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

[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.