his belly button and hiding underneath the line of his pants. Other than the swirls of white paint contrasting with his red skin, Boga also sports blue ribbons in his braided hair and long beard. He has two pairs of silver rings that adorn his horns and two small silver chains that connect each like a hammock between two trees. While Boga's attire is rather formal already, Sahkra insisted on the horn bands, letting him borrow hers even, so he couldn't deny it. Her horns are smaller in width than his, so the horn bands stood rather high on his horns, but it's still functional and serves its purpose.

Underneath the paint, however, Boga still sports some purple-green bruises along his horns and forehead, scabs lining his knuckles a still. They are healing, and his migraine is certainly gone from the incident that birthed them, but he hopes they aren't terribly noticeable to the others, especially Solara.

Feeling severely overdressed, Boga waited by the front door, not realizing that the other guests were already arriving and entering through the blacksmith's shop.

[Quentn Stormborn]

To go or to stay safe? Quent'n was unsure about this group, especially considering he had a rib broken just meeting them. How does someone who brakes ribs as a greeting party? soul crushing? But to not go was to say with himself in a dark room. Hard choices...

Not really, because his understanding was parties had food and drink most often. Of course, his understanding of parties was somewhat skewed. Celebrating a successful on a small costal town of women and children wasn't quite a birthday party, nor had it been something Quent'n enjoyed. Stormborns were a close group, but seeing children forced into the life did little to lift one's spirits..

Shaking the dark thoughts away, Quent'n decide it was best to go. There would be humans he could speak with, drinks to ease the pain, and noise to drowned out the voices that haunted him. Maybe once this rib was healed Quent'n would find some work at the docks. if nothing else he would earn some coin, and may even find a good boat.

Well, assuming he survived this party that was. Being the first he was going to that didn't follow a raid, it might actually be fun.

[Solara Ekin]

The door opened the front door of the residence and Solara looked at Azat with a big smile on her face.

“Hey Azat welcome to my home, let me take off those presents and you try to get comfortable in the living room. The fireplace is already on and we have some classic snacks you would enjoy in Avakaron. I am happy to see you were able to come to the party today. The living room will be down to the left from the front door, get comfortable cause this is gonna be a great night!” Solara said with her smile still beaming on and took his presents off of his hands to put them in the kitchen. Of course she felt the presents a bit to see what they might be, already a little excited to open her presents when it comes down to it. That was until her father came up to her with a disapproving look on her face.


“You weren’t going to peak into your presents were you?” He asked and she jumped as she didn’t notice him come in and said “No father, I wasn’t, I promise!”

“Alright, just make sure your friends are comfortable and I will get the door for you....ah I think I hear them now.” Her father went to the window of the door to see Currituck outside and her father looked at her asking “There is a small hellbend outside, is he part of the party?”

Solara’s eyes beamed brighter than before today and she walked over to the door, saying “Yes father, he is a really good friend of mind.” Of course her father went to open the door for her and looked at Currituck who was standing there in front of the two of them at the door.

Her father spoke in fluent Rigarian “Welcome sir, you came at a wonderful time to the party, the living room is nice and toasty. If you have any presents, hand them to me so my little missy doesn’t get too nosy into the presents.” Her father held out his hand to him to receive the package and after Currituck may or may not give it to her father, the two of them would let him in to warm up. Of course, her father excused her to go to the living room so she would stop trying to peek at the presents and he would get whoever showed up at the door.

-----
(Solara)

She goes to the living room to see Azat sitting on the couch near the fire, she assumed that he simply wanted to be warmer as it was really cold outside today. Solara decided to sit on the other couch on the other side of the room, she had guided Currituck to the party area and looked at Currituck with a beaming smile which soon turned into a hug around his waist.

“It’s nice to see you Currituck, how was your trip?” She said after she was done with the hug.

(Braum Ekin)

Soon Braum heard the knock on the front door again and soon opened it to see a human boy that he only assumed to be the boy from the clink clink that his daughter mentioned a long while ago about his injuries at the school. Braum was a little bit of a surprise that he decided to even come after what her daughter and him had been through and since Boga was coming as well. He can only imagine what sort of uncomfortable conflict could happen at any point. Regardless Mr.Ekin will do his best to make sure that this boy will have a good evening with the Ekin family.

