(2022-04-02) A Promised Picnic II: Picnic Doubled

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Author:	inkie
Summary:	The Hazans and the Aspenwoods have a picnic double date outside the walls of Shattrath City. It does not quite go as anyone expected.
Rating:	M for Mature 17+

Chain: Bizzy

+ Show additional content warnings

Alcohol, alcohol consumption, oblique references to abuse, suggestive content

Ben studies the little pond-glade with satisfaction, and sets down the cask he is carrying. "S' a nice spot for it."

[Ismene]: “It's lovely! Do those flowers glow, or is that me?”

[Bennarin]: "They do glow some, looks like. Or maybe it's how the color catches in the air?"

[Ismene]: “I wish we could've brought Hattie, but I'm afraid she'd misbehave terribly.”

[Bennarin]: "Well. I'm just glad I got Darlin' to stay behind. You know Hattie'd chase a giant moth off into the forest and get et by a basilisk or somethin'."

Ismene giggles. "Or Darlin' would've chased her off. Poor Hattie. Where shall we sit?"

[Bennarin]: "Wherever you like, missus. You want me to put out the blanket or you want to take one of the benches?"

[Ismene]: "Blanket, please." She smiles at Ben in a Most Knowing Way. "All the best picnics are on blankets on the ground, you know."

Ben grins back at her. He sets down the basket and draws from it a blanket, which he shakes out and spreads on the ground by the cask. "I will watch where I put the egg pie today."

Ismene laughs and settles herself neatly on the blanket. Mariestrasza is off over the lake, snapping at flies (or reasonable facsimiles thereof).

Colson smiles at Mordecai, gently squeezing his hand, as he makes his way out of the city. He looks like he knows exactly where he's going.

Mordecai has two hands so he can hold Colson's hand and also carry the picnic basket.

Colson smiles automatically when he sees Ben and Mizzy, raising a hand in greeting.

Ben glances up and smiles broadly at the other two. "Afternoon, fellows."

Colson looks Happy, and as casual as anyone has ever seen him, even in the very finely made clothes. "Hello, Ben. Ismene — or would you prefer 'Mizzy' for today?"

[Harbrooke]: "H-hello." Mordecai holds up the picnic basket like a shield.

Ismene smiles up at the Aspenwoods. "Mizzy today, since we're just being comfortable. I hope the blanket is sufficient?"

Ben nods at Mordecai and his basket. "Pull up a piece of blanket wherever you like. Or a bench, if y'all prefer. Mizzy is a picnic traditionalist."

Mordecai blinks. This is new. "Mizzy?" he asks, looking between Colson and Ismene.

Colson inclines his head and goes to sit, still holding Mordecai's hand, before he realizes that's a terrible idea, letting go before he drops gracefully to a seat on the blanket.

Ismene explains, "Ben's fault." Not much of an explanation but there you have it.

Mordecai walks around the edge of the blanket. He tries to find a way to sit where he won't be putting his shoes on it.

[Bennarin]: "I use to call her Miz Izmainy when we was just gettin' to know each other, and the way I talk it got kind of run together into Mizmainy. a lot. Then Sil said she should have Izzy for a nickname, and I said, ‘You know I will just make it into Mizzy.’ So she went ahead and did." Ben settles beside Mizmainy and lifts their own basket over closer. The small keg of ale sits nearby.

Colson moves a little closer, and smiles faintly at the recounting of the evolution of the nickname.

[Harbrooke]: "Oh. Mizzy?" Mordecai tries the name out for practice. He sets their picnic basket down in the center of the blanket. "We made donuts."

Colson's cheeks go a little red, but it might be hard to tell in the light of the day. "Mordecai made most of them. The ones I helped with have, fortunately, been claimed, so you shall be spared uneven donuts with broken glazes."

Mizzy tries not to look greedy. Or grab for the basket. That's rude. Instead, she begins unpacking things from their basket, and asks Colson, "Isn't it nice having a husband who can cook?"

[Bennarin]: "Aw, even ugly donuts taste nice, I'm sure. I have brun– brought some poached salmon and egg pie? Also some beer." He gestures at the cask, and reaches absently to help unpack their basket.

Ismene doesn't mind. She takes the opportunity of hidden basket-hands to brush his fingers with hers.

Colson's eyes go incredibly soft and he looks at Mordecai for a long moment. "Yes," he says in answer to Mizzy. He's still staring. It takes him several seconds to realize Ben was saying Words, and he turns his head with a faint hm? "Oh, excellent."

[Harbrooke]: "We made donuts," Mordecai insists. He glances in the direction of the cask once, then fixates on the basket. Donuts.

[Bennarin]: "The egg pie is Ivri's recipe but I put in it ham and onion and slice potato." The quiche in its pie plate is already cut into neat slices. Chunks of poached salmon are heaped in a second pie plate. Presentation is not yet a strong suit of Ben's.

Colson inhales deeply. "It smells wonderful, Ben. Both sound very good. What is the beer, or do I already know?" There's a faint smile on Colson's lips at the on-running joke.

[Ismene]: "And, for those who don't like beer, I couldn't show up to any social gathering without bottles of Callis Cider. It may well be the last I get for free, so do enjoy." Ismene sets out a few bottles of the stuff, corked and sealed with wax.

[Harbrooke]: Mordecai shoots a quick smile at Ismene.

[Bennarin]: "It is a beer, Cole," says Ben solemnly, and then flashes a chipped-tooth smile. "Dwarven Spring Wheat. But I do recommend the Callis Cider." Ben shifts unsubtly closer to Ismene on the blanket, and props a hand behind her to lean casually.

[Aspenwood]: Colson flashes his own grin, before tucking it back behind a Serious Aspenwood Neutral. "I would not wish to take up a precious resource. Are you … that is, has something happened to your family's supply this year?"

Ben glances at Ismene and some of the merriment in his expression fades.

Ismene shrugs, as though it were of no consequence, and her smile doesn't dim in the least. "Oh. Well, you know. Parents. I hope someone brought forks…." She looks in their basket.

Colson's expression goes a little inscrutable as he glances from Mizzy to Ben. Colson also, as Ben already knows, has a fork on him.

There are forks in the Hazans’ basket, as well as cloth napkins. They are Picnic Pros.

Mordecai opens his picnic basket. The donuts have been wrapped in a nice cloth, which he takes out and sets near the pie. There are twenty-four donuts. Napkins are in their basket as well, but no utensils because donuts are Hand Food.

Ben regards the donuts with a faintly grim air, but it doesn't seem donut-related because after a moment he realizes he's looking at donuts and brightens at once. "Oh, damn."

Mordecai gets himself a napkin and immediately piles four donuts on it, selecting them from the batch without hesitation. Two are lopsided and two have messed-up glazing.

Colson groans a little at the donuts Mordecai snags, but for those who can read him well, there's a sweet sort of pleased and happy in his eyes.

With a happy little smile, Mizzy tucks and folds the napkins from Ben's basket into little pockets the forks slide into. Those, she sets on the blanket in front of each person. "There!"

[Harbrooke]: "Thank you," Mordecai mumbles to Mizzy.

Ben leans toward donuts, remembers Manners, and reaches back into the Hazan basket to produce four simple stoneware cups, which he sets out for cider- or beer-drinkers. Then he leans forward toward donuts. He glances at Mizzy. "Can I get you one, missus?"

[Ismene]: "Well not if Mordecai gets four! I want two!"

[Harbrooke]: "You can, um, you can have as many as you like. I-I just said I would eat the ones Colson…" He shrugs.

Ben grins at Mizzy. He selects two donuts and presents them to her gravely.

Ismene happily takes the donuts from Ben and smiles at Mordecai. "Oh, never say that. I'll eat them all, then Ben will be cross with me. Oh! Plates for the q– um, egg pie."

Mordecai reaches over for one of the cider bottles and reads the label.

Colson nods seriously at Mizzy. "I was supposed to have 57, but I am afraid Mordecai said that would be unreasonable, as some had to be for you both. I thought one a piece sufficient. So you have him to thank for the fairer allotment.""

[Bennarin]: "Aw, they are all gonna be great." Ben takes one, because Manners, and sets it carefully on the edge of the napkin in front of him. He picks up a cup and leans toward the keg to get himself some beer. "We can — do we need the plates? They are in there."

[Harbrooke]: "Well, there's, um, six per person?" He shrugs. "But you can take some home if you don't want to eat six donuts in a day. Um, you brought plates?"

They're apparently at the bottom, and they're little more than saucers that are recognizable as coming from the Inn on Aldor's Rise. Ismene sets them in a pile next to the egg pie.

[Bennarin]: "We are real good at picnics. Though I have learned to set the egg pie away from where we are sittin'. We had a incident once."

