Lollygagging

"Lollygagging" is a BOTGD 2 thread written on [IRL DATE].
== Summary ==
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== Full Text ==
Liam Arnason: “Scoutin’ without me, huh.”
Liam’s voice broke the silence of the wind whistling past the guard tower that Verdandi was currently holed up in, and his voice carried a bit of humor, but his expression cleared up that he felt bad for disappearing as much as he had for the past few days. He was leaned up against the railing, the sea wind pushing through his curly, messy hair, and he looked out at the dark blue-gray ocean, taking a deep breath. “It’s fine. I hate the sea, anyway.”
Verdandi Østergård: Verdandi flinches at the unexpected sound of Liam’s voice, but by the time she turns, she’s got a tired smile on her face. “There’s not much else to do,” she says softly. “And it’s been quiet today.”
Liam: He sat down beside her, kicking his legs out over the creaking wooden boards and dangling them above the cliffside the tower was built on. He rested his arms on the railing just above his head. “Yeah, I guess I agree. Bout to not be. Lila wants to start shipping out soon.” Liam glanced over at Verdandi.
“Hey,” he added, “no offense, but you kind of…look like…bad. You look bad. I know I can’t talk but damn, have you slept once since we talked?”
Verdandi: She hunches her shoulders defensively. “Yes,” she insists. And she has–just not for longer than an hour at a time. Verdandi sighs. “It’s just–the nightmares are getting worse. I can’t–I can barely close my eyes without seeing… gods, awful things.” She clears her throat, blinking slowly in an attempt to focus her thoughts. “How soon is ‘soon’, by the way?”
Liam: “I haven’t asked. Dunno if I want to do that shit yet.” He noted her reaction and pinned his ears back a little. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just don’t want you running yourself raw if we’re gonna be raiding. I bet Ingrid would have something to knock you out cold for a night, if you wanted.”
Verdandi: A small glimmer of hope flickers in Verdandi’s eyes. “At this point, I’m willing to try just about anything,” she admits. “William… when he’s been around, he’s tried to help, but, I don’t know… he wasn’t there, it’s hard to explain to him.”
Liam: “Well…” Liam held up his fists and began putting up a finger for each word of the next sentence he spoke. “Zombie–hurt–Liam–I–healed–him–I–don’t–know–how.” He held up all ten fingers of his paws and grinned slightly, showing them to Verdandi. “Ten words. Will’s dumb, but he’s not that dumb.”
Verdandi: Verdandi gives him a flat look. “That’s not what I meant,” she says. “I–I don’t even know what I’m trying to say.” She rubs at her eyes. “I am so tired,” she whispers.
Liam: He shrugged a little and looked back out at the ocean. “I dunno. I’m not great at help,” he said dryly. “You know that.” His short, bushy tail flicked back and forth over the walkway. “I’m great at making shit worse, but I have a feeling neither of us want that.”
Verdandi: “You’re… alright at it, though. Maybe not the best,” she allows, “but you’ve helped me… probably more than I can ever say.” Verdandi sighs, looking down at her hands. “Thanks, for… for that.”
Liam: “I mean, you helped me, too. I probably would’ve bled out at the lake. I was fucked up, wasn’t I.” He looked over at her again as the wind rushed around them. A flock of gulls cried as they circled one of Haligan’s fishing ships, diving and swarming the nets. 
“I’m sorry for…being gone,” he said lamely, referring to his absence for the past few days. “I just…” He lapsed into silence, picking at the wood of the handrail in front of him with a claw. “Y’know.”
Verdandi: “You had a nasty shock,” Verdandi says gently. “I understand.” She looks up at Liam with a soft smile. “You’re here now, though.” Quieter, she says, “It’s good to see you.”
Liam: Matching her lower tone, Liam said, “Yeah, I just, wanted to make sure you knew none of it was your fault, and…yeah. It was just crappy timing.” He picked a loose splinter out of the handrail and flicked it over the edge, watching the shred of wood disappear as it tumbled end over end to the cliffside rocks below. “I hope you’re on good terms with your family, at least.” Verdandi never really talked about them, and he was curious as to why.
Verdandi: Verdandi inhales sharply and turns her face away. “I’m not.”
It seems unfair to leave it at that, so she takes a moment to gather her thoughts. “I’m, er, from the Wildest North. My parents were farmers, but they, ah, support King Eindride. I’ve no doubt they’re overjoyed at King Haddock’s death. I haven’t spoken to them in years, though.” Perhaps whatever’s wrong with her hadn’t started with healing Liam–it may have started with a slammed farmhouse door. “I’m not welcome there anymore.” 
Liam: “Ohhh.” Liam unconsciously made the non-specific sign that he made when he indicated he was listening to something Kendra was saying. “Okay, yep. That sounds messy. I’m sorry about all that.”
Verdandi: “You didn’t know,” Verdandi says shakily. “My father, um–he doesn’t like half-breeds. So… I’m glad I left, really. He’d never approve of us being friends.”
Liam: The cat half-breed winced. The wave of understanding he felt came from a place very personal to him, and it stung. “Yeah, I’ve heard that one before,” he said quietly. “A lot. He sounds like he’d be a fan of the factions, too.”
Verdandi: “I hate him,” she admits. “And he would be, I think.” Verdandi glances over at Liam. “I’m glad we’re friends,” she says earnestly.
Liam: He gave a soft laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah? That one I haven’t heard before.”
Verdandi: Verdandi frowns. “You should.” In a perfectly serious tone, she says, “You’re a good person. Just a little rough around the edges.” What she doesn’t say is I think I might be falling in love with you.
Liam: Liam got to his feet and leaned on the railing, a bit of color touching his cheeks as he chuckled again. He looked over his shoulder down at Verdandi, his hair ruffling in the wind, the pupils of his green eyes thin in the gray diffused sunlight. “Hey, easy. Don’t feed my ego so much. My head will explode,” he joked. But he had been incredibly hard on himself in the past few days, and Verdandi’s words lifted his spirits.
Verdandi: “That would take a lot,” she points out. “Your ego doesn’t seem terribly inflated to me.” Verdandi smiles up at him, tilting her head slightly. “So, um… Ingrid?” she inquires.
Liam: “Aha, yeah, uh, Ingrid.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Healer’s hut, probably?”
Verdandi: “Yeah, uh, let’s go.” Verdandi pushes herself to her feet, and sways on the spot for a moment before righting herself.
Category:Events
Category:BOTGD 2
Category:Liam Arnason
Category:Verdandi Østergård
Category:Act I