Catchup Over Pie

Log Info

• Title: Catchup Over Pie

• Emitter: Andelena

• Characters: Andelena, Dolan

• Place: Andelena and Dolan's apartment

• Summary: Andelena's relaxing on the couch with one of two loving calico cats when Dolan comes back home with chicken-and-dumpling pie. The two Daeusites catch up on everything that's been going on, from loan sharks to Guild missions. Eventually the conversation turns to their ambitions for the future, and the two retire for the evening, with Dolan proving to be an excellent cat magnet.

Evenings at the Donnelly residence tend to be lazy affairs where the humans are concerned, if the humans are in residence. Andelena is, and she sits on the couch, her hair still damp from the bath she took only an hour ago to wash the grime off of herself. And of course, the Sunguard being freshly bathed and changed into clothes means that Patches is languorously spread across her lap, the calico cat purring away with kneads into Andelena's stomach.

"Look at you, you little lovebug," Andelena says with a snicker as she looks down at Patches. "You're just a happy little thing."

Clump, clump, clump up the stairs outside heralds Brydion's arrival from wherever it is he'd been all day, and it is closely followed by the door opening to admit him, his clothing covered in wood chips and splinters, and bearing something that smells suspiciously like an excellent dinner. The size of the parcel suggests enough for both of them and possibly some for the cats as well.

He looks weary and thoughtful, but does not appear to be in any pain, and the weather is bright and sunny outside.

Of course, the thumping on the stairs is a signal that Patches knows quite well. The calico's ears perk up, and she goes from trying to make biscuits in Andelena's tunic into a roll off the lap and onto the floor, where she scurries over to the door to meet her Favorite Person. Andelena huffs. "Yeah, yeah, I know who you really love," she mutters (but with a grin) as she rises up from the couch.

She walks over to the door, and after unlocking it, she opens it, meeting Dolan with a wide smile. "Hey babe," she says. "Lemme help you with that load. It smells delicious." Her arms go out to take it from Dolan.

Brightest of days, baby," Dolan returns both the words and the wide smile, handing off the package of what smells like a chicken stew of some sort. It in fact turns out to be a chicken-and-dumpling pie for them to split, with a flaky crust on the bottom.

He then stiffens as Patches chooses that moment to sink claws into his trousers, and once the food is handed off, he reaches down to pick up the calico. "What?" he asks, tenderly and with a full grin in evidence. "You just want to say hello?"

Andelena takes the package and sniffs deeply, walking back into the apartment to put it down on the table where they typically eat their meals. "She climbs you to say hello, I climb you to say hello. Sometimes. Depends." There's the wicked smile on her face as she pulls out a chair for herself and a chair for Dolan.

"How was your day? I just got back here a couple of hours ago," Andelena asks, taking her chair. She doesn't open the package with the pie in it yet, as she spies the wood chips and splinters on his tunic and anticipates he'll probably be headed off to change.

A laugh that holds a note of wickedness escapes Dolan, his grin matching hers quite well. "Let's eat first, baby, and then I'll feed you all you want." The words are arch, but he does, indeed, carry the kitten towards the back room, saying, "I need to change before dinner."

He disappears and returns a few minutes later, dressed only in one of his old shirts that are no longer suitable for wearing in public, and without boots or other gear, down only to symbol, shirt, and trousers, his feet bare. Patches comes padding out in his wake, and scampers towards the table to investigate the delicious-smelling offering. "I've missed you. I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks." So saying, he drops into a chair at the table. "It's been busy. More of Albus Kinkade, plus Master Bergzin's tutelage." He's taken up studying woodwork and carpentry under one of the artisans tied to the temple. He's billed it as a just in case.

"That sounds like a good time to me," Andelena calls after Dolan as he disappears. When he emerges, Andelena's brought out the eating utensils and plates and put them down onto the table, ensuring that Dolan doesn't have to do much more than to dig into the pie.

"Yeah, it's weird," Andelena replies, taking her own portion of the meal. "I know you've got your assignment with the Temple that's keeping you busy. I'm still getting back into the swing of duties. Course, that doesn't stop me from spending my day off inquiring about forges to learn a thing or two at." That's Andie's version of the just in case. "I mean, if I'm gonna learn how to deal with Deliverance and the upkeep she requires, I might as well learn how to make other blades and shit, y'know?"