Colson is allowing himself to be served, to avoid grabbing across the blanket. He raises his brows faintly at that. "An incident?"

Ben glances sidelong and a little slyly at Mizzy.

Ismene tries not to blush. Or laugh. She manages the latter but not the former. "Ben was being most improper during our courtship and the pie got a little squashed."

Ben nods gravely. "I was bein' improper."

Ismene leans toward Mordecai to confide, "I should have slapped him, but I felt daring and rebellious."

Ben winks at Mordecai and drinks beer.

Colson's lips twitch in a repressed smile, as he attempts a Serious Neutrality. "Ah, I see. Well." He is clearly struggling to keep the straight face.

Mordecai has gone tense and frozen. He's staring at the label on the cider bottle.

Colson looks over at Mordecai, and the amusement drops for real. He leans in closer to Mordecai, reaching a hand out to touch Mordecai's hand.

Ben glances back to Mordecai at the gesture and knits his brow. He starts to say something and then stops and waits for Colson's intervention. He glances at Mizzy.

Ismene peeks at the label of her cider bottle in case it's something horrible.

Mordecai startles a little and manages not to drop the cider bottle. He looks at Colson.

Colson is just looking at Mordecai, a soft expression behind the Neutral. He looks mildly concerned, with a question in his eyes. "Mordecai?"

To distract from Staring At Mordecai, Ismene serves up pieces of the egg pie onto the plates, though she doesn't distribute them. She just takes her time putting them where people can reach them if they'd like.

[Harbrooke]: "S-sorry, what?"

Colson's thumb moves gently across Mordecai's hand, in a soothing gesture. "Everything all right? Did you want something else? I have water."

Ben takes a plate of egg pie and nods politely to Mizzy, to emphasize gently that he is totally not staring at Mordecai.

[Harbrooke]: "No, I'm fine," he tries to reassure Colson in a low voice. He takes one of the egg pie plates. "Thank you."

Ismene reaches over to unroll Ben's napkin for him, settling it over one of his knees. Because. Um. His hands are full. With the tiny plate. She hands him the fork. There. Hands full.

Ben nods again at Mizzy and offers her a half-smile. "Thank you, Miz Kitten."

Colson takes a moment longer to look at Mordecai before turning back politely to other people who definitely exist, taking the closest egg pie. "Thank you," he says to Mizzy, and to Ben, because serving and cooking.

[Ismene]: "Have you ever made apple cider donuts, Mordecai? There was a woman who tried, but I never got to taste any."

Ben forks up a bite of egg pie and turns his blandly polite attention back to Mordecai, now that the Moment seems to have resolved.

[Harbrooke]: "I, um, no, I haven't."

Colson eats with Manners and Polite Proper Bites. He looks over at Mordecai with a soft expression. "Would you like to?"

[Harbrooke]: "I'd — I'd need a recipe."

Ben smiles. "Only if it is a thing you are interested to do, too. No one is orderin' donuts or anything."

[Ismene]: "Or you could experiment. I volunteer to eat the practice ones!"

Mordecai cracks a smile.

Colson smiles when Mordecai does. "Especially now that your experiments with the ravager eggs have proven successful."

[Bennarin]: "I mean there is also plenty of hen eggs now, too."

Mizzy sighs in memory, her eyes closing. "Oh, that cake was divine."

[Bennarin]: "I do wish I had got more of it. The cake. The piece I had was real good."

Mordecai picks at the wax seal on the cider bottle.

Colson directs his smile at Mizzy this time. "I hear you were partially responsible for that, Mizzy. Well done," he says sincerely.

Ismene smiles back. "Oh, it was fun! It was like being a spy, but for desserts. I must say, you did keep your secret rather well."

Colson nods Very Seriously. "A dessert spy for a dessert heist. Even Cressidha was in on it." Colson seems amused, behind the mock seriousness. "I fear your combined powers."

[Harbrooke]: "He figured it out the minute he tried the cake." Mordecai shoots a tiny smile at Ismene before looking down again.

Ben has made short work of his egg pie, because: dessert. He sets the pie plate aside and picks up his donut.

Mizzy nods sharply to Mordecai. "Well done, us! Well, mostly you. I just told you a bunch of flavors, and you turned it into art."

Colson huffs a faint laugh, breaking the Serious. He looks over at Mordecai with a soft expression. "Yes, well. That was how I knew it was his. It was…perfect."

Ismene finally nibbles at food, forking up a bit of salmon.

Mordecai goes red. He mumbles something that might be another thank you as he finally gets the cider bottle open. He pours some into the cup and tries to re-seal the bottle as best as he can so it won't spill.

Colson is making good work of his egg pie, and salmon, because Colson would definitely be eating both. He looks over at Ben. "This is excellent, Ben. Truly. Might I trouble you for a draught of the beer? I should try it, at least, to see if I can detect the brown nuances of the malt foam with yeast notes of beer."

Ben grins at him and lifts his donut in a salute. "Thank you, Cole. And naturally you can. I think you will find this beer is about as beery as most." He sets his donut down and picks up a cup for Colson.

[Ismene]: "Brown nuances?"

Colson chuckles, deep in his throat.

Ben passes Colson a beer. "Cole is real good at detectin' a beer when it happens."

Mordecai reaches for his fork and the plate of egg pie, finally.

Colson takes the beer, and as expected, takes a sip better suited to wine tasting, before intoning in absolute deadpan. "Yes. This is a beer."

Ben nods gravely back at him, and then makes a ta-da! gesture in his direction for Mizzy's benefit.

[Ismene]: "Oh. I see. A truly refined palate, Lord Aspenwood."

Mordecai takes a bite of egg pie. His hands are shaking a little.

Colson inclines his head at Mizzy. "I have been trained for such from birth, Lady Ismene. I can say, the obvious notes of light brown with the dark under brown notes mix well with salmon, as expected."

Ben glances at Mordecai. He picks his donut up again and takes an enormous bite. Around the mouthful, he says, muffled, "This is damn good, Mordecai."

[Aspenwood]: Colson smiles proudly at that, turning his attention to Mordecai once more, and the amusement in his face shifts again. He sets the beer down, carefully, watching Mordecai. His hand moves near, but doesn't touch. The plate is Breakable. There are Rules

Mordecai manages to say, "It's good," to Ben, clearly referencing the pie. He doesn't look at Ben, or anyone else.

[Bennarin]: "Thank you. It is Ivrianna's recipe, like I said. She traded it to me for helpin' her out with the food for my folks' weddin' party." He is watching Mordecai carefully, but talks in a breezy, conversational manner.

[Ismene]: "I can't ever figure out what to make of her, Ms. Barlowe. But she does cook well, or at least her recipes work." She looks at Ben, head cocked. "What was the goat stew one for?"

[Bennarin]: "Aw, I don't even remember. Somethin' about one of us gettin' the other's goat. We are like that, you know? With the teasin'."

[Aspenwood]: "Miss Barlowe would likely be very pleased to hear that, I think," Colson says in a slightly dry voice. He's still staring at Mordecai, a soft expression in his eyes.

Mordecai continues to eat his egg pie. He is holding on to both the plate and the fork extremely tightly.

[Aspenwood]: "She sent me one, enormous sausage once, after I sent her something in return for her assistance with a locked chest."

[Harbrooke]: "…Who?" Mordecai asks Colson. Did he miss the name?

[Aspenwood]: "Ivrianna Barlowe," Colson says to Mordecai, gently, with a faint smile. "She was with Dane Atley at the wedding."

[Harbrooke]: "Oh." Mordecai seems to recognize the name now. He nods.

[Bennarin]: "She is a good girl but likes to act like she ain't. Maybe she thinks she ain't, at this point, I dunno. I mean to talk with her about it. She is just a little bratty sometimes. She is — oh! I think the goat thing was after she made a stink about my bein' a officer?"

Colson raises his brows faintly at that, and for the first time since he looked over at Mordecai, glances over at Ben. "For being made Lieutenant?"

Ismene moves her two donuts to the far side of her from Ben, then reaches over to try and pick a bit off of of his donut.

Ben shrugs. "Yeah. I mean, fair point I was pretty green. She thought Mr Atley should've had it. That maybe I got it unfair, because of Mr Ference and all. But we had it out and it was okay. Like I said, she's a good girl."

[Ismene]: "You should make that stew and send it back to her, so she can eat her words. You're a marvelous squad leader."

Colson makes a slight hmm-ing sound. "I admire Mr. Atley greatly, but I must admit I agree with Sir Ference's assesment in you, Ben."

Ben glances down at his donut, his ears red. He isn't smiling. He rescues the donut from Mizzy’s predations, and eats the remaining two-thirds of it in two bites. He wipes his hands on his trousers. Right next to the napkin on his knee.

