Interlude- Allegro Amore

[redcoat]

Shutting down the party was only a little difficult. There was some delicate handling required of course- a certain amount of diplomacy was required when dealing with fey visitors. With the wounded and exhausted shooed off to bed (especially in Donavan's case), Summer was free to head to her own room with Reg.

Pulling off her armor and beginning to set it on the stand, she'd look over Reg. Was she putting too much on him? Some of the comments he'd made during the night had worried her. Worries that should be addressed, rather than left. She didn't want to ask too much of the poor man.

It was hard to remember that they hadn't been together that long- they just... fell together, in love, so easily. Summer had tried to be careful- she'd always had a tendency to rush headlong into all of her relationships. But she wanted it to be different with Reg. For the first time she could see a future for herself with someone.

"You- you don't need to make us a detection device. Of course, you can if you want- but Biff and Karn do well enough. You're getting all these resources from the Commission now, and I don't want to boggart your opportunities to research what you want to research."

[opius]

Reginald was midway through getting a boot off when she entered the room, pausing from the edge of the bed to observe her. And for a few seconds he stumbled over words, as was expected. "What- no, I can- It's not a big... It's not outside of my capability. I mean, it's not too much different from the arcane transponder's receivers..."

She could tell that even as he was speaking of how that the man was tired. There was a certain lack of oompf, and as he trailed off even he seemed to take notice of it. Reginald sighed and ran a hand through his hair a few times, eyes on the rug below.

"...To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what I want. To study, work on- I haven't had much..." He seemed to struggle with a word. "Space for thinking much." He then glanced back to her, palms back on the edge of the bed.

[redcoat]

Summer smiled- even if he was tired, he certainly didn't seem resentful, and she could work with tired. Finishing pulling off her armor, she'd change into lounge clothes first before joining him on the bed to continue the conversation- she knew he would not be able to think clearly if she was mid-changing.

Was it vanity if it was truth?

Finally in comfortable clothes, she'd stretch out on her stomach next to him and prop her head up on her elbows. "I'm running you too ragged." She said, though there was a healthy amount of amusement and self-deprecation in the tone. "I don't want that to be the case. How can I give you the sort of space you'd like?"

[opius]

He looked at her for a long time as she lay and spoke, there was definitely a kind of lag between the realization, the laugh, and the word choice. Was it vanity if it was the truth? Palm on his brow he shook his head.

"I honestly don't mind being run ragged if it's you." A pause, he realized just a blunder he stumbled into... And rather than quickly course correcting, he closed his eyes and lifted a hand. "... That didn't come out right."

After scooting back a few inches, he let his hand rest on her back. "... The stuff you're doing is interesting. Exciting- it's not stuff I thought I'd be hearing about, let alone getting involved in. In a vacuum I'd be elated to be dragged along and out of my comfort zone." He pet, dragging his palm- rough as it was- from mid back to the base of her tail.

"... But it's not a vacuum. There's other responsibilities that are glaringly apparent back in the city. I'm kicking myself because there's only one of me and so much... Just... Cool stuff happening out here. It's like..." He squinted.

"Like seeing the other kids outside while you're working on chores. I want to invest my time and help any way I can, and I'm trying not to run into a scenario where I have to choose between... I don't know- blowing up everything I've worked for, or missing out on..." A pause. "Ancient temples, the Sentinels, world shaking revelations. I want to be in two places at once and I feel like I'm just not clever enough to figure out how. Does that make sense?"

[redcoat]

Summer couldn't help but grin at his accidental word choice. As he began to pet her, a deep rumbling started in her chest.

It was hard to imagine that only a few short weeks ago she'd tried to hide the noise from him. She cut her gold eyes up to him. "It makes perfect sense. I want you to be out here with us- and not just because I can be a bit selfish and I love you- but for your sake as well. Things are happening. I can take detailed notes and give you reports every time I can make this place and open the door for you... but it's not the same as being able to show you the myconid colony, or the temples, or especially the feywild."

She'd shift up to give him a kiss on the cheek, tucking into his side.

"Are there any chores I can help with? Or Rorr? I think the both of us would love for you to come play."

[opius]

He had this look on his face- a half apologetic smile which was marked with a subtle tilt of the jaw as if he were holding back some... humorous interjection. An objection, a correction, or some note about the door and the current state of things. But as she went on about the colony and the temples, the feywild, the smile faded and along with it the subtle nods. There was a genuine kind of... sadness? No. Longing.

A feeling Bones couldn't just empathize with from the shapes his face made- she could feel it. Reg was an open book, whether he wanted to be or not. And the more he pet her along the back, the more she could almost predict his next words.

She leaned up to kiss him and he laughed. There was a pang of excitement, followed by a very subtle wash of shame and apprehension. "Gods. If only..." The chuckle faded as he looked back toward her. He reached for one of her hands and sighed.

And a moment later, watching her, he furrowed his brows with dawning realization. "That uh... That was an honest offer, wasn't it? I- I don't know. Rorr's an incredible builder, your field-research is paving new ground. And there's the rest of your crew who's got their own reasons to be out here. Outsourcing runework, organizing plans- it's not just mundane drudgery, it'd slow down all the momentum you've built up so far. That's... That wouldn't be fair to you."

[redcoat]

Bones arched an eyebrow, taking his hand and kissing his knuckles. She could feel his shame, his apprehension, his longing. It was... new. But damned if she wouldn't address it. If someone she loved longed for something, she was going to damn well try and make it reality.

