Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, Log 6/??? [Action]
Evelyn refuses to follow the White Rabbit. There is something wholly unnerving about its sharp teeth, and despite her irrepressible curiosity she's learned a little something about curbing her eagerness to jump into the fray. That, and she wouldn't want someone completely opposite her running willy-nilly. Someone might mistake her mirror for her
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He must have been on the way back to his room when he passes Evelyn and oh my, he seems so lost in thoughts just then, you'd almost think he doesn't recognise, why, perhapd has never even spoken to her first!
But of course that is a mere temporary distraction and he recovers quickly and cheerfully. ]
Evie!
[ His eyepatch is there, on the right side too (which is obvious, given that that's where he's missing an eye - duh!) and his clothes look as they do, perhaps not sophisticated but certainly well taken care of and clean... and most definitely not with a faint cigarette aroma lingering on them. ]
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But it's a good thing she knows him so well now!]
Philip! Hello.
[Her exploratory stroll down the second floor hallway screeches to a halt as Evie addresses him, smiling.]
I'm glad to see you're all right - there's been an awful lot of fuss this morning about people coming and going from the sides. How are you?
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I noticed.
[ What he most definitely doesn't notice is her tits which are disappointingly concealed on this side. No, that is not a thought he has to get out of his mind before speaking. ]
I'm, uh, I'm fine. [ Beat. ] You?
[ He clears his throat. ]
...I'm- I'm glad you stayed on this side, actually. It's--
[ A smile. ]
It's probably safer here.
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[Evelyn certainly agrees with Philip regarding safety. If a reckless bunch of rebels plan on overthrowing their monarch, things won't be peaceful for long on the other side of the looking glass.]
I had no idea there was a coup happening, but I suppose that's expected when I spend so much time in the library. Have you met any of them today? The, ah-
[A little hand gesture.]
-the mirrors.
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[ On the grand stage of lies Phil is certainly the better actor. But Philip is the one who writes the more convincing scripts. Improv, with all that it entails, is perhaps the strength of neither. ]
I don't- I don't think so? [ He laughs, a little nervously. ] I, uh, I hope not.
[ ... ]
...Were you going somewhere? Do you, um, maybe want to grab a-- [ Jointwhiskeyquickieontheroofnonostopit-- ] cup of coffee or something?
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But no matter! He is a perfectly decent and normal individual who just happens to be taken aback by the entirety of the situation at hand, the situation being all these mirrors afoot, of course.]
Um. Well...no, I wasn't planning on going anywhere in particular.
[Just wandering, mostly. She smiles.]
Coffee sounds lovely.
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[ SCENE! No. Nonono, that was off. That... definitely sounded off.
...It's just so hard to bother with the whole prequel when Phil already knows where he wants this act to go. ]
...if, uh, if you'd like. To go. To my room, that is. Rather than. A tearoom or or your room.
[ He clears his throat again and looks away awkwardly. ]
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That's fine.
[She eyes him curiously.]
Are you sure you're all right, Philip?
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[Another awkward pause.]
Well, um...lead the way, then?
[In his hangover, he must have forgotten to tell her something.]
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He stops just before reaching the couch and turns, remembering that there is coffee to be served. By him, apparently. ]
{ Ask her to take a seat. }
Right!
...Hey, um, so... sit- sit down, I'll be... right there.
[ He opens the closet and begins piling assorted coffee-related items on a plate. ]
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Taking a seat on one end of the sofa and folding her hands in her lap, she glances over to the...somebody called it a television a few weeks ago...and wonders whether or not she should acquire one of her own. Film is apparently very big in the future, and she should catch up.]
...so what was it you wanted to talk about?
[Evelyn asks distractedly, tearing her gaze away from the flat-screen.]
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[ No. No, hang on. No talking and walking for him. First things first. Carefully putting the precariously balanced plate down on the coffee table he takes a seat in the middle of the sofa. ]
Um. It's not... not so much talking about as... it is... a confession, I suppose. Um...
[ A hunch tells him that he should wait, let her inquire at least once more before finally finding it in himself to confess, but he already notices himself getting impatient and longing for a cigarette... amongst other more interesting things.
So, after merely a short pause, he blurts out, as if in a fit of spirited courage: ]
Look, I-- I- I've been meaning to say this for a long time, but I- but I couldn't, because- because I've got a-- because of Clarence and everything, but--
[ He takes a deep breath and looks deeply into Evelyn's eyes. ]
You're the best thing that's ever happened to me in Wonderland, you-- You are the best thing that's... ever happened to me.
[ He smiles a little.Every moment I spent with you has been incredible and I... I ( ... )
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But then his nervousness sobers. He makes eye contact, he starts...doing all those little things that Evie remembers very distinctly from secondary school when a young man started being sweet on her. A rush of panic hits Evelyn and the embarrassment soon follows, making her cheeks prickle with heat.
Swallowing hard, suddenly not so interested in the coffee anymore, she feels her stomach lurch uncomfortably.
It's that kind of confession. Truth be told, Philip was the last person Evelyn expected to hear this sort of thing from.]
U-Um...
[Reaching for her locket and leaning back just enough to stay out of a very specific range, she finally finds her words and trips over them.]
Ah...ha...d-don't you think this is- this is a little sudden, Philip?
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It's been a year.
[ ...You see, this, for instance, is not a good answer. Much as he can't comprehend the reason behind it Phil doubts that 'not getting laid for a year' counts as reason to start something for either of them.
So. Let's rephrase. ]
It's- it's been a year since I came here and I... just... can't... risk disappearing without- without having said something.
[ He will seriously have to high-five himself for that save later. ]
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Regardless, she has yet to consider Philip in this fashion. A colleague? A respected peer? The last man Evelyn had any interest at all in was a scoundrel, and it hadn't been that good of a kiss anyway and even if he did clean up well, Mister O'Connell was still a roughrider and a treasure-hunter and a gunslinger and...
...and...
...and not here.
It's been far too long now to pine for places and people she won't see for months, possibly years if what Philip says is true.]
Look, I've- I haven't thought about you...like that, I just- It never occurred to me. Philip, you're...
[She's floundering.]
...you're a good friend. A wonderful friend and a lovely person, and- and I wouldn't want to ruin that, I mean, I- I like you very much, but I can't stand the idea of losing you as a friend if-
[Another wild gesture.]
-if something went wrong or oh Heavens I don't know.
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