[Aspenwood]: He looks down at his own plate, with a mild expression. "If anyone was promoted out of turn, it was I."

[Bennarin]: "What? No, that ain't fair on you, Cole. You have experience in the army and with bein' a officer. You are good at it."

[Ismene]: "I quite agree, firmly so!"

Colson smiles faintly, in a self-deprecating way. "Ah, yes. The experience I had of being an officer because I was promoted for my name, rather than my deeds." His voice is polite, and mild. "I hope that I have at least risen enough to the occassion to not cause Sir Ference to regret his choice."

Mordecai keeps quiet. He's eating his egg pie very slowly, chewing like he's either savoring the taste or distracted by something else. Maybe both.

[Bennarin]: "Cole, you do a good job, and I am not hearin' otherwise. You understand?"

Colson inclines his head to Ben, with a serious expression mixed with affection. "I will honor your assement, Lieutenant Hazan, if you will honor mine of saying the same."

Ben hmphs at Colson and reaches for another donut.

Mariestrasza has landed off to Mordecai's left. The sprite darter belly-walks closer, dragging many-hued wings, and meeps at Mordecai most piteously. Please sir. They do not feed me.

[Harbrooke]: Apparently an adorable sprite darter is a very good distraction, because Mordecai unfreezes enough to ask Ismene, "What can they eat?"

Ismene smiles fondly at Mordecai. "That one will eat anything that she sees someone else eating. Not a fan of coffee, she's discovered."

[Aspenwood]: "Oh! Did Lady Ference enjoy the coffee, Ben?" Colson asks Ben, moving a little closer to Mordecai, so their shoulders are almost touching.

Mordecai has eaten about half of his egg pie. He gets himself an extra napkin, cuts a piece from his own pie with the side of his fork, and sets it out on the napkin to offer to Mariestrasza.

[Bennarin]: "Oh, she is never gonna leave you alone now," Ben warns Mordecai. Despite the words, his tone is warm and affectionate. “And yes, Cole, she did, and thanks you kindly.”

As no one has shooed it and there is no demon-kitten to chase it away, the sprite darter hatchling bounds closer, wriggling its body between its feast and the warmth of Mordecai's knee.

Colson chuckles a little, and watches the Sprite and Mordecai with a very soft expression.

Mordecai watches with wide eyes. "What's her name?"

[Ismene]: "Mariestrasza. For now. She was Burble at first, but she didn't seem to like that, and she liked Melody rather less." She looks at Ben because he is wonderful. "Ben suggested it."

Ben shrugs modestly, and with a little embarrassment.

Colson raises his brows faintly with a smile. "Ah, continuing Mr. Silentstep's tradition of dragon names?"

[Bennarin]: "I mean, they are kind of like tiny dragons, yeah?"

Mordecai drops a hand to his left side in case the sprite darter wants to sniff it like a cat or something.

[Ismene]: "I think they're like frog butterflies. Froggerflies? Butterogs?"

Colson inclines his head seriously at Mizzy. "Butterogs, yes."

[Bennarin]: "See, this is why they do not let you name things," Ben tells Mizzy, but again his tone is warm. He's smiling at her, his gaze soft.

Because it is a shameless hatchling, it takes full liberty and shoves its way under his hand. There, it begins making a noise that likely earned it the name of Burble in the first place.

[Ismene]: Loftily, Ismene informs Ben, "Colson agreed with me."

[Bennarin]: "… Mizmainy, I think you might've lost Mariestrasza. She got a new person now."

Mordecai finally sets the little plate down. He nudges Colson's shoulder and whispers to him, "Look." Look, the cute animal has accepted me.

[Ismene]: "Shameless. And after I saved her life too!"

[Aspenwood]: Colson opens his mouth to say something to Mizzy and Ben, but is instantly full attention on Mordecai at the touch. He smiles gently. "Yes," he says, to Mordecai.

Mordecai now only has one hand to eat food and drink liquids with for the rest of forever.

[Ismene]: "There are more in… Felwood, I believe? The Night Elves were looking for help with the hatchlings. You might check and see if they're still looking for people to raise them. They're very long-lived."

[Aspenwood]: Oh, no, the Husband Holding Hand has been given to the Butterog.

Ben helps himself to another donut. This one takes him four entire bites to eat.

Colson is watching Mordecai with a soft expression. "Would you want one, Mordecai?" He asks it in the same voice he always does, when he's asking if Mordecai would want to do something.

From under Mordecai's hand, Mariestrasza's tail stretches, curls, then goes limp. He'd likely feel under his palm the little thing flopping over onto one side and curling into a ball.

Mordecai tries the cider. "Um. I — that's a lot of, of responsibility, a pet like that. I'd. Need to think about it."

[Aspenwood]: "Of course," Colson agrees, his voice gentle. He reaches out a hand to brush against Mordecai's knee. "There is no rush."

Colson has still not gotten a donut. It might be out of habit of not eating sweets.

Mizzy tips her head to one side and smiles at Mordecai's shelter-hand. "Well, she likes you. You must be soothing. She doesn't go to just anyone."

Mordecai blushes a little and mumbles, "She's sweet." He tries to find a place on the blanket where his cider cup is in no danger of spilling if it gets knocked over. This is difficult.

[Ismene]: Having dutifully finished food-food, Mizzy starts in on one of her two donuts. Manners forbid her stuffing the whole thing in her mouth. Instead, she breaks off a piece and eats that. Slowly.

[Bennarin]: "So."

[Ismene]: "If she's bothersome, Mordecai, we can fetch her out of the little hand-cave you made for her."

Ben grins at Mizzy.

[Harbrooke]: "N-not at all."

Colson looks over at Ben, brows raised.

Ben shrugs at Colson and smiles crookedly. He was just sayin' a thing since no one else was.

Mordecai finds a spot for the cider cup and attempts to finish his pie one-handed, because now he has to protect this sprite darter with his life.

[Ismene]: "Ben and I are thinking about where to make our home. Will the two of you be settling into the townhouse, do you suppose?" She glances at Ben. See? That's how you do it.

Ben nods solemnly. Wife with the Social Skillz.

Colson smiles faintly, and glances at Mordecai. "It will depend on what happens with the Company. And, what Mordecai might wish. I have been there since I returned from Kalimdor, for there was no need for another."

[Harbrooke]: "I–I like it," he says quickly. "The townhouse."

[Aspenwood]: "I have never lived in my own residence before, and I am more than content to remain there," Colson agrees. "Cressidha has seen to it very well."

Ismene nods at Mordecai. "Peaceful, for all that it's in the city. Warm and welcoming, too."

[Bennarin]: "Where is Cressidha livin'? If not there?"

[Aspenwood]: "There, when she is in Stormwind. It's the family's townhouse for there. The estate is near the vineyards, of course."

Ben nods.

[Aspenwood]: "At the moment, my sister is remaining in Honor Hold, although she travels easier than most. She enjoys the challenge of it, there. It was what she trained to do, before Cobalt."

Mordecai carefully serves himself some salmon one-handed. His left hand belongs to Mariestrasza now. Sorry, Colson.

And just like that, they Honeymoon is over. The Butterog wins.

[Bennarin]: "She mentioned that, I think. When I was talkin' with her on the walls. She is real good on the walls."

The sprite darter's nostrils poke out and twitch. There is more food?

Colson inclines his head to Ben. "Yes. A fully realized battlemage, at last." He smiles gently, as he always does when he speaks of Cressidha.

Mordecai makes sure Mariestrasza gets a chunk of salmon too. He checks it over very carefully for bones before putting it on the sprite darter's little plate.

A little emerald-green claw emerges, snatches the salmon, and drags it to safety. There is more burbling, this time around sounds of chewing.

[Bennarin]: "Mordecai, are you enjoyin' your work out here?"

Mordecai catches the question directed at him and nods without looking at Ben.

Ismene switches between bites of donut and sips of cider. SHE uses her NAPKIN, Bennarin.

[Bennarin]: "How is married life treatin' you?" Ben is polite but determined to do An Conversation.

Colson blushes, and looks down at his plate. Oh no, he's finished his food. Oh, there is beer at least. He drinks some of the beer, to cover the way he's gone red. No one will notice now.

Hiding a smile, Ismene murmurs, "That well, hm?"

Mordecai blushes simultaneously with Colson, mumbles, "Good," and doesn't look at anyone.

Ben grins. He nods. "I am glad to hear."

Glancing over a Ben, Ismene says, "I myself have found it to be a most agreeable institution." Heart-eyes.

Ben smiles back at her, and slides a hand into her hair for a moment, touching her cheekbone with his thumb. Then he lets go of her and reaches for another donut.

