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Gyles and Vivien: Fallout

Several days went by. Gyles remained in town, periodically meeting with Liev, but mostly spending time on his own. He could be found having a drink, dinner. Ocassionally sitting in a public location as he worked long letters that were then sent, presumably home.

But for several days, Gyles went nowhere near Vivien.

And for days, she ignored him as well. She wore particularly bright and flattering clothes, and if she happened to be somewhere she could see him, it was always in the presence of friends, usually male friends with whom she interacted in a loud, friendly and overly happy manner.

On the other hand, Gyles remained alone. She heard no rumors that he spent time with anyone else, saw no evidence that he might.

But perhaps worst of all, for all her bright plumage, for all her flirtations... In Gyles' eyes, it seemed she might as well have not been there at all.

Five days after they fought, Vivien heard that Gyles had packed... paid out his time in his room, and was intending to leave the next morning. And all without another word to her.

Vivien went to the hotel and manipulated the bellboy into giving her a key to Gyles' room.

Then, calmly, she went there, unlocked the door and slipped inside.

When she entered, his back stiffened, but he did not turn. He waited until the door was closed again before he straightened. "Yes?"

Vivien stared at the straight line of his shoulders and all of a sudden felt very, very vulnerable. Quietly, she said, "You weren't going to say goodbye?"

He lifted a shirt from a small pile on the bed and folded it neatly, adding it to the bag that was nearly packed already. "I was under the impression that it was already said."

Gyles pulled the zipper shut on the bag, and pushed it back on the bed until it touched the wall. Only a pair of shoes, and a pile that looked like it might be a clean shirt, remained to be packed. He turned and regarded Vivien from across the room. "In your eyes," he said in low tones, "I was already gone. I have completed my business. The dyes will arrive soon, and you will have your fabrics. I trust you will make good use of them."

Her face crumpled and she began to cry, first silently, and then in sobbing bursts. "That isn't... that wasn't... never what I wanted..."

Gyles sat down on the edge of the bed and held out both arms, arrogance for the moment hidden beneath concern.

Vivien came into his arms, still crying, although more softly now. "I've really messed things up, haven't I?" she managed through gasps of air.

Gyles took her into his arms, drawing her onto his lap, curling her into him as he held her. One hand stroked her hair, soothing her. "Why do you do it, beautiful?" he murmured. "Why destroy yourself like that?"

"I never thought it of it like that," Vivien said, laying her head against his shoulder. "I just thought I was... relaxing, letting go."

His deep chuckle vibrated his chest beneath her body. "There are better ways of letting go. More pleasurable. And what do you escape from? If you want to escape, you can't afford to be drunk down in a bottle of absinthe. I meant what I said." He turned her head so that they stared at each other, forehead to forehead.

"You want to make it in a world designed by men. I believe you can compete. But to do so, you need all your faculties about you. You cannot let go. Channel all your frustrations, all your stress... channel everything about you into a fury to succeed. Take pleasure and relaxation where you can but do not give yourself up." One hand stroked her cheek as he spoke these quiet words. "Or you will fail."

"And you wouldn't... want me if I fail?" Vivien said softly. Her eyes were intense, brightened by her recent tears. Her face was flushed, but crying had otherwise not damaged her appearance.

"I wouldn't want you if you give up," he corrected, equally soft. His thumb stroked over her bottom lip, a gentle touch. "Don't hide from failure. You can only succeed if you take the risk. Don't hide from life, either."

He leaned in, closing the slim distance between them, to brush his lips against hers.

She kissed him, but then pulled away, a disbelieving look on her face. "God, you're amazing," she snapped. "I have never met such an arrogant man in my life." And then she kissed him again.

He laughed against her lips, pulling her to him as he deepened the kiss. "You don't seem to mind all that much," he murmured.

"Well, if you weren't so damned attractive," Vivien said, laughing herself, raising her hand to tangle in his hair.

Gyles made no reply other than to kiss along her jawline, even as his hands encouraged her to change her position to face him, rather than curled upon his lap.

***

Afterwards, they lay upon the bed, the covers long since slid to the floor. Gyles wrapped an arm around Vivien's waist, pulling her back tight against him. He kissed the back of her neck, nipping at the soft skin. "See how much better it is when I have all your attention, my beautiful one?" He chuckled, drawing a hand over sensitive skin to watch her reaction.

Vivien let out a little cry. He had tickled her. "Monster," she said, not sounding bothered at all, laying her head against his bicep.

"Will you miss me?" he whispered against her cheek.

"What are you, brain damaged?" Vivien demanded, sitting up, so that her hair fell in a waterfall over one shoulder. She reached out and caressed the side of his face. "Of course I'll miss you. And you'll miss me... or else there really is something wrong with you."

He turned his head and nipped at her fingertips. "I will miss you, Vivian. But I do still need to go. Even if you are a beautiful distraction."

"Thank you," Vivien replied, kissing him again. She said thank you the way people do who know they're beautiful, not the way people with less self-esteem do. "Will you be coming back?"

Gyles busied himself for a long moment exploring the curve of her neck with his lips, with teasing kisses and gentle nips. "I don't know yet," he murmured, his voice a vibration against her skin. "It certainly seems probable. As I will have dyes to arrange delivery for. And I would enjoy seeing you clothed in a gown of your own devising, with fabric dyed by my dyes. But I do not know how long that will be."

Vivien stopped giggling at the tickling against her neck and pushed him gently away. "Then it really is goodbye. Take care of yourself."

"I always do," he assured her with quiet confidence. "And you... do not lose yourself to the world of fantasies. I expect great things from your designs. Prove me right."

She shook her head, but she kept her smile. "All right. Your point is made. I'll see you."

Gyles kissed her shoulder, her cheek, her lips. Then he released her from his arms and rolled off the bed. He held one hand out to her. "I will help you dress," he murmured. "I'll be leaving after I finish the packing."

Vivien kissed him back passionately, then reached for her dress. "You any good with hooks and eyes?"

"I can put you back together as well as I can take you apart," he said, holding the dress out to her.

And he did so, although if his fingers strayed as he fastened every tiny hook and eye it had to be a mistake, his touch teasing tender skin even as he hid it from his view.

Vivien shrieked. "Gyles! I thought you were in a hurry."

"I am," he murmured. "I want to be sure I am not forgotten." He turned her in his arms, holding her close, kissing her forehead.

"That's silly," Vivien murmured. "As if I could forget you."

"Good." His tone was satisfied, almost smug. His arms tightened about her, tucking her up close, tight against him, as he tipped her chin back to kiss her deeply. "I will see you again." A kiss upon the tip of her nose. "And while you wait, design something amazing with the fabrics that will be sent."

He released her then, giving her leave to step back from the circle of his arms.

She did not step back immediately, but held on for just a moment, breathing in the scent of him. Then she let go, and looked up, smiling. "I will. I'll come up with something that will make your eyes roll up in your head. And you - I know you'll be safe, but have fun as well. Don't get too serious."

"I will be as serious as each situation requires," he said. He ran one finger down her nose, from bridge to tip, then tapped it there lightly. "Now, go, so that I can pack and leave before darkness falls again."

Vivien kissed him again, lightly, and then turned and left the room in a rustle of crinoline. "Goodbye, darling," she said, turning to look at him once before she closed the door.

He had already turned back to the packing, lifting the suitcase back up on top of the now-mussed bed, and did not look back as the door closed.

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