Quirks (Part I)

Writers: AL, Kaysea
Date Posted: 21st March 2009

Characters: Causton, Geni
Description: Causton has a dream that he's gained an unusual quirk.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 2, day 1 of Turn 5

"Geni!" he called down the staircase. "Have you seen my blue tunic? I
can't find it anywhere." He could hear his wife reprimanding one of the
children downstairs, and was about to call down again, when he heard
someone approaching the bottom of the staircase.

"What Causton?" Geni called back up to her husband. She'd heard him trying
to shout to her, but with the fight that had broken out and the subsequent
punishment had drowned out the words and kept them from being intelligent.

"Have you seen my blue tunic?" he called down again. "I thought it was in
the drawer, but it's not there." he shook his head. He had started
wearing set clothes each day, since he had come back from his illness - a
peculiarity that had given both Geni and Teene a laugh in the first
sevenday or so, but now... He couldn't help himself.

"Is it not in the wardrobe?" Geni climbed up the stairs, meeting her
husband at the top and raising her eybrows at Causton. His insistence that
he wear a certain thing on certain days was certainly odd and rather
silly, but she would humour him.

"I can't find it..." he shook his head, then his attention was caught by
something further along the hallway, a glimpse of blue had briefly
appeared in the doorway further along the hall. "Hang on a moment..." he moved
swiftly towards the door and pushed it open. His mouth dropped open in
surprise for a brief moment, before a smile split his face.

"Did you find it?" Geni followed Causton but didn't catch the blue as he
had blocked her view. She peered around him. "That's not really where
the wardrobe is."

"No, it's not..." he said, trying to hide the smile since he really should
be angry, not amused. He moved aside to show her what had happened to his
blue tunic.

Standing, looking shamefaced, and draped in her fathers tunic was Brylee.
Her long fair hair draped over her reddening face.

"Brylee!" Geni wagged her finger good naturedly at their daughter. "Why
are you going through Daddy's clothes? He has to get to work! Come on
darling, give him his shirt back."

"Don't worry about it now." he shook his head, the shirt was creased
beyond recognition, he'd have to find something else to wear. He did however,
notice that his daughter's face had creased and she was crying. "Brylee?"
he asked, bending down on one knee in front of her. "What's wrong
sweetling?"

She sniffed and made a swipe at her eyes with her balled fists. "I'm
s..sorry d..daddy." she said, her shoulders shaking as she broke into
sobs. "The b..boys... they s..said..."

Geni was about to say she could simply iron the shirt, but Brylee's
distress turned her attention back upon the child. "What did they say?"

She looked up at her parents, eyes going from one to the other to judge
what their reactions would be. "They said you were worried about daddy wearing
the same things on certain days, and that .... that..." she faltered,
knowing both she and the boys were in trouble.

Geni clicked her tongue and scooped her daughter into her arms. "Come now,
dry those tears. Let's get Daddy another shirt hm? Why don't you help me
pick it out?"

The child nodded slowly, as Causton followed the pair out. "Geni?" he
asked quietly, once they were in their own room, "are you worried?"

"I would be lying if I said no." Geni admitted with a small smile to her
husband. "It just seems...odd, especially for you. Your insistence, even
upon my suggesting that you wear a different one." Though he seemed a lot
calmer with the situation, perhaps because of their daughter's distress.

"I...I can't understand it... myself." he admitted, ruefully. "It just
seemed as if I needed routine to get back into my routine - if that makes
any sense?" he asked, knowing it really didn't.

"If it makes you feel better, I'll deal with it." Geni stood upon her
tiptoes and pecked her husband on the cheek. "As for routine, you'd best
get to work and get started before you're late. That will certainly break
your routine!"

"It's broken already," he smiled, taking another tunic from his wardrobe,
"Hmmm," he considered it, "green's okay for the day I suppose. Someone
told me its supposed to be calming, apparently..." he mused as he slipped it
over his head. "How's it look?"

"You look wonderful, as usual." Geni drew Causton into her embrace and
hugged him tightly. "You'd best get going."

"Yes, I should." he leaned over and brushed his lips over hers. "Don't be
too hard on her - or the boys..." he said, nodding in Brylee's direction.
The child still stood just inside theroom with his tunic on. "I can
remember Misara playing dress-ups in my fathers clothes when she was
little, too." he smiled fondly at his daughter.

"I shan't." Causton should know her better than that. Geni lightly
slapped at his arm then made a shooing motion with her hands. "Go now before I
have to drag you out just to get you to work."

"That'd look interesting to the apprentices.."

He could hear Geni talking over him, but when he focused on her she seemed
to fade away. He felt everything fade to black,"Geni!" he called down the
staircase. "Have you seen my blue tunic? I
can't find it anywhere." He could hear his wife reprimanding one of the
children downstairs, and was about to call down again, when he heard
someone approaching the bottom of the staircase.

"What Causton?" Geni called back up to her husband. She'd heard him trying
to shout to her, but with the fight that had broken out and the subsequent
punishment had drowned out the words and kept them from being intelligent.

"Have you seen my blue tunic?" he called down again. "I thought it was in
the drawer, but it's not there." he shook his head. He had started
wearing set clothes each day, since he had come back from his illness - a
peculiarity that had given both Geni and Teene a laugh in the first
sevenday or so, but now... He couldn't help himself.

Last updated on the March 21st 2009

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Quirks (Part I)