Colson finishes the beer to give his face a chance to return to a semi-normal color. "Yes, ah. Well." He clears his throat and sets down the empty mug. "It…yes."

Mordecai finishes his salmon, rather more quickly than he did the pie, and reaches for another napkin to spread out across his lap. He manages this one-handed without disturbing Mariestrasza.

[Bennarin]: "Me and Mizzy been married a few months, but because we were tryin' to keep it quiet, this is the first time really we have had together properly. Livin' together and all. It is … very nice."

Colson smiles gently at Ben, and inclines his head. He looks around and leans back slightly, bracing himself with a hand behind him, still Posture Perfect. "I…I cannot even remember the last time I was out on such an outing."

[Aspenwood]: "It had to have been before I left for training in Lordaeron," Colson muses, his gaze a little far, as though trying to think back.

Mordecai takes a donut from his pile — one of the strangely lopsided ones — and takes a bite.

[Harbrooke]: "They're good," Mordecai tells Colson, holding the donut up to indicate he means donuts and not picnics. In this case.

Colson smiles at Mordecai and leans over to him, maybe a little close for Public, but it's clear he's trying. "Same ingredients," he says in a low voice.

[Bennarin]: "It was … I think the second time I walked out with Mizzy? That we had a picnic." He glances at her for confirmation.

Ismene nods. "Just a walk the first time. Mind you, I should've slapped him that time, too."

Ben spreads his hands modestly. Eminently slappable, that is him. "I should note you did not, and look where it got you, missus."

Colson shakes his head. "I would never presume to gainsay a priestess, but I fear that would have been a rather tragic ending to the Story of Ben and Ismene, if you had."

Mordecai was smiling at Colson before what Ismene said seems to register, and he looks up with a touch of alarm. "Slapped–?"

Colson puts his hand gently on Mordecai's, his hand warm.

Ismene laughs, then tells Mordecai, "The scoundrel had the audacity to kiss me. And there wasn't even a chaperone! Then, if you can believe it, he kissed me again as he walked me home."

Some of the tension ebbs from Mordecai's posture. He nods, blushing, and takes another bite of donut.

[Aspenwood]: "Scandalous," Colson says in mock seriousness, as he moves his hand to Mordecai's knee, to avoid hampering Donut Eating.

[Bennarin]: "I am a scoundrel. And she is just teasin'."

Mordecai mumbles, "Colson, do you want one?" and nudges his shoulder, nodding towards the donuts.

[Ismene]: "Well, some of those kisses on the way home may have been at my insistence. I seem to recall I made a list."

[Aspenwood]: "If you must know, Mizzy, Mordecai and I were in a basement together, completely unchaperoned, before our marriage. We will never recover from the scandal, you must tell no one." Was that a wink? it was lightning fast, but that seemed like a wink.

Mizzy touches her fingertips to her chest. "Mercy. The daring of it all."

Ben eyes the pair sternly.

[Bennarin]: "Yeah, but did you make a list?"

Colson shrugs his right shoulder. "If I may be allowed to defend myself, up until that I point, I had been the chaperone. For Cressidha, that is." He looks over at Mordecai. "I…no. I did not make a list." He smiles faintly at Ben. "Was it a good list?

Now Ismene blushes. Ah, another donut. Yes, that's right.

Mordecai seems uncomfortable with the teasing; he's gone red again and isn't looking at anyone.

[Bennarin]: "It was a very nice list, in my opinion. Places she would like me to kiss her on the way home. Places in the city, mind you." Ben looks Puppy Eyes Innocent.

Colson's thumb is doing the soft little strokes, the soothing ones, on Mordecai's knee. "Ah," Colson says. "Well. Then, what is a gentleman to do, but oblige a lady?"

[Ismene]: "My official word on it, as a priestess of the Light, is that love makes all things holy." She also picks up Ben's napkin and attempts to drape it over his head before he gets any more risque.

Ben allows for the napkin draping, sitting very still as this unfolds. Literally unfolds. Over his head.

Colson waves a hand elegantly at Ismene. "And so it is spoken."

Mordecai eats the rest of this donut. He doesn't give any to Mariestrasza.

Colson's lips are twitching with the effort to maintain his serious expression.

[Bennarin]: "That is correct. I am just here to oblige the lady," Ben observes from behind his napkin-veil.

[Ismene]: "Speaking of the Light, Colson, have you taken Mordecai to meet A'dal yet?" She removes the napkin, deciding Ben is fit to be seen in public again.

Ben inclines his head in gracious thanks to Ismene, and reaches for a third donut. He is on pace for his allotted six.

Colson shakes his head. "Mordecai set straight to work at the infirmary. They were in dire need there, of the assistance. I had hoped to, once things have settled in, but ah. I…may have been…distracted." He's blushing again.

Mordecai licks donut glaze off his fingers, then wipes his fingers on the napkin.

[Bennarin]: "Hm," says Ben drily. He eats his donut.

[Harbrooke]: "A'dal? Is that — the center chamber?"

Ismene nods eagerly.

Colson nods as well. "Yes, the naaru. A being of the Light itself. It is a remarkable experience, to stand in its presence, and…feel it reach for you." Colson's eyes go a little faraway, as he smiles gently.

[Harbrooke]: "I didn't… want to intrude, I didn't think I was allowed in there."

Colson's hand presses gently onto Mordecai's knee, and he smiles at Mordecai. "You could never intrude on the Light, Mordecai. You are, of course, allowed. I would love to be with you, but you may go any time. A'dal has said so, to be welcome."

Ismene smiles at Mordecai. "You wouldn't be. You'd be most welcome, I promise. If you'd not like to go alone, I'd be happy to if Colson's not available."

Mordecai nods. "Maybe after — after work, later." He fetches another piece of salmon for Mariestrasza, checking it carefully for bones before putting it on their plate.

The plate, Mariestrasza discovers, will not fit in the warm cave. It stretches its neck out and devours the lot in far too few gulps. Limpid eyes look up at Mordecai with love and great favor. It smacks its lips, then belches.

Colson still hasn't taken any donuts.

[Bennarin]: "Cole, if you do not have any of these I am gonna eat your six, too."

Mordecai's head snaps up to look at Ben. That is a look of alarm on his face that rather quickly softens as he realizes Ben was joking.

Ben winks at Mordecai. Totally joking, buddy.

Mordecai smiles sheepishly at him and helps himself to another Colson-made donut from his pile. The glaze on this one is smeared, like somebody dropped it on a counter before it had a chance to dry.

Colson smiles gently at Mordecai, and makes a faint hm? sound at Ben, before looking at the donuts. "Oh," he says. He blinks at them, right. He can eat them. "Of couse. I…habit," he says as he reaches across to gather his Entire Six Alloted onto a plate

[Bennarin]: "Just it would be a shame if he did not eat 'em, because they are that good," Ben explains respectfully to Mordecai, and reaches for his fourth. Who's counting? Ben is counting. Because he's only allowed to have six.

Ismene has eaten two. She is not permitting herself more. She watches Ben eat his fourth.

[Harbrooke]: "I, I'm glad you like them," Mordecai mumbles.

Colson smiles warmly at Ben at that, and the hand pats Mordecai's knee in a faint, marital 'I told you so' kind of way. "You must pass on our thanks to your hens," Colson says to Ben.

[Bennarin]: "I mean, I known I would like ‘em. Because of the ones you brought to the Portal. I am glad Mizmainy is getting to try 'em now. And yessir, I will. Darlin' will be full up on herself, I bet."

[Aspenwood]: "Any luck on getting her to remain within her coop, or are we training her to wear armor?" Colson asks in a mock serious voice that also somehow suggests that he would, genuinely, be on board with Armored Chicken.

[Bennarin]: “No, she absolutely will not stay put. She is the most adventurin' hen I ever met. I should make her some armor. She tried to get up on my horse with me once but Dare wasn't havin' it."

Colson's face is deadpan. "Yes. Armor for the Adventure Hen. If you need any chainmail, I would be happy to provide it."

[Ismene]: "She'd be very effective, I'm sure. She terrorizes my poor kitten."

[Bennarin]: "Oh, poor kitten my ass. Hattie is gonna murder me in my sleep some night."

Mordecai looks at Mariestrasza. Is this a kitten? No, there's another kitten.

Ismene looks pre-emptively pleased with herself. "If Darlin' gets overheated in the armor, will she lay hard-boiled eggs?"

Ben laughs — in fairness, less at the joke than at his wife's satisfaction with the joke.

Ismene looks even more pleased.

Ben reaches over to squeeze her knee gently.

Mordecai smiles and makes a 'hmn' noise that sounds like it could maybe be a laugh.

