We found Kayle down in Neseve Saille (Clever Arrow), wiping down the last few tables in the hall. The chime on the door heralded our entrance into the establishment and though the emotion didn't show on his face, I could feel that slight flare of annoyance that settled itself on my shoulders like a tangle of knotted muscles.

As soon as he spotted us, though, the sensation disappeared replaced instead with the tickle of surprise and then the warmth of joy just before a smile spread across his face. "I wasn't expecting you."

"You weren't expecting anyone by the feel of it," I watched as Addy stepped ahead of me towards the tables.

Kayle laughed as he resumed cleaning the large table he'd been bent over, "There's no use denying it," he picked up one of the glasses nearby and dropped it into a precarious stack of dirty dishware, "I haven't reopened hours like some of the other media halls. It's gotten more common that customers will barge in even when I'm quite clearly shutting down."

Addy bent and picked up a stray napkin that had found its way under one of the tables, "Have you swept yet?" She set it onto the pile of dirty dishes.

Kayle glanced her way with a smile, "Not yet."

"Where's Cessira?" Usually, she would have been helping Kayle break down the tables at the end of the night.

"I let her off early tonight. Ander wasn't paying attention and smacked into her while she was carrying a tray of drinks. She got soaked."

"I'm sure he felt terrible."

The hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth while he stretched the reach the other side of the table.

"You shouldn't be near to laughing," I could feel the emotion lingering at the corners of my own mouth, pulling it into a smile unconsciously.

"I've known her for years, so I can say with a certainty that some nights she deserves it," he straightened from his position cleaning the table and stretched, "and getting to watch her tear into a drunk Ander was the highlight of my night."

We both turned at the sound of a chair scraping across the floor. Addy flipped the chair quickly and set it onto the table. When she turned and noticed our blank stares I got to see a hint of that pink blush along her cheeks. "It makes it easier to sweep with the chairs out of the way. I figured I could sweep while you guys clean up the last few tables."

There was the tickle of surprise again that was followed quickly by a sputtered, "You don't have to help me," from Kayle at my side.

Addy's eyes flicked between us, "Why not?"

"You don't have to be responsible for something that isn't your job. I'm sure you and Esayr came down here for something other than housekeeping." Kayle picked up his rag and moved to another nearby table, a wry smile on his face despite the surprise.

"I mean...we came to see you, but what's the harm in helping while we chat. It'll make it go by faster. One of the nuns at the school I went to always use to say 'Many hands make light work', whenever she was trying to get all of us to help clean up a classroom or something. Besides," Addy shrugged as she set another chair on the table, "the closing shift always sucked when someone called out."

She glanced to the tables still needing cleaning and then to me, and despite not having Kayle's abilities, I knew she was puzzling through something in her head with a certainty that she'd likely gotten from that little meal hall she worked at down on the planet. "If you want to keep cleaning up the tables, Kayle. I can put up all the chairs while Esayr sweeps. Whoever finishes first can start on the dishes."

I groaned but went to fetch the sweeper anyway. I could hear Kayle's laughter echoing behind me as I went. I sent a pulse of annoyance out to him and it only made him laugh harder. "I guess I shouldn't turn down free labor."

Addy was right, though I didn't doubt the logic. The hall was cleaned quickly with all of us working on it. She'd been pleasantly surprised by the fact that cleaning the dishes just entailed dropping them into a matter materializer where foreign objects were removed and the dishes made fresh for the next time they were needed.

Kayle had settled himself behind the bar and busied himself cleaning and taking stock of the items behind it, while Addy and I sat across from him as he worked. I couldn't keep my gaze from straying to her as she'd slowly relaxed. I ached to trail my fingers down her arm, a nonchalant gesture that easily sprang up whenever I was around her, or whenever some baser part of me saw how easily she fit into the puzzle pieces of life here on the Aarond Form.

"So tell me about the name. Neseve Saille (Clever Arrow), what does it mean?" The Vallan came so easily to Addy. It tended to be a softer language comparative other races we'd encountered. In some old folktales, it was said that the whispering of the grasses on Var'Hallen had taught our ancestors to talk.

