Logs:Don't Scandalize The Messenger

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Don't Scandalize The Messenger

Continuing on the path of repayment

Dramatis Personae

Conni, Rick, and Wren. GM: Loa

5 August, 2008


Thank you gifts to be delivered... Conni, Check. Wren, Check.

Location

Atworth Acres, Central Oahu

Plot(s)

Plot:Pixie Season


Atworth Acres Pasture

The expanse of pastures at Atworth Acres are a set of lovely, curved swaths of green grasses held back by equally curved wooden fences. To the left of the driveway up to the Barn and Farmhouse is the Cattle Yard, filled with at least 100 head of cattle that look to be well fed and happy. The cattle range in color from tawny to black, with a few Brahman browns. There are exactly 3 bulls, with the rest being cows, a few calves, and heifers. You can find Brangus, Angus, and Hereford cattle at Atworth Farm.

To the right of the driveway, the horses play in their Horse Paddock or are allowed out into the Horse Pasture during the day. Of the 20-odd horses there are 4 stallions, 2 geldings, and the rest are mares or colts. Their coloring and breed varies from bay or chestnut-brown Quarter Horses, a few black or nearly black Andalusians, to a couple of striking gold and pale Champagne Thoroughbreds.

Behind the Barn there is a sweeping field that at various times of the year is filled with tall hay, or drying bales. The land itself is healthy and resplendent, with a winding irrigation creek running through it that keeps everything bright and green.

The Barn and Farmhouse have fairly obviously been painted within the last year or two, and likely by the same person. The Farmhouse is a single story, painted primarily white with gray trim. The Barn is a broad, tall building that's been painted primarily gray with white trim. Both buildings look very well maintained and are close enough to one another to keep trudging back and forth a short trip.


The sky starts to lighten and the stars fade out. The sky is clear and there's a warm breeze from the coast. The deep green leaves of the trees and bushes rustle in the breeze, which provides welcome cooling from the heat of the sun.


Early morning at Atworth Acres was a sort of strange, busy but hushed time. Like everyone and everything was still somewhat in the land of nod from the night before. Cows were being moved from their small, overnight enclosure out to the broad, flat pasture they used during the day. They moved slowly, mooing only occasionally.

Horses were being pulled from their stalls, and then walked out to the horse pasture so they could enjoy the slightly more hilly area with the beautiful stream that ran through it. Inside the barn, there were a few, soft, moos as one of the cows was being milked. Naturally, Wren had a small fleet of farm hands helping him out when it came to running the Farm. They were all working with various animals, seeing to their morning routines.

Wren was actually walking out of his house, looking quite unsullied as his day was yet to begin. His jeans fit him quite well and were obviously well worn in after years of service, much like his brown cowboy boots that had clearly been on his heel for quite some time. For a shirt, Wren had on a light gray Tshirt worn underneath a blue, pink, and white checked flannel shirt, the top one worn open. His slightly longish hair was pulled back and held in place with a pony tail holder, giving him a very messy sort of short tail in the back, but it mostly kept the shaggy blonde hair out of Wren's face. He smiled easy, giving a wave to a couple of farmhands, and looked completely well rested and at ease, despite the early hour.

The sun climbs into a brilliant blue sky.

It may be early, but Rick has assumed that Wren will be up doing farm work-type stuff, and look! He was right! He is making his merry way on the road in that general direction, and he has a pair of shades sitting on the top of his head, but not over his eyes yet. No, the sun is too nice for that right now. He also seems to be carrying a backpack, which isn't all that unusual, since he usually comes here to get fresh milk. "Hey, man," he calls with a grin when he sees Wren, and he lifts a hand to wave. "Howzit?" He turns his steps a little bit to meet the other man.


Wren lifted his hand overhead in a stationary wave to Rick, offering his wide, welcoming smile. "Aloha kakahiaka, Rick, you coming by for some milk before hitting the waves, or are you just here because the sets weren't quite so kind this morning when you hit the beach?" He chuckled, seeming somewhat amused, then nodded his head a touch out toward where a couple of farmhands were moving into the far end of the horse pasture in a slow moving truck. "I had more people show up this morning for work than I expected, usually half of my farm hands are sick til after lunch on beautiful days like today's going to be." Oh yeah, Wren was definitely amused by this, and didn't seem to be making judgement, more observation.


"Well, I'll probably take some," Rick concedes with a little laugh, "but nah. And I'm out of commission for a minute so no waves for me. They were choice, too." He looks away in the direction of the ocean a little wistfully, his mouth twisting with just a hint of a rueful set, before he turns back to the other man. "I got something else for you today." He takes the backpack off, setting it down and unzipping it. "Volya texted you, yeah? I don't know what she said, though." He reaches into the pack to take out a box, and it's quite beautifully wrought of things that look like fossilized flower stems.


