westfallcorndog | Girls' Day Out (for Runa)

Life's got to be a little hectic when you're Viatorus Durant and Runa Soon-to-be-Durant. One moment you're enjoying a calming morning in your Nexus apartment, probably eating breakfast, and the next someone is bursting through your front door with a boisterous, "Y'ALL!"

It could only be Harrowheart, and in fact it is. He's got his hands bound today, and the one that hadn't slammed the door is holding onto a satchel full of something. He's uncharacteristically dressed for the weather in what looks an awful lot like the Azerothian clothes he wore when he stole Viatorus away for a Westfall fishing trip: beige trousers, tall boots, suspenders, a long sleeved shirt with a high, stiff collar, and a cabbie hat. His sword, as always, rests on his back, but it doesn't bother with as much as an eye glow as means of hello. Viatorus and Runa are used to it -- it knows it won't get a rise out of them.

Harrow strides over to where the young couple are and invites himself to scoop Runa into his arms, holding her like a bride (or a very large, very patient sort of cat.) He keeps her face on level with Viatorus' and says with a proud grin "Kiss him goodbye before I kidnap ya away forever and ever."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Harrowheart openly rolls his eyes at the distinction of his undeath. If he knew what a pedant was he might call her one.

"You can't tell anyone, okay? I mean it, Runa." He fidgets with his cigarette and with the brush until he sighs heavily and sets down the eye shadow. Might as well try to figure out how to do mascara. He pulls the little bristle brush out of the tube and turns it around as he considers it. This should be easy... Right?...

His shoulders go slack and he watches Runa worriedly. "I mean it," he whispers. "If anyone found out – I mean even Viatorus – she'd be shamed forever. Can you imagine what folks would say if they knew the draugr liked Isidor Durant? Imagine what Poenia would say to her, or all those gossipin' old folks at parties. Then there's the Archon, who'd probably make sure I never saw any of y'all again..."

He shakes his head and leans in to try and glide the mascara brush over her upper eye lashes. It's not ideal, but they are darker now... If chunky.

"Don't even tell Isidor, okay? She ain't allowed to know." The unspoken part being 'that you know, Runa.' It's not a lie if it's only a half-truth, right?...

Suddenly he buries his face in his hands (though his cigarette sticks out between them) and heaves a sigh. "I'm so bad at keepin' it to myself," he groans. "But I can't help it, Runa!" With his face still covered he shakes his head again. "She's so perfect! She's smart and determined and powerful and gorgeous!"

His hands slide down his face but fortunately his makeup doesn't smear. His wide, guilty eyes search Runa's face for answers. In a pathetic whisper he croaks, "What am I gonna do?..."

This time she doesn't laugh. She smiles gently as he pleads for her to keep this private. It's not as though she doesn't understand. Becoming a part of the world of the Durants, a person quickly gets the impression that privacy is a matter of survival. Listening to Isidor only makes that twice as clear.

"I won't tell anyone. I promise," she assures him softly.

His searching eyes find her looking at him with a face full of sympathy, a gentle smile on her lips. She rests a hand on his shoulder and leans in closer to try and offer some comfort. "Sometimes it's not about doing anything."

With a sigh, she tilts her head and offers him a broader smile. "Life is a messy journey of experiences. Most of them we don't even have control over. I think the important thing is to enjoy what you have."

"There is a Danish concept called Hygge. It's not easy to translate into one word, but... it's about taking pleasure from the simple things in life. Fresh socks, sitting quietly by a cosy fire, drinking and chatting with your friends..." She nudges him lightly. "Sharing a smile with someone you like... I think sometimes that's the best way to live your life. It's a journey. So you should take every piece of happiness you can. You deserve to be happy, Harrowheart, however you can be."

Hygge. He listens to Runa's description of this new concept, and when she's through he spends a short time in silence thinking this over. Part of his mind is busy processing the idea she's just presented, and the other is forcefully stopping himself from defying what she said last. It's hard to hear that sort of sentiment. That he deserves to be happy. It always conjures up mistakes. The cruel things he's done and will continue to do comes to the forefront of his thoughts, but he refuses to focus on them for long.

Eventually he quietly says, "I figure you're right, aren't you? Even if what a person's got ain't everything he wants... It's what he's got. It's all there is. He can enjoy it, or he can suffer."

He lets out a thoughtful little 'hmm' that shakes his shoulders. Then he's leaning in to finish up the mascara on her other eye. It's nearly even, he thinks, and with that his work is done. He sits back, inspects from afar to be entirely sure, and, smiling with a twinge of worry, turns her toward the mirror so that she can see what he's done to her.

Enjoy it or suffer. Well that's a harsh way of putting it. With a sheepish laugh she gets ready to gently explain further, but she stops when he sounds thoughtful. She'd much rather he comes to his own conclusions first. If he's still thinking about hygge she doesn't find out. Instead he turns her around and all thoughts of forbidden love is forgotten.

First her eyebrows shoot up and her mouth forms a little 'o'. She didn't even know mascara could clump that much, or that foundation could crack around creases. The last thing she wants to do is insult Harrowheart, so she fills the silence with soft, thoughtful sounds. Leaning in closer, she inspects her face from every angle.

"It's very good for a first attempt," she tells him, doing her best to sound genuine without sounding condescending.

Harrowheart shakes his head and laughs through his nose. "Runa, I appreciate you lyin' to me. You're a good friend." It brings him an honest smile, and he quickly captures the moment with another selfie of the two of them. He shows it to Runa and says, "Look at us. All dolled up with nowhere to go."

Harrow looks around her room, fully absorbing the sight of it. It's so warm, so bright, so pleasant. What a wonderful home she has.

"I think..." he begins, his voice distant and his eyes thoughtful... But then his eyes flash with a scheme.

"We oughta party. Drink a lot, dance a little, wreck the general peace and tranquility of this place like young people and draugrs are supposed to. Whaddya say?"

Runa twists her lips thoughtfully to one side. "Hm…" She smiles at Harrowheart. "Let see where Luna is. She said she was going to take Klemens out shopping."

Standing up, she remembers her new dress and beams brightly, twisting just enough to make the skirt swish around her knees. "And while I'm down I can get us some drinks!"

As it turns out, Luna is just on her way out, suddenly eager to get out of the house after her scare. Harrowheart might hear a squeal as she spots her little sister's new look. When Runa returns it's with a carefully held assortment of food and drink. She explains as she holds up the things precariously gripped by each finger. "You look like a beer man, you sound like a cider man, and I like spirits."

With crisps and dips to help them along, Runa starts by giving Harrowheart a crash course in modern music. Fishing out her brightly colour, customised laptop, the two of them delve into the endless world of music videos and streaming sites. Runa does her best to share dance moves, and happily makes a fool of herself copying what she can from the videos. At one point an utterly giddy Runa insists they sneak downstairs to find Erling. Luna's husband is asleep on the couch yet again. With Harrowheart's help, they 'decorate' his face with a marker and, successful, Runa nearly falls over trying to laugh quietly.

It's a long day of gentle drinking, energetic dancing, makeshift snacks, and as much gossip as they can get out of each other. A long day, but one filled with good memories.

Girls' Day Out (for Runa)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject