#earthrunes

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

After checking in with various officers of the court, Coradel wanders down to August's study raps lightly on the door. "August?"

"Coming!" He calls, and after a few moments, he answers the door. He smiles, pink-cheeked. "Hi. I was, ah, just thinking of you. Come in?"

She smiles. "Oh? Happy thoughts, I hope?" She enters and slips her arms around him, claiming his lips for a gentle kiss.

He is certainly welcoming of that, kisses her back with some heat. "Of course." When he can breathe. "Everything ok?"

"Oh, yes..." she nods, staying in his arms. "I just felt like checking on you. You were up early this morning. Oh, Oswald says that Zara and one of the Rivervale girls have gone off somewhere through the trod, but that's about the only unusual thing."

His arms stay comfortably around her. "She did?" A faint frown. "Well. Rivervale seems to be pretty sensible...."

"Mm, they do seem to do well for themselves." She reaches up to tap a fingertip against his frowning lips. "No need to worry, I'm sure. So, what are you up to?"

"Just, ah, a calligraphy commission. "

"Oh? I thought you'd be busy with studying, what with the new semester. May I see?" She starts toward his desk.

"It, ah... it's a work in progress..." nervously "Not done yet."

That's not an outright "no" so it doesn't stop her. "Oh, I don't mind..." She looks over the piece on the desk (but doesn't touch it).

Behind her, he sighs.

It's.... smut. Very pretty, but.... almost porn.

She blinks at it, then looks at him with a dawning smile. "August!" a delighted revelation.

"It's not mine! I mean, I didn't write it, I'm just writing it...."

A bemused smile. "Meaning...."

"Meaning I'm putting it into calligraphy, I'm not composing it." Flustered.

She strokes a hand against his cheek...she rather likes him being flustered. "Well, you're doing it beautifully, and it's certainly adding value to the text. May I ask who the author is?"

" 'A Gentleman of Leisure' not identified by name." Sheepish.

Oh, she's definitely amused by that. "So, either you don't know, or that's what you were told to say." An easy shrug. "Fair enough. I'm curious, but not to the point of being invasive about it." She does look over the text again, still standing within the curve of his arm.

"Though I do have my suspicions," she adds with a smile.

"Ah. No, really, the title page says a Gentleman of Leisure." But something about how he says it....

"Oh?" She smiles. "So I would be mistaken if I guessed it were a certain satyr of our acquaintance?" she murmurs, nuzzling her nose against his.

"Ahhh...." Sheepish again "Yeeesss."

Surprised, then smiles again. "Ohhhh...then it's surely Vince." A soft little kiss. "Right?"

"Ah. Oh. No. Sorry. It -was- Bac... a satyr of our acquaintance." Still flustered. "I guess, I mean, he didn't say to hide it...."

She does enjoy that flustered quality, and strokes his chest lightly. "Oh, he'll very much appreciate the work you're putting into this, August. It's beautiful."

He swoops in and kisses her urgently, without explaination.

A slightly surprised sound, but not all that surprised, for the "thinking about you" comment makes a great deal of sense in context. She returns the kiss eagerly, and when they pause for breath, she murmurs, "Perhaps you could stand a break from work...?"

"I... I hoped to get another three pages done by lunch time...." He rests his forehead on hers. ".... but...."

"...but it's early yet, and you'll surely work much better if you can concentrate..." she reasons with him, smiling as her hands stroke his back and she moves invitingly in his arms.

"Ok." He capitulates quickly. He takes her hand to lead her out and away.

She follows eagerly, secretly thanking Bachdion for her husband's dose of inspiration.

And by now the EarthRunes staff know better than to interrupt the happy couple when they are hurrying to their bedroom....

(...and fade to black...)