Re: [The Capital Mall: Atticus & Janus]
"Should not comb your hair more often." The return volley to that opening salvo was lobbed with a lazy smile that bordered on a careless smirk. Might have slouched a little more. Was entirely possible he did slouch a little more. What he absolutely did do was wipe his fingers clean on the thighs of those well-worn jeans, uncouth and accustomed to doing whatever he wanted. Atticus was nothing if not set in his ways. "Always liked messy hair. Implications." Didn't explain what those implications were. A good reader learned early that stating the obvious was not necessarily the most effective way to deliver a memorable sentence.
Janus moved. Atticus unfolded slowly, as if it took effort. Did take effort. Picked up his bag and pulled at the long strap that let him drape it across his chest. Leather rested against hip, and he glanced down at it when Janus shared his tactic for paper grading. "Who says I do any differently?" Wasn't true, of course, but his smile didn't give that away.
Janus moved fast. Atticus didn't. Ambled. "Which store first? Assume you have a destination for us?" Touched a hand to Janus' hip. Casual. Thick fingers spread wide and a nudge forward. Intimate. Go on in digits. Was the kind of casual touch Atticus was only recently becoming comfortable with, but it seemed smooth as butter. Atticus ambled. "Generally speaking," he continued, as if the grading conversation had not been interrupted, "I look at spelling and grammar first, then overall theme and how well-thought out the argument is, then I look for wow factor. Don't mind if they go over the top with wow. They're freshmen. They'll learn to tone it down before they graduate." Didn't talk about teaching often. Was kind of nice.