Wren smiled softly and came a little closer to Rick, opening his arms and reaching them around the other man, even going so far as to encompass Rick's own arms, because let's be fair? Wren's got the insanely long arms of a man who's 6'5", and he can reach around most anyone. Obviously Wren had lived on Oahu long enough to be completely immersed in their local customs. He didn't squeeze Rick and pick him up off the ground, but he did give him a warm hug, and rubbed his hands on the other man's back before stepping away. "Don't be sad about it, brah. I'm sure you'll get out there soon and be able to enjoy every wave you can see." Wren offered Rick a wink and then looked down at the box Rick was holding in his hands, raising his blonde brows a bit. "Yeah, Vee texted to say you'd be coming by, and that you needed to speak to a couple of others, and wanted to do so here?" He peered closer at the box. "That's a real nice box, Rick. Gorgeous even. Wow."


And Rick is getting hugged, for the second time in as many days! He shifts a little bit -- It doesn't seem like he's trying to get out of it, necessarily, but he does seem to be trying to favor one shoulder over the other a little bit. "Yeah," he admits with a grin, and though it's wry, it's still there. He holds up the box then, and nods. "Yeah," he says, "right? It looks awesome."

He opens it then, to reveal what look like crystal eggs in various shades of pink. There are three, as well as a space where there may have been another. They fairly glow, even in the early morning light, as though from their own light source. "So, it's, like, a gift. From the pixies, for returning their baby." His voice lowers, even as he looks around to make sure that no one is around to hear. They are not.


Wren was still smiling when he looked into the little box, had even reached out to touch the box, curiosity in his gaze, because the material just looked almost outlandishly rare. He froze, midway to actually touching the thing, and just stared in the box for a long moment. "Oh wow... those aren't, Lovestones are they?" His smile hadn't gone away, but it seemed stuck, almost like the rest of him, and Wren's bright blue eyes were affixed to the glowing, pulsing shapes like they were headlights, and he was the deer.


"Uh, well, yeah," Rick says, reaching up to scratch his head with his free hand. The movement makes him wince slightly, but nothing too terrible. He is more concerned about the reaction, which seems to mirror Mila's from the night before. Volya's was, of course, in a class by itself. "So you can, like, pick one, right? For a thank-you gift kind of thing." It's more than that, but as ever, it's understated. "If you want it. I guess I could take it back." And again, just as the night before -- not that Wren knows about the night before -- it sounds a little bit uncertain.


Wren pulled his hand back and rested it to his chest, over his heart. He took a slow, steadying breath and shook his head, his smile broadening a touch as he looked up at Rick to meet his eyes. Something a little stronger scented touched the air, the fragrance of hot grass under the sun, black earth filled with nutrients, and the hint of something more animal, like a horse hide might smell if you were to bury your face into its neck and hold on tight while it was running beneath you. Wren's eyes flickered with something molten, like a wheat-shaded gold as the blue paled out slightly. "They're beautiful, Rick. Why is someone thanking me with a lovestone, though?"


Rick might not have noticed the slight shift in Wren several weeks ago, before any of this had happened. But it //has// happened, and now he is becoming more attuned to such things, at least a little bit. So, his eyebrows raise, and his head tips just a little bit to the side as he studies the other man. He doesn't seem scared or anything like that -- more curious than anything else. However, he does say again, "You know. For returning the pixie to her mother." Perhaps not the best explanation, but he may be wary of saying //too// much where others might possibly hear, especially in light of Volya's warning the night before. "And they promised that they won't tell, you know. The cold guy. So you're good."


Wren looked at Rick a moment then nodded. "Why don't we go into the house for a minute?" He motioned to the farmhouse, then looked at Rick with a smile. "Please, you're welcome to come into my home, and you'll be given all the hospitality of a guest, but I think maybe we need to talk a little more about this. And maybe the farmhands shouldn't see what you've got in your bag. You never know when something like that could be worrisome, especially with the bloodlines here on Oahu. Never know what someone might be. Or might not be." He reached out, taking his hand from his heart, and rested it gently onto Rick's shoulder, the uninjured one, to give it a squeeze.


Atworth Farmhouse

The Farmhouse at Atworth Acres is a lovely, simple home that provides all of the creature comforts necessary after a long day of hard work. From the front door, the first room entered is the living area, which openly leads to the kitchen and to a hallway that presumably holds the bedrooms and restrooms of the home.

