Third Floor Common Room, Wednesday Afternoon

[bitchprince]

After spending the past few days in a place that made his bones - if he was going to be sentimental - thrum with a distinct sense of belonging, where the trees were just the right shade of green (again in this hypothetical state of sentimentality) and people seemed to genuinely get any number of things that were rarely gotten around here (even if he had been told, several times, that he was 'a bit posh, aren't you', to the point of annoyance, including one or two spots of combining that word with some rather unflattering language) Fandom seemed a little... stark.

Too restless to hole up in his room, Arthur eventually gave in to the idea that maybe the common room would be slightly less depressing. It was an idea he was swiftly abandoning as he poked at a can of orange juice and eyed the Teevee remote.

Nope. Still not tempted. There was that.

[[ open, durr ]]

Comments

[future_sandworm]

Leto walked into the common room in search for something to eat, and possibly some company. Noticing Arthur, he wondered if he was in the mood for that particular company, but he nodded in greeting as he headed towards the kitchen area.

[bitchprince]

"Leto," Arthur greeted in turn, his mood not quite draconian enough to make a big fuss about it.

[future_sandworm]

"So, how was your journey?" Leto asked, finding some bread and dried fruit in the cupboard. He didn't know where Arthur had been, but he assumed he had been off island in order not to show up at the reserves meeting yesterday.

[bitchprince]

"It was actually quite pleasant," Arthur said, glancing after him. Wait. Hadn't he spotted Leto near Morgana's booth the other day--? "Although airplane travel continues to be an irritation."

[future_sandworm]

Quite possibly he had.

"Really? I thought they made an effort to fly smoothly with passengers." And not, you know, how he liked to fly a 'thopter.

[bitchprince]

In which case they would have to have some words, here.

"It is nearly impossible to sleep in them," he said, "Even in what they advertise as 'first class'." Like Arthur would fly coach. "Nevermind the fact that security seems to be run by blind, useless geese. But once we got to Albion, it was all right." Pause. "England."

[future_sandworm]

Leto would reply if Arthur had any questions.

"Oh, why?" he asked.

[bitchprince]

"'Why' was it pleasant?" Arthur asked, his voice more dry than Leto's home planet.

[future_sandworm]

Leto was still more interested in the planes than in a rainy, damp island.

"I was talking about the flight," he said, "But I assume the question goes for England as well."

[bitchprince]

That's because Leto had no opinion worth considering. Or it proved it, at least. "Because it was," he saıd. "As for the airplanes, as ıt turns out, they only have one actual guard every dozen flights? That is just borrowing trouble."

He was trying to remember the carnival, now.

[future_sandworm]

That argument could just as well work in the opposite direction. What kind of person liked rain? "And were there trouble?"

Was he also going to remember dunking Leto? Because Leto had no particular wish to remeber that.

[bitchprince]

Actually, Arthur would enjoy remembering that ın excrutiating detail. "Not this time, thankfully. What about yourself? Enjoyed the weekend and the week since?"

And what kind of imbecile thought sand was a good thing?

[living_endless]

Didi was determinedly ignoring any slightly odd vibes in the room as she came in to get her cereal and juice. (Desire and Dream's backbiting would make Leto and Arthur look like amateurs, anyhow, so she had practice.)

"Hi. Are we watching anything?"

[future_sandworm]

"Oh, it was interesting enough," Leto replied with half a smile.

Don't mention the dunk tank.

[future_sandworm]

Leto looked up and smiled at her. "No, I'm not. Hello, Didi."

[bitchprince]

"Did you entertain yourself at the carnival?" He was more interested in Morgana right now, thanks.

[bitchprince]

"We are not," Arthur said, graciously, "But take a seat anyway, if you wish."

Mood: still somewhat decent.

[future_sandworm]

As Arthur hadn't brought up the dunk tank, Leto suspected what he might be asking about. The smile widened a little. "I did. That was the purpose of it, after all."

[bitchprince]

"Mm." Arthur's lips managed a goodly smile there. "I am glad to hear that. However, there is one matter about it I wanted to discuss with you."

[future_sandworm]

"Oh?" Leto said neutrally, picking up a dried fig and putting it in his mouth.

[bitchprince]

"Leto, I know my father's ward is a beautiful young," shrew, "woman, and obviously a man of your level of desperation would find it hard to resist her wiles, especially when she offers them up so freely on this particular occasion. While I understand how difficult it is for you to keep your hands to yourself, and the fact that I know her to have the ability and temperament to emasculate you with your own crysknife if you try anything she doesn't like, I feel it is only prudent to tell you that if I ever catch you laying a hand on her again I will personally nail your balls to the castle's tallest tower."

It took many years of training to be able to say something like that at as pleasant a tone as Arthur was using, nevermind while maintaining a smile. Leto should be impressed, really.

[future_sandworm]

It was rather impressive, actually, not that Leto would tell him that.

Leto smiled back. "I see. But if, as you say, you have such faith in her ability to defend herself against unwanted attention, I take it you have little respect for her own choices of how to entertain herself."

See? He could be perfectly calm and polite too.

[bitchprince]

"She doesn't know you," he said, pleasantly, "And is, in her own frustrating way, an innocent. I have no interest in debating this with you."

[living_endless]

"Hey, Leto," Didi said, waving a few fingers. "How was your Homecoming?"

[living_endless]

"Thanks, I think I will," Didi said, perfectly pleasant as she flopped onto the couch (managing not to spill the milk from her cereal) and reached for the remote. "We could see if there are cartoons."