Ouranos was a fairly emotional man. He wasn't prone to hysterics, exactly, he just didn't seem to be able to keep his feelings in check. He wore them on his sleeves, both of them, just so that no matter what side you stood on they were obvious. He'd been relieved when the first three of his daughters had taken after their mother. When Calli had come along he'd known immediately that she was mostly made after him.

The boy, well, he was a bit of a mix. That was alright though, he had the older ones to keep him in check. Seemed to be going through a difficult age though, one where even by the accepting standards of wicks, he found his father embarassing.

It had never been that way with Calli before. She'd always been his little girl, the one that had never had to fake enthusiasm in order to humour him. He loved all his children equally but he knew that the bond he had with Calli was special. The bond of two over-enthusiastic people in a household of sensible wicks.

And now she was marrying a swordswallower. A human swordswallower that was likely going to take her far and away forever. He'd never get to see her. It didn't look like the boy planned to become a Crow to honour Calli's heritage. He hadn't even asked permission first... That was polite, wasn't it?

Ouranos sighed, gaining a few odd looks because he didn't look so much like a pensive man as strangely hairless bear. He'd already had two pints and hadn't started to feel it at all. Unlike his daughter, he could hold his liquor.

Tristaan had known since the party earlier that day that poor Ouranos would be upset over the whole thing, but he also knew the man who was practically an uncle would keep it to himself until the girl wasn't looking. The passive had miraculously managed to dodge his own issues all day as well, internalizing as usual, keeping the painful reality of his insecurities safely away from the lovely witch he very much longed to tell everything to ... but couldn't. He was tired of repeating himself, of feeling foolish for the conventions he still seemed bound by, of the kind of fear he couldn't seem to tuck away for good even in her encouraging, accepting presence.

While he wasn't entirely sure if he was going about things the right way with Sarinah, Tristaan at least knew he could do something for Ouranos.

Somehow, it was easier.

Less complicated.

More familiar.

Not quite as intimidating.

Or something noncommittal like that. (Not that the passive didn't necessarily want to be committal ... Alioe knew it sure sounded nice and looked even better after today.)

He wasn't really sure how he'd find the man or slip away from the party, but, probably quite by accident, he did. Somehow, the passive knew he couldn't spend too much time away, but he also knew Ouranos needed an ear. Hopefully, the man did not need knees to break instead.

Finally finding the man drinking at a stall designed for such a purpose away from the remnants of his daughter's after party, Tristaan approached and hunkered heavily into a seat next to him, trying to shake off his own burdens in hopes of offering to share another's.

"It ent much of a party by yourself, dabrunno." He grunted, tone of voice implying he wasn't there to judge, "Nor is it much of drinkin', neither."

Ouranos kept looking forward, appearing as though his dog had died or something else equally tragic. He was like an enormous, red-haired, doleful-looking teddy bear. Even his tattoos seemed to be frowning.

"Hesta, Tristaan." Ouranos said in a deep, strangely pitiful, voice. "Don't feel much like celebratin'."

Which was true. He didn't even know this boy. How could he be sure he'd provide for Calli? Care for her best interests? He was a human, what did he know about it meant to be a wick? Tristaan might not have been wick by blood but he'd lived with them, he was one of them. This... boch hadn't even tried.

"He didn't even come 'n ask us first. It was never that way when I was a lad." Ouranos had married into the Crows, from the Laughing Sky and he'd made sure to ask Gea's parents when things had become more serious between them. "I don't know this boy 't all. He's too weedy lookin'."

Ouranos growled a little and took another sip of his beer. The momentary fire lapsed quickly back into melancholy.

Tristaan didn't feel like drinking, but he didn't really feel like celebrating either. While his time on Surwood had certainly allowed him to foster some very new feelings, it'd all been perhaps a bit harder than he expected it to be. Growing hurt, and it wasn't the kind of physical pain he was used to.

"Ent gotta apologize t'me." He said quietly, studying the man carefully, "Dorian's a decent kov. He's quiet, respectful, an' more disciplined than he looks. Oes, he ent ever lived like us, but Circus life ent entirely diff'rent from spoke life in th'end. I get th'feelin' th'boy'll do everythin' he can t'care for Calli, dabrunno."

The passive sighed, wondering if he should've been paying more attention to Calli and the boy when he had a chance, "If I'd known he had those intentions, maybe I could've brought him by first, eh? Epameo."

He let some silence hang between them for a few moments, looking at his calloused hands folded together on the bar top.

"It ent too late t'spend some time with him, ye chen."

"I don't rightly know. I spend so much of my time trying to scare him that I don't know what to talk to him about." Ouranos said honestly.

He was aware that it wasn't very nice to threaten an in-law but he just couldn't seem to stop the behaviour. It was like a knee jerk reaction. He saw that gangly boy near his daughter and he got growly. He didn't know how much Dorian loved her, even if he had seen how happy he made her. He just wasn't ready to let go yet.

He was pondering taking Dorian out on a hunting trip and losing him somewhere but he was sure Calli would never forgive him.

"Disciplined ye say? Will he be able to provide for her? I'd feel better 'bout it if she had other Crows about to keep an eye open." Ouranos wasn't so much hinting here as begging.

Tristaan caught on to what the older wick was requesting, and inside the swordsman cringed a little. He wasn't made for the Circus. Not that he was always entirely sure what he was made for, regardless of how Sarinah made him feel. He chewed the inside of his cheek in thought before speaking quietly, "Th'Circus is very much like a tribe, an' from what I got t'be a part of, I'm very sure that it'll be more'n'just Dorian lookin' after Calli. There's some nice chips who'll make sure he treats her right, an' a couple of older kovs who'll box his ears if there's trouble. Benny folk, dabrunno."