The floors are all done in a simple, sturdy, hard wood without too much fuss going into their upkeep. Much like the floors, the walls have been given a simple, easily maintained treatment in the form of light gray paint over what looks to have been wood panelling. All of the ceilings are white and hold solid, but not fancy, light fixtures that fully illuminate each room. There are several windows in the home, all of them large, easily opened, and offset to allow for maximum airflow in order to keep the house fresh and aired out on days with a nice breeze.

In the living area, seating is set to be inviting and comfortable, a couple of couches are aligned to be well spaced for talking or reclining back and watching the wide, flat screened television that rests on the wall. A coffee table sits in the center of the room, heavy, and made of sturdy wood that looks capable of fully supporting the weight of a full-grown adult with no problems.

Easily visible from the living room is the bright, airy kitchen painted an alluring, delicate yellow. All of the cabinets are natural, light, wood and the counter tops are done in a white quartz that makes them look sturdy and hearty. The kitchen island stands ready to serve as a hasty dining table when one simply cannot take the time to sit at the 6-person dining area set to the far back of the room.

Outside, The sky is clear brilliant blue and there's a light breeze from the coast. It's warm and beautiful outside today. The deep green leaves of the trees and bushes rustle in the breeze, which provides welcome cooling from the heat of the sun.


Rick comes into the Farmhouse. Rick has arrived.

Rick's slightly more wry smile remains, but he nods, and says, "Sure thing, brah." He picks up his backpack, closing the box and putting it away again, and he doesn't bother to put it on his back again, just carries it in his hand as he follows Wren into the farmhouse, whenever the man goes. He looks around as they get inside, but it's more just idle curiosity, since his mind is on the task at hand. "Nothing's easy, huh?" he remarks, but it sounds more like a joke than that he's actually put out about it.


After Wren led them into the farmhouse, he immediately made a beeline for the couches, settling onto one that had been made sturdy enough it didn't even groan at the sudden need to hold up his large frame. He motioned for Rick to have a seat, watching where Rick moved the bag, like he was partially expecting it to explode. "Alright, so, this is thanks for helping with the pixie?" He looked at Rick curiously, leaning forward so his elbows were on his knees, his arms slightly crossing at the forearms with his hands hanging rather relaxed. He didn't look stressed so much as he looked intent, and while Wren hadn't lost his smile, he also hadn't lost that scent about him. The house now smelled clearly of the outside, like it had walked in with them and stayed even after they'd shut the door.


The bag, luckily, does not explode. YET. Rick is careful with it, though, less like he expects something to go Really Really Wrong, and more like he thinks the contents is very precious and should be handled as such. Which is, of course, the case. "Yeah," he says as he sits down on one of the couches, too, across from Wren for easier conversation. "That's what she said. I didn't know you guys went. So, thanks for taking care of that." He grins then, and it's a bit more like his usual one.


Early morning at Atworth Acres was a sort of strange, busy but hushed time. Like everyone and everything was still somewhat in the land of nod from the night before. Outside, cows, horses, and goats were being moved into their daytime habitats by the farmhands that had already been working for the last hour and change.

Wren is in the living room of the farmhouse, sitting on the couch talking to Rick, and looking quite unsullied as his day was yet to begin. Rick is sitting on the couch on the other side of the coffee table, holding a backpack carefully. As far as clothes go, Wren's jeans fit him quite well and were obviously well worn in after years of service, much like his brown cowboy boots that had clearly been on his heel for quite some time. For a shirt, Wren had on a light gray Tshirt worn underneath a blue, pink, and white checked flannel shirt, the top one worn open. His slightly longish hair was pulled back and held in place with a pony tail holder, giving him a very messy sort of short tail in the back, but it mostly kept the shaggy blonde hair out of Wren's face.

Wren gave Rick a smile and nodded. "I'm glad we helped out, truly. And I'm glad we got out of there alive. It wasn't exactly a simple task or situation, so I get why we have a gift of gratitude coming. I'm just more curious who's actually giving the gift? I know you've brought it in their stead, which only makes me think it's someone that didn't want to spook us, or cause a situation where we couldn't resist using them immediately. Well.. that's an assumption." Wren looked at Rick seriously and motioned toward him with a slight shift of one of his relaxed hands. "Am... Well am I meant to use it with you?"

Currently there was a scent in the air, fairly like the world outside had been brought in. The fragrance of hot grass under the sun, black earth filled with nutrients, and the hint of something more animal, like a horse hide might smell if you were to bury your face into its neck and hold on tight while it was running beneath you.


