"If I'm a good judge of character, though, I must ask, what does that make you?” Orion grinned impishly. “You're the one spending a to this point innocent evening with this wretched deplorable, yet handsome and irresistable man. Tch-tch-tch. A judge of character, you are not." He leaned in closer and whispered, adding: "Not that I've got any complaints. I find it much easier this way." Shaking her head in mock disdain, she just laughed. “To the contrary, I’m quite good. You’re not as badly behaved as you pretend,” the Benshira accused, jabbing him lightly with her index finger. “In fact, I think you might actually be a nice guy under all that wenching and self-destructive behavior. You wouldn’t be so honest about it otherwise.” It was logically sound, in her mind. Most men who were truly deplorable weren’t as acutely aware of it as Orion. Every joke seemed like half a warning, a signal to stay away. He had ‘damaged goods,’ written all over him.
"Isn't that why it's better to not make any plans at all, Sybel?" He seemed genuinely interested. "I mean, let life take you where it will, because it's going to do it anyways.” She nodded along. Once again, it seemed their opinions aligned. It was becoming alarming. Sure, she wasn’t promiscuous. But the other behaviors? The drinking, the bad jokes... Always keeping people at arm’s length. Did Sybel really reflect in the same fashion? It must make her look cold, unreachable. That was a depressing thought. “Certainly makes for a fun ride,” Orion continued, oblivious to the grim turn of her thoughts. “Unless it sits you down in Syliras, of course. Then entertaining conversations with doctors will have to do." His steady flow of speech kept her engaged. "No, that's not too bad at all."
“Well,” she responded thoughtfully. “I think you should always have a basis. Though life may thwart our best laid plans, let us lay them anyway. I don’t allow things to deter me like that.” The desert woman’s eyes became misty. “I can only be what I am.” The remark was nearly out of place. But to her, it made sense. She would travel, make plans and hope for the best. There was no other design for her to follow.
If he’d ever seen a glassbeak in his life, it certainly didn’t manifest in his reaction. He seemed particularly unflapped. "Sybel, I've come face to face with three angry women at once. Yikes, that was a bad day. And I've still got all my parts." The laughter returned in earnest. "So we've all got our epics to spin," he concluded lamely. “I figured your tail-chasing had to end badly sometime.” She ribbed, raising an eyebrow. “In all seriousness however, I am impressed. You must be a sprinter.”
After a quick exchange with the bartender, they had the ball rolling once more. "See, not so bad, is it? Though I'm sure you've had more than one man offer you a drink, am I right?” For that, she rolled her eyes before he had a chance to. “Sure, you have to deal with sleazy folk like me trying to do unspeakable things, but you don't have to fork out a copper for drinks,” the Doctor pressed on, oblivious to her jesting exasperation. ”Sounds like a fair trade to me. I'm still recovering from you buying me a drink, after all."
“Oh whatever,” she grinned. “You owe me nothing. That you should know about me by now. It’s your fault we had a bad night anyway. For being so free with your affections, you’re quite jealous when the occasion strikes.” Her accusation came out sweetly. But it was true – she attributed that grand failure to Orion, not herself. Everything would have gone smoothly had he not taken the whole ordeal personally.
"Isn't that why it's better to not make any plans at all, Sybel?" He seemed genuinely interested. "I mean, let life take you where it will, because it's going to do it anyways.” She nodded along. Once again, it seemed their opinions aligned. It was becoming alarming. Sure, she wasn’t promiscuous. But the other behaviors? The drinking, the bad jokes... Always keeping people at arm’s length. Did Sybel really reflect in the same fashion? It must make her look cold, unreachable. That was a depressing thought. “Certainly makes for a fun ride,” Orion continued, oblivious to the grim turn of her thoughts. “Unless it sits you down in Syliras, of course. Then entertaining conversations with doctors will have to do." His steady flow of speech kept her engaged. "No, that's not too bad at all."
“Well,” she responded thoughtfully. “I think you should always have a basis. Though life may thwart our best laid plans, let us lay them anyway. I don’t allow things to deter me like that.” The desert woman’s eyes became misty. “I can only be what I am.” The remark was nearly out of place. But to her, it made sense. She would travel, make plans and hope for the best. There was no other design for her to follow.
If he’d ever seen a glassbeak in his life, it certainly didn’t manifest in his reaction. He seemed particularly unflapped. "Sybel, I've come face to face with three angry women at once. Yikes, that was a bad day. And I've still got all my parts." The laughter returned in earnest. "So we've all got our epics to spin," he concluded lamely. “I figured your tail-chasing had to end badly sometime.” She ribbed, raising an eyebrow. “In all seriousness however, I am impressed. You must be a sprinter.”
After a quick exchange with the bartender, they had the ball rolling once more. "See, not so bad, is it? Though I'm sure you've had more than one man offer you a drink, am I right?” For that, she rolled her eyes before he had a chance to. “Sure, you have to deal with sleazy folk like me trying to do unspeakable things, but you don't have to fork out a copper for drinks,” the Doctor pressed on, oblivious to her jesting exasperation. ”Sounds like a fair trade to me. I'm still recovering from you buying me a drink, after all."
“Oh whatever,” she grinned. “You owe me nothing. That you should know about me by now. It’s your fault we had a bad night anyway. For being so free with your affections, you’re quite jealous when the occasion strikes.” Her accusation came out sweetly. But it was true – she attributed that grand failure to Orion, not herself. Everything would have gone smoothly had he not taken the whole ordeal personally.
