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[captainryan]

The bed's made and Richard's relaxed on it, one hand tucked behind his head as he watches River finish getting dressed. The other hand is hanging off the side of the mattress, scritching Damocles' head.

"So CAL makes a copy of your data every time you return to the Library, and if something happens, she can restore you from that, correct?"

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[hell_in_highheels]

Now it's her turn to look at him like he's gone mental.

"Why on earth would I want to do that? It's just a lizard, admittedly a bloody huge lizard, but still, just a lizard, going about it's pathetic lizard life. It's not its fault I happened to look like lunch."

"Besides, it's more sporting with a pit trap. How fast is your hundred yard dash, anyway?"

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"That depends entirely on whether or not I have an RPG."

He's a guy. Of course he's pro the 'blow stuff up' plan.

(Plan B is 'run like hell'.)

[hell_in_highheels]

"There will be no RPGs, love. Besides, what do you do if you miss? Hard to miss with a pit trap."

"And really, I don't want to blow its head off. I just want to -- face it. And walk away with all my limbs attached."

She's a big proponent of Plan B.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"But how am I supposed to lure it in there without falling in myself? Swing over the thing like Tarzan?"

Let's just chew on that mental image for a while.

[hell_in_highheels]

Oh she is. She most certainly is.

"You could do that. Or you could run across the top, like any ordinary mortal. A good pit trap should hold your weight quite easily, while buckling under the animal's weight like paper."

Beat.

"That is, unless you had your heart set on the little loin cloth, because that could be arranged too, I suppose."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He opens his mouth to protest.

Then he headtilts.

"Do you get a matching outfit?"

[hell_in_highheels]

She's grinning broadly now, her scent rippling with deep amusement.

"You have a deeply perverted sense of humour, love. Spots or stripes, do you think?"

"Or should we even wonder out loud, lest Bar find an excuse to revamp our wardrobe?"

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Richard grins. "We're not in the bar. She couldn't possibly know."

He gives her a sharp look.

"Unless someone tells her."

[hell_in_highheels]

"My lips are sealed," she swears solemnly.

And then an image strikes her and she's giggling again, pressing her face against his shoulder as they walk.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"What?"

Does he want to know?

[hell_in_highheels]

"Your lily white arse in a leopard spotted loin cloth," she explains fondly, still laughing. "Hell, my lily white arse in a leopard spotted bikini. We'd blind the poor creature. He'd go running off over the hills, little arms flailing."

Management is just not sure how well this plan was thought through.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"Does that count as facing him?"

[hell_in_highheels]

She's laughing so hard tears are flowing down her cheeks, and she can only playfully punch him in the arm.

For a memory that used to give her the cold shakes, the fact that she can laugh about it now speaks volumes.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

It's a lovely punch, too.

"Or is that mooning him?"

[hell_in_highheels]

More laughter, another feeble punch. "Yet another full moon I have to look out for when I'm around you? Oh please."

The sun is sinking below the horizon, and she stops, turning so that her back is against his chest, wrapping his arms around her, so they can watch the spectacle. She lays her head back against his shoulder, smiling like a kitten in cream.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He buries his nose in her hair, still laughing himself. He can just see over her head into the sunset. The pinks, purples, reds, and blues swirl across the sky, dotted here and there by purple tinged clouds.

Damocles is still chasing seagulls, his barks a sharp interruption to the sound of the waves.

[hell_in_highheels]

"So beautiful," she murmurs. "Better than even the singing sands, I think. We should do this more often."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"Any place you want to go..."

He'll go.

[hell_in_highheels]

"I think..." She starts the thought, and holds it in her mouth for a long moment, finding the words. Her scent is cautious, but hopeful.

"I think perhaps I'd like to do more exploring outside of the bar. Not just here, but in the universe at large again. The last century has been enlightening, but I think I'd like to go some place -- uncatalogued."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"Someone should start an inter dimensional tour service. Maybe a bed and breakfast."

He may be teasing her a bit.

"No, that should be simple enough. Did you just want to go...looking?" Or do combat missions count?

[hell_in_highheels]

She does grin at the jest. "I dunno. Hadn't given it that much thought really. It's just time."

"I think that the last adventure ended badly..." There's a nervous laugh in the back of her throat. "Just say it, River. I died. There is no more final end, is there? But this is a second chance? And I have you to go with me. To look after me, so to speak."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He arches an eyebrow at her.

"I thought you didn't want me to do that?"

Not that he ever had any intention of letting that stop him.

[hell_in_highheels]

There's a thoughtful shrug and a wash of that powerful emotion in her scent.

"It's nice sometimes, to have someone you trust at your back. Like I said before, I like the way you ground me. And you know, it means I can look after you as well, doesn't it?"

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"I'd like that."

There's nothing like trusting someone you trained yourself to watch your back.

"You know that's an excuse for me to train you harder, yes?"

[hell_in_highheels]

He can feel her grin. "Not an excuse, a valid reason. I'm certainly up for anything you can throw at me. But if you think that's going to bypass our philosophical differences in certain areas, you'll have to think again. If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem tends to look like a nail and all that."

She gives him a squeeze in anticipation of the rumble she knows is coming next.