Moving on Up (Briika Tor)

[Kad Tor]

Kad was too excited to contain it. The way he busted through the door around breakfast time would indicate the day before had been a good one. It had been. The young Mando'ad had been paid a very healthy sum to fashion a custom set of beskar'gam. The funds had been paid in advance and in cash. He didn't want to blow right through it, but Kad was ready to convince @[member="Briika Tor"] it was time to leave the tiny apartment behind. Besides, Kad had seen the look on her face when she had come home from her "date" with Kable. If everything followed as it usually did with couples their age, it would not be long at all before their riduurok.

Briika was sitting at the small table, a cup of caf between her hands as was typical for her in the morning. Kad became a bit sheepish when he saw the look on her face. He should have told her he wasn't coming home for the night, but the young Mando'ad had worked so late, he fell asleep on a cot in the shop. It wasn't the first time, but it had been the first time he had not called.

"Su'cuy,, Briika. Sleep well?

Kad walked over to the counter and reached for the pot of caf. He poured himself a mug, and sat across from her, not before placing the 45,000 he had earned the day before.

"I can afford to help you with rent on a bigger place now," he said at an attempt for a peace offering.

 

[Briika Munin]

Briika was dressed already in her red 'gam, but her boots were still off sitting by the door of the apartment as was her buy'ce and gauntlets. The blonde's stocking feet were perched up on the chair across from her as she sat on the other side of the two-person dining table. Normally @[member="Kad Tor"] would be sitting in that other chair her feet were occupying this time of morning, but her vod'ika hadn't come home last night . Which didn't bug her too much as he had been working late hours at the smithshop, but the fact the di'kut hadn't called did bug her to no end.

When the tall sandy blonde finally graced her with his presence, Bree's look said it all. "Su cuy'gar, Kad… I did in fact, actually very well that there was no one snoring in the room," Bree smirked lofting a light brown eyebrow at the young Mando'ad while moving her feet from the chair so he could sit down with his mug of caf. The golden blonde was just about to lay some heat on the young Mando'ad when he dropped a wad of credits onto the table…. Briika's jaw dropped when she saw how much.

"Oh Kad'ika… I'd say you can! That's a lot of mulla. How did you ever come by all of that?" she gazed over at him with great curiosity, and a bit of excitement. Okay, more than a bit, but Briika wasn't going to let her vod see that.

 

[Kad Tor]

"I picked up my first job for a custom suit of beskar'gam," he said with a proud look. "I guess you could say I am an official beskarsmith now. I was so excited that instead of going into the shop yesterday I went to Enceri to pick up the tools I would need for the job from buir's shop.

Kad stopped to down his cup of caf and rose from the chair he had been occupying to pour another cup. There was a slight spring in his step that had never been there before. One that Kad saw in Briika ever since he moved Keldabe. The same spring that she got from Kable Detta. The young Mando'ad wasn't even aware it was there, but it was so noticeable, especially to anyone who knew him well. Kad poured the dark, hot, liquid in his mug and sprung back to the chair.

"I'm sorry I didn't contact you, but I ran I to some trouble on the back to Keldabe, so I had to pull an all nighter since the boss won't let me do side projects on his time."

Kad mentioned nothing about Ralize, the spitfire mechanic who came to his rescue, but he was thinking about her. The green eyes she wore haunted his mind. They were so vibrant and unique, yet reminded him of his sister @[member="Briika Tor"] all at the same time.

"I was hoping to make it up to you. You're still off today right?"

 

[Briika Munin]

Blue-green eyes watched thoughtfully as @[member="Kad Tor"] got up to get a refill on his caf. There was something about her younger brother that was different. Which Briika couldn't quite put her finger on, but it was there…. Then, it dawned on her. He was twitterpated! Gods… Is that how she looked to him after spending time with @[member="Kable Detta"]?! Though, they were well past that stage of their growing relationship. No, Bree was in love with the dark-haired Detta brother and he with her. It would be just a matter of time now before the young couple took the next step. Kable was waiting to be promoted to a Rally Master and get @[member="Nolan Detta "]and his business license approved for their brewery/distillery, then they would make their riduurok to each other. She couldn't wait… for more reasons than one!

