Closed [Cedar Amphitheater] Making Amends (Aidara)

[Kovac]

Timestamp: 24th Day of Fall, 512 AV The orange sun was slowly descending, a half-bell from vanishing behind the ragged peaks around Skyinarta. Kovac thought it was eerie, how the line of peaks he had looked out upon since childhood were now almost unfamiliar, several of the mountaintops having been rent open during the cataclysmic events of last Spring. Things were quiet now, at least in the amphitheater, which is why the avora sought refuge there in a fleeting moment of freedom from duties. It seemed everyone sought to make the most of the few spare chimes they found outside of the massive effort to recover from The Storm and prepare for the coming winter. Some went to the Inclement Weather to temper stress with alcohol, others sought more carnal relief at the Lost Sense. Though the half-breed was not opposed to either method of coping, he had indulged in neither since his return from Thunder Bay a two days earlier. Adjusting to the closeness of Wind Reach would take a little time after the seasons spent in the wide open space by the bay. Cedar had granted Kovac permission to sit on the stage, before he rambled off for an early evening stroll. So the hunter sat on a stool, facing the rows of empty stone seats, studying how the last rays of light played along the carvings in the mountain wall behind them. He idly strummed his lute, subconsciously stringing together chords of the same key, an impromptu composition that served to simply ease his mind. In the brief solitude, Kovac seemed compelled to actually think. Think on what had changed in the past two seasons and what had not. The people he had left behind, or more accurately, ran away from and what things had been done that needed undone, and undone things that should stay undone. Petch... Leaning down, he picked up a wine bottle sitting on the the ground, taking a swig. He laughed briefly at himself, a bit derisively. Sounded almost like he had grown up.

[Aidara]

“Well, he is a musician…. Stop laughing!” There was a clatter of wood on stone as Addy let her chair come back down on all four legs, leaning forwards to swat at the pretty redheaded healer that sat across the desk from her. Keah had joined the Endal woman in her office, thin slices of apple on the desk between them to share as the women traded gossip. “It’s not funny!”

“Of course it’s funny! An attractive anything could spout all sorts of lies and you would gobble them up just to get in their bryda.” The last word was paired with a yelp of laughter as Addy took another swing at her fellow healer. “You know it’s true, Addy!”

“He’s a musician. I heard him play and everything.” Glowering at Keah’s skeptically raised brow, Addy crossed her arms over her chest and turned her face away from her friend, a petulant pout forming on her lower lip. “He was at Inclement Weat-"

“Oh gods, are you serious? The Weather? What drugs were you on this time? Are you sure it’s even a guy?” Though she managed to swallow a peal of laughter, it still sparkled in her eyes, and Addy still noticed. The lip protruded further and she turned away from the other woman. Sighing and rolling her eyes, Keah conceded with a raising of her hands. “Alright, I give up. Tell me about him. You’re meeting him tonight?”

“At the Ampitheater!” The enthusiasm flooded Addy’s words so quickly that it must have been a feat to hide it in the first place; the little redhead had long ago mastered the art of pouting to get what you want. It wouldn’t have been surprising if the act she had put on for Keah had happened without any conscious effort.

“When?” Keah picked up an apple slice and popped it into her mouth, raising a brow as she chewed.

“In like…” But as she spoke, the watchtower chimed the hour. The sound sent the healer to the feet, her chair falling with a clatter as she shoved away from the desk and lunged for the scaft she had hanging by the door. “Now! I’m supposed to be there now!” Quick fingers threaded the scarf around her waist, a fancy knot at her hips leaving the ends to dangle and bounce appealingly along her thigh. “I have to go! You clean up!” With no outward sign that she felt bad for leaving the closing of the Infirmary to Keah, Addy dashed out of the office before the other woman could even respond, a whirlwind of color and the whip of auburn hair as it flew out behind her.

Sprinting as fast as her little legs could take her, Addy pelted down corridors, dodging meandering individuals with shouted apologies over her shoulder to those she left reeling in her wake; it seemed like the little healer did a lot of running wildly up, down, and across the city but it did have its benefits; the woman was able to slip out into open areas for better acceleration, taking shortcuts and less-used hallways in order to get to the Amphitheater faster.

