#rivervale_lodge

"No!" she exclaims in frustration, "I'm not expecting you to propose, and no, I still want to be your girlfriend, but I have to be...to be..." she stammers, looking for the words. "I have to be equal to everybody else who has a role there, and everybody else has a room! I can't just be...y'know...a convenient appointment because I just happen to be around a lot because I'm with you. I need to be there...IF I'm going to be there...I need to be there because I'm valuable to the Lodge, and I need...I need...that needs to be clear!" She knows she's rambling, and she looks up at the ceiling as if trying to find the right words...but they're not written up there.

"Valuable .. I..." Confusion but then... "You're not just valuable, you're priceless" He says , maybe something clicking. He takes her hands in his "Okay. I'm sorry. Of all the things I expected to come up, this one caught me off guard but it totally shouldn't have. As storm, I need the respect of my men. And I can't let things undermine that lightly. I guess i didn't realize, and I should, that you'd have similar concerns. I know the Chief, he would NOT ask you to be there if you weren't making a big difference all on your own for the better. And I am sure you would get your own room so... any jerks or idiots who thought of you as just 'storms girlfriend' would have the message made clearer and... so you'd have space to be... Sylvi, sub chief or aide de camp or whatever you want to be the title."

She takes a deep breath. Oh, thank goodness. He gets it. "Yes," she sighs with relief. "Yes, that's...that it. Otherwise...it's kind of like I'm a band groupie who helps out here and there," she says apologetically, "and gets kept."

"So help me, if anyone called you my band groupie, I think I'd forget all that stuff your dad says about respecting your right to do your own punching and I'd pop them in their mouth myself" A beat "Which is ... probably selfish of me" And, Sylvi realizes another reason she needs an option of her own space or at least own room. Troll protective instincts for each other need to be accessed and separate rooms would allow that

She manages a half-chuckle at that, still coming back from the edge of getting genuinely upset. "Probably better we just take the steps to prevent somebody from saying it at all? Like...I don't want to move all my stuff up there just to have to punch some jerk out, get fired for it, and have to move it all back here again." Then a deep breath, and she squeezes his hands. "So...that's a thing I have to talk with Chieftain Hewitt about. But if you understand...well...that's one thing sorted out, at least in theory."

She blinks. "Aide de camp is good..."

"Depending on who you punched, the Chief might think they had it coming," a weak smile "And, you know you have help carrying all this" glad she liked the term "Aide De Camp just slipped off the tongue, wish I could say I was brilliant. It might do."

Then Colton says "Okay. We're going to be honest right?"

"Um...yeah?" Not certain what's coming next.

"I absolutely adore telling folks.. 'that's my girlfriend ' or 'there goes my lady' or 'That's Sylvi, she's with me, how about that?' not just to make other guys envious, which they are, but because it makes me HAPPY to know you care about me" A light blush "Do I need to cut down on that?"

She furrows her brow a moment. This seems to be something she hadn't considered. "Well...it's not something you need to hide...but maybe you don't need to lead with it?" she suggests carefully.

"Definitely when either you are or I are on duty" he considers "You need a sash"

That last blurt probably made PERFECT Sense in Colton land

"Or when newcomers first meet me...." then a blink. "A sash," she repeats. "Do you wear a sash?"

"I often wear a full blown uniform, helps the folks under me know when I'm on duty and they see me coming they get serious faster. I was thining sash for you as it allows more variety in apparel while on the job but still would let folks know yhou are officially on duty, and they better be ready if you issue some orders"

She considers this. "So...like my emissary sash..." She gets quiet a moment, then nods. "Makes sense...."

Something is dimmed in her tone, though.

"Exactly like.. " He stops " Uhm.. something's wrong" Not a question

"Um...I'm...I'm just still sorting things out..." she says with a half- smile. "A sash makes sense," she adds with a nod.

"NOoooo" He says "Uh huh.. I already used up my idiot points today. SOMETHING is bothering you about the sash comment. What did I step into?"

A long pause. "I'm...I'm sorry, Colton, I'm just still trying to figure it out. I haven't decided yet." A deep breath. "Colton...what happens if I don't take the job? If I don't move to DarkGate?" Her tone is careful.

"If you move in, I LOVE you a lot, and am proud of you, and supportive of you" He takes a breath "BUT, if you don't move in, I love you a LOT, and I'm proud of you, and supportive of you."

She can see he screwed up some resolve for that, but he also means it

She squeezes his hands again. "And if I don't move now doesn't necessarily mean never," she points out.

"It doesn't" He kisses her hands "But.. the job might go to someone else who, I can't imagine being as good as you. I'm trying to pressure you with that. I'm just saying, you showed us a need, and now ..well, Dougals"

"When something is broken, Dougals fix," she grins a bit. "And...I get that. I'm not expecting that a job would be held open for me."

"So.." A pause. There are a dozen ways to ask this, and he has to sort through them. He realizes his first way of asking is selfish, his next two manipulative. I am not a man child nor am I a Leanhaun lothario So he asks what seems to be the right way "What do you prefer you do for now?"

A deep breath. "I think...tomorrow I'll come up to DarkGate to speak with Chieftain Hewitt some more about it. And...then I'll decide within the week." There. A deadline. Gotta do it now, one way or the other.

"Okay. And I meant what i said about supporting your choice in this. Now that trod is open I can make more time to drop by here if need be if that's what you choose. I love you. " And he slides back and strikes a pose on the edge of the bed, still gleeaming a bit with that baby oil "So, this? " He poses "This can be delivered" He flexes on his side...

This proves to be a mistake, for the baby oil is still on the slippery side and he falls OFF her bed with a thump. Perhaps killing any seductive qualities and certainly dimming his cool

Oh, that gets a LAUGH, and she follows him off the bed. Darn the baby oil...he gets a (slippery) hug and an emphatic kiss.

A returned kiss and a laugh "Okay. Karma's mean. Just saying"

"You suffer so," she says before kissing him again to try to soothe his wounded pride.

It seems to work, and the two may.. you know, soothe each other on the floor for quite a few minutes, if she's game

She seems more than willing to do exactly that.

(fade to young lovers finding their way)

********

The Day after valentines, and Kerri has to admit, she had a good time. Wonderful husband, wonderful daughter (Who she suspects had her boyfriend over while they were out), a community that respects her, and work that fills her with purpose.

So how come she don't wanna get up?

Apart of her thinks the lodge , most of the lodge, DOES know how to make breakfast. there is cereal for crying out loud

Another part of her remembers that Brogan isn't here today, and Sally Mae and Carowyn are probably somewhere enjoying their own post valentine bliss

so if a MEAL is to be made, well... Dagmar could do i but she's not here

But she's so damn comfortable. The blankets have hit that perfect mix of soft and warm

The Hearth...sighs. And thinks, five more minutes....

Then she shakes her head. Nope...gotta get up. 'S my work, my duty. Up, body. Now.

Sheer troll willpower...she pushes herself up.

And there's a grunt from the other half who is still asleep.

She shoots him a narrow look. I should "accidentally" drag all the covers off of him....

SO tempting

Another sigh, and she abandons that plan. Instead, as she gets out of bed, she tucks the covers around him. Yup, she feels honorable and self-sacrificing and superior. It doesn't quite make up for having to get up, but she'll take what she can get.