Three-pup post -- men, outside, apart

[ostro_goth]

Teja is sitting in front of the open forge door, scraping on something that is mostly pale and dusty at the moment. He's got a little table with knives and files and awls and little saws and the like, and lots of sandpaper, and some creamy-coloured rocks, as well as water and soft cloths and oils. For some reason, this work produces lots of soft white powder, which looks very odd on his black clothes and black hair.

Urquhart, on the other hand, is by the stables. He doesn't have a horse, but he feels that Franz the dog should be used to them, so he's taken a random horse, a chhestnut with a spotty rump, actually Teja's horse Bramble) out of its stable and is calmly walking it around the dog, who is not allowed to do anything apart from sit there and look at the horse. Following his master while Urquhart is riding will be next, but he should probably find a horse whose owner is known, and ask.

Donovan, lastly, is by the lake-shore, throwing pebbles and apparently not doing much of anything. Not doing much of anything feels actually quite good.-

He is wearing no shoes despite the early spring weather, and carrying a glass of some creamy fancy coffee drink from which he sometimes sips the foam.

Comments

[licensed-pro.livejournal.com]

"You've got dust all over you," remarks the man standing not too far off, dress sleeves rolled up and barefoot. It's still winter in New York City, so the spring is something to enjoy here.

[ostro_goth]

"I know," Teja says, looking up. "Greetings, Charles Monroe. That is something which will happen when one works soapstone."

[licensed-pro.livejournal.com]

"Hi," he greets, crooked smile in place. "Soapstone, hm? That's in my kitchen," Charles notes idly, still watching him. "Countertops."

[ostro_goth]

"Would it not scratch much, when you cut up your food on it?" Teja says. "Soapstone is very soft."

He is rubbing the piece in his hand with sandpaper, and another little cloud of dust rises.

[licensed-pro.livejournal.com]

"No, it's been finished to avoid that happening," he says, venturing closer, and inadvertently collecting the cloud of dust. "But they're very pretty, even if I don't use the kitchen much."

[ostro_goth]

"It is not noxious, just white," Teja says, "but still, I am sorry the powder caught you!"

Random white dust rarely looks impressive on anyone.

"One would assume you eat out much, with your customers?"

[licensed-pro.livejournal.com]

"If they ask for that," he says lightly, brushing at his shirt before he reaches for Teja's hair.

"Let me get that."

[ostro_goth]

Teja looks up at him, quietly. "There will be more dust," he says.

Were he to claim that he feels nothing any more as Charles touches him, he would be lying.

[licensed-pro.livejournal.com]

"That's alright," he says gently, brushing the pale powdery dust from the man's hair, obviously comfortable with the gesture. "Unless you'd rather I not?"

His own tight curls are dusted with it as well, but he pays no mind.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta approaches Teja, silently, from over the top of the forge, quietly leaps off and lands just in front of him.

[ostro_goth]

Teja looks at her, calm and quiet; but Count is so startled, he stands sideways, tail and back hair sticking straight out, and hisses.

"Is that how they taught you to fight?" Teja asks. "Greetings, Carlotta!"

[fiery_ring]

"I don't fight, just sneak mostly." Carlotta says. "Hallo, your Highness."

She crouches and reaches a hand towards Count, to offer him a scritch when he's calmed down.

[ostro_goth]

Count soon realises that the dangerous attacking dragon-from-above is actually just one of his most familiar and favourite humans, so he comes over for skritches.

"You snook very well," Teja says.

[fiery_ring]

"Thank you sir. I had to test my skills the other day when the group I was monitoring decided it would be a good idea to set Gibraltar Airport on fire." Carlotta says.

[ostro_goth]

"What did you do?" Teja asks. "Keep them from doing so?"

[fiery_ring]

"No, because they'd already laid something there." Carlotta says. "I tried to contact London, but they weren't responding, so I borrowed a horse and rode to the border. The soldier I spoke to at the airport didn't believe me at first, but they evacuated the building before it went off so nobody got hurt."

[ostro_goth]

"Is your cover blown now?" Teja asks, rubbing the piece he is working on with fine sandpaper as he speaks.

[wheatencrown]

Demeter's also not wearing any shoes and grins when she spots Donovan,

"You look content."

[born-to-it.livejournal.com]

Donovan turns.

When he sees Demeter, he smiles.

"I am," he says. "I finally got a door here again, and can take a break. And it's spring. And now you are here."

[wheatencrown]

She kisses his cheek, "Yes, life is feeling possible."

[born-to-it.livejournal.com]

"Possible," he murmurs. "That's all you need -- a possibility."

[wheatencrown]

"That's what life and growth truly is, a possibility,"

She leans against him and dips her finger in the foam of his coffee.

[born-to-it.livejournal.com]

"Hey, there are the lovely fingers of a young goddess in my coffee," Donovan laughs.

[wheatencrown]

"Is that a complaint? I'm sure I can find somewhere else to put my fingers."

[born-to-it.livejournal.com]

"No, I'm not complaining," Donovan says. "It's a very nice thing to have in your coffee."