OoC - 49° Mia 81380. This first post is a little graphic in a roundabout way, but it will get tamer from here on out, ladies and gentlemen! Posting order: Me, Jodie, Harper. This thread is private for the aformentioned; sorry, folks! BiC - As Riot walked down the street, hand in hand with Cayson, there was a certain glow around her. A small smile tugged at the edges of her mouth, though any onlooker would have the distinct impression that she was trying to suppress it – and failing for the most part. Her mismatched eyes danced, and there was a kink in her short, spiky tail. There was also that metaphorical spring in her step, as well, finishing off a look of complete buoyancy. This could have been due to the fact that there was a ring around her left finger, a promise band from Cayson. It was a soft, sparkling silver color, and in the past week since he had given it to her, Riot had glanced at it a thousand times and laughed softly to herself. Just one look could give her butterflies, and a peculiar desire to somersault several times. It made her so happy that Case would give her something so special, and knowing it was the first tangible emblem of their relationship gave her heart the flip flops. However, despite all that, it was not the ring that was causing Riot to look as if she was the happiest pendragon on the planet. In fact, it was something much more physical and intimate, even better than a ring. For the first time in their long relationship, she and Cayson had been physically demonstrative about their love. Last night, they had gone out for a simple dinner at a restaurant not too far from Janardan, and then had gone back to their dormitory. The entire way back to the room, the two of them had been kissing and fooling around, giggling madly over this or that secret joke. To their great delight, Radin had not been in the room, and so they had locked the door to enjoy their solitude. Eventually, certain articles of clothing had gone astray and the two had enjoyed a few rounds of standing interfemoral intercourse. Cayson, ever the gentle, sweet, and playful lover, had been slow and affectionate, turning her around when his attentions from behind had not been sufficient, kissing and touching her as if there was no tomorrow. The two of them had bonded together on so many levels, but, of course, both of them were saving themselves for when they were later into their relationship, and so no actual copulation had ensued. All the same, it had been a very pleasurable night, and the mutual sensuality had seemed like a corporal seal on their perfect, fitting love for one another. She felt closer to him now than she ever had before, and even as they walked side by side, she leaned into him, smiling, glowing. Her fingers intertwined with his, and she thought back on their sweet exchange. She knew they would not engage in such interactions too often, or else they would spoil themselves. That was fine by her, though, for Riot knew she was going to burst if Cayson swept her any farther off her feet – a ring, and then this, all within a week? It was a surprise that her head had not detached and floated off to keep permanent company with cloud nine. “Cayson’ni," she purred to him as the two of them plodded along Watani’s main street, her head now on his shoulder. “I love you," she said, simply enough. “I keep thinking about you… and last night… and I keep forgetting that we have company." As she spoke these words, she drew her head away from Case’s shoulder, and peered behind them. Indeed, there were two others there, walking just a pace or two behind, an arden and a thill. As Riot’s mismatched eyes alighted upon them, she smiled apologetically for her distraction, and also in a sort of affectionate manner. Reveri walking next to Kakosenas was such a silly but endearing sight, especially so because they both seemed a bit nervous and brooding. Despite their skittishness with each other, though, they both looked dashing, Riot noted, with Kakosenas in her frilly chemise and Reveri in his business casual attire. If not for their backgrounds and personalities, they would have appeared as a new but nevertheless fitting couple. Perhaps that would someday come to be, as the banded thill so wished it would. For now, though, Silvent and Shriker were merely two pendragons tossed together by Riot’s amateur “matchmaking" skills, and at the moment they barely knew much about each other besides names and a bit of secondhand information. That would change, of course, in the next half hour. Riot had plans. “We’re almost there, you guys. It’s just up the street and around the corner. It’s the biggest, longest hill ever, and it’s perfect for sledding. There’s even a little shack nearby that rents sleds for a small fee. We’re going to have a blast."
