An Inauspicious Beginning: Part 8

The Harlequin, as is usual for this time of day, is fairly empty. Only a handful of guests, perhaps half a dozen, are scattered throughout the room. Of particular note is one ebon-haired human female, sitting at a table off in the corner. She sits watching the entrance, one foot tapping absently. In fact, just about everything about her manner suggests nervousness.

The sound of a faint, light, irregular yet rhythmic clicking moves down the hall alongside silent steps as a tall, slim Timonae walks int othe Harlequin, still in his work uniform, and moving with grace unusual to someone who moves with a cane by his side. His steps make no sound as he moves towards the table, only the cane's tapping - now more a habit than a necessity - giving away his walk. "Hello, Arizhel," he says with a hint of sadness, smiling at her nevertheless.

Tired and a bit haggard but evidenced to be in good spirits nonetheless by a smile, Larin makes his way into the Harlequin with a certain amount of familarity. He moves in the direction of the Timonae and Arizhel and greets, "Hullo. You rang?".

"Both of you, have a seat," Arizhel says, pushing out two chairs with her feet. "I can't stand you guys looming over me like that." She chuckles faintly at this, and manages a thin smile. "I figured it was about time we talked again. I... well, I spent the past two days locked in my quarters, just thinking about things. I'm sorry there was no correspondence. I'm sure both of you were worried."

Karlan smiles and nods softly, leaving the bone-white cane leaning precariously against the table as he sits down by her side, looking at her with veiled concern.

Larin smirks lightly and tosses Rish a wink as he takes a seat in the chair near to her. "Welcome back to the land of the living.", Larin quips as he regards her with lively green eyes. He crosses his arms over his chest and watches her. Though he tries to joke, concern tugs at the corners of his eyes.

Arizhel chews absently on her lip, not looking at either one of them for the moment. "I... before I say anything else, I just want both of you to know how hard this decision has been. I know that doesn't mean much when the chips are down, but I guess I just need for you to know that it hasn't been easy on me at all. Time was, I would have just run off into the night, and avoided the whole thing. I can't bring myself to do that anymore, though. I'm getting a bit long in the tooth to be running away from all of my problems, no?" She sighs, shaking her head, still staring resolutely at the table. "There's no one 'winner' here, just as there is no one 'loser'. It all comes down to me deciding what I want to do with my life."

"You know I won't be angry at anyone over this, Arizhel. I understand." He sighs, and looks down for a long moment. "Just... Tell us what you've decided. It's not been easy for me." He looks at her sadly, locking his eyes on her face, staring.

Larin looks to Karlan for a moment and then nods. "I dropped out of the sky and probally screwed things up for a lot of people. I would have the least right to be angry about anything. It may be disappointing and it may hurt sure ... but thats not a foreign concept to me.", Larin agrees. "Whatever your decision is I meant what I said in the park." He holds eye contact for so long only before its apparent that he can only take so much himself.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I mean that for both of you," Rish says, her eyes still not on either the Lunite or the Timonae. She sighs after a couple of silent moments and brushes a tear off of her cheek. "I don't want to hurt anyone here, but I can't avoid it. I had to take a good long look at myself, and what I intend to do with my life, you know? The two of you... you each represent a possible future. It's up to me to decide which I want. I don't even think the decision would be any easier if I could just turn off the fact that I care about both of you."

"I know. I know it's not about who, but rather which life you'd rather live. I tried to make it clear I can be with you in either one, but..." Karlan trails off, sighing, andl ooking down at his feet again for a while before moving his green eyes to hers again.

"Hush Rish. We can take the news and right now it pains me to see you so upset. Even if this does not end as I hope it would have I would not take back the moments or the smiles or even that tumble into the pool. I don't think it would be possible to forget even if I wanted to.", Larin soothes. "Just take your time and say what you need to say." A light if not somewhat reserved smile.