"Yeah, I bet," Rick says, before he adds, "not like I know anything about it. But I can't really see it being, like...easy." He leans back, relaxing a little bit, though it's a momentary state, since they're getting down to brass tacks now. "Well," he says, "yeah. The gift's being given by the Summer Pixie Matron. And you sound like you know way more about it than me, honestly," he admits with a little self-deprecating laugh. "I'm just her messenger."

That laugh, however, turns into a look of mild horror at the last suggestion. "No!" he says, too quickly. "I mean, no," he repeats, which doesn't make it better, but at least it's not yelled this time. "You can do it with whoever, I guess. You probably got options, you're a good-looking guy." But he is apparently not one of those options from the looks of it.


Conni makes her way down the hallway and into the living room, clearly a little bleary eyed but smiling all the same. She's wearing a flannel shirt that obviously doesn't belong to her, the bottom of the shirt reaching down to mid thigh. Bare foot and with her hair tied up in a pony tail, she smiles to Rick as she sees him. "Aloha Rick the water surfer!" Walking around the sofa, she almost falls into position next to Wren, the rush of air lifting the edges of her shirt and revealing that she is at least wearing panties, or in this case boxer shorts. Snuggling up next to Wren, she smiles as she looks over to him. "It was cold!" Pulling her knees up, she leans rather heavily into Wren as she brings her feet up onto the couch, pulling her shirt down to afford her some extra warmth. "Are you talking about that hellish cottage?" She looks from Rick to Wren, "That's done, yes? No need to go back?" Raising an eyebrow, she turns to Wren and leans close to talk a deep breath through her nose. "Is that you? It smells lovely." Blinking, she glances at Rick, frowning now. "The matron?"


A little tension eased from Wren's shoulders when Rick mentions who the gift's from, and his smile straight up beams as Rick gives the instant 'NO!' at the question of whether the small gift is meant to be used with Rick. "Oh, good, good. It's not that you're not a prime specimen of a man, Rick, and I imagine you'd make an amazing mother. I just... I don't know that I'm actually in the right place in my life to use that, not yet anyway." Wren chuckled and offered Rick a wink. "I was getting a little nervous that it was more the end result that was the Mahalo, and not just the stone itself."

As Conni came down the hall, Wren looked over to her and gave a winsome, million watt smile that could have warmed up the entire house, if it wasn't already warm. "Well good morning, I didn't want to wake you up when I had to step outside and get to work, you looked too focused on whatever it was you were dreaming about." One of Wren's long arms moved to immediately wrap around Conni's shoulders, pulling her in even closer, and tucking her into the side of his body like he knew exactly how to fit puzzle pieces together.

"We were talking a little bit about that awful place, though not much. Rick here has gifts to give us because of the work we did there. When we got the Pixie home to her mothers." Wren turned his head and bent is neck to place a soft kiss on Conni's head. "Yeah, it's me, I can't say as I've had a lack of reaction to the gift itself." His chuckle was rueful. "Though I'm a little relieved by the fact that it's a gift with a choice, not a choice that's insisting on being immediately made, either."

Looking back to Rick, Wren offered him a friendly, wide smile. "Out of curiosity, did all of them promise not to tell that particularly frosty guy who we are?"


Rick snorts a laugh, and lifts a hand to the other man, as though to ward off the prospects even further. "Thanks," he says a little wryly, "but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't." He reaches into the bag again to pull out the box -- a beautiful thing seeming to be made out of flower stems so old that they have fossilized -- setting it on the table now that they're inside and alone.

Except for Conni! He turns toward her when she comes in, and he smiles, too, lifting a hand to wave. "Hey," he says, and he shakes his head. "Don't worry, nothing like that. Like he said. A present." He reaches for the box to open it, revealing three pink, crystalline eggs, and a space where a fourth likely was. They seem to glow with some inner light source.

The last question gets a nod. "Yep," he confirms. "They did. So you're good."


What Conni's looking at is one of the more rare things on the entire planet. Some might say in the universe, and there are 3 of them, looks like there might have been a fourth if the empty space in the box is an indication. Those are LoveStones. They have the ability to create a child, but not just any child. When used in a ritual where one breaks the egg over the Mother-to-be's belly, then kisses that belly, a Ritual begins that actually forms a child from the love in each person's heart (not necessarily the love for each other, but the actual depth of love available in each individual person). The ritual is extensive, naturally includes sex, but also it's clear that the sex of the partners involved doesn't matter. The child carries all of the magical properties of both of its parents once it's implanted. It's an amazing gift, one Gods would pay their first born for. Also, they're insanely sought after and can be super dangerous to own. Additional dangers include the fact that they work between animals as well, and can also be used to create horrendous, monstrous, creatures if two dangerous things are mated together. Like... literally just needs two participants. And you haz bebe. (Yep, that's how Minotaurs get made..). Also, their power calls to the power of others. It creates an urge to be used, because that bit within another entity of power knows it can create another of itself.


