Useless [Oneshot/open]

[Shoki]

Kyuuki almost dropped the mugs. Almost. She had just been getting them out and her fingers just caught them in her grip before setting them down on the counter gently. She had not expected for T’ruk to ask her that, at all. She though the conversation had sufficiently shifted away from the firelizards. Apparently not so.

“Um.” That’s really all she could manage. What exactly could she say to that? The truth? The best time for saying that would have been earlier. Lie? She wasn’t that great at that. Being evasive? Well, that was the only response other then shocked silence. Which was probably more telling.

“I…don’t think he would ever have had the opportunity to meet me.” Kyuuki’s words were very slow, which was probably why she was able to get through the lot of them without her ‘ums’. “I mean, I doubt he would have left Libby after he hatched and I haven’t seen her in some time.” Lots of evasive and slightly misinforming language. She didn’t want things to get loud here, but they certainly seemed like they were going to.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’ruk flinched at Libby’s snap response, pulling his shoulders forward and ducking his head. He raised his head slightly to look at Kyuuki when she spoke. It didn’t seem to make sense to him. The firelizard had certainly seemed to recognize Kyuuki, but he wasn’t going to push his luck. The question had clearly angered the young woman, Libby, and that was not a good thing.

T’rukMine, what is wrong? Azeriuth asked.

T’ruk couldn’t answer. Words wouldn’t form. He was able to take a couple quick breaths though, and send a feeling of ok-ness along to the dragon.

[Kaya]

Might have something to do with the last time they really interacted Libby had barged into her home, made demands and crushed them both. Quite the good first meeting. "Kyuuki's right. We haven't exactly been around, since Anchor, you know, hatched."

She looked over at the Iron. He appreciated the looks but no one was wanting to pet him, so he looked back at them with a vague look of expectation. What else could be going on?

[Shoki]

Kyuuki caught T’ruk’s glance, which seemed probing. She felt bad, not telling him exactly what was going on, but she could always tell him later. For now she really didn’t want Libby to get mad at either of them. Both her and the Silverlight Rider were very much against anger in conversations.

Lantern looked up and around at the humans and then back at Anchor. It appeared that there was some sort of conversation going on with the Iron. He let it be for the time being though. Though he kept and eye on Kyuuki and the younger human she so very much liked.

At Libby’s new words Kyuuki seemed a bit more relaxed nodding. “Yes. I, uh, couldn’t have met him after he hatched.” She didn’t notice that she probably shouldn’t say that too many more times. After all there was a rather glaring portion of time she was ignoring. If that was thought of, then she was well and truly sunk, since there was no way out of that without outright lying, which she wasn’t going to do.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’ruk nodded. Something was floating in the back of his mind regarding Kyuuki’s words, but when he chased after it he couldn’t grab it. It made sense though… He wanted to say something. Well, actually he didn’t. but he knew he should say something.

He took a sip of the halk, trying to give himself a little bit of time.

“The Halk’s really good,” he managed. That was on a little list of phrases that Gillian had given him for the purpose of inserting into conversational gaps. “Thanks Kyuuki.”

Turning to Libby with a (hopefully surreptitious) breath, he added: “What did they eat on the ship?”

[Kaya]

Libby accepted the drink and nodded at T'ruk's comment. Not her drink of choice but it was a kind gesture from someone who she expected no kindness from.

T'ruk's question, as much as she wasn't once for speaking of days past, was in the relatively easy territory for answers. The ship had treated her well for the most part. "Whatever I cooked for 'em," she replied with a clinched fist, "Elsewise they could have this and an empty stomach."

[Shoki]

Halk was prepared and distributed, and Kyuuki gathered a mug of it for herself. Her hands loved the warmth that started to radiate from the mug and she clutched it. It was more warm when she got a thanks from T’ruk though.

“You’re welcome.” It might have been a simple formality, but it felt nice. It was the simple things that were best. Warm mug in hand, and a warm feeling in her heart. She settled down into a seat, listening to the conversation but not so much a participant. She was probably worse than T’ruk at this point, at least in some realms of conversation. Especially on the subject T’ruk and Libby were not speaking of. She had never been on a ship, nor had much cause to be. She blew on her Halk, while listening, doing a bit of a double take when Libby spoke on how her tour as a cook on board had gone. Had she really showed a fist? Kyuuki felt like hiding in a corner, but pushed it down.

“Um. What kind of food did you cook?” Kyuuki’s voice was softer than normal. She was never perfectly comfortable in this conversation. She was making an active effort though.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’ruk smiled at Kyuuki. Ok, it was a practiced social gesture. It was probably a good thing he’d never heard the argument between Rallin and Gillian about teaching him all that, or he’d never have actually applied himself to mastering it all.

He even managed, be means of several swallows, to avoid flinching at Libby’s raised fist. It helped of course, that there was no other menace projected by her. He did keep half an eye on her though, as he waited for her answer to Kyuuki’s question.

Guyaky glided around, coming in to land on T’ruk’s shoulder. He didn’t chirp at the people though. Seeking people out was what the other flitts in his faire did.

[Kaya]

"I see you both aren't sailors," she said as a sort of apology, putting her hand down. On the ship that would have gotten a laugh. "I made what we had. We were out to sea for long bits at a time," she explained, taking a sip of the halk. The best thing it had going for it was that it was warm, so she'd better get to it before it cooled too much. "Long lasting vegetables, salted meats, sometimes fresh when we were in port or just out of it. Always fruit when we could get our hands on it, kept the crew healthier. Lotta bean soup and dry bread. It wasn't exactly pretty or even tasty most days, but it was hot and it kept the ship running." Libby stared down at her cup and drained it. "I should probably get back to the kitchens here soon. They'll be missing me. I can take the mugs to be cleaned."

[Shoki]

Kyuuki smiled a little dimly. Nope, never been a sailor, most certainly was not going to start now. She listened to how things had been on ship, interested. It was interesting, at least to imagine how it was on a ship. She didn’t think she would ever have a good proper frame of reference for it though. However when Libby spoke again she looked a little more startled.

“Oh! Um…” She had invited Libby in, she didn’t want to impose on her, but she was going that direction in any event? Or she just wanted a valid reason to escape. Kyuuki certainly wanted to go back to more relaxing conversation with T’ruk. “I suppose I will take you up on that. Thank you.” The woman seemed still skittish, but handed the mug to Libby. There were the dregs left, but it was otherwise empty. That and the warmth had long since gone out of the mug.

“Uh, thank you for checking up on me. It was, um, nice of you.” Perpetually nervous around Libby. At least she seemed to be doing okay. And Anchor had turned out to be a lovely creature. She took some solace in that.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’ruk actually grinned. A real grin this time. Ships must be interesting places. Though, if they randomly went around hitting each other, he wasn’t too sure he wanted to be there. It was a return of the great conflict. Curiosity said go check out a ship. Caution said stay here. Caution won. Narrowly.

“That’s very nice of you. Thanks,” T’ruk said, downing the last sip of his and offering Libby the mug. In the back of his mind, something clicked. He needed to ask Kyuuki about that.