Arizhel quirks a brow and looks up at Larin, her expression faintly dubious. "You want me to get to the point. Fair enough... I guess all the explanation in the world doesn't really mean a thing at this juncture." She clears her throat and looks up at Karlan, taking one of his hands into both of hers. "Karlan... I'm sorry... I just... I want it all, I guess. Call me selfish if you will. I want a life where I never have to worry about sharing the one I love. I want to settle down here on New Luna, maybe raise a couple of kids or something." She sighs, and shakes her head. "I don't know for sure that Larin would be the one for me to do that with, but there's at least a chance. Don't think for a moment that I don't care about you still, or that this doesn't absolutely kill me inside. I just... it's what I need to do."

Karlan clenches a fist for a moment, staring at Arizhel with an open mouth. He shakes his head, leans over the table and kisses her sweetly for a long moment, standing up rapidly and taking his cane. "I... I understand. You can't take the... pressure, I might call it. The limitations. I understand. I hope you've very happy. I might visit you." He turns a cold glare to Larin, not really hostile, just angry. "And as for you... if you do anything at all to hurt her, I will find you. And I will kill you." The last phrase is delivered coldly and matter-of-factly.

The Lunite sits in his chair for a moment looking relieved, happy, and guilty all at the same time. He stands up and manages a stiff nod to Karlan. "I can only pray to God you make it quick if I ever do anything so wanton or stupid. Quick not because I fear the pain that you should inflict but the pain that I would inflict on myself. Such is the fate of all those who injure those we love or care about." His face turns to a mask of civility after his assurances and his hand comes out towards Karlan to offer a handshake.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Rish murmurs, so softly it's nearly inaudible. Her eyes are downcast, and one might almost think she was studying something interesting on the top of the table, if it weren't for the fact that she had one hand to her forehead. She doesn't even look up to watch the exchange between the two males.

Karlan sighs deeply and hesitates for a moment, nodding after a while and taking Larin's hand. "In different circumstances, we might've been friends. I'll come visit you two." His eyes turn sadly to Arizhel. "Settle down on New Luna? You're leaving the Masque?"

"It isn't too late for that ... in time maybe.", Larin agrees with a nod. He moves to stand behind Rish and her chair. His hand giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"No... not just now," comes the soft response from the woman as she shakes her head, her eyes still on the tabletop. "But eventually, I'd like to get a little place to call my own. New Luna's a nice planet, you know? I mean, I might never give up my job here, but it would still be nice to have a home of my own on dirtside. Sometimes I just need to get off the ship. But you knew that part already." Rish looks up at Karlan then, smiling faintly. "I won't ever tell anyone, you know. Noone. I'll take it to my grave." As if content to leave the cryptic comment at that, she shifts her eyes down again, and places one of her hands over Larin's.

Karlan grins faintly at her, nodding. "I promise I'll take it to the grave. And that's a commitment twice as long, from my point of view." He sighs, and leans into his cane. "I thought it would have worked out, you know. Sorry for not convincing you. Do you think we'll be able to work together from now on?"

Secrets or not, Larin continues to rest his hand under Rish's as he listens to the two go on. He fixes Karlan with perceptive green eyes and a slightly knowing smile reaches his lips. He doesn't comment, instead content to listen to the two. His free hand comes around to run through Rish's hair thoughtfully.

Arizhel nods, shifting her eyes up to the Timonae again. "I don't see any reason why not. We're both professionals here, no?" She sighs, her expression somewhat wistful. "I still consider you a friend, and I'd still trust you with my life. I... I just hope you understand that I'm trying to do what's best for me in the long run." Rish's lips twist in a slight smirk then, and she rolls her eyes. "If it makes you feel any better, my mother hates him too."

Karlan snickers, shaking his head. "I don't think anything could make me feel better about this. You touched a part of me that was almost human. Or maybe you carved out a part of me that was almost human. I think that part of me is dying, Rish." He sighs softly, looking down and leaning on his cane, taking a few steps towarsd the exit, and turning back. "I think I'll go. And leave you two alone. Thank you for everything, Rish. I won't forget any of it."

