[oom] Room 6620

[lady_bols]

[[ after this & this ]]

God, not again.

She was only getting up to use the loo in the middle of the night.  She'd just left this place a few hours ago, after it swept her away and stuck her in that ludicrous costume for Halloween.  She hadn't intended to come back any time soon.  (The bullet's out, for Christ's sake.  She just wanted to go home.)

But no, she found herself standing in the bar, in her pyjamas and robe, feet covered in thick woollen socks.  She didn't even bother taking a seat.  Just reached her pocket and found the key to the room 6620.  (She never set it down anymore.  It'd become some strange sort of talisman for her.)

Loo.  Kip.  And then she'd try again, Bar's reasons for kidnapping her be damned.

So that's where he found her, sprawled on the bed in his room again.  Dark blue silk pyjamas.  Hair messed.  Makeup removed.  Dead to the world (ha bloody ha).

Comments

[lady_bols]

She turns her head, listening to him move.

"No, I mean -- I won't be coming back here again. I wasn't planning on coming back after I left the last time."

She doesn't want to say it out loud, because that makes it real.

"I'm going home soon."

And not just to 1982.

[the_gene_genie]

He almost, almost, lets his eyebrows shoot up and his tongue suggest a quickie for the road. It's what he'd do with any other girl. But after their last couple of meetings, he's pretty sure it wouldn't be a good idea in one way or another.

Though it might be fun. And maybe that's the problem. It's clear that forming any attachment to this one, however casual, would be awkward.

'Fed up of it? Don' see how. It's interestin'.'

[lady_bols]

She smirks, hearing the little hitch in his thought process and knowing it for the kindness it is.

"No. It doesn't matter."

She's watching him again with dark, sad eyes.

"Enjoy the bottle, Guv. I should be -- getting back."

[the_gene_genie]

'What, no goodbye kiss?'

He couldn't help that one. And there's only a touch of sarcasm in it, around the edges.

[lady_bols]

She vapour locks, lips parted.

If she does go home, and she passes up this chance, she'll spend the rest of her life regretting it. If she doesn't pass up the chance, will she be able to focus on Operation Rose and all that will be required of her in the coming days?

She can't answer him.

[the_gene_genie]

He's not going to help her out. Not after last time. But he doesn't retract the comment either. He just sits casually and waits, eyes flicking between her eyes and her lips, his own mouth pressed into that pout she knows so well.

[lady_bols]

Regret is looking like the only option she has that will allow her to keep any remaining shreds of dignity.

Her jaw sets and she shifts her weight towards him, the small movement utterly unconscious.

"Best not," she says, the words clipped and the regret very obvious in her tone.

[the_gene_genie]

Her weight shifts that way and he copies it, just as unconsciously, leaning forward in his seat a little as though expecting her to take the steps. When she says no he frowns, like he wasn't expecting it, though he was.



'S'pose.'

He doesn't stop looking at her though. She might be a fruitcake but she is beautiful.

[lady_bols]

The next step isn't unconscious. If he'd looked away or down, she might have been able to turn back, but he keeps looking at her.

"Bloody hell," she mumbles, the next steps carrying her across the floor to him.

[the_gene_genie]

Half his mouth turns up in a smile and he eases his way to standing as she approaches. It occurs to him that he could make a crack about how he's going to think about this in ten years time but he can't be bothered, ultimately. He just holds out his arm to draw her into him. One more kiss can't hurt.

[lady_bols]

"Forgiven?"

She steps into his welcoming arms, her chin already wobbling.

[the_gene_genie]

He snorts quietly, leans down and presses his lips to hers, just briefly.

'Dunno. Still don' know what you were on about.'

But now he knows he doesn't want to know, so he's let it go for now. And if she's really going for good, then it doesn't matter anyway. She's just another pretty girl he can snatch a moment with before she disappears.

[lady_bols]

Her hands catch the front of his shirt, holding on so tightly her knuckles go white.

But she lets it be just that, a brief, chaste kiss.

He doesn't know her. Doesn't know how forced the smile on her face is. Doesn't want to know.

"Take care, Guv. Tell Sam I said hello."

And with that, she turns and leaves, not looking back.

[the_gene_genie]

He frowns at the mention of Sam. He didn't realise they knew each other and that adds a whole new dimension of strange to this.

He doesn't. Want. To know.



'...bloody women.'

He'll sleep it off. it'll all be fine in the morning.