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Blind Faith [Temara]

Arberus

Star
Joined
May 25, 2009
Seven years.

Seven years ago, Toumas had lost everything. The attack had been swift, brutal, and random. He'd survived by luck- that was a dirty word- and he did not regard it much kinder for it. Dainel and Aquaris might not have been trained for combat so much as he, but they had been far from helpless. It had only happened that he'd been the one sent to fetch water from the stream while the roadblock was cleared that had saved him. The reavers hadn't even been anything special- just more brigands, no face he could have sworn vengeance on to vent his sorrow out into anger. But they'd been many, and their caravan without enemies or valuables enough to beg much guarding.

And she'd been taken away just before it all.

There was no vast wealth of inheritance, and had there been physical comforts would have meant little and less. His parents had been priests, and while Toumas was not without his sins, greed was not one of them.

It had been a long walk to civilization, and a long journey to collect and reinvent himself. Sorrow would not be his end; so instead he'd collected what there was of himself, and sought a purpose. Religion. Martial expertise. His magic. But in the end he'd found himself most consumed by the cause of an absentee sister. The one thing he had left. Locked away in safety, in training. And not in need of a blind and broken brother to crawl back out from his grave. And so, whilst she studied, Toumas set himself to uncovering what lay behind his conundrum of an adopted sister, and the place she had come from. A venture that had borne too much fruit, in some regards. Reinvigorating and surprising in ways. He had returned knowing she would, at least, remain safe within the temple's walls.

Only by the time he had returned, she wasn't within them any longer.

It should have been a time to confront her, but with the moment of decision already long past, that instant simply never came. So he had watched from a distance- been her guardian angel. Or just a stalking shadow, perhaps. She lived her life, and he lived his between shifts of watching, in what ways he could. But it was no safe circles his sister preferred- much as he knew it would be, and much to his displeasure. It was not to say that she wouldn't have made note on some occasion of a familiar seeming figure once again within whatever bar or establishment she was frequenting, but far too many liked to lurk in corners and keep hoods up. But he had always assumed that sooner or later he'd be forced to play his hand out to save her from violent hands, or a man too bold.

Which is why this situation prickled so severely at his pride.

"No stick?" the man had asked. "No dog?" obnoxiously. Not everyone noticed his blindness, but this man and the bottle and a half on his breath clearly had. He tried to be clever, made some play about how Toumas should pay him to "see him safely home" and doing his very best to stem his pride, the blind man had simply told him he wasn't much afraid of tripping and turned his back to walk away.

Some men didn't like to be ignored.

Pulsing with pain, Toumas' side brought him down over a table as the rest of the room scattered to give space for the quickly moving fight, escalated in a moment from an fist for a fist to blades. He'd turned aside the man's knife a multitude of times, but all it took was one small wound to get through and he felt on the edge. His sword would have made it a trifling matter even so. To grab it out of the scabbard would have been leaving a wide window to leave a few more marks on him though, in such tight quarters, with steel already bared.

Pushing up the blindman rolled aside, staggering to his feet to face his assailant again and raised his knife to turn aside blind thrust after swipe, each motion rippling too much fire through his side to allow him to follow through. Life tingled on the table, beyond his fingers, though. Two mugs it felt like, one overturned and the other full. Concentration came easily even when a proper thrust would not, and the man's angry cauterization stopped suddenly- a glassful of lukewarm liquid hissed like an arrow through the air and caught him across the jaw.

It was no right hook, but people always seemed to like to underestimate just how much quickly moving liquid could hurt.

Before anyone could notice he hadn't splashed him in the face, or the fellow recover for another swing, he reddened his fingers- splitting skin and tossing blood but causing no real harm as he caught the knife and flicked it from his grip, following with a knee to the gut.

Elegantly, more so than really should have been possible in something as crude as a bar brawl, he ended it shattering the mug over the back of the other man's head. Perfectly timed.

Because about an instant afterward the violent yank it had given his wound caught up with him in a blinding- a very poor metaphor, perhaps- jolt of pain.

Toumas wasn't really sure what happened after that, except that he suddenly wasn't standing up anymore, and he could feel warm life creeping out between his fingers slowly.
 
RE: Blind Faith

"Hey Lin?"

Kalin looked up at the sound of her 'name', green eyes glimmering a bright smile at the waitress. "What's up, Mari?, need a detox?" That was usually the reason the waitress bothered her while she was doing business. It wasn't exactly a business she was proud of, but money only went so far and lately, her pet projects were eating up more and more of it.

"No, some blind guy attacked Randall...or Randall attacked the blind guy, I'm not sure which. He's got a cut in his side."

A small frown marred the cupid's bow that passed for lips on the almost cherabic face. "Knowing Randall, he probably got attitude and the guy didn't buy it. But it's pretty rare for Randall to actually get hurt."

"No...the blind guy got hurt."

"Oh, that makes more sense. At least he's still conscious. Leaving Mari to watch over her duffel, she slid from the seat and grabbed her staff and headed over towards the bar and the two men. One of whom was muttering as he tried to stand.

"Damned gimp..."

"Randall, Randall...What have I told you about cussing about anyone different than you when I'm in earshot." Her voice was saccharine sweet as she smiled down at the man who would overlook her by a foot and a half when he finally got upright. As he heard her voice though, the fear was almost palpable.

"Hey, Miss Lin. I didn't mean nothing by it...."

"Count of three, Randall."

And the man started scurrying as quick as he was able. And Kalin went to the other one who was also sitting, handling his wound as if he couldn't believe it. "You okay there, Mister? I need to know exactly what's wrong, and the level of pain, okay?" She dipped her head off to the side to look at him, the wild splay of curls hanging off her head as she awaited an answer.
 
RE: Blind Faith

His head popped up, despite that he knew he wouldn't be able to see anything when it did. Instincts didn't change easily, even after many years. His pulse danced, though the injury and fight had not been good in the first place. He'd been trying to avoid this, and now she was leaned over and staring him dead in the face. A moment that had preoccupied him with both a bit of excitement, and of fear. Toumas nearly blurted her name, but kept his tongue, and instead removed his hand from the injury, showing dark blood across his gloved hand.

That wouldn't do. The man hadn't just nicked his side- the blade had gone in, a stab of maybe half it's length. Gods were good that he hadn't possessed the mind to twist, but none the less it was worse than he wanted to let on. Not enough to kill him if he wasn't left to bleed out on the floor, but enough to keep him from walking very well for more than a few steps. A normal hospital would do fine...

But a light-blessed Falician healer would do a better job, and in decimals of the time.

She'd probably realize it too.

Pale eyes on a darkly tanned face centered in the direction of her face- he couldn't be entirely sure it was making eye contact, but he could "see" her outline, pulsing faintly of warmth, and life, sweet as salvation.

"It isn't fatal. It simply caught me unprepared."

He'd fought before, and been hurt before, but it was something a bit difficult to train the body to accept without a bit of trauma.
 
RE: Blind Faith

"Uh huh..." The skepticism came through loud and clear. Healer though she might be, her bedside manner could use a bit of work. Mostly because a lot of times, she had to fight to keep the patients in the bed so she could heal them properly. "Alright, well, you have two choices, I can help you to the hospital that's nearby, will cost you an arm and a leg or we can do this the easy way and I can heal you here and now. I am a trained healer. I won't cost quite as much as the hospital, but I don't bill. You pay me up front." Not that she'd really leave a guy to bleed out on the floor of one of her favorite bars, but she'd had too many people try to fleece her before for healing and she preferred getting paid to heal rather than the other things she sometimes resorted to.

Whatever his decision, she'd manuever under him, and help him stand upright. "But no matter which way you want to do it, we need to get your wound cleaned up, or infection can set in even with the help of the elements." She'd seen it happen, and it was not pretty, so if he wanted healed at all, he was going to have to go with her. "The glasses are about the only clean thing in this place, but there's a halfway house just down the road." A halfway house that happened to be her own home...and the home of whatever she dragged home to help out, whether they be runaway, abused or strung out druggies. She was careful about how much information she let slip.
 
RE: Blind Faith

She was right, but he didn't begrudge her it. The situation had changed, as all things inevitably did. A part of him felt shame about the whole situation, but he made himself push that aside. What was done was done, and he had acted as best he could, so now he would do likewise with what came. Toumas didn't answer immediately, but took the metaphorical hand and came to his feet partly under his own power. Given the options, should he have to stand within her focus much longer, he might as well simply stay. It was bittersweet, really, how she didn't recognize him, as much as it was what he'd wanted in part.

It had been a long time since he'd last had a chance to lay his arms around her, wishing her goodbye and good luck.

"Thank you," he said quietly, trying to lean on her no more than he knew he should for his wound, against the pain. It was a good reminder, to hold him in reality and keep from excessive introspection. He was much larger than her, and much darker in hair and skin he recalled. It had been much time, but she'd been described to him in the past, and he had some memory of before the accident that took his sight, of what Kalin had looked like. She had been fond of purple before- he wondered if she still was, or if she preferred Falician blues now. "I should have cash enough on me. What sort of fees do you normally charge?"

Small talk. By no stretch of mind was he incapable of it, but it felt very funny in some ways. And yet, it was one way he could watch over her- a bit of idly passed information to fill out the picture, with the bits from beyond his scope of vision.
 
RE: Blind Faith

She glanced again at the wound and the man as they got outside, into better light. It wasn't immediately life threatening, but it wasn't exactly fun either. "200 gold, and 10 gold for each night you need to stay and recover until I'm happy with your progress. People tend to move too quickly after healing, expecting it to be near perfect. Your mind knows you're injured, so if you act well, it can cause some issues." She smiled even though she knew he couldn't see it. He was rather handsome, kind of reminded her of Toumas...

...and with that thought, she jerked to a pause then hurriedly apologized. "Sorry about that. Come on, let's get you back to the Halfway." And with that, she led him the few blocks to the house, taking a key and turning it so that he could see the front room. Putting her own keys up on the wall, she helped him into another room that looked a lot like a doctor's office and put off that same feel. "Here, sit up here. Can you strip off your shirt or do you need some help?" Her voice was clinical, somewhat detached as she ordered him about and then went about getting the materials she would need.
 
RE: Blind Faith

"An interesting quandary," and an interesting insight into her life and the problems she faced. It was not his expertise, but he considered what caused it and what might have allowed one to circumvent the issue, but her sudden halt interrupted the process.

"Your practice is called the Halfway?" he could tell the building was there, but the rooms proved more difficult. Now clearly leading him, not simply helping him walk, it occurred to him that she knew very well by now he was blind. An interesting thing. No colors or shadows, but with a small bit of focus, so long held up and ingrained it was practically as much a part of his nature as opening his useless eyes, he could "see" the shape of the room. The first room was larger, and the first- so presumably a living room.

Curiously, he tried to inspect the second, without any vast success, probing as he could and taking a large whiff- the somewhat more sterile smell was what gave him his clue as she offered him a seat, and began asking after his wound.

"Thank you, but I should be capable,"

Carefully removing and folding his cloak in two as he laid it aside, Toumas began untucking his shirt from beneath his belt, pulling the bottom up and out freeing it before taking a hand of each hem and lifting slowly. The painful part was peeling it away from the wound. From there, he simply had to be careful not to stretch that side too much as he removed, and less ceremoniously discarded the bloodied garment, sitting and waiting. Once upon a time, with priests for parents he might have been more than mildly self conscious about such a thing, but after his explorations the fact hardly even phased him. A fact bronzed skin attested to.
 
RE: Blind Faith

"Okay."

She accepted him at his word and puttered around the room while asking him basic questions. "Any allergies, food or medicine wise?", grabbing a pincer and cotton ball, she began dabbing at his wound with alcohol before belatedly mentioning. "This might sting." but other than that rather rude bedside attention, nothing else shocking or painful came up before his wound was clear. "Alright, I need you to lay down on the bed and relax."

