79th page

[ladyistcrap]

Night blankets the villages south of the wall. While the pacifistic Gagarians are huddling around what may be the last bowls they'll ever smoke, the Hildnr are preparing to march and ride out in force come the dawn. Thankfully, you're far enough north that the nights are a hell of a lot longer than normal. Looks like you have about fourteen hours to kill.

You'll probably want to make a stop at the armory to get equipped, at some point, but there's also a fair amount of feasting happening where a bard is telling tales of the Hildnr's victorious history. The Blood Queen is in attendance, accepting oaths and blessing the warriors.

Of course, if what you'd rather do is train, the training yards are open, and there's a small barracks hall that's been outfittedwith clean furs and a roaring fire so you can rest before unleashing your bloodlust. Thoughtful!

Just don't forget: you still gotta find the blood champion, save the helpless stoner fratboys, and make it over that fuckhuge wall before lunchtime tomorrow.

Comments

[sawedoff]

These circumstances. You can say now that I'm a chick, dude, I'm not gonna go full-on PMS.

[slogging through snow in the direction of the village, hands tucked into excess sleeve and shoved deep in pockets. glances over shoulder at him because he's doing the lead-in comment that demands some form of attention]

[inenochian]

That's just it. That word. "Chick."

[ not making nearly as much of a mess in the drifts as dean is with his bulldog walk. ]

I've come to realize you only use it situationally. Specifically, the lower your respect for the woman or group of women in question, the more frequently you choose that term. But there's not animosity behind it.

[sawedoff]

Yeah?

[he doesn't see where cas is going with this the more you know about yourself moment, or if he does he doesn't seem to up for the topic. the look he gives him says as much]

[inenochian]

[ just going to blunder right into this, ready or not. ]

It's just...led me to question. If my vessel had been female from the start, how much differently you might have behaved. How much harder it might have been.

[sawedoff]

Yeah well you weren't a chick from the start so-

[snappy and defensive, good old dean. he's not too fond of the "what if" chats on the best of days, so cas blindsiding him with that is definitely unwelcome]

-so.. how much harder what?

[inenochian]

...To become your friend. [ instead of being written off as a Chick. ]

[sawedoff]

I have friends with boobs-

[SO MANY. oh my god so defensive. don't ask him to name them. what, it's like... charlie. and you could count hel if you're talking tumba. can you list them as a friend if you're banging them? is that like listing family as a reference on a resume?]

[slows to a stop as he starts to sort through the implications, turning to face him with the confused finger raise]

Wait, no. Hang up. Are you saying what I think you're saying?

[inenochian]

[ they only count if you were friends with them for a period of no less than one month before the banging commenced. ]

[ stops walking a few steps later and turns around to look at him. ]

...I doubt it? [ cas means that dean would have had difficulty valuing her efforts, opinions, and skills in the same way. which is part of what dean is getting at, true, but not the full monty. ]

[sawedoff]

[awkward faltering half-smile of disbelief as he slowly lowers accusation finger]

...Yeah.

[yeah he doubts it too. wipes a hand over his mouth to try and recover some lost footing after he screwed that leap up, starting up past him again.]

Doesn't matter what your junk is to me now, Cas, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have given two craps then, either. Can we maybe drop it?

[yes? thanks]

[inenochian]

[ doesn't necessarily believe dean's declaration that she would have been an exception to a lifelong pattern of behavior, but it's still a bit flattering that he'd say so. ]

As you say, Dean.

[ picks up feet and gets moving again. ]