strangetrip | [GP/EP] You're not clear of story out here

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[GP/EP] You're not clear of story out here

Even before she knew for certain that it was the first of a month, Snow’s body had started bracing for it. She was wary and tense, preparing to cope with yet more people in the space of the hotel. It seemed that no sooner had she adjusted to whoever had showed up the last time, there was someone new again.

She didn’t want anything to do with the lot of it. That was what those busy women on the welcome committee were for. She didn’t think the committee was a stupid thing, not at all. Focusing on settling new people in kept the lot of them busy and away from her, and that was where she wanted them. They terrified her.

Snow White had only come into the main building to forage for food. The original plan was of course to turn right back around and escape before the expected rush (small or large) of new people to flood in.

But that was of course not what happened. When a universe was a pocket, it had less to focus on and fewer people to fuck with, and so Snow was entirely certain it was fucking with her when she was the one in the lobby when a new face came through the door.

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Jack just nodded. What else was he supposed to do? This was not within his conversational depth. It seemed like a far better idea to stay mostly quiet and let Phryne steer. Colorful as she was (contrasted with 'that dour police detective' in Mrs. Stanley's words) she certainly had the words and experience necessary to explain and reassure as needed.

"More so in our time than here and now," Phryne replied while placing her hand over Jack's on the booth in an expression of gratitude for his gentility. "Or among the very religious, who believe sex outside of marriage is a cardinal sin." Fortunately Jack's conservatism only extended to sex outside of marriage while he was married, else she'd eventually die of overstimulation.

"Most of our fellow captives will, I imagine, be more concerned for the possibility of you being coerced into your profession and mistreated by your pander or your clients than by any implication of promiscuity. Any discomfort is likely a combination of guilty curiosity and desire."

"Desire I know how to deal with. The rest is more difficult." And to be frank, Alcuin had not exactly seen much evidence of desire here so far. Not that he'd been in a position to think about it that much so far. "But no, I was not coerced." He had committed blasphemy. But he did not want to describe the specifics of his tale right now.

"If anyone tries, find me. Or Miss Fisher, of course." The likelihood of anyone trying coercion was vanishingly low, but... men and women cooped up together in a comparatively small area. Tempers would flare, eventually. The Madonna Inn wasn't the trenches, not even close, but Jack could see the possibility of similar issues the longer waiting for more nothing to happen went on.

Out of Jack's field of vision and largely unnoticed by others in the Café, Ignis slipped through the connecting doors to the kitchen and behind the bar. With the ease of some practice on both sides, both he and the bartender on duty avoided each other while he ran fingertips along the shelves in back, apparently looking for a particular bottle.

Alcuin of course tended to notice things like new people entering a room. He saw Ignis out of the corner of his eye and turned to look at him, and it made him smile. He had been kind to him, and it reminded Alcuin that he likely did not have much to be wary about from the people here.

He looked back at Jack and Phryne. "I appreciate that very much."

Phryne, too, had noticed Ignis's entrance, and noticed Alcuin noticing. She didn't doubt that Jack had noticed it, also. Three observant people, observing each other, observing a man who couldn't see them, but almost certainly had marked them nevertheless. The entire sequence summoned a small, conspiratorial smile from Phryne as she glanced aside at Jack.

"Have you met Ignis, Alcuin?" Of course he had. "I think you'd rather like him." Of course he did. Both of them were entirely likable, attractive, and quite probably more interested in men than women. She didn't assume that because they both preferred men, they'd want to be together, but the part of her that appreciated other people falling in love did hope they would.

So before Alcuin could answer, she shot a brighter smile over in Ignis's direction to make sure he'd hear it in her voice. "Ignis, darling. Are you busy? If not, perhaps you'd like to join me and my companions for a drink?"

Jack sighed infinitesimally, returning Phryne's glance with... mostly amusement. Some exasperation, though her track record was quite good, at least considering Collins and Miss Williams.

Ignis paused at the call - Miss Fisher, and some nebulous companions - and it only took a few seconds to decide that no, in fact, he was not especially busy. She was pleasant company, and no doubt her companions would be likewise... and really, he couldn't spend all his time in the kitchens.

He oriented on her voice and walked toward it. He could tell which side of the... booth, yes, Miss Fisher was on, but the disposition of her 'companions' was a mystery. "Provided my drink is coffee, certainly."