Once he was laying on the bed, she did a re-inspection of his wound and other things. Her hands slid up and around his bare chest, hips, shoulders and the like with soft, gentle caresses that weren't quite clinical. She was trying to work on her bedside manner, damnit. Besides, the poor man had enough to be uncomfortable with, she could at least try not to seem like she was trying to figure out if his innards were prettier in or out of his body. "This won't hurt but if you're not used to magic healing, it might tingle quite a bit in places that well....." and with that, she was rather glad he waas blind for she felt she must surely be as bright in the face as her hair was. But that had no matter and with a frustrated sigh, she rested her hand on the lower half of his stomach, holding his hips in place while the other rested atop his wound, his blood getting onto her hand before the wound seemed to heat up quickly and spread throughout the entire wound, a bright light filtering even through his vision as she whispered words of power.

The warmth would spread through his body throughout his body, heating his blood and having it course through his veins as if his very metabolism was being sped up, increasing blood flow in ALL of his extremities as well. Even if he wasn't already having issues with the pert little female with her hands all over him. The vibration then began as she forced his body to stitch itself closed. Finishing up, she was surprised at how much it took out of her and ended up leaning against him and the table, her forehead resting on his stomach as she tried to get her equilibrium back. "Just a sec..." It wasn't a difficult healing, but she also just realized she'd forgotten to eat today.
 
RE: Blind Faith

"No allergies," she approached, and he saw the colder shape, a length in two parts and an end- and anticipated the cottonball just before it touched, shifting slightly as his mouth tightened, and loosened nearly as quickly, but accepting the stinging gentle dabs with no sound.

Relaxation was a great deal to ask, but Toumas laid back. Easing himself over onto the bed, he searched for a topic to occupy his mind on that could be less... uneasy. Rather than actually relax at all, though, he stifled his worrying discomforts by considering the current situation. Her background made for quite some troubles in keeping her safe, and she constantly, in the past year, had taken injured men into her home to see to them. She had a strong will, however, and if their fellow at the bar said anything about the normal fair he could only comfort himself by assuming that the distaste or crude approach would have let her spunk overwhelm her instinctual imperatives. On such a note, however, the way she touched him was... disquieting.

That could be a problem, truly... but at least he could tell it was no dire one yet.

"Oh?"

Her face lit up in colors, blood rushing to the surface in her face. Suddenly, the comment made sense. The magic followed, and a discomfort in the alien feeling and lack of control spread through him at first, but quickly contained itself. He had been exposed more than enough to magics that once he grasped the changes being caused by the power and could identify them, he had only that blinding point of light on his "vision" to contend with. Very Falician. His finger tips and toes tingled, his face felt slightly flushed, and just as she had warned, he was generally filled by the other effects of the spell, his skin in general a tad over sensitive.

She drooped, and he very clearly felt the girl's face rest against his stomach, smooth skin and soft hair.

Only a few inches from a large peak in his baggy sand-colored pants, doing nothing to hide it's presence.

Clinically, he heard alarms, wondered if this sort of too close for comfort incident had occurred before, with twinges of jealously protective anger. But emotion won out as he put an elbow down and lifted his shoulders from the bed, rising no more than that, to "look" at her with concern. Emotion in concern, and a short surge of eager heat in his gut that the blood flow did nothing to help, and which did nothing to help the blood flow.

"Are you alright?" he asked immediately, "perhaps I should be offering you a bit of aid as well."
 
RE: Blind Faith

"No!" She barked sharply at him as she jerked back, pushing herself so he wouldn't himself. "Lay back down or you'll tear the stitching. It's newly formed flesh and terribly fragile!" She seemed unaware of anything going on that was inappropriate. She wobbled on her feet a bit unsteadily. "Don't worry, I was just incautious with my own health a bit today and over did it. I'll be right as rain once I eat." She thought for a moment and debated. "Food is covered in the ten gold a day. If you'd like I can fix you something too." She tried smiling and found it still hurt a little. Her other muscle aches were going away, but the minute ones remained.

"I should probably show you where you'll be staying too." then muttered to herself. "Then grab myself a shower and bed."
 
RE: Blind Faith

It was her house, her practice, and she was the one trained in medical arts- but he was her older brother, whether she knew it or not, and no amount of facts were going to superseded that.

"Sit back down."

