The World is Tiny

[rhiannon_lee]

With a wadded up hand towel, Rhiannon wiped fog from the mirror in Cian’s bathroom and looked at herself. Her hair was wet from the shower, and there were raccoon circles under her eyes, remnants of yesterday’s makeup. She spun some toilet paper from the roll and used it to wipe away the mascara. As she tipped her face left and right, she saw the mark that Cian’s mouth left on her neck; it was somewhere between a bite and a bruise, but it was faint and wouldn’t last the day. There was a comb near the sink. She parted her hair and brushed the tangles out of the lengths.

It was after noon. Early in the morning, Cian had left the cabin to take a boat of passengers on a day cruise. Rhiannon just rolled over and went back to sleep, tucked safely in covers that smelled like the two of them and their lovemaking. When she woke up again, she was surprised to have been out so long, and she sat on the edge of the bed feeling disoriented by heavy slumber and a bad dream she couldn’t quite remember.

Rhiannon pulled on her sweater, jeans, and boots and rummaged through Cian’s cabinets until she found what she needed to brew a pot of coffee. She took a mug of it onto the front steps and sat down, blowing across the steaming surface.

Comments

The World is Tiny

[cian_oneill]

The cruise had finished a lot earlier than expected. Cian suspected it was the 'tea-totaller' organiser who had refused to allow the staff to partake of the bar that had been the main problem, and he had had to turn his head a few times when he saw Sylvia being begged to slip a little something into the tea of a few of the department heads he knew were always a good time on a trip like this. Normally they would have all been swimming and exploring the cove by this time, or simply sunning themselves on the top deck, after knocking back a few wines and rounding out the afternoon with cocktails on the return journey, making it into dock right on dusk.

But instead he was walking back up to his cabin by two o'clock, carrying a basket full of fresh baked bread, danishes, and muffins that were left over from the cruise. He was whistling lightly, and happily so. Especially as he'd spied that in the distance, Rhiannon's car was still out the front of the cabin, when he'd brought the boat back to the dock. He couldn't help but grin, his pace quickening a little. When he rounded the slight bend in the path that lead around the cabin he saw her sitting out on the front steps and his smile widened.

"Hey sleepyhead," he said, taking the steps to where she was sitting in a single stride and turning to sit down next to her. He leaned in, a finger under her chin and kissed her, the taste of coffee strong on her lips.

[rhiannon_lee]

Rhiannon took a step away from Cian and retrieved her pack of cigarettes. She lit up and tried to decide where to start. “Well, they’ve been here since almost the beginning. First, there was the slayer, created by a group of men to keep vampire numbers low, and those men became the first watchers. Over the years, the structure’s changed. There are nine slayers, and probably dozens of watchers. Slayers are chosen by mysticism, but watchers usually inherit their calling, and they take it seriously. They find us, train us, and when they think we’re ready, they let us go. From that point on, they’re supposed to be keepers of knowledge. Researchers. But as it turns out, the Council’s one of those things that works better on paper, because, like any sect of fervent believers, there are a few zealots in the mix, and people who abuse their power, and no real system for sorting them out.”

She put the cigarette between her lips and kicked at a large piece of rock.
“But there is a system for us. There’s this test slayers go through once a year, to make sure we’re are still performing out here on our own, haven’t gone nuts or to the dark side or whatever. There’s a rumor that watchers can – have – taken abilities away from a girl because she failed. I think it’s true. I doubt it happens all that much, but still, the story’s enough to keep you minding your P’s and Q’s, right?”

Rhiannon was aware that she was talking too much, but it was easier to just spit it all out and let Cian sort through the mess for questions. “Anyway, I showed up for mine and caught my watcher abusing his power. I threatened to report him, so he recommended that I be removed from the field. Since then, he’s been trying to coerce me into shutting up, but it turns out that it doesn’t even matter, since reports to the Council fall on deaf ears."

She rubbed at her sweater sleeves.

"So Julianna... she wanted to bring me in for testing, and we worked out this agreement, under the table. I let her question me, and when I passed, she told the Council I skipped town. But I didn't tell her about you. I mean, I wouldn't, even if you could help each other, because then I couldn't see you anymore."

Re: The World is Tiny

[cian_oneill]

The two names were already carved into his memory, the scent of the Julianna woman still able to be recalled, and stored with the name. Duncan would be another issue altogether.

He nodded once, acknowledging her veiled request for him to not think any more of it. Instead he drew her close, arms going around her shoulders as he held her against his chest. "Are there any others I should know about?"

Re: The World is Tiny

[cian_oneill]

With an economy of movement Cian poured two cups of coffee, put some of the pastries on a plate and grabbed a couple of pieces of fruit. Carrying it all he made his way back to the couch, putting the plate and fruit on the couch while he grabbed a small table from a nest of three that stood against the wall, putting the coffee mugs on it before relocating the plate and fruit.

"D' you want anythin' else?" he asked, his left hand rubbing briefly on the seat of his shorts.

[rhiannon_lee]

“So better safe than sorry,” she said.

When put like that, she understood that it would be a long time – years, maybe decades– until Cian could go home, and there was no telling who was watching those who took him under their wing, in the meantime.

She shifted gears, back to what he said at the screen door. “Why wouldn’t I want to know this about you?”

[cian_oneill]

He'd never been considered slow but it did take him a moment to absorb what she'd just told him. And as he did a smile slowly crept across his face. "A fine pair we make," he chuckled, suddenly feeling like a huge weight had been lifted, and not completely sure why. "C'n see y' Council lovin' this."

[cian_oneill]

"Don't know, hope so," he replied. He reached up and took a hold of her hand, bringing it down to his mouth where he pressed a kiss to her palm.

Re: The World is Tiny

[cian_oneill]

His hands slid to her hips as he deepened the kiss, tugging her over until she was on his lap. With everything they had shared, discovered, and learnt about each other it felt different, more intimate, and more intense. It had been longer than he could remember since he's wanted someone like he wanted her right now.

"Stay," he murmured as their mouths parted enough to allow air into demanding lungs.