((XD Nothing scares Nami. At least, until the crap she's been stirring hits the fan and something is breathing down her neck. Then she's like, "Oh shit. D:" Yeah, her skull is thick and she's none to bright in that department. But their words will come back to haunt her. Just you wait! And then she will worry some and get nervous. B)))

Nami stared at the gift in awe, unable to reply to D'iala for a full minute or so. When she finally found her voice, she looked at him, then back at the necklace, stuttering, "I... it's beautiful... yes... yes, I like it very much... No one has ever... no one has ever given me jewlery before..."

Without waring, she flung one of her arms around his neck in a hug, still clutching the chain in her other hand. "Thank you!" she cried, then released him, saying softly as she did so, "Thank you..." She fastened it around her neck without further delay, still marveling at it.

Nami herself was a little suprised at how strongly she reacted to the present. But like she'd said, no one had ever given her jewlery, probably under the assumption she wouldn't wear it... She had never cared or even noticed, not even realizing how badly she wanted such an accessory until someone had handed one to her. The thought crossed her mind, however, that maybe, she cared naught for the jewlery so much as she cared about who had been the one to give it to her... But she dismissed the thought after but s fleeting second, thinking it a bit silly. Afterall, she'd only just met D'iala...

((WEWT~! 8D ))

D'iala's face brightened, then blushed even deeper at the hug, "Really? I'm glad!" a smile.

After a moment, he spoke again, "We really should get back to the temple. It's getting late-" he stopped, "Well, late-ER. Kairune's going to start worrying soon. Shall we head back?"

D'iala was surprised over Nami's reaction. Had no one seriously ever given her jewelry before? It seemed... well, quite a pity, actually. Not that Nami needed jewelry - she was quite pretty without it. But it just seemed like one would automatically just assuming that it would be a nice thing to give her. He had. Though, he wasn't sure why he had even though to give her a gift. It was just... a spur of the moment thing. It seemed to right to pick that up for her, like it was made for Nami. Or was that all just in his head..?

Nami beamed at him, looking for all the world like he'd just built her a palace, rather than bought her a necklace. "Yes," she said, her smile not faultering, "Yes, we probably should get back, or else Raie will come looking and we'll miss him." She paused, then added, "You don't have to call him Kairune, you know. Everyone calls him Raie. He won't mind."

He smiled, "Alright then," Raie, huh? That's a nice nickname.

~*~*~

D'iala opened the door to the temple, holding it open until Nami had stepped inside and then followed her in. While he was still a little pale, the walk back had done him good. "Raie, we're back," he called after they were nearer the door to the hallway.

There was no answer.

Nami frowned, pushing open the door. "Raie?" she called, walking over to his room and knocking on the door. "Raie? Are you here?"

Again, there was no response.

Nami threw open the door and glanced around- sure enough, there was Raie curled up on the bed asleep, his pose rather comically like a dog's. His younger sister rolled her eyes, "You big oaf..."
Trotting over to the bed, she carefully picked up a pillow... and then whapped him with it across the head.
Raie jerked awake, tumbling out of bed with a muffled "Oomf!"
"Oh, come looking for us indeed!" Nami scoffed, and Raie, rubbing his head, just grinned before stifling a yawn.
"Ah, sorry, sorry... I was tired, Nam..."

D'iala was laughing by the doorway, "Don't worry about it, Raie. You probably wouldn't have wanted to head into town, anyways. Apparently we must have chosen very bad timing to go into town. Oh!"

The priest walked over to Raie's bed, and handed him the necklace. It was a simply chain style, like Nami's, but this one had a small, silver dragon charm with sapphire eyes instead, "I got this for you when we were in town," he smiled.

Raie looked at it, then at D'iala and smiled. "Thanks," he said, getting to his feet and wrapping the chain around his wrist several times to make a bracelet of it, rather than a necklace. "It's awfully kind of you to get this for me... Well, shoot, now I feel bad because you're the host, and here you are getting us gifts when we have nothing for you." He grinned, "We'll make it up to you, though."