"Of course it was a real offer- I don't offer things I'm not willing to agree to. While I wouldn't agree for Rorr directly, I feel like I can speak with some authority that he'd be happy to help as well." She smiled. "Organizing plans is an area of expertise for me, I'm certain runework is well within Rorr's skills."

She smiled lazily, her tail twitching. "We spend a good amount of time in transit, and everyone has projects during down time. We'd burn ourselves out if every day was a battle, a dungeon, a negotiation with devils and mushroom people." She waived off the weight of the sentence.

"And don't worry about fairness. I already told you I'm selfish. Helping get you out of your tower would be a good deal for me and our crew as well. I'm not just trying to make you feel better. If you weren't working, had nothing on else on your plate- would you want to come on these expeditions?"

[opius]

He laughed a little as she went on. Awkward as it was, bashful as it was. There was a certain... barrier? That seemed to be keeping his excitement at bay. The kind of unwillingness to pull the trigger that came with big decisions. "When you put it like that..." He responded quietly.

Gently he withdrew his hand from hers, placing them both on his knees. A little rub, a little rocking, he thought her question over- giving it the weight and pause it deserved. "From my perspective, the biggest adventure I've ever been on was coming here. This was... the big one, you know? From little things like borrowing money for components- big adult deals, right? To getting aboard the ship here... I fully expected this would be it. I'd establish myself, link up with a growing city and be the town wizard. At some point. Eventually. Be the guy with the long white beard and all of the answers."

He rolled his shoulders and placed his hands at his sides on the mattress, leaning back until he was eye-level with her while she sort of sat, sort of sprawled in that distinctly feline way. "...I never imagined I'd be the guy who goes out into the jungle and... spelunks to meet up with the denizens below for actual field study. It seemed somehow... I don't know, beyond my scope? That's a thing you send the crazy ones out to do- the Raileys..." He pursed his lips and looked away. "...Or the Mordenkainens, eventually. High risk high reward, I guess..."

He sighed. "A year ago I'd have said no, I'm content to stay in my space and build a tower- an incredible magical feat of architecture that's bigger on the inside than the outside. That would have been my thing. And then I got wrapped up in the attack on the city, almost got eaten by a zombie, and got wrapped up in you and your crew. And then actually getting out into the jungle, seeing what happened with you and Fire first hand... The world's bigger than I ever imagined, and I feel kind of foolish for not wanting to see more of it sooner." He took a breath and looked ahead at the wall.

"...So... Yeah. I suppose if I had no responsibilities, if my plate was clear and my contracts settled? Maybe I would. An expedition with you seems more tenable somehow."

[redcoat]

"How long of a white beard?" She asked, narrowing her eyes in mock judgement- though the look was dropped immediately- clearly made in jest. She listened to him, her expression thoughtful.

Reaching forward, she took the chance to pet him, running her dexterous fingers through his dark hair. "How about something more reasonable- more manageable- to start? Instead of dropping everything to become a road scholar. A small field trip- a week long expedition south, or anywhere, really. It'd be easier to shift your work for a short period of time, with our help, and you wouldn't be committing or choosing a whole new life. Kind of the best of both worlds, in some ways."

She could tell there was something keeping him from going- whether it fear or duty- and she understood. How often had she dragged herself home, half beaten to death and bleeding? High risk, high reward he'd said, and he wasn't wrong.

[opius]

He nodded and furrowed his brows as he considered her offer. "It's not a bad idea by any means. A little adventure out of the city now and again. It might do me good." He laughed and leaned into her as she pet, letting out a long sigh as he did.

"The more I see of my contemporaries, the more it honestly worries me that maybe I've made a mistake in the way I see myself forty years from now. As cool as a massive library would be, I don't honestly want it to become a prison. I don't think I want to end up like Flemming- Smart as hell but creepy... A loner with a weird tick and a wandering eye." He glanced back at her face.

"...It's something I'm going to think about. I think I'd like to take a field trip or two. Get some fresh air, see what you see out here."

[redcoat]

"Forty years is a long time, but I promise I wouldn't let you get creepy." Summer said with a little laugh.

"I'm a bit impressed that you have a forty year plan- I don't let myself plan out more than ten at a time. Too many variables."

[opius]

He smiled. "Less a plan, more of a pipe dream." He leaned back some. "...I appreciate the vote of confidence. I wonder how the hell I'll manage to keep your attention for that long, though. For as fast as you move, I'm just as reluctant to drag my heels along. I'd figure by now you'd be having second thoughts." He looked her face over.

"...Though I suppose if a long white beard doesn't scare you off, nothing will." He laughed.

[redcoat]

"Still- impressed that you can dream that far ahead. I think I top out and ten- fifteen, maybe." She slipped under the blankets then, properly getting into bed.

"I'm not going to get bored of you, Reg. I like your constancy. It makes me feel safe. Honestly, I worry that you're going to get bored of me."

[opius]

He chuckled, watching her as she crawled under the covers. It was all so surreal, and yet she made it seem... normal. Unflappable, adaptable, and quick witted as she was, the improbability of the scenario felt like nothing more than a meetup at a camping ground. He sighed and smiled. "I sure hope not." He then laid down and pulled the covers over himself.

"...I sure hope not." He echoed with a yawn, watching her as fatigue set in.