#earthrunes

He stands, giving her back her hand.

She tuts. "So worried." But.. she takes the shawl before slipping out to face the brisk autumn morning.

"trolls are over protective, you know that" He smiles though as she does take the shawl and slips out.

He watches her go, his heart in his eyes

August looks like he's had -his- heart ripped out.

I can't believe I'm going to ask this He thinks to himself, but ask it he does "Are you okay, August?"

"No."

"I'm sorry, " And he means it, "Have some cake. It's pretty good. you want to talk about it? the not being okay, not the cake"

"I don't... thank you, Earl, but... I'm not hungry, actually."

"Ah," He says "do you mind if I have a bite while we talk then?"

"Not at all." He makes an effort to refocus. "How was your Samhain?"

"Eventful" he says "I think I remember more than Zara does. Hence my concern I was too blunt last night."

"I, ah...." He clears his throat. "I'm sure I deserved it."

"You did, but then, sometimes deserved isn't what's called for." earl observes.

"Sometimes it is. It's fine, Earl."

"I'm glad, but you still look shaken. Willing to talk about it?"

He takes a small bite of his chocolate cake. It really does look moist and delicious.

He shakes his head. "No, Earl. Thank you. I, ah.... I might head home. I didn't get to talk to Coradel much this morning, I should see how things are going."

"if you're sure?" He says "I.. you're my friend too."

"I know, Earl, and..." He stops, almost seems to go off-line for a moment. He turns and looks Earl straight in the eye. "Thank you, Earl. That means a lot to me. I hope I'm a good friend to you."

"If I am not... please tell me, and how I can be one."

He smiles at August "You are, 85% of the time, a good friend. Hell, you've gone question with us both risking your life. It's the other 15% that can make folks crazy, and even then... wouldn't want the friendship to end. I'll tell if if I can think of how guide you ,but in honesty, I have my own flaws aplenty to overcome. what is it they say? beam in the eye? It's... it's cool. If she's happy, then I'm happy. Like you and Coradel right? Our ladies ... well,we may never understand them, but we want to give them our best because it MAKES us our best to try that. tell Coradel I said hi. I think.. I think she tried to be kind last night. Hard to recall, but i appreciate the attempt."

He nods. "I will. Tell Z... know what? I'll tell her; I'll text her. Thanks." He looks around the room a moment, then nods. "I'll see you later."

"Later"

August departs, taking out his phone as he goes.

He looks at the three plates, only his missing any cake at all so far "Well... merry samhain, Earl. I think..I think you did okay." Munch

(end scene)

*********************************
After asking about, the disheveled and distracted Liam seeks out and locates Leonora.

Leonora is playing ball with Thistlesnort, "Come on.. chase it, don't just walk up to it once it stops"

"Leonora...." He was walking, broke into a fast walk, and jogs the rest of the way. "Leonora......"

"mmm? " She turns "Oh hey, how's it going? Crazy Samhain, huh? What I remember of it. "

He takes her by the arms, looking at her intently. "Leonora.... I haven't done right by you. I've been rude, and carelessly cruel and I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I will change. Will you let me prove it?"

"I..." She blinks "what are we talking about? August, I don't understand"

He shakes his head. "I haven't .... I haven't really -tried- in our relationship. I will. I promise. I Promise. Will you let me?"

"Hey, hey.. whoa... Not sure what brought this on, but August..." A hand on his shoulder, "Sometimes you have priorities, I get that .And..whatever you're taling about with me... and forgive me if I sound arrogant saything this, do not let me tempt you from your trueheart okay? you two are oathed. I'm The other' and you're both delicious and I'm good with that. "

He nods. "Of course. That's not what I'm talking about, I..... " He runs fingers through his loose hair, not really combing it. "I'm saying I haven't been.... I've been honest, but not true. And I don't want that with you. You've..." His voice cracks. "You were kind, a friendly face, and I... I haven't honored that. You've been so wonderful to me since Coradel, and the others, and EarthRunes and I've treated you like... like an afterthought. That's... criminal. I Promise you, that changes. Now."

"I Will Not Be Blind Anymore."

"I... August, I'm young, sexy, white and rich. People with FIRST world problems envy me. I'll survive this crisis" She assures him. "is this a new tweak on Catholic guilt I've not met yet?"

He shakes his head. "No. I don't think so, anyway. Just... general guilt, well deserved. When I think about how I treated you during my lessons with you and Bachdion...." He swallows. "Leonora, I -like- looking at you. I -like- touching you. I didn't know how to handle it, but I know I handled it wrong during my lessons. Please forgive me."

She melts a bit "awww, you DID get turned on by me. Actually you admiting it so openly is... really nice. thaank you, but I still think you're being too hard on yourself. There's not a deliberately mean bone in your body, August. " A kiss " Trust me. I am a lot meaner than you. You should see me when there's only one top brand purse left in a store? I will run over an old person. It's not a pretty side of me"

He swallows again. "I did. I do. Get.... excited by you, what you've shown me, how we are together." This is not easy to say, but he does say it, and there's every evidence he means it. He slides his arms around her urges her closer for another kiss; a longer, deeper one.

"Wow" She says after a long lingering kisss, "I... wow. ' Leo bites her bottom lip, "That was nice"

"A little less clinical than you sometimes have been"

His sober expression makes it clear he's thinking. Then he says "Last night... Samhain. I... I think I got the good out of it. I have some notes.... I, ah, I have something to work on, for the future... and, I think, in the present." His hands gently stroke up and down her back. "I focused on personal development last night, not my relationships ... .but that was last night. Did you, ah, did you have a good Samhain?"

"I'm not sure" She laughs "I don't rememerthat much of it this time. Isn't that wild? I actually rememberedmore from my first than this one. I woke up in a pile near Sparrow's...got to meet the transformed...the guests"

He looks puzzled. "Who? We have guests?"

"I'm sure they're gone by now" She says "So...how about Yule, just round the corner eh?"

BIg smile

He blinks, perhaps a bit of whiplash at the change in topic. "Ah. Yes?"

"Don't worry about something expensive for me. Maybe something fun and a bit dangerous we can do togeter, like sky diving, or a shark cage tour, or hangliding? '