Colson's face is twitching with effort at staying Deadpan. "Well. I have been overheated in armor before, but I have no experience with laying eggs. We will have to see, and test them."

Ben might have a joke about laying eggs, but he considers present company and decides against it. He takes his fifth donut, instead.

Colson goes to eat a donut. The first bite he takes he starts to chew very quickly, before deliberately slowing down.

Mordecai finishes eating donut number two. Once again, he licks donut glaze off his fingers, then wipes them off on the napkin.

Colson catches that one, and does a bit of a Stare. He has stopped mid-chew.

Mordecai doesn't notice. He picks up his cup and drinks the rest of his cider. Can't spill on the picnic blanket if it's empty.

Colson, a streak of red on his face, deliberately looks down at his donuts. Wow, donuts. They're a thing. He can definitely concentrate on them.

Ismene finishes her cider one sip at a time.

[Bennarin]: "Miz Kitten, I get you anything else?" Ben leans over to draw another beer for himself.

Mordecai glances at Ben, and the keg, and he drops the cider cup in the middle of putting it down. It falls about an inch to the blanket and doesn't spill anything.

Colson's attention is immediate, and his head snaps to Mordecai at the movement in his peripheral. "Mordecai?"

Ben hesitates and considers Mordecai, his brow furrowed. He glances a question at Colson.

Mizzy looks at Colson. Then Ben. Then Colson. She is confused. She leans over and whispers to her husband, though still audibly, "Is this one of those times where I should or shouldn't be forthright?"

Ben puts his hand back on her knee, gently quelling this time, and waits for a cue from Colson.

Colson's entire attention is on Mordecai, and this time, there's no way to miss the concern on his face.

Mordecai clears his throat, sets the cup upright, and mumbles, "Sorry — it didn't spill, it was empty." He gestures at the spot, like, see? He has done no harm to Ben and Ismene's poor innocent blanket.

[Bennarin]: "S' okay even if it did spill. Picnic blankets are for washin'." Ben sets his own cup down carefully, tucking it in the grass just off to one side of the blanket. "Everything okay, Mordecai?"

Colson shakes his head at Mordecai. "No, it's fine, you did nothing wrong." He inhales deeply, and puts on a Polite Expression. "Forgive me, I could use a moment to stretch my legs. Mordecai, would you care for a turn around the…" Park is the wrong word. "Area?"

Mizzy sits back, shrinking into herself a little. It's probably not possible for her to hide behind Ben's arm at the moment, but she sort of has a go at it.

Ben takes his hand from Mizzy's knee and puts his arm around her instead, so that she is contained within rather than shielded behind it. He drops a reassuring kiss on the side of her head, still watching the other couple.

[Harbrooke]: "I'm fine. Um. I — can't move." Mordecai nods down at Mariestrasza.

Colson's eyes glance down to the Sprite. "I am certain she would understand, but if you would rather not." He looks at Ben. "Ben, are there any fish in this pond?" Colson moves to stand gracefully.

Mordecai has been giving the top of Mariestrasza's head very gentle scritches with one finger.

Mizzy doesn't want to speak up. She huddles a smidge closer to Ben, looking from Colson to Mordecai and back.

Colson directs a vaguely pleading look at Mizzy, and then at Ben. Maybe Ismene can fix this, and talk to Mordecai. She's done it before.

Ben sees Colson's look, nods once, and pats Mizzy's side reassuringly. He kisses the side of her head again and gets to his feet himself. "You know, I have caught a couple. Not so much luck as in the rivers or the marsh, but."

Colson nods politely. "Indeed?" He moves to touch Mordecai's hair. "I shall be back soon."

Mordecai smiles briefly up at Colson.

Colson goes to follow Ben, to look at Fish apparently.

Mizzy watches them walk off, baffled. She looks to Mordecai. "Um. Did I… d–do something?"

Mordecai shakes his head immediately. "No, um. Not that — I noticed?" He leans towards her on the blanket a little and whispers, "If you want to eat another donut while they're not looking, I won't tell."

That makes Ismene giggle a little. "Why did they leave us alone?" she asks, reaching for a donut. "You didn't do anything either."

Mordecai shrugs. He picks up a donut. He seems to have relaxed slightly. "I don't know, but I – don't think it's anything bad?" This is donut number three for Mordecai, and the glaze on this one is also an uneven mess. He eats it happily.

Ismene deliberately takes a remaining oddball donut. She shakes her head. "Well, then I suppose we'll just let them stand over there looking serious. They're really a little overprotective, but mostly it's nice when Ben does it."

Mordecai blushes a little. "It's sweet, isn't it?" He glances over at Colson and Ben briefly.

Colson is staring at the water, his expression a war of concern and chagrin, clearly trying to think. He's not even looking at the flowers or plants of the pond.

Ben rolls his sleeves up and leans to peer into the water. "Caught a couple've trouts here. Or — they look like trouts, but most trouts back home like movin' water rather than standin'." He glances surreptitiously toward the pair still on the blanket, and then peers into the pond again.

Colson makes a faint noise at that. He's got Thinking Frown on.

Ben steps a little closer to Colson, still apparently focused on the water, and murmurs to him, "Everythin' okay?"

Colson shakes his head. "He…I don't know what it is. There's something bothering him, and I…" He looks down at his hands with a sigh. "I do not know what it is. What's…setting it off."

Ben nods, still watching the water like he is having this conversation with it. "You asked him?"

[Aspenwood]: "I…well, I had hoped to ask him, but. He…" Colson waves a hand to suggest what just happened with the Sprite. "I've never seen this one, before. It is not shyness at you, or Mizzy. It's not…I don't know what it is."

Mizzy grins and whispers to Mordecai. "They look so solemn. Do you think they're debating attacking the fish? Storming the pond to bring Light to the tadpoles?"

[Harbrooke]: "Probably not," Mordecai whispers back. "Catching some, maybe. Did — did Ben catch this?" He gestures to the salmon.

[Ismene]: "Probably. I don't ask." She wrinkles her nose. "He started talking to me once about baiting a hook, and I told him I'd never eat fish again if he continued."

[Bennarin]: "Is it my manners too rough, you think?" Ben glances at Colson. "I have not been real careful. I could be, though. Sorry."

Colson shakes his head. "No, that is definitely not it," Colson says, in a reassuring voice. He offers Ben a faint smile. "It's not when you say anything."

[Bennarin]: "Okay. Well. If you see me step wrong, you say somethin'." Ben glances over at the other two again.

Mordecai licks glaze off his fingers after finishing donut number three as well. It's automatic and he doesn't seem to be aware of it.

[Aspenwood]: "As for other manners….we were in the army, Ben. You would not even rank in poor manners, I'm afraid." Colson's voice is an attempt at light, but it's clear he's worried. "You are doing everything correctly, I assure you."

Ismene breaks her donut and crams half of it into her mouthparts, cheeks puffing out and full of pastry.

Mordecai grins at Ismene. That is definitely a grin. "We really did bake them together," he says. "Colson's not very confident in his skills, but he's just learning."

Ismene offers, "Ben tried to teach me to make pancakes once. I broke the eggs and got shell everywhere, then I had egg all over my hands and let it fall into the cooking apples." She looks over Mordecai's shoulder again. "They look very handshome," she says, then swallows and sighs. "Like sun and shadow, the pair of them."

Mordecai looks over at Ben and Colson. "Oh, with the colors — yes, I can see it."

[Bennarin]: "Well. Maybe Mizz will get out of him what it is." Ben rolls his sleeves higher. The new tattoo is healed, and no longer bandaged.

Colson risks a glance back at Mordecai and sees the two priests, happily at the blanket. His face goes Relentlessly Neutral, and he looks back at the pond. "Oh. Perhaps it…I…" He inhales deeply. "Perhaps it is…me."

[Bennarin]: "It ain't you, Cole, cut that out." Ben snorts and jostles Colson with a shoulder.
[Ismene]:

Colson, not expecting the jostle — and to be fair, Ben is a strongk lad — is unbalanced, and loses his footing. He pitches forward into the lake, and automatically reaches out for something to grab.

[Bennarin]: "Shit –" Ben reaches for Colson at the same moment.

Ismene blinks and stares. "Oh dear. Does Colson swim, do you know?"

Mordecai jumps to his feet, abandoning Mariestrasza the moment he sees Colson falling. He even steps on the picnic blanket as he stands and starts to rush over.

Ben, having caught Colson’s hand, is dragged forward. He keeps his feet for a moment, pulled a pace into the pond, and then loses his footing in the mud.

Colson is a good dancer, but this is a bad dance. He falls back into the lake with a splash.

Ben pitches after him.

Mizzy sighs. "And there goes my husband." She alone is undismayed. Well, she and Mariestrasza who would try to steal food but she's too fat to waddle fast enough and Ismene moves it out of her way.