It took her not even ten chimes to reach her destination, but she pulled up just out of sight of the stage to compose herself. It simply wouldn’t do to look too eager, barreling into her date panting and otherwise disheveled. Though she loved to love, Addy did have standards. A man (or woman) had to impress her in some way before they could see her pant.

Careful measures were taken to straighten her appearance; the scarf was readjusted, her vintati, having fallen dangerously low, was hiked back up to it’s proper position after the little bits of dirt and debris from her little jog were shaken from her bryda. Long, soft curls were brushed into place and tossed to fall back over her shoulders, falling now to her mid back. Noting this as she untangled a twig from a curl, Addy idly wondered if her new fling liked long hair or preferred it short. Perhaps it was time for a haircut.

Prepped and ready to make her appearance, the little woman shook her shoulders straight and slinked on into the Amphitheater. Glancing around the place, it was mostly deserted, but Addy simply raised her voice so the natural acoustics of the place would carry it to her date, wherever he may be lingering. “I came as quickly as I could, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting for too long.”

It was the clink of the bottle and the oh-so-familiar snort that brought the woman whipping around to face the stage, her attention having been focused on the little house and schooling area nestled against the mountain opposite from where she entered. Oh, how wrong she was in thinking the place was unoccupied.

“Kovac?” The name was whispered after a long, pregnant pause, the little woman standing as if nailed in place, her mouth agape and her hands held halfway at her sides, as if she couldn’t’ decide if she wanted to prop them on her hips or cover her mouth. He was the last person she expected to see here, and she told him so. “You disappear for seasons only to conveniently show up on my date?!” A flush had spread over Addy’s chest, up her neck and into her cheeks. The presence of her old friend and “crush” had thrown her from her comfort zone, relinquishing her of the sultry confidence she had entered the amphitheater with. “What are you doing here?”

[Kovac]

“I came as quickly as I could, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting for too long.” Kovac's head snapped up at the sound of the familiar voice, a quick skip in the beat of his heart. A wide grin crossed his loive features at the sight of Aidara. "Didn't keep me waiting at all...I wasn't waiting for you." He replied with a light laugh. She looked lovely, all made up and as beautiful as he remembered. He let out a low whistle. "But of course, you certainly would not get that dolled up just for me." In fact, Kovac was happy to see Addy. There were a few specific people he had intended to find once he returned, people he felt he owed some sort of explanation. Aidara was very much one of those people. They had been friends, but, as what often happened with friends, dynamics change. Both had been relentlessly flirtatious, the attraction between them obvious to about anyone. But he had been with Shayth, and she found Sira. In the end, Kovac had been a jerk to Addy. Later he realized it was a cowardly way to protect himself. Now, he hoped to befriend the endal again. He needed friends. The seasons at Thunder Bay had chilled him somewhat, and allowed him to start over. “You disappear for seasons only to conveniently show up on my date?!” "Oh, I am sure its fate Addy." He teased. Even after all those seasons, he fell into their old style of banter with ease. This time, though, the edge of snark was softer. "But, if I knew you were going to have a date here, I would certainly have showed up anyway." He gave her a lopsided grin. "As for me...right now...I am playing a major chord progression." He strummed the strings of his lute, the bright tone echoing around the empty amphitheater. "Perhaps you and your date would enjoy some lovely background music." Standing up, Kovac leaned the instrument against the stool, grabbed the wine bottle and walked over to Aidara. He paused before his old friend, admiring her."Hello Addy, its has been a long time." He wanted to throw his arms around her, but Kovac was unsure of where Addy stood regarding him now, so he held out the bottle of wine to offer her a drink instead.

[Aidara]

A tidal wave of emotion crashed over the little woman as soon as the man on the stage spoke. A moment or two of silence between them had her convinced that perhaps she was seeing things; So long as he spoke with a different voice or perhaps just disappeared into thin air, everything would be okay.