"Those damnable Lunite terrorists.", Larin quips in slightly better spirits as his proximity to Rish starts to have an effect over him. He soon frowns though as Karlan expresses much what his sentiments were going to be if things went the other way. He inclines his head slightly to him, not feeling the need for words, and giving Rish another quick squeeze.

"I won't forget any of it either, you know," she replies, her expression still somewhat wistful. "I don't regret any of it, and I wouldn't change any of what we did together." Arizhel sighs and leans back against Larin, but her eyes linger on the Timonae as he walks toward the exit.

"As far as I'm capable of love, I'll always love you, Arizhel. Even when you're old, shrivelled up, and married to a cranky Lunite," Karlan says, sighing and lingering in the doorway sulkily, his eyes locked with the human's.

A coy smile and a shake of his head at Karlan. "Cranky?", Larin asks and shakes his head. He crouches near to Rish's chair and puts his arm around her. He murmurs to her.

"I'll always care for you too, Karlan," Rish says, smiling faintly. "Er... wait... m... married?" She sits up straighter in her chair, her expression somewhat incredulous. "Isn't that putting the drives ahead of the ship, hon? I mean, granted, I can't see the future or anything, but still... there's a lot that's got to happen before -that- does, no?" She quirks a brow at Larin's whisperings, responding only with a knowing smirk and a slight nod of her head.

Karlan sighs as he steps out into the hall, striding softly and holding his cane in one hand, no longer making use of it. "I'll be seeing you, Arizhel."

Larin leans his head in towards Rish with a sigh. "I'll try to live up to any and all expectations.", Larin murmurs. "I ... you're sure you made the right choice?". He looks up to her with self-deprecating emeralds.

"Te nosce," Arizhel replies, sighing softly. "That's what it all comes down to. I didn't even spend the last couple of days thinking about you, or about Karlan. Mostly, I spent them thinking about what I wanted to do with my life, with myself." She quirks a brow and looks up at the Lunite, smiling faintly as she affectionately ruffles up his rusty locks. "I don't know if there was a right choice or a wrong choice, Larin. I'd really like to think there wasn't. I chose what I wanted, though."

Larin bites his lip slightly at that and then nods slightly, his arm coming about her with a happy smile. "Your goals sounded wonderful. Even better perfectly achievable.". He holds her for awhile close before he looks around with a light smirk playing over his lips. "So now we ask ourselves the question ... what now?"

Arizhel chuckles softly, looking up at Larin and managing a smile. "Yeah... I dunno. I'm getting too old to be flitting around the Orion Arm like a sense-addled socialite." She shrugs, her expression taking a pensive turn. "Well... I hadn't honestly thought that far ahead. I just... Look, Larin, I know there's a chance you can't give me what I'm looking for, either. I guess it sounds opportunistic, but I took the best shot I could given the circumstances, you know?" Rish sighs, shaking her head. "I hope you don't think any less of me for it."

"Think less of you? It takes courage to take a shot at anything.", Larin responds, his hand traveling up and down her back for a moment reassuringly. "I'd like to give it a shot too. All of those things you wanted and maybe even more. I'd like to do something right this one time."

Arizhel blushes slightly, a faint smile coming to her lips. "Thanks... I can't help but feel a little guilty, though. It's kind of ironic, now that I think about it... It's another one of those things that has me believing that Fate alive and well, and is out there somewhere having a good old laugh at the things that happen in the 'verse." She sighs, looking down at the table top again. "I was always afraid Karlan would be the one to leave me."

"Fate isn't always bad.", Larin reminds with a smile. "We'll just have to make the best of it won't we?". His hand flits through her hair in a teasing gesture aimed to cheer her up some.

"I know. I just..." Rish sighs and looks up at Larin, her eyes meeting his. "I really wish there had been a way where I wouldn't have had to cause anyone pain. Another ironic note there, heh. I got the three of us into this situation by being selfish. The only way out of it... was to again be selfish."

