[ P ] Quick drink

"Don't be stingy," Caspian snapped, surprisingly irritable despite lingering in one of his most favorite haunts. The waitress, a wolf with fox-like features and sharp eyes, wrinkled her muzzle in a growl as she dropped the shriveled grapes upon his table. "If you don't want it. Don't eat it." Her voice was thickly slathered in an accent her couldn't place, but he did not need to catch every word to know that he was walking a tightwire. Press back again, and he'd probably be missing a few whiskers along with the grapes he had paid for. Rather than apologize or concede in a more dignified way, he just grumbled and glared down at his shoddy little treat.

What was the world coming to?

Heat bode well for delicious spirits, but the heatwave had soured them and turned them to dust. What was left was twice as expensive and three times as bitter. He felt his stomach pitch at the idea of drinking alcohol with so little water to come by, but he steeled himself and lapped up two berries nonetheless.

He'd just fall in some snow later if he had to.

First, he wanted to shake off what was left of the mainlander stink and try to get back into his old, bad habits. That was the first step at least.

---

CASPIAN SEAFARER

spring — year 1708 — redwood

@Aurelia

Aurelia Rose

ღ with the help of one of the girls, aurelia made it all the way to a bar in sussex. it wasn't her first choice in destination, but it was where the girl had wanted to go. she was meeting up with a client here and aurelia had decided to tag along and see if she couldn't pick up any herself. she'd been feeling a bit... out of it lately. like a fog had come over her, and one that she was eager to clear out as soon as possible. she wasn't sure if she was feeling sad, or anxious, or what... but the ugly feeling was eating her up and she just needed a distraction. a change of scenery... something, anything!

aurelia huffed lightly a she listened to the voice of her companion fade away with the voice of an unknown man. she was alone now, and so she listened to the small crowed around her, a particularly sharp voice caught her attention above all else. the waitress, or maybe bartender? she couldn't tell, but she wasn't happy with whoever she was serving. the silver woman took a few steps towards the voice curiously and bumped right into another man. "oh, pardon me!" she said nervously, a little laugh escaping her. she cleared her throat and angled her muzzle downward apologetically. maybe she shouldn't have come here...

"..."

code by rae

There was a nudge against his shoulder and Caspian started off with a loud "Oy—" which petered out when he saw her face. Clear gray eyes, black-tipped ears curving back along the contour of her delicate skull. Her nose was like a chip of charcoal, her face adorned in swaths of silver. It was like looking at a cloud that had gotten stolen down to this earth.

"Ah—" His voice faded again as he groped for the words. This wasn't the waitress he had been pestering, nor did she look like any of the other wolves in here. She seemed sweeter, softer. Nicer. Utterly out of place.

The alcohol addled his brain, creating a haze in which his words hid. Where he was usually silver tongued, here he was turned around and disoriented. He didn't know how you talked to a cloud.

"...Want one?" Caspian asked then, relying on the good ol' manners his mother had drilled into him from the moment he could walk. Although his collection was a pittance, he pushed a couple withered berries toward her.

Hopefully, if she was indecisive, it'd buy him time to remember how to speak the common tongue.

---

CASPIAN SEAFARER

spring — year 1708 — redwood

@Aurelia

Banshee

From within the thick layer of heat that distorts the horizon, a white wolf appears, her cheeks streaked with tears. She does not yet see you, yet her wails send chills racing down your spine.It is difficult to tell if she is real... and perhaps it is best to leave her to her grief.


To interact with the banshee, please post in #updates

Aurelia Rose

ღ aurelia half expected to get an earful, but in the end the man simply offered her a drink (or so she assumed). she returned his offer with a smile and lowered her gaze slightly. "want one of what?" she asked, just to be clear. she kept her sightless gaze steady as she waited for him to reply, the noise of the bar drowning out the noise in her head. she wasn't sure if she would take the drink, or whatever he was offering, anyway, but she'd at least like to know before she decided whether or not to decline. aurelia usually wasn't one to partake in such things, though she knew some of the other girls did. they said it made some nights much more fun.

after a few moments, she finally lifted her chin up again as if to peer into eyes she could not see. she wondered, idly, if he was an ugly man... not that ugliness meant much to a blind wolf. his voice sounded handsome, but that was all she had to go off of so far. she often wondered if she herself was pretty. she seemed to get a lot of business, and dany's attention from time to time, so she assumed that perhaps she was at least tolerable looking. things like this mattered to sighted wolves and it was an amusing thought she had from time to time.

"..."

code by rae

Seafoam eyes flitted from her face to the berries he'd rolled to her then back to her face. He motioned with nose nose, brow lifting as he waited for some semblance of recognition. Instead, her eyes were downcast. A beat later, they were raised and he saw the silvery pools again. Her gaze seemed to shiver with tiny, small motions as if he were out of focus or incredibly interesting. Caspian stared back and started to feel a bit of unease. Had someone broken her? Was she a doll that had not been wound up tight enough?

Finally he attempted to use his words. "The.. the grapes on the table?" Caspian questioned, unsure if this was a painfully obvious thing to say. But then again, she seemed to be utterly oblivious or intentionally ignorant of his offer. If it was the former, he had to worry for her health and wellbeing. Who was taken care of someone so vulnerable? Where was her keeper? If it was the latter, then he wondered what she could gain from such a show of dumbness. Maybe it added to her charm, but he was not one to fall for the overly innocent. He preferred a bit of spice.