He wasn't asking her to. In fact, he'd let her sit back down on her own if she could, but if she was to be stubborn he'd even pull her over to him and yank her up onto the surface. Meaning for her to sit down on the edge, but if he had to force her to lay beside him and slide himself aside a bit, or even partly atop him, so be it.

"Let your strength come back first, then mind to the food."
 
RE: Blind Faith

Toumas said:
"Sit back down."

Kalin just froze, small prickles on her neck making the fine hairs stand up on end. Blinking in confusion, she responded to the tone; a tone that neither of their parents would have taken with them, both of the high ranking elemental officials calm and relaxed in nature. But they had also been products of calm times. Kalin was not. The tone put her on edge and she simply sat on the edge of the bed, more leaning than sitting and some dark little corner wondered if that was 'sitting' enough and she shook her head to clear away the silly idea.

"Just a bit dizzy." And a few moments later it cleared and she stood up much straighter. "Just a bit disoriented was all, but the offer for food is still open if you'd like, or you can just head up to the shower. We have multiple water heaters, so we can both get one in." Letting it slip that she intended to stay the night here as well without meaning to. Her guard was a bit down. He seemed rather nice and despite the 'healing', he wasn't even 'trying' anything. Then she paused to wonder if he was...well, you know and was reminded of the rules she'd established.

"Uhm...not to be rude, but I should go over a few house rules. No overnight guests, even your ...uhmm..partner" a small blush whenever she had to do that part, but she'd found that most of them didn't take offense to the word partner. "Food is served at 7, 12 and 8 unless I'm not here. The kitchen is open if I'm not, but closed if I am unless you ask nicely. There's a cabinet with snacks in the living slash waiting room, though that'd probably be a bit difficult for you." She stood up, away from the counter. "Don't steal. Don't lie. Keep clean and pay me on time and we'll get along fine."
 
RE: Blind Faith

He was tempted to touch her as well- a hug, or to stroke her hair. Make sure she was real and find a bit of long lacked familial affection.

Toumas resisted.

When she rose he let her, watching the shape stand steadily, and seemed convinced a moment later, listening quietly as she spoke. He nodded to the first part, noting some strangeness in her voice and the heat spreading about, including to her face again once she continued. His fingertips still tingled, but Toumas noted, not sure if he was should have assumed it to the magic or not, that his condition had not begun to subside at all. Calmly reaching over his middle to a pouch at his belt once she'd finished, Toumas fished about inside, retrieving a series of coins and holding them out toward her in a hand.

"It shan't be an issue," he replied to the rules as a whole, and let her take it. Totaling, given differing coin values, to that 200 base and first night's 10.

"I am not to sit up, but I should be able to take a shower on my own?" he asked, not sounding skeptical or sarcastic in the least, just confused. he'd also noted that she'd be staying here- he did believe it was her home after all, unless he was mistaken about where they were entirely- but genuinely questioning. "Is it a matter of a few minutes more rest, or is there some sort of aid I should know about?" But given she hadn't said bath, he couldn't imagine what help there might be aside from a handrail or small edge to sit on, unless she helped her charges wash upon occasion.

He sorely hoped she had no precedent of that, and doubted it, though his groin ached. It was a pleasure he'd been made familiar with.
 
RE: Blind Faith

She was happy that he took it so well. Maybe he was just one of those weird people who had no real sex drive. He made no mention of male and had shown no interest in her; though he was blind and she was a doctor of sorts...so maybe that was it. "You can sit up now, just don't move around in quick jerky motions. You can take a bath or a shower, but the only bath is in my room. So..." Lashes lowered over her cheeks as she looked at him again and frowned. "Are you sure you haven't been here before. Your face seems a bit...familiar." She obviously couldn't remember everyone. She'd helped a lot of people in the last year or so.

But as the money appeared, she took it easily enough and stuck it into a pouch at her hip. "Another thing. Do you do any drugs or medicines I need to know about? Your first drink should include a detox to help the healing along."
 
