ɱɑʀiɛ (coveted) wrote in summerview, @ 2019-01-18 16:26:00 |
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Julius had attempted to get a few more hours of restless sleep before finally deciding he was calmed down enough to see Marie. But more than that, he just wanted to see a friendly face. And if he was going to be in a mood for the next… However long, she might as well know why. It was only fair. So, a little after 10am he dragged himself out of bed for a quick--but scalding--shower (to get the last of the feeling of his father’s magic off of him), and shot a text to Marie asking if he could come over, figuring by that point it was just late enough in the morning on the chance she’d had a particularly late night at Boudin. When he’d gotten the thumbs up, he threw on the simplest outfit he could manage (jeans, old black David Bowie concert tee shirt) and headed over to Marie’s place, making one very quick pitstop at Sweets for my Sweets to pick up a box of danishes because… Well a) he hadn’t eaten yet and b) it was bad manners to show up to someone’s house empty handed like that. In retrospect he probably should have explained why he wanted to come over, but he hated getting those Can we talk messages more than anything, so he left things purposely vague. Hopefully she didn’t just… Answer the door naked. He’d at least need a danish first, but ideally getting the whole… Family drama out in the open should happen first. Box of treats in one hand, he rang the doorbell with the other, already feeling stripped and frazzled like a frayed wire. Marie had been awake and mostly functional when she got the text from Julius. He wanted to come over and, well, of course she said that was fine - she didn’t fire off a thousand questions, since she figured he’d talk about whatever he wanted to talk about when he actually got to her cute little apartment, the bottom level of a gingerbread-looking house on Main Street. Or if he just wanted a bit of morning glory (we all knew what that meant), she would gladly sign up. She was brewing coffee in the kitchen when she heard the bell, and she went to go answer - not naked but sort of close. Boy shorts and a tank top with a cartoon shark and nom nom nom printed on the front. She pulled him in with a greedy tug and kissed him in a way that was simultaneously sweet as grenadine and all naughty, strawberry red and smash-up tongues. Because he was her whipped cream. "Hi, bébé," a greeting with actual words and a pat to his chest, and she flitted off to the kitchen for another moment. Vivi, the three-eyed scaly cat, went to go say hello too - though her version was circling Julius' legs, rubbing up against them, to mark him as her own. Or potentially trip him so he'd break his neck, you never could tell with cats. Purr, purr. Pure chicory sort of tasted like dirt but the blend was what Marie liked - with the coffee it was like chocolate, then add a splash of milk and yum. That was what she was preparing now. "Want any coffee?" Being greeted with such joy and enthusiasm almost made him forget why he’d come over in the first place. Almost. At the very least, it made him rethink his decision to not come by sooner, but then perhaps that was just another coping mechanism. If he could bottle her up and crack her open instead of a too-large glass of bourbon, he would, but that would also sort of defeat the purpose. Just one more way of stuffing things down, kicking them under the bed, storing skeletons in the closet--all hidden away until they pounced out like a wound up jack in the box at a later date. “Hello to you too,” he said, face cracking into the first genuine grin he’d managed in the past forty eight hours. He followed her into the apartment, careful not to trip over Vivi, scritching at her scales when he bent down to untie his boots and kick them off near the door. Ugh, yes, coffee. The shower had done wonders, but sometimes there was nothing like coffee. “Yes please, I could probably drink a gallon of it.” Julius followed her voice into the kitchen, still holding onto the box of danishes. “Don’t let me. I brought danishes though. I haven’t eaten yet, and didn’t want to show up empty handed so early on a Sunday.” Early for people who worked in and owned restaurants anyway. “Oooh - “ Marie took the box, opening it up to a get a whiff of fresh pastry. Obviously these came from the bakery fairy so she’d just help herself to one. The thick, brown substance known as lifesaving chicory coffee went from pot to cup - she poured two cups, giving Julius his (the mug she’d poured his coffee into was a great thrift shop find - dinosaur skeletons, and they formed into the actual breeds with skin when the temperature of the mug changed, fancy). Bringing