((So, good news! The other half was free for a few days, so we whipped up a new story! Due to a minor character revolt, it's not finished and this is all that is post-able. There will hopefully be more soon.))

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Uaithne sat cross-legged on the grass, bathed in the dappled shade of the surrounding trees, his dark cloak draped around him. He had pulled his green braid over his shoulder, and as he combed through the loose strands at the end, he asked his friend, "So, if a tree fell in the middle of the woods, and no one was around to hear it, would it make a sound?"

Aysel watched a bird hop around in the branches above them, drawing a knee up to clasp her arms loosely around it. "Isn't it kind of egotistical to think that it wouldn't? Is the world still there when you close your eyes? Presumably, even though you can't see it."

"That's faith. What's that saying, 'believe all of what you see and only half of what you hear'? If you didn't experience it yourself, then how are you to know for sure that it happened, or that it exists? You have to believe in it." Uaithne shrugged and tossed his braid back over his shoulder. "I suppose you could call it being egotistical," he laughed. "Or cynical."

"Then what about optical illusions? Those are visual. I don't know that cynical really co-" Whatever else Aysel had been about to say was interrupted when Chanda came around behind them, cracking twigs and leaves underfoot. "There you are! I was hoping you would know where-" He cut himself off and sat down, his eyes trained on Uaithne. In a loud stage whisper, he said to Aysel, "Hey, you didn't tell me your friend was hot!"

Uaithne blinked. Instinctively, he hiked his cloak up, covering the green tattoos sprawled across his shoulders that the newcomer could have only glimpsed, if he'd seen them at all.

Aysel closed her eyes briefly, then smacked Chanda upside his head. The rakshasa yelped and fell sideways. Rubbing his head, Chanda sat up and smiled at Uaithne, completely unrepentant. "Well anyways. I'm Chanda. You must be Uaithne."

Uaithne was silent for a moment, and then leaned towards Aysel to whisper in her ear, "What's the best course of action?"

Aysel whispered back, "Ignore him and don't make eye contact. Also you could try hitting him with a large stick." Chanda pouted. "I heard that."

Uaithne sat back and asked, this time not bothering to whisper, "Who is he?"

Chanda smiled widely. "Oh, I cannot be described in a mere few sentences, though you can certainly try." Aysel idly started piling dirt on Chanda's pants, much to his dismay. "He's dating my brother. I tried to talk him- my brother- out of it, but he wouldn't listen." Chanda brushed the dirt off his pants, batting Aysel's hands away when she tried to add more. "Some friend you are."

"He's dating Evren? Impressive." Uaithne smiled blandly at Chanda. "He must not be learned in proper dating etiquette: it's not right to hit on people who aren't the person you're dating."

Chanda smiled charmingly. "Is that right? But if you don't see me dating him... how can you know it's true?"

Uaithne considered Chanda for a moment, pale eyes calculating. "Are you new here?"

Chanda's smile brightened. "Personal questions already? I am fairly new, yes, you could say, depending on your definition of new. But I've also been here for a very long time." Aysel said, "He's been here half a year." Chanda jabbed her in the side without removing his smile from Uaithne (smiling, if possible, even more enthusiastically) and she smacked his hand.

Uaithne smoothed his thumb over his lower lip. "Figures," was all he said.

"And why does that figure?" Chanda rubbed his chastened hand.

Uaithne shook his head. "I don't get out much. Six months and I never noticed you."

"Aha! That must be why I never noticed you, either. Otherwise I am sure we would already be very well acquainted." Chanda continued smiling. Aysel had closed her eyes again and wore a slightly pinched expression. Chanda noticed and scooted away from her, coincidentally moving closer to Uaithne at the same time.

"You're sure? If we were well acquainted, I doubt it would be by my design." Uaithne couldn't help the amused tinge that infected his smile.

"But you don't deny that we would be well acquainted." Chanda gave Uaithne a serious, probing look.

"I said if we were well acquainted. There's always a possibility, after all, however slight." Uaithne returned the look, almost in challenge.

Chanda smiled brightly again, amused. "Then is there not the possibility that it was by your design, or with your consent?"