Nami quickly supressed a twinge of jealousy at Raie getting a necklace too. She didn't know why, but... Silently, she comforted herself by deciding that the necklace she had been given was much nicer. But oh, how petty she was being! It was a small thing she felt, just sibling rivalry... only sibling rivalry...

"Don't worry about it. I wanted to get you two something as a gift," he smiled. So that you'll remember me after you've left. So that you'll know not everyone hate demons, and that you always have a friend here.

That's what he wanted to say. But... no. It just would have been too awkward, especially having just met them. So instead he would have to satisfy himself by doing what he always had to end up doing; staying quiet and keeping to himself. Raie didn't ask about the bad timing comment I made, D'iala realized, That might be for the best. It would be... a bit awkward to explain that encounter.

"Shall we get dinner made, or is it too late to care anymore?" he asked, joking a little.

((Hey... hey! I wanna have Kirechk show up at some point soon. Mabeh the next night or somthin'? :3 ))

((YEEEEEEEEEEEEES. I want him to show up! D: ))

Raie laughed, his ears perking up. "It's never too late for dinner!"
The response to his comment was an click of a tongue and rolling of eyes. "Says the bottomless pit."
"Aw, don't act like you don't eat a ton," Raie teased, lightly tapping Nami on the nose.
"Not half so much as you!" Nami countered, lifting her chin, "And if you do that again, I'll bite you!"

Raie snorted as he pursed his lips to repress a chuckle, "I don't doubt it."

((HURRAH! 8D Because I have this whole nifty, wannabe epic show up for him all planned out! 8D Though, I seriously came thiiiis close to making the charm on Raie's necklace bronze, just so that Nami's would be better. >.> ))

D'iala laughed, "I'll head down and get it started, then! Spaghetti good with you two?"

Not knowing quite what to make, he had thought that pasta and rolls would be good compromise for dinner. 'After all, who doesn't like spaghetti?' was the reasoning he was going by at the moment. If that reasoning fell out from under him...

Shit.

((When I scrolled down to your response, I just saw the word 'shit' and it made me laugh so hard. XD))

"Yes," Nami and Raie both responed at the same instant. The two glanced at eachother, Raie looking thoroughly amused, Nami looking like she'd just heard a joke in very poor taste and wasn't sure whether she ought to laugh or scold.

"You'd be very hard-pressed," Raie explained to D'iala with some amusment, "To find anything-within reason- that Nami or I would not eat. We're hardly picky eaters." Nami, here's a shock, did not contradict his statment.

Well. It was one thing they could agree on.

((XDD D'iala's wording there is seriously what mine would be. Except I'd be going "SHITSHITSHITwhatamIgonnadonow?GAWDDAMMIT!" >.> He's to polite/nice to do that, though XD))

Though very much relieved by this, D'iala tried very hard not to show it, though he did smile, "I'm not much of a picky eater myself, either," he walked to Raie's doorway, then stopped and looked back at the siblings, "I'll be down in the kitchen, if you need me,"

With that he disappeared around door frame. The sound of a door being opened and footfalls on stone followed shortly after.

When he had turned into the well-lit kitchen (which as a dinning room) - a decent sized room built out of stone with counters and cupboards along one wall, and a wooden table near the other - D'iala leaned against one wall and let out a relieved breath. "We're hardly picky eaters." That would make things so much easier. But he really should get started.

After locating exactly which cupboard the pot had been put in, then fishing it out from behind a larger soup pot, D'iala turned on the stove - or, to be exact, spoke the command that started a smokeless fire that didn't require an air supply in the heart of the stove - filled the pot with water, and put it on the stove to start heating up.

((Blerg, we can skip all the tedious cooking details and just have the food done when Nami and Raie come down, if you want. XD))

((But I LOVE tedious cooking stuff. D: ...Haha, no. XD I'm with your suggestion.))

