[location: a sidewalk cafe] hours of happiness more or less

[inquitvigiliant]

It's early evening, and a pair of men are sitting close together at a small table outside a little cafe. It looks like tea or coffee now, although there are the remnants of something that might have been a light supper or possibly dessert. Giles is dressed somewhat uncharacteristically in an old leather jacket that looks like it could have been

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[fuckyouripper]

On Ethan's side of the table it's coffee and nerves, and he's been off and on a little abstract through their conversation- pulling himself back towards the current moment the best that he can, but every now and again that alarmed, distant look in his eyes dominates and he has to ask Giles to repeat whatever he just said.

(Giles has always been better at lying to people for their own good. It's funny, in a way, except it's not, really.)

He's there now, though, sipping from his mug and making a face in agreement. "I know, love. But you have to think, you and I have something to go back to. What about Tara? This place is seductive that way."

[fuckyouripper]

"Just give me a few days," Ethan requests, quieter, "just- a few days. All right?"

In a few days, if he's right, they'll revert. To- what, he doesn't know, but since he seems to be the only change...and if he's wrong, then they can forget they ever had this conversation and worry about what's actually going on.

(The problem is that if Giles figures out what it is on his own thn he's probably going to understand this conversation in retrospect. Ethan tries not to think about that- not that he doesn't think Giles would understand how he's trying to protect him, but just because he wishes they'd never have to.)

[inquitvigiliant]

"All right." Giles nods, frowning but willing to give Ethan this much. And in a few days, if things haven't become clearer, he trusts that his partner will make good on his implicit promise to explain.

"I suppose it's too much to ask, for things to make sense here," he says wryly, a kind of peace offering. "I mean, really, just how much logic can you expect from a city run by giant hamsters?"

[fuckyouripper]

God, he hopes he's wrong.

"Heaven forbid," he agrees dryly, taking the olive branch as it's offered and contemplating finding his cigarettes. "Usually, I like that about the place." Chaos, you know.

[inquitvigiliant]

Giles doesn't usually partake these days, but right now he could really stand a cigarette himself. "Quite. I have to admit I'd probably be bored stiff with an ordinary life, at this point."

Not that...he really has any idea what an ordinary life would be like.

[fuckyouripper]

"Mmm." He doesn't seem quite able to keep the conversation going now, though- Ethan is too tense, too tired, too...just 'too', and there's a flash of blonde at the other end of the street that looks familiar.

It'll have to wait.