Merlin gave Luna a smile as he set down a glass of wine for her on the side table and sat down next to her on the chaise. "You're looking good tonight," he said, resting a hand on her leg as he looked her up and down. Their Thursday sessions were often the highlight of his week, and this one was no exception. It had just been so regular, after all the peripheral fuss with whatever Apollo and Melpomene were caught up in with the baby and so on, but nobody had called on him after Urania, so he'd checked out and got on with his own things.
Obviously Thalia was a little occupied with her sister, so he'd even missed having her down at the club this week too, not even that much company to keep him entertained. Just boring mortals telling jokes he'd heard before, and he didn't even have the motivation to take advantage of the girl who had had a "break through" in his improv class and cried on his shoulder for half an hour afterwards about her father.
Ah, ennui. But Luna was here now, her usual vivacious and enchanting self, not yet revealing the delightful treat she had hidden away under her clothes. Some inventive design of underwear, he was sure. She always outdid herself when it came to interesting underwear. Leaning in, he kissed her neck, then lifted a hand to turn her face close enough that he could kiss her lips. "We can forget everything outside and have it just be us..."
And then a knock on the door, polite but firm, insisting on being responded to. Merlin sat back with a grunt of annoyance and picked up his own glass.
"Whoever it is, will you get rid of them for me?" he asked. "I don't want to buy anything or sponsor anyone today."