"It was selfish of me to stick around after I knew you were already involved. It was selfish of Karlan to expect you to be happy with something that you weren't.", Larin remarks, his hand coming up to cradle her cheek. "People are selfish, Rish. You have to worry about yourself because all too often nobody else is there to do it for you." He reaches up to give her a light kiss on the lips. "I can't even say I'm sorry for being selfish in this case."

Arizhel smiles after he kisses her, and murmurs, "Saepe creat molles aspera spina rosas." She chuckles, shaking her head. "Sorry, I'm being a bit philosophical. I do like my old poets. That particular snippet was a quote from Ovid. Latin, of course."

"I'm afraid I don't speak dead languages.", Larin remarks with a light smirk but a happy one all the same. "What's it mean?"

"Often the prickly thorn produces tender roses," she replies, smiling faintly. "Alas, I don't speak Latin fluently. I know enough to make me sound smarter than I really am, though." She chuckles, looking up at the Lunite, that same faint smile still on her face. "Mmh, I could get used to this, you know. Looking at you, I mean."

"Ah then you know what pains I go through when you lock yourself in your cabin for a bit of soul searching.", Larin replies, inching a bit closer. He's wearing some particularly good aftershave. "But I can't say I'm not entirely displeased with the results. Christ, you're beautiful."

Arizhel blushes slightly, smiling. "Thanks. I... I needed some time to think is all. I couldn't think about the situation objectively when I was always seeing one or both of you... Hmm... you know, I've been wondering where you got this from," she says, tracing the scar along Larin's brow with one finger. "I'm nosy, I know. I learned it from my cat, I think."

"We all need that from time to time. I'm glad you could." He then smirks brightly at that shaking his head. "Domestic dispute.", Larin returns. He doesn't seem entirely willing or necessarily unwilling to go on with the story. It'll take some prodding on her part to get him to go on.

"Er... wow, okay," Rish says, nodding. "Probably not something you want to discuss at this point. Not entirely sure it's a story I need to hear yet anyway, all things considered." She chuckles softly, but trails off into a sigh. "I know I shouldn't obsess over feeling guilty, but I dunno... I can't help but feel bad, I guess."

"Well it's just an unhappy moment from the relatively happier times of my life.", Larin responds with a shrug and a smirk. "Not to worry though. In many ways she seems to have been a lot like your mother." He takes one of her hands in his and holds it. "It'll be up to me then to make you feel a bit better. Or at least be a willing distraction?"

Arizhel chuckles, looking up at the Lunite again. "What did you have in mind, hon? I think I could use a bit of a distraction." She looks around the room, then shakes her head slightly. "God, I'd love nothing more than to get off this ship for a bit, but..."

"But what?", Larin asks with a light smirk. "Unfortunately I'm not too familliar with this port of call." He looks about the restaurant himself. "But perhaps a change of scenery might do some good."

"Er... well, that's the thing," Rish says, her voice dropping to a murmur. "I... don't feel comfortable going outside at some of our stops. Demaria, here..." She blushes slightly, and glowers down at the table. "That's my mother's good Terran values talking. It's not easy to explain, I guess..."

Larin pats the hand with a smile and a helpless shrug. "Well I suppose with unfamiliar things people assume the worst and well ... it doesn't matter all that much. I like right where I am well enough." A slight grin. "You know I'd face down any seven foot Demarian that gave us trouble."

Arizhel chuckles softly, shaking her head. "That's not the point, but thanks just the same," she says, grinning sheepishly. "It's silly, I know. There's Demarians and Centaurans and what not that are way more civilized than most humans, I just... I dunno. It's not easy to get over spending the first fifteen years of your life being told that aliens are on par with Satan himself, I guess." She leans her head back against him and looks up at him, smiling as she meets his eyes.

"And those damn Lunite terrorists.", Larin quips, looking down at those black eyes with a growing smile of his eyes. "So how do you normally occupy yourself when you aren't working? And no pool. I'm hopeless."