Mordecai books it over there, stumbling a little on the muddy ground. He doesn't fall in the pond. Lucky him.

Colson re-emerges, sputtering a little, but treads water easily. "Ah."

Ben surfaces sputtering and laughing at the same time. He shakes his head and then pushes his hair back. "Cole? Okay?"

[Aspenwood]: "Yes," Colson says, and then, realizing, calls out. "We're fine!" in the direction of the priests. He looks at Ben for a moment, before bursting into one of his rare, head thrown back, deep laughs.

Ben holds up reassuring hands to Mordecai, smiling. "We're good. He's good." He swims for shore with a couple of smooth strokes.

[Harbrooke]: "Are you sure?" Mordecai leans down and holds a hand out towards Colson as if offering to pull him out of the water.

Colson looks over at Mordecai with soft eyes. He's having absolutely no trouble in the water, and he swims back to the edge. "Yes, I am fine, Mordecai," he says as he swims to take the hand. He clearly doesn't need it, as he steps out of the water.

Mordecai helps pull Colson out regardless. "Good. Did you — catch any fish?" he asks, smiling. It's meant to be a joke.

Ben says, "Ha," to Mordecai's joke. It is a genuine ha.

Colson's face is very soft. "I could check my boots, but I can only say that I did not catch any fish on purpose."

Mordecai makes that noise again, that 'hm' that might be a laugh.

Colson's shirt has gone entirely translucent, and his scar shows through the material easily. He doesn't seem to notice, as he reaches out a wet hand for Mordecai's face to sooth any distress. He sways forward, automatically leaning in for a kiss, before arresting the motion, because Rules. He smiles at Mordecai. "Forgive me, I was…I lost my footing."

Mordecai clears his throat. "It's fine. You're fine." He backs up very carefully through the mud, holding Colson's hand.

Colson is happily dragged along with Mordecai.

Ismene calls, "You do realize there could be some sort of otherworldly leeches in there, do you not?"

[Bennarin]: "I do not feel no otherworldly leeches, ma'am, but we could take a —" Ben has started to pull his soaked shirt off, but then remembers Mixed Company. His expression changes, and he arrests the motion.

Ismene picks up the sprite darter and holds it in her lap. "If Niris were here, she'd agree with me." She pauses. "She might not talk to herself, however."

Ben grimly tucks his own wet shirt back in. He shakes himself all over like a wet dog, and scrapes his hands through his hair again.

Ismene smiles at Ben. It is a Very Special Smile, and only gets more Special as she looks him over.

Ben looks Mizzy up and down, and then looks down at himself. He glances up again and does an Eyebrow at her. "Missus Hazan."

[Ismene]: "My lord," she says. "Those clothes need to be washed, if they're not to be ruined."

[Bennarin]: "They just had a wash. Or wasn't you watchin'?" He puts his hands on her hips and bends to kiss her, because there are no Hazan Rules about kissin’.

Ismene is kissed, but not one of those kisses that involve tonsils. She stares up at Ben with frank adoration. "So… you don't think you should have a bath, then?"

Ben takes her hand and tugs her back toward the blanket. "Not here. But for sure later."

Ismene is dragged with Ben as if she doesn't know where her feet are. Or what they're for. She is staring at Ben like he's grown an arm out of one ear and the arm has three heads.

Mordecai stops next to the blanket and tries to wipe his muddy boots on the grass.

Colson pulls at his wet shirt with a rueful smile, and glances over at the other two. "Forgive me, but if it would not strain the bounds of propriety, I would rather get out of this."

Ben nods politely. "Sure, 'course. Don't be uncomfortable on our account."

Mordecai nods to Colson — go right ahead. "I've got a towel for your hair," he offers, releasing Colson's hand to sit down at the blanket and dig through a very nice embroidered bag.

Ismene's brows are slowly drawing down, wrinkling into a frown.

Colson reaches for his runecloth bag, that doesn't seem wet at all, and takes out a gold shirt, functionally identical to the one he wears under his armor. He pulls out a second one to offer to Ben. "Ben?"

Ben eyes the shirt. He opens his mouth, closes it, glances uneasily at Ismene. "Ah. Okay. Thanks." He accepts the shirt reluctantly, but gives Colson a nod.

Mordecai finds two towels. He sort of holds one up in each direction — one towards Colson, one towards Ben. "Here." They look like very generic Alliance-issue towels.

[Bennarin]: "Thank you, Mordecai. That was — real prepared of you." Ben takes a towel and steps away from the rest of them a little.

[Harbrooke]: "I, ah, the bag can fit, um, it was a gift. There's a lot of. Space."

Colson begins stripping off his wet shirt. Before he puts on the new shirt, he pats himself dry with the towel. His scar is very prominent, and anyone looking closer will see the faint, smaller white scars that cover him where his armor doesn't. He seems unselfconscious as he dries off, and then pulls on the new shirt. "Yes, Cressidha's make. She's done remarkable things mixing her magic with her tailoring."

Mariestrasza, deciding that it's bathing time since everyone else was doing it, is splashing enthusiastically in the water.

Ben doesn't seem to know where or how to change his shirt discreetly without calling attention to the fact he's trying to be discreet. He starts trying to peel it off with his back turned to the group, realizes that is exactly the wrong direction, and turns to face them again as he strips the wet shirt off. He towels himself and scrubs at his hair with the towel, then pulls the new shirt on, still facing the others.

Colson sits back down, on the edge of the blanket, because wet, and he does empty his boots of the water onto the grass. There are no fish.

Ismene sits. It's the sit equivalent of a slamming door.

[Bennarin]: It is inevitable, as Ben tries to maneuver into the slightly snug borrowed garment over damp skin, that he twists a little and a glimpse of the scars on his back is apparent.

Colson has glanced up at Ben, and catches sight of the scars again. It's not the first time he's seen them, but the lighting is different, and Colson's face does Something that he tucks behind a Neutral Expression.

[Harbrooke]: "Ismene?" Mordecai says softly. Wait, was that the wrong name? Which one is he supposed to use now? "Mizzy?" Mordecai is not looking at Ben at all. He's watching Ismene.

Ismene makes herself smile at Mordecai. "Oh. I'm fine, I'm sorry. I just… I haven't the faintest idea how to feel or what to think. Do you ever get like that? Then you need time to think about it all and decide?"

[Harbrooke]: "Yes," he agrees. "I do — sometimes. Take your time."

Ben settles quietly again next to Ismene, and folds the wet shirt and damp towel carefully.

Ismene’s smile eases some. "I knew you'd understand. You're so easy to be around, Mordecai."

[Harbrooke]: "I have dry socks in here if either of you need? I mean — they're socks, they should fit anyone."

Colson makes a faint hm, sound, because Mordecai has spoken to him, but he's a little distracted, so it takes him a moment before he says, "Oh, yes. Thank you. I expect it will not matter, though, as the boots are wet as well." He smiles gently.

Ben puts a hand on his stomach and shifts, adjusting to the snug shirt. He reaches for his cup of beer again. "I am okay, thanks. Anyone mind, actually, if I take my boots off? I do not mind goin' barefoot if no one else minds it."

Mordecai digs through his bag for socks for Colson. "I don't mind."

Colson shakes his head, "Of course, by all means. In fact," he looks up at the sky. "Perhaps we might give them some time to dry." Colson takes his shoes and socks off as well, laying them flat.

Ben nods and sets his beer down again. He turns on the blanket to pull off his boots and then peel off wet socks. He sets the boots aside and lays the socks out on the grass.

The first pair of socks Mordecai finds have a hole in one of the toes. He stares at them like he's not sure he can give them to Colson now.

Colson seems to be concentrating on something far away. "There's nothing on either of us, either. The water seems clean," he says. "No disease. I suppose I cannot guarantee it's not cursed, but. Well."

[Bennarin]: "I mean, I have eaten a fish or two from it so it better not be cursed." He picks up his beer again and slides closer to Mizzy on the blanket. He gives her a searching, apologetic look and a half-smile.

Colson chuckles, and catching sight of the socks, smiles gently at Mordecai, holding a hand out for them.

Mizzy gives Ben a You Have Done Something Wrong face. There's a lot that goes into it. Side-eyes, lips slightly pursed, a certain tenseness.

Ben immediately loses focus on anything else. He stares puppy-eyed at Mizzy.

Mordecai looks up, his eyes catch on Ben, and he goes tense again. It takes him a moment to realize Colson actually wants the socks. He passes them over.

Ismene looks away from Ben. Her nose even goes in the air. She doesn't hmph, but no one should be surprised if there's one floating over her head.

