Doors and Windows

[velesdonnersen]

[Tarvek has watched the amazing parade of people marching through Ilsa's house, eating her food, chatting with her.  She's such a well-loved lady, with so many friends.  He considers her queenly, regal, a hostess and a sheltering friend.]

[He helps her clean up, after people go, putting leftovers-- what few there are-- into the strange plastic storage containers. (He "burps" them, just as she taught him.  He always laughs when he does it.]  They wipe the counters, prepare things for tomorrow's meals.  When they've finished... there's no sign of Egon. He looks at Ilsa, and says, softly,]

Do you want to go for a drive?  It's been a hard day.

Comments

[ooeeooahah]

[ She puts the last of the unfinished desserts in the fridge, with the ones she kept back for Egon if he should show up. ]

Yes, I think I'd like that, thanks.

[velesdonnersen.livejournal.com]

[Her depression, her hurt at Egon's rejection, leave him feeling helpless and, oddly, as shy as when he first was getting to know her. He feels like he no longer knows what to do for her, or with her. Falling back on the training of a proper Europan gentleman, he collects her wrap from the closet, drapes it gently around her, and offers her his arm, leading her out the door to his parked convertible.]

It's a pretty nice. Still enough moon to see the town. Where do you want to go. (chuckles) We can do the loop: main road out of town until it slips us back in on the other end.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She leans into him as they walk out to the car. ]

Could we take the highway for a little while?

[ Ilsa uncharacteristically ignores the seat-belt, and slides to the middle of the car after he hands her in. ]

[velesdonnersen.livejournal.com]

[Tarvek, unfortunately, has not been brought up in a seat-belt world...but does think she will be uncomfortable dodging the stick-shift. Still, he slips into the car, pulls out, and then lets his right hand drift free of the wheel to hold hers as they quietly cruise out on the highway.]

Your wish, my lady.

That was a very successful party you gave. I am impressed by how many friends you have. They care for you, you know.

[He does, too. And Egon's a complete moron.]

[ooeeooahah]

I should do that more often.

[ She snuggles into his shoulder, then reacts to his undercurrent of irritation. ]

Stop that, 'bibi. He probably hates being manipulated as much as you do, and I was being brain-dead this morning when I was trying to make him comfortable.

[velesdonnersen.livejournal.com]

[Bah. His Ilsa is taking the blame herself -- when she has no cause.]

Egon is only comfortable when he's allowed to be lazy and pretend emotions do not exist. He's as self-centered as any madboy, and too spoiled to think he's making others uncomfortable by refusing to learn.

[He *is* a madboy, and he's dealt with madboys. He's a master manipulator, too -- and has learned lessons from both aspects of his life. He knows a selfish, pigheaded, emotionally stunted madboy being a sullen little pig when he encounters one. When said madboy is hurting his Ilsa, he has trouble feeling compassion.]

He was not the only one put at a disadvantage by Mayfield, love. We were, too. But we were the only ones trying to face it, and make him feel welcome... no matter how poorly he dealt with it. His answer is to pretend nothing has happened, even at the risk of hurting you, and to sulk when his make-believe is not possible.

He is, in short, a lout. A likeable lout, but a lout nonetheless.

[ooeeooahah]

I still think I could have handled what I said better.

[ She sighs, and leans her head back onto his shoulder. ]

For now, I'll just let him regain his equilibrium for a few days. If he doesn't come back in three, I can go look for him to remind him about Third Night.

...speaking of which, tonight's your Third Night.