RE: Blind Faith

Toumas stood- slowly and gradually, ripples crossing his chest not to be purposely enticing, but as he tested out each muscle and part of him slowly, checking for weaknesses or aftereffects of the healing. Finally he'd come to his feet and wriggle his toes within his boots, taking a small step closer to her without thinking. Not quite so close that his persisting symptom prodded her, but he found himself looking down over his petite sister, half afraid he might find heat gathering in other telltale ways. Self control or no, a danger sign, and one he had yet to puzzle out what he meant to do about. She had at least managed to protect her from herself so far, but without knowing she must, it could not be forever.

"I have not been here before... but we may have met..."

His name, and a hug. That should have come more easily than a small evasion. Instead he simply failed to step away, breath slightly tight.

"No, no drugs of late."
 
RE: Blind Faith

"Oh?" She looked up, and watched him move, feeling the heat swell and pool in her abdomen and lower. There were times she wondered if she was part cat the way she seemed to go into heat, but that was ridiculous. Chuckling weakly, she took a small step backward as he all but loomed over her. "Where would that be?" Then she realized that they hadn't introduced themselves. "Btw, I'm Kalin." And only after she'd said it did she realize she'd given her real name, which she 'never' did. Even the grocer only knew her by Lin. But it was too late now.

At least he wasn't on any drugs, so that was something. Taking a deep breathe to try and cool her swirling thoughts. "Come on, Let's get you up to the bath. If you need help, I can give it to you, but you should be okay." And with that, she took a purposeful step over to the side and grabbed his shirt. "Here, put this on, I tend to keep the upstairs rather cool."
 
RE: Blind Faith

His mouth felt dry saying it, but Toumas made himself form the lie, and deliver it as naturally as he could. He had changed some since their parents' death, but he still did not lie with any frequency.

"I cannot say. But it is a pleasure to meet you, miss Kalin."

She didn't extend a hand, so neither did he, but he noted with some satisfaction that she seemed more disquieted than encouraged by her clear arousal, as much as it's mere presence was enough to fuel some small paranoia and convince him some level of measure would have to be taken. In due time. She tossed the shirt, but despite seeing the motion of her body, the garment itself was barely visible to him, and his arms had barely even started to rise when it struck his chest, catching it on the way back down. He felt about it for a moment, and discovered the damp hole, frowning a bit.

"I do not suppose you have anything else? Something less bloody- perhaps just a bathrobe for once I'm done?"

Then again, she might just have kept some one-size-fits-all spares about if it was a medical ward at times.

Supposing Kalin would lead the way, he could follow- led by hand or just walking behind, moving carefully as he tried to learn his environment, from the general shapes that covered most, but was not always entirely reliable, and careful steps. Barefeet served better in that regard, but it could wait until he had bathed to bother walking about so. His motion was slow and deliberate all the same. Cautiously he'd walk, keeping in mind the advice she'd given him.
 
RE: Blind Faith

She would have facepalmed if it had occurred to her, but it didn't. So instead, she turned just a hair more red in the face. "Sorry, wasn't thinking." For reasons of bloodflow being in places other than her head, but it wasn't like she was going to say so. He was a handsome man, in a few ways, he reminded her of her father...or rather foster father, Dainel. But there was a brightness there that was nothing like the mellow Cleric of Light. "I have a bunch of one size fits all, let me grab them for you." They were right there in the closet, and she grabbed what she thought would fit him.

Once that was handed to him, she took him by the hand and led him upstairs, her smaller soft hand gripped in his larger one. It seemed everything about her was petite, in some ways. There were small callouses on her hands that told of her being a staff warrior, the placement not quite right for a sword wielder. She led him around two corners, and then up a small flight of stairs that also seemed crapped into the house, almost as an after thought. It had a pleasant feel to it, but also almost watchful. As if it could see past the lies and right to his intentions.

"So a bath or would you rather I bring you some food and you can get some sleep?" She was kinda hoping he'd keep it simple, since she was still a bit tired from her exertion, but none of it was too difficult.
 
RE: Blind Faith

A bath was always a very nice sensation, but he didn't feel especially dirtied yet, body not had time to collect all the natural build up of unpleasantness, nor was he too stained from the fight, or even sweaty from the healing. A little sore perhaps, but he imagined come morning, that could as easily have grown worse as better, and he'd have had time to develop a bit more tension he'd need to melt away, trying to think and sleep on it all, with his sister a stranger, and so close.