I realized I'd never tire of hearing her talk. While her English words were fascinating and new, listening to her whispering those Vallan words inclined me toward thoughts of quiet moments when whispers were more potent; when we --either of us-- had excuses to have our lips close to the other's ears.

I hooked my leg around her chair, just like I had earlier today in our quarters, and pulled her closer to me.

Kayle spotted the action in the mirror behind the bar even though his back was turned to us. He smiled at the action but didn't comment. Kayle like his family --and others with Ionina abilities-- knew when thoughts or moments should remain unvoiced.

I waited just long enough to feel a hint of refusal from Addy, but when it didn't come, I settled my hand at the small of her back, craved the feel of her and her closeness. The bond between us hadn't flexed tighter, at least not in the leaps and bounds it had been since it had been shut down, and yet still I felt a mild hunger just to have her close to me. It was an interesting consideration whether the feeling was purely biological and if it fed into the growing bond just the same as the bond itself did.

"The name was my brother's idea," Kayle reached into one of the boxes that sat at the back of the bar and pulled out a small token.

When he turned he leaned forward onto the bar that separated us he spun the token between his fingers.

"Which brother?" Addy tracked the object as he flipped it once and set it on the table.

"Lirin, he has a knack with small technologies. I'm flattered you remember I have others than just Bask," Kayle paused, "though he has made himself the easiest to remember of late." Kayle pushed the little coin to Addy.

She picked it up hesitantly, as if she were afraid it would harm her...or maybe that she'd harm it. "It's neat."

I traced a line down her back and her scent struck me quick as a snake from the action. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from sucking down a deep breath. I hadn't intended to elicit that reaction, but it lit me on fire to know I could with just a simple touch. "Stop teasing her Kayle."

When Addy looked back at Kayle, there was an accusation in her eyes, though it wasn't the kind that stung.

Kayle rested his head on his hand, which was propped onto the bar by his elbow, nonchalant though I was nearly certain at this distance he could smell her. A smile tugged at his lips, but it just as easily could be happiness for me or the amusement over the coin.

He turned to Addy again, "It's a normal coin with an ornate arrow design when you're in Neseve Saille (Clever Arrow). If you're not here, though, the arrow on the coin will always point you back here."

"Like a compass?"

He nodded, "Like a compass." Addy stared at him a moment too long and he let out a laugh, "I promise you that's what it does. We made a habit of teasing a lot more whenever we explained the coin before, but there's only so many people on this ship, and the novelty traveled through gossip fast enough that most had heard about it within a year." Kayle's eyes flicked back to me with a pout, "And you're--Esayr," he paused for only a moment before he continued, "is no fun."

Addy's attention returned to the coin. It was about as big as an Aule coin. She turned it over absently and ran her fingers around the edge of it, "Can I keep it?"

Kayle was already back to his business, counting stock of alcohol, "Of course. Anything you need at all, you need only ask. What's any member of our Riniere's is yours as well. Though," Kayle turned and gave a pointed glance at that coin, "that we give out to new customers for free."

"A business card," it was one of those lines from down on Addy's little planet.

I watched the English phrase settled into Kayle's thoughts as he puzzled over it for a second. It was interesting to see someone else confronted with her language. His smile was quick over the line. Kayle, like much of his family, settled into businesses easily, and the fact that this little token had an analog among humans likely pleased him.

"I thought I might find you here," the timbre of Laene's voice nearly covered up the tinkling chimes of his entrance. "Or at least I figured I'd find you, Kayle." Laene stepped up beside me, "Though Addy and Esayr are a pleasant surprise."

Laene glanced at us both in turn and Addy just smiled back. Her hand settled onto my leg at the knee with an ease that I'm certain Laene noticed, though he'd make no show of it, "It's nice to see you again Laene."

"You as well, Addy."

"You might as well have a seat too," Kayle gestured to the chair next to me. Laene remained standing, however, and likely would for a while still anyway. "I imagine you came to talk about the meeting?" Kayle adjusted his work so that he could face us while he polished some of the old-style drinking glasses, "Has a decision been made on reinstating work?"

"The process is already started. I'd imagine a notification will go out tomorrow about the terms of the early reinstatement. It's entirely at will, however, so I'm not sure how many will even agree and if it will release enough pressure to keep the Aarond Form from reaching a boiling point."

