(Untitled)

[legendarymadman]

In retrospect, Geoffrey may have overestimated his building skills

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[dishabille_mal]

There were funnier things Maladicta had come across on the island, but it was difficult to think of any off-hand.

"Forever," Maladicta drawled, staying just out of Geoffrey's peripheral vision as she strolled around the place he'd managed to wipe himself out.

"Before you bother asking. The length of time I am going to lord this over you is.... 'forever'."

[legendarymadman]

For a moment, Geoffrey wonders whether, if he closes his eyes, she might cease to exist and this would all be a bad dream. He tries it. It doesn't work.

"Just tell me you're not carrying a camera," he says. "That's all I ask. Lie if you have to."

[dishabille_mal]

"I am not an employee of the Times," Maladicta said, sauntering into view, then leaning down to look him in the eye.

"As it happens, I am a copper. As such, it is my duty to aid a citizen in peril. Before I leapt into action, so to speak," she drawled, taking her time, "I wanted to make sure you knew. Forever."

[legendarymadman]

"I'm not in peril," says Geoffrey, giving his leg another yank. "Maybe I meant to do this. It's performance art."

[stoicsidekick]

If Geoffrey was hoping to escape unscathed by embarrassment, he was about to be sorely disappointed. Bush had paused on the path to say hello, only to witness the man's spectacular fall, and now he stood with his arms crossed over his chest and something dangerously like a smirk tugging at his lips. "Looks like you could do with a hand, Mr. Tennant."

[legendarymadman]

Geoffrey just barely resists banging his head against the ground, because of course it couldn't go unwitnessed. Of course it couldn't. But a hand is probably better than taking his pants off to get free and then getting caught.

"The sooner the better," he says.

[stoicsidekick]

William could have left him there - even he could see the humor in that - but in the end, thought it better to help. He crouched in front of the stage to unhook the trouser leg from the offending nail and then stood and offered Geoffrey a hand up.

"I think Mr. MacDonald may be the better man to handle repairs," he observed, stating the obvious with patent dryness.

[legendarymadman]

Geoffrey's pretty sure Duck's the better man, period. "I'll remember that for next time," he says, looking up to the heavens for a moment as though they might make this all unhappen before struggling to his feet. "I'm not bleeding, am I?"

[new_ophelia]

"Oh my God"!

It's out of Kate's mouth in a high pitched shriek before she can stop herself. Geoffrey is old and he could have broken a hip and been crippled for the rest of his life.

"Oh my God, are you hurt? Do I need to get help? Are you paralyzed?"

[legendarymadman]

"I'm not paralyzed," says Geoffrey, "I'm dangling." He gives his leg another yank, but that bastard is not coming free until someone gets him unhooked from the nail.

[new_ophelia]

"Stop wriggling around!" she commands, sprinting over and grabbing at his leg, trying to unhook the pants. "You're going to injure yourself!"

[legendarymadman]

"I think that's more your department," says Geoffrey. He hears something tear, but he's pretty sure it's his pants and not him. "I never actually injure anything except my pride."