[Room 1001]

[2goodarms]

Curtis is getting better at remembering they have unfettered access to water. He still forgets to shower sometimes, but when he does remember, he makes up for it by indulging for a good long while.

Sorry, Edgar. It's probably gonna be another forty-five minutes before you can get into the bathroom this morning.

Comments

[hate_gettin_older]

Still laughing, Edgar extends a hand up toward Curtis.

[2goodarms]

He slaps his palm into Edgar's and hauls him to standing.

And, once he's there, gives him a smack on the shoulder for good measure.

Please, please let another butterfly find Edgar so Curtis can start calling him a delicate flower.

[dejah_thoris]

Dejah's already tracking another one. "Look! Oh..." Her breath goes out of her. Across the tops of the tall grasses, there are dozens of them. Flitting from flower to flower, bobbing gently in the breeze.

She looks back to Curtis, her eyes bright again.

[hate_gettin_older]

None of them seem to be lighting on Edgar yet, but he's stopped laughing and is watching them with that look of pleased wonder again.

(A pang: he's wondering how Painter would draw this. Or Curtis with the butterfly on his head.)

[2goodarms]

He pulls in a slow, disbelieving breath as the scene comes into view. They're like snowflakes drifting along, or scraps of paper fluttering down from a high perch. (Like leaves in the fall, a memory whispers.) There's so many of them -- and the flowers, god, the tiny blooms around the lake shore didn't prepare him for this.

Curtis catches Dejah's eye, starting to grin anew: softer, now, more wondering.

[dejah_thoris]

She holds his gaze for a long moment, smiling, her cheeks flushing with color. She thinks about bringing a picnic basket out here, and a blanket. Just the two of them. She looks away, her grin giving away her thoughts as much as the way she bites her lip.

"They're beautiful..." Yeah, the butterflies. That's what she's talking about, uh huh.

[hate_gettin_older]

Edgar glances across at them and looks away quickly, pursing his lips in an almost silent idle whistle.

[2goodarms]

Curtis rolls his eyes at Edgar. Just wait. Someday you're going to meet a girl here, kid, and then: PAYBACK.

(It must be said: the eyeroll doesn't diminish his smile one bit.)

"Everything you wanted?" he asks Dejah.

[dejah_thoris]

There's only a few steps between them, but for some reason, it feels like far too much space. She crosses that space like she's in a dream. Her hand slips into his and she rests against his shoulder.

"Almost," she whispers. She leans in and steals a gentle kiss.

[2goodarms]

If the rest of the Tail could see this, he starts to think, and lets the thought drift away like the butterflies.

They still could. Maybe. Out here, it's easy to believe what Nam said: the thaw will come, new life will unfold, and Yona and Timmy will be okay. And everybody else -- they could still make it to Milliways someday.

He hopes.

Curtis squeezes Dejah's hand, very gently. Even with Edgar very studiously Not Looking at them, he keeps the kiss small and sweet.

[dejah_thoris]

"Come on," she says, grinning like a fool. "Let's see what else we can find..." She tugs on his hand and leads him into the tall grass.

[hate_gettin_older]

And Edgar tucks his hands into his pockets and follows along behind them, still whistling tunelessly and almost inaudibly.

He's feeling a bit superfluous to requirements, but for once he doesn't so much mind.