1- Squirrel and Moose

Carleen smiled fondly. Man. What a big, adorable mass of muscles. She rarely met that kind of men, and found Horknath absolutely endearing. "Your own wristband seems to have seen better days. I'll have to get someone to bring coffee to these gentlemen, but think about it. I'll make you one for free, with the fabric of your choice. It'll only take me an hour. My treat." She winked at him, and went to the back of the shop to ask one of her workers to prepare coffee for Dean and Sam.

"What if he's actually a trained warlock and the orc is enchanted?" Sam whispered back, suspiciously glaring at Cas. "He's acting as if he were avoiding us."

"..." Horknath visibly hesitated, not really knowing whether to accept or not. Why would that woman want to do something like that for the likes of him? He seemed to think hard about it, but couldn't possibly think of a hidden trap behind such a simple offering. He briefly looked up at Carleen, just the time to mutter "Well, if... that's how it is then, um. Thanks", he stuttered before she could go away.

"And he bought a beginner's manual? What for?" Dean shook his head slightly. "It's true that orcs are quite susceptible to that kind of magic... and indeed, he does look like he is trying hard to go unnoticed. What do we do, Alces?"

Carleen actually came back into the room with a few fabric samples, to show them to Horknath with a bright smile. "Would you like me to do it in one of these?"
... Alright, alright, she wasn't just playing nice. She wanted an excuse to take a look at his wrist by taking his measurements a bit later on. What? Best case scenario she would finally get her hopes down, and move on with her day!

"You should try to talk to our apprentice, while I keep an eye on the orc," Sam suggested. "I need to make sure Lady Carleen is going to be alright."

Horknath gulped down his nervousness, and observed hastily the samples Carleen was offering to him. In the end he just pointed to the most plain-looking one, white and a bit soft at the touch. He didn't need anything that made him stand out more than he already did!

Dean nodded, and got up from his couch, used by now to move naturally and behaving as if he wasn't actively looking to do anything in particular. Nonchalanche was a very useful skill, for a hunter! He walked until he was a bit closer to Castiel. He cleared his throat. "You waiting for a new outfit too?", he asked casually, plastering a smile on his face. "They make them quite good here, eh?"

Carleen nodded appreciatively while looking at the fabric. "Alright. I'll need to take your wrist measurements for it. Would you mind to follow me in my own working room? It shouldn't take long, I'll just need you to uncover your wrist." She had intentionally lowered her voice. The last thing she needed were Sam or Dean to hear her.

Castiel looked at Dean intensely, a bit startled by that question. "No," he answered. "I couldn't possibly afford one." He carefully tugged his sleeve down, and looked around the wristbands for a little while, before he realized that by social standards, he should have replied to him. "I- didn't know about this shop before, to be honest."

Horknath suddenly stiffened, when Carleen said those words. "I'm- why do you need to do that", he asked in a low voice, his eye darting away from her nervously. "I don't think you asked the same to my friend."

Dean raised a brow. "Oh, so you're a foreigner", he commented, still smiling. "Like me and my brother. We are coming a long way too. You're travelling around a lot?" He glanced at Horknath, then back at Castiel. "I won't lie, I would prefer to have a friend that big too to travel around with. Instead of that nerd over there", he whispered lowly, nodding towards Sam.

"Well... I planned on making yours on demand, fit only for you," Carleen explained awkwardly. "But- I can make you a regular one, if that's what you'd prefer. I'm sorry." She suddenly felt really self-conscious. It was true, after all, she couldn't ask to see a stranger's soulmark, even if she had strong hopes about it. "I'll get to it right away. It won't take me long."

"What are you reproaching your own friend for? isn't he... Your friend?" Castiel tilted his head, curious. But just a bit. "And I don't travel much, actually. We just came here for supplies. We'll be on our way back soon."

Horknath squinted. He was all too used to be suspicious, and that request had indeed sounded... out of place. But, being himself, he was always more oriented in seei g faults within himself rather than into others, so the thought of this being maybe a trap was quickly replaced by the fear of having offended someone that had just tried to be kind. "If-! If that's it, I'm... I'm sorry. You can take measurements, ok", he said hastily. The last thing he wanted was for this girl to spread the voice of just how rude he had been to her!