Colson dries his feet with the towel, and puts on the new socks. His eyes go to the little hole, but his face is a little too neutral for the expression to come across beyond being clear he's seen the hole.

Ben sets his beer down carefully. He looks like he's in physical discomfort. "Can I — fellows, you mind if I borrow my wife a minute?"

[Aspenwood]: "By all means," Colson says automatically. Because Polite. It's only after he speaks that Colson looks over at them, and catches sight of the tension there.

Ben gets to his feet and offers Mizzy a hand, uncertainly.

At that, Mizzy smiles sweetly at Ben. "Oh, not right now," she says. "I'm too busy for that, but later maybe."

Ben stares at her. He nods once, wordless, and settles again.

Colson looks over with sympathy. He knows that feel, Bro.

Ben is staring past the other couple at the pond, his expression blank.

[Harbrooke]: "She needs a… minute to think. She said." Mordecai offers.

Colson looks at Mordecai with a soft expression. "Ah," he says, reaching a hand towards Mordecai's hand, to hold.

Ismene softens a bit. "I do." She looks over at Ben. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be snide."

Mordecai immediately takes Colson's hand. He looks around on the blanket for his discarded napkin.

Ben nods again, once, and reaches wordlessly for his beer. He looks like a kicked puppy.

Mordecai's turn to try and Make Conversation. "Did you catch the salmon?"

Ben glances at Mordecai. He clears his throat and then just nods, rendering the throat-clearing superfluous.

Ismene rests her head on her pond-scented husband's shoulder.

Ben glances down at Mizzy. He still looks despondent, but some of the tension in him eases. He has a sip of his beer, sets it aside, and drags a hand through his hair. It is starting to form cherubic curls. Forbidden.

Colson's donut pile is now on the other side of Mordecai, and he leans in completely unnecessarily to be closer to Mordecai. "Could you pass me my donuts, please?"

Mordecai passes Colson the donut pile. He does not let go of Colson's hand because they probably won't fall off the plate. Probably.

Somewhat abruptly, Ismene asks, "Are we friends, or society friends? Today, I mean."

Colson takes the donut pile with his other hand, and very carefully balances them on his lap, to eat with one hand. He raises his brows at Ismene. "Always, friends," he says gently. "Always."

[Harbrooke]: "We–we're friends," Mordecai agrees.

[Ismene]: "It's just that I understand there are things one can say around friends that one oughtn't say around society."

[Aspenwood]: "You need never worry about those lines with m– us, Mizzy. No matter that we may be society, we are never Society, not to either of you," Colson says, in his gentle Paladin voice.

[Ismene]: Satisfied, she looks up at Ben. "It's just you've never not said yes before. And then you were dismissive. Like, oh I'll get around to it later if I feel like it.' Then I felt…"

[Ismene]: She lifts a hand so she can count them off. "I felt hurt. And embarrassed. And then angry because I was hurt and embarrassed. And then I thought maybe the honeymoon is over. I hear people say the honeymoon is over at some point but this does seem rather sudden."

Ismene is willing to talk about anything in front of friends, it seems.

Ben stares at her, bewildered. "Mizz — wait, what? I was not … what did I not say yes to? I did not mean … I would never say nothin' on purpose to hurt or embarrass you."

[Ismene]: Suddenly realizing she must explain a euphemism, she turns bright pink and pre-emptively apologizes to the Aspenwoods. "Goodness, I'm so very sorry." Then to Ben she says, "To… you know. Having a bath."

Colson is very quietly eating his donuts, his hand warm in Mordecai's, while he smiles faintly at Mizzy when she addresses them.

Mordecai still has one final Colson Donut to eat. He reaches for it. "Um. Don't — don't mind us."

Ben stares even more stare-ily at Ismene. "But … I did say yes. For … later. I mean, I am never gonna say no to that."

[Ismene]: Now she scowls. "That is a no!" She turns to her friends for support. "If you want to take your husband to bed and he says he'd rather return to a picnic, isn't it perfectly sensible to be hurt?" Candid brown eyes look from Colson to Mordecai and back.

Mordecai blinks. He looks like he is trying to process that sentence.

Colson looks as though that's not a question he expected to be asked today. "Ah, well."

[Bennarin]: "I didn't say I'd rather. Just — it seemed kind of inappropriate to do in the middle of a picnic? I mean —"

Colson clears his throat. "Well."

Ismene. Is. Waiting.

[Bennarin]: "No offense to Mr and Mr Aspenwood, who are both fellows I like a lot, but for sure I would rather … I mean. You know."

[Ismene]: "Oh we know what you would do. You hush, I'm asking the Aspenwoods."

[Aspenwood]: "Perhaps I have not been married yet long enough to answer your question sufficiently, Mizzy," Colson hedges.

Ismene tsks as Colson's diplomacy. She relies on Mordecai and stares at him hopefully.

Ben cannot believe this is the same miss who nearly slapped him for kissing her not all that many months ago. "If you know what I would do, how come you're mad at —" He looks plaintively at the Aspenwoods. Help a fellow out, here.

Mordecai's sentence-input-processing face looks like it has turned into a sentence-output-processing face. He's working on it.

Colson looks at Ben with a neutral expression. He has done his best, Bro, there is not an answer here Colson has to give.

[Harbrooke]: "I think," Mordecai tries, and stops. He swallows, sets his donut down, and addresses the picnic blanket.

Ismene looks at the blanket in front of Mordecai, in case it wants to weigh in.

Colson's hand on Mordecai’s squeezes ever so gently in encouragement.

Ben drinks beer anxiously. Which is possible. Ben is doing it.

[Harbrooke]: "I think I can understand both perspectives," Mordecai says finally.

[Aspenwood]: Colson's lips twitch at the diplomacy, but he also looks at Mordecai with an assessing expression. "Oh?" He says, barely above a whisper. He smiles faintly at Mordecai, a hint of color in his face.

Ismene sighs. "Well I can see the diplomatic corps has missed snapping up you two." She looks exasperated, but there's a bit of humor to it as well.

Mordecai looks up at Ben and Ismene– no, he looks at Ismene.

[Harbrooke]: "I, I think. If you wanted to leave early. You could ask. And we wouldn't — mind. But Ben probably… didn't feel like he could. Ask. To leave early."

Ben nods. This, yes. That is the thing. He looks at Mizzy again, still puppyish. "Do you want to go? Home? Now? I am happy to. You know I just … ain't want to be rude."

Mizzy sighs heavily. "No. No, the thing is done. It's plain that Ben could have taken his wife home, but he'd rather have your donuts, Mordecai. Heartbreak Bakery, we shall name your establishment. The Other Woman Donuts."

Mordecai takes a deep breath. "I know this isn't your intention, Ismene, but I'm not comfortable with that comparison," he says very clearly.

Ben has no idea what is happening anymore. He shifts closer to Ismene, cautiously.

Ismene brightens. "Oh! How wonderful of you to say so! I shall, of course, never use it again, but that was very well done indeed!"

Mordecai smiles at her. He actually smiles. "Ismene." He lets go of Colson's hand and sets his napkin and donut aside, then reaches across the blanket to offer her a handshake. “We're friends. Don't make this into a competition. I — I don't want that."

Ben sits back and drinks more beer. He has lost the thread entirely. He is either In Trouble or Not In Trouble or possibly Irrelevant.

Colson's watching Mordecai with an infinitely soft expression. He also, is not entirely sure what's happening anymore, but Mordecai is Saying Things and Asserting his Boundaries. Colson is happy.

Ismene leans forward to shake Mordecai’s hand. "Never," she promises.

Mordecai shakes Ismene's hand with a sincere, friendly smile. He seems a little proud of himself too. He said words. Good job. "It's… we don't control when or when we don't feel hurt."

Colson looks down at his hands at that.

Ismene sits back, still beaming proudly at Mordecai as she snuggles back up to Ben.

Ben puts his arm around Mizzy reflexively, automatically. He finishes his beer and stares at the pond.

[Harbrooke]: "I think Ben wanted to talk to you, alone, for a moment. Are you ready for that now?"

Ismene looks up at Ben. "Are you willing to try again?" she asks.

[Bennarin]: "I was willin' to try in the first place."

Mordecai arranges his napkin back on his lap and picks up his half-eaten donut.

Ismene explains, "I know, but I wasn't and then I was awful about it. So if you're not willing this time, I can wait."

Ben weighs this, still staring at the pond. At length he nods, gets to his feet, and offers his hand again. "'Scuse me," he says to the Aspenwoods.

[Aspenwood]: "Of course," Colson says automatically, because Polite.

Mizzy takes Ben’s hand and rises. "Thank you, Mordecai. Excuse us, both of you."

Mordecai nods to them. "Of course," he agrees.

