cruelwonder | IC Contact

Dunno if they can. They--

[He cuts off as they go through. Squeezing her hand, he leads them back-- and it's painless, but it's also slightly worrying.]

Yeesh. Anyway, they might be, but guess it don't matter much, long as we keep the doors closed and this end locked.

[She smiles and follows him, wondering why he's stopped talking...though she doesn't speak up.]

I wonder if I'll ever get used to this magic business.

Probably not. I've lived here a year and I still ain't. I mean, Christ, sometimes I come home and the ceilin' looks like the sky-- that's the next thin' he's workin' on, makin' the ceilin' look like whatever the sky looks like. Though, er, last time he tried he nearly killed us, so.

The sky? He can't simply walk outside?

[She pauses.]

...Nearly? What happened?

The, uh, the ceilin' caved in. Down. For a bit. We fixed it, though, so no worries.

[She's torn between amusement and astonishment.]

Jack!

Nobody got hurt!

You'd have gotten yourselves killed! And your rats! Think of your children.

Excuse me, the rats are on the third floor, the children and grandchildren are fine. Yorick just got a bit o' a scare, that's all, and we fussed over him enough after he didn't even remember.

[She laughs softly.]

He's got a horrible memory.

[She blinks when they emerge on the other side, adjusting her eyes to the light.]

Just be careful. If I hear your house has caved in one day while I'm at the orphanage...

What're you gonna do, kill me? I'll already be dead.

Oh, ha ha. I'll think of something.

But Alice--

Don't you "but" anything. I have my ways. "Hell hath no fury," as they say.

I wouldn't have even done nothin'!

You'd have gotten yourself killed and that's enough.

And enough punishment, I'd think.

You think?

[She raises an eyebrow, trying not to smile.]

[He gives her an exaggerated pout, his eyes sad.]

Oh, yes.

[She swats at him.]

Don't give me that face.

[He laughs and leans forward, his arms wrapping around her waist, nosing against her neck.]

But Al-lice--

[She twists in his grip, laughing, his nose tickling her.]

You little-- That tickles!

Like you mind--

[He laughs and keeps her close, kissing (or trying to) at the crook of her neck.]

[She puts her arms around him and makes a quiet sound against his shoulder.]

I never claimed I did.

[He grins, moving to kiss her neck once again.]

Oh, excellent, cuz I hate bullshit--

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