Kakosenas walked rather briskly behind Cayson and Riot, her taloned hands interlocked behind her back. She could help but feel a little resentful. Most of the time Kakos had spent with Riot over the past while had strictly concerned business. Mostly complications relating to their chain of clubs and refining ideas for even bigger and better things. She had always liked to dream big after all, and was slowly discovering that she had a bit of a knack for the business world. She had even devised a way to manage things while still remaining rather reclusive. Dealing with, and being around other's living, breathing, bodies wasn't exactly something Kakosenas enjoyed doing. She also hadn't been able to completely shake her paranoia, and even now she caught herself glancing over her shoulder at the high snow banks that lined the street behind them. Followed? Possible. When Riot looked back and gave her and that Silvent fellow a smile – who was another reason for the awkwardness in the air – Kakosenas gave a small shrug of her shoulders and raised her eyebrows. Her expression that of someone who felt rather resigned to fate at that moment. Cayson was giggling at something Riot had just said and was returning an “I love you." Kakos still wasn't sure what to make of Cayson. Not simply because he was filling in Kakos' previous position as Riot's companion, but because of who he was. Even if Kakosenas hadn't been told, she would have immediately known who he was related to. Those eyes were much too similar to Koani's, and even though Cayson appeared to regard her with a friendly attitude, Kakos couldn't help but squirm a little inside each time his gaze rested upon her. Seeing Cayson at Riot's side seemed to stir a few bitter feelings in the chimera as well. Although those days were buried deep in the past, Kakos longed for the time back when Riot was her own. When the two of them would hang out in the basement of Janardan, talking nonsense between wisps of smoke and doing simply whatever struck their fancy. She sighed quietly. Shriker glanced at Silvent out of the corner of her eye as they walked beside one other. She didn't know much about him. Aside from his name, that he was another one of Riot's good friends, and that not too long ago, Riot had hired him. Kakos wasn't quite sure what to make of him. Some sort of filler so that she wouldn't feel like a third wheel as Cayson and Riot continued to gush over one another? Someone to talk to when the couple's “newly pre-engaged" mouths were full (of each other)? A fluttering hint of a smile graced Kakosenas' features as this thought crossed her mind. Kakos gave one of her thin wrists a bit of a twist. She wasn't dressed for the cold weather at all. Her clothing was lightweight, clean, her feet bare. Suited more so for someone who was just getting ready for the fall and not the dead of winter. Since when had the cold bothered her though? Even if the day did take a turn for the worse, she still had the snow. She liked that. “It's got to be the best sledding hill in these parts," Cayson said cheerily as he squeezed Riot's hand. “I mean, having a blast is practically guaranteed."
Reveri had decided - right about ten seconds ago - that he was right about the whole "dating sucks, avoid it like the plague", because this sure as hell was bothering him. Though he was too polite to say any such thing, the charcoal arden got the impression that Kakos was of a similar mind to him. It wasn't so much that he didn't like the thill as it was that he didn't know her. They hadn't even talked, but here they were, reluctantly tagging along behind the pair of lovebirds like a couple of lost puppies. Maybe things would get better soon, but it was more likely the awkwardness would just reach more intense levels. Arrrr. If he ever found himself a soulmate, he was going to avoid this whole "hook my friends up too" bit. His silver eyes flicked briefly over to the Shriker creature, before resting neatly between Riot's shoulder blades again. There wasn't even anything for them to talk about. Case and Ri were talking about their love and giggling like a couple of basics. Shriker didn't seem inclined to talk, either, and he wondered, silently, how much they actually had in common at that moment. From feeling awkward to being silent, they sure were in tune about a lot of the stuff they were doing right now. As Riot spoke about where they were going, one of his eyebrows shot up curiously. So they were guaranteed to have a blast, ey? Well. He saw no reason to be grumpy about it, anyway, seeing as he was going to stay with them whether or not he felt entirely comfortable. Therefore, he might as well have fun, right? A mischevious glimmer entered his eyes, though, as he considered what sort of fun he and Kakos might play on the lovey dovey couple. Silvent looked at his potential conspirator and subtly slowed down, hoping she would match his pace, but saying something in a whisper to her, anyway. <font color=white>"Hey, Kakosenas... you up for a bit of pranking in regards to our lovey dovey friends?"</font> Maybe she didn't want to mess with Ri and Case, but if she didn't, there was still no harm done. He would have just tried to spark up conversation and do the decent "well, our friends dragged us out here, we might as well talk" thing. He was sure Ri and Case wouldn't hear, what with all of their giggling and the fact that he almost couldn't hear himself. Hell. Could Kakos hear him? He hoped so.
