Nauleth had crawled home in the rain in the early hours of the morning before the mostly deserted campus had really begun to stir. He'd found that all their St Grumbles gifts had safely made it to his dorm room, reminding himself to thank Nathaniel for the kindness once they returned from Vienda. The boy finished packing, washed, changed, and tried not to nap. Then it was back across campus, luggage in tow, armed with an umbrella and a smile to walk with Athrym to meet Angus and their carriage at the Gate. Hopefully.

Finally, as they walked, Naul could come to terms with just how clocking nervous he was. He'd managed to get in touch with his father, who was not quite as surprised as he'd expected, but the dark-eyed boy was more interested in finally seeing his mother and possibly his siblings after two years of purposeful silence. Then, there was Athrym's parents; the real challenge, he assumed.

He chewed on his lip, luggage in tow, thoughtful, all the way to the Gate.

Once everyone was together and the carriage was loaded, Naul at least pretended to relax as they got settled in their seats. It was no easy task. Once the doors closed and they were on their way, he struggled not to feel like a trapped animal, despite being secure in his choices.

Athrym had taken ages to wake up, not even really noticing when Nauleth had slipped away. It was almost lunchtime when she pulled herself out of bed, yawning and pushing her blonde hair out of her face. She felt...decent for the amount of alcohol she'd consumed. Hopping out of bed, she'd proceeded to get dressed and collect her things. Throwing her thick blue cloak over her blue mugrobi dress, she pulled up the hood and picked up her cases, making her way downstairs and towards the gates.

Reaching the carriage, she gave Nauleth a small smile, relinquishing her suitcase for the carriage driver to pack. Stepping up, she climbed inside and found her spot beside the dark eyed boy. It was severely cramped inside, and although she enjoyed being close to Naul, Angus was another matter. She tried to keep her knees turned to avoid crushing herself against him. It was...awkward.

Angus arrived as he always did, a little bit late and with a big smile on his face. Athrym seemed to have warmed up to him a little the night before and so long as she wasn't too angry about The Thing with Professor Moore, then their carriage ride was going to go well enough. He handed his baggage to the driver with a smile and a tip of his hat and launched himself into the carriage.

"Who's ready to have fun?" Angus asked, being almost violently buoyant because it was easier than trying to wade through social niceties. "I know I sure am! I cannot wait to meet your mother, Athrym."

Angus leaned back, knees not brushing anyone else, and beamed vapidly. It was difficult to be truly angry at a stupid person and Angus was willing to take that hit. He loved his macho passtimes, he loved beer, her loved sports but he was also willing and ready to love being the ebullient one if it made the carriage ride go faster.

Good Gods, he was going to need to reassert his masculinity after this.

Naul was tired, but at least he was comfortable. He was, however, stupidly nervous. This was it; once the carriage started moving, he couldn't just jump out and hide under his bed for the entire break. He'd made his decisions and now he had to face them. It was only slightly daunting.

Athrym's closeness and Angus' ready smile were both like ice cream on an oppressively hot day. While the dark-eyed boy couldn't entirely be soothed, he could be humored. Angus' attempt at lightening the situation elicited anxious, listless laughter from Naul.

He tenderly fostered a cautious, lopsided smile, "I'm clocking glad to be getting away from campus for a while, but I think I must be the only one here who's not excited to be meeting anyone's mother ... except for possibly mine." Naul smirked, half-joking, half-serious, and rest a placating hand across Athrym's lap on her farthest knee.

The boy teased, "If I remotely thought it would work, we could pass Angie off as me. However, I have a feeling Carmell would see through that in a heartbeat. It'd be funny ... for a few moments."

The blonde glanced at Angus for a moment with a sort of disbelieving stare, as though he'd just said he was off to meet the King and eat scones.

"You have no idea what your in for Angus. My mother is like a block of stone. I don't even think she has emotions. She's just angry, distant and flat." Pausing for a moment, she offered up a small smile.

"I'll bet you three shill's you can't get a smile out of her, Angie."



Athrym looked back at her boyfriend with a sympathetic smile, resting her hand on his.

"It will be fine, trust me. Just...try not to say anything...insulting." The blue eyed girl said as cheerfully as she could. It wasn't the most uplifting pep talk, but she wasn't very good at them.



Laughing, the blonde sat back.

"That would be funny. I highly doubt my mother is going to ever believe Angus is the infamous Nauleth Siordanti. Sorry Angie, your just not...Naulish enough." Another laugh escaped her lips. Sighing a little, she looked out the carriage window, not really paying attention to the passing Stacks.