"That's a relief, I'm rather glad we didn't really meet anyone out there... and yet we barely survived." Conni reaches over to Wren and places a kiss on his cheek. "We almost ended up asleep on the floor, if it wasn't for that bucket of water..." She chuckles with this and looks back over to Rick, her eyebrows raising as she looks at the eggs. "Oh..." She reaches forward with a hand and then hesitating, draws it back. "Wait, you reacted to it?" Leaning forward, she takes a closer look at the eggs, her gaze getting intent as her mental cogs start to whir. Looking a little worried now, she gazes at Wren. "Do you feel okay, no adverse effects? Or you Rick?" She turns her attention to him now, examining him closely but not really seeing anything amiss. "Oh, so uh that's why Rick turned you down." She lets out a sigh and smiles to Rick. "Wren is nothing if not a gentle lover but to each their own. I think I know what these are but I want to be sure. I really hope this isn't a bad idea. If I'm right, then wow. I can't get over there being three of them, here and now. They are Love Stones and if I'm right then yes, you two could make a bouncy child should you wish to. I may be biased but I think it would be beautiful." Smiling now, she plants another kiss on Wren's cheek before turning to the egg. "If I start screaming, you may want to rush me to a dark room."


Wren chuckled warmly, shaking his head. "Don't doubt yourself, Rick. You've been nothing but an upstanding, good man every time I've run across you. I think those are the hallmarks of a fantastic parent, especially in a world where so many are left without the love of one in their lives." He was still smiling quite widely, when he looked over at Conni and squeezed her tight. "I had actually just asked if I was supposed to use it with him, Conni. I didn't want to accept the gift blindly, and I didn't want to just jump in with both feet if I was suddenly going to be getting someone pregnant. I'm a little too careful of that in my life as it is to be just getting some poor fellow pregnant with whatever little bundle of bounce I might beget."

Wren accepted the kiss to his cheek and then turned his head to nuzzle into the hair behind Conni's ear, his breath a warm touch along the earlobe as he spoke. "Don't do anything that might harm you, Conni. And you don't need to use it now, I wouldn't expect you to do something like that. There are 3 of them because Rick has 3 left to deliver, from what I understand, and two of us are right here." He kissed her ear delicately and then looked over at Rick, grinning. "You must feel like the most blessed guy in the world with this job. I can't imagine what it must be like delivering something like this to someone else, Rick. Your strength at being able to give them up is humbling, most people in the world wouldn't be so able to do so."


Rick does indeed seem to be fine, and he shakes his head. "I'm good," he confirms. "I don't think they have the same effect on me that they have on you guys. At least, it doesn't seem like it." He laughs, and looks from Conni to Wren. "Well, he'd probably have cute kids," he concedes. "Not sure I'd add much to that equation." He does seem quite pleased, though, that //they// are pleased. "Right," he says. "Three down, one to go." His gaze shifts to Wren then, and he shrugs, reaching up to scratch his head in what's now a sort of pleased embarrassment. "Well, they aren't mine," he says, as though that explains it. "But it's pretty cool, yeah. Babies bring a lot of happiness." There's a pause, before he admits, "I honestly never used to see happy things. So I don't mind giving 'em up to people and seeing them happy. You know?"


Conni purrs and almost melts when she is nuzzled by Wren, any tension leaving her body and a wicked smile crossing her lips. "When you say it so nicely, I can not refuse!" Turning heavy lidded eyes towards Rick, she smiles. "You know they are dangerous to be holding? The rarity of them is..." She pauses, closing her eyes as she struggles with her English. "It would be like finding Thor's Hammer, wrapped in the Shroud and them both propping up... oh I don't know. But really, really rare!" She pauses for a beat and then looks at Rick once more. "May I ask what happened to you, are you okay? I do not mind if you do not wish to tell, I should have mentioned I was going to use the sight and possibly invade your privacy." Settling back against Wren for a brief moment, Conni then shoots bolt upright, blinking and looking from Wren to Rick. "Wait! One of those is for me? Really?" Wide eyed, she falls back against Wren. "Oh my..." She slips an arm around Wren and just sits there in stunned silence, trying to take it all in.