"I do a fair amount of reading," Arizhel replies, shrugging slightly. "Composing and playing music is something I do quite a bit as well. I'll admit to the odd workout now and again, to maintain my girlish figure." She chuckles, her expression pensive. "Mmh, I do love games, though. Games of all sorts. Pool, sure, but there's others. Chess, checkers, whatever. I've got an uncanny knack for game mechanics."

Larin places a kiss on Rish's cheek. "Not exactly what I meant but interesting all the same.", Larin responds with a wink. "I have the worst luck when it comes to games and the like. It's why I never took up gambling."

Arizhel blinks, her head tilting slightly to the side. "Well, what did you mean, then?" She pauses for a moment. "Well, if you're feeling up to it, we could both just get stinking drunk and go back to your quarters, no?" She smirks wryly, chuckling. "Ay, don't mind me. My wit gets away from me sometimes."

"Still need to get drunk for that then, ay?", Larin quips right back with a smirk. He chuckles lightly and shakes his head. "Ah well I'm just as bad at times."

"Not on your life," Rish retorts, smirking. "It -is- fun once in awhile, though." She looks up at the Lunite, and runs her fingers idly through his hair. "Mmh, was there anything you wanted to do? We can't sit here all day, you know."

Masaka makes his way into the Restaurant, and as always, heads immediately towards the bar.

Larin is apparently distracted by Rish at the moment, not noticing Masaka make his way to the bar. "Well we could always just start walking and see where we end up. Peak your sense of adventure?", Larin asks with a wink. He takes Rish's hand, gives it a kiss, and moves to stand from his crouched position.

Arizhel chuckles and looks up at the Lunite, smiling faintly. "We could do that. I'll have to teach you about my sense of adventure, it seems," she says, winking at him. She doesn't appear to notice Masaka, instead getting up from the chair to stand beside Larin.

Masaka takes a seat at the bar, taking a moment to survey the other occupants of the room. He does indeed notice Rish and Larin, though quirks a brow in their general direction. He remains silent, and turns his attention towards the bar, placing his order as usual.

Larin pushes in Rish's chair for her before offering an arm and a coy smile. "Onward, Doctor Livingston?", Larin asks.

Arizhel chuckles softly, threading her arm through Larin's. "Onward, indeed," she says, offering an equally coy smile back at the Lunite. "So, where are we headed? Or do I find out when we get there?"

Masaka places an order for a glass of water, he doesn't pass comment or judgement more content to busy himself on a datapad.

"I think I'll find out when we get there.", Larin murmurs to Rish with a smirk. He leads her from the restraunt with a light laugh.

Arizhel chuckles and walks along beside Larin, looking out into the hallway. "I'm sure the entire crew knows by now... news travels fast around here." She smirks faintly, and looks over at the Lunite. "Hrm. You know, I think I've run out of things to say for the moment, so this will have to suffice," she says, leaning over to kiss the side of his face.

"I'll take what I can get.", Larin responds with a smirk and a return kiss of his own. He stops in the hallway and turns her around to face him with a smile. "Did I mention how damn beautiful you are?".

Arizhel quirks a brow, a faint smile on her face. "Nice trick, turning me around like that. You dance at all?" She tilts her head to the side then, and nods. "So you keep telling me. You're going to give me an ego as big as this ship, if you keep that up, you know."

"Never tried dancing much. I suspect I have two left feet.", Larin remarks with a smirk. "And there's nothing wrong with a big ego as long as you can back it up."

"Ay, we'll have to see if I can teach you sometime," Rish says, chuckling. "If you can fight, you can dance, hon. I know a bit of this, a bit of that. Some of it's not fit for mixed company, but I'll tell you about that some other time." She grins impishly, her eyes meeting Larin's. "Hm... you may be right, but still, I don't want to be a stuck-up bitch. Nobody likes a girl like that."

"We'll have to try some time.", Larin replies with a nod and a smile. "There are a /lot/ of things we need to try. What's even better is that we have quite near all the time in the world." He leans in to hold her close.