That was not the case. Addy reeled as Kovac’s voice echoed in her ears, his sardonic grin making her heart beat a little faster. It really was him. All at once, the seasons that they had spent together in that tango of a forbidden not-quite relationship came flowing back. Her cheeks burned and she wanted to run at him and away from him all at the same time. That man had made her into a fool, chasing after something she most definitely couldn’t have, yet wanted all the more for it.

Kovac’s appearance also brought back memories of Sai. They had all been friends; the twins couldn’t really get close to someone without the other sister becoming involved as well. The hard, burning joy that Addy felt fizzled a bit, guilt and a bone deep weariness mixing in to make one big mess of an emotional wreck. It took everything Addy had to keep her composure, though the blush had most definitely deepened further in the dozen ticks of silence since Kovac spoke. There was also no way she would have been able to keep this tide emotions from her eyes.

“I…well…” Biting down at her lip, Addy idly twisted a lock of hair as she tried to look anywhere but where she wanted to look. Kovac had moved to stand directly in front of her. She could almost feel the heat radiating from his body. Try as she might to keep her gaze from his, those green eyes eventually slipped his way. Once their eyes caught and met, Addy could hardly breathe. “You.... Dek Licker.”

“You look much more lovely in the sunlight, all ivory and fire…” The voice floated towards them from across the amphitheater, the tone jauntily confident and easily floating the width of the space. It shattered the bewildered haze that had enveloped Addy upon Kovac’s appearance; her head snapped towards the direction of the voice, instantly recognizing the man from the night before.

“Huh. Not as attractive as I remember.” Flashing a grin towards Kovac, it wasn’t until their eyes met again that Addy realized she was mad at him… or was she? Should she be? He was standing there like he could barely keep the space between them, or was that just wishful thinking? Addy knew she had wanted those arms around her from the first time they met, during that fateful hunting trip. A frown curled the corners of her lips as her brows lowered to hover over her eyes.

“Am I.. Interrupting something?” The man had made his way over, a fiddle similar to the one that Kovac had left on stage held with practiced sort of indifference that made Addy wrinkle her nose; last night the man’s cockiness had been a turn on. Now, however, it was almost… laughable.

Shifting a glance towards Kovac, Addy cleared her throat and attempted to ply her dimples. “Kovac, this is uh…” Petch, what was his name? “ … Uh… My Date.” This was a bad idea. Addy no longer wanted anything to do with the man but she wasn’t sure if it was because Kovac had appeared or not. Should she throw away a good opportunity for fun for a man that had, time and time again, chosen others over her? Another glance at the man standing next to her, Addy wistfully hoping that her friend would scare the man off.

[Kovac]

It was obvious his sudden appearance had thrown Aidara for a loop, and although he had managed to maintain his composure, Kovac found that a few seconds close to Addy had brought out unbidden all the attraction and chemistry that had once existed between them. It was a bit awkward, not unlike when they first met on the long hunt. “You.... Dek Licker.” Kovac laughed out loud. Yep, same Addy. Any smarmy retort was cut short by the voice that lifted from across the amphitheater. Bugger. Kovac look over to the Inartan musician. Even brought his fiddle, how petchin' romantic. The man was attractive, Kovac supposed, the classic ginger with the swagger of a popular musician. Suddenly, the olive-skinned, dark-haired mongrel suffered the third wheel syndrome. Too bad he had not just gone ahead and hugged Addy. Had this...Date...seen that, perhaps he would have got the message and left. “Huh. Not as attractive as I remember.” Yeah...definitely the same Addy. Kovac responded to his old friend with a crooked grin. The man approached without hesitation, and Addy made a noble attempt to introduce someone she did not know. With a snarky smile, Kovac extended his hand to the new arrival. "Hello...Date. I'm Kovac. Yeah, sorry about all of this. Seems there are some... work things Aidara and I need to attend to...first aidy...hunting...things...you know important Endal-type stuff." His glance shot sidelong at Addy, a hidden wink shared between them. "I feel terrible, really. And you look so nice, all cleaned up and everything...bet you had a real sweet song to play for her too. Nuts. Tell you what, take this," He held out the bottle of wine, "I bet a guy like you could find any number of honeys to play your song to." Kovac's broad smile never wavered, dripping with over sincerity. Kovac looked at the musician, unflinching, waiting for him to get the hint.