"Actually, I want to talk to Carmell alone first. I was thinking, perhaps tomorrow night, if you two want to go out and sort of...see Vienda, I might spend the night with my parents. Kind of, get to know them again. Then maybe you can come together on the evening of the 6th. Go and see Margol first, then Carmell after. I'll let you in and all that." She glanced back at the boys.

"Is that okay?"

"I'll take that bet." Angus said, smirking. "I'm mother's delight, me."



Angus feigned offense, a hand over his heart and gobsmacked expression on his face.



Angus let his hand and his faux-affront drop.

"That works for me, I have some friends to visit in Vienda. Hopefully I can see them before then and still have plenty of time to help Naul calm down before we see your parents." Angus clasped his hands together, finger tips tapping against each-other. "So, game plan? How are we going to sell this idea to parental units one and two?"

Angus was happy to be helpful, he just wanted to be very helpful and not merely well intentioned.

Nauleth smirked, settling back into his seat a little and brushing his white-streaked bangs from his face with his free hand, "I don't think my parents will be an issue. Unfortunately, I think they're shocked I have feelings for anyone enough to consider marriage at all. My mother will think it's lovely, once we see each other again that is. For me, my challenge will be surviving my siblings more than convincing my parents I should marry. Although—"

He paused briefly, glancing at Athrym before continuing, "It may be a little more difficult to get their blessings on marrying before graduation instead of after." The boy looked back at Angus, grinning a little, "I have no real strategy for that yet."

Angus' jaw actually dropped a little. His surprise was hard to contain, for Angus marriage was an abstract concept, a distant star that he was years from seeing clearly.

"Before?" He asked, "Why before? Surely it takes months to prepare anyway... You two are over eighteen, that's less than two years to go."

It just seemed like a lot of fuss and, well, marriage! The ball and chain, that forever concept. It was difficult to grasp their surety.

"You two just sit about planning your next scandal, don't you?" He said, cocking a brow at them. "You do know there are other ways to grab a bull than just the horns?"

He raised his hands into the air.

"If that's what you want..." He said. "I want a front row seat to everyone's reactions though, I bet Dallium will explode."

Naul smirked, thin-lipped and lopsided, already impatiently aware of how foolish, hasty, or unplanned their suggestion would appear to most, "It's most certainly not scandalous. Contrary, if you ask me. We're of age. Not all of us share your lack of—" He paused to consider the right way to approach his wording with Angus so as not to offend his friend and yet speak honestly, "We're noticed for different reasons, Angie. People talk because we have pasts. Not all of us are quite as capable of getting away with some of the things you do."

The dark-eyed boy meant his words as a subtle compliment, offering the hint of a mischievous grin before continuing with a bit more sincerity, "Considering the kinds of rumors about campus, I'd prefer to think our decision is a way of preserving some semblance of honor ... for Athrym more than myself."

Angus' expression could have best been described as scathing.

"Lack of what?" He asked.



"And what exactly is that, Nauleth?" Angus asked, and that was a warning in and of itself. Angus rarely used Naul's full name and never in such a cold tone.



"I think if you care about those rumours then you're a fool." Angus replied, hurt seeping into his voice. "If you're only getting married so you can have sex without the wowsers having at you, then you've missed the point entirely. I'm just one man, Nauleth, not everyone believes me when I say nothing untoward is going on. Not that I'd call it untoward."

Angus crossed his arms and glared out the window. The cheek. The things he did. There was nothing wrong with any of it, in Angus' mind. He was an early bloomer, that was all and he didn't like being tied down under so much expectation. He'd courted a few people, so what? The last relationship had only ended because his beau had graduated and moved back home.

"If you think having a ceremony will fix everything, fine. It won't change how people treat you." Angus refused to look Naul in the eye. "I would have thought you'd care more about the folk that actually matter."

Angus was heavily implying that he was one of the people that mattered or that he'd thought he was, before Nauleth had made his own implications about Angus' standards.

"Gods, this has nothing to do with my opinion of you, Angus. It's not like I'm entirely capable of playing by the rules in everything as it is." Naul raised both hands in the air in a helpless gesture more than a placating one, "I actually make an effort to do one selfless thing in my life and of course it gets taken the wrong way. "

The boy made every attempt not to yell, "I'm not dense or smitten enough to believe that something official is going to make much difference in some peoples' opinions of either of us. Nor do I, personally, feel it necessary to be given anyone else's permission for ... whatever."

"Believe me when I say that I'm clocking sure I'm caring about the folk that actually matter—if you knew everything, it'd make more sense." Naul looked down at his hands, not so much frustrated as discouraged. So this was how it was going to go? The whole week? Clocking fantastic.

"However, Athrym's history is not mine to tell. I suppose I can see how things look foolish from where you're sitting. So be it."

Angus sniffed.