Alcuin did not have a chance to respond to the inquiry before Ignis came over.

"Hello, Ignis," he said pleasantly. "Why don't you have a seat beside me?" He wanted to be sure that Ignis immediately knew he was there so that there was no awkwardness of unequal information, and also thought it would be helpful to signal where the empty space was at the table.

"Hello, Ignis. Coffee for you it is. I'm so pleased you've already met Alcuin," Phryne said, like Alcuin, moving to acclimate Ignis to the company by giving them names. "I don't believe you've met my companion, Detective Inspector Jack Robinson." That was accompanied by the light brush of her hand against his wrist that nudged his hand in the direction that belonged to Jack.

"Jack, please meet Ignis Scientia, the fire of knowledge--" She smiled playfully, and then added, "Otherwise known as the angel who prepares meals that don't contain chicken."

It was absurd that something as simple as accommodating his blindness without making a particular issue of it was so touching, but it was. Rather than trying to do anything for him, Alcuin and Miss Fisher both simply presented him with information to allow him to do for himself. Most people at the Inn, or at least the few with whom he'd interacted, seemed to be like that.

Ignis nodded in the direction of the Inspector, who said simply, "Pleased to meet the reason I'm not as tired of chicken as I could be," in what Ignis marked as nearly the same accent as Miss Fisher's. If the man nodded back, though, he had no idea.

Greeting accomplished, he did take the suggested seat next to Alcuin, a warm presence it was easy to be aware of. No fear of accidental crowding due to misjudging of movement. "I have been known to occasionally cook with chicken. I will admit that I haven't done so since arriving, though." There was no need. If the recipe contained chicken, the chicken madman would handle it.

Alcuin laid a hand briefly on Ignis' arm before pulling it away, since he could not smile at him.

"When I first arrived, Ignis managed to provide some food and comfort, when I was in quite a state," he said. Then looked at Phryne. "Well, you remember. I was not exactly at my best." Sometimes he wondered if he ever would be again.

Phryne made a fond, quiet dismissive noise in Alcuin's direction. "I feel certain that no one could have held together better after experiencing what you did." Since she didn't know what Ignis had been told, Phryne elected not to mention that Alcuin had arrived with a life-threatening stab wound, although she had certainly mentioned the magic healing to Jack.

"Ignis has proved excellent company on more than one occasion when the day offered less distractions--" And less time with Jack. "--than I'd have liked." But considering Ignis was far nearer her usual taste in sexual companions than Alcuin, Phryne lay her fingers against Jack's wrist and curled them lightly. She hoped he'd understand her to be saying that the companionship had been purely platonic.

Touch as a substitute for expression! Alcuin was clever, and Ignis offered a quick smile in his direction. And if he also suppressed an urge to rest his hand on the other man's before he took it away, Ignis did so with no one the wiser. Reading people had never been his forte, and embarrassing himself in front of a group was far from ideal. "It's quite easy to be good company when I have such good examples around." Miss Fisher was charming, and Alcuin... 'not his best' was still more than good enough.

Jack turned his hand palm-up briefly in an acknowledging sort of gesture. He knew Phryne more than well enough to know what her matchmaking sounded like, and she'd been trying, subtly enough, to recommend Alcuin and her 'fire of knowledge' to each other. If she'd been interested in either, that wouldn't be the case. Though her gesture was appreciated, if only because under other circumstances, blind or no, he'd have been concerned. "Well. Pleasant as this conversation has been, I imagine there are one or two other things I should be doing, so please excuse me." Phryne could come along, or stay to continue her matchmaking, if that was her plan - they would meet up later as she'd requested in that case.

"It was very nice to meet you, Jack," Alcuin said immediately, still polite to a fault. He also offered a little smile to Phryne, reassurance that she could go or stay as she liked.

As she had on at least one other notable occasion, Phryne elected to leave with Jack. She inclined her head to Alcuin and said, "I hope you'll do me the honor of continuing our conversation at another time."

And then she touched her hand lightly to Ignis's arm. "My apologies for calling you over and leaving immediately after, but I'm sure Alcuin's company will be more than adequate compensation for me abandoning you. And now if you'll excuse me, I believe the Detective Inspector may need my assistance."

She flashed Alcuin and Ignis the dazzling smile of a woman who very much wished to be of "assistance," and then hurried to catch up with Jack.