her coffee and the box of pastries to the living room, she set those down on the coffee table and patted the seat beside her on the sofa. She had a small breakfast nook too, but this seemed like a sofa sort of conversation - it wasn’t Mae West’s couch, but it would do. “Come sit, bébé. Penny for your thoughts?” Something she’d asked him before, and she even had a quarter around here somewhere if that was the charge. Ah coffee. The magic elixir, better than any potion he’d come across in all his two centuries. The magically appearing dinosaurs were a nice touch, and he gave her an amused but appreciative grin as he watched them appear before wrapping his hands around the mug for warmth--hands still cold from the walk and the lack of gloves, a gesture that brought him back to the task at hand. It was a comfort move that he’d pulled when his father was sitting at his kitchen table. Ugh. The thought still gave him chills. Julius followed Marie to the couch, taking a tentative sip at the beverage as he sat down. Oh, that was delightful. Well, he supposed he might as well just get down to business. “I had a visit from my father yesterday. Unexpected, as I’m sure you can imagine.” Unexpected and intrusive. “The one who cast you out?” Marie’s brow knitted in concern. She sipped her coffee, and it warmed her throat, warmed her belly. Not only was it nice to have the caffeine jolt before she headed to the restaurant to begin simmering and stewing and generally filling the place with the aromatic scents of Nawlins cooking - but it was nice to just sit and appreciate the cup. Mornings where you were rushed and frantic were so...bad vibed. She carefully tore off a piece of danish, at the edge (this one was cherry) and stuffed it into her mouth. But moved closer to Julius, setting down her mug so her free hand could sweep the tips of her fingers over his hair. “Unexpected and probably unwelcome. Why, what’d he want?” And how long had it been since they’d seen each other? Julius said he hadn’t been home in two-hundred years - that was a damn long time to go without speaking to your kid, even if things were different in the world of fae. “One and the same,” Julius said with a nod, reaching for a cream cheese danish, taking a bite of the flaking edge of the pastry--as he did usually with these things, eating around the middle, saving the filling for last--and washed it down with another sip of coffee. It was much easier to have this conversation when he had control of his hands again. And flowers. See, this was why it was so much better to just remain an open book. It didn’t take much to catch her up to speed--or really, anything at all--because he’d already told her. What a novel idea. “Precisely,” he replied, heaving a sigh. Because here was the kicker. “Apparently he’d like me to keep an eye on my sister. She’s...Coming to Summerview.” He was still fairly impressed Chrysanthemum had managed to avoid being married off to the highest bidder without being disowned for it. Then again, maybe not. They clearly liked her better. “After all this time, that was all he had to say?” To Marie, Julius’ father sounded like he had the depth of a puddle. Especially if he couldn’t understand, or even acknowledge, the damage he’d done to his son. The information about the sister, Chrysanthemum (now that was a name), was meant to be a twist. Of course, even if she foresaw much family drama on the horizon, she wasn’t about to shy away from it. None of it was anything that would get her to shut the door of that space in her black diamond heart that belonged to him - she had to admit by now, that this space did exist. He may have, in the past and now, surrounded himself with who had the emotional maturity of fish poop, but she wasn’t one of those people. Closer still she went, arms sliding around him so she could give him a good cuddle on the couch. Her fingers curled on his chest, over his heart, like she wanted to protect it. Put it in a locket for safekeeping. “Do you want me to take her out for a girl’s night or something?” she asked, glancing up at him. “Or...whatever you think is best.” She’d help out, is what she meant. Julius let out a mirthless snort of a laugh into his coffee and he nodded again. “Yeah, pretty much. Well…” How involved did he want to get here? “He’s got the personality of an icicle, but he kept going on about familial duty, like I owed him something.” He rolled his eyes, because that was the most ludicrous thing he’d ever heard, quite possibly. “Expected me to do it for nothing, clearly. I think he’s worried about her safety. Or just. The possibility of being around all these non-Seelie Fae types corrupting her somehow.” Oh the irony. “I made a deal with him,” he added, setting the mug down on the coffee table after taking one more quick, but satisfying sip, freeing up his arms to return the affectionate cuddle. “Was sort of proud of that one, even if it meant I still smelled like foxglove until I showered it off this morning.” His magic was so much more powerful--and pungent--than his. He wasn’t sure if he was impressed or grossed out. To her question he laughed lightly. “You know, I don’t even know what she’s like, or what she likes or anything, really?” Marie chuckled too, husky and smooth but with a bitter tinge, on Julius’ behalf. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out as you get to know her again,” she said, tipping her face up to kiss the dark, shadowy prickle of his jaw. “I’ll help show her around too. You don’t have to be her welcoming committee on your own.” As for why Father Dearest wanted the red carpet rolled out for his daughter, well. It seemed more like Door #2, of the ones Jules listed. “Worried about ruffians corrupting her, clearly,” she grinned, teeth setting on the edge of that jaw. In a playful manner, like she could just take a bite out of him. “Probably doesn’t want his little girl to turn out like you. But the joke’s on him, because you turned out pretty well.” She drew her legs up, sort of a compact cuddler now that she was full of danish and coffee - but needing chi, she anticipated the start of that gnawing sensation. That primal hunger that seemed to have teeth and claws of its own - Marie would worry about eating later, however. “How do you feel about everything?” It may sound like a dumb therapist question but that wasn’t how she meant it. There was no right or wrong answer. “Hmm,” he hummed, a soft chuckle on the end of it. Titania, what would his father have to say about that? Julius’s succubus… Uh, friend (with benefits)? Showing his prim (he could only assume) Lady of a sister around Summerview? That would probably kill him. A delicious thought, actually. “Well, since you’re volunteering, I suppose I could use some help getting her settled. I mean, she’s not a child she doesn’t really need looking after, but she’s also never been out in the mundane world, so Errol feels it will be quite the shock for her.” “You think?” He asked, glancing down, always amused by that sort of compliment because how did one really gauge that? “He said the same thing at first, you know. I think he was buttering me up.” No, scratch that, he knew Errol had been buttering him up, lot of good it did him. “But that turned into some kind of backhanded compliment along the way.” Whatever, he was getting books out of it. Maybe he’d be able to harness his magic a bit better. Then perhaps he’d actually feel like he turned out alright. That was… a question he didn’t quite have an answer for, and probably wouldn’t until Chrysanthemum was actually here, so he said so, adding, “Better than last night, I suppose. But these things are easier to handle after you’ve slept on them.” For so many hours. "Then telling you that you turned out well was probably one of the few truths he's ever said to you," Marie replied, pressing a kiss to his throat. She let her hold around his middle loosen a bit, because she moved in a feline shift of limbs (similar to the way Vivi jumped up on Julius' lap just then - PET ME, HUMAN) to grab her coffee mug. She certainly didn't mind helping Chrysanthemum settle in - with a father like she and her brother had, it was possible she was feeling similar pressures and also because of the distaste for the 'mundane' world, wouldn't have had much immersion growing up. It could be overwhelming. "Why is your sister coming anyway?" she asked. "Why now, of all times?" The reason was something Marie knew - but she wanted to see what Julius had been told. What was it about cats though—even three eyed mutant ones—that made them show up for attention at just the right moment? He idly scratched at Vivi’s scales, chewing thoughtfully at the inside of his lip. “He can’t lie outright, actually.” It was kind of the trademark of their kind. Any nasty thing Errol had ever said about him had at least a kernel of truth to it, which was what made all the vicious things he’d ever said in reference to Julius sting all the more. “And our last name literally means truth so,” he added, “Just drives the knife in a bit further.” Julius shrugged. “Nothing particularly special about now or any other time, I think. Technically we’re both fairly young to be out in the world. Errol—“ he rather liked calling his father by his first name when he wasn’t around to hear it—“is at least a thousand if he’s a day. He made it sound like this was Chrysanthemum’s… what’s the thing the Amish have? Rumspringa?” Marie pursed her lips, then released with a pop - swallowing a mouthful of coffee. One of the last in the mug, and she could feel the buzz begin to crawl through her veins. “If he told you his truth, that doesn’t mean it’s the truth, you know.” Or at least that’s what she thought, anyway - everyone had their faults but overall, shit talk wasn’t real talk. And no one should let it define them. “I’m far from Amish, mon chou, but I get what you mean - Vivi, shoo,” Marie scooted the cat off of Julius so she could take her place. Not entirely, but this demoness got all cozy, curling up with her legs resting in his lap instead of the poor ugly mutant pussy. “But alright, your father is an asshole and hopefully you can go another two-hundred years without seeing him. I still don’t think, despite the pesky fact of not being able to lie, that he was ever right about you. Or knew you at all. I wouldn’t - I wouldn’t have feelings for you if you were this...terrible person.” Maybe that was a statement to make in another setting besides her living room, while she was basically in her underwear, but it just slipped out. On accident. Truth. That was a slippery thing, wasn’t it? Julius gave a noncommittal shrug. “When you deal in words, everything is in shades of gray.” It was the way of the Fair Ones. Even with someone as bright and full of sunshine as Shara--so opposite Errol who was all doom and gloom and feeling like you were lost in the woods as soon as he opened his mouth--watching your words was imperative. He let out a snort of a laugh at that.”Indeed,” he agreed, “Miles and miles. Lightyears even.” The hands that had been scritching at Vivi’s head a moment before, reached up to run over Marie’s hair instead, pausing momentarily when she said the “f” word. That is…Feelings. What kind of feelings? What feelings? What are feelings? What? “I um,” he tried to swallow but his throat was strangely dry. “I mean, I guess not. Though I suppose he knew enough to follow me here, and make an assessment as to whether or not my living situation was suitable enough for Chrys… I just…” No he was still stuck on that. “No one has um. Ever said that to me before?” "I've never said it to anyone before," Marie confessed. She knew from that initial encounter, when they were out back by his restaurant smoking foreign cigarettes, that she liked him. Now, she knew she liked him a lot. Marie hadn't realized in the beginning how deep her feelings would even fall, down a chasm, and exactly what would begin to blossom in the swamp pit of her heart. It wasn't some notion of quick love or anything - no one really ever knew what love was, did they? It made people stupid and people were stupid about it. They thought they loved someone but didn’t really, or they only loved them in selfish ways. All she knew deep down was that if you did love someone there wasn’t ever any doubt. You put them first, even over yourself, and had to rise above the fear that came along with doing such a thing. She could see herself getting there, though. "But I'll need to feed again soon - and it can't always be from you." She wanted to be honest, at least. And tell him, not holding back - those who held back their feelings, restrained their desires and passion, it was because they were weak enough to be restrained. So she’d said. Or at least insinuated, before when they were talking about love at the restaurant. He liked her, it was true. He’d said as much to Maeve, but he liked a lot of people in varying degrees, and he didn’t have the foggiest idea about feelings or falling in love or any of that. Still, he supposed he didn’t mind hearing it from someone who had decided, in no uncertain terms, that he was not his father and just… Made themselves at home in his lap all the time. There were worse things. But he also just didn’t know what to do with it. Not right now. Especially not with the weekend he’d had so far. “I know,” he nodded. Because he did know that. But also something Maeve had accused him of nagged at his mind. That he was possessive and. Well. She wasn’t wrong. “I think I’m alright with it, but I… Can’t make any promises about…” How to put this, when he’d never been in this position before or even ever had… Feelings? “If I find I’m catching feelings too.” He wanted to be able to divorce sex and love vs sex to eat, but… He knew how he was with his things. It wasn’t a stretch to think it might extend to people. Marie knew what others in her situation, right now, might have done. They would run, wouldn't they? They would push Julius away, tell him to leave - all because this wouldn't automatically be resolved and tied with a big red bow, and because she didn't have the control. But that wasn't what she'd do. She'd stick to her guns, since relationships - if that's what this