a christmas dinner

[typed]

Paul’s door leads, as ever, to the houseboat. (A much improved houseboat in terms of cleanliness, we might add.) It opens out onto the living room, which is no longer a refugee camp for loose papers, but actually a living room. The coffee table at the center has a couple of rolls of wrapping paper on one side, and a few books on the other. The ashtrays and glasses that used to litter the surface are nowhere in sight.

There’s also a lamp on, which Paul neatly steps around as he makes his way across the room.

“So, um. It’s about a ten-minute drive from here,” he says, drawing a set of keys from his jacket pocket, and grabbing an umbrella from a stand by the front door (better safe than sorry – the rain’s been a bit on and off throughout the day).

“And by ten, I am considering traffic. Which shouldn’t be too big of an inconvenience.”

Comments

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

Paul opens his mouth and closes it again, wrinkling his brow as he considers this mental image.

Finally: "How weird would that be? It'd be funny as hell, as far as I'm concerned, but really. I can just see some, I don't know, extras sitting in the boats with oars in hand, going, 'Whenever you're ready, guys.'"

[untiedtheknots]

"And the people on the island--

'Have we been here long enough for it to build enough character?'

'...give it thirty more minutes.'"

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

"'Actually, maybe thirty-one. That's prime.'"

[untiedtheknots]

"And all adventures should last a prime number of minutes."

It isn't quite a question.

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

"Agreed!"

And, like magic, their food arrives.

Paul has enough self-control not to start immediately.

[untiedtheknots]

So does Artemis.

(Even if it does smell really, really good.)

She makes sure her napkin is neatly laid out and takes a sip of water, before she starts twirling a forkful of pasta.

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

And Paul sets about cutting the salmon.

Before actually starting to eat, he looks across the table, and with a half-sheepish smile, inclines his head.

"Bon appetit."

[untiedtheknots]

She ducks her head slightly, smiling.

"Merci."

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

"Aaand that's as far as my French goes."

But this is not, in light of there being food to eat, anything of real concern to Paul Avery.

[untiedtheknots]

"Mine's definitely on the rusty side," Artemis confesses after a bite of pasta.

"France was always more Demeter's haunt than mine."

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

"Yeah? Me - I've never been anywhere out of the States."

[untiedtheknots]

"Any place in particular you'd like to see?"

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

"I could settle for that desert island."

Beat.

"But, you know, I've never really thought about it. Africa, maybe."

[untiedtheknots]

"Don't have much desert island experience," she replies, chasing down one of the shrimp with her fork.

"Africa was always beautiful, though."

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

His own fork pauses a few inches from his mouth.

"That's what I hear. Wasn't Africa, but Honolulu was nice. What I remember of it, anyway."

[untiedtheknots]

She tilts her head.

"When were you there?"

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

"Born there, as it happens."

[untiedtheknots]

"Grow up there, too?"

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

"Honolulu, Oakland, and D.C.."

[untiedtheknots]

Artemis steals a bite of salmon.

"Which one is your favorite?"

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

"Oakland," he responds.

"I like California."

And, following his answer, takes a shrimp as his reward.

[untiedtheknots]

He's totally entitled.

"Don't know California that well, but I'm enjoying it so far."

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

"More than I could ask for."

Smiling, perhaps more to himself than anything, he nods at the pasta.

"How's your food?"

[untiedtheknots]

"Fantastic, and I'm probably going to start stealing more of yours in a bit."

[averyhasagun.livejournal.com]

"So long as you don't mind me stealing some of yours."