Arizhel gives a sigh of contentment as she leans her head against Larin's shoulder. "Mmh, sure, until J... your boss decides to take you off on some fool's errand or other." She chuckles dryly, her arms slipping around the Lunite's waist. "Though, I suppose he's got someone to be careful for these days too, no?"

"It would seem so.", Larin agrees. "But so far Ryan hasn't given me a shout yet so he must be busy lying low." His hands play along her back and cradle her lovingly. "Which is something that I am for once thankful for."

"What, not looking for trouble anymore?" Rish replies, chuckling. "Don't stop on my account, hon. Don't change a thing about yourself, kay?" She grins, and reaches up to brush some stray locks off of his forehead. "I won't say that I'm disappointed that he hasn't called you in yet, though. I'd be lying my ass off, and I'd rather not do that. Gets things off on the wrong foot, so to speak."

"Oh I never go /looking/ for trouble. As cliched as it sounds it seems to follow in my wake.", Larin remarks with a chuckle and then nods. "I'll not change as long as you promise not to." He then nods a bit more with a smile. "Lying isn't something I enjoying doing."

Arizhel nods, shifting her eyes away. "Me either, to tell the truth. Sometimes it's necessary, but I dunno... I don't like to do it." She quirks a brow then, again meeting the Lunite's gaze. "Hm. Well, if trouble follows you around, then I'll have to keep an eye out for you myself. Once I get back to work, that is, instead of lounging around my damn quarters like a useless lump." She chuckles, and tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Mmh, you know, I thought we were supposed to be going somewhere."

"Well we were but when we came out here and I was swept up in that wonderful gaze and ... it all fell to pieces. The plan that is.", Larin returns with a little laugh. "Any suggestions?". He purses his lips as he regards her.

"Not a one," Rish replies, leaning close to brush her lips against Larin's. "Sorry, couldn't resist. You had em all puckered up and ready to go. How can a girl stay away from that?" She grins, and quirks a brow then. "I know what you mean. Hmm... your eyes, that's what did it for me, I think."

"I'm certainly not complaining.", Larin replies, leaning his head against hers with a smile. "Well we could always just go back to our respective quarters and uhm ... read." He says this at a deadpan.

"Well, you can't go to my quarters with me in any case," Rish replies, chuckling. "Especially not considering Dan's like two or three doors down from me." She smirks wryly, and tilts her head to the side, again looking up at the Lunite. "Hmm... probably better if we take things a bit slow anyhow, no? All things considered, I mean..."

"That's what I said. Our respective quarters.", Larin replies with a coy little smile. "But you're quite right. Slow and steady and all that lot. Besides I think I could die happy just in your arms."

Arizhel blushes slightly, her gaze shifting away demurely. "I'm... not quite sure what to say to that, Larin." She sighs softly and leans her head down against his shoulder, her arms drawing tight around his waist. "Mmh, you know, the night of the party, I stopped having nightmares about the thing on the beach. The previous nights, I'd hardly gotten but a couple of hours' sleep, all told. Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe not. Dunno bout you, but I don't put too much stock in coincidences, myself."

"That was about the best night's sleep I've gotten myself. I know because that was the night I ran out of sleep aids.", Larin says, his own arms finding their place at her back. He rocks slightly as he holders her. "There's been an awful lot of coincidences lately for them to be just coincidence."

"I have a feeling someday I'll be thanking whatever lucky star brought you crashing down into my life," Rish says, smiling up at him. "Right now, I'm just happy to be with you, even with such an... inauspicious beginning as we had." She chuckles, shaking her head. "You know, I'm still not sure how much of that was liquor, and how much was... something else. Something I can't seem to deny any more than you can. I'm not sure we'll ever know, and I'm not sure I'd want to anyway. Why dissect it? Just enjoy it, no?"

"That's quite true. If we break it down enough we may just find something we don't quite like!", Larin quips with a smirk, leaning in to kiss the bridge of her nose. "I plan to enjoy it for what it is." Another quick laugh. "But I'd not thank your lucky stars just yet. Not until you've gotten a good long time to spend with me."