"I finished that, baby." Some of Dolan's grin comes back, and from the sparkle in the brown eye, he's quite pleased with himself. "Turned that bastard over to the Sunguards three days ago." He does not elaborate, instead digging into his food. He has, notably, also removed the brace and the sheepskin jacket he's taken to wearing, and he seems to be in no discomfort, gently flexing the freed shoulder. "Or even just utensils and fenceposts and the like, but I can see you doing blades and maybe even armor," he goes on, around a mouthful of food. "These are as good as Magpie said they were," he observes, pointing at the slice of chicken pie on his plate.

That smile on Dolan's face is reflected in Andelena's face. Her eyes do linger on the braceless shoulder, but she seems more concerned with giving Dolan the praise he's due at the moment, smiling widely. "Knew you'd do it. You always do, you know? One way or another. You're good at shit like that. Shoulder's not giving you any trouble today, I take it?"

She takes her first bite and hums appreciatively. "Oh, fuck, these are good. Yeah, I'm not exactly gonna be forging swords and armor to start off with, but that's kind of my goal for the moment--until, of course, we have a house and a whole gang of kids running around, then I'm probably sticking to the small shit. Hinges and whatnot."

Andelena lifts her fork in Dolan's direction as she talks. "Speaking of family. I haven't forgotten about my mother, and I definitely haven't forgotten about your parents. I need to write to my brother to see if he's picked up anything new from the family that's useful for us."

"Nah, it feels pretty good. I haven't pushed it or nothing, just the exercises. The days it rained were pretty bad, though." Dolan's words come around a mouthful of food, and he chews and swallows before going on. "I'm still holding out for the ability to pick up the greatsword," he admits. "The brace helps a lot. It doesn't feel like it's going to jar loose if I shake it too hard, but it's pretty tight."

Another bite - he's eating with a real will tonight. "I'm all for you doing the big stuff, baby. I know you can." He looks up, though, at the words about family. "Shit. Andie, did I tell you I got a letter from Joffrey?" He speaks of his next-oldest brother, a name he hasn't mentioned in some years.

Andelena swallows another bite and nods to Dolan's words. "I have faith," she says, smiling gently as she repeats the words that got her through everything after Dolan made his deal with Kol. "Just don't push it too hard without the brace if you can help it. I know I'm sounding like a nag, but if I'm gonna be the mother of your children--then nagging's gotta be something I end up doing at some point." There's a glint in her eyes as she smirks.

The mention of Joffrey squashes that glint in her eyes, though, and she squints. "Joffrey? You haven't talked about him in a long time. What was the letter about? Is he doing okay?"

"There's a loan shark after Mama and Papa, after the wights and then the demons on the farm." The topic chases all of the smile away from Dolan's features. "They're trying to pay it back, but they're claiming the loan was for a lot more than they thought. Some man named Mortin holds the loan. Tel and I are going to track this - person - down and have a little chat. If he's backed by who I think he is backed by -" He trails off.

"They can't be the only ones, Andie. We've got to stop these bastards. They're using the money to fund their shit, and -" He rests both elbows on the table, fork in hand. "I told you we're planning on going back to Quelynos. No, you don't have to go, but can you feed Hunter as well as Patches and Spot?"

Andelena squints in that way she does when she senses or smells bullshit somewhere on the horizon as Dolan explains. "Loan shark? Oh, fuck that," she says softly. "No way am I gonna let your parents get taken for a ride by some motherfucker who thinks he can pull the rug out from underneath honest people's feet. Count me in if you want. I'm not as good as you are at shaking people down for info, and I sure as shit don't have Telamon's silver tongue, but I'm happy to be muscle if you want me to be, Bry."

There's actually a slight, slight twitch of Andelena's eye as Dolan mentions Quelynos. But she nods. "Yeah, I'd be more than happy to hold down the fort," she says. "You remember how the last time we went together to go get Phyrelia, and we ended up being gone for three days? The girls would fucking riot. Someone's gotta take care of them, and Hunter too, if Verna and Auranar are going with you. Tel's going with you too, right?"

