(Untitled)

[dogbitesman]

William had considered finding an entertainment reporter, or even just hiring, but when it came down to it, there was just no need. He wasn't entirely qualified to write reviews, but what went in the Times weren't entirely reviews in the traditional sense. If nothing else, they hardly served to convince people to attend or not, given that every

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[dishabille_mal]

Maladicta had her feet up on the rail, a twist of her hair in the corner of her mouth, and a very large wolf hybrid's head on her lap. At the sound of William's footfalls, Shenlong stood and turned and bounded over to him. It never failed to be at least somewhat amusing, given the fact that William wasn't really an animal-lover per se, and that Shenlong was no longer a puppy. Had grown substantially beyond the point of puppyhood, in fact.

"Hullo, dear," she murmured.

[dogbitesman]

"No, don't-" William said, and then gave up as he had, at least, not been knocked over by Shenlong.

He felt this was progress. So he gave him a pat. He couldn't deny the delighted bounding had a certain appeal.

"Hello," he said, advancing to the porch at a pace that allowed for navigating around Shenlong, who moved. "Have you been back long?"

[dishabille_mal]

"Half an hour at the most," she said with a shrug, and set the play in her lap to look up at him.

"Any murderous rampages? Outbreak of plague? Fun things?"

[dogbitesman]

"No, not unless you count chickenpox as a plague-"

Which, for that matter she probably did. Or would, if she ever caught it. And the IPD offices were accessed through the clinic, that was a worry.

"-and I hope you're including 'fun things' as a separate category. In which case, also, no."

[dishabille_mal]

"Well, fun is what you make of it. At any rate, sorry," she offered, because it would have been nice for him to have some great event or even a scandal going on- anything. Anything at all to distract from the fact that the days were flying by with terrible swiftness, each one leaving her a little rounder than the last.

[dogbitesman]

"I think I'll stick to not making it out of outbreaks of disease, thanks," William said, ascending the steps and sitting down next to her, at which point Shenlong immediately placed his head in the newly presented lap.

"That's Geoffrey's play?" he asked, leaning over her a little to peer at it.

[dishabille_mal]

"Well, it's Shakespeare's play, but it's the one we're putting up next, yes," she said dryly, and offered it up to him. She didn't bother dog-earing the page, partly because she didn't want to upset her husband and partly because she knew the scenes and acts very well.

[dogbitesman]

William took it, and affected a deep interest in the contents as he murmured, "'We'?"

Maybe she was in denial. It was better than her being mad about it, he supposed, but that just meant it was delayed.

[dishabille_mal]

She was watching him with the sort of intensity with which hawks watched wounded rabbits. She had all the time in the world and all the power in the situation, but she wasn't quite sure she believed her eyes.

"Yes. We."

[dogbitesman]

"You auditioned?" William said, shooting her a slightly concerned glance.

He wondered if he should edge away. The wolfhound with its head in his lap rather hindered his ability to get out of harm's way, unfortunately.

[dishabille_mal]

"Why would I not," she said very, very evenly, not twitching so much as an eyebrow.

[dogbitesman]

William had a very fine-tuned sense for when he was in danger.

Unfortunately, like all precision instruments, it needed to be turned on, first.

"Well, you're, er, you know," he said, and held his hand approximately baby distance away from his stomach."

[dishabille_mal]

"Fat and infirm?" she prompted with a terrible brightness to her tone and absolutely no hesitation whatsoever.

[dogbitesman]

"Pregnant," William corrected, "which, while not being either of those things, is also not a quality of anyone in the play. Is it?"

He had a working knowledge of Shakespeare, since he felt he had to, but he hardly knew them inside out.

[dishabille_mal]

"It's never really mentioned," she seethed, eyes narrowing, "except in the cases of the persons attempting to preserve their virginity."

She scowled out at the jungle, lounging viciously to one side.

"But I'm sure it will amuse Geoffry to utilize a real live pregnant person in some capacity. Hippolyta, perhaps. Theseus's pressing nuptials indeed."

[dogbitesman]

"Er... right," William said, feeling that he was on more precarious ground than he previously had been.

This was incorrect. He'd been on it all along, he simply hadn't realized.

"But still, is it the best of ideas?"