A Lullaby to Conjure With

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

There's a few moments' calculation, putting things like parents and education together. Maybe he's not exactly *remembering* 17. "Red ones go faster, right?" she says, resting an elbow on the bar, and resting her chin on a delicately closed fist. "Hmm, your parents come watch you race?"

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin makes a face like he'd eaten something bitter.

"Nah, racing's my thing. My passion, my bike, my wins," he says with genuine pride. "And red kinda looks like fire, right? And when you're winning, you're 'on fire'? So maybe when you're 'on fire' you're getting ready to win too?" Korvin chuckles at the silly thought. "Red's working well so far, so I wouldn't want to change it. And besides, what kind of bike named Ruby is gonna be dark blue or something?" Korvin seemed to have meant it as a joke, but the seriousness in his eyes betrayed he'd thought carefully about Ruby's paint scheme.

"But," he said, waving a hand like he was breaking himself out of a spell. "How are you? I mean, still a great singer, obviously," he smiles, "but like, what's been happening the last like month and a half?"

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

She nods along with the explanations. It was far more attention to naming than she'd have ever put into anything. But she'd never had a shiny red racing bike...

She's about to ask how fast it does go when Korvin's question cuts into her thought process. "Oh...well...been offworld most of the past month myself, so I'm not really caught up. Had a...friend who let me tag along on her trip...who kinda suddenly abandoned me at Kamda, and I spent a couple weeks earning passage back. Just got in last night, basically." Her smile allows some of the space-lagged weariness to show.

"So...drinks, and we can catch up on our offworld adventures? I've got a new appreciation for a few of the space chanteys that involve folks stranded on this world or that one looking for a berth home."

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin looks puzzled then annoyed as she talks about her adventure.

"She like, just ditched you? I... That's trash. I mean, when people are counting on you... Well," he says, shaking it off a little, "I'm glad you're back."

"Two of the 'Here's to Drezzie's grand kid,' please!" Korvin waved at one of the busy servers, with mugs of a pleasant but not fancy beer arriving after a short wait.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel shrugs. "Yeah, pretty much. That was after telling me my friends were trashy and she thought I could be so much better, and would make someone a great wife...the vibe was pretty much the worst proposal ever?" She accepts the mug, lifting it in a silent toast appropriate to its name before continuing. "So..I said as much, and she wasn't much pleased."

"But yeah, if you're gonna buy me a ticket offworld just to...I don't know, peel me away from my 'bad influences'" One hand gestures at the cheery room, painted nails catching the light in a glittery flash, "Like really? But I mean...If you're going to do that, at least have the decency for a return ticket when you realize your fixer-upper isn't interested in gettin' fixed?" She takes a long pull, then dips her head as she licks foam surreptitiously from her muzzle, hair slipping across one side of her face in the process.

Another shrug. "But I managed with a bit of help from friends, right? But now, how was your trip? I mean, there's educational and then there's all the stuff you can squeeze in around an education, right?"

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin nods in agreement with Dhel's description, his face showing a level of moral outrage that few other than teenagers can achieve.

"'Bad influences'? Gah, whatever." He takes a hearty drink along with Dhel, making a mental note that he clearly needs to meet them. Then he chuckles when asked about his trip. "Oh, I didn't tack on too much besides the educational stuff. My dad sent along some droid from his company to help keep me out of trouble. Which, like, it's the Core Worlds. How much trouble could I get up? Especially following my parents' travel plans." Korvin rolled his eyes and took another drink.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Well. Obviously. By not following their travel plans." Dhel grins over her mug. Her eyebrows lift slightly as her head tilts. "Hmm...not that I'm gonna report on it or anything, but I assume you're like...not 12 because Dezzie probably wouldn't be serving you the unwatered beer then right? Haven't been around enough ...Pantorans," it's almost a question, but not quite. She's pretty sure she's picked the right blue-skinned species, "to guess ages reliably."

"I might be a bad influence, but I'm not out to watch someone's kid go home tipsy on a fast bike."

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin starts to look offended as she's talking about being 12 or something, but when he realizes it's about the booze he laughs loudly.

"Oh, come on now. Rich kids drink plenty without worrying about ages," he chuckles a little and shakes his head. At parties, plenty of them get smashed, but that ain't safe around here. I mean, Drezzie's place is mighty safe, but there's plenty of scary things between that door and home."

