(Untitled)

[puckishly]

You know, what's the good of having preternaturally fabulous weather if you aren't going to take advantage of it?

And furthermore, what's the good of having a sharkless lake if you're not going to take advantage of that?

And what's the good of giant squid in that sharkless lake if you don't occasionally descend to the depths to taunt them

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[cheerychaplain]

There is a rather jumpy-looking slight man, who had been walking along the shoreline, watching Puck with some misgivings.

He is also nervously looking around an awful lot, though that has nothing to do with the swimmer (or so he thinks).

"Er. Nice day for a swim?" he asks.

[puckishly]

Puck glances up to Mulcahy and brightens.

WHY HELLO, TOTAL STRANGER.

"Oh, quite," he says, cheerful. "One really must mind the squid, however."

[cheerychaplain]

"...Mind the squid," Father Mulcahy repeats, politely confused-as-all-get-out. "Are there very many squid in the lake?"

[puckishly]

"Only two, that I know of," Puck replies, splashing idly; the water's not much higher than his waist. "But one never does know when there will be more."

[cheerychaplain]

"And they're ... dangerous? Squid?" he asks.

It's a nice day; there are people scattered here and there along the lakeshore. In the distance, a woman laughs. Father Mulcahy twitches and looks over his shoulder.

[puckishly]

Puck follows the twitch and the look with well-concealed amusement.

"It depends," he says of the squid, in the tones of one who is attempting to be diplomatic. "I shouldn't say they were dangerous, precisely ... but all the same, one does well to stay out of their paths when one can. Though that can become difficult; they are so very large."

A beat, and then he really can't resist.

"... Aught amiss?"

[cheerychaplain]

Mulcahy really doesn't know quite how to respond to the treatise on squidly size and habits.

So he doesn't.

"Ah, no," he says, with another glance behind him. "I just thought I might have recognized a young woman's voice."

[puckishly]

"Really?"

Puck smiles.

"How delightful. Is she a friend?"

[cheerychaplain]

The good father's face is nothing if not awkward.

"I don't know her very well," he is quick to say.

[puckishly]

"Is it your hope to know her any better?"

Asked with another smile, and perfectly innocent tilt of his head.

This is not the innuendo you're looking for.

[cheerychaplain]

"Well, she was a nice young lady, b--"

Father Mulcahy starts and nearly chokes on nothing at all as he belatedly gets what has been said. Flushing painfully red, he says, "Certainly not."

(Puck really couldn't have asked for a better flail if he'd tried.)

[puckishly]

Puck does not laugh. He does not chortle or chuckle. He does not gloat, giggle, or even so much as titter.

... Just keep that in mind.

"All right, all right," he says. "I only thought to ask."

[cheerychaplain]

He eyes the man for a moment, but it's quite possible that he doesn't know of Mulcahy's position in the church, seeing as how many people here are from other worlds.

He seems like the trustworthy sort, even if he does swim strangely with squid.

"The trouble is," Mulcahy says more to himself than to Puck, his face still red, "that the young lady seems to want to get to know me better."

[puckishly]

Puck, with some effort, goes :O!

"I see," he murmurs gravely.

"And you should rather she didn't. Is that it?"

[cheerychaplain]

"Yes," he says, awkward but fervent. "I've taken a vow of celibacy, as a priest. This -- sort of thing, isn't supposed to happen!"

[puckishly]

Vows of celibacy are sexy.

"Have you attempted to communicate that to the young lady in question?" Puck asks, blinking owlishly.