"I think a bath in the morning instead, might suit. But I would much like you to take your meal with me," he said about as candidly as he had anything to leave his lips since he'd entered.

Conversation might not come easy. He could hardly decipher what he would like to talk about, much less how and if he would reveal himself. But he much liked the thought of taking the extra time to at least be able to "look" at her, listen to her thoughts. And it also, pointedly, meant he could make sure she ate properly to get her strength back.
 
RE: Blind Faith

"Uhm..." She shrugged, it wouldn't kill her, and it wouldn't be so bad. "You're just lucky I haven't found a security guard yet for the house, I doubt he'd approve." She chuckled, and led him into what would be his room, showing him the full sized bed, the closet and also how to get to the bathroom from where he was. "If you need anything in the middle of the night, Just walk out your door and keep going straight about 15 feet until you run into a wall, my door is on the right." But that was for later. "I'll be right back."

During the time she was gone, he could wander around or do whatever he liked. But she was only gone a short time before she came back up with a tray of food. Piping hot. "It's not much. Just leftovers from the soup kitchen this afternoon. I tend to just eat whatever I make the guys who come around." On the plate was sandwiches with lots of meat packed on in slabs, a thick bowl of potato and vegetable soup, and two ales (in a bottle), and some water. "I wasn't sure what you wanted, so you can have one of the ales to wash the food down, it's rather stick to your ribs homestyle or you can have some water. No milk or juice in the house at the moment. Tomorrow is shopping day."
 
RE: Blind Faith

"Had you a guard, I doubt he'd trust half the patients past the front door," he smiled pleasantly as he delivered the bit of humor that might have seemed almost out of place with his more serious demeanor so far. Of course, he did have some first hand experience on that one. It was meant more as a compliment than a commentary on her patients, but who knew how it would be taken- 'pretty little thing' didn't slip into one's vocabulary quite so often when you had lost use of your eyes.

Once within the bedroom, he patiently let her lead him to each aspect of it. He could get a vague sense of objects being where they were, slight changes in temperature forming shapes that his vision could detect, even if where more technologically based thermal vision would have struggled a bit. At each he made sure to extend a hand, carefully feeling the material of the bed, counting distance of the handles and knobs from the corners of the furnishings, the bathroom door. To a degree, he counted steps. He had a faux vision to make it largely unnecessary, but it was always useful to have in the back of your head.

He touched around a few other things to familiarize himself with the smaller aspects of the room, and then sat down to relax. She had done quite nicely for herself. It was more than large enough and comfortable. As she came back he'd be laying a palm across the fabric of the bed, feeling the texture and softness of the pillows with one hand while he absently wriggled his toes across the hardwood floor, finding the little lines hinting at the separation between one board and the next.

"More than fine enough," though there was a hint of dissatisfaction in the back of his head. Not at the food, but her comment about her own eating habits. He'd spent a fair deal of time exploring her origins, and while there were some sensuality he was keen to keep her safe from at the moment, fine wines or foods, and soft fabrics were not something he felt any need to shelter her from. Once she had placed the tray upon the bed (or table if there was one), or upon her lap, he'd reach over carefully and take a moment to find the spoon. The motions were deliberate and careful, balancing it purposefully in hopes of not letting any drops drip over his host's things, or his own lap. Replacing the spoon as he played the hearty soup carefully over his tongue and smiled appreciatively, he'd take the sandwich and take a bite from it as well, sampling each before replacing for the moment. Not fancy, or especially fancily spiced, but it was hearty and filling. Fine tasting, and perfect for its purposes.

"Ale as well? Fine dining for a patient, much less the price. Thank you," that, he was also ready to give a small sampling.
 
RE: Blind Faith

Kalin laughed, the first honest laugh he would have elicited from her, free from awkwardness or embarrassment. "Well, usually only overnight patients get that kind of treatment. Plus when I use magical healing, it helps to restore my own energy a little, and you don't want to be rude by not sharing the wealth. It's a good local ale here too. I get it frequently. Unfortunately, I only had a brand brew when I was at the bar I found you at. But I deserve a third tonight, I think. Just watch out for the bite at the end." She chuckled, and clinked the bottle glass against his. "Salut!"