Colson sighs faintly, once Ben and Mizzy move away from the blanket. He's looking very serious, and he reaches out a hand to Mordecai again. "Will you…tell me what it was, that went wrong, earlier? Or…is that…I do not wish to pry, if you would rather not speak of it, now."

[Harbrooke]: "Wrong?" Mordecai blinks. The proud llittle smile on his face fades. "I think I helped them," he whispers, and takes his last bite of donut.

[Aspenwood]: "You did, yes," Colson agrees, still holding out that hand. "You were magnificent, Mordecai."

Mordecai licks donut glaze off his fingers for the fourth time this afternoon, wipes his hands off thoroughly on his napkin, and then takes Colson's hand.

[Aspenwood]: "Earlier. You were…tense. And…I thought…" Colson looks at his hands. "I thought I read…distress, in you. I…I do not…that is, I cannot always see…" He sighs, and takes Mordecai's hand in his, moving it up to his lips for a quick, society polite kiss. "You seemed unhappy at something, and then…it went away, when I left."

Mordecai blushes a little. "Um. I…" He looks like he's thinking, trying to figure out what Colson's talking about. "Ah." He looks at the keg of beer Ben brought, then away.

Colson's expression is his purposefully blank, but there's something in his eyes. "And you did not…wish to walk with me. I…if I have done something that…made you uncomfortable, Mordecai, I implore you to tell me, so I may beg your forgiveness."

[Harbrooke]: "No, no, there was just a… tiny butterfly frog dragon."

Colson shakes his head faintly. "I…" He looks away at the blanket. "You dropped the cup. The way you did, before, with Oswald. As though something…startled you." Colson's voice goes lower. "When…I startled you."

Mordecai looks at the cup, like he's trying to remember when he dropped it. "I was worried I'd spill something," he mumbles. "Colson, you haven't done anything wrong, and I love you. The rest we can… talk about later?"

Colson's expression is his Extremely Neutral, but he repeats the little gesture of a kiss to the hand, society polite. "Of course," he says.

Mordecai shoots a quick glance over his shoulder to check if Ben and Mizzy are paying them any attention, and then touches Colson's cheek gently. "I can see you worrying. Don't worry. I'm okay."

Colson leans into the touch automatically, his eyes closing shut for a moment. He blinks his eyes open slowly, looking at Mordecai with his heart in his eyes. He searches Mordecai's face for a long moment, before he nods.

Mordecai smiles at him. "I… maybe we can visit the Naaru another day? You fell in a lake, and…"

Colson smiles gently at him. "I am drying, and if we stop at the inn, I can change. I would go with you any time you would wish, Mordecai."

Ben draws Mizzy over to the side of the fallen tree. He continues to hold her hand, and regards her uneasily. "I thought no quiet dinners. I asked you to come talk, so you could tell me. But you ain't want to tell me? You want to tell them instead?"

Ismene nods her head. "I know. No quiet dinners. And at first I was… all sorts of things all muddled around and so then I was too angry to talk. Or hurt. I'm really not sure which came first, you see. But then I asked if we were all friends, and everyone said we were so then I wanted to be clear about what I was feeling, you see." She looks at Ben to see if he sees.

Ben does not see. "But why you coul– why could you not try to be clear about it at me? Why did you need to get their opinion on it?" The question isn't accusatory; he sounds genuinely baffled, and still a little hurt.

[Ismene]: "Well… they were there so…" Oh dear. "Was that…" Her voice gets little. "That was the wrong thing to do?"

[Bennarin]: "I mean —" He rakes a hand through his hair. "You was upset with me. I want you to talk to me about it. I did not even know what I done, and it felt like … you was puttin' me up in front of judges. You know?" Still earnest, not accusing.

[Ismene]: "Oh." Mizzy nods and thinks and blinks a lot. "I suppose if you had done that to me, I…I would think it was very unfair of you."

Ben does not affirm or deny this. He watches Mizzy and waits, still looking puppyish.

Ismene’s head dips. "I'm sorry. I didn't think of how it must feel for you. I was just thinking about how hurt I felt."

[Bennarin]: "I did not mean to hurt you, Mizmainy. I was not … if I am honest, I was not even thinkin' about it that much in the moment, because I was —" He plucks at the fabric of the borrowed shirt, glances at the other two. "I just wanted to get out of my wet clothes, but I did not want … you know."

Mizzy laughs a little, then sniffles. "I wanted to get you out of your wet clothes too," she points out.

[Bennarin]: "Well. And I appreciate that, you know I do. I just — because of people." He waves a hand vaguely at his own shoulder.

Ismene reminds him, her voice teeny tiny now, "You just never… Not when I really wanted… " She shrugs and looks down. Hello toes. How's your day?

Ben blinks at her. He takes her other hand now, and tugs her even closer, holding both her hands. "You got to finish a sentence. Tell me what I done and I will fix it. Or what I ain't done."

Ismene turns shades of pink Pantone hasn't heard of. "You never didn't just say yes and … " She makes broad arm gestures that encompass everything. "We… just… go home." She peeks up at him.

[Ismene]: "To."

[Ismene]: "…bed."

[Bennarin]: "Oh." Ben hesitates and then grins at her. "Well, I mean, the answer I am thinkin' is always hell yes. But we been talkin' about how nice it is to be friends with the Aspenwoods and it seemed … I mean, I do not know the society rules about sayin', 'Hey it has been a good time an' all but I need to go f– take my wife to bed now.'"

Oh, thank the Light he gets it. Ismene sighs, then looks a little awkwardly sad. Ever seen awkwardly sad? It's this. "Well… you didn't used to care? About society. When it came to things like that. So I thought maybe you were… getting…. Bored."

[Ismene]: "With."

[Ismene]: "… me."

[Bennarin]: "Mizmainy Hazan don't you fucken think it. C'mon, c'mere, I will tell 'em right now. C'mon." Ben drops one of her hands so that he can tow her with the other back toward the pair on the blanket.

Ismene is towed. Because Chihuahua.

The Hazans arrive back at the blanket. Ismene is beaming and beet red and embarrassed and happy.

Colson glances up at the movement as Ben and Mizzy return, a faint smile on his face.

Mordecai takes two more donuts from the pile and smiles at Ben and Ismene. "All right?"

[Bennarin]: "Hey, fellows," Ben announces casually. "I have had a nice time and am sorry to cut it short, we should do it again sometime, but I have got to take my wife home right this minute. To bed, if I may say that. Because damn."

Ismene shrieks, "BEN!" But she's laughing too.

Colson glances quickly at Mizzy to assess that. She seems fine. Colson inclines his head to Ben. "Ah. Very reasonable. We shall see you another time. My thanks for the food, and the drink."

Mordecai goes red. He pretty much jumps off the blanket and begins cleaning up. "Right, yes, do you want to take any more donuts with you."

Mizzy begs, "Please, don't worry about the things. I'll send someone for them." But she does bend down to snatch up a donut. Two donuts.

"You are welcome. I will — if I may, I will be happy to take some donuts. They are the best I have had. Appreciate you, Mordecai." Ben does, in fact, stoop to snag a couple of donuts as well.

Colson inclines his head to Mizzy. "We will see to it, Mizzy. Please, allow us to assist."

[Bennarin]: "Again, sorry for my manners. I will make it up sometime."

Colson nods at Ben. Bro. "No need. Not among friends," he says with a gentle smile. "We will have more."

Ismene says quietly to Ben, "We are going to have to work on some signals for this sort of thing."

Mordecai folds the towels up and puts them back in his bag. "Please don't forget your…" He gestures vaguely to the area of the grass that contains both the keg and Ben's shoes and socks.

Ben squeezes Mizzy's hand and nods at Colson appreciatively. He looks at the donuts in his hand and then his boots in the grass. He is holding Mizzy's hand with his other hand. He does some quick calculus.

[Bennarin]: "I will come back for 'em later." Wife, donuts: priorities.

Mordecai looks towards Shattrath as if trying to determine how dangerous it is to walk through barefoot.

Colson is the only one who seems to be in no hurry. "Of course," Colson says. "We're in Telredor, but I can have them sent to your room."

[Bennarin]: "We can send someone, or I'll just come down later. Don't trouble over it. Again, thank you. Thanks."

Mizzy is in a hurry. "Did you set your hearthstone to the Aldor Rise inn?" she asks Ben.

[Bennarin]: "Yes'm, I did."

Mordecai looks for Mariestrasza.

Colson is hiding a smile behind a hand.

Mizzy smiles at Ben. "Last one home loses."

Ben swears good-naturedly, laughing. As Mizzy drops his hand, he stoops to scoop up his boots after all, and then fumbles with his hearthstone a moment.

Colson only laughs once the two are gone, throwing back his head. "Well."