(0315 CoD) L'aire and Finn

[Mykel]

Finn can't help but watch the woman's confusion with a bit of bemused guilt. He finally drops the game of verbal sparring, shaking his head softly as the woman apologizes. "Yes, I'm joking lass. And It's not your fault, it's mine. I was born with an over-abundance of words, and I sometimes let myself get carried away. I'll remember to keep my phrasing more literal in the future."

He returned the other Fairest's shrug, watching the events of Court over one shoulder. "I don't need to talk to him, but I should probably go check in with the rest of the Emerald Court and make sure they don't need me for anything else tonight."

Finn takes a step back from the woman and offers her a polite bow, finally turning at lest semi-serious in the conversation. "A pleasure to meet you, L'aire; I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening. And good luck tonight."

[Nathan Griffin]

He approached the two as carefully as a bobcat stalking a deer. Which, on second thought, was an unfortunate comparison. So he did his best to straighten up and look as little threatening as possible as he came close to Sasha and the other guy, whoever he was. He acknowledged the Spring Courtier with a head tilt.

"Don't believe we've met. Name's Nathan."

Introductions done with, he quickly turned to the reason he'd come.

"Hey, Sasha. Long time no see," he didn't try to sound kind. It would probably have come off as fake. "You have a minute? I'll be quick. Promise."

[Nathan Griffin]

He took a deep breath. Suddenly, that elusive teenage nervousness seemed to have struck him again. It was the kind of embarrassment you got in dreams where you were naked in front of a whole crowd. He decided to take it as a good sign.

"I think we, ah... I, may have started on the wrong foot," he tried looking at her directly and failed. Instead, he settled for admiring the decorations in the nearest buffet table. "The night we met, well, uh..." c'mon, boy, you can do this. "I was... I probably came across as... Well, what I am. But I don't... you know, I-I don't like what I am, that's the thing. So I'd like to be something else for a change."

He offered his hand in reconciliation and looked at her face furtively.

"So I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... You're pretty great. You know that, right? Don't let assholes tell you... treat you otherwise. Even if that asshole is me."

[Mykel]

As he leaves, Finn offers L'aire a polite bow of the head, then returns Nathan's before heading back to the rest of Court.

[Nathan Griffin]

"I... Well, I'm an asshole," he smiled weakly. "Don't think I've ever put anything on the line for someone else, but I've screwed others plenty. I always thought I could be better but..." he put both hands in his pockets. "Guess I never could quite beat my more... base nature."

He forced himself to look at her in the eyes. Oh, yeah, she was beautiful. And entirely too pure. Did she have a "base" nature? He somehow doubted it. He somehow envied her.

"When I got to town... I was feeling like crap about myself. More so than usual. When I was out there, or even in... that other place, I never had reason to question my worth, or much of anything. Beasts have... other concerns. Simpler ones. So when I got here..." yet another deep breath. He looked down to his shoes. "It's not even my thing, y'know? Picking up girls in dive bars, or anywhere else. I-I guess I just tried to use you. To... to make myself feel better. I shouldn't have. I'm really, really sorry. If there's any way I can make up for that..."

He must look like a guilty puppy, he realized. The comparison unsettled him. Only too late did he realize that it must seem like he was trying to make her pity him, and he cleared his throat and looked around awkwardly, trying to dispel the image from his mind.

[Kyle Ferlen]

Kyle walks up, with his vest still slung over his shoulder, till he's close enough to the unexpected pair to see them. I'll be damned... it is Nathan. The Minstrel had pretty much forgotten the earlier unpleasantness that had made him walk away. Once he falls into that 'performing' mode, he tends to focus on the moment. Perhaps for the better, considering the circumstances.

He walks in close enough to talk in a low, quiet voice. "Sasha. This guy botherin you?" he says, too kindly and softly to sound like a serious accusation; he's almost certain the Hunterheart is not. Nathan looks more like a kid confessing to breaking a window. He gives his friend a small smile, hoping the joke isn't taken to heart. "I hope I didn't walk into somethin real serious. I could... give you another minute." Thinking about it now, he isn't so sure that's not a good idea. He tilts his head slightly and looks imploringly at Sasha, hoping she would either explain or ask him for a moment of privacy.