The Perk, Sunday morning

[future_sandworm]

It was a good thing that no one have come to visit him, even without the timeline dangers. Leto didn't want to think about introducing aunt Alia to this place and having her talk to his teachers. Even Stilgar or Harah would have been a little difficult, and he could imagine endless tirades from Harah about wasting water.

He had ordered a coffee and

Comments

[notyourpawn]

"I should hope you haven't any visitors," Alice announced, taking a seat near his with little by way of actual introduction. "Not that I don't wish you visitors, as that's terribly unkind, but I would be quite hurt if you had very important loved ones stop in and had not informed me of such. Good morning."

[future_sandworm]

She certainly didn't need to introduce herself. Leto leaned close to kiss her lightly. "I'm lucky to have family here," he said. "And no one else showed up to complicate the timeline. And you? There was no cat this year who would question me of my intentions?"

[notyourpawn]

Alice frowned, faintly, at that, as she leaned into the kiss. "No," she said. "I confess, I'm quite surprised. I can't help but wonder if he's been delayed. Something's ... a bit off."

It was hard to explain how she knew that, but she did. One could feel it, as though one's toes had a cold.

[future_sandworm]

"Off?" he asked, taking another sip of his coffee while his other hand reached for hers.

[notyourpawn]

She twined her fingers through his, giving them a light squeeze. "Not the land itself," she clarified. "I don't think there's anything amiss, exactly. But it isn't ... the channels aren't open. It's been worsening, of late."

[future_sandworm]

"And you don't know why?" he asked. "And it bothers you?"

[notyourpawn]

"No, and yes," she answered, in turn. "I never had a problem before, going there when I liked. I haven't been able to since I reached this island. I thought perhaps it was the dimensional whatever-it-is that Fandom is, but that hardly makes sense. Fandom is more open to other worlds, not less."

She shook her head quickly. "I'm sure that it's nothing. How have you been?"

[future_sandworm]

"That is odd," he agreed. "Perhaps you should look into it. And I've been well... just thoughtful. Like there is something at the back of my mind that I can't quite find."

But he smiled at Alice and leaned close to kiss her again.

[notyourpawn]

She savored the kiss; Leto-kisses were not things to be rushed.

"Do you know what I've discovered?" she said. "When I've lost something important? I can look, and look, and look, for ages, but it's when I throw my hands into the air and give up and stop looking that my eyes land upon it."

[future_sandworm]

"That is true," he admitted. "But I wish there was a way to look for something while pretending you're not."

[notyourpawn]

"You need a distraction," Alice decided. "We should go adventuring. Adventuring does wonders for distracting one from those words stuck on the tip of one's tongue."

[future_sandworm]

"And I know you have experience when it comes to that," he replied with a laugh. "Where should we go?"

[notyourpawn]

"Onto a rooftop," Alice decided. "And then we look for ways down that won't involve ourselves getting hurt, but aren't the stairs, either. Or we wander into the woods and look for hidden doors."

[future_sandworm]

"I think I prefer the latter," Leto replied after a moment of consideration. "Perhaps this week?"

[and I need to sleep very soon]

[notyourpawn]

"Let's," Alice said. "I can't Wednesday, that's when I have to be at the music store, but my schedule is very flexible otherwise. And one never knows what one can find in the woods."

(Okay! SP for the win! Night!)

[future_sandworm]

"Thursday?" he suggested, leaning a little closer to Alice.