was, or would lead to - were complicated. Not always smooth sailing. And if you wanted something, someone - you had to work for it. Fight for that person. And his lap was one of her favorite places, thanks. She got comfortable there, cradling his face in her hands, thumbs stroking over the bristly cheeks. "I don't have a choice about what I am. But the choice I can make...it's you. And you deserve someone who chooses you." Her hands rubbed his shoulders, which felt more like slabs of concrete, but she worked at the knots, slender fingers pressing in. He was so tense, standing like he was alone on a ship while waves crashed on the prow - but he wasn't alone, he had Marie, there to weather storms with him. As long as he wanted her to, anyway. "We'll see what happens, mon chou. I recently took a side job too, one that might have me traveling. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say," she smirked. That was the sort of reaction he was expecting, yes, which was why he’d been so delicate with his wording, but there wasn’t really a way to make that perfect, no matter how careful and practiced one might be with words. But it was a good reaction. Better than expected, because he really couldn’t take another roller coaster ride for at least another day. Of course, he wasn’t sure what to say to that either. Not ever had someone say they’d chosen him explicitly like that. Usually it was just Julius choosing Julius which, honestly, he’d always been fine with. But it was nice to be wanted. He gave her a tight nod as she attempted to work out the tension in his shoulders. His mind fell back to the conversation with Errol, the reminder of how glad he was that the deal he made hadn’t required him to leave Summerview. He had things and people here, more than he’d had in a long time. He was glad to not have to leave them in the name of “familial duty”. “You’re good people, Marie,” he said finally, echoing a sentiment he’d definitely made about someone else recently, which he’d also meant. “Oh?” He asked, both eyebrows creeping up his forehead with curiosity. What was it with all of the constants in his life traveling right now? “What sort of thing would that be?” He’d have thought she had enough going on with the new restaurant and all. But he supposed everyone needed hobbies? What the hell kind of a compliment was that? You’re good people? Was it code for something? The look on Marie’s face was puzzled amusement, like she was trying not to laugh. “You’re a dope,” she said fondly, and kissed him to shush any grumbling. Her hands still worked their magic, traveling down to trace the design on that David Bowie shirt Jules wore. It was a lovely choice, she may even steal this one at some point - because why not? Wearing it would mean it would smell like him, bittersweet violets and summer storms. “Not very soon, but once I feel fine about leaving Boudin,” she said. “To other sanctuaries. And surrounding areas. To...observe. And maybe do some investigating.” Yes, investigating. That was a kind word for spying. “You could come with me,” she suggested then. “I bet we’d find out lots of things.” What? Rude. He couldn’t argue though, with her lips on his, which he assumed had been precisely the point. Ah, well. If he had to be a dope--which he most definitely was not--it wasn’t so bad if he still got kissed for it. “Investigating?” That sounded fascinating and possibly clandestine. “Whatever for?” But as interesting as that sounded, even the thought of it had Errol’s magic tugging at him. “I might be tied here an indeterminate amount of time.” He released a sigh, not only out of disappointment but to shake off the reminder of the deal etched into him, deeper than skin, deeper than bones, at the reminder of the deal between him and his father. “Part of the deal.” Magic was finicky that way. “I’ll give you more details when you agree to come,” she teased because, well, it was clandestine. “But I think there have been some...rumblings. Around the other cities. Possibly or not possibly related to a certain dragon who was here before, then scurried off.” And clearly sent in others, who knew, to sniff around for her like bloodhounds. So subtle. Like a brick to the face. “Okay, so what exactly are the terms of the deal?” Marie wanted to know then. “How long are you tied to Summerview?” If it was based on Chrysanthemum ‘settling in,’ she wondered how that was gauged, exactly. But it was like she was telling Greg before - fae magic was powerful. Julius couldn’t back out of the deal. Probably not without dire consequences. “Tease,” Julius grumbled, smirk betraying the sulky tone of voice. But it was entirely unfair to hint at an exciting side job and only give half an answer. “Ah, yes, I met that