Arizhel looks up at him as he kisses her, eyes crossing as he draws close. She blinks and shakes her head, then looks up at him, smiling. "I'll hold you to that, you know," she warns, chuckling. "I've got my well-manicured little claws into you, Larin Weyr, so there's no escape for you now."

"Oh. No. Please. Stop.", Larin deadpans, with a roll of his green eyes. "Well apparently my eyes have some sort of trance inducing effect so perhaps it is I who has /you/." He chuckles lightly and looks around the hallway. "Looks like we never did get anywhere, ay?"

"You're very observant, Mr. Weyr," Rish retorts, grinning mischeivously. "Unless my powers of perception fail me, this is the very same hallway we've been standing in for the past hour and a half." She chuckles, and leans close, looking up and meeting his gaze. "Mmh, not saying that I mind or anything. You?" Without waiting for an answer, she smiles, and presses her lips to his.

"Well I do-", Larin begins but is cut off by the kiss. With her leading into the kiss he goes to work trying to draw it out a bit. He's rusty sure but he does attempt to put his hands in the right places and move his lips along with hers.

Arizhel kisses the Lunite for only a few moments before pulling away, giving his lower lip one final nibble as she does. "Mmh, we're standing in the middle of the hallway, Larin..." She grins impishly at him, her eyes still on his. "Course, I started it, but still. The last thing we need is for someone to walk by, hm?" She chuckles, and leans her head down against his shoulder.

"And I'm supposed to be the one with restraint.", Larin replies, sucking in a bit to regain his breath. "Damned if you do and damned if you don't I guess. You know I could really get used to having you there...". He shifts slightly to make it a bit more of a comfortable lean.

"You better get used to it," she replies, burying her face against the side of his neck. "I find it rather comfortable myself. You know... okay, I have to make this observation, even though it might make you a bit uncomfortable." Rish pauses for a moment, and kisses the side of his neck lightly. "Thank God you're not a foot taller than I am. That was... difficult at times."

"Short, stout and cranky. Really don't know what you got yourself into do you?", Larin replies in good nature, his neck craning slightly as she goes to work. "I can imagine the uhm ... difficulties though."

Arizhel raises her head to look at the Lunite, her expression somewhat bemused. "And just what were you thinking?" She chuckles then, shaking her head. "I'm not even sure I want to know!"

"I just meant the simple things ... I don't know! You'd always look small in pictures!", Larin protests, though a coy smile plays at his lips. "You're incorrigible!"

"Sorry, sorry," Rish says, grinning impishly. "Keep in mind I've been with a Timonae these past few months, and then try to see things from my point of view, hm?" She chuckles, shaking her head. "In any case, we can't just stand here in the hallway all night. I should actually go get some practicing done, now that I think about it. I spent the past few days completely unable to seriously practice, on account of nerves."

Larin grins at Rish, his fingers playing up the front of her dress with a wink. "Well I suppose you should get back to practicing. I've some uhm ... meditation exercises to work on." Sheepish smile there. "Otherwise I dare think I should go crazy thinking what I might just do to you when I get you alone."

"Meditation? Mmhmmmm," Rish retorts, chuckling. She leans in to kiss his lips softly, then steps back, her eyes still on his. "Go ahead and think about it if you like, by the way. That way you'll be prepared when you get the chance, hm?" She grins and takes a few more steps back, still walking backwards so she can keep her eyes on his.

"Ah and you shall practice on making some of that sweet music that you do then?" Larin calls out after her with a chuckle. He backs away in much the same fashion as not to lose eye contact till the last possible moment.

Arizhel quirks a brow archly and gives a pointed look to the Lunite, hands on her hips and a knowing smirk finding its way to her lips. "I'll make sure to do that, Larin," she says, chuckling and turning away to catch the lift. As the doors open, she looks back over her shoulder and blows a kiss at him, then steps onto the lift, the doors closing behind her.