Briika took a long sip from her caf, then smiled up at her vod and raised her hand for a high five. "Kandosii, Kad'ika. I'm proud of you as I bet buir was. And elek, I'm off today… What did you have in mind for the Tor siblings, hmm?"

 

[Kad Tor]

"I was hoping you wouldn't mind if we spent some time looking for a bigger place, and I thought I'd show you what I've been up to. I've been busy, you've been busy, and whatever we do after that I was hoping we could just have the day to ourselves. Opportunities for that aren't going to be around much longer."

Kad did not have a sad tone. It was direct and matter of fact. They were older and approaching the time to be starting their own families. They would always be brother and sister, but they wouldn't always be able to spend their time together. It was a fact of life and a fact of getting older. A fact they both learned all to well when Valen left. Besides one only had to see @[member="Briika Tor"] and @[member="Kable Detta"] interact with each other to know that, barring anything out of the ordinary, the relationship was a permanent one.

"We ah... need to take your speeder, or walk," he said trying to skirt the issue of the spitfire mechanic. "Mine is sort of out of commission for major overhaul right now. The engine blew on the way back from Enceri, and I was practically stranded an hour outside of Keldabe."

Right she would ask, and if she asked, Kad would tell. He wasn't good at keeping things secret from his sister for too long. The Mando'ad just wasn't sure what to make of things yet.

 

[Briika Munin]

Briika held her caf mug with both hands while listening to what [member="Kad Tor"] had to say about things not staying the same way for much longer as they were getting older. And, it was true. Her and Kable were already starting to make plans for their life together moving forward. It both pained and excited the blonde to think that someday soon she would no longer look to her buir or vod for comfort, help, or guidance, but rather her riduur. Yes, it was time to really take advantage of the time they did indeed have left together as siblings without attachments. "I know."

Downing the last of her caf, Bree nodded to her brother, then pushed up from the table and walked her empty mug over to the sink and washed it out, leaving it to air dry. "Wow, really?! You know I'm totally amazed that ba'buir's old speeder still even runs. I hope you found a good little mechanic who is well-versed in the older models enough to fix it, and can get the parts…. erm This mechanic wouldn't happen to be of the female variety would they?" she asked with a bit of a knowing smirk before going to slip on her boots and other things laid out by the door.

"My speeder is right out back. Let's go get into mischief, eh vod'ika?"

 

[Kad Tor]

She had his number, [member="Briika Tor"] really had his number. All Kad heard at that point was her question about the mechanic being of the female variety. All that did was make him think about those green eyes again, and before he knew it, he was spilling his guts.

"A petite little thing, Elek! She has the most vibrant green eyes you've ever seen. I'm about a whole foot taller than her. She's got dark hair like Kable's and is a real spitfire.

Yeah he was not paying attention to the fact Briika wanted to leave already. Kad scurried behind her as she was almost out the door.

"So how do I get her to like me?"

 

[Briika Munin]

"Oh boy… Do you ever got it bad, vod'ika," Briika giggled with a shake of her golden head as she pulled the door closed to lock it.

"Has she flirted with you yet? You need to reciprocate…. Compliment her on things she does well and how pretty she is, but not in a man hungry way. Just sweetly," she said, then bounded down the stairs past [member="Kad Tor"] and out the entrance to the apartment area of the Oyu'baat to where her speeder was parked.

 

[Kad Tor]

Wow [member="Briika Tor"] could not have been more confusing with her advice. Maybe. Briika had forgotten, but Mando women had a certain reputation for shooting men in the wrong places if they even dared call them pretty or compliment their looks. They were concerned about being seen as warriors. Verd equal with their male counterparts. Mando'a even did not distinguish between genders for that reason, among others. Kad sure felt like he was playing catch up today.

"Okay hold on Bree'ika. First of all how do I even know if she's flirting with me, and second are you suggesting I can actually get away with telling her I think she's pretty. You know what happened to the last verd that told buir's is she was pretty?"

Of course she knew. She had been there. It would be a medical miracle if that verd actually contributed to the next generation of Mando'ad naturally. Oh well. Briika would explain. She always did. The blonde Mando'ad was always having to explain things to Kad when it came to women.

