fanfic and original writing by ar (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
witticaster) wrote2011-12-04 10:02 pm
witticaster) wrote2011-12-04 10:02 pm
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The restaurant was quiet, its high-backed booths easily muffling the low conversations of other diners, one of its particular charms in Will's eyes. It was nothing like the house he and Tharkay had left, where Martha and George had obediently given each of their fathers a kiss goodbye and good night before whooping loudly as they tackled their baby-sitter. (Temeraire had taken it well, though Will was fairly sure a quiet word or two of Chinese invective had escaped the poor boy as they made their exit.) Since they'd said their I-love-yous to the twins, Will hadn't seen a single child, and he had to admit it was a welcome change that evening.
Beyond the quiet, only emphasized by the live violin music drifting from the far corner of the room, the shivering tongues of light and shadow cast by the tea light in the center of their table deepened the angles of Tharkay's face becomingly. Tharkay's expression being what it was, that peculiar blend of neutrality that suggested to the experienced observer that he had, in fact, a great deal to say and no desire to do so publicly, Will supposed the lighting was proving kind to his own appearance as well.
After the waiter took their orders and their menus--for Will, linguini with shrimp, and for Tharkay, eggplant penne--Will reached across the table and captured Tharkay's hand in his. Tharkay glanced down at Will's hand, one of his eyebrows arching, and squeezed gently.
"This is nice," Will said. As the words left him, it occurred to him that they were hardly the clever conversation he'd imagined when suggesting they try the new Italian restaurant. He simply found it difficult, suddenly, to think of things to comment on. While Will had compliments for Tharkay at his disposal, as well as suppositions as to the children's well-being, conversation beyond those topics proved difficult.
But Tharkay didn't seem to mind. Glancing up from their hands, he nodded, fixing Will with a solemn--but not at all unfriendly--face. "It is."
"I've missed having you to myself." Will glanced down at the candle flickering from behind the clear glass walls of the candle holder. "I didn't think it'd be fair to the twins for us to go out right after I got back, but I'm sorry we waited so long."
"I should hate to think what it would say of me if I didn't have the presence of mind to wait two weeks for a date." At this, Tharkay did smile, if only faintly. "All I really require is for you to come home safely."
Will smiled in return. "Still--after a month away, waiting two weeks for a night of adult conversation was a bit long."
"You wanted adult conversation, Captain?" Tharkay asked, entirely the innocent. "I can't imagine why we ventured out in public, then."
"I couldn't think of such things on an empty stomach, Tenzing." The waiter returned with a basket of bread then, and the conversation turned quickly to other subjects.
Beyond the quiet, only emphasized by the live violin music drifting from the far corner of the room, the shivering tongues of light and shadow cast by the tea light in the center of their table deepened the angles of Tharkay's face becomingly. Tharkay's expression being what it was, that peculiar blend of neutrality that suggested to the experienced observer that he had, in fact, a great deal to say and no desire to do so publicly, Will supposed the lighting was proving kind to his own appearance as well.
After the waiter took their orders and their menus--for Will, linguini with shrimp, and for Tharkay, eggplant penne--Will reached across the table and captured Tharkay's hand in his. Tharkay glanced down at Will's hand, one of his eyebrows arching, and squeezed gently.
"This is nice," Will said. As the words left him, it occurred to him that they were hardly the clever conversation he'd imagined when suggesting they try the new Italian restaurant. He simply found it difficult, suddenly, to think of things to comment on. While Will had compliments for Tharkay at his disposal, as well as suppositions as to the children's well-being, conversation beyond those topics proved difficult.
But Tharkay didn't seem to mind. Glancing up from their hands, he nodded, fixing Will with a solemn--but not at all unfriendly--face. "It is."
"I've missed having you to myself." Will glanced down at the candle flickering from behind the clear glass walls of the candle holder. "I didn't think it'd be fair to the twins for us to go out right after I got back, but I'm sorry we waited so long."
"I should hate to think what it would say of me if I didn't have the presence of mind to wait two weeks for a date." At this, Tharkay did smile, if only faintly. "All I really require is for you to come home safely."
Will smiled in return. "Still--after a month away, waiting two weeks for a night of adult conversation was a bit long."
"You wanted adult conversation, Captain?" Tharkay asked, entirely the innocent. "I can't imagine why we ventured out in public, then."
"I couldn't think of such things on an empty stomach, Tenzing." The waiter returned with a basket of bread then, and the conversation turned quickly to other subjects.