one.” And he didn’t much care for her. Just rubbed him the wrong way. “She had me packed away in a box five minutes into talking to her.” Her cause he had no thoughts about at all. But he was fortunate in that he’d always been able to pass and probably always would. The only reason he’d wound up in Summerview was because he needed to recharge his batteries after moving around so much for so long. He stayed because of the bar. Because it was nice to have something for himself. “Your guidance and careful eye to watch your sister and ensure her safety and healthy adjustment to her new life,” Julius mimicked his father’s cold, detached tone. “I believe that means she’ll actually have to be the one to release me.” It was sort of a vague deal, actually. “I’ll know when I don’t feel his stranglehold any longer, essentially.” Aw, he was cute when he sulked. “You mean you don’t like to be psychoanalyzed five minutes after meeting someone?” Marie asked rhetorically. People did that when they were control freaks and also paranoid - probably for good reason too. In this instance, it seemed like Jayati’s sister wanted a revolution but it wasn’t for noble reasons, or the protection of supernaturals - it was for selfish reasons. And selfishness was what caused war - along with misdirected aggression and a dash of the spice known as outright stupidity. “She may release you sooner than you think. Especially if you keep your distance from the real reason she’s here,” Marie started, and alright, it was time to level with him since it became apparent Julius didn’t know the whys - she’d asked, and his answer was the truth but it was his truth. So she would reveal the truth. Even if she hadn’t planned to open this box for breakfast, but shit was what it was. It just happened sometimes. Shifting on the sofa, to give his lap a break, she propped one leg up beneath her and adjusted on the cushion, facing him. “Your sister is coming because she’s second-in-command to the previously discussed psychoanalyzer,” she admitted. “So maybe it’s good you’ll have time to help her settle in. We can see what cards she deals.” Julius rolled his eyes at her. “No, I love it,” he drawled. His problem was that he gave off an impression of being something that he both was, and wasn’t at the same time. And it made him easy to caricature if that was the sort of thing you were in to doing. Which apparently Xiaofan was. “It’s definitely my favorite thing. People should do it more.” The real reason? His eyes had narrowed, finding it hard to believe that she should know more about his own sister than he did. “She’s never left the Summerlands, how could she be second in command to a Dragon?” How absurd. Certainly if his father knew about this he wouldn’t have deigned to allow her to come to the Mundane world. That would be putting her directly in harm’s way. No, this was bad. If Marie was right, this was very bad for Julius. He couldn’t guarantee no harm would come to her if she was helping to plan a revolution. And what on earth for? Hadn’t she grown up with everything? What in Titania’s name was she rebelling… Oh, right. This was how human teenager worked (and while he wouldn't consider himself a teenager, Shara likely would, and the two of them were only four years apart). “Shit.” The thought on the top of his mind at the moment was I’m in danger. “Julius - “ Marie rested her hand on his knee, meant to be comforting and grounding. “You know we can handle this, oui?” Nothing had exploded yet, it was just a lot of sneaking around - reminded her more of Cold War antics than outright bloody battlefields. Maybe it would stay that way. He already knew the answers to his own questions as well, surely, but still. “I would assume that the dragon came to her in the Summerlands - recruiting, probably. And I doubt your father knows about it - he would have said so, right?” If Julius asked why his sister was traveling here - Errol wouldn’t lie. Couldn’t lie. “She probably just got to your sister by being friends with her first. Maybe it was exciting for her, to be doing something new and away from...family expectations.” Maybe nothing had exploded yet, but for all he knew a stubbed toe on his sister’s part could have negative consequences for Julius depending on how Errol spun the deal, and until Julius had the books on Fae magic, there wasn’t a lot he could do to avoid that sort of fate. He didn’t know the ins and outs of his own magic, let alone his father’s. He dragged a hand over his face, suddenly very tired again. Probably he needed to go fishing again. Be outside and alone for a while. “That’s a little over optimistic isn’t it? I don’t even know what she’s like. Two hundred years is a long time.” A long time to be poisoned by