#earthrunes

*******************************

"Two." He amends. "But what's the one you see?"

"Two? Hmm...." She rests her chin on his chest. "Well, you say you want to cook meals with me. I don't know a thing about cooking." A smile.

He laughs softly. "Oh, that's easy. I'm not a great cook or anything, but ... well. Smokey campfire mac and cheese and hot dogs...."

"Ohhhhh...." A sigh. "One of the best meals I've ever had."

'Me too." Softly, shifting to hold her momentarily tighter in an embrace.

A soft little laugh, then "But what is the other problem?"

"I think the reason she doesn't want to move is financial. I think she's already started stressing about money for next year and... she doesn't think she can afford to go to college here in Jefferson City, or in Kansas City, even, next year."

"I...I thought all that was arranged? About the college?"

"Well, the scholarship for this year, sure. Unless... wait, was it a four-year, full-ride?" He blinks. "I was showing her some brochures for places here in the area and she saw the price tags and just... rejected it all out of hand." He slides out of bed and pads to the desk he's adopted for his own, returning with a handful of catalogs and tri-folds.

"I don't know. I'm not at all sure what the Baron arranged. Hmm...the records must be around somewhere. Or surely the college would be able to say?" She props herself up on her elbows, looking at the colorful brochures with mild curiosity.

Lincoln University, Westminster College, Columbia College, Stephens College, University of Missouri, William Woods University....

"Well, the college could, but they won't tell us." Wry. "We aren't even her parents, here."

"Do people really smile that much at college?" She prods the papers a bit.

"I do." Easily. One tri-fold catches her eye. Equestrian studies....

OOC Can we pause for 15-30?

"Oh...hm. Well...could she tell them to tell us? Oh, but why would she...Well, that's a puzzle."

((Was just going to say the same.))

"Right." Agreeing with her assessment.

*pause*

((Back))

"Hm. You have horses at your college?"

"Not the one I go to now. That one does, though. I think it's general equestrian and business equestrian."

"Business equestrian? Hm." A puzzled look.

"Here." He passes the brochure. "I think they offer three Bachelors in equestrian studies, not sure which ones." He sighs. "I'm still lost as to what I should be doing, myself."

She picks up the brochure and looks at it absently, lying on her belly.

"I mean... there are art colleges here but she took a look at the price tag and just... shut down."

"Well...." absently "...if she likes the house, and she likes her classes, then it might not be about the cost, right? She just might be happy there."

A pause. "Yes." He, however, does not sound happy.

A sigh. "August, why isn't that okay?"

A bemused look at a page of the brochure. "Equine media...?"

"I'm being selfish." He takes a deep breath. "It's fine she's happy there, of course it is. It's just... I'm happy being with you. And I can't just abandon her. If she doesn't want to move here, then... " He flicks through the packet of info, sets it down. "... then I stay there."

"And you see me three or four nights a week, and you have other nights to concentrate on your studies or other hobbies or..." a smile "...recovery?"

A shy smile. "Well, I figured eventually we'd..... you know. Find an even keel."

"We will." She smiles. "But still...I think this will work, August. I truly think it will. If you let it? You do seem to be....struggling against it?"

Wry "You mean living in two different cities?"

She gives him a look. "We are at least in the same life, now."

He nods. "There's that. And you're right, I get three or four nights a week. That's a lot."

"How about..." she smiles toothily "...if on those three or four nights, I wear you out so completely that you are grateful for the break on the other nights?"

He laughs softly and comes to lay next to her on his stomach. "Ok." He agrees to this plan.

"Grrrrr..." she says playfully, and gently bites his shoulder. "You are mine to toy with. I win."

"You win." He agrees with an easy smile. "Ok. "

"Mmmm." It's a very satisfied purr, and she glances back at the brochure again.

He watches her a moment, then looks at his own set of brochures, flicking through.

She's still fiddling with the glossy paper when she says, "Oh...I meant to ask you...have you visited Vince this weekend? He was sounding...well, a bit upset that you'd missed a class. Well, that was the other day, I suppose, but...."

"He was serious about that?" Astonished.

"Well...I don't know. Pooka, of course. But...he did seem upset that you hadn't stopped by."

"You... ah. You ... talked to him?"

She looks at him. "I talk to him a lot, August." Watching his face.