Chapter 12: Swinging Doors

"Oh, dash it all, Bress!" McKale stormed into the apartment, flailing her arms about as she did,” It’s just not fair!" Bress glanced up from his book, cozied between the arms of one of the complex' many overstuffed armchairs. He crossed his legs and set the book down,” What’s wrong, love?" "That...that...Jeffrey!" She fumed and flumped onto a couch, cupping her cheeks in her hands,” I don't even want to talk to you about it, it's so bloody rummy. Dashed unfair, Bress, dashed unfair." "Oh,"Bress cooed and rose from his chair, sliding across the room to her side,” Is there anything I can do to help?" "No there bloody well is not!" she paused, sucking in air, and rested her head against his shoulder,"Oh, Bress, I'm terribly sorry about all this. It's just, Jeffrey's gone and done this dashed rummy thing and bollocksed everything up." "I thought you were going to forgive him?" "I was! But then he....he off and sent me mixed zinnia!" she wrinkled her nose,” I thought he'd gotten over that. It's been years. Really, Bress, he's been making an awful fool of himself lately." Bress, not really understanding what the whole commotion was about (nor what mixed zinnia was), nodded his head in sympathy and stroked her hair a little. "Honestly, Bress. I've been in quite the pickle ever since I contacted this Winquist fellow, you don't know him, do you? No? Didn't think so. Anyway, Jeffrey's done nothing but put me down and make the situation worse since it started!" She pouted,"It's just not, fair, Bress. Why can't he do anything? Do you think he's mad at me?" "I don't see why, you certainly haven't done anything wrong." "Oh, well, he doesn't approve of my,” she bit her lip, stopping the word before it left her mouth. She couldn't very well inform him about the watch, could she? Then she might have to get into the whole errand ordeal. She shook her head, running her fingers through her hair,” He doesn't approve of my...my...my new grandfather clock! He thinks it's ugly and...And dangerous! How can a clock be dangerous, Bress? How!" "I'm sure he's just looking out for your best interests. That's his job after all, isn't it?" "It bally well isn't! His job is to...don my socks and iron my suits and what." Bress' brow furrowed,” Suits, love? Why ever would you need to wear suits? It would be very UnVictorian-like for a pretty lady to wear pants." "Oh,"McKale blushed, eyes growing wide,” Well you see...I...I simply meant suit-jackets, you see? They go awful well with certain dresses and hats, what?" "Ah,"Bress nodded and sunk back into the cushion. "I don't like forgiving people, you know. I don't do it very often. Once you're done with, you're done with, I say,” she sniffed a little,” And I was going to forgive him. He heard too, I think,” she rubbed her nose,” And he still sent me Zinnias!" Bress rubbed her shoulder, clutching her to his chest,” I know, love, I know. It's not fair. But are you sure there's nothing I can do to help?" At that moment, one of the bedroom doors creaked open and Yaidom, casting a glare in Bress and McKale's direction, stormed passed them and into the kitchen. McKale's eyes brightened,"Well,"she said,” Perhaps one thing...but I don't know..." "Anything love,” he stroked her neck,” Anything at all." "Well...if you're certain." Bress nodded. McKale wriggled a bit closer to him, resting her chin on his chest and running a finger up and down his ribs,” I need Yaidom." Bress blinked,” What?!" "Not for me of course, monsieur, oh no, certainly not,” she pecked him on the cheek,” There’s this friend of mine, you see, and he's heard all about him. He's simply dying to meet him. If I could perhaps get him to see my friend tomorrow, or maybe the next day, it'd be a terrible weight of my shoulders,” she chewed her lip, pinching her brow,” It’s his birthday soon, you see? And I haven't gotten him anything at all." "Yaidom doesn't really want to leave Star City until he's bonded." "He can come right back, I promise. Please, Bress? Please. " "Oh...alright,"Bress sighed,” I’ll see what I can do." McKale let out a girly squeal and planted a sloppy kiss on his lips. She slipped off the couch, flattening down her skirts, and skipped toward the door,” Thank-you ever so much, Bress." "Wait, where are you going?" "To call Mr.W- my friend of course! I have to tell him Yaidom's coming to see him!" "Wait, wait! I said I'll see what I can do! That doesn't mean-." But McKale had already slipped out the door. .:.:.::.:.:. Shar folded his many limbs against the carpeted floor and regarded the withered flowers with a narrowed gaze. His plan hadn't worked, at all. Nor, for that mattered, had the first one. He rubbed his chin, stretching one of his arms out to touch the roses. A crisp, black petal was unhinged from them stem at his touch, and fell to the floor where he promptly applied a stiff finger, crushing it. ~Jeffrey? ~ His bond looked up from his spot stretched out on the couch, his nose in a book,” Yes, Shar?" Shar curled his hand around the roses and carried them to the trash,” I’ve figured out why my plan didn't work. Why both of them didn't work." "Oh?" Jeffrey's brow quivered slightly. He set his book down on the arm of the couch and sat up,” You are not attempting to imply that you have a third, plan, are you Shar?" He paled considerably at the thought. "I am,” he wiped the rose petal crumbs from his hands,” But it's not ready yet." "No?" Shar shook his head, trotting toward where Jeffrey sat on the couch. His rested his head and arms in his bond's lap,” I have deduced that the reason why my previous plans did not work was that I was too hasty in preparing them." He needed to take his time, gather information, not just through research, but through careful observation of the persons at hand. Jeffrey was easy