No Need To Be Grumpy

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 11th August 2005

Characters: Daigoro, Cinale
Description: Daigoro comes to Cinale for a little sympathy.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 7, day 4 of Turn 3
Notes: Follows "The Kitten Fiasco"

Cinale

"You're just in time, Daigoro," Cinale called over her shoulder as she bent down towards the mouth of the oven to retrieve her freshly-baked cookies.

"I'm not here to eat this time my dear," Diagoro said as he took a seat at the kitchen table. He set a large bottle on the table in front of him. "I'm here to have a drink."

After settling her precious goodies on the counter top to cool, she slowly pivoted on her heels to stare at him in mock-shock. "Not here to _eat_? But to _drink_?" She placed her powdered hands on her hips, her blue eyes never leaving his face. "What's the matter with you, hmm?"

"I was called up to Master Fielton's office today," he began as he opened the bottle and looked around for a cup or mug to pour it in, "and he asks me to accompany him to the Hold. I'm his Second, so I was thinking it wouldn't be unusual for him to ask me along on some official business or other. But he doesn't exactly elaborate what we are going to the Hold to _do_ exactly, and I figure it's not my place to question."

"A nice, safe, politically correct move," she told him gravely, but she couldn't help the teasing glint that flickered in her eyes. She came over to sit beside him and placed a rather large mug in front of him. "There." She propped her chin up on her hands and looked at him. "Well? What happened next?"

"Well, as we are halfway to the Hold, he tells me what our all important mission is." He took a sip of his drink and gave have a grunt of appreciation at the way it burned down his throat. "Turns out our great Hall business is to go looking for a pretty little kitten for his pretty little wife."

"A pretty, little kitten? For his pretty, little lovely?" Cinale just stared at him for a moment, then she began to laugh.

"Well, at least _you_ can find the humor in it." He watched the cook over the rim of his mug as he took another sip. Hearing her laugh and seeing the mirth on her face made him smile a bit, though it wasn't so much the humor as it was... he took another sip of his drink. "So anyway," he continued in a lighter tone, "we get to the Hold and we don't find pretty little kittens, we find puppies. And I have to say I found them perfectly adorable until one relieved himself on my new boot and another bit me."

Cinale's quiet chuckling turned into laughter again. "Oh, no, hon - not your new boots!" Then she bent closer to peer at his hands, unable to keep the grin from her lips. "Which finger?"

"Little tunnelsnake got greedy. One fingure wouldn't satisfy." He held up his hand so she could see small little black and blue teethmarks there the pup had bit him hard enough to leave a bruise, but not quite hard enough to break skin.

She winced in true sympathy. "That must've hurt, hon. Do you need me to get anything for it? Ice maybe? Or a wrap?"

Daigoro's hands were still cold from the walk back from the Hold, but he asked for a bit of ice. It would not do to let it swell. As she brought it he said, "If you think my hand is bad, you should see Fielton's trousers. The one kitten we _did_ find reduced them to a very fine rag."

The image of that brought a grin to her lips. "So much for the _sweet_ part of the description..." Cinale sat down beside him again with the ice and a strip of material. "Now hold out your hand for me."

He did as he was bidden and winced just a bit when the ice touched his skin. "I never knew being the Hallsecond could prove so hazardous."

She snorted as she tied the wrap around the ice and his hand. "Apparently it can be very hazardous. Especially if your duties have anything to do with puppies!"

"I'm a brewer, not a herder." Daigoro grumbled as he felt the cold sink into his hand.

"Now, now. Let's not be grumpy, hon." She looked at him. "So, did Fielton take one of the puppies?"

"No, he didn't. We wasted the whole day at the Hold." He answered in his most grumpy-but-not-trying-to-be-grumpy voice.

"Not completely wasted, surely."

"Shard it all, woman! I'm not looking for sense, I'm looking for _sympathy_."

She couldn't help but give him an amused look. "Well, then what do you want me to do, Daigoro? Would it help if I kissed it and made it better?"

"It might at that," he replied, not wanting to show her that he was starting to see the humor in it all himself, "but I'm afriad my hand is so cold your lips would freeze to it."

"Well, let's have it then, and we'll see," she grinned.

"Fine." He said indulgently as he held the hand out towards her, fighting the twitching of a smile at the corner of his lips.

She took his cold hand lightly in hers and then pressed her lips to the back of it. "Feel better?" she asked, her eyes flickering with amusement as they rose to meet his.

"No, not really." He mumbled, but there was a twinkle in his eye as he looked at her.

She shook her head, chuckling, and gently placed his chilled hand on the table. "Impossible man."

"Well," Daigoro said, looking at his hand in serious thought, "you know you could... try it again."

She followed the line of his gaze. "Mm-hm... I probably could. Think it would help more if I did?"

"Couldn't hurt any worse." He let his eyes travel up to her face.

"No...I don't think it could," she agreed before lifting his hand to kiss it again. But this time, a slight blush - completely unfamiliar to her - rose in her cheeks as she did.

Daigoro noticed the slightly pink tone to her face. What was left of his grumpy mood disappated in an instant. But he couldn't let _her_ know that. And so he threw up his hands overdramatically and cried, "It's amazing, woman! My hand is suddenly better! How do you do it? You should be a healer as well as a cook!" He gave her a broad smile and a wink.

The unfamiliar feeling she had briefly felt was instantly gone at his dramatic statement and she laughed, shaking her head again. "I should, shouldn't I?" she grinned. "Who knew!"

"Too bad Journeyman Jio can't bottle your lips in those healing wines of his," the Hallsecond laughed, "His patients would be cured for sure!"

She snorted lightly. "You'd better not tell him," she warned teasingly, "or I'll never hear the end of it!"

"Oh, believe me beauty," he said as he stood, finished the rest of his drink and grabbed the bottle, "I'd rather keep their healing qualities to myself." Daigoro gave her a wink before turning around and walking out of the kitchen. He was feeling _much_ better now.

Last updated on the August 16th 2005

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No Need To Be Grumpy