Serenity Cove [Saturday Afternoon]

[doubleohblonde]

While James would have been content for Vesper and himself not to leave his room until this whole business was over with, actually coming out and suggesting that would have defeated the purpose of the mutual self-deception they'd decided upon without actually talking about it (it being far, far easier to deceive yourself if you didn't come right out and say it, after all).

Which was why they were currently walking along the beach, like everything was completely normal.

[For one, and then one.]

Comments

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Given the number of things that were being firmly ignored by both parties, Vesper was hard-pressed to come up with a line of conversation that actually went somewhere.

"Nice weather today," seemed safe enough though.

[doubleohblonde]

"Very," James agreed after a moment, kicking at the sand. "It was nicer during the summer though, well mostly."

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Vesper nodded. "I can imagine," she replied, glancing around for chipminks before reaching for his hand. "This looks like it'd be a good place for swimming."

[doubleohblonde]

James smiled and moved a bit closer to her. "Oh yes, it's quite popular when it's warmer," he said. "Not that you'd know it right now."

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

"It's very...deserted," Vesper agreed, suddenly grinning and tugging him a lot closer. "Still, their loss is our gain."

[doubleohblonde]

James's arms mysteriously found themselves around her waist. "There's this little spot just up the beach," he murmured. "Even more secluded than this."

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Vesper twisted around and started backing up the beach. Slowly, given her position. "How intriguing."

[doubleohblonde]

"I thought you'd like it," James replied, bending to kiss her.

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Given that Vesper's response was to immediately start attempting to remove his shirt, it was a reasonable guess that she was quite fond of it.

Pity about the rapidly nearing hoof-beats then.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Given the indeed, pleasant weather, Aravis had decided to take Trenor out for a ride. She had her scimitar, naturally, since she had heard of the strangeness on the island at the moment, but she wasn't particularly concerned.

She didn't pause when she spotted the figures ahead, immediately recognizing one as Professor Bond. The other was a bit harder to place at a distance, but as she approached, she started to slow Trenor, because she clearly couldn't be seeing right.

"...good afternoon."

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Vesper paused mid-kiss which they were getting to in the thread above and turned to return the greeting.

My, what an interesting noise she made.

[doubleohblonde]

"Afternoon," Bond replied lamely, as he busied himself with pulling his shirt back down.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

And that would be Aravis, calling upon every grain of stoicism she possessed to keep from outright shrieking. And possibly gagging.

"Um."

Look, it was difficult to say something clever when one was concentrating so hard on other things.

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Vesper blinked, but no, the girl was still there. "James?"

[doubleohblonde]

Bond really wished that he'd taken five minutes to bring up the possibility of doubles. "Vesper, this is one of the students...Aravis."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Lady Aravis," she corrected, with just a touch of an edge. "I've heard of you. A pleasure to meet you in person."

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

"Vesper Lynd" she noticed the edge but was still somewhat confused over it all. "You told her about me?"

[doubleohblonde]

"I mentioned you once or twice," Bond replied, far more flustered than most people had ever seen him. "On account of the...resemblance."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"It's not a perfect one," Aravis offered, pulling her hood back and shaking out her curls. "I believe I'm a fair amount smaller. And clearly, younger."

And prettier, in her opinion, but she doubted that present company would agree with that observation.

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

"I had a few late growth spurts," Vesper replied dryly, not knowing which of them to glare at. "You told her about me?"

[doubleohblonde]

Bond knew it was bad when he started wishing for M pointing gun at his head because it would be safer. "Not everything, or all that much really."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"You look well," she said dryly, shooting Bond a pointed, questioning look.

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Vesper frowned. "What exactly have you been telling her?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"He merely explained why it was so strange for him to see a sixteen year-old version of you, madam," Aravis said quickly. "Due to his affections and the obvious differences between our two worlds."

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Vesper wasn't quite buying it. "Did he now?"

[doubleohblonde]

While Vesper's attention wasn't on him, Bond made a series of gestures to Aravis that boiled down to not having the slightest clue.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis just stared. "...he did," she said slowly.

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

"Well, that makes one of us," Vesper muttered, glaring at James. "Did he mention the part where I was dead?" She wanted to find out just what he'd been telling her.

[doubleohblonde]

No one had caused Bond to go "Um..." since he was a very small child. Vesper and Aravis should be quite proud of themselves.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Oh, good, then you do know!" Aravis was clearly relieved. "Yes, he mentioned that. He was having some difficulty looking at me. I'm sure you can appreciate why."

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Vesper was glaring a bit less now. "Yes, I can."

[doubleohblonde]

"I didn't know you had a horse, Aravis," Bond remarked. He did actually, but it seemed as good a change of subject as any.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I inherited him. This is Trenor," Aravis said, a bit confused at the subject change.

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Vesper took the change in subject to mean that he hadn't mentioned all the details. "He's very beautiful," she said, taking the hint. "You ride him well."

[doubleohblonde]

"Trenor," Bond repeated. "Formerly Mr Austreben's horse?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "He lost his sight, though."

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

"How terrible for him," Vesper replied. "An accident?"

[doubleohblonde]

Bond didn't quite shrug, but looked at Aravis since she probably knew more about it than he did.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Something like that," she said simply, because she didn't feel like this random dead woman deserved to hear the details of Karal's life.

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

"It probably doesn't mean much coming from a stranger, but for what it's worth, I'm sorry for him," Vesper said. "I can't imagine what that would be like."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"He's been doing fine," she said shortly.

[doubleohblonde]

"I'm glad to hear it," Bond said sincerely, with just the slightest edge of warning to his tone.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I should allow the two of you to...enjoy your time together," she said delicately.

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

"Don't let us put you out," Vesper said, since Aravis had done a pretty through time of spoiling the mood.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

She smiled lightly, and nodded her head slightly before urging Trenor, and riding off past them.

Maybe someday she'd forget this. Until then, she'd just ponder vomiting.

[hasimagination.livejournal.com]

Vesper was just going to start face-palming. A lot.