[Aidara]

Stricken as she was, Addy had to fight to keep from laughing, turning the choke that resulted from her attempt to contain her mirth into a polite cough. Deciding to take a back seat in the conversation while the men battled it out, Addy kept her hand covering her mouth and the smile that, despite her best attempts to stop it, lingered here.

“First aidy things?” The musicians voice dripped with skepticism, glancing at Addy in an attempt to get her to deny this claim. When the healer failed to respond and defend her date from Kovac’s taunts, the man flushed red in the face and squared his shoulders. “Who do you think you are?”

But Kovac barely gave him room to get the question out, continuing to smile and lay on the sarcastic flattery. Addy’s date only gripped his fiddle harder when the other man brought it up, lifting his nose into the air when the wine was offered forth. “No, I don’t think so. Aidara? Are you coming? This venue has lost it’s appeal. Shall we go somewhere more…. Private?” Addy had to give the man some kind of respect for his ability to keep his voice calm and collected despite the furious blush that ravaged his complexion. It was obvious that Kovac had gotten the better of him, though the man was either too scared or thought himself too far above the Avora Hunter to stoop down to his level. He seemed to forget that, as a Chiet, he was already below Kovac’s level.

Biting at her lip, Addy sent her gaze darting at her friend, who still stood close to her side, holding that bottle out before him even though her date had already turned his nose up at it. Her own cheeks had adopted a little flush due to the fact that Kovac, instead of bowing out of the vicinity and leaving Addy with this charming man… seemed to be fighting for her.

A warm feeling erupted in the center of her chest and she couldn’t contain a giggle. The Kovac she knew seasons ago would have stepped away and left her to fend for herself in the name of his odd version of chivalry. Something had happened to her friend, changing him for the good. And Addy wanted to figure out what it was.

It took only a tick to make up her mind. Stepping forward as if she were moving to join her date at his side, Addy stopped and offered him a somewhat sarcastic curtsey, pulling her vinati out at the hem as if it were a skirt “ I’m sorry, good sir, but I find myself with a taste for wine at the moment, not music.” Spinning gracefully on the balls of her feet, Addy reached out and snatched the wine bottle from Kovac’s hand and cradling it to her chest, crossing both her arms over it as if she were afraid it would be taken from her. Pointedly ignoring Kovac’s gaze, the little healer then closed the gap between them and turned, pressing herself firmly against his side.

She smiled then, plying her dimples at her former date and wiggled her fingers in a small wave. “We’ll be seeing you.” It was a clear dismissal. Should Kovac be the one who tried to guide them away, Addy would carefully dig in her heels, keeping her gaze locked on the musician until it was he that turned and left the Amphitheater.

[Kovac]

The musician's mistake was that he was overconfident. Even with Kovac's obviously fabricated excuse, intentionally ridiculous in order to convey the Avora's indifference to the man, the Chiet believed that Addy would choose himself over an half-breed. The poor man's second blow came as Aidara herself rejected him. Kovac's snug grin expanded, his eyebrows raised as he looked at the dejected date, as if to declare victory. He stood firm as Addy leaned against him, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. His head angled slightly towards Addy. "My personal physician." A scowl darkened the face of the denied musician, and with a huff he spun on his heels and hastily found his way out of the amphitheater. Once the date disappeared, Kovac turned to Aidara, bursting out in laughter. "I kinda feel sorry for the guy, and you. He seemed like a real lady charmer. Probably won't ask you out again." He looked over the attractive girl, head to toe. "Meh...actually, chances are he will." Kovac took one of Addy's hands in his and lead her to the amphitheater seats, urging her to sit down. He was anxious to keep his promise to himself, to clear the air with Addy. His wide grin grew tame, and he took the wine bottle long enough to swallow a swig before pushing it again to her chest. He assumed she was angry. Aidara was a woman of passions, fierce regardless of the direction they leaned. The last time they spoke was that night at the Inclement Weather. Addy had taunted him mercilessly about his relationship with Shayth, that he kowtowed to every whim of the Endal. They both had too much to drink, and when Kovac returned a kiss from Addy, she grew furious with him for putting her in danger of Shayth's jealous wrath. They saw each other rarely after that, then when spring came, not at all. "OK Addy, let me have it. Tell me off, curse me out, take a swing at me...open hand only please."

