{closed}

[lifewithoutrest]

Who: Helen Magnus and Arthur Kirkland
What: A walk, followed by dinner.
When: After this.
Where: The Beach | Somewhere with food?
Warnings: None, as of yet.



Having slipped out of her shoes, Helen stood barefoot on the beach as she waited, musing over her reasons for being there. It was rare she allowed herself such freedom, but perhaps Arthur had been right. A few moments taken for herself wasn’t likely to result in the world collapsing, as much as it sometimes felt it might.

She still wasn’t certain why she had asked him here, why she had invited him for dinner afterward. Had she actually asked him on a date? The thought registered as absurd; she was reading too much into the offer. An offer she had made. Had she wanted it to mean more than it did?

Whatever her reasons, she couldn’t deny she was looking forward to the evening.

Comments

[lifewithoutrest]

"You still hold grudges, then?"

She couldn't help but find the concept fascinating. That they could be so incredibly human, yet embody the whole of a nation.

[rule_britannia]

"Everyone holds grudges. You'd need to be a saint not to, and I'd not believe anyone who says they don't."

He paused then, to catch the attention of one of the waiting staff and order a bottle of wine, then he turned his attention back to her with a smile.

"We simply hold them for longer."

[lifewithoutrest]

She returned the smile, settling back in her seat.

"You're certainly not what I would have expected."

[rule_britannia]

Arthur laughed at that, pressing two fingers to his lips as the sound is louder than he initially intended.

"Ah.. if I had a quid for every time someone had said that to me. What were you expecting?"

[lifewithoutrest]

"For starters, that you would be female. And far less human."

[rule_britannia]

"Fe-.. Ah-hah.."

The man chuckled and shook his head.

"You're not the first to say that, either. You're thinking of Britannia, correct?"

[lifewithoutrest]

"Presumably." She really still understands so little about his world.

[rule_britannia]

"Britannia was my mother. She.. well. She's been gone for a very long time."

Though she'd left her children as her legacy.. and a fine mess they'd made of things.

[lifewithoutrest]

She reaches out to touch his hand again. "I'm sorry."

[rule_britannia]

Arthur smiled and turned his hand over to take hold of hers without a moment of thought. Once the action was done, there seemed little use in pretending he hadn't done it.

"It was a long time ago."

[lifewithoutrest]

"That doesn't necessarily lessen the pain."

She tightened her fingers slightly around his, perfectly comfortable. A certain measure of discretion was usually required, given her position, but any relationship she may or may not have here is no one's concern but her own.

"It's been some time since I've met someone whose story rivals my own. You're a terribly interesting man, Mr. Kirkland."

[rule_britannia]

Arthur seemed to be rather amused by that - his laugh was quiet, soft, but his eyes sparked with humour and he closed his hand over both of theirs, giving her fingers a light squeeze in return.

"It would be a terrible thing indeed, should I be boring at such an age."

[lifewithoutrest]

"Quite a tragedy," she agreed. Though, she suspected she would have found him fascinating regardless.

"I appreciate your willingness to indulge my curiosity."

[rule_britannia]

"The pleasure is all mine, I can assure you."

She really was a rare find. He almost felt lucky to have been brought to this damnable place if it meant he could meet this woman.

"And I might say the same, of course."

[lifewithoutrest]

"Ah. But I have far fewer stories to tell."

[rule_britannia]

"That certainly doesn't make you any less interesting."

He finally looked down at the menu, gaze flicking over the options laid out.

"I haven't met a woman like you in a long time."

[lifewithoutrest]

"I'll consider that a compliment."

She studied him a few moments longer before following suit, scanning a menu. She was really far more interested in the company than the food.

[rule_britannia]

So was Arthur, and he was thinking that it might have been a better idea to eat at one of their apartments, but they were here now, and this would have to do.

"Good. It was meant as one."

[lifewithoutrest]

"Perhaps we should keep dinner light. I've a feeling our conversation might be better suited to somewhere with less risk of interruption."

[rule_britannia]

Arthur laughed and nodded his immediate approval. "I was just thinking the exact same thing."

Ah, this was refreshing. It had been a long time since he'd got along this well, this immediately, with anyone, let alone a mortal.

[lifewithoutrest]

It had certainly been more than she was expecting from this night.

"I'd be disappointed if you weren't." The soft note of teasing is obvious, and she gives his hand another light squeeze.