The quartet of pendragons continued up the street, Riot and Cayson still in the fore, exchanging amorous words and giggling every few minutes, Reveri and Kakosenas bringing up the rear, both rather quiet. It actually didn’t appear as if the two pairs were together, save for the intermittent moments when Riot glanced behind her and gave her dark companions an encouraging smile. There was a world of difference between the “couples," what with Case and Riot’s new level of intimacy, and Rev’s and Kakos’ sort of brooding tension. Hopefully, things would soon brighten for all four. They had only met up a few minutes ago – Riot had called both Reveri and Kakosenas a few days ago and arranged for them to meet her and Cayson at a small Watani coffeehouse – when the thill had introduced them and forced the duo to shake hands with each other as well as Cayson. She knew that the two of them were currently discomfited, unsure of how to behave as a functioning twosome in the company of their much more affectionate friends. However, as they quickly approached the sledding hill, Riot hoped that they would all be able to have fun together, forsaking shyness in favor of fun. Riot let go of Case’s hand as they reached the end of the street and rounded the corner. An enormous hill rose up in front of them, its slopes covered with the late Mia’s snow, and the thill shuddered with pleasure as she imagined how excellent a ride down it would be. Before they could go sledding, though, they needed to get sleds, and so she walked towards a small building not too far from the hill’s feet, where a rather old arden was standing behind a counter, sleds of all shapes and sizes stacked behind him. “What kind of sled do you want? A disc, or… a tandem board?" Riot asked, turning to peer at Case. She didn’t mind if he wanted to sled alone, or with her. Whatever he wanted was fine. “And how about you two? Which style of sled do you prefer?" she added on, looking past her main squeeze and gazing at Reveri and Kakos. They still seemed to be awkward and quiet, even in the presence of the greatest sledding site in all of Swaraj, and Riot gave them a heartening if somewhat sheepish smile. She wanted for them to feel comfortable and have fun, as well as for both of them to meet Cayson and see how great he was. She was even planning on calling them up afterwards to get feedback on the evening’s sporting, but right now she was afraid that both were going to end up complaining about how uncomfortable and gauche it had been. She had to cheer them up and make them enjoy this! “C’mon, you two. Smile once in a while," she joked, stepping towards Rev’ and playfully punching his arm.
Kakosenas' mind continued it's flurry of thoughts. Most of them not-so-nice and involving Cayson. She simply didn't like the orange arden even though he was making Riot happy. Of course, because Riot liked him, he was “restricted," (most everyone was “restricted" these days). And although Kakos felt as if her bond with Riot had loosened somewhat, she still felt deeply honour bound to the white slashed thill. Perhaps it was because of these lingering ill thoughts that caused Kakosenas to become quite captivated by the content of Silvent's words when he chose to speak to her. She slowed down to his more stealthy pace easily, her eyes twinkling with curiousity and ears completely tuned in. Pranking actually sounded like it could be quite fun. Her mind had been set on more violent things which she knew that she couldn't do, but pranks? Pranks were practically harmless. Usually only damaging one's ego, or causing a bruise. She eyed the couple ahead of them for a moment, then nodded. “I like that idea," Shriker said, perhaps a bit too fervently. “Know any magic?" Was her follow up question. Riot could most likely easily clue into any “strangeness" that Kakos alone could perform, but if she had a collaborator, perhaps the effects wouldn't be as obvious. ~ “Tandem? Maybe. We could even try to have a race." Cayson said as he moved to look over the various sleds. There were so many to choose from. Even some rather dynamic designs that Case swore he had seen on small personal flight ships. Quite a few of them were even painted with flashy designs, whereas others were simply solid colours. Kakos merely shrugged her shoulders in response to what type of sled she wanted. Whatever the material, the make, the colour – it made no difference to her. When Riot told them to smile, Kakosenas humoured her and actually did. It was more of a cheeky grin though, under which lay something a bit more devious.