"I think we'll be surprised. No one wants this continued tenuous existence. Whether just to ease their own restlessness or the hope that in the time that they're away more progress will be made, I think males will have their reasons to take on jobs."

Laene nodded, "You're right. Damae optioned rolling polls sent out among the ship in the next few days to gauge interest, that way we could tailor the reinstatement to smaller groups instead of all at once."

Kayle sighed, "He's not wrong it would probably be a good idea. It's odd that he'd option something so logical seeing as he was one of the dissenters."

Laene grimaced, "He only optioned it after talk of the female coming to the ship tomorrow was brought up."

Addy, who'd been quietly following the conversation with only mild curiosity interjected quickly, "Is it a problem that she's coming?"

At the same time, Kayle uttered a startled, "What?" He glanced between Laene, Addy, and myself, "A female is coming to the ship?"

"Would that be a problem?" She was quiet when she asked it, uncertain.

Kayle laughed, "In all of the grand expanse of this sprawling universe, no Val' male in his Temani Bercari will ever tell you a female coming to this ship will be a problem" His eyes glittered with mirth, "Though the fact that you lot have been holding out on me when it comes to that kind fo news...that is certainly a consideration I will remember the next time I'm deciding to let you in after hours."

This time Addy laughed and everyone seemed surprised by it. It was a quick sharp beat of a laugh that seemed to take her by surprise as much as it did us, "If it makes it any better, it wasn't a long thought-out plan. We only just got it settled recently. I didn't think anything of it really. She's just coming up for an interview and to see the ship I think."

"If you're taking her around the ship she'll get a lot of attention," Kayle quipped.

"It was manageable I think even when I first experienced it," she mused in response, though it was a topic neither of us had considered and even now Addison was missing one singular facet of it that most of the males on the ship would not.

"It'll be different for her," I murmured, already considering how most males would want to come to sneak a glance at her. They would likely keep their distance, but as soon as word got out that she was on the ship the civilian areas would find themselves flooded with curious onlookers.

"How so?" Her hand squeezed my knee, drawing my attention back to the conversation.

"She's unmated with no soulbind. Males are going to be curious."

"And excited," Kayle added, even now I could feel the faint sensation of it from him, "which I'd imagine is exactly the reason Damae wants the polling to begin tomorrow."

Laene gave a curt nod as he finally dropped into the chair, "With an unmated female on the ship, no one will want to leave."

Kayle cursed under his breath, he glanced to Addy and then to me. She didn't notice the action, too focused on her own inner thoughts, "All at once then?"

Laene simply nodded; a muscle in his jaw clenched, "All at once."

We might as well be planning to toss a chunk of metal into a vat of boiling water with the explosion our Riniere was going to cause once our plan got out.

*****A/N*****

Something I thought about the other day was the concept of Senior Superlatives. I don't know if other places in the world have these things, but in America at least it's common that during our final year of high school, the class will vote on these odd 'awards' for other classmates called Superlatives. They're usually things like "Most likely to make it on Broadway" or "Most likely to write a book", though some schools it's no holds bar and there are some like "Most likely to get arrested" and what have you.

The thought led to me laughing all the way home on my drive from work as I thought of what superlatives some of the girls could have gotten in high school. So here are some fun ones that made me laugh the hardest:

Most likely to get caught going 70 mph in a 45 mph area -- Gabby

Most likely to be a closeted horse girl -- Petra

Most likely to become Batman -- Addy

Most likely to know what fork goes to what entre...and be kinda smug about it -- Nat

Most likely to argue about the superlative they got -- Charlotte

Most likely to be forgotten as a character if they were in a novel -- Alicia

Another Layla recommendation: for anyone that listens to podcasts as often as I do.

I listen to podcasts at work to make the time go by faster and the podcast that I can listen to for 8 hours day in and day out and never get bored is the Heaving Bosoms podcast with Melody and Erin. They're hilarious and their friendship and commentary are so genuine. On the podcast, they basically review a romance novel each week and also talk about all manner of things going on in their lives. I've never looked more insane than when I'm laughing out loud at something only I can hear that they've said. I can't recommend them enough.

Love always,

Layla

-How's this for being active ;p