[Aidara]

Watching as the spurned not-quite-lover turned and stalked away, his posture having lost it’s practiced, nonchalant slouch in favor of a rigid, angry clenching of his fists at his side; Addy imagined she could hear the fiddles neck creaking under the strain of the mans humiliated fury.

The pair watched the shamed retreat together, still pressed close in what Addy had pretended was an act, using Kovac as a living shield against the unwanted attention. It was all too soon that he pulled away, the little woman forcing down sounds of protests. When he took her hand, she followed without protest. “I’m pretty sure he’ll lay low and lick his wounds for a few days before he returns with a vengeance.” Backing up against the stage next to where Kovac had perched, her hands behind her on the edge of the stage giving her leverage as she pulled herself up. “You should watch your back. You might be getting some hateful glares from the depths of the shadows.” Sticking out her tongue, Addy settled herself comfortably, crossing her legs at the knee and stacking her hands atop her legs.

Watching as the grin grew smaller on her friends face, Addy felt her own joy at their little prank growing thin, her own smile forced. Some of the less pleasant feelings that had erupted upon Kovac’s sudden appearance came trickling back. A furrow developed between her brows and rather than hold the Avora’s gaze, Addy instead let her eyes wander off into the far distance. It was easier not to look at him while she waited for the other shoe to drop.

After all the seasons in which they had been apart, there had to be more to his sudden appearance. Who just shows up out of the blue? Who just up and abandons all their friends? Then again, he had chosen the most volatile, unlikeable Endal to shack up with. Clearing her throat, Addy scratched idly at the inside of her elbow, the idle touching of her gnosis mark something she only did when uncomfortable.

“Make sure to hit where it won’t leave visible bruises, right?” A little chortle escaped as she talked, a sense of relief washing over her when Kovac finally spoke. That definitely wasn’t as bad as she had expected it to be. With the smile still on her lips, Addy shifted her hips so that she could turn, her hands falling behind her so that she reclined comfortably rather than her uptight posture. “Cause, y’know, I’m capable of leaving bruises…”

The flirty innuendo died on her lips when Addy turned her gaze towards Kovac, seeing for the first time the utter sincerity on his features. He really expected her to hit him or, as he had put it, let him have it. “You… what?” The furrow in her brow returned, the smile instantly replaced as her lips pressed into a hard line. “Are you kidding me, Kovac? Why would I take a swing at you? What makes you think I am capable at something like that? Is that what she did?”

Turning away and crossing her arms over her chest, Addy spoke to the horizon instead of her friend. “I was surprised to see you, is all. There was little reason for you to be here, now, after so short a time.” As she continued, her words took on more of a bitter tone. “Is that what you’re life has become? You make a mistake and you get slapped? You may have hurt me, Kovac, but you are my friend. You could have been more than that, but you made your choices.” The anger reared its head then, if only momentarily. “And here I thought you were coming back to take me up on my offer, finally. All the signs were there. The wine. The date…” A hand was waved off in the vague direction towards where the Fiddle Man had retreated.

But then a thought occurred to her and Addy couldn’t help but whirl back around, her voice rising as she continued to talk at the man, hardly letting him get a word in otherwise. “Is that why you’re back? You run away when she disappears only to return when she does? You’re that whipped?” By now, Addy had slid from the stage and stood in front of where Kovac sat, the bottle of wine left forgotten behind them. An angry finger extended and poked hard against his chest. “How dare you continue to play with me, Kovac. How dare you.”

Apparently, the Avora was right and Addy let him have it, though the anger that flooded forth startled the little healer, a sparkle of confusion within her eyes when she stopped, realized her voice had risen to a shriek, and clapped her hands over her mouth. Mortified.

