She makes that face again, stares him down for a second. I'd rather this than have left you there. The point of life isn't to get through it with as little annoyance as possible.

I'll take your word for it. The only point I've got left is stopping him but I do think there used to be other ones.

She stops, thinks for a second, sighs and relaxes. I want things to be better for you; that doesn't mean I'm not okay with how things are now. Even when it's frustrating. I don't mind having emotions about things.

I appreciate it when you get angry on my behalf. I feel cared-for.

Yeah. I still don't want to end up angry at you.

If it helps, your angry body language doesn't come across as very threatening, it's not terrifying the way any Quendi being angry at me would be...

That's good, I guess. Though you haven't actually seen me the threatening kind of angry yet. That almost definitely won't be directed at you if you ever do, just, probably shouldn't be a surprise that it could happen.

Good to know, but I'd find it upsetting if Quendi got angry even if it wasn't threatening, I just have the associations now...

...yeah. Right, that.

If that ever comes up, it might not be the best option, but you can just teleport back here and ask me to go talk to them for you. Or someplace else, if I wind up needing to let Findekáno come by again or something; it shouldn't be hard to make sure you always have a place you can get to that nobody but you and me can teleport to.

Thank you. I will do that if I need to. He doesn't say that 'finding it unpleasant' would obviously not count as a reason to need to.

Even if it just makes you more comfortable, that's fine; I want that for you.

Don't want to make people feel like they can scare me too easily.

Mmhmm. Which is why it might not be the best option a lot of the time. But it is one, whenever you want to use it.

Thanks. 

No problem.

...wonder if I should bring that up now, or wait 'till I've decided what I want to do about it...

With who, Findekáno?

...hm? No, different thing, none of Findekáno's business. Not really yours, either, but you might notice, and I don't think letting it be a surprise like that is a good idea. Species difference; private; not something I'd usually talk about at all - not dangerous, just awkward, but you might find it alarming anyway if it is a surprise.

Okay. I'll try not to be alarmed, if it doesn't affect me -

It really doesn't, but I should probably tell you anyway - kobolds' reproductive cycle goes with the seasons; most of us just aren't interested most of the year, and then in summer we are. I'm still not interested in anyone outside my species even then - she looks vaguely disgusted at the idea - but it will be on my mind, unless I do something about that.

Yep, he's a little stressed. And you can't get in touch with any kobolds? 

The logistics don't work very well, but I might be able to make that happen, or there's a couple other options for dealing with it - no very good ones, but if it's really going to be a problem I can make it not be.

...I'm female, if that helps anything. She winces slightly as she says it.

I'm fine. He isn't. What are the other options - 

There's a couple different herbs I could take - one'd make me infertile outright, the other would just make me skip a year but if I used it more than two or three times in a row that'd be permanent, too.

Nod. I suppose those don't work on Quendi?

I have no idea. I can get some in the spring if you have a safe way of finding out?