“I see you are here for the party sir.” Braum said in common and continued “The living room will be down that little hallway behind me and to the left. We will have food and beverages with a warm fire in there for you to relax in, I hope you enjoy the party.” Braum let Quent’n inside with a welcoming stature that is common among humans and let Quent’n go to the room, while Braum went to help his wife make more food for everyone as they knew they couldn’t just eat snacks and beverages.

[Azat Usmanov]

Azat smiled back at Solara as she took his presents and ushered him inside. "It's my pleasure Solara, thank you for the invitation. Happy Birthday by the way." Azat listened as Solara advised him where to go. She went through to another room and he made his way to where she had directed. The room was immaculate, set up for comfort and fun, he looked around wondering where the best place to sit was, as far away from the food and entrance as possible was his decision.

Azat was already feeling antsy being here, not only was he the first one to show up, but, other than Solara and Boga he had a feeling he wouldn't know anyone. Azat was already uncomfortable meeting new people, until recently he made an effort to refrain from just that, but, refusing an invitation was rude, and manners were quite literally beaten into Azat from an early age. Besides, he liked Solara, she'd been nothing but kind, he Began to think on his gifts, he found himself excited for their opening and hoped that he had gotten something she needed and didn't already have. Oh well, he had already made arrangements with the shopkeep where he purchased them, she was free to go and exchange anything for equal the value if she needed something else and bad what he bought. He thanked said shopkeep profusely for that kindness.

A few moments passed and Solara entered with another guest, oh boy....the infamous Currituck....probably the worst possible outcome for the second guest arriving at the party, Azat was still ashamed and embarrassed by his reaction at the Docks when Currituck screamed. He folded his hands together and sat back on the couch. He was comfortable, the fire was warm and be was away from everyone, maybe they would all just forget he was here and he could quietly say goodbye and make his exit after he saw Solara open his gifts.

Azat watched and waited, not saying anything and not planning to until someone finally approached him. As he was watching though he watched as Solara hugged Currituck around the waste, Azat raised an eyebrow S he watched. Currituck was handsome enough for a fellow as small as he was, had Azat missed something? They seemed far more familiar with each other than be would have guessed in the short time be had known either, not that he'd actually properly met Currituck as of yet but he knew enough. He'd have to watch that more closely, it wasn't often humans and hellbends got together, there wasn't anything wrong with that in Azats eyes it was just something be hadn't been around before. To each there own Azat surmised and shrugged to himself. This may just be a very interesting party yet. He got even more comfortable in his seat and waited to see what else would transpire.

[Currituck Itavi]

Knock, knock, open up the door, it's real!

When the man opens the door, he and Solara would see that Currituck has dark circles under his eyes and looks tired, although his facial expression contains his usual carefree smile. Is this Solara's father? Tercer. I gotta be on my best behavior. C'mon, stay confident...

Currituck glances at Solara and covertly hands Mr. Ekin the bottle of blueberry rum while slipping the embroidered patch into his pocket. "Well, I didn't wrap anything, sir, so you'll have to slip this into the kitchen while 'little missy' isn't looking." He smirk-grins in a teasing way at Solara, then looks back at Mr. Ekin with a friendly and respectful smile, saying quietly, "She told me you would be allowing her to drink, sir." Solara leads him into the space demarcated for party-partaking purposes. Currituck looks all around in awe at his blurry surroundings, like a caster in a rune store, as he sits beside Solara on the couch. ...Are those swords on the wall? He sees Azat sitting by himself, and he gets a big lump of guilt in his throat. He shoots him an apologetic smile and raises a hand in greeting, but then Solara's hug yanks his attention away from the odd-speaking man he accidentally scared awhile back. Easy-- easy! Oooh...she squeezes him right on some of the still-healing wounds the little shantyman sustained from the lash five nights ago... His abs clench and he takes a quick inhalation of breath in response to the pain, but he quickly attempts to disguise this as mere surprise by reciprocating Solara's hug and shifting his mental focus away from the sensation of pain. He wraps his arms over hers, resting his hands just above the small of her back, and draws her into his chest with a snug little squeeze. The feelings of sexual attraction and friendship dance around within him and help to distract him from the stinging in his middle back. Currituck allows his emotions to engulf him completely, his face heating up as a result.

"How was your trip?" she asks.