The passive moved his hand to pat Ouranos on the arm firmly, encouragingly, "Th'Circus was quite a hit in Vienda. It was a good start. 'Sides," Tristaan's voice became not only comforting, but sincere, "y'don't think she'd come home if things didn't go as planned?"

Perhaps he'd considered the same thing, once or twice.

Ouranos hunkered down a little, shuffling until he appeared slightly smaller, like a chroven curling up. He seemed fairly unconvinced, despite Tristaan's placation. He had no idea what the circus was really like, Calli hadn't taken her family to see it.

"I 'unno, Tristaan, when things get a bit mung like sometimes you don't want to ask for help." He said, looking sad and enormous. "She's the kind to try and make something work when it's still broke. She still jumps off things when the mood strikes her and Gea always said she'd grow outta that..."

The tree incident was still at the forefront of his mind. As was the day Dorian had come sneaking about at night, while everyone was heading abed or running about the many caojas.

"Tell me some more about the boy..." He said, taking a mainly swig of his beer. "Maybe it'll make me want t'kill him less."

He wasn't sure, he'd once heard familiarity bred contempt but he hadn't understood what that meant.

The passive sighed and reached a hand up to rub the back of his neck in thought. He knew Calli enough to know that Ouranos wasn't exaggerating, but he'd always felt that when the witch wasn't distracted, home was indeed important to her. Still, she did indeed approach things from a ... unique perspective.

Tristaan considered Dorian for a moment before speaking, "He's th'thoughtful type, especially since I think he's had t'keep th'other boy, Taegan, in line sometimes. Doin' what he does with swords an' fire takes discipline an' patience, an' that's prolly not just for his act. It's gotta be a personality thing t'stick, ye chen? He ent th'type t'be throwin' th'first punch in a fight, neither. Strikes me as th'kinda boy who'd rather hear y'out an' work with some thinkin'. S'a benny compliment for Calli, that kinda' calm. From what I've seen, he does fair care 'bout her."

He paused and poked the obvious, "I know he ent tekaa, but for a natt, he's been livin' a spoke kinda life for a while on count of th'Circus. I'd think if he felt he had a chance at fami with th'Crow, he would fit in with a bit of patience an' such."

"Nnnnmmrrr, maybe." Ouranos replied, looking as though he was going to accept this for now. "I guess I ent got ne choice."

He quietened. He gained a look Tristaan had seen on Calli's face before, on the rare occasions when she was still. Ouranos was thinking very carefully about something, letting it tick over until he could conclude something.

"So, I take it ye ent stayin' with the circus then?" He asked, a bit sadly. "I ent heard ye say ye'd keep an eye on 'er... Where ye headin' to son?"

Tristaan shifted uncomfortably under the accusation. He'd followed the Circus up from Old Rose to keep an eye on Calli—that much was true—but he hadn't expected the lovely witch that awaited him in Vienda.

"I'm headin' back toward th'Harbor with Sarinah." The passive said quietly, gray eyes falling onto his calloused hands, "I'd keep an eye on Calli if I could, an' you know it."

He knew that might not be a satisfactory excuse for the older wick, and while the traveling had been interesting, Tristaan was no acrobat or chrove tamer. Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough danger in the performing business to keep him.

"I ent made for th'Circus, dabrunno."

Ouranos gave Tristaan a slightly pitying look.

"Oh, brunno, I think we all know the circus ent quite the place for ye." He said, trying to word it as delicately as he could. Tristaan had always been a fairly serious young man. "I know ye'd look out fer Calli if ye could, forgive an old man his selfishness. Calli ent like her sisters, they're much more pragmactical."

Ouranos had a large vocabulary but not much space for it. Words tended to get amalgamated.

"So, ye an ye rosh, planning on having any bochi of yer own or is it early days yet?" Ouranos asked, being comfortable in a domestic setting. "The Rose ent the best place to start up, any reason why ye chose there?"

He was the social equivalent of a battering ram. He just wasn't aware of it, much like his daughter.

Tristaan shifted in his seat, unable to prevent the color that spread slowly across his face from his cheeks downward, fighting as it was for visibility under a few days' worth of stubble. He looked away for a few moments, studying the crowd, and didn't entirely return his gaze to Ouranos to speak,

"Er. Bochi? Maybe one day. I mean," He paused, not uncomfortable with the truth so much as the consequences, "Oes. I ent sure when th'best time for all that'd be, but I ent gonna lie ... it's somethin' I'd consider with Sarinah."

The passive sighed, "I don't feel like it's in my rights most of th'time, though. I ent really a wick." He was looking away again, into the crowds, anywhere but the older wick's face. This was really the crux of it, caught as he felt he was between what felt like two lives sometimes.

"Ne, Old Rose ent th'safest place for a family, but th'rosh has some plans for startin' a business there." He wasn't sure if he should elaborate, so he offered a placating sort of expression, "I'm gonna lend a hand."

Ouranos raised his glass.

"More power to you, brunno." Ouranos said, not wanting to prod him more. "I'm sure Old Rose will be a good change of pace for you."

The Rose offered a great many bad things but with those it offered freedom, particularly from the law. Freedom Tristaan well deserved.

((sfsr, I suck, eot?)