026 ± [location: taxon high] don't you look at me like life don't hold you anymore mystery

[justaddmarbles]

Ambrose Langwe had always wanted to be a educator, and with his passion for science there was never any doubt about his subject areas. He'd finished college and started teaching before the war, and once it began he volunteered for the Army Corps of Engineers as his brain would be more useful than his ability to shoot straight. A portion of his time

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[tothelightshown]

DG had learnt a lot during her time at Taxon High, but certain things - things like the many routes in and out of the building - hadn't been on the syllabus. Not that she made a habit of breaking into the school. On the contrary, she'd spent most of her time there waiting to leave. But things were different now. For a start, Ambrose Langwe had a position on the teaching staff

[justaddmarbles]

Ambrose glanced up, expecting Kara or Axamil or Temperance or that Gump boy, only to be presented with Dorothy Maclay. He really had to begin his study to determine if she spent more time in school after graduating as opposed to before.

With a sigh he glanced at his grading, decided it was hopeless so long as she was there, and set down his infamous red pen.

"Not busy enough," he replied dryly. "What brings you in today?"

[tothelightshown]

Her smile widened when he set down the pen. A few weeks ago, it would have taken half an hour or so to convince him to do that, if she'd succeeded at all. Maybe he was getting used to her visits, as unorthodox and impromptu as they were?

Emboldened, she crossed the classroom and placed her bag on the desk. A moment later, she lifted out an apple pie and set it down on top of the papers that Ambrose had been attempting to mark.

"I thought you could do with a break," she explained, "I've brought you something to eat."

[justaddmarbles]

Maybe. Or perhaps he'd taken note of the adage about doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. Either way, all he could do was smile in bewilderment as she placed the pie before him.

"I didn't know you delivered now," Ambrose remarked. "I suppose this means I won't have to stop by the cafe anymore."

[tothelightshown]

"We don't, officially," she said, sitting on the edge of the desk and swinging her legs. Her skirt wasn't indecently short, but it certainly wouldn't have been acceptable if she'd been a student. "But I know that you work too hard."

[justaddmarbles]

Not indecent, no, but still distracting. Fortunately Ambrose was a gentleman and so made no remark beyond raising his eyebrows.

"I'm grateful for your concern about my well being, Dorothy," he remarked, making deliberate use of her first name. "However, stopping now only gives me more to do later, and...well, I've always seen myself as more of an ant than a grasshopper."

[tothelightshown]

"DG," she corrected, as patiently as she could. Although there was nothing wrong with Dorothy, as such, it didn't sound like her. People only called her by that name - or, even worse, by her full name - if they were trying to lecture her, which was something she rebelled against automatically.

"You really do work too hard," she replied, shaking her head, "One afternoon off won't do any harm."

She'd started with the apple pie, yes, but she'd have liked to have him to herself all afternoon as well.

[justaddmarbles]

Ambrose smiled faintly in response to her correction. "DG, of course, my mistake."

He considered her suggestion, weighing his concern about propriety against...well, against Dorothy Gail Maclay. The girl was a pistol, and he'd be a fool and a liar if he were to say her attentions were unwelcome.

"All right then," he said and cocked his head. "Do you have any suggestions for an alternative to work?"

[tothelightshown]

"Plenty."

She gave him a smile that fell significantly short of being innocent and paused for a moment before continuing. It seemed casual enough, but it was actually a carefully measured sort of pause. Too short to give him a chance to respond but just long enough to allow his imagination to supply a few interesting alternatives.

"How about a walk?"

Getting him out of the classroom would be an excellent place to start.

[justaddmarbles]

The girl was downright incorrigible. Worryingly, Ambrose was beginning to like it.

"A walk would be nice," he replied. He tended to keep himself cooped up, a habit Wyatt frequently mocked him for, so the fresh air would be welcome. "Unless that's too pedestrian for you."

...that might have been a joke.

[tothelightshown]

"Great," she said, sliding gracefully off the desk. She'd have teased him about the same thing, but she didn't want to scare him off. Although DG fixed her intention on Ambrose with no particular aim in mind, that would have been a disaster.

"We'll start with the walk," she added, "I don't think you're ready for my motorbike yet."

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"Probably not," Ambrose sighed. Really, a girl driving a motorbike and him riding on the back, it was preposterous.

Decisively, he rose from his desk. Grades could wait, pie could wait, no one would disrupt either if he went for a little walk. "All right. Would you happen to have a destination in mind, or are we hoping one finds us?"

He wouldn't mind either way, honestly.

[tothelightshown]

"I'd take care of you," she promised, and, before she answered his question, DG - feeling both characteristically daring and encouraged by his acceptance - slipped an arm through his.

"That depends on whether you want to stick to the grounds or not."