Wren nodded to Rick, his smile still warm and almost encouragingly welcoming. "That might be for the best, you were obviously chosen to deliver them because of who and what you are, Rick. She made a good choice, that at the very least is obvious." It might almost seem like somehow Wren is proud of Rick, not that he had particular ties to the man, but he almost beamed with it. Good men always appreciate other people being good men, perhaps. "I hope you get to see plenty more in the way of happy things. I'll never get tired of it myself."

Wren looked down at Conni after she reacted to the fact that she was, in fact, one of the recipients of the eggs. "You earned the gratitude of a Fae, Conni. When we returned the pixie to the matrons. They always pay up, or they show up and force you to accept a payment that you might not want to accept in order to wipe out the debt. This is, by far, probably the best thing to accept for what we did for them." He rubbed his large hand along Conni's shoulder and arm, encompassing them entirely. "You choose first, pick the one that calls to you, and I'll choose mine after."

The little crystalline eggs are decidedly individuals. One is dark pink, one is light pink, and the other is a pale pinkish orange. All of them pulse with light steadily, but each has an individual pulse, and they aren't in time with one another.


The question of what happened to him makes Rick's eyebrows raise, and his head tips, as though he's just slightly confused. "You mean, in general?" he asks, and he lets out a little laugh. "Or like...recently?" He leans back, crossing one ankle over the other knee in a relaxed posture, "I don't mind talking about stuff. But I'm not sure what the sight is." And then he nods, the grin widening, if that's even possible. Apparently, it is. "Yeah. Pick one. Whichever one you want." He looks over at Wren then, and though he still does look slightly embarrassed, he adds, "Thanks, brah. Nice of you to say."


Looking up, Conni locks eyes with Wren briefly, a warm almost beatific smile on her lips. "It's just a bit of a shock. Okay, a lot of a shock." Giving him a gentle squeeze with her arm, she glances at Rick. "You must excuse the confusion but last time we met I saw you only as a gallant surfer but to be involved in all this? It is perhaps me being nosy but it is a hard habit to break." She takes a breath and closes her eyes briefly as she frames a response. "The Sight allows me to see things clearly but more than that, I can see all of a person. What they have done, what they are like. Nearly all like me can do it, it is why we are known as choosers of the dead. I'm tempted to look at the eggs but it might be like staring at a super nova, I just don't know, I think I'll know more in a moment though." Looking back to Wren, she nods. "Okay, I will see and try to pick one." Turning her attention to the eggs, she holds a hand over them and just rests it there before reflexive clutching at one of the eggs. Turning her hand over, she opens her palm to reveal the dark pink egg. "Oh, they're real. I can feel it!" She lets out an excited breath. "They /really/ want to be used! It's a little frightening."


"You can feel free to talk about whatever you'd like, Rick. Honestly, this place is as safe a place as you can get in the free world." Wren chuckled softly. "And I think maybe I should be thanking you more than the other way around. Good people are hard to come by, even more rare than finding oil in your backyard outside of Texas." He nodded to Rick and then just turned to watch Conni's process of choosing an egg.

Once she'd done so, Wren nodded his approval to her. "Excellent choice, and be careful. They crack easy even though they feel hard. Maybe even easier than a normal chicken egg. They aren't firm and strong like real crystal, they just seem like they would be." Since she'd moved forward a little to grab an egg from the box, Wren's hand moved to Conni's back where he stroked along her spine through the shirt. His eyes drifted to the two eggs left in the box and he took a slow breath.

Wren didn't have to lean forward far, really, the benefit of arms that could stretch the length of the couch, presumably. He delicately plucked up the light pink egg, leaving the pale pink and orangish colored egg behind. The breath he'd managed to suck into his lungs caught slightly when he looked at what he held in his hand, and if possible, the scent of hot grass, earth, and powerful mammal grew to a level that could cause a salivary response as his eyes bloomed in brilliant, wheat-colored gold that overtook the blue. "Yeah... Do me a favor and tell me you don't want a baby right now, angel?" His fingertips pressed a little harder into Conni's back, so when he rubbed along her, it became more of a near grasping massage. He'd stilled otherwise, though, once he set his hand down on his knee, palm up, holding the little egg ever so carefully.


"Oh," Rick says, and he laughs again, reaching up to rub a hand over his head. "Yeah. That was pretty recent." He looks toward the box, then back up at Conni. "I sort of made a deal with her. To do stuff for her that she wants done here, you know?" He doesn't say what he gets in return, but the expression on his face when he talks about 'her' may make it obvious. It's soft -- reverent, even. "So this is my first job. Pretty good so far."

