(no subject)

[tragic_mask]

Melpomene slept deeply without dreaming, and only woke up when the light between the curtains fell across her eyes.

It was a nice way to wake up. So now, as she opens her eyes, she stirs only slightly, and then settles back into a comfortable position.

Comments

[mechanicalswans]

"You deserve all the niceness I could give you, and more," he says. "And your enemies are mine also, if you like."

[tragic_mask]

"Oh, I'm not that deserving," she says.

[mechanicalswans]

"What makes you think so?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

[tragic_mask]

"Well... I'm definitely not the shining example of goodness in the world," she says, wryly.

[mechanicalswans]

"I doubt I'd be half as fond of you if you were," he says. "You'd spend all your time horrified by me, and that would leave no time for anything else."

[tragic_mask]

"Oh, yes," she says. "My dark past removes some of the barriers between us."

[mechanicalswans]

"There's a way people have about them," he says, "people who have suffered, or survived difficult situations, or who--I don't want to venture too far into clichés, but who have done things that others might not approve of. And you have that, and I find it very attractive. And always have."

[tragic_mask]

"I can't tell whether I should be flattered or not."

[mechanicalswans]

"The fact that you are strong, and at least a bit cynical?" he asks. "Much harder to deceive. Harder to push around. I would be flattered."

[tragic_mask]

"Well, all right," she says.

They come into sight, between two buildings and at some distance, of the falls. "Hey, see that?"

[mechanicalswans]

"And us with no barrels," he says with a quiet chuckle. "But our collective sense of direction is spot-on."

[tragic_mask]

"Clearly," she says, "You are a good man to have around."

[mechanicalswans]

"You say that now... but will you still think so after you've seen the interminable holiday pictures I am about to take?" he asks.

[tragic_mask]

She looks askance at him.

"I'd like to think so."

[mechanicalswans]

"'And this is my beloved, on the overlook near the falls. And this is ten seconds later, when she is looking a little bit to the left. And a few seconds later, discovering that our guidebook has been soaked by the water. And a few seconds later, telling me that that's quite enough pictures of her at this spot. And a few seconds later--yes, that's her hand in front of the camera.'" He grins.

[tragic_mask]

She grins, too.

"At least there's none of 'she's not in the shot here, because she's accidentally fallen into the waterfall.'"

[mechanicalswans]

"Oh, no," he agrees. "If that were to happen, I'd put the camera down and go in after you."

A pause.

"Or give the camera to someone else, so we'd have some genuinely dramatic pictures to inflict on others."

[tragic_mask]

"Even better... we'd have some genuine bewildered-Japanese-tourist photos to show all our friends."

[mechanicalswans]

"We will have to get someone to take pictures of the two of us together," he says with a smile. "But you're still not going to go over the falls. No barrels, no bowls, nothing."

[tragic_mask]

She sighs.

"Just don't let me too near the edge, and I guess I won't."

[mechanicalswans]

"You sound so disappointed," he murmurs. "Are we going to have to take a separate waterfall-diving vacation?"

[tragic_mask]

"Maybe," she says, looking sheepish. "At this rate, we'll be spending all our time on vacations."

[mechanicalswans]

"...can you think of a better way to spend our time?" he asks. "Alone together, away from our everyday responsibilities, able to be as free as we'd like..."

[tragic_mask]

"Yes, well, I can't neglect my duties forever," she says, almost bitterly.

[mechanicalswans]

"Can't you?" he asks softly. "You have none, in my world, as I have none in yours. Whether either of us has one in the bar is up for debate."