faderift | A bottle of white, a bottle of red

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A bottle of white, a bottle of red

WHO: Open to anyone that wants wine and warmth and a little company.
WHAT: Wine and no whining.
WHEN: After the mage meeting wraps up.
WHERE: Close to the healing tents, specifically the Orlesian section.
NOTES: There will be wine, drinking, unwinding, and nibbles.

The meeting had been stressful for just about everyone involved. Tempers had flared, opinions made known, a few rounds of confetti and arguing before some manner of accord. Whether it would last or however long it might? No one could truly say. In the interest of being quite done with the stress and headaches such debate brought on the Orlesian healing tents clearing out the potions, bandages, and poultices in favor of what cushions and braziers they had on hand for light and for heat. The space was open, warm, and inviting with an odd assortment of tin mugs or clay glasses set around flat side tables propped up with stones to keep them from wobbling and tipping the whole mass onto the ground. There are some dried fruits and hard cheeses, dried meat and hard crusted bread- whatever scraps they could scavenge or spare and a few bottles of wine or brandy. Across the entrance to the tents there was a sign:

Bring a bottle or food to share for entry.

Tacked below was a list of rules:

Everyone is welcome, don't make a fuss
Don't hog the wine
Don't hog the food
Don't fight or argue
If you finish a bottle open a new one, don't recork it for someone else to find
Clean up after yourselves

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"It's not all beating up other people," Krem argues, looking comically offended for a couple of seconds. "I'll have you know, it's also whoring and boozing and singing terribly."

The grin drops at that, eyes narrowing in confusion as he tries to figure out how serious Krem is being on that. "As in... you gets whores or you whore yourself out?"

At Sam's confusion, Krem's expression freezes as well, brows arched high. "Are y- You're serious about that aren't you?" He laughed out loud, shoving on Sam's arm almost hard enough to topple him out of his chair. "Maker's taint, Sam, we're a mercenary company, not a travelling brothel. It was a joke."

Seriously asking if he seriously meant it, yeah. His brows shoot up in surprise at the sudden laughter, surprised by the volume of it, though he hardly has time to really think about it as Krem is soon shoving his side. His grip on Krem's hand reflexively tightens at the jarring motion, but he stays remaining in his seat.

Once he's over the initial shock of it, Sam feels the corner of his lips twitching upward at the sound of Krem's laughter. Perhaps that had been silly of him to not see that it wasn't a joke, but it was well worth it for that. He hasn't heard the man laugh like that before.

"Well I know mercenaries don't do that, but maybe you guys are THAT talented. There would be many more questions if that was the case though."

Maybe it was the liquor that was loosening Krem up enough to laugh like that. Belly laughs weren't really his thing, but when he was able to cut loose it was something to see, certainly. His face lights up like is rarely seen even among the Chargers. Count yourself lucky, Sam. You've seen a unicorn.

"Sam, when I said whoring, I meant picking up women or men or whatever else might be available for the night. That's generally what we mean when we say 'whoring'."

It's a nice laugh, and the way Krem smiles has his heart a flutter. If asking a silly question got this as a result, he didn't mind at all playing a fool. Leaning forward on his knee, he's content in just watching Krem for a while, knowing very well that this was a rare thing to see, and who knows when the next time it would happen.

"Well it sounds like there was some truth to all that," he says with a smile, tilting his head. Krem said it was a joke, but from the sounds of it, it is something that does happen. It's not something he's used to, but he is curious. About the lives of the Chargers, specifically Krem. He doesn't ask it, but he is curious if the Lieutenant has 'picked' anyone up as he put it.

From the way Sam says it, there's obviously more on his mind than just the Chargers' sex lives. He loses a little bit of the amusement, drawing his hand back and rubbing it around the side of his neck, his eyes down on the mug settled against his knee. The bottle on his foot finally unbalances and rolls away.

"What do you want me to say to you? That while my men were out having a good time getting their dicks wet, I was standing sentinel in the corner making sure they didn't hurt themselves? If you want a virgin I'd suggest looking elsewhere."

It's not said in a harsh manner, just a tired one.

Having a good time getting their- Krem had quite the way with words. His smile lessens just a bit at Krem taking his hand back, taking a moment to put it in lap as he continues to watch the man.

What had he wanted Krem to say? Honestly he doesn't know himself, he just... wanted to know; how did he compare to people Krem had actually spent time with? "I'm fine with what I'm looking at right here. I think I'd be more surprised if you told me you were a virgin honestly."

A bit of an unfair comparison, given that the most he'd done with Sam was a simple kiss. Krem shakes his head some, making a face at Sam then giving his arm a sharp punch.