his father for sure, which was already a disconcerting though. Now this? Bravo, little sis on keeping such fascinating secrets from old Errol, but. Still. Did it have to be this? “I just don’t know. I can’t speak to any of it.” As far as rumspringas went, this was definitely an unusual one. Couldn’t she have just… Done something new with her hair? Made a bad deal? Gotten a belly button ring? Optimistic? Well, maybe. However, Marie wouldn’t doom everything to a pit of despair just yet. “That’s right, you don’t know what she’s like - neither do I. She could have given your middle family the middle finger too, Jules, in her own way. She could have wanted this rebellion for herself, as something that was hers - or maybe she doesn’t even care much about the goals of a disgruntled dragon at all. You don’t have to speak to any of it, or make speculations,” she insisted. “But give it a chance.” Give Chrysanthemum a chance - preferably without shouting I KNOW YOU’RE SNEAKING AROUND, but she doubted Jules would do that. Open mind and all of that? She wasn’t some kind of soothsayer, seeing potential paths with a turn of the cards, glimpses outlined in the remnants of teacups or even in scrying oil. But people (humans and supernaturals), acted in these...behavioral cycles. Oftentimes, predicting what they’d do was relatively easy. But you had to have patience to assess first. To take the measure. “I’m here for you. And with you. You’re good people,” she added, leaning in and kissing his cheek. “I should get dressed now, though.” The need to have something for herself was something Julius could understand. Rebellions though, were another matter. He felt Marie was maybe giving his situation too much credit though. He’d simply argued with his father enough times that it had riled him into giving Julius that ultimatum and then given him the boot. He’d been not much more than a baby at the time. He had hardly known such a gesture existed, let alone how to use it--Fair Folk had their own set of insults and gestures for these things--and that had hardly been the point. Freedom, not rebellion. Julius sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose for a moment before speaking. “I don’t really have a choice, do I?” He pointed out. He was magically obligated to get her settled. “If you say so,” he said wryly. It was strange to have his words turned on him like that. “I appreciate that though, truly.” He raised an eyebrow at that though. “Says who?” Marie laughed, a smoke-coated timbre. “The people who want to eat my delicious food for lunch, that’s who,” she retorted, grabbing Julius’ face and kissing him again - it was possible he could distract her enough, but hmmmm, well, maybe not. Jambalaya called, you know. She hopped off the couch, swiping their coffee mugs and trotting off to the kitchen (with no shortage of bewitching hip-sway in those boyshorts) to drop the to-be-cleaned dishes into the sink. “But if you come by later tonight, I bet I won’t be dressed.” And neither would he, for that matter. Once she tore his pesky clothes off. Ah, well, he supposed he couldn’t deny the citizens of Summerview a warm, spicy Cajun lunch on a cold day in January. “Fine,” he sighed, lips curling into a smirk, “I suppose I’ll get out of your hair.” There were things to do at home in the meantime. Like clear all the morning glories from his porch and exorcise the smell of foxglove from the house. And then probably get ready for his sister’s arrival. Would she stay with him? Probably should do something about the guest room. “Is that a promise?” He asked, a lascivious tint to his smirk. “Oui, it is,” she assured, with a wink to top of all off. “Oh, and Jules? What I told you - keep it between us, s'il vous plaît?” Marie knew that he would, but regardless - this would be an interesting introduction to what it might be like taking a trip with him. She wanted to. And she looked forward to it already. He had so many skills to put to good use, ones not related to running the actual classy dinner joint in this place. Well if that just wasn’t the kicker. Seemed like he was picking up secrets like burs snagging on hems and shoelaces--unwanted and difficult to untangle. He sighed again, feeling the weight of one more thing. “Obviously,” he replied, feeling like a broken record. No, he wouldn’t spill this secret any more than he would the others he was apparently keeping. “I appreciate you letting me barge in on you this morning” he added, boots tugged back on. “I’ll be back later for the rest.” A wink and a lingering kiss for the road to tide him over for later, a he was out the door, feeling slightly better, but also somehow more bogged down with thoughts than before. Too bad he couldn’t take a vacation. |