#rivervale_lodge

"Yeah, I know. But what if we'd come back empty handed? Or someone had gotten hurt?"

"I'd be heartbroken." Matter of factly.

"Yeah." He's silent for a bit, processing.

"So what's the story with this new guy?" His tone carefully neutral.

"Seems solid. Siv brought him here, he's put himself it work."

"He's sure put himself in the middle of everything, yeah."

Frank nods.

He is silent, but the mountain may know a lot of reading that language. A hint of distrust. Uncertainty, and a good dollop of irritation, though he tries not to let it show. Not unlike a... oh, a small kitten, puffing up a bit at a perceived threat, though it's not really going to do any good. Oh, don't share that analogy, he'd hate it and Lovecraft would never stop laughing at him.

Frank doesn't bring it up, and pulls up outside his house.

.... and drops him off to face Anne Marie's music.

(End)

(Dun dun dun)

-----------

Siv texts then smiles at something.

The Lodge door opens, and Sylvi comes in. She doesn't see anybody in the main hall at first because she's in mid-yawn.

Siv by this time has cleaned up some, and even made little sandwiches.

Well, normal sized by non troll standards.

Sylvi finally manages to find the end of that yawn, and drops her pack on the floor as she closes the door. "Oh, sorry, Flopsy," she says as she just missed the chimera. Then she blinks at the platter of sandwiches. Not the kind her mother normally makes...Sally Mae, maybe....

"Have one, they're not fancy but they were fast to make and I hope tasty" Siv says

A startled blink, and she finally sees Siv. "Hey! You're back!" A smile, and she goes to give a hug.

Siv hugs her, "Hey, yeah. We did it! Got the lance. What have you been up to?"

A big hug, then a kind of awkward pause. "Ummmm...." An unbidden blush, and she glances around the room, checking to see who's there.

Siv notices the look, and her eyes widen at something "Help me in the kitchen with..somethings" and she pulls her away. Jaymes being in the main room

"I...uh...yeah...hi, Jaymes! Bye, Jaymes!" She gets drawn away, and doesn't fight it.

Once in the kitchen, Siv says "okay.." She looks to make sure Connor isn't in a crevice.

When he's not ,she looks back "Sylvi, did you and.. Colton... y'know?"

Sylvi's eyes go wide and she glances down the hall towards her parents' room, not sure if they're there. Then she whispers, "It's that obvious?!"

"Oh my god" A grin "You totally did I.." Another hug "Oh I'm not mocking you no. I just...I've been wondering..." She doesn't mention she's been trying to help. They mustn't know about that "And you blushed.. and you came in yawning but also kind of...well.. swish swish"

Sylvi grins conspiratorially and admits, "I can't help it!" A sudden excited hug. "OMG, Siv....I just...I totally get the whole singing thing, now."

Siv's turn to blush but she smiles "You just wanna float don't you? Like.... there's something new and special and wonderful in your world now? " as one who knows

"I just...I can't stop thinking about it...." she whispers.

"Been there... " Siv admits "I mean... don't worry, you'll be able to function... and folks can get cynical about getting jaded yada... but honestly when you're with someone who cares about you and you care about them there's..." Siv bites her lip, "It's like whatever else seems out to get you, you have this, that moment...where the universe was just you and him and... it's powerful. Right?"

"So very. Oh, Siv, you don't even know...he made it all so perfect. I thought someday if it happened, it would happen at Firnost or something like that. But he arranged a suite at EarthRunes. And it was so beautiful....." A happy sigh. "The whole evening was just...so beautiful."

"Well.. details? I mean.. about the prep at least? You can share that right?" abuzz and happy for her

"Well..." keeping her voice low "...he met me there, and there was some court thing going on, so everything was all flurried, but he said he didn't need to be there, so he kind of just guided me through all the bustling to this gorgeous room. I mean...tapestries, and candles, and...this beautiful bed..." a blush.

"Hey, at least it was clean" light tease.

She bites her lip at the tease, but is still thrilling with the memory. "I was so nervous. Like, so nervous. So...we just danced for a while. That was nice. Then...everything was...just...right."

"oh you danced before... oh that is romantic," Siv says with a sigh, then smiles, "I'm happy for you, and I bet Colton is dancing on the ceiling"

"I think so. He's coming to visit this weekend. He was like...he wants to spend time together, not just....that."

"Darn right... he better not wham bam and strut off ..." A snort then a smile "And it sounds like hes' being proper about it. Good on him. Guess you're right and he's one of the good ones."

"He is." She smiles...and she can't help it, does a little bit of an excited wiggle. "He really is."

A soft laugh and a nod, then "Will you kill me if I get all practical and fussy for a moment?"

"Actually?" A nervous look. "I kind of wish you would. I, uh, haven't talked to Mom about it, yet, so...."

"Okay...so, the practical stuff.. was protection used?" And she goes itno list of ...well, for want of a better term, safety features. And if it sounds familiar, it's because its the very list Aunt Kerri educated her in... though of course she does it in Siv isms.

Sylvi reports back truthfully. First pointing out that she's been on birth control for a while now, yes, Colton used protection....and she continues to answer Siv's questions unless she asks anything that seems a bit too personal and non-essential.

Actually, Siv is not joking around or teasing on this one. Not only is it too important, there's also .. well, trust has been given, and she won't make her lodge sister regret that. "So unless there's something you want to ask me I think.. yeah. I think that's it. "

Sylvi pauses before asking, "Did you ever talk to your folks about it, after?"

"Truth to tell.. " A sigh "I did, but it wasn't some wisdom on my part. Mom caught on... because..w ell, " A blush "I was apparently a BIT obnoxious but not deliberately concsiously so... and asked some questions. You ever lie to a Gwydion MOTHER? It's like.. gah"

"Oooh. Right. I just...." A deep breath. "Mom's going to be okay about it, I'm pretty sure. And you've let me practice talking about it, so thanks. But Dad...." She sighs. "I think he knows but he doesn't want it to be true. I haven't really talked to either of them, yet. I left for school really early."

"First thing to remember? your parents love you, and they are on your side. Your dad is gonna be shaken a bit, but he doesn't think less of you, he just doesn't..can't completely understand. your mom can because, well, you and she are both women. Your dad He.. he's really openminded... but you're changing, and he doesn't know how to roll with that..." A gentle smile, "you just have to go easy with him, don't lie, but don't overshare. THAT was my mistake with them at times.... if you see the difference between honesty and overshare?"