"Yeah. Him and Lana both. We'll be fine. If you can keep the home fires burning - thank you, baby." A ghost of Dolan's smile returns, and he takes another bite of his food, chewing and swallowing before speaking again. "I know you wouldn't. I'm expecting a werewolf. Some poor bastard in Zinskas or Seraquoix's clutches. If we can get him to talk - well, we'll give it our best shot. V's still in play, too. I told you I took a Guild job yesterday."

"It's probably some fuzzy motherfucker who never got taught to sit or stay, yeah," Andelena echoes, finishing off the last of her slice of pie. "On top of being some asshole loan shark, too. Unless he has a really, really good reason for being both of those at once, I gotta say I'd probably sleep real damn soundly at night if he received the Knight's justice."

She's about to say more, but then she stiffens in place. "Patches, baby, I know I'm your mom and all, but you can't sink your claws into me like how I paw at your daddy when it's time for fun," she says in mock-exasperation, leaning down to pick up the cat and hold her in her arms. She turns to look back at Dolan. "Guild job--how'd that pan out?" she asks.

There's that wicked glint in Dolan's eye again at Andelena's not-so-subtle references, and it seems at least to have brought the smile back to his face. His attention, though, remains on the cat. "You have your own food, Patches." As if to punctuate the point, he puts the last bite of his slice in his mouth, and eyes the pie plate with great interest, in the way of one assessing whether another slice might be available.

"It was - something. One of those damned shadow demons took over a golem in the Arcanist's Library and was trapping people in a book. The Book of Three, it was called." His gaze goes sober. "The book was destroyed, but in the process, the professor who did it lost his ability to do magic in the backlash," he goes on, somberly. "I guess there's a price for doing the right thing, sometimes."

Patches stares at Dolan, clearly not buying that the remaining pie is supposedly for human consumption. Either way, she just gets a kiss between the ears before Andelena sets her back down onto the floor.

Andelena frowns at the story once she returns her attention to it. "Trapping people in a book--that's fucking terrifying," she admits. "And that poor professor. Those mages will study their whole damn lives to do magic, and then... Gone. Just like that. There's always a price for things like that, and someone gets stuck with the tab one way or another."

"Yeah. The only thing I can do is make the sacrifice worth it," Dolan answers, finally standing up and reaching to dish himself another slice of chicken pie. "And that means shutting this bullshit down. We had a wizard with us, but -" The pie is cut and the slice transferred to his plate. "Were you with us the night one of those shadow demons possessed that little wee black kitten of Auranar's and stole a totem?" He remains thoughtful.

"No, I wasn't, but considering what happened with little Spot? Yeah, seems like these demons will do just about anything--including reusing their tricks--to get what they need to get done, done," Andelena says. "Did the shadow demon do something with that wizard?" She's eyeing the pie, too, but isn't reaching to cut herself a slice of it yet.

"Nah. In fact, the wizard - didn't do much of anything. I don't think he wanted to take the risk the professor took." Dolan gestures at Andelena's plate with the serving knife, as if in question, his eyebrows raised. "It - kind of got me to thinking, Andie," he sighs. "In the end, I think I'd rather have been the professor, than leave a dozen innocent people trapped in a book." He seems to be waiting for a signal from Andelena, relating to the pie.

"I still hope I can work up to where I can fight with the greatsword again," he goes on, a pensive frown dragging down both of his lips. "But - if I'm limited to His blade - maybe I can make that be okay. I can still help people. I can still do the right thing. I can still work against the evil in the world."

Andelena gives Dolan a nod and holds her plate out for Dolan to serve her, since he's being so gentlemanly about it. "Thanks, babe," she murmurs appreciatively. But she's visibly chewing on the story of what happened, thoughtfulness in her steel-grey eyes.

"I agree," she says. "Sacrifice the ability to do something in order to save other people--that's the noble thing to do. That's the right thing to do. Some people don't have the guts, and y'know, decisions aren't clear-cut and dry in the moment, but... if you care about other people, and you do what they would want you to do, then you tried to do the right thing."

She looks affectionately at Dolan. "When you were brought to the Temple and you were out from it all--Zeke asked me for a decision on something like that," she says. "I chose the answer that would give you the best shot at living life well afterwards, even if it was riskier. Because I knew you already live with a lot on a day-to-day basis, Bry, so... I thought if I could prevent one more thing from landing on your plate, I would. And it worked. Had faith that it would. And I have faith you'll be able to help people regardless if you wield the greatsword or the longsword. That's what we do as servants of the Knight. It's our calling, y'know?"

