[For Emily, Arthur] Operation: Homecoming
Mar. 28th, 2012 09:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
The sun's setting over the ocean by the time Joan and Arthur emerge from the bedroom. The drink they had before they adjourned had long since been metabolized or sweated out, and the frost-covered walls of Joan's self-defenses have melted and fallen completely. He's back in his slacks and shirt, because they haven't been to the Compound yet, and she's wearing one of her lighter weight dresses in place of the negligee and silk robe she'd wear at home, but she's still draped over his lap, arm around his shoulders. Both of them have fresh drinks in their hands and they're talking, finally, about the island and Joan's life here.
She smiles, breathing deeply, and brushes his bangs off his forehead. It feels like the first full breath she's taken since she got here. "Emily should be home soon," she says, but Joan's not interested in moving off his lap. "Try not to scandalize her too much?" There hasn't been time to tell him very much of anything, but that's all right. It will do well to break the ice.
She smiles, breathing deeply, and brushes his bangs off his forehead. It feels like the first full breath she's taken since she got here. "Emily should be home soon," she says, but Joan's not interested in moving off his lap. "Try not to scandalize her too much?" There hasn't been time to tell him very much of anything, but that's all right. It will do well to break the ice.
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Date: 2012-03-29 10:05 am (UTC)"So tell me about Emily."
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Date: 2012-03-31 03:23 am (UTC)"Lady Emily Merchant," Joan begins with a hint of a smirk. Both she and Arthur are so terribly found of having information the other doesn't. "Born 1840 to a wealthy British family with no title, married in 1867 by her father's arrangement to Lord Henry Merchant, who had a title but a rather less substantial fortune. It was accounted a good match by everyone, except poor Emily. But that is the boring part of the story." She smiles again, sips her single malt, and adds, "Also the easiest part to believe. Emily didn't arrive on the island from Victorian London, though. In 1867, she stepped into a hole in time and arrived somewhere in the past and then spent three years traveling with 15 or so others through similar holes, fighting dinosaurs--" Her eyebrow lifted at the question she knew would be coming. "No I am not kidding, and then eventually arrived in 2011, met a team of researchers studying the time holes, called anomalies, met a man she loved very much, left him to return to her own time again, and peradventure met him and his team again when he rescued Victorian London from a raptor the press thought was a serial killer called Springheeled Jack, and Emily herself from being committed to Bedlam. She returned to 2011 with them, helped avert a global catastrophe, and then arrived here on the island a few days before I did, when the island had converted itself to a steampunk version of Victorian London."
She brushes Arthur's cheek with her fingertips. "Are you ready to have me committed yet?"
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Date: 2012-03-31 05:35 pm (UTC)Not that he believed everything that Joan said. Or rather he didn't believe everything that Emily had likely told Joan but what he said had been the truth. Emily sounded exactly like someone that Joan would like. Or would have been Joan in another life.
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Date: 2012-03-31 05:58 pm (UTC)She shifted her eyes to her roommate and raised her brows. "I'm sorry for interrupting. I won't stay long. I'd thought I might ask you to dinner in the main kitchen."
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Date: 2012-04-01 01:39 am (UTC)She smiles, eyes brighter than they've been in the time Emily's known her. "Since you've accomplished the introduction, yes, this is Arthur, and don't be ridiculous. Sit, have a drink with us, and we can all go to dinner together. Arthur needs clothes, and I'll need moral support for the atrocities the box is almost certain to want him to wear."
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Date: 2012-04-01 01:48 am (UTC)Arthur looked between the two women. "What this about a clothes box that has any say in what I wear?" He knew that the days of his specially tailored suits were a thing of the past but he'd be damned if he'd wear a Hawaiian floral shirt and surf shorts.
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Date: 2012-04-01 03:52 am (UTC)"There's a lack of proper tailors on the island, I'm afraid. Most people get clothes from a box in the compound which rather seems to have a mind of its own. Or at least terrible taste of its own." Used to delivering nonsensical explanations for absurd circumstances, Emily hardly looked more than amused. "I've found it's best to not expect too much from it."
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Date: 2012-04-01 07:36 am (UTC)True the box gives her more to work with than poor Emily, but Joan supposes that's likely to come to an end soon. All of her good fortune's been spent in Arthur's arrival, and Annie and Auggie (about whom she's told him already) and Emily being here. "Auggie did manage to have a gorgeous dress made for Annie for Christmas, but it was handsewn and I think he's still paying in lessons." She had, of course, warned Arthur that she'd kept her World Bank cover and that Annie and Auggie retained theirs, as well.
"Emily, please." Joan gestured to the bottle and extra glass on the table left for her.
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Date: 2012-04-01 11:40 pm (UTC)"Auggie's lessons, that I'd like to see." Arthur chuckled wondering how many computers could be on this island. "Well the box can try to give me flowered shirts and board shorts all it wants, but with the exception of Joan, no one is more stubborn than am." It would be the battle of wills and Arthur was not going to lose.
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Date: 2012-04-02 05:58 am (UTC)"I don't know how quickly I'll be able to find an open hut, so I hope you'll both excuse my presence for another few days." Surely the newly reunited couple would want their own home.
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Date: 2012-04-02 06:04 pm (UTC)Her lips purse lightly, as she'd thought of it earlier but had forgotten in the rush of passion. "I'd consider that we might look into the newer places over in Green Arrow Estates. I believe people usually have to share anyway, but there's a good deal more convenience there. And if not, we can simply put in a request to the building crew for a rather larger home here on the beach, big enough for the three of us--" And Matt, when he arrives, because Joan wishes for that as often as she did for Arthur. "If it's uncomfortable for you, I won't stop you, but Arthur and I will be pleased for the company."
She gave Arthur one of those wifely looks that said yes they would be pleased and he very well better agree with her.
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Date: 2012-04-03 11:45 am (UTC)He'd chosen his words carefully with an attempt to sway her into acceptance out of politeness for making him not feel like he was pushing her out of her home.
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Date: 2012-04-10 06:25 am (UTC)"In my travels, I've lived far closer to people I knew less well and in a great deal less comfort. I'll stay for now and consider my options. Thank you, both." Emily folded her hands again. "Give me a moment to change for dinner, please?"
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Date: 2012-04-11 12:12 am (UTC)Whatever the reason, Joan nods at Emily while lifting her glass for another sip of her drink. "Take as much time as you need. We'll wait."
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Date: 2012-04-11 03:02 am (UTC)"Of course, as Joan said, take all the time that you need."