Kad jumps into the speeder and pulled out his datapad. He had a list of properties he wanted to look at, but one in particular which was close to a shop he had seen for sale. It may have also been close to. Ralize's shop as well, but that was a coincidence. The list had been generated before hey had met.

 

[Briika Munin]

Briika laughed. "Oh I do remember that… Poor vod," she said, then started up the two-seater speeder. "Do I have to spell it out for you? Has @Raline Darkfeather played goo-goo eyes with you yet, or given you lingering touches like when exchanging items. Have you made her blush yet? And as far as compliments, go for the natural ones, just don't come out boldly and say she's mesh'la. That will earn you a black eye or sore ribs… and/or worse," the blonde snickered at the last one. She'd done all three before, but not to [member="Kable Detta"] as he was a gentleman on all accounts.

Bree pulled out from her parking stall out back of the Oyu'baat and drove down the alleyway to the main street, then looked over to [member="Kad Tor"] riding shotgun. "Okay, ner vod… Which way?"

 

[Briika Munin]

Double post… How rude!

 

[Kad Tor]

Had Ralize blushed? All the time, so check. Did she linger a bit when handing him something? Maybe, so check. The goo goo eyes were the first thing which had happened, though Ralize had tried to had the fact they had gotten wide when they first met. That was three for three. The real question was had Kad reciprocated, and the answer was yes.

"Okay so three for three on all of those. So she did flirt with me, so what? And if you must know, yes I flirted back.

Kad stuck his tongue out at his sister. He loved teasing [member="Briika Tor"], and why not. The golden haired Mando'ad could dish it out as well as she could take it. They both could. That was part of the reason they were so close.

"Take a left. There is a rental just on the edge of the city which borders the river.

The location wouldn't be as great for Briika in getting to her day job, but Kad thought she'd like the mix of still being in Keldabe with some of the feel of Enceri. Of course the snow capped mountains were missing, but the sound of the river, the smell of the plains, and the fishing would be familiar to her.

"Enough about my love life. Tell me about that picnic you had with Kable the other day."

Honestly Kad just wanted to shift the focus off of his new interest. He knew Briika well enough to know she wouldn't let him live it down if she realized he was such a sucker for Ralize's emerald eyes that couldn't help but smile every time she looked at him.

 

[Briika Munin]

Briika stuck her tongue out right back at her younger brother, then turned left when [member="Kad Tor"] said to sending him crashing into his door on purpose as she cornered sharply.

"Well nothing too juicy to report really… We had lunch under a Vershok tree near a meadow with a waterfall nearby, shared a kiss, okay couple of kisses, but nothing too overly passionate as I know what you were thinking… then went for a swim with our clothes on and jumped off the top of the waterfall into the deep pond below. It was kandosii as far as dates go," Bree said, giving him a waggle of her eyebrows, then continued.

"Afterwards when [member="Kable Detta"] brought me home, I told him I hoped he would ask me out again, and he replied. 'Count on me asking you out for the rest of your life'. Oh Kad'ika… I think I'm in love for reals," she said, flashing a wishful smile his way, then slowed down the speeder.

" Are we getting close to your destination? The river is coming up."

 

[Kad Tor]

The date sounded fun, and it didn't bother Kad that they were kissing. He knew Kable was respectful of [member="Briika Tor"]. There would not be anything which would happen that Briika didn't allow, and Kad knew of her decision to wait for her riduur before being intimate. The goran was about to interject his thoughts, but Briika added the last bit. "Count on me asking you out for the rest of your life."

Kad forced a smile, Briika would know. It wasn't that he wasn't happy for his vod'ika, Kad just knew what that meant. Kable made his intentions very clear with that statement, and Briika had made hers know in what she had just told Kad. Yes things would change, but Kad had to convince himself he was gaining a brother and not losing a sister.

"Keep going until you see a mechanic shop and then count five houses to the left.

He wasn't ignoring what Briika had said about her date, Kad just had to process it.

"He sounds serious, Briika," Kad finally said.