enough, he'd been with him over a week now, and sharing a mind-link allowed him access to certain...information that would be otherwise unattainable. But McKale, Mr.Winquist, Bress, and Yaidom were entirely different matters. He needed to investigate. "These things take time,” he continued. Jeffrey stroked his mane,” You’re considerably young to have propositioned such...extreme solutions already." Don't be hard on yourself. I forgive you. "I'm certain everything will be cleared up shortly; there is no need to exert yourself over the issue." Shar nodded. He certainly didn't have to do any of this. But he wanted to. He'd gotten Jeffrey further into this already tricky business, and he was determined to find a way to get him out of it...in fear of sounding cliché. "I'll begin my investigations immediately." "Shar..." Shar shook his head and removed himself from Jeffrey, standing. His image quivered until it formed into the shape of a human child. He retrieved the goggles from the end table and snapped them over his eyes,” I’ll be back shortly." "Shar, I don't approve of-" Jeffrey's brow furrowed and he cast his gaze around the room,” Where’s Cyilume?" Shar trotted toward the door,” She’s been gone for quite some time now, Jeffrey,” his mouth curved upward in a minute smirk,” I thought you'd noticed. Good-bye, Jeffrey, I'll be back soon." "Shar!" But he, too, was already out the door. .:.:.::.:.:. Cy lurked in the hallway, passing as Jeffrey had the night before. Her ears were pinned against her skull, and her little wings snapping with each sharp turn she took. Damn that McKale! Who did she think she was! Treating Jeffrey like that. Not that Jeffrey was Cy's bond, but she was just as fond of him as Shar was! She had just as much claim on him as he did. Sort of. Well, really! Just because she didn't share a mind link didn't mean she wasn't just as important as- She stopped, snapping her ears upward at the sound of a door clicking open. Eyes widened, she scrambled to hide behind the corner of the wall. McKale sauntered into the hallway, grinning like a loon and swishing her skirts this way and that as she scampered toward her own apartment. She unlocked the door and pushed it open, slipping side. Cy raced along the wall and slunk into the apartment behind her. The room was an absolute mess. Clothing, amongst other unrecognizable...things, were scattered about the apartment, hanging off chairs, the ceiling fan, desks, tables, lamps. The floor was covered in bits of rumpled cloth and lace, and flowers (Jeffrey's flowers, Cy noted) were scattered about various tables and countertops. Pots and pans were left unwashed in the kitchen sink, and a failed attempt at breakfast, some slimy white sludge that might have been the beginnings of pancakes, was splattered against the wall above the stove. Cy resisted the urge to gape and scurried beneath the couch (where she found three odd socks, a hat, a shoe, and a pair of lavender gloves) before McKale had the chance to turn around and see her. She watched McKale's feet trounce across the carpet, kicking various objects out of the way as she moved toward the video phone on the other side of the room. She picked it up and dialed a number. "What-ho, Mr.Winquist!" "Good afternoon, McKale. Have you got Yaidom? " Cy's ears perked. "Yes I do,” she puffed out her chest,” And I dashed well didn't have to seduce anyone to do it!" "But you do have him?" "Mhmm. He'll be with you in a matter of days." "Good," Winquist sighed loudly,"Very good. Is that all?" "I think so, yes. I get to keep the watch then, what?" "For now. There's more than one name on that list." "Oh, I know, I know,” her feet scuffed against the carpet,” But I've got a bit more time for them, right-ho?" "Yes, yes, very well. If that's all?" "Mhmm. Tinkerty-tonk, Mr.Winquist!" "Good-bye, McKale." Cy heard the receiver click back into place. McKale strode across the room, lifting each leg and peeling off a garishly lacy sock. Each sock was carelessly thrown to the pile of dirty clothes already making residence beneath the bed. (The room, as it were, was decidedly smaller than the original apartment, sporting only one bed and no separate room other than the bathroom, everything else was open and visible as soon as one stepped in through the door). McKale's feet paused in the center of the room, and after a bit of squirming around, her dress fell to the floor, quickly followed by corset and lady's silhouette. She shivered a little, and turned toward the bathroom door. Cy froze. McKale disappeared into the bathroom. Cy gaped. Quickly, Cy scrambled out from under the couch and pounced on McKale's dress. Hurriedly rummaging through lace and silk, an abnormal blush covering her chrome-silver cheeks. A glitter of gold caught her eyes and she unraveled the watch from the rest of the elaborate cloth. She tucked the chain in her mouth and scampered toward the door. Reaching up on her hind legs she pawed at the doorknob. It didn't budge. Ugh! She tried it again, but with no avail. Damn her little thumb-less paws! Suddenly, the door swung open and she was sent careening to the floor. She glanced upward, moving the watch from her mouth to her paw,” Hello, Shar." Shar shifting his weight between his legs and stepped out of the doorway. Cy hurried to her feet, the watch's chain tangled around her toes, and slid out of the way. Shar pulled the door shut and crossed his arms. Cy glanced down at the watch, then back up at Shar. She frowned, shaking her head from side to side, brow furrowed. An idea crept into her mind. "If you don't tell Jeffrey I have the watch,” she grinned, eyeing the door,” I’ll tell you what McKale is." Shar's eyes widened. He paused, cupping his chin between his thumb and forefinger. After a moment he shot her a quick nod. Cy's grin widened.