"My brother, actually. Younger brother", Dean sighed. "I don't reproach him anything. He's just kind of a nerd." He tilted his head. "Supplies? I see..." He pretended to just have noticed the book Castiel was holding under his arm. "Is that a... spellbook?", he asked. "Are you a witch?" Well, he could act the part of the worried citizen. Not knowing that the other man had perfectly caught just what he was!

Carleen hesitated, but... she smiled. "I'll take them on your right wrist. You're right, I shouldn't overstep my boundaries." She laid down her samples, and took out her measuring tape, extending a hand to encourage Horknath to give her his right wrist.

Castiel looked at his book, and flipped it around. "No. I'm just a curious man," he answered, a bit warily. "Nothing more." He acted really defensive, actually, for someone trying hard to pretend there was nothing to worry about.

Horknath just gave her an awkward, curt nod, and extended his arm to her, offering his hand. He waited patiently for Carleen to take his measurement, his face still completely flushed. He definitely wasn't used to any of this. He did notice Castiel's nervousness though, and glared a bit at that foreign man, trying to understand why he was harassing his friend!

Dean hummed, not really convinced. All that nervousness had to mean something. "If you say so. Be careful though, a lot of ingredients in there can't be found in a simple town market. I'd suggest a bigger city, if I can suggest you at all."

Carleen took her measurements quietly, and then took at step back, glaring at Dean. "Mr. Elkhound, I do hope you're not hitting on my client," she gently scolded Dean. "I wouldn't want him to run away."

"I won't have any money left once I buy this wristband, but... thank you, I suppose," Castiel answered a bit awkwardly. He glanced at Carleen, even though he didn't understand what she was implying.

Horknath snorted. He seriously doubted that this Elkhound guy - well, an animal name indicated a rogue hunter. Better than an 'official' hunter, but still - had walked up to Castiel to flirt with him. The thought was kinda funny though, especially as he saw the man scoffing, looking visibly embarrassed as he fretted to deny everything!

"I'm not- I wasn't-" Dean stuttered, and then scoffed even louder. "I was just trying to be friendly! I wasn't flirting", he quickly specified. He turned to Sam to get some help, desperate to get it!

"Oh, really. I thought that meaningless and temporary flirts were your thing. Oh, well." Carleen smirked and winked at Dean. "I'll be in the back for a few minutes, that shouldn't take me too long. You're free to come talk to me, if needed." Yes, she was still a bit salty about Dean leaving on the next morning like a thief. And never coming back again to apologize.

Dean gaped at her, then at Sam. He hesitated for just one second before he was rushing to the back where Carleen went. He took a deep breath. "Listen, I-" He hesitated. Then scoffed at himself, and just went on talking. "I won't make excuses for myself. I've behaved like a complete dick. And I felt so stupid about it that I didn't even have the guts to come here and face you. So I'm... I'm sorry."

Horknath just stood there, kinda awkwardly - that conversation sounded like something that was supposed to stay private -, and turned around to keep on looking at cloths. He received his coffee like everyone else in the room, but the cup was just so, so small and fragile that he managed to crush it, and get all the hot coffee on his wristband. Welp. He didn't yell, but still.

Carleen sighed, and walked to Dean, her arms crossed. "I take this wasn't as good to you as it was to me. I mean. It wasn't perfect, but I was hoping to see you again. Not for anything serious, if that's what scared you off." She arched a brow, looking suspiciously at him.

Castiel walked quickly to Horknath when he heard the noise of broken glass. "Are you hurt?" He eyed his soiled wristband with concern.

"No, no, it - it was good, like, very, very good", Dean quickly andwered, franctically. "I loved it. Really. It's just -" He scratched his head, looking away, feeling really embarrassed. "I'm... really not used to stay", he tried to explain. "It came to my mind just right after I fled that, since I needed to stay for more days, there was no reason for me to leave like that." He peeked at her. "Really. It's... nothing like wat you said. Besides, I'm - kind of not used to girls like you either."