The young man adopts a serious expression, then realizes that may not seem very convincing. His eyebrows jump as he realizes what'll show he takes drinking seriously: "And, I'd never take stupid risks with Ruby."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Which is why Drezzie's not gonna serve kids here. Poor kids sneak off with their parents' hooch and find someplace the grown-ups aren't." For a moment, she's almost serious, and a little nostalgic? Those times had been a very different sort of having fun with friends and booze than could be found these days.

"And..." she leans in to bump a shoulder against his. "I'm not worried about you drinking. Your folks can worry about you stuntin' your growth or whatever."

"I _am_ interested in you not takin' stupid risks if you're going to give me a ride on Ruby." A thing she has apparently decided ought to happen. "And I have some standards about just how tight I'm hanging on that depends on a number of things...like how well we get on, and whether those school trips mean you're...shall we say, still getting to the playing field in other areas. Or maybe starting line's a better phrase for a racer, eh?"

[Korvin Hikarrin]

With the conversation focused on his bike and a pretty girl, Korvin couldn't smile much more smugly.

"Hanging around racers and rich kids, I'd say I know how to manage a race," he says, emphatic metaphor quite clear, "from start to finish. Plenty more to rich kid parties than drinking, drugs and gambling, after all," he says knowingly.

"So what else do you want to know before you go jumping on a bike with me?" Korvin asked with an eyebrow raised. "It sounds like you're up for a good thrill but no near death experiences, which is where I like to live. Not interested in having to explain any scrapes on you, me or Ruby." The Pantoran's eyes are still sparkling with interest in Dhel, but his mouth is a flat line of seriousness about not putting Ruby at risk.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

The violet fabric at her shoulders shimmers as the fur beneath ripples gently with the Bothan's laughter. "A good thrill? Yeah, that's exactly it, Korvin. The best treatment for a wasted month, isn't it?" Reaching, she taps one sharp nail-more like a blunt claw-against the side of his mug, audibly scratching down the rough clay. "No scratches to explain? Duly noted. Wouldn't want your ma wondering, hmm?"

Her own mug is set on the bar, half forgotten as attention and questions focus on her current companion. "Is is only speed that gives racers a thrill, then? Is the thrill the only reason to race?" A chuckle, and a mischievous look up at him through thick lashes. "Do you have to sneak back into your room after late night rides?"

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin returns to a happy grin as Dhel keeps talking, staying attentive and not too cool. The remark about scratches does make an eyebrow rise in interest.

"If I needed to sneak, I could, but no. Nobody's waiting up for me or some trash like that. And no, racing isn't all about speed. You have to be able to keep up with the competition, but it takes finesse -- some, ah, good handling -- to actually get what you want," he said with a mix of insight and innuendo.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Hey, don't knock folks that care enough to be there for you...hoping you don't actually need 'em to be," she says with a grin that remains good-natured, though she scoops up her mug for another long pull. "Ah, but I'm beating around the Proverbial Bush... are they 'not waiting up' at the place you lay *your* head? It's just...I'm a little past sneaking out of rooms in the morning, if you catch my drift." She sets the mug down, with an empty *thunk*.

"So if that's the case, we can see how you handle bikes and Bothans on a thrilling, and possibly scenic, route to dropping my at my sib's place." It's not even a question to it. Dhel's never indecisive about what she wants, only sometimes over the cost for it. This? It's a fond welcome home from the universe, isn't it?

She offers her hand, palm down, in invitation to help steady her off the tall stool. OK, it's really only tall to Dhel and the children who are not running around the bar.

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin seems for a moment like he might interject, but Dhel is close enough if not quite right about him, and getting to the ride sounds like a better use of time than arguing about details.

With a more muted but still clear smile, he stands and politely supports the offered hand. Bothan fur is a new sensation to him, but it actually has a gentler, more refined quality than he might have expected.

"I'm just gonna say," Korvin says, in a quieter and more serious tone, "You don't seem like anyone who would need to be sneaking out in the morning. But for now, let us ride," he transitions smoothly, his voice taking a slightly more formal tone. He offers an elbow that she might hook if she's feeling fancy, and he gestures toward the door with his opposite hand, that she might precede him if she's feeling independent.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Fancy, and then some as she takes his hand, hops down, and then takes his arm, leaning against him companionably on the way out, head topping out a bit below his shoulder. "Hmm, kind of the point. Not sneaking means everyone knows, and I'm not setting myself against disapproving parents at that level of 'can make my life difficult' kiddo." There's light swish across the back of his calves as her tail gives a dramatic flare to her skirt as they exit. "At least not at the current level of engagement, hmm?" she purrs. "Let's ride, and see where we go from there, Korvin, rider of Ruby."

/exit?
/scene?