Without hesitation, Dolan serves Andelena as well, then lays aside the serving knife and sits back down, rubbing carefully at his shoulder, that pensive expression setting itself deeper still into both sides of his face, or at least as much as it can amid all the scarring. "Yeah. I guess - that's really what I have to focus on. Being able to still serve the Knight, help people out. Like you said, it's what we're here for." He drops the hand and picks up his fork, considering the story she'd told. "I'd rather never fight again than be a coward," he exhales finally. "I guess - I've just got to have faith. That I'll get there. And just - keep going, yeah? You did the right thing, Andie."

"We do what we can, babe," Andelena says with a smile as she picks up her fork again and digs into her served slice. "Sometimes the way it all shakes out is--beyond us. It's the gods and it's whatever else is high up that carries out the rest, once we put in all we've got. I put my faith in the Knight to carry me where I am uncertain I can't tread--and it got me through."

She lifts the fork to her mouth. "It got us through." And she takes a bite, humming appreciatively again. "Fuck me sideways, we're gonna have to get another pie from that place." The murmur on the heels of her solemn statement of faith is... well, it's classic Andelena. Devout and crass rolled into one package.

"Yeah. Yeah, it did." Dolan's still digging into his own slice of pie. "It still is," he adds, then chuckles at the switch of topic to the pie. "Yeah, we are. Give her this, Magpie knows her food." He takes another bite, chews and swallows, and eats several bites in silence.

"What does the Temple have you doing?" he asks finally. "I barely see you, lately."

"Guard duty again," Andelena replies, somewhere in between bites of pie. "I think they thought I needed to be back out there after being off that duty for so long. And..."

She smiles at Dolan. "Well, I'll fess up. If we're gonna have a family, I'm trying to work as hard as I can now. Save as much money as I can. So we have everything our kids need and maybe some of what they want. This is the only time where I find myself even remotely wishing I was still in the family will, but that's not gonna happen. No use crying and shitting my pants about it, so I'm pulling up my sleeves and working."

The curiosity and concern brightens and relaxes at the description, and understanding replaces the edge of worry. "Just don't get so into it that we don't have the time to make those kids, yeah?" Dolan winks at her over his plate, and cuts off another bite of pie, that grin splitting his entire face in two this time. "We don't need your family's money, and I don't want them around our kids. I'm saving too, you know. I might try the metal-working too, but I've always loved the feel of wood. I want to have something to fall back on when it's time to come off the road. Yeah, I'll still be part of the temple, but I don't s'pose I'll be making a habit of hunting down demons, yeah?"

"That'd be the biggest fucking tragedy of all," Andelena says with a wicked grin over her own plate, putting another big bite onto her fork. "Don't you worry, we'll pencil in plenty of time for family-making. My little brother would be an alright uncle, although I think he'd probably be bewildered at the way you and I would live. Everyone else can jump down a deep pit and I wouldn't shed a single tear."

She finishes off the slice. And then she grins wickedly at Dolan again. "I agree, you need something to do. But the only wood I plan on working with is yours."

It doesn't take Dolan long to finish off his slice as well, and he pushes back his plate, tosses the fork on it, and stands up. "You better come here so I've got wood for you to work with, baby. I think I've had enough of that pie, how about you?" That grin remains, and it holds a wicked note. "I'll give you all the wood you want." Tales of demons and books and wizards and cowardice are forgotten in favor of more - immediate pursuits.

Andelena stands upright from her chair and takes Dolan's hand, leaning in to kiss him in her rather strong way when she's got her mind set on the thing that she and Bry do best, besides act as servants of the light: each other. She draws back after a heated moment and grins at him. "Let's go polish that wood in bed, then."

Sadly, this means Spot, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed, has to be evicted, Andelena setting her outside the bedroom before closing the door. But considering she pounces on her kitty-sister for some play-time just a moment after... She appears to have forgiven the Daeusites.

Especially when it comes time for the real sleep, where Spot snuggles in next to Dolan's chest, and Patches snuggles by his legs. All's well.