"No, it's... I'm fine", Horknath grunted, frowning as he eyed the poor remains of glass in his hand. Well, having thick skin was good sometimes! "But I broke it. I will have to apologize." His eyes shifted on his wristband. He sighed loudly. "And I'll have to change this right away now."

Carleen... ended up chuckling, and shook her head. "Wow. This is my first time scaring off one of my lovers. I'm- I'm sorry, Norway." She was still trying not to laugh. "I shouldn't have pushed you for this."

"You should get yourself a new one, yes," Castiel agreed. "But- aren't you hurt? It's amazing." He took a great look at Horknath's unharmed hand.

"It's - It's not a matter of pushing, really", Dean said, his face flushed by now. "And you didn't scare me! But you seem to know so well what you want, that I feel slightly... intimidated. That's all!" He was clearly embarrassed by what he was saying, and he knew he was probably making a fool of himself.

Horknath chuckled, a bit amazed by Castiel's surprise. "Orcs tend to have quite the thick skin", he explained. "Glass could cut me only if they shot me with it. Sure, I was still lucky. It could have gotten stuck in my palm, and that would have hurt!" He tilted his head. "I guess you really never saw an orc, eh."

Carleen's smile grew softer. "Alright. How about you tell me what you want, then? If the answer is for me to leave you alone, trust me, I'll understand. If not- you know where to find me tonight." She went back to the piece of cloth that Horknath had chosen, and began to work on his wristband.

"No, you're the first one. We're not really supposed to go around orcs." He realized he had said something odd, and blinked before he ended up his sentence with "...in my family."

Dean actually pulled out a... very Dean-like smile, at those words. "Well, tell you what. I'll come knocking on your door tonight, and we'll... see where things lead. What about that?" Welp, Carleen was still very attractive. Nothing would have changed that!

Horknath just snorted. "You don't have to make up weird family rules. I know humans as a general rule tend to avoid orcs. And how to blame them, huh", he mumbled, looking away. "Well, it's fine. I'm not even an actual orc anyway. Just a bastard. Technically, you're not going against any rule!"

Carleen held back a smile herself. "Oh, really. I do hope I'll see you again tonight, Norway. We had quite some fun together. And I like to blow some steam off after a long day of work."

Castiel seemed reassured. But also really curious. "So... does that mean you're part human as well?"

Dean smirked, getting a bit closer to Carleen. "I'd be happy to help you", he purred. "And I'll make sure to be forgiven. That's a promise~"

Horknath raised his brow. "Yes. Orcs tend to be, um. Way, way bigger than me. More prone to anger fits too. To a pure breed orc, I am a very rachitic, piss poor being. That probably didn't get fed enough when he was little."

Carleen smiled back at him. "Good. After such a terrible end of night, I'd like to make sure you're more than a 5 over 10 kind of guy." She was just messing with him, of course. But she still didn't like his leaving so soon in the morning. Her pride certainly didn't.

"I see." Castiel pondered over the thought for a moment. "You should take off your soaked wristband. I'll ask for supplies to clean this up."

Dean almost choked over that last bit. "Five?", he repeated, unable not to sound just traumatized over the news. "Damn, I really screwed myself over by behaving like a jerk, didn't I!" He laughed a bit, still shocked. "Well. That means I'll double up all my efforts. You won't be disappointed this time."

Horknath let out a deep sigh. "Yeah, alright." He gently tugged on the wristband, making it come off of his wrist, immediately covering it up with his other hand. Just oit of shyness, honestly - the name of your soulmate was something kinda private, after all!

Carleen laughed kindly. "I sure hope so. I hate waking up after good sex and finding out the bed around me is cold." She winked at him, and stood up. "Alright. Let's get back to the front shop. I'll serve my two customers and then Alces and you can try on your coats, to make sure they'll fit."

Castiel had the time to warn one of Carleen's employees about the mess, and helped her to clean the shattered glass. She offered Horknath a piece of cloth to dry himself up, while waiting for Carleen.