Uaithne raised an emerald eyebrow. "I suppose. I would like to believe that I have enough control over my own will to know that I would do and not do, but that's never really the case, I guess."

Chanda held up a finger. "But these hypothetical yous are still you, right? So they would not act outside of your own codes. Yet still, we would be well acquainted."

"All right," Uaithne conceded. "If I got out more, we probably would have been acquainted before now." His lips curved in a slight, teasing smirk. "Fortunately for me, I don't get out much."

Chanda smiled. "But if we had already met, we could not be meeting now for the first time, and I always say there is no time like the present. First meetings are always so lovely."

Uaithne sighed and leaned back on his hands. "Well, we've met. Is the first meeting over, the loveliness gone?"

Chanda sighed dreamily. "No." He fixed Uaithne with another look. "You have chosen to engage me in conversation. You have answered my questions, and questioned me, when you had no obligation to do so." A smile. "Why do you think that is?"

Uaithne sat up straight again, tugging on the collar of his cloak. He didn't say anything for a moment, and then, "I guess that just happens, when someone starts talking to you. Especially with such...gusto."

Chanda beamed. To Aysel, he said, "He thinks I have gusto. Isn't that cute?" Aysel had yet to open her eyes. "Chanda?" "Yes?" "Can I hit you now?" Chanda appeared to think about this. "Can I take a rain check?" "But... I'd really like to hit you right now." Chanda scooted closer to Uaithne. "Well, you can't. I'm sitting over here now." He smiled at Uaithne and patted his leg. "You don't mind, do you?"

Uaithne drew his leg up. Then, deciding it was one better, he got to his feet, smoothing his hands down his cloak and flipping the hood over his head. "Aysel, we'll have to finish our conversation another day, yes?"

Aysel opened her eyes and gave Uaithne a strained smile. "Yes. And next time, don't forget that there is always a stick." Chanda gazed up at Uaithne. "What are you-" "A big stick." Chanda smiled at the interruption. "What are you doing now?"

"Something," Uaithne said. "Something that doesn't involve you."

"Are you sure it doesn't?" Chanda's smile didn't flicker.

"Pret--" Uaithne caught himself, "I'm sure." He started towards the edge of the small woods.

Chanda smiled widely and laughed. "Ahh, I like him." Aysel pinched the bridge of her nose. "Somehow, I don't think the feeling is mutual." Chanda tutted. "That's only because you have no imagination."

Uaithne glanced briefly over his shoulder as he stepped out of the last bit of shade, and in that instant his shoulder was clipped sharply by that of someone who was obviously in a hurry. "Hey!" he shouted after the person, but there was no response. Uaithne shook his head, muttering, "Evren..." Evren continued straight through the trees, slowing his gait when he noticed Chanda and Aysel sitting in the grass. His eyes gleamed red in the mellow light as he approached the two, though a deceptively sweet smile curved his mouth. "Chanda!" he called.

Chanda looked up. "Oh... It's Evren. Hi, Evren."

Evren stopped before them, arms crossed, and his smile melted away. "Hi, Chanda. Remember me? Your boyfriend? Remember how we were supposed to meet at three? And you know how now it's almost four?"

"Oh, yeah." Chanda nodded. "Sorry about that. There was a slight change in plans."

Evren sighed, as if expecting something of this sort. "Of course. And what, pray tell, was the change?"

Chanda stood up and dusted himself off. With a happy smile, he said, "I've met someone. He said I had gusto!" Giggling, he started walking off. Aysel threw a twig at him.

Evren stared after Chanda. "What're you talking about?" And then at Aysel, "What's he talking about?" Without waiting for an answer, he caught up to Chanda and grabbed his wrist. "Chanda."

Appearing almost surprised at being stopped, Chanda said, "Yes?"

"What do you mean, you've 'met someone'?"

"Well, I mean just that. He was sitting over there," Chanda pointed, "and we talked and have therefore met each other. Is there another way you do it?"

"Well, uh," Evren looked down at their hands, and then released Chanda's wrist, "that's not usually the connotation that phrase carries, you know. 'I met someone' versus 'I've met someone'... Still. You should have at least... I don't know. Whatever. And now you're just...walking away."