"Then why did you use it as a preface?" He asked, voice sulky and hurt.



Angus looked at Nauleth sideways.

"Why does anyone's history matter?" He said. "You know I don't care about that."

If he cared, they wouldn't be friends. He probably wouldn't have half as many friends. He at least tried not be judging, though he didn't always succeed. He also hated to be judged.

"I just think it might make things more difficult for you. That's all..." Angus trailed off.

Lack of...

Cat. Bag. Let out.

Athrym smiled at the boy, lacing her fingers in his. The siblings...they scared her frankly. Nauleth seemed to constantly imply they would be trouble, and honestly, the blonde didn't want to be her Brunnhold self. She wanted to be...liked.



The blue eyed galdor frowned. How was it scandalous? She'd heard of others doing it before. It happened. Okay, so it wasn't the done thing, but it wasn't like those disgusting galdori human relationships. It wasn't illegal.



Blushing slightly, the girl looked out the window again, not quite wanting to enter into that conversation with Angus. It wasn't like he needed to know.



Athrym raised an eyebrow, glancing at Angus. What the clock? What had just got his knickers in a knot? Naul hadn't even said anything particularly bad.



The blonde's gaze narrowed and she set her jaw.

"Your sorely mistaken on that assumption Angus, sorely. Only a clocking fool would do that. Honestly." Her voice was quiet and highly unimpressed.



Athrym bit her tongue, unwilling to push it further, for the sake of Naul and Angus' friendship. But in her head, she was seething. Her field radiated what her silence withheld.



The girl squeezed his hand gently in sympathy. What did the brown haired kenser know about anything. Her temple throbbed painfully.



The cold girl didn't want to go there. Not in a little carriage on its way to Vienda. Not with Angus.



That was it.

"What is wrong with you Angus? Your not ashamed of your conquests, clocking hell I even heard you mark them up like some sort of contest! Nauleth never said anything against you. In fact, you seem to have pulled some little insult from nowhere. I have yelled at you and threatened your person, and you were completely fine. Took it without a hint of insult or baiting. Yet sitting here, across from someone who you seem to value as a friend, you take insult over a comment about your rather well known relationships?" Pausing for a breath, she shook her head.

"You don't seem your usual self. Something on your mind?" The girl asked, trying to push the incredulation out of her voice. Maybe he had issues of his own. Either way, she saw it as a very un-Angus like reaction.

"I think that's the rather the point, don't you?" Angus said quietly. "I'm honest about my relationships and because of that I have to laugh them off. Nauleth knows that I care about the people I've been with because I've told him, I just haven't wanted to be with them forever, as it turns out. It's not a lack of substance on my part, it's just... I didn't realise Nauleth thought I was doing something worth getting away with."



"Apparently not, Miss Bruthgrave. It seems I don't have more than a thought at all." Angus said, leaning back to open the hatch to the carriage driver. "Could you stop for a moment? I need to stretch my legs."

Angus waited until the carriage stopped and then got out. He started walking, throwing his coat on as he went but not bothering with an umbrella. He needed a moment to set his head straight. He was used to galdori society, with all it's emphasis on implication and gossip. Generally he considered it harmless. This had come from his best friend though and it had stung. He'd never considered himself lacking in standards... Was Naul just trying to draw a distinction between Angus' tawdriness and Athrym's reputation?

They say Athrym's as bad as you are but she's not? Angus thought to himself.

Well, it wasn't as though anybody liked it when you told them that you weren't as keen on their big news as they were. Maybe Naul was just...

No. Angus was still hurt. He was going to have to think harder on an excuse not to be.

"I don't recall accusing you of being dishonest. I don't think I even said you had to laugh anything off. Apparently whatever's on your clocking mind has nothing to do with me, but you can blame it on me if you'd like."

Naul hissed, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back into his seat resignedly, "I don't clocking care either way—you're allowed to make your own choices and I'm damn sure I've never bothered to tell you otherwise. In my own mind, I was paying you a compliment."

He huffed at his white-streaked bangs and stared at his feet, "I told you our plans and you called them scandalous. You expect me to be okay with that, but I make one comparison without intending harm and you get upset? Sweet Alioe, Angus, I'll remember not to bring you along to watch my back. Now's not quite the clocking time to be accusing me of making a sweeping statement about your life ... not when I might have thought I could count on you to support mine. I'm hardly put together at the moment and anything I've said is not some clocking Quantitative spell you need to pick apart and make something else out of."

And this is why he used to enjoy having an entire lunch table to himself.

People were so clocking complicated. It seemed as though when you finally tried to share your life with them, they either took offense or took advantage. It really always was easier to just be mean.