 

[Briika Munin]

There was a slightly awkward pause between the close siblings after Briika had spilled the beans to [member="Kad Tor"] about what the dark-haired Detta brother had said to her and what the implications were most likely.

"Elek… I think [member="Kable Detta"] is waiting to make sure his position with the Ori'ramikad is secure and that his business is up and going before he asks me to be make a riduurok. Which shows me that indeed he is riduur material wanting to provide a good home for his family to be," Bree nodded knowing her younger brother was feeling a bit out of sorts about the news.

"You know, Kad'ika, whatever happens you'll always be ner cyare vod," she said squeezing his hand, then noticed the name on the mechanic's shop as they passed by it.

"Hmm… Is that [member="Ralize Darkfeather"]'s place by chance?" Bree smiled with a teasing look, then pulled the speeder over in front of the fifth house past the shop on the left.

 

[Kad Tor]

"I know," Kad said as he placed a brotherly kiss on [member="Briika Tor"]'s cheek.

Kad was rarely affectionate in that way with his sister, but somehow it seemed fitting. Here they were both talking about members of the opposite sex with each other. They were moving beyond their station simply being the ade of Solus and Kara Tor. Sometime in the future Briika would become part of clan Detta, and Kad would be the head of his own household. Life was getting different for them, and even though there was part of Kad which felt loss in some way, he was mostly happy.

"Maybe," Kad said with a wink as the speeder pulled up next to the first property on the list. "You have got to see the river first. The fish I got out of their last night were amazing."

The Mando'ad hoped out of the speeder and ran around the back of the property to the riverbank, and waited for Briika to come around. He closed his eyes and let the sound of the river and cool breeze take him back to Enceri.

 

[Briika Munin]

Briika let the meaning of the rare affection given to her by her younger brother, then got out of the speeder and followed [member="Kad Tor"] around back of the dwelling to where a river ran close by. The scene brought back many good memories of growing up in Enceri. There had been a river not to far away from the Tor homestead where dinner was often caught for the family meal.

"Last night, huh… And whom did you share them with cause it wasn't me?" the blonde questioned teasingly again, then added with a smile. "Well why don't you show me the inside. We may need not look further if the place is decent enough," she nodded, then started to head back to the front of the property.

 

[Kad Tor]

Kad nodded to [member="Briika Tor"]'s suggestion. There were few moments like this where the young Mando'ad could so easily check out of reality for a time. The breeze and smells of the air kept Kad in Enceri for much longer than it had for Briika. She had been in Keldabe six months longer than Kad had been, and in some ways, he was still missing Enceri.

Rounding back to the front of the house, Kad quipped a response to Briika.

"If you want some more fish, you can always go to the shop and ask. I let her keep the rest."

No sooner had Kad walked in through the front than his eyes popped out of his head. The cabin style home was well taken care of, and much more roomier than where they were currently living.

 

[Briika Munin]

"I just might!" Briika deadpanned her vod before pushing past him into the dwelling.

Boy did her attitude change though when her blue-green eyes feasted on the interior of the little cabin. It was perfect! The blonde gave a quick inspection of the lower floor, then went up stairs to check it out as well.

"I'm sold…. though how much are we talking, [member="Kad Tor"]?" Bree asked from the top of the stair case.

 

[Kad Tor]

Was [member="Briika Tor"] seriously upset that he had let Ral keep the rest of the fish. Kad had no way of keeping them from going bad at the forge, and she had saved his shebs onthe way back to Keldabe. If Briika was upset, maybe it was just a taste of what Kad felt whenever Briika did something which favored Kable instead of him. The frustrations of change had to be felt. The two couldn't be the closest companions of the opposite sex forever, especially if Briika was serious about Kable.

Fortunately it seemed Briika wasn't too upset as she saw the interior of the cabin style home. The cost was something which was manageable. Kad had just been paid 45,000. He was prepared to pay the first year of rent up front. It would be less than that before Briika would likely move out anyway.

"1200 a standard month. We can afford, hell I could pay the first year and still have a little over 30,000 left over from that custom beskar'gam job. We don't need to worry about the rent. Do you want to see the rest of the place? You gotta see this kitchen, at least that's what the advertisement says."