Voicemail

[lovemykilt]

Hey, you've reached Priestly. Aren't you lucky! I'm not around to take your call, but you probably know what to do.

*beep*

Comments

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

A choked giggle-squeak-not-a-sob there. "You're really improving. And, and, maybe I can do that next summer. If I can't find a job, that's -- something, right?" A long inhalation, as Dinah put her head on her knees.

"Priestly? I wanna go home."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

. . . He was going to need more whisky.

Priestly squeezed his eyes shut, then downed his glass in one shot. "I want you to, too." It came out gruff, thanks to the liquor.

Yeah, just the liquor. Sure.

He took a deep breath, pulling his knees up to his chest, and rubbed his hand down his face. He really didn't want to say what he was going to say next.

"But you'd regret it." He knew her. He knew she would. "If anything happened to the others because you weren't there, you'd never forgive yourself and I don't -- I can't --" Fuck. "You do whatever you need to do and you know I'll back you up, 100%, fuck, you rob a bank and I'll drive the fucking van, but Dinah. If you don't see this through, you're going to hate it."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah leaned her head back against the tree, just listening to his voice, not trying to stop crying. She was nodding, but unable to speak yet. Because he was right. She just missed him, and her family, and being able to walk away when she wanted to.

"I know you're right. I do." She coughed, then sighed. "I want to rob a bank with you now." Slightly hysterical giggles followed this. "I did rob a stagecoach. Sort of."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

"Well, that's basically the medieval-type-world equivalent of a bank." It really wasn't. "Was Momoko driving your getaway carriage?"

It was nicer to picture Dinah and Momoko as highway bandits just now, yes.

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah actually giggled, then sniffed. "Kinda? It was a set-up. We were planting dye-packs on the real highway robbers. Then I set them off when they were down the road, near the villagers and the nearest Queen's Court. So they'd get caught. It was like... World Wrestling Federation."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

"Oh man," Priestly said. "You guys have dye."

Because that was clearly the important part of that whole story.

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"You still don't?" A watery giggle. "Priestly. Are you sure you didn't just annoy the Island?"

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

Priestly ran a hand over his hair. "No. But I'm not exactly an expert on how to get along well with a sentient island." He shrugged. "I'm starting to get used to it again, though. I kinda forgot that my hair can be cool on its own."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Well, of course it can. It's Priestly hair." Dinah looked upward and smiled. Still sad. Still hurting. But. Not so hopeless. "I haven't cut my hair since I got here. Or, well. Done anything much. Did I mention the potatoes?"

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

"Not in the context of hair," Priestly said. "We can put it up in fancy braids or something when you get home. I'd say give you streaks, but, uh. I can't even keep food coloring on hand if I start talking about using it on anything but food."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Fancy braids would be fun. Good food. Sleep." God, that sounded awesome. "There's snow on the branches here. It's actually... really pretty. Hang on."

Click.

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

"I guess with a world called 'Glacia', I shouldn't be surprised that it's kinda . . . glacier." Priestly got the photo and took a look. "And damn pretty." He always rather liked snow, when he didn't have to be out in it. "That doesn't make things harder for you guys, does it?"

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Not too bad, right now. Our group is taking medical supplies to the outlying villages. We've got horses, and a covered cart. So, it's cold, but... manageable." She bit her lip. "Looking for other ways to help. Like we just did. But it's pretty populated here in the south. We're not going too far in between towns or anything."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

"Well, hey! Maybe some of them have meat other than venison?"

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Maybe? Maybe some bacon." OOo. Bacon. "With chicken?" That wouldn't be too much to ask, would it? "...maybe, yeah." She pulled her cloak closer, at least glad to be warm. "And, when we get back: TV. All the junk TV ever. And!" She grinned. "Eyeliner. For you. If the island won't let you color your hair. I get to draw on your eyeliner."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

Did she actually have experience putting eyeliner on other people?

"We'll have a whole make-up movie night party. Dean will use it to confirm the death of any hope of my having masculinity, and then we can mock him for his reliance on gender norms."

Fun times!

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Oh God it felt good to hear Priestly's feminist, humanist rhetoric. Especially after the last few days. Dinah was fiercely, painfully grateful for the reminder that some guys were too awesome to ever want to hurt women. "You're the best." She swallowed hard. "I wish I was there to hug you 'til your ribs hurt."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

"Someone seriously needs to get to work on the whole telephone hug thing." Actually, the Japanese were working on that. And it was kinda creepy.

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"You would think Fandom could manage that, if it can manage everything else." Dinah wobbled to her feet, stamping them against the cold. "Well. I'm keeping a hug in mind for you, so you get a double-hug when I see you next. Hopefully, soon."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

"I may well hold you to that. I've been missing my Dinah hugs."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Back at you," Dinah said, voice softer. Feeling more like herself again. Dinah again. Like, she couldn't be a terrible person, if her best friend was talking to her. "Stay safe, Sous. Love you."

Re: Sometime after Arundal...

[lovemykilt]

"You, too. Come home when you can. And then tell me all about yours and Momo's adventures as highway bandits for justice." He took a breath, wishing he'd brought the whisky bottle with him instead of just a glass of it. "Tell everyone I'm pulling for 'em, too. You know, whatever that's worth. Love you, back."