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Nov. 29th, 2005 11:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
It has been some space of time since he found his Tower, and breached it, and fell into her arms.
In that time, he has walked with her, stayed with her as a guest before she walks him on to the clearing.
Today? They are at Disneyland.
They are sitting at a table in the Blue Bayou, as boats splash on in the distance to meet robot pirates, and recorded crickets chirp and fireflies flicker, and Chinese lanterns bob over their heads. In the distance, there is a banjo playing, picked at slow and mournful. She's sipping on a mint julep and grinning widely.
In that time, he has walked with her, stayed with her as a guest before she walks him on to the clearing.
Today? They are at Disneyland.
They are sitting at a table in the Blue Bayou, as boats splash on in the distance to meet robot pirates, and recorded crickets chirp and fireflies flicker, and Chinese lanterns bob over their heads. In the distance, there is a banjo playing, picked at slow and mournful. She's sipping on a mint julep and grinning widely.
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Date: 2005-11-29 08:50 pm (UTC)Roland approves.
His eyes are on a family at an adjacent table. "I still don't understand this place, lady. I don't think I ever will."
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Date: 2005-11-29 08:52 pm (UTC)This explains everything.
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Date: 2005-11-29 08:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-29 08:57 pm (UTC)Well. Except for Mr. Leonard Simmons, age 42, avid fly-fisher and loving father and husband. Bad heart. Poor guy. He'll definitely see her in a few days.
People never really see what they don't want to. Which is why a place like this works.
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Date: 2005-11-29 09:02 pm (UTC)Looks at her.
And smiles, a little.
"Do you say so?"
He's fingering the strings of the pouch that holds his papers and tobacco.
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Date: 2005-11-29 09:08 pm (UTC)"Go ahead. You're with me. Most people don't even notice me. I mean, yeah, cats see me every time, but there's no cats in Disneyland."
Getting the drinks was a small trick. Not hard for her kind.
They're in a little island of calm in all the touristy hubbub. Even the small screaming children seem somehow far away.
A fly is swatted by a teenaged boy, and she's there, with a flicker of a glance and form, a tiny sliver of time.
The last time she had company at work was when Morpheus walked with her.
She's glad of Roland's company.
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Date: 2005-11-29 09:12 pm (UTC)Whenever he hears the wings -- a brief echo -- he smiles.
Roland smiles a lot, now.
She works, and so does he; death hasn't taken his ability to roll a good cigarette.
Match popped alight on a thumbnail.
Funny how serene you feel when the only thing that's to be done is roll a cigarette and drink your coffee.
And know, of course, that it is good.
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Date: 2005-11-29 09:36 pm (UTC)Granted, it's piped in, but hey. Everything about this place is fake. It's much more her brother's place than hers. Well. Probably Del's, too.
Maybe that's why she likes it.
For now, she's content to enjoy his company and the ambiance, cheesy as it is.
She reaches across the table and lays her fingers across his, easy enough. He is her friend. (She has a lot of friends, but Roland is special.)
"I never did thank you."
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Date: 2005-11-29 09:39 pm (UTC)Which is Roland-speak for it doesn't matter.
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Date: 2005-11-29 09:42 pm (UTC)Maybe her eyes say it.
He can read her well enough by now.
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Date: 2005-11-29 09:51 pm (UTC)Quietly, Roland says, "Has no one else ever wished to stay a while longer, with you?"
It's the last two words that make it.
And there's no jealousy. Just curiosity. And a little concern.
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Date: 2005-11-29 09:55 pm (UTC)But there were none like him.
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Date: 2005-11-29 09:59 pm (UTC)The smoke floats out to join the fake fog on the faker bayou.
"Can't imagine why."
Roland's eyes are half-closed. His mouth curves in a half-smile.
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Date: 2005-11-29 10:08 pm (UTC)"You, sir, are a smartass."
She ought to be getting back to work. But it is wonderful to be sitting here, talking and maybe giggling a little behind that smile, with a good friend.
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Date: 2005-11-29 10:10 pm (UTC)Lazily, almost.
"I thought that was why you kept me around."
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Date: 2005-11-29 10:12 pm (UTC)"Oh, there's a few reasons."
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Date: 2005-11-29 10:19 pm (UTC)His coffee is cooling; he drinks some of it.
His eyes light on a man with sandy-red hair at a nearby table, sitting with a man wearing a brown leather jacket.
"Shame I slept through Wash's visit."
Roland slept a lot. Still does, every now and again. Because it had been a damned long time since he could get a good night's rest in a safe place.
"...I don't suppose you've stopped anywhere they've been?"
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Date: 2005-11-29 10:27 pm (UTC)She takes the cigarette from his hand, and takes a drag. Not something she does terribly often, but she likes the effect of smoke rolling out of her mouth. It's fun. And calming.
"Well. There's the bar. They seem to be doing alright..."
She hands the cigarette back to him, takes her hand from his, and stares at the mint julep, poking at the ice and frowning, a little.
Because there's always a price.
And she knows he won't like the price of this one.
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Date: 2005-11-29 10:35 pm (UTC)Off in the crowd, making her way towards the exit, there's a young, slim girl of about eighteen with long, dark hair. It's just a little tangled.
Roland can't see her face.
Without taking his eyes from the girl:
"And River?"
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Date: 2005-11-29 10:37 pm (UTC)Sees his face.
She'll tell him later.
"She misses you. I'm looking after her. As much as I can."
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Date: 2005-11-29 10:47 pm (UTC)Before he replaces cup in saucer, he puts out his cigarette.
Clink.
And a soft sigh.
"I knew you would, my dear."
When he looks up, his eyes -- and are they just a little less faded? a little more warm? -- meet hers.
"You know I've been thinking of her." The words are just a little pleading, as though for understanding. He's thought of River, yes -- often -- but said nothing.
It's been an interesting adjustment. Tower, and Tower, and Tower --
-- and then, at last, the end. And then...nothing more to quest for.
She's done well with not leaving him alone to his thoughts. Done very well indeed.
But even She of the Endless can't stop all thought. Not when he's still here with her, between the path and the clearing.
It's another -- better -- waystation. And unlike Milliways, Roland can wait to find out what's coming next.
It's only a problem when he has time to think about what was.
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Date: 2005-11-29 11:02 pm (UTC)She smiles, a little. Gentle.
He'll go on, eventually. But he was promised a time and a place. And she keeps her promises.
"She's been training with Cort. And this Liam guy. The Shang Dragon. Friend of Alanna's."
Death beams.
"She's pretty damn good. You'd be proud."
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Date: 2005-11-29 11:06 pm (UTC)He's missing it. And -- it hurts.
"Cort's behaving himself?"
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Date: 2005-11-29 11:08 pm (UTC)She knows.
"He is, rather. Hasn't hit her."
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Date: 2005-11-29 11:11 pm (UTC)He looks at her.
"Lady -- I knew it wouldn't anger you, if I asked about her. Knew that I had every reason in all the worlds to want to do so. And yet -- I did not." A bare, humorless smile. "It is strange."
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