Nami and Raie were mostly quiet upstairs while D'iala cooked, likely looking around. And then, when the meal was about finished, there was a noisy thud, followed in several seconds by the skitter of footsteps down the stairs.

"Do you need any help with anything?" Nami asked, rocking back and fourth on the balls of her feet and clasping her hands behind her back. "With cleaning up or getting plates and silverware out, or something?" She looked slightly guilty, and almost like she was trying to play innocent- there was little to no doubt it had something to do with the earlier thud.

((XDDD Do you know just how ODD it is to try and write someone turning on stove when they don't have electricity and NOT make it sound stupid? XD))

Grinning, D'iala nodded, deciding it best not to ask what the thud was, "Could you get the plates? Middle cupboard, second shelf. I already have the silverware out," he gestured with his free hand at a small pile of forks on the table, "so you don't need to worry about that,"

After checking the noodles and giving the tomato sauce one final stir, he picked up each pot in turn and set them on the table, one on either side of a basket of rolls on the table top.

Nami nodded, fairly bounding over to the cupboard to do what she'd been asked. Reaching up for the plates, she hesitated, and then picked up only two. Just to spite Raie. But, no... With a sigh, she went ahead and grabbed the third. He'd already gotten what was coming to him, she supposed she could lay off unless he acted up again...

At that moment, Raie staggered down the stairs, rubbing his side. "Geeze, Nami," he complained, "That hurt... I didn't know you could push that hard..."
Nami's grip on the plate tightened and she narrowed her eyes, glowering. "Serves you!"

And it did serve him right! How dare he imply she had a crush on D'iala. Her!? Nami!? A crush!? On someone she'd just met, of all things! Bah! How uncalled for... and untrue! She was Nami, she didn't do petty things like develop crushes. Ugh! Besides, the possibilty of a... of a crush (banish the thought!) had been brought up, and even then, she had not been reduced to blushing and mumbling and feeling embarassed around D'iala. Wasn't that what girls did when they had crushes? Well, then, there! Quite satisfied by her logic regarding not having a crush on D'iala, Nami set the plates down in front of three chairs, feeling rather pleased with herself.

Of course, any logical person who could witness her thought process could plainly see how hard she was trying to deny it. Said logical person could have probably also pointed out that when people don't have crushes, they don't go to such lengths to decide it's not true. But, of course, that very idea was not actually occuring to her.

Also, if said logical person (Not me. I've been giggling too much over Nami's denial XD) mentioned the obvious facts and logic to Nami's face, they might not be too happy with the end results. It'd probably be a lot more painful then a push. Just thought I'd mention that, so that said logical person wouldn't go through a world of pain.

D'iala looked for a moment as if he was going to ask about just what Raie had done to do something that 'served him right,' but then thought against it upon the look on Nami's face. Instead, he gestured towards the table, "Unless either of you can think of something that needs to be added, dinners ready,"

He wasn't sure what he felt, seeing the look on Nami's face. Sympathy for certain, since Raie had obviously said something that upset her. Maybe a tiny bit of jealousy for her having a sibling, but he dismissed that. And there was something else... he wasn't sure what that feeling was. But then again, he never spent very much time around girls. Maybe that feeling was just something they made you feel, like being happy when you're with a good friend.

Indeed. Said logical person might, in fact, be kicked in the face and then then be sent flying via a smack from a mallet, which most logical people do find quite undesirable.

"I think it's all fine, thank-you," Nami said, a bit coldly, but then, her gaze was still focused on Raie.
Raie pulled out a chair for her, an amused grin pulling on the corners of his mouth. "My lady," he said with a flourish of his arm, a charmingly crooked smile on his face. Nami took a half-hearted swing at his head, which he easily stepped away from, pulling a seat out for D'iala out of politness before he sat down himself, griamcing a little.