"Well, I have met someone. And he won't be an easy nut to crack, so I have to go prepare for battle." Chanda paused, then said, "Well, bye," before patting Evren's arm and once again beginning to walk away.

In one swift motion, Evren stooped, grabbed a stick, and hurled it at Chanda, hitting him square in the back. "Fuck you," he growled.

Chanda reached for his back, pausing. "You two plot this, don't you? 'Today we will hit Chanda with a stick.' What's it going to be tomorrow? Rocks?"

"Keep this up, and it'll happen a lot sooner than tomorrow." Evren stalked up to Chanda's side.

"What're you going to do, Evren? Hit me?" Chanda folded his arms. "It won't help you any."

Evren raised his fist, tempted, but just as quickly lowered it again, trembling with the effort. Through gritted teeth, he bit out, "Then what will help, Chanda?"

Chanda's eyebrows rose. "I don't know, anger management classes?"

Evren palmed his forehead, inhaling deeply. "I don't understand you," he said finally.

Chanda smiled almost smugly. "Of course not." He turned to leave again.

Evren grabbed Chanda's shoulder this time to keep him in place. "Then let me try to," he said. "What do you want, anyway? Out of a relationship?"

Chanda rolled his eyes slightly. "I dunno. What does anyone ever want? A bit of fun, company, sex. We've had our fun, haven't we? What more do you want?"

Evren stared for a moment, his brow creased with lines of bewilderment and disgust, before releasing Chanda's shoulder with a shove. "Fuck," he whispered, and smoothed his hand over his face, as if to press out the underlying traces of pain in his expression. Looking at Chanda again, he said, "So is that it? Are we finished, then?"

Chanda seemed almost surprised by Evren's pain. "Well, yeah, I guess so. It's not really that big of a deal, is it? I'm sure you can find someone else."

Evren laughed dryly and turned his back on Chanda. "Of course I can find someone else," he said. "But that's not the point."

"Then what is the point?"

Evren didn't respond right away. Then, he shook his head. "There is no point. Fine, whatever. We're done. It's been great, time to find someone else to fuck, see ya around."

Chanda scratched his head, still mildly confused. "Okay... Well, bye." He started walking away, glancing back at Evren to see if he'd actually get to leave this time.

Evren didn't move and just continued to stare at the trees, arms folded, shoulders slightly hunched.

Chanda tucked his hands in his pockets, continuing to walk the rest of the way out of the trees, but without his earlier levity.

-

Evren glanced over his shoulder at the empty air where Chanda had been standing a minute ago. Groaning, he rubbed his eyes and raked his fingers through his dark hair as he gathered his thoughts. Then, he turned sharply on his heel and strode over to where Aysel was still sitting in the grass. Dropping down in front of her, he said, "Tell me everything you know about this person Chanda's suddenly interested in."

Aysel looked up from picking moodily at a leaf. After a moment, she narrowed her eyes. "And who will you use this information against? Chanda's poor victim is my friend, you know."

Evren rolled his eyes. "I'm going to use it against Chanda, of course. I'm not letting that little fucker get away with this."

Aysel nodded. "What do you want to know?"

Evren leaned forward almost conspiratorially. "Who is it? This person?"

Looking slightly guilty, Aysel said, "It's Uaithne. Don't take it out on him, okay? He's nice. Well. To me. He's kind of reclusive and he doesn't really like people. Which is a fairly effective Chanda-block."

Evren shook his head, though a devious smile had started to form around his mouth. "I don't know if there is such thing as an effective Chanda-block. You've never been romantically involved with him-- and trust me, I'll be doing your friend a favor... Uaithne, was it? With the green hair?"

"Yeah, the cu sìth. Smack Chanda a few times for me, okay? Or, I could just do it myself..." Aysel tapped her chin as if pondering this idea.

"Oh I'll definitely do it. In time. You could get a few in yourself before that." Evren's smile had fully formed by the time he stood up. Brushing his pants free of twigs and grass, he said, "Thanks for the info."

Aysel saluted Evren. "Do me proud."

"I will," Evren laughed, and then left the woods.