Naul rolled his eyes and sat up, not bothering to stop Angus. The dark-eyed boy wasn't about to get out and chase the other down. He'd just end up yelling or finding something to set on fire; he was hardly in the state of mind to deal with additional drama. There wasn't a point, really. This was ridiculous. He leaned forward and put his face in his hands, elbows on his knees, speaking into his palms, "Gods, what a stupid idea. I should've just stayed at school. Clocking hell, we'll just elope. Our parents and all of Brunnhold can just stuff it. I don't clocking care."

((Sorry, was waiting for an Ath response but will post now))

Angus walked for about five minutes before turning back again. He needed the time to himself. He and Naul hadn't had a bust up for quite some time but they'd still had a few throughout their friendship. Usually based around Angus criticising one of Nauleth's ideas or Nauleth saying something that hurt Angus' feelings. In this case, both at once. Angus wouldn't have cared if Athrym had taken a crack at his reputation, mainly because Athrym's opinion wasn't terribly important to him. Nauleth's was because Nauleth was his friend and Angus was invested in their friendship.

He'd forgotten that Naul didn't like it when he pointed out potential issues in plans. Especially plans that he felt passionately about. Plans like never speaking to his family again or getting married before graduation. Well, at least Angus knew how serious he was now. Serious enough to say that his relationship with his fiance was pure and serious and comparatively of much more substance and dedication than Angus had ever, probably would ever manage. At least, that was how Angus had heard it. He had heard his best friend say that he wasn't going to do as Angus did because what Angus did was a bit... well... you know. Even if that hadn't been his intent.

Angus sniffled, he really hated fighting with Naul. He felt like it cut down his protective layer of machismo, leaving a pathetic, self-conscious shell behind. He liked Nauleth because he was sharp but in his carelessness he often forgot he could get cut himself. He was the curious but annoyingly persistent labrador to Nauleth's wiley but quick-tempered cat.

"He didn't mean it that way." Angus said to himself, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. "He didn't mean it that way. You're going to go back to the carriage and pretend nothing happened, like you always do and it'll be fine. Awkward for a while but fine."

He tried to think about things that would make him happy. He thought about boxing, then football, then possibly meeting up with Dawin and dragging the poor fellow around Vienda. That'd be nice. He thought about flirting with Wildboy, before he'd annoyed him a bit. He thought about how cute Wildboy looked when he was annoyed. He took a deep breath in and let it out abruptly, then did so again once more. Nothing better than a forced sigh.

By the time he got back to the carriage he was sopping wet but considerably less down. He was still downer than he'd ever be on a normal day but being naturally optimistic made it easy to fake looking optimistic, even happy. When he opened the carriaged door, he was smiling.

"Sorry, nature calls, I'm sure you understand, have you set a date for the wedding?" Angus said, gunshot quick and bright as daylight.

This was Nauleth's usual cue to pretend the entire thing hadn't happened and allow them to have an otherwise pleasant carriage ride to Vienda.

Athrym put her arm around his shoulders, leaning over slightly, gaze shooting icicles at Angus' back. What a temperamental....she would never understand men.

"Nauleth, its not a stupid idea. It's mature and smart and sweet. However, they all can stuff it, I agree. I don't need their approval anymore than I need the schools approval. I just need you. Okay?" Pausing, she leaned in and kissed his cheek.



The blonde sat back slowly, resting a hand on Naul's knee, keeping her mouth shut. She didn't want to aggravate anything, it seemed Angus had gotten over his...whatever. With an internal sigh, she looked out the window again, content to zone out and watch the scenery.

Nauleth grunted and didn't entirely fake being comforted by Athrym, leaning into her and placing a hand on hers as he sat up and settled back into his seat. He opened his mouth to comment, but Angus came bounding back into the carriage, sopping and yet not entirely as angry as before.

The dark-eyed boy shrunk a little, defensively, into the cushy, cramped carriage seat, only to be disarmed by the taller boy's question. He blinked, waiting for something else, the punchline. But nothing came.

He breathed, exhaling slowly, before offering cautiously, "Date? No. Not that I know of ..." Naul smirked, lopsided and chagrined, deciding to plow through instead of look over his shoulder at what had previously transpired between them, deciding it wasn't worth beating to a pulp at the moment, "I suppose at least I haven't thought that far ahead."

"Oh well, plenty of time, plenty of time." Angus continued, shifting back into his groove. If he pretended he was happy for long enough, he usually became happy again eventually. "I imagine you'll have to sort out caterers and all that sort of thing, can't say I envy you..."

Angus continued to prattle, slowly eating away at the journey until it ended.

((eot?))

((eot or rping arriving at Naul's place?))

((Whichever! I'm always game. We need to sort out how this is working, being three mods and all. ))