"You're ridiculous," he huffs and finishes off the last of his drink, keeping the mug in hand just so he has it to occupy him rather than fidgeting.

"Ah-! Heeey..." he hisses a bit at the sharp, but quick pain inflicted on his arm. Still smiling though, course laced with a bit of pain as he rubs the spot. Least holding hands had been nice while it lasted.

"Why? Because I'm curious to know more about you?" He chuckles at that, a low light appearing at the seams of where his hand was against his shirt.

"Because you're curious about that of all things," Krem snorts. "Can't the past just be past and left at that?" He appreciates the idea, the effort that Sam wants to put in, but that's not really something that he's comfortable discussing at this juncture. Maybe in the future, after they've had a slightly different talk.

"Well you're the one that brought it up," Sam snorts back playfully, putting his hands down into his lap and leaning back. Even if Krem didn't really answer, he's got a decent idea at least.

For the most part a lot of the past could be overlooked, but honestly so much of it shapes them that it really can't. Even so he can see that this particular subject would probably be best for another time, or not at all if it really made Krem that uncomfortable. "Alright, then how did you start using a maul?"

"A joke," he tries to emphasize again.

The change of topic is both a bit jarring and greatly appreciated, and Krem's metaphorical hackles settle back down.

"Used to use a sword, standard issue. Wasn't until Bull hired me that I started training with other weapons. Gotta know how to adapt, he said to me. 's why I know hand-to-hand, short blades, swords, mauls, clubs, and staves at least in moderation. We had a job in the Deep Roads, some noble had sent us in, paid handsomely enough to overcome Bull's nervousness about it too. He was looking for some dwarven relic, had reason to believe that if it were handed to the Carta it'd make him rich, save his family from destitution, something like that. Turns out the relic had already been picked up and sold off by smugglers, and the place it was supposed to be was overrun by darkspawn. The mail I use now was picked up off the body of a hurlock Alpha when the fighting was over. We lost a man after he was kicked off a bridge by the thing, but that was the worst of the casualties."

Right, a joke. Even so, Sam puts his hands up in mock surrender that he understands it was a joke.

Still it looks like his next question is better received, and while Krem talks Sam leans forward on his knees to listen better, resting his chin on one of his hands. At hearing that he had gotten the weapon off a Darkspawn was certainly interesting. "Are there any weapons you don't know how to use?"

"Yes, but those, I know how to counter with the ones I do know." Krem smirks faintly. It's a point of pride for him, that prowess with a small arsenal. "If you're not completely set on sticking to just magic you could stand to learn one or two yourself just so you're not caught offguard."

"Are you offering to give me 'personal' lessons?" he says teasingly, returning Krem's smirk with one of his own, raising a brow ever so slightly. "I'm learning hand-to-hand from you and I work the forge. Think I'm very comfortable getting away from using just magic as a way to fight. I would appreciate knowing how to be more versatile."

"Could be. Could also throw you to the other boys. Told you they'd be fine with teaching you."

"That you did." Sam doesn't sound as nearly as excited with having one of the others teach him, but he's no less interested in learning. "What would be the best thing to learn first?"

"Depends on what you want to try. Could go for grappling, teach you what swordplay I still know, maybe see about staves, though if you're using one as a focus I'd suggest talking to Dorian. Good at the practical application of wielding a heavy thing on the end of a stick." He would suggest more, but he doesn't want to overwhelm Sam with a lot of options at once.

That has Sam chuckling. "Maybe it comes as a surprise, but I actually do know how to fight with a staff. And I did talk to Dorian. For a bit, though he didn't show me anything; he kind of was busy with other things at the time."

He does consider the other options though, switching his head to the other hand while he does so. "Grappling sounds like something that would be worth while. As would the sword, or maybe even just a dagger. Much easier to carry around, and would help me counter against any rogues."

"Wasn't suggesting you didn't know how, just that brushing up on it'd be good. Far as blades go, could suggest a shortsword. Good for up-close, not too cumbersome."

"Or you just want an excuse to beat me with a really big stick," Sam teases. He hums lightly at the idea of a shortsword, nodding his head a bit. "Wouldn't be a bad idea."

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A bottle of white, a bottle of red

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He only hurts you so because he loves you Sam

Obviously Krem likes doing it rough. I mean... Love you too <3

Shhhh <3

Good thing they're stone walls?

Long as they stay intact, at least.

... How rough are you being to knock down a wall?

Well these walls are kind of crumbling already.

That... (///////)

<3

<3

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