"Next thing I know, you'll be telling me you can't see them," he jested, unaware of the truth to his statement.

---

CASPIAN SEAFARER

spring — year 1708 — redwood

@Aurelia

Aurelia Rose

ღ aurelia could tell by his tone that he wasn't sure why she wasn't noticing whatever it was he was offering and she smiled, even laughed a little. it was amusing, in a way, but she'd not leave him to his confusion for long. "i can't." she affirmed. "see them, that is." she added as she peered up at him with her silvery eyes. she could see nothing but the shadows that danced across her vision.

"but no thank you, i appreciate the offer." she added, hoping not to offend.

it was best she kept her wits about her until her companion returned. she didn't want to be caught off guard by anyone. aurelia cleared her throat and pursed her lips momentarily, wondering just how long she'd be kept waiting and if she should... do something with her 'free' time.

"you know, i can think of a few other things that might be more entertaining than this," she said, extending her own offer to the unknown man.

"..."

code by rae

She couldn't see them. Really. Nothing at all.

While she peered up at him, he peered down at her. Where he expected cataracts and fog, eyes as clear as crystal stared back. She had large, doe eyes. Her pupils were round and black in the low light as if straining to see and her irises were a delicate silver. There was no indication at all that she was blind.

"You're sure?" Caspian asked, still not wholly sure he could believe her. "This isn't some line you use to get rid of an annoying guy in the bar, is it?" Which, in all honesty, he wouldn't blame her if that was her motive. It would be fairly effective to some blokes. The only insult would be the fact that she'd feel the need to use it on him so early on into the night. While he wasn't everyone's cup of tea, he liked to think that he was capable of getting a hint.

At her mention of other more entertaining things, he canted his head to the side. Perhaps it was his own implicit impression of ableism, but if this girl was blind, it didn't occur to him that she'd be hinting at anything sexual. Maybe she wanted help picking her way down a path or climbing up someplace tall and precarious.

"Do tell," he encouraged, intrigued by what daring adventures she wished to embark upon.

---

CASPIAN SEAFARER

spring — year 1708 — redwood

@Aurelia

Aurelia Rose

ღ "You're sure? This isn't some line you use to get rid of an annoying guy in the bar, is it?" he asked and aurelia had to let out a small laugh at the thought. she'd dealt with men far more 'annoying' than him. "i promise, it's not a line." she said.

aurelia's cheeks warmed and her lips pursed. "that was my line, silly." she admitted, waving her tail behind her and glancing away. her ears twitched at the noise around them, but her focus quickly returned to the man before her. "i was..." she paused and swallowed a little nervously. even after all this time, she still couldn't speak directly. it was all too forward and she was just not that way. "i was asking if you'd like to spend a little alone time with me," she opted, hoping he'd understand her implications.

if he didn't, perhaps this would help.

aurelia drew closer, brushing her nose against his broad chest. he smelled like the sea... in a refreshing way. she trailed the soft fur for but seconds before drawing away with a small smile on her lips. she tilted her chin, aiming to peer up into his eyes. she could only see the shadows of his large figure and not much else.

"..."

code by rae

Her voice was earnest and genuine as she swore, truly, that she was not trying to shoo him away. Although he harbored some reservations, he granted her a small nod. Then paused as something nagged at him. Something important—ah! "Alright, I'll believe you then," came his verbal response. His gaze searched her face and he made note of how she had not responded at all to his nod. In fact, her gaze seemed to scrawl his face with little purpose, occasionally drifting from his eyes to his brow to his nose.

Blind. Without a single cloud or cataract to ruin her silvery eyes.

At that, he felt his stomach twist with sympathy for her. Questions such as how did this happen? arose within and he nearly voiced them. However, even as he could feel the syllables on his tongue, he stopped himself. What right did he have to ask her? She was a stranger. A disabled stranger, yes, but not in need of his help or sympathies. If she was in a place like this, perhaps she wanted to forget rather than remember.

And so he let her lead the conversation away to that which was more "entertaining". He crossed his paws as he waited curiously, wholly unaware of her profession or of how she made her ends meet.

"I WAS ASKING IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEND A LITTLE ALONE TIME WITH ME."

... Caspian blinked. His ears twitched. The words slowly sunk in and his head canted to the side as, steadily, his brow furrowed with confusion. And then her muzzle brushed against the fur on his chest. Wherever she touched grew warm and he involuntarily stepped back in a hurry.

"Ah—sorry—I mean—" Dark ears flicked and he reclaimed the step he'd taken in retreat. He wasn't even sure why he was surprised. Usually he would jump at this chance, and yet he couldn't help but feel as though he was taking advantage of her. But then again, why? She had come here of her own volition and was actively flirting with him. Did her disability remove every other part of her? Her agency? Her desires?

"I guess I must have forgotten that blind wolves have needs too, huh?" With a soft, self-deprecating laugh, he reached forward to tap a paw on top of hers. "Do you mind if we start over? I'll be less of an asshole, and you can continue being your charming self." If she declined, he wouldn't blame her. "If it works out that you still want to be alone together, then I'd happily take your company then."

---

CASPIAN SEAFARER

spring — year 1708 — redwood

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@Aurelia