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It's been two months since their return to Emelan, after a disastrous summer in Namorn, and Sandry has finally started to settle.
It means the rest of them can relax. Briar thinks to himself. They're safe here, and it's been months without any sort of reprisal from the Namornese.
Sandry is back at her Uncle's side, Tris is at Lightsbridge, leaving Briar and Daja mostly alone in their house.
It's peaceful.
But… maybe it's a little too quiet.
He props his chin on his hand, debating his options. Hard to pull Daja from her work, but she's starting to get over the heartbreak of her split with Rizu, so maybe a good wingman and some pretty girls will be a good distraction.
And hey, pretty girls are an extra bonus for him.
This solid plan in mind, he heads downstairs and out to the forge, where he knows his sister will be.
"We're going out for dinner!" he calls out, once he's close enough to hear no loud noises that would drown him out.
Daja groans from inside. "I hope you're ready to wait through a bath for food," she calls back.
Briar looks up at the sun, squinting as he estimates the time involved. With Sandry, he might complain a little, but Daja is quick to bathe and dress, so they should still be out in plenty of time for his stomach.
"Sure," he agrees, at a more normal volume now that he can see Daja emerging from the building.
And, true to his predictions, they're seated in an inn before a full bell has passed, food on order and a pitcher of water to share on their table.
Briar casts a speculative eye around the room, keeping Rizu in mind as the only indicator he might have of Daja's type.
A likely option, but surrounded by a horde of girls, so the likelihood of getting her alone is slim. Another likely option, but with a man. And there's another one, also with a man, but looking a lot less romantic than the other set.
"If you wanted to pick up girls, you could have gone out alone," Daja comments.
"I can't pick up girls for you on my own," Briar replies with a grin. "What do you think about the one in the corner?"
Daja doesn't even look. "Briar," she says instead, a warning in her voice.
"Alright, alright," Briar says, hands up. "Just a casual dinner between siblings, then."
She eyes him for a moment, clearly not trusting his immediate capitulation, but their food arriving is distracting enough for the both of them.
He keeps his attention on his food, resisting the urge to look up every time someone comes in the door, but it ends up not making a difference.
Just as they're finishing up, the unromantic pair from earlier plop down at the empty seats at their table.
Daja looks up at them and then narrows her eyes at Briar, who shakes his head.
Wasn't me, he promises.
"Hi, sorry to intrude," the man says with a winning smile aimed at Daja. "We were just getting bored sitting on our own, and you two looked like you might be amenable to some company."
Briar gives the woman a speculative gaze, and then turns his attention to the man.
"Sure, always down for a little company, though we're not planning to stay long," he replies for the both of them. "Water?"
The woman nods, and when Briar doesn't immediately reach for the pitcher, Daja does it.
Success, Briar thinks, and turns on his most charming smile. "So, do you two come here often?" he asks the man.
"Oh, once or twice a week," the man comments, gaze flitting from his companion to Daja before resettling on Briar. "And you?"
"We've only been here a time or two. Or at least, I have. I was the last to move in, and then we left for a trip not long after, my sisters and I," Briar explains, gesturing to Daja with a thumb.
Daja's at least engaging the woman in conversation, and the woman is tucking her hair behind an ear, leaning in a little.
Very promising, Briar thinks, and turns his attention back to the man to find him doing the same, eyeing him speculatively now.
They'd come over expecting the opposite partners, Briar assumes, and the man's been trying to figure out if he's just interfering or genuinely interested.
"Anything in particular you'd recommend off the menu, then?" Briar wonders. "If there's such good clientele here, maybe we should come here more often."
Are you damohi or just trying to distract him? Daja wonders through their bond, using the Trader word for a man interested in other men.
Neither, I guess. I like both men and women. Briar replies absently as he chats with the man about the different food options.
Once their food is gone, there's no more excuse to linger, and their conversational partners make a graceful farewell before Briar or Daja have to make their own excuses, which raises Briar's estimation of them even further.
"You really didn't call them over?" Daja asks on the way home, once they're sufficiently far away to be out of earshot.
"I really didn't," Briar promises. "Did you like her, though?"
"I don't know," Daja admits, gaze on the ground in front of them. "Did you like him?"
"Well enough, I guess," he offers.
"Would you have taken him home, if you'd been alone?"
"No offense, but I would have taken him home if I'd wanted to, with or without you," Briar points out.
She shrugs. "Fair enough."
They let themselves into the house, and Briar promptly settles himself on the floor of their sitting room.
"Did you have fun, though?" He checks after another minute or two.
She considers it for a moment, and then nods.
"I guess I did."
"Then we'll go back tomorrow!" Briar announces, and ducks before she can throw something at him.
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