"Likewise, to the both of you," Jack replied, equally polite. They did seem decent enough, and if one or both of them didn't end up adopted into whatever family Phryne gathered around herself in the Inn, he'd be very surprised.

He got up and moved off, but didn't move as quickly as he could have. Best to make it easy for Phryne to come with him if she opted to do so... which she did. So he was still in range to hear her farewell.

Assistance, hardly. Much-desired company, very definitely.

As soon as she caught up, he offered a companionable-at-least arm. "You're plotting, I see."

Phryne slipped her arm through Jack's, and though part of her wanted very much to press herself against him beyond the polite companionable-at-least, she refrained. It was a largely a matter of convenience, because were she as close as she wished to be, it would put a terrible strain on her neck to continue making eye contact.

"Hardly, darling. Just providing Alcuin an excuse for something he wanted to do anyhow." Something she suspected was agreeable to Ignis as well, since as much as they both seemed to enjoy her company, neither paid her the slightest sexual attention.

"For now, at any rate." Jack sighed, mock-put-upon. "At least neither of them is my constable, this time." Yes, he was teasing her. He'd never minded Collins's attachment to Miss Williams, as they'd been admirably suited for each other. Apart, of course, from the Protestant vs. Catholic matters.

He wondered how Miss Williams was faring without him. Well enough, probably - she was stronger than she initially seemed. And no doubt Phryne would let him know if there was anything required from him in the event.

"Were your constable here, I would be plotting," Phryne observed, a trifle pointedly, but in good humor. "And you would be plotting right along with me. I wasn't the only one who gave the boy a book, after all." She smirked minutely, and then continued on, "As it is, I have another project keeping me very happily engaged. It doesn't take up quite as much of my time as I'd like, but I'm hopeful that will change."

This time when her fingers slid against the skin at the inside of his wrist, no subtle conversational gambit was intended. Rather, she meant, very unsubtly to tell him he had her full and very intimate attention for the rest of the evening.

"Yes, well, he was that hopeless. And I wanted to ensure I kept some of his loyalty in the face of your blandishments." Especially since forbidding Collins from doing her bidding had failed to work several times. Still, Jack's tone was decidedly teasing. In their earliest acquaintance, there would have been a serious edge to it, but now, no. They understood where the boundaries were much better.

The touch on his wrist was nearly the same as when they'd been sitting together, but the intent behind it was different, and it made his pulse race. "How much time should it take up, in your view?"

Re: Alcuin (and then Jack)

st_illunsmeared - 2017-03-09 04:53 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Alcuin (and then Jack)

st_illunsung - 2017-03-09 05:12 (UTC) - Expand

If he'd been more in the habit of still using his eyes, Miss Fisher would have gotten at least a level are-you-up-to-something look, but Ignis could hardly complain about Miss Fisher taking the opportunity to spend time with whatever the Inspector was to her. Nor was he unhappy, at all, to be left to relatively private conversation with Alcuin. So simply waved one hand in a combination farewell and you're-forgiven motion. "I'm certain you'll make it up another time in any case."

Once her footsteps had faded enough to put her out of easy conversational range, he remarked, "Miss Fisher seems a good friend to have."

Alcuin had picked up on something as well, but he found any matchmaking attempts on Phryne's part to be sweet and somewhat amusing. Though for his part, after what had happened with Vax, he was extremely wary of being too forward with anyone.

"Yes, she has been very kind to me," Alcuin said, turning towards Ignis a bit. "Though - " He almost said 'though she just told someone I'd never met that I was a whore' but immediately thought better of it. "Though she can come on a bit strong, I suppose. I am glad to call her a friend, though."

"Likewise, and she can. I only narrowly escaped having to give her a lecture on my world's cosmology during our first real conversation." Ignis shook his head, amused rather than rueful. "I'd intended to say nothing at all about it. A talent of hers, I think."

"I was in the process of giving her a lengthy explanation of my religious beliefs, when Jack showed up," Alcuin said, a small smile making his voice sound fond.

"Well, now I'm curious." Ignis's own religious beliefs weren't exactly beliefs per se. He knew his gods too well to believe in them, especially after having participated to a greater or lesser extent in killing three of them. "Miss Fisher doesn't strike me as a particularly religious person."