Well, there are a number of things I could say about it. Firstly, a chakin' dandy-giss gundrow made it 'is life's mission t' torture me, I got chakin' giss-shift crow's nest duty, me n' most a' th' crew got beaten f'r singin' a song mockin' th' gundrow, I 'bout slipped n' broke m' giss tryna batten down the hatches when we got int' a storm, I coulda fallen n' broken m' other horn while mendin' a sail 'cuz a' th' chakin' wind an' m' brain shut down b'cuz th' chakin' dohi gisshole was bein' a chakin' dohi gisshole, n' I cried but I was able to compose myself n' be strong n' get th' sail fixed, I chakin' died laughing b'cuz a' that dohi n' 'is funny-giss face, n' 'e got 'is giss tore into by th' captain an' 'e stopped chakin' with me after that. I dunno what happened, but somethin' happened.

Of course, Currituck says NONE of those things.

"TIRESOME." He laughs and puts his hands on his thighs. "There was a lotta hard work n' we hit a storm on th' way back. Pretty rough, but we all came together n' did our best t' push through. I really pushed m'self this time, n' I'm stronger both physically and mentally for it." He beams with pride. Of course, you and I both know that it wasn't Currituck who was doin' most a' th' pushin'. "A seagull crashed through one a' our sails n' I had t' fix it," he adds, looking up as if viewing said torn sail from the deck, and he chuckles at how funny that sounds. A seagull crashing through a sail! He still has no idea how that tear happened. Sure as Death wasn't his fault. "Well, I dunno HOW it got torn exactly. Th' tear was just th' size of a seagull so that's my theory." He shrugs, then returns his hands to their previous position. "S'yeah, if I seem a little out of it t'night, that's why." He chuckles again. "But not t' worry." He sits at attention and performs a sailor salute with the enthusiasm of a Currituck who isn't physically and mentally drained, banishing all signs of exhaustion from his expression and body language. He doesn't want Solara or any others present to inquire too deeply into what he's been through on that tercer ship. No one should be worrying about him. This is Solara's party. The focus should be her.

Currituck returns his hands to his lap and gazes fondly down at his human friend. "Nice seein' you, too, Solara. Anythin' notable happen with you while I was gone?" The fiery butterflies flutter about within the confines of his torso. His smile, though tempered by fatigue, has not left his face since Solara's father answered the door.