He quiets, though, when they pick their eggs, because it seems like the sort of thing that demands the proper ceremony. Conni's reaction makes him grin, though Wren's is even more arresting. He looks at the man, his eyes widening a little bit, though he still doesn't speak.


Conni takes in a deep breath as Wren's mantle begins to manifest. "I'm all for trying? But with an egg, I just don't know. It's so..." Leaning over, she kisses him passionately, one hand coming around to the back of his head and her lips locking with his. It is some moments before she pulls back, her breathing a little ragged and the effort obvious as she pulls away. "I can't make that decision while holding this, even if I know we'd make a powerful, gorgeous child." She settles back against him, the egg clutched in her right hand in a loose grip.

Reaching up with her free hand, she massages the back of his neck and his shoulders, more for a reassuring touch than her skill with her fingers. Swapping the egg to her other hand, she gentle massages his chest with her right hand, idly rubbing at the muscles through the fabric of his shirt. Going ever lower, she traces a finger around the edges of his abdominal muscles before the waistline of his jeans halts her progress. With a deft motion that speaks of much practice, she rips off his belt and then in a swift motion, leans across him to straddle him, her legs resting on each side of his lap.

Two raven black wings pop out from behind her, the flannel shirt slipping from her shoulders as she looks into his eyes, her own a vivid blue and with an almost feral grace. Hints of ozone start to crowd the air, the feeling of electricity quite real as little bursts of static roll up Conni's arms.


Wren nodded to Rick, though his eyes widened a bit. "Oh! Wow.. so you're actually hers then, that's quite the honor, Rick. I mean, she's not a little drop in the bucket, especially when you look at how many pixies there are. And Summer? Wow... just. There are reasons that the Wyld isn't against them, admittedly reasons we aren't against Winter, too. But Summer, there's a bit of something amazing there, all of itself." Rick got another broad smile from Wren, almost like he was going to say something else.

Whatever Wren had been about to say, though, was completely forgotten when Conni took the moment to lay the kiss on him. He closed his eyes, and while his hand closed up tighter around the delicate egg, his other hand moved up Conni's spine, all the way until it made it to the back of her skull, where he dug his fingers deeply into her hair and proceeded to kiss her in such a way that the light bulbs should have flickered, if they'd been turned on. Luckily, the sunlight streaming through the open windows made it so they'd have been superfluous anyway. As his belt was pulled away, Wren gave a dark, decidedly knowing smile to Conni and responded with an entirely male sound of appreciation.

As Conni moved over Wren's lap he had the wherewithal to actually move the arm attached to the hand holding his egg off to the side, out of the way of her leg. The sudden exposure of her wings, and the subsequent exposure of her upper body as the shirt she'd stolen from him fell free from her shoulders had Wren looking up at her much like a man about to make sure she wasn't going to leave wanting, or even able to walk. He swallowed, hard, and cleared his throat a little as the hand that had been buried in her hair moved down, and gripped her hip and side of her rear firmly enough that Rick could see his nail beds go white.

"Baby... You have absolutely no idea just how perfect you are right now. Like everything in the world I've ever wanted, right in front of me. Sexy and glorious are understatements." Wren lifted his hips a little to get some pressure against Conni, and let out a groan of what was likely pain, as he was in the restrictive pair of jeans. "I think maybe I should get us something to drink, and maybe get something to drink for Rick. And maybe find some ice, before we talk about this. Do you want a little bit of egg carton to hold onto your egg so it stays safe?" How on earth Wren had the brain cells to rub together for that thought, God only knew. "Rick, could you maybe... get that shirt off the floor for Conni?"


Rick might have said something, too, but the scene that is suddenly happening in front of him stops it better than, well, pretty much anything. For a few moments, he can't do much except stare, but then something jolts him back into reality, and his face flushes brightly as he looks away, quickly. "Uh," he says when he's addressed, but he's already closing the box with the last egg in it, stowing it away in the backpack again and zipping it up with as much haste as one can zip a backpack. "You know what, thanks man, but I'm good."

He reaches down to grab the shirt, sort of tossing it in the general direction of the couch that the other two are on, and it's impressive that he actually manages to make it there, what with the fact that he's not looking at them anymore at all. "I'll see you later," he says as he grabs the backpack again and shoulders it a little too quickly, and on the wrong shoulder. He lets out a little hiss of pain, but as he does he is already starting toward the door. He has judged his presence to be superfluous at this point.


