Entry 542; Day 1087

[misterblackbird]

[Filtered from Known DELILAH Members || Unhackable]I should have known this curse will come upon us sooner or later this month: mistletoe growing from every corner and doorway. I can hardly think of a better sign of the season in the City than this. Truly, it is splendid. And one must, of course, observe the custom of the mistletoe. And the

Comments

as if I could pass up some of this [Action]

[primrosella]

[It's not hard to spot Cain in the City in winter, not when the buildings and skies go gray and desaturated, and he's there as always in black and white in the midst of it. She's not hard to spot, either, in her familiar old red woolen cloak, still bright and cheery despite the years she's had it in use, and for a moment they might well be nothing more than two strangers passing in the Square, standing out against the dreary day.

But still she stops, and looks, and can't decide if she dares get his attention or approach--because who knows who might be watching, and there are no such things as filters in the open air.]

[Action]

[misterblackbird]

[He casts a glance her way--how can he not? He sees the colour of that cloak, and he knows who wears it. And if there is someone that he might want to see, even at times like these, it might be her.

And there she stands.

He'll risk it. In such a place as this, with so many people, surely no one will try anything here. And he can draw her away, someplace where, perhaps, they won't be seen. He will guard her--that has been his promise for so long. He will guard her.

He dares a smile in her direction.]

[Action]

[primrosella]

[They're rare enough, Cain's smiles, that there's no missing this one, no matter the distance. That she ducks her head a little is the only indication she gives that she's seen it, and knows she's been seen, but she's also known Cain long enough to guess that even something so slight will be recognition enough.

She tips her head, as if something has just caught her eye, and walks over to a nearby store window to rather deliberately admire the decorations, giving him ample chance to see what she's doing before going to the door and slipping inside, the long tails of her cloak trailing behind her.]

[Action]

[misterblackbird]

[Splendid. That's simple enough. He's rather glad that they've known one another long enough to be able to communicate in such a way. After a few moments--long enough, he hopes, to have anyone watching lose interest or not perceive a connection between the two of them, he will follow her into that same shop and look for her red cloak inside...]

[Action]

[primrosella]

[And they do make a good team, as it turns out, because she hasn't let that head start go to waste; there's nothing particularly suspicious about a young lady browsing the aisles of a trinket shop in the Christmas season, and it gives her plenty of excuse to check the store, just to make sure there's no one inside that she'd much rather avoid.

He'll find her in a small nook formed between a back corner of the store and a tinsel-covered Christmas tree display, pretending to look at a shelf of silver ornaments and waiting patiently to be discovered.]

[Action]

[misterblackbird]

[He'll approach as casually and as quietly as possible and end up standing beside her, touching one gloved finger to a silver ornament--a doe and stag leaping worked in silver.

He'll speak to her, softly, casually, as one might to a stranger in a shop]

These are rather charming things, aren't they?

[Action]

[primrosella]

They really are! It's lovely how they have them all set out like this--and some on the tree, too. It makes it such fun to look.

[Or, to put it more simply: "Hello."]

[Action]

[misterblackbird]

It does make for a striking display to use only silver like this, I think.

["I hope you're doing well. You would tell me if you weren't, I hope."]

[Action]

[primrosella]

[She glances at him, then thinks a minute.]

I think I'd like it with a bit more color, though. Perhaps some red to cheer things up a bit, and make it a bit more merry.

[Action]

[misterblackbird]

Perhaps it is a little icy like this. Red would do well for it.

[Action]

[primrosella]

I think it'd be rather pretty. But I always like the colors best, anyway.

[She frowns a bit as a flicker of motion catches her attention out of the corner of her eye, and she glances up to look--mistletoe, beginning to creep along the corner of the display, but not quite in harm's way yet.]

[Action]

[misterblackbird]

[He notices her glance and misinterprets it at first: he suspects she's seen someone to watch, not something. But it's just that damnable plant again. He looks at it, then back to her.]

There are some glass ornaments that I've seen this season that look fairly like jewels. They're rather remarkable.

[Action]

[primrosella]

Have you really? I'll have to have a loo--oh--

[She remarks, as she leans over and kisses him. Which is a rather interesting development, considering that damnable plant still isn't quite close enough to have any particular effect, is it?]

[Action]

[misterblackbird]

[No, it isn't--not so far as he can tell, glancing over at it. But, still... It's close enough that if anyone were to ask, well, they could certainly claim such a thing.

She kissed him, so...he kisses her in return.]

Dear me.

[Action]

[primrosella]

[And she is, naturally, the picture of apologetic when at last she draws away.]

Oh, I'm terribly sorry. There's a curse out today, you know--that awful mistletoe again.

[Which would seem a lot more legit if her eyes weren't gleaming with mirth.]

[Action]

[misterblackbird]

Yes, I do know. I've seen it everywhere and, well, you and I both know the nature of this curse and how it really is quite--

[Oh dear, another kiss.]

--quite unavoidable.