Fourth floor common room: Monday evening

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

There was a large Firecat taking up pretty much the entire common room couch. Altra wasn't exactly giving off happy kitty vibes while he stared out the window, so it was probably best not to disturb him.

Karal didn't even try, just sat at the table with a pot of tea, attention divided between Altra, his notebook, and the box of savoury pastries he'd bought from J, GoB after class. There were far more than he could eat alone, so he'd be happy to share.

"Are you sure you don't want one?"

Altra looked at him long enough to say, :No,: then turned back to the window.

Karal shook his head and sighed, then nibbled on a pastry while he made more notes.

[ooc: open, of course.]

Comments

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I would, thank you," she decided, seating herself in a nearby chair. "How was your weekend?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

If anything, his smile got wider, and he hopped up to fetch a plate, setting it in front of her before he sat down. "They're savory, so they're almost dinner. And it was wonderful! I attended a wedding, the first I've been to as a guest."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"How interesting!" Inara accepted a plate and took a bite of the pastry, enjoying the mix of flavors. "What was it like? Did you enjoy yourself?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I did. It was fascinating, very different from weddings in Karse, but the important bits were the same." He smiled and leaned back a little in his chair, describing the ceremony. "It was strange to see the bride carrying flowers instead of a candle, but considering that she later threw the bouquet, it's good that it wasn't!"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Do you know the significance of carrying the flowers?" She asked, fascinated by the new traditions. "And your brides carry candles?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"The flowers are thrown by the bride, and the woman who catches them is the one who will be married next. It's not mandatory," he added quickly. "Just an old tradition. And they do. The bride carries an unlit candle and the groom lights it and sets it on the altar before they take their vows, so Vkandis Sunlord will recognise that they are now united."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"That's lovely," she said, taking another bite of pastry. "I'm still not sure about using flowers as a harbinger of future events, though."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal blushed and pushed a bit of pastry around on his plate. "Flowers are definitely the less embarrassing of the two traditions."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"What's so embarrassing about candles?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"No, there is another tradition, from this world." He really needed to learn to just not say things, sometimes, but it was hard not tell Inara.

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Oh?" She asked, curious. Maybe she'd get a book about wedding traditions out of the library sometime this week. "What is it?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"A garter," he said, still pink, gesturing at his leg where such a thing would go. If he ever wore one. Which he never, ever would. "The groom, umm, takes it off the bride, throws it into the crowd, and the men try to catch it. And sometimes an innocent passersby get hit with it," he added under his breath.

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"And what happens if an innocent passerby gets hit with it?" Inara was trying very, very hard not to laugh at Karal. "Hypothetically?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Apart from being very embarrassed?" Karal poked the pastry again, still pink, still very much not looking at her. "It serves the same tradition as the flowers."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Oh. I see." Yes, definitely still amused. "But you say it's not mandatory?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"It's not." He glanced up at her and a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. "You can laugh, if you like. It is rather funny."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry," she said, right before she started giggling.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal just put his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand and smiled ruefully. "I know, I know. Divine mischief at work, I think, to have it land on me." Trying to make her laugh now, he added, "It hit me right in the face, too."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Are you alright?" She asked, looking him over with some concern.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"What? Oh, yes! Yes, no harm done. It was a little thing," oh look, blushing again, "made of lace and, yes, well, it had no substance to it."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

Another grin at the visual. "That's the point of them, Karal. They don't get worn for very long."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Oh, glory," he muttered, laughing as he slid down in his seat and put his hand over his face. "And I couldn't bring myself to dispose of it, so I still have it!"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"You could give it to someone," she suggested. "Someone who wears stockings."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Maybe..." He was oddly reluctant. "I feel as if I should keep it. It's a tradition I was a part of, no matter how inadvertently. Does that sound strange?"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"No," she said, after a minute or two. "There must be a reason why it came to you, I suppose."