McKale stood in front of the mirror, smoothing down the soft material of his pinstripe maroon jacket. A particularly favorite of his, but, by Jove, he hadn't gotten to wear it in ages. He grinned at his reflection, flicking one of the obtuse black buttons that cinched the coat together over his waist, and turned on heel (bare heel) to stalk out the door. Primped and ready for dinner.
"I don't think I shall ever wear skirts again, Jeffrey."
Jeffrey didn't bother looking up from the task at hand, dishing out a nice helping of pesto-noodles to side with the chicken Creole,” Indeed, sir?"
McKale nodded his head sharply and slunk into a seat,” Indeed, indeed, Jeffrey!" He blinked and leaned across the table, scanning the room from one end to the other,” Jeffrey?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Where have your dragons gone off to?"
"They've already eaten, Sir. I believe Shar had returned to our room for an improving book, and Cy has joined him in attempt to keep him from reading said book,” a wistful smile came over his lips, but he ducked his head in attempt to hide it from McKale.
McKale nodded and tucked into the dinner,"Ah. So it's just me and you, then?"
"Indeed, sir."
"You haven't already eaten, then?"
"Certainly not, sir,” Jeffrey pulled back a chair and sat.
"Ah, good,” he paused to finish a few bites of the meal,” So, you'll take me to go sign up for candicy after supper, right-ho, Jeffrey old chap?"
Jeffrey paused between bites and set down his fork. A Serious Look came over his face, and he shifted his gaze from McKale to his meal. McKale stirred uncomfortably. After a moment, a Serious Look passed over McKale's face as well, and he licked his lips, leaning back against his chair and raising a pointed finger. Jeffrey jerked back a little at its appearance.
"Now wait just a minute here, Jeffrey," he said, frowning,” You don't have any right at all to be disapproving of this, what? You went off and bonded, after all. Behind my back too, of all the bally nerve!" He crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin,” You’ve no bloody right to not let me bond."
Jeffrey sank forward a little, folding his hands in front of his plate. His brow wrinkled severely, and he looked for all the world like some Greek philosopher of sorts, thinking up the answers to life. McKale swallowed a little, but refused to budge.
"May I speak frankly, Sir?" said Jeffrey, after a moment or two of quiet contemplation.
McKale nodded sharply,” You may."
"Although I do regret to admit that I did not inform of my decision to bond, and indeed went behind your back to do it in fear, no, knowing you would disapprove, my decision was not a hasty one. I have desired a bond for many years, Sir. It was not a choice made purely to be on equal terms with one's valet, or upon discovering 'dragons weren't all that bad'."
"Very frank indeed, Jeffrey,"McKale frowned, a sort of half-pout mixed into the expression, and slumped forward a little,” That’s hardly fair, Jeffrey, you're accusing me of wanting this for all the wrong reasons."
Jeffrey cleared his throat a little,” I don't mean to upset you, sir. Perhaps I would understand better if you informed me of your true reasons for desiring a bond?"
"That's a rather personal question, isn't it, Jeffrey? I mean, a chap could be doing this for all sorts of reasons,” he frowned,” I don't think I should have to explain myself to my valet, of all the blasted persons to have to explain one's self to!"
McKale wasn't looking at him anymore, but he could here the sharp intake of breath. It wasn't very loud, and Jeffrey immediately attempted to cover it up with a deep, disapproving hum. McKale winced and snapped his gaze to his plate. Blast it all, but that last comment had stung a bit, hadn't it?
"Oh, Jeffrey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
Jeffrey lifted a hand, and his fork with the other,” There is no need to apologize, sir. I am, after all, only your valet."
Oh, damn and blast!
The rest of the meal was eaten in awkward silence, and when both McKale and Jeffrey had finished, Jeffrey rose and picked up the plates, setting them in the sink. He took post beside the door, retrieving McKale's coat, hat, and walking stick from the rack and laying what he could over his arm in offering. McKale slunk after him and slipped on the walking wear.
"Where's the bonding place anyway, Jeffrey old chap?"
"On the ship, The Abstract Destiny, sir, but we shall be going to the DRM in order to sign you up for candicy,"the words came out as rather tight lipped, and McKale instantly felt an unmistakable pang of guilt at Jeffrey's tone.
"Ah, very good then, Jeffrey. Of we go- What about your dragons?"
"They will be fine, sir, as will the apartment."
"Um, right-ho then,” he cast a quick glance around the room before returning his gaze to Jeffrey’s,” Off we go then?"
Jeffrey didn't so much as a nod. But he did open the door, so McKale stepped through and sauntered off down the hall, valet in tow.
.:.:.::.:.:.
"You know, your plan didn't really work, did it?"
Shar looked up, ears perked forward.
"I mean," said Cy, peering across the bed to see what he was reading - a cook book of sorts, it seemed -,"You were supposed to be helping Jeffrey get rid of the watch, weren't you? What was the original plan?"
"To rid McKale of the watch by forcing him...her...to fail at Mr.Winquist's errands."
