Taos

[ladyfirestarter]

The door on the second-floor corridor in Main opens quietly. Charlie McGee steps out, looking one way and the other, and then reaches back to grasp Prometheus's hand and draw him through with her.

"All quiet so far," she says to him in an undertone.

Comments

[ladyfirestarter]

She shakes her head. "No, never have."

A beat, and then, startled: "Would we go there? For this?"

[notboundnow.livejournal.com]

He blinks. "Where did you think we would go?"

[ladyfirestarter]

"I didn't know."

She sounds ... delighted. Exhilarated by the idea.

[notboundnow.livejournal.com]

"Well, let me tell you a thing or two about the Old Country. First--" He holds up one finger. "Everybody wears togas. And huge mustaches. And they say 'Opa!' at every possible opportunity."

[ladyfirestarter]

"Do tell," she says, eyeing him.

[notboundnow.livejournal.com]

"Oh, definitely. People just stand around debating philosophy and plotting war against other city-states." Beat. "At least, that's how it was last time I lived there. It may have changed a little in the intervening years."

[ladyfirestarter]

"How many intervening years are we talking?"

Yes, she's laughing at him now, even though her face is almost completely straight.

[notboundnow.livejournal.com]

"I, uh. 1820's, I was around, in a desultory sort of way. Before that..."

He scratches the back of his head innocently.

"I may prefer to think of myself as more of an expat."

[ladyfirestarter]

"Well."

Okay, now she's not even pretending not to laugh.

"Things can't have changed that much. I'm sure we'll blend right in."

A beat.

"Do you know anywhere we can get togas?"

[notboundnow.livejournal.com]

"Ah, now see, you wouldn't be wearing a toga. You'd have one of those dresses like you see on statues, all criss-crossed with ribbons. We'd probably skip the topless ones, but the strappy sandals are a must."

He splays a hand on his chest. "I, on the other hand, would be fully within my rights to stroll around in the buff."

[ladyfirestarter]

She starts to say something, and pauses.

"...It would be in very bad taste to make a joke about striking mortals blind, wouldn't it."

[notboundnow.livejournal.com]

"Now why would I do that? If they were blind, they wouldn't be able to appreciate my stunning godly physique."

He's pale enough that they might go blind anyway, though, it bears mentioning.

[ladyfirestarter]

That's closer to what she had in mind, actually.

"Of course," she says demurely. "Everybody should be able to appreciate your stunning godly physique."

Beat.

"From a purely aesthetic standpoint, at least."

[notboundnow.livejournal.com]

Well, there's a difference between divine radiance and being chalk-white under a blazing sun, just saying!

"You, ma'am, are right on the money. That's why I love dear old Ellás, they're in tune with the fundamental truths," he agrees, nodding with great gravity and import. "They invented taste, you know. And pretty much all of Western civilization."

[ladyfirestarter]

"So," she starts to say, and then stops. "Wait, look."

They've been walking slowly; the night's quiet around them, crisp and cold but not bitterly so, and the stars are blazing overhead.

Charlie points at the rocky hill ahead of them. "We're almost there."

[notboundnow.livejournal.com]

His breath plumes on the air as he lifts his eyes.

"Why do I think," he murmurs, "that this is going to be much nicer without a whole universe between us?"

[ladyfirestarter]

They've stopped moving. She squeezes his hand; as always, his skin is warm.

"Much," she breathes, low and pleased.

And starts toward the hill again, drawing him with her.