chrysopteron | (no subject)

"Of course. If you want anything else -- "

"No, this should be perfect. Will you take the key?"

He picks up the tray and kisses her lightly on the lips.

Iris just nods and picks up the key with another kiss on Charles' cheek. She remembers the way to the room easily and lets them both in with a quick turn of a quiet lock.

"I'd thought that the magic would revert this room to its original state. I am happy it did not."

"I think the magic of Milliways is rather flexible."

Iris turns toward the bed, sitting down and curling her feet underneath her to make room for Charles and the tray of food. The window across the room overlooks the lake and the setting sun; the colors lighten Iris' mood slightly.

"Perhaps we should have acquired you a book," Iris hazards. "I had not thought to add much to this room the last time we used it."

He sets the food down and looks around,

"I did though. I asked Bar to add whatever she thought you might like."

"When did you do this?" Iris asks, surprised. "I was with you all the while."

"I spoke to Bar with my mind,"

Since he can and he likes Bar though he does need to check in with Sallie now that Cubefall's over.

"A cheat!" Iris laughs, "But I see nothing that is different about the -- Oh."

There are hidden places in the room. The trunk, under the bed. And a whole other room adjacent besides.

Eyes narrowing playfully at Charles, "Perhaps I am destined for puzzles and searching."

"Only in the interest of making you smile. That sounds like a nice way to spend the night,"

He pulls off his shoes and rests his jacket on a chair before sitting and watching her.

Iris contorts to look under the bed and pulls out a swath of fabric in a deep aubergine - a silk robe. For a little later, she smiles, laying it on the bed next to her.

Standing now, it might be time to investigate the trunk.

Charles smiles at her and eats some bread with olive oil as he's hungry and this is wonderful.

The trunk has...boxes, Iris thinks at first. But they're games. Go, chess, and underneath other games Iris can't read are large-format photography books.

"Oh Charles, come look!"

Some of the games are familiar and he grins at the chess set before coming over,

"Oh, those are lovely. The Hudson valley, that's where I grew up."

"Really?" Iris looks at the book mentioned when she puts aside a Tour Guide to the Xarplox System book. "You can tell me stories about the places there."

Iris grabs that one, along with the chess set and a couple other books to take them back over to the bed.

"I will. I wonder if they have a picture of our house, sometimes it ends up in these sorts of books. Mother always liked showing it off on garden and house tours."

There is easily an hour spent in the Hudson Valley book alone, asking about everything from geography to how the paper in the book is so shiny.

The information session devolves at that point to Iris popping pineapple chunks into her mouth.

Which Charles helps with as the book is between them and they're in each others laps as he kisses the pineapple juice off her fingers.

Iris' two front teeth rest on her bottom lip when Charles takes her fingertips in his mouth.

"You are certainly distracting."

"I said that I would be and I do my best to only say what I mean,"

He licks her fingers and then kisses the top of her hand.

"As do I, Charles."

Iris offers up an olive for Charles to take from her hand.

"Which is what I love about you,"

After a moment of positioning, he takes the olive with his mouth.

Iris doesn't whimper.

That wouldn't be seemly.

Charles doesn't mind about seemly and finishes the olive before kissing her.

Charles is so quiet. Quiet and grounding and solid.

Thank you for this.