"By the way!" he would add after Solara answers his question, leaning down closer to her and glancing around for eavesdroppers with a grin. He continues in a whisper, "I got another gift for ya, but I don't wantcha t' look at it until after th' party." He sits back up straight and puts his index finger before his lips, going, "Shh!" with a goofy expression on his face. It shall be noted that Currituck has yet to lean back against the back of the couch.

~~~

Translation of Currituck's rant

Well, there are a number of things I could say about it. Firstly, a fucking dandy-ass cunt made it his life's mission to torture me, I got fucking shit-shift crow's nest duty, me and most of the crew got beaten for singing a song mocking the cunt, I about slipped and broke my ass trying to batten down the hatches when we got into a storm, I could have fallen and broken my other horn while mending a sail because of the fucking wind and my brain shut down because the fucking loudmouth asshole was being a fucking loudmouth asshole, and I cried but I was able to compose myself and be strong and get the sail fixed, I fucking died laughing because of that loudmouth and his funny-ass face, and he got his ass tore into by the captain and he stopped fucking with me after that. I don't know what happened, but something happened.

[Boga Negura]

When Boga decided to leave the house, Bo knew that the Eachans weren't too far away. Just around a corner or two, nothing more than a block or so. Given that, he figured he wouldn't be outside for very long. Just pop outside, knock, go inside. Just a quick minutes out and then back into the warmth of indoors. No big deal. However... Boga didn't think he would be standing outside for very long, so he didn't take that into consideration. He thought at maximum he'd be standing at the door for maybe a minute. Possibly two if people were in the middle of something when he knocked.

He didn't think he'd be standing out here for 10 TERCER MINUTES!!

Boga, with his hands firmly tucked underneath his arms and with all of his limbs glues to his centre as closely as possible, shivers in the frigid wind. He clamps his jaw to prevent his teeth forth chattering, bouncing and rocking back and form to keep moving. He should have just brought a jacket. It would have messed up the paint some but he doesn't care anymore, he's just too cold, he wants his jacket. Why is it taking them so long to answer the door anyway? It was scheduled for the 40th, right? And she did say at her place, which is the Eachans, right? What's he doing wrong then? Is this a punishment for something he did a while ago? Is this the start of his karma for squishing Quent'n or getting mad at the boys at the market? This is a punishment, for sure.

Thank you, thank you Angtas for reminding him the importance of balance in the universe and making sure that he's getting due justice for his wrongdoings but he's begging now. Please don't make him shrivel up and turn into an ice cube. He gets it, he won't crush anyone with a hug ever again, please, he doesn't want to freeze to death~

Another few moments pass and there is no sign of anyone answering the door. "Chak it." Boga's going home to at least grab his jacket. Maybe a few blankets. Start a fire perhaps too, boil water and dump it down his back. He gets a chill just thinking about it.

As he's leaving, passing by the northern end of the house to return home, Boga hears the distant talking of familiar voices. He glances around, able to subdue the sensations of his freezing skin for a moment while he attempts to find the source of them. One of those voices definitely sounded like Solara, so it is worth investigating if it means he can get inside sooner. He makes his way around the long way of the house, eyes searching for a light or a door to clue him in on where this party is. It wasn't under he's turning the corner to the last side of the house, the side with the shop entrance does he see the glimpse of someone entering.

That shop door. He was supposed to come in through the shop door, not the front door. Clever, Kelgarath, very clever. Bo can hear you snickering with petty delight.

Groaning to himself from frustration, Boga rushes over to the shop door himself and pounds on its wood with his fist. He knows knocking so loudly is rude, but he's going to start losing feeling in his hands soon if he doesn't get inside, and he's rather fond of his hands, so he'd rather make sure he's heard than to sit here and wait another 10 minutes for someone to finally meander there way and let him in.

[Solara Ekin]

Solara saw Currituck seize in pain and quickly moved her hands back, after he was done explaining how his trip was. She is starting to wonder how truthful he was, which didn’t help when he was explaining that a seagull hit his sails...but then again they are at sea and she doesn’t know what birds do in their free time; although she still giggled at the story nonetheless. Where in the story did he hurt himself or did something else hurt him, was it a seagull attack? No that’s silly, something must’ve hurt his back pretty bad for him to get that reaction.

“Well my father taught me how to use the grindstone to make some premade blades into sharper blades and I got to use the leather as well to remove the thing covering the blade. It was a lot of fun, I really hope my dad starts teaching me more about bladesmithing so that I can make myself a dagger or a hunting knife one of these days.” She said with a big smile on her face, happy that she was finally able to learn some bladesmithing, however she realized very quickly that she needs to run more to be able to use the grindstone a lot more as well. Perhaps Currituck would be up to working out with her to be able to get stronger on the grindstone so that she can go longer on it.

Her train of thought was interrupted when he bent over to her "By the way!" he whispered as he glanced around, seeing if anyone was eavesdroppers with an interesting grin on his face. He continued to whisper, "I got another gift for ya, but I don't wantcha t' look at it until after th' party." He stood up straight again and put his index finger before his lips, going, "Shh!" with a goofy expression on his face.

She couldn’t help, but feel herself shiver as he whispered into ear as her curiosity started to explode in her mind, wondering what could possibly be. Is it more drinks? Tools....or...? Solara quickly looked south and back up north as she blushed with the idea of perhaps maybe they may have their first night together.

However, she wouldn’t be surprised if her father didn’t approve of her doing such an adventurous activity, even though she knew it might not happen. She already felt warm in particular areas, especially in her heart. The idea of her sharing a bed with him now crossed her mind and she started to wonder if perhaps she was going too fast with him, which that thought was taken away as she felt herself lay her head on his right shoulder. Cuddling up to him as she felt his arms wrapped around her, she felt nice and safe in them, she even started to doze off a bit. The warm fire on one side of the room along with the feeling of safety from Curritucks warm arms made her feel at peace.

A thought came into her as she hoped that she wasn’t hurting him again and looked up at him with her green eyes and was about to ask when she heard a two banging knocks at the door which made her jump and a high pitch yip. She felt extremely embarrassed by the noise she made, her face blushing now from the noise she made...she hoped that she didn’t hurt Currituck’s ears as she saw her Dad go to grab the door.

-------

(Braum Ekin)

Braum heard the commotion from the kitchen as he was helping his wife making some more food for the guests. “My my some people need warmth today, hang on Misty dear, I will get it.” said Braum as he kissed her cheek gently, leaving her with a smile. He went to the door, grabbing his coat real quick before opening the door to see the familiar behemoth with his ceremonial paint on freezing in the snow.

“Oh dear, Boga come in please you are freezing!” Braum opened the door all the way to let the giant through as he was concerned he might have gotten ill.