Taking a swig, she smiled as she looked around the place. "I spend most of my money on the Halfway House, and paying for the food and medical supplies that come with it. I was left a nice inheritance that made a nice piece of interest while I was in school." Which left openings about her family, but Kalin didn't mind. The man seemed rather trustworthy and she felt 'mostly' comfortable around him for some reason. She took a drink. "Sometimes you just want some company, ya know?"
 
RE: Blind Faith

"I'd say so. Salut!"

If it would help bring her energy back up after how she'd nearly tumbled over with that healing, he'd be of a mind to see her drink a half dozen. He wouldn't enjoy the hangover it might cause her as much, but he was concerned, and not ready to write off the wobbles from earlier just yet. The ale sat well enough with him, and he enjoyed the taste, spooning himself a bit more soup while she spoke, playing each bite over his tongue to appreciate the tastes and textures, trying to pick out as many ingredients as he could, though he was no cook himself.

"It seems a very worthwhile investment. Home and business, and a very comfortable place."

Loneliness.

To think she suffered from it so much, with as much attention, and guest patients as she got, and her friends about. It seemed silly, and yet he more than understood the feeling of something missing. It seemed a crime to ensign her to that. He had no intention of that... but it might have been sorely connected if he was to protect her from all of the men out there and the potential power they likely didn't even realize they could have over her. Perhaps he could resign himself to see her married one day, but he certainly dared not risk anyone unsuitable forming that bond.

Bittersweet, Toumas smiled back, and raised his bottle of ale as he sought out a hand- or knee if her nearer one was occupied, to lay his hand on and squeeze gently.

"To company, then."
 
RE: Blind Faith

She glanced down at the hand on her knee, but the ale was helping the nice build of warmth in her stomach and didn't think to put it gently aside. "To company." she dipped her own spoon in, wrinkling her nose at the taste. It wasn't bad, pretty good by most standards, just not her own. She'd put a hair too little salt in it, apparently. And none of the lunch crew had thought to complain. As usual. And she'd been too busy to try it out herself. Shaking her head with a laugh, she sat down her spoon and took up the sandwich, taking a nice big bite out of the hoagie and letting the juice drip onto the plate. Now that she knew she'd done right. Once the bite was swallowed, she sat the sandwich down and began to suck the liquid off her fingers. Not to be enticing, since that wasn't really her style, plus he was blind, he wouldn't appreciate it anyways, but simply the easiest way to clean them off when she intended to go right back to eating.

"So tell me more about you? Name, where ya from, why you ended up in a bar fight with the dumbest Mick this side of the big blue?"
 
RE: Blind Faith

It was a question he'd been fearing, but at the same time... he could lie, try to keep it up. He could come all clean. He could just evade, but... at the moment it was simply not appealing to ruin his time with Kalin, and he settled back more of the ale, draining his bottle lower. He noticed a number of things she'd have thought he'd miss. The finger sucking lacked a certain impact without the visual, but all the same he couldn't seem to help but note the hair bit of sound and motion, fingers vanishing.

"...Thomas. I'd been travelling about Eire."

There was little more honest than that he could be, he used his name as they'd spoken it, and the very name of her home. He wasn't sure, now, if she'd have ever heard it's name. Curious.

"I went to learn about the place, it's customs, foods, everything. It was a bit of a curiosity, I suppose. As for the fight in the bar..."

His mouth thinned, and he thought.

"He was crude, and I had no patience for it. I suppose it's been some time since I've had to anticipate a violent drunk."

He raised his ale again, but just turned it back this time, instead of offering a salute. He drained it to empty and frowned about the fact as he felt it lose the weight and liquid in it's center. Then, simply shook his head, and chuckled softly. "I'd say we've both deserved these. Thank you, once more. The question is, did we earn a second?"

Humor came more easily, as he'd now offered up his name and some information, and he was sure the alcohol helped as well.
 
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