Cy nodded, pressing her chin against a paw,” And here you've gone and managed to get Yaidom to Mr.Winquist and return the watch to McKale...not that I'm complaining, of course, but now I've got to pinch it from her again."
Shar sucked in a breath and averted his gaze back down to the cook book. He flipped a page or two, but his eyes didn't flicker over the words as they would have if he were actually reading.
Cy frowned at him and crawled over the mattress, standing on her hind legs with her front one's pressed over the edge,” What’re you getting all miffed about, now?"
Shar looked up, blinking innocently,” Nothing at all, Cy. I simply don't-"
"Approve of the watch!" she let out a groan and collapsed against the edge of the bed frame,” There’s nothing wrong with it."
Shar didn't reply. He flipped through another couple of pages.
Cy growled and slunk off of the bed, toddling across the room and out the door. Shar looked up, following her shape as she drifted across the hall toward McKale's room. He cocked his ears, eyes wide,"Cy?"
Cy pressed open the door and craned her neck to shoot him a sharp glare over her shoulder,” Don’t act as if you don't know what I'm doing. I know full well you do."
Shar frowned,” It’s not-"
"You don't believe me,” she sniffed, easing the door wide and slipping into the room,” So I'm going to prove to you the bloody watch isn't dangerous."
"Jeffrey-"
"Tchah Jeffrey!" She disappeared from Shar's sight.
Shar stirred and shut the book, setting it on the bedside table before stepping down from the bed and inching toward the hall,"Cy?"
Cy did not appear for a few more minutes, but when she did, she was carrying the watch between her teeth, grinning like a loon. She spat it out, watching it tumble, glittering, across the carpet,” Show me how to work it and we'll be on our way."
Shar frowned.
"I know you know how. You know how to do everything,"she prodded the watch which a claw.
Shar's frown deepened, but his gaze flicked almost magnetically toward the object. Cy grinned, and Shar instantly tore his gaze from it.
"You want to try it out, too, don't you?" she sauntered toward him, her smirk growing sinsiterly, "Don't you?"
Shar turned away from her and crossed his arms over his chest. He refused to answer that. Simply refused to. It was hardly his fault he had some...interest in using it, perhaps once or twice. But imagine what one could learn- No! Shar shook his head violently and set his jaw, grinding teeth.
Cy snatched the watch up in one paw and tangled the chain between her 'fingers', dangling it as high as she could manage to meet with Shar's gaze,” Come on, Shar. Just once. Please?"
"No."
"Fine then,” she sniffed and brought the watch back down to the floor, fiddling with it,” I’ll do it myself."
Shar watched her out of the corner of his eye, but refused to otherwise acknowledge her activities. She didn't know what to do, after all, she would be able to- His eyes widened and he leapt forward, snatching it up off the floor with a protesting crow. Cy leapt backward with a yelp.
"What in- Shar!"
Shar set the watch back to a harmless state and curled the chain around his knuckles. He pushed passed Cy and trudged into McKale's room.
"Shar!" Cy fumed and loped after him,” Come on, Shar. It's not dangerous. There's no need to-"
He wheeled on her, brow furrowed,” It’s not a toy, Cy,"he paused, crushing his fingers around the watch,” Nor is it some magical device that will whisk you off to whatever fairy world you desire to go to. It only alters time, Cy, not place."
"So? What does that-"
"We're in a space station, Cy. Star City can't be that old."
Cy frowned. Shar watched her silently, tapping a finger against the glass of the watch's face. Realization finally dawned and she let out a little, breathy 'oh', sitting back with a stunned look on her face.
"You mean if I'd gone back too far, I'd be...floating about space..."
"Precisely."
"Oh."
Shar's disgruntled look dissipated, but he continued further into McKale's room, wrenching open a door on the nightstand. He unraveled the watches chain and let the object dangle over the open door. His fingers twitched, ready to drop it but...But he didn't let it go.
What harm would - No! - He knew how to get back, after all - No! - And Jeffrey would never know. And even if he did, he could inform him it was Cy's idea - Which it was, of course - No! - And imagine what he could find out - No! - He could even figure out how to...how to get McKale out of the situation. Or even what Winquist wanted with all these Princes. He could help Jeffrey. He could do anything.
He retracted his hand a little, tightening his grip on the watch's chain.
Jeffrey certainly wouldn't be against Shar using the watch to...help McKale out of the situation. Certainly not. He'd be terribly thankful and forgiving, if Shar came up with a working solution.
Shar flipped the watch back into his palm and turned to Cy. He nodded stiffly to her,” All right."
Cy blinked,” All right?"
"All right,"Shar nodded and turned his attention to the watch. He turned the knob until the numbers read a few months passed their current date, before striding across the room and setting a hand on Cy's neck,” We’ll use it."
"But I thought-"
"We're not going to go far. And we're going to do something useful while we're there."
"There? Where are we going? Or, rather, when are we going?"
"Not far,"Shar repeated, and pressed the button.