d&d scenes } { of owed dinners and awkward questions

[iluvroadrunner6]

Ric: [one of the reasons he was okay waiting two days for his armor was so that he could try and cash in Donna's IOU and going out for lunch or dinner together. The reality to him was simple--he was a hand to hand fighter going against a very old lich. Odds on survival were not in his favor. Not that he listened to odds much anymore. Following his gut was how he tried to live now, and his gut was telling him to take Donna out now before it became too late. Which is why he finds a quieter taproom outside of the main part of town, and then asks if she will join him for dinner.]

Donna: [which she agrees, because she does owe him one. Also she has to eat, and she's fairly certain that the rest of the group will find their own trouble with or without her. Might as well go clear the balance, so to speak. She shows up not long after he does and makes her way over with a smile] Hello.

Ric: [and he'll stand up as he sees her] Hi. Doing alright?

Donna: Yep. Just another daring adventure. [which is their bread and butter these days]

Ric: Oh yeah. It'll be easy, barely notice anything happened.

Donna: Child's play, when it all comes down to it.

Ric: With some of our team being children mentally, it's a very astute observation.

Donna: Oh, they're not that bad.

Ric: [chuckles] No, they're not. I think I'm actually getting to like them. A little.

Donna: They do grow on you.

Ric: Yeah. And it's easier now that, you know, I'm not evil and trying to plot their murders.

Donna: That does make things much simpler.

Ric: You know, I don't think I ever asked you how your life changed from Raknok's wish.

Donna: Oh, it wasn't so different. Still grew up in the same place with the same family. It's just that believing in Auril was more of a requirement than an option.

Ric: So you were becoming a acolyte no matter what, huh?

Donna: Pretty much. Though Auril is not really a joy to serve.

Ric: Can't you change? I mean, you supported me through trying to find a new deity

Donna: Oh, I did. Avandra's my deity of choice. But before you all woke me up ... the Gods of this world have a much firmer hold on their domains. I grew up in the Aurilian Tundra. I had no reason to try for another.

Ric: [nods. He knew some of this, but not this much detail] Do you ever wonder if, when your time comes, if your previous deity will try to claim you in death over your current one?

Donna: Afterlife doesn't really work that way. Depending on how we die, we all go to the Raven Queen in the end.

Ric: I hope so. I still have nightmares about Shar's realm sometimes. I worry she's going to claim me and turn me into one of her creatures.

Donna: Anything is possible, I suppose. But it won't be in death.

Ric: Well, good. I mean, considering what we're about to do, it's something I've been thinking on.

Donna: [nods] I understand. And I'm not saying that Shar isn't still a concern, but there's only so much we can do about a god.

Ric: True. [and he'll laugh softly] Look at me, I take a beautiful girl out for dinner, and I start talking about death. You'd think I'd know better.

Donna: We are going to fight a lich. I don't think death could have been avoided for long.

Ric: At least we got it out of the way then? [smiles]

Donna: I suppose.

Ric: [tilts his head] Are you worried about something with what we're doing?

Donna: [head tilt] Worried about having dinner with a friend?

Ric: Oh, no, I mean the mission.

Donna: Well. I think there are a lot of concerns with deciding to fight a lich. But there are considerably less of them than trying to fight a tarrasque.

Ric: I was kinda hoping for the kraken myself. I made a pretty good merman.

Donna: I'm not sure the kraken would have been much better.

Ric: But it would have better stories. We could have pretended to be pirates, someone would get to shout "release the kraken"... totally win at stories to tell youngsters when old and sitting at the inn by the fire.

Donna: And you don't think a centuries old undead wizard would have the same kind of gravitas?

Ric: Of course, but if you have to choose between zombies and pirates...

Donna: I was never really a fan of either, to be honest.

Ric: Well, what were you a fan of? [curious]

Donna: I liked mysteries.

Ric: Oh? Tell me more.

Donna: It's all about finding the clues. I've always been good at that.

Ric: So are we talking about mystery books, or historical records...?

Donna: Mostly the books.

Ric: I don't really read a lot. I mean, I'm good with nonfiction. Needed it for school and work, but Lammel wasn't big with recreational reading.

Donna: Then you clearly missed out.

Ric: He did give me an entire gymnasium though. I'm pretty sure I spent more time there than I did at school.

Donna: I guess we all have what we like.

Ric: Yeah. You like mysteries, I like flying through the air in tights. [grins]

Donna: [she laughs] Variety is the spice of life?

Ric: I guess so. And it's a good thing I stayed in shape because I found my old circus and man my friends put me through my paces.

Donna: And that went well?

Ric Oh yeah, so much better than I thought it would. The reshaping of the world while under the curse... it wasn't too kind to me after my folks died. When I, um... [he pauses, debating on how specific to go] when I ran away, I left without a word. They were mad about that and I don't blame them. But... they knew why. I never realized they knew. And they didn't blame me.

Donna: Your real friends always understand better than you think.

Ric: I was too ashamed of myself to see. I really should have reached out before now.

Donna: You were also brainwashed.

Ric: Brainwashed... cursed... a mix of both.

Donna: All amounts to the same in the end.

Ric: True. I'm just glad to finally start feeling like myself again. There's parts that don't mix well with who I was pre-wish, but he's in the past. I'm going to just focus on the now.

Donna: Good. That's the best approach to take, in my opinion.

Ric: So, I've been meaning to ask you a question for awhile now.

Donna: Oh?

Ric: Yeah. Um... [rubs the back of his neck] I was wondering if... [spit it out, Shaw] If, uh, as an acolyte, if you're allowed to... date...

Donna: Ah ...oh. [she makes a face, because she doesn't want to make this awkward] Well, we are. But ... we work together. [which doesn't say anything about whether or not she has actual feelings but more there are very big things on their plate right now]

Ric: Yeah, I know. I just... shit, I've actually never done this before... Um... I know we do. And we make a good team too. I think with what we do, that shouldn't really be a disqualifier, you know?

Donna: Maybe not. But ... I have to be an acolyte for everyone. [she doesn't seem very hot tempered but she doesn't feel like, with everything that's happened, she can afford to split her focus] Now's ... just not a good time.

Ric: I'm not asking you to be an acolyte for just me. [confused, biting his lip a moment. There's a part of him wanting to joke about possible last nights on earth, but he knows that could pressure her, and he doesn't want to be a dick, or make her think he's looking for something different. Instead he just hangs his head and nods.] But yeah, I get it.

Donna: I'm just not good at ... compartmentalizing. [and he said it himself. he's going to be the one in melee range.] I'm sorry.

Ric: No, it's fine. I understand. So, um... [he's going to put down money to pay the bill and leave a good tip] I'm... you finish up. I'm just gonna go.

Donna: [nods, and her face really is sympathetic. she doesn't enjoy what she had to do, but ... she knows herself well enough to know that now isn't the moment]

Ric: See you tomorrow. [and he'll get up and leave to take a long walk and find something he can punch]

Donna: [sighs as she slumps back in the booth. sorry, Ric]