Ah, he probably should not have said what he had. He figured he rather deserved the shove she'd given him, as well as falling into an open door and being sent sprawling (hence the thud) as a result.

To true. Most logical people do not tend to approve of being smacked by mallets that have been enchanted to appear out of thin air. Very Illogical indeed.

Giving a small bow of his head in thanks, D'iala sat down. Picking up a plate, he dished up a plate full of the warm spaghetti with a scoopful of sauce and passed it to Nami, then repeated it for Kairune, then finally himself.

((

Ah, he probably should not have said what he had. He figured he rather deserved the shove she'd given him, as well as falling into an open door and being sent sprawling (hence the thud) as a result.

*SNRK* XD I wanna make that into a mini comic now.))

((XD Good ol' Raie.))

Nami had not been incorrect in calling Raie a bottomless pit, nor had Raie been wrong by countering her with pointing out that she ate a fair amount as well. Both were very consious of using good table manners, and somehow, they still managed to bolt an impressive amount of food in a rather short amount of time. The amount Raie ate was not so suprising, seeing as he was tall, with broad shoulders and a fairly muscular build. Nami, on the other hand was so very... tiny.

Compared to Nami and Raie, D'iala didn't eat much, but he still ate a fair bit. Be that as it may, he was enjoying their company greatly. It had been along time since he had travelers visit, and even longer since they had stayed for dinner.

After they had eaten and they dishes had been put in the sink, D'iala offered to make some tea for all of them before the three of them headed off to bed.

Raie tried to cover up a yawn as he politely declined the offer, saying he would head straight to bed. Nami, however, nodded fervently. "Yes, please."

Raie looked at her, almost quizically. "Suit yourself, Nam." He then looked to D'iala, and said before retreating upstairs, "Thank-you for your kindness. We really appriciate it." And as soon as his back was to them, he smiiiiiiiiled. Nami, beyond a shadow of a doubt, had a crush on D'iala, whether she knew it or not. She had to be just as tired as he was, if not more, and last he checked, she didn't even like tea all that much. Although, from now on, he would keep that to himself, as his still aching side said he ought to.

He didn't think much of it, really. Every girl liked someone at some point, and it wasn't like D'iala returned the feelings. Nami was only eighteen, and D'iala, he had to be at least in his early twenties. It wasn't like anything would come of it.

((Yeah, only Raie doesn't know that D'iala is akshully a craddle robber... *gets smacked*))

When Raie thanked him, D'iala smiled, "You're welcome,"

As Kairune was going upstairs, D'iala had begun heating up the water for tea in a dark, forest green colored teapot. Opening a cupboard, the priest half turned to Nami, "Is green tea alright? I meant to pick up some more types while we were in town, but after that little run in with the Death Priests, I spaced it,"

Nami shrugged, "Green tea is fine. I don't have a prefrence."

She leaned against the counter, her palms pressed against the edge. Her eyes flickered around the kitchen, and she chewed on her lower lip absently for a breif second before she launched into one of her streams of questions, "Is that what they're called then? Death preists? What a rotten name. They're the ones who serve..." she paused for a moment, thinking. Good gods, she was awful with names. "Who serve... Dor... Dork... er... Doriki? Is that the one?"

D'iala nodded, "Yup, they're the ones. They named themselves 'Death Priests' because they had thought that 'priest of Doriki' didn't sound fearsome enough," a chill ran up his spine at the memory of the cloaked priests, "Personally, I think they're creepy enough,"

((SNRK. XD And thus, the nickname 'Dork' was created, causing all death gods who were named that eventually became emo from abuse.))

((Nami FTW. XD))

"That's wretched. I don't like them," Nami said matter of factly, "Why would anyone want to have him as their god? If his preists are like that, he must be awful." Her questions changed gears quite suddenly, "What about other gods and goddesses? Are there any others besides... Kirechk and Doriki? What about one of the moon or water? Is there one for either of those?"