Conni actually squeaks as Wren talks to her, her eyes a little glazed and she has to blink a few times before they clear. "Egg carton, yes!" Reaching for her shirt, she has to focus hard before her wings fade away enough for her to be able to put it on. Letting her head tip forward, she rests her forehead against Wren's and lets out a sigh. "You are so amazing." Lifting her head, she places a gentle kiss against his forehead and then does up the shirt. Looking over her shoulder, she offers Rick an embarrassed smile. "I am sorry Rick, I got a little carried away there. Wait, are you hurt!" Even a little dazed, she somehow managed to hear the hiss. "We know of a good doctor if you are in need, there are few others I trust to work on me." Reaching over to Wren, she cups his cheek with her hand. "I will make it up to you, I promise." She winks then but stays in his lap for the moment.


Wren gave a dry, hollow chuckle, and winced slightly. "You have nothing to make up to me, and I'm only amazing because you're sitting on me, beautiful." He rested his head against Conni's for a moment, closing his eyes and steeling himself, or at least steeling other parts of himself. The ones that might help him move away from the current predicament. Moving with a strength that only makes itself obvious every once in a while, Wren simply stood up from the couch, holding Conni up by her hip with one hand. It wasn't a movement made with a single sound of effort, he just did it. Like there wasn't any strength required. He then delicately lowered the six foot tall woman so that her feet touched the floor, before he kissed her forehead.

"Egg carton." Wren nodded once, discretely adjusted himself with a little shift of his free hand along the waistband of his jeans, now sans belt, and took long, sure strides toward the kitchen, still holding the delicate egg in his other hand. "She's right, Rick, if you need medical attention, I can call the Doc over to take a look? He's pretty used to coming up from the house he stays in on the edge of the hay field to take a look at friends." Wren looked at Rick and smiled kindly, though there was a little pinch of pain around the eyes. "Also, I hope you'll forgive my rudeness earlier, it's just not in me to entirely ignore when someone... well." Wren cleared his throat again and grinned almost sheepishly. "How could I, really?"

Once he was at the fridge, Wren reached up to the top of it and pulled down a stack of empty, farm-gathered egg crates, and ripped one of them into four pieces, so he could make a lid and a base for both his egg and then also for Conni's. Once he set his egg in one, he covered it, and immediately took a slow breath. "It's a bit easier once it's not touching your skin, Con." He called back to her, though not too loud, as his house was an open floor plan.


Rick waves a hand, as though it's no big deal, though his face is still flushed. "It's cool," he says, and he shakes his head. "I'm fine. Went to the ER already. I just forgot for a sec." He glances back and smiles, if a little bit more awkwardly than is generally usual. "Thanks, though. You're fine." We're all fine here, now, thank you. How are you? "I'll see you. Good luck with..." He lifts a hand after a slight pause, waving it a little vaguely in the air, clearly meant to encompass 'all of that.' "Bye." And with that eloquent farewell, he departs.


Rick leaves the Farmhouse. Rick has left.


Conni grins ruefully as she is lifted from Wren's lap, doing her best not to chuckle at the subtle adjustment that has to take place. "It is? Thank goodness!" She offers a wave to Rick as he heads out the door, wincing as she sees the pain he is obviously in. Padding over to Wren, she takes one of the egg cartons and gently sets down her egg before sealing the box, letting out a sigh and leaning against Wren when it is done. "I really don't know what to do with such a gift, I do know we need to be very careful with them. People may look for them if they know they are on the island. I'm going to have to find a good spot to hide mine until I can come to a decision."

Wrapping an arm around Wren's waist, she cocks her head to one side and looks up to him. "You're right, it is easier now. Goodness, what a pull." Giving him a gentle squeeze, she glances out of the window. "I have some energy to work off, want a hand outside?"


Wren chuckled and liberally wrapped Conni in his arms, pulling her closely and giving her a tight, firm hug. "You are as close to a Goddess as I can imagine right now, Conni." He kissed her softly at the temple, then let out a slow sigh. "I think I'll be burying mine somewhere no one else can find it. In several layers of steel, wood, and possibly pure iron. And maybe lead." He chuckled again and leaned his head back, offering Conni a seriously white-hot smile that could have lit a room. "I'm more than happy to have you help out on the farm today. I'd love the company, and you work harder than half the guys I've hired in the past. Go get dressed, and I'll tuck these little guys away in a cabinet for the day. They'll be safe enough inside the house from other people, I just don't think I should keep it inside the house too long since I tend to be a bit more relaxed in here." He winked to her, then slipped his arms from around her to let Conni go get dressed while he put the eggs up in a very, very high cupboard, and hid them behind a couple tall stacks of Tupperware.