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[Kovac]

"What? Now hold on a minute!" Kovac's brows knitted together, his own ire rising as Aidara's tirade progressed. The hunter had nearly forgotten the woman's volatility, nor did he fathom her reaction. The comment about hitting him was a joke, sort of. The endal assumed the worst of him, but he really hadn't given her precedence to consider anything else. Truth was, his gut had been fluttering from the moment she appeared in the amphitheater, his nonchalance a practiced facade for the sheer nervousness at Aidara's unexpected presence. Kovac slid from the stage, forcing her and her pointing finger back, otherwise he would landed on top of her. The Avora remained very close to the woman. "Shyke Addy, Shayth and I are over! I have not seen her in seasons, I don't know or care where she is." Petch, no one was able to get under his skin like this woman. "There is no one whipping me...I left in the Spring to go to Water Reach for my own reasons. I came back to Wind Reach for my own reasons." Kovac paused, taking a few steps away before turning back to the inartan. "And I did not come back to play with you. I came back because I had things to set right. One of them was finding you..." He took another step towards the healer, his green eyes flashing. "Petch yes I want another chance!" He was hoping for second chances, and not only from Aidara. "What craziness got into your head to say such things? The way I feel about you hasn't changed. Things are just a bit more...clear now." His tone dropped with the venting of his frustration. "Look, Addy, I'm sorry. I made bad decisions, no big surprise there. This is your fault, you know...if you had not saved me from that snake bite, I would have caused no problems." Kovac stepped closer, until his chest nearly touched hers. A disarming smile, laced with authenticity, adorned his face. "I am her, now...can we start over?"

[Aidara]

Though her blood was pounding so loudly in her ears that it was hard to hear Kovac, Addy took a step backwards at the pure anger that appeared on his face during her tirade. Closing her mouth on the words that lingered on the tip of her tongue, ready and waiting to lash out at Kovac, Addy grew quiet and still as the Avora began to correct her assumptions.

As was the little healers way, it only took a few words from the man for her emotions to go flying in the opposite direction that they were heading. Shayth gone?! She had known the ornery Endal woman before she met Sira. Upon her transition from Avora to Endal herself and with everything going on including Kovac’s disappearance, Addy hadn’t even noticed that Shayth wasn’t around anymore and the thought sent adrenaline thrilling through her veins. Unable to help the smile that instantly blossomed into dimples, Addy bit down on her lip to let Kovac finish, the rest of his words more or less a blur of less important things. Hey, it wash is fault for starting out with the most important.

“There is no need to be sorry.” It took a few chimes for the schoolgirl giddiness to wear off before Addy was able to focus. The smile lessened a bit as Kovac slid from the stage and towered over her, forcing her back a few steps until the grin completely died. “What is important is that you came back. It's not easy to return and face your problems.” Celebrating the freedom of her longtime crush seemed a bit silly and premature considering their rocky relationship. Kovac could quite possibly only feel for Addy like that of a friend.

Continuing to brush away his apologies, Addy instead reached up and lowered the hand that pointed at her, letting it fall back at his side; she had toyed with the idea of holding on, twining her fingers with his but decided against it at the last moment, though a flush still colored her cheeks when she looked back up at him. “I don’t want to start over. The good, the bad, the boring, the exciting.. they’re all parts of a friendship. A relationship. It would be an acquaintance if it was all good things, meaning we didn’t know each other at all.” Biting at her lip and crossing her arms over her chest, Addy tiled her head back so she could catch his gaze. “What do you feel for me, Kovac? It never really has been clear.”

Giving him a moment to think over his answer, Addy moved back around to where she had left the wine bottle, once again pulling herself up onto the stage; it was quite possible that this could turn into a long, deep chat and there was no way she was going to stand there tilted almost over backwards all night. Face level with Kovac now, Addy tilted her head to the side as she watched him formulate his answer. “Because I think we both know how I feel. Feelings are feelings and should be shared between those that feel them. I never agreed with the chain that Shayth held.”