The Perk, Thursday Afternoon

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

Henry had, as promised, brought an ostentatiously thick book to read while he waited for Cindy.

War & Peace really gained something the third time through, anyhow. He sat near a window, stealing sips of latter and glances out the window as he waited for his ... was this a date? It felt like one, anyhow.

He supposed that was a question for Cindy to answer.

[OOC: For She of the Shoe Collection, but it is an open Perk!]

Comments

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Whether or not she would would another story entirely. A better question would be if Cindy knew herself. Though, in typical Cindy-fashion, she was ignoring both the question and the possible answer in favor of not worrying about it and how either answer might affect her or her cover.

"Henry," she paused in the door of the Perk looking amused. "Part of the plan for coffee was to get you out of the library. I think you're starting to get dust in your hair."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

Henry ran a hand through his dark locks. "Possibly. Did that dislodge some of the mildew? I haven't seen any bookworms in it yet..."

Of course, while he was babbling, he was also standing, closing the book, and gesturing to the other chair. "Let me order for you. I need a refill anyhow."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy pretended to inspect his hair while she took a seat. "No bookworms yet, so you're safe," she teased. "Cafe mocha, extra cream? And then you can come back and tell me what you think of War and Peace."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"And I am safe again. Thank you." Henry went to the counter, got a mocha for her and a spiced tea for himself, and returned juggling the hot paper cups. (Not literally.)

"I think I like peace better," he said teasingly, once he took his seat. "Though there is such a thing as a justified war."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"Justified on one side, maybe," Cindy declared, reaching for her cup with an appreciative smile. "But I think it would be difficult to have a war that's justified on both."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"You could if there was miscommunication and the sides saw things differently, maybe," Henry suggested. "Kind of like how everyone thinks their god is the only one. It's a matter of perception."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy wrinkled her nose. "It would have to be a pretty major miscommunication," she said. "And I have a hard time believing in the justification behind holy wars. 'My god is better than yours' is pretty crap for reasoning. Most wars are tragic, senseless wastes of life."

Pardon her bitter there, Henry.

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"Most, absolutely," Henry agreed, shifting in a way that indicated he realized he'd gotten himself into some deep waters. "I've always felt lucky not to be the right age or from the right country to have to fight."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"I lost some people in the war," Cindy said, backing down a bit. Especially since she couldn't really detail much about which war she was talking about. Still, the loss of the Homelands was a constant ache in every Fable's heart. "I don't like to talk about it much. Sorry for kind of jumping on you, there."

Man, Cindy was awesome at dates.

...If this was a date.

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

If it hadn't been for that 'I don't like to talk about it,' Henry would have asked which war. The current one, maybe. He guessed she was younger than he was, and he was far too young for Vietnam. He shook his head.

"No, no, it was a flippant thing to say and I deserved that," he said. "Seriously, I think it's one of the great novels, if you can keep everyone in it straight."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy gave him a grateful smile. "I just liked all the Russian nobility, sitting around gossiping, tut-tutting the French Revolution and making sure everyone else's etiquette was up to snuff."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"Mmmm," Henry agreed, sipping his tea. "Well, that's the position you want to be in in a situation like that."

Then, to avoid picking at sore spots and because I haven't read the book he shrugged apologetically to change the subject. "How did your class go, by the way?"

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"Very well, for an introductory class," Cindy said, taking up the change of subject and going with it. "I have four students, one of whom had taken my previous class. We mostly chatted and ate muffins while I explained to them the inherent dangers of arguing on the internet. It's my duty as a teacher, you see."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"Of course," Henry agreed. "What are those dangers? Other than wasting time."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"You saw those Youtube comments," Cindy drawled, pointing her stirrer at him. "You can't tell me you didn't feel dumber after reading some of them."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"It was like staring into the sun," Henry answered. "You just know that if you look too long something bad will happen. I choose to believe none of the fine people at this school would get involved."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

That had Cindy laughing into her mocha. "You've met the Vice Principal, yes? I'm willing to believe that he'd take to it like a fish to water."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"He is completely insane," Henry said with some admiration. "I appreciate that he's up front with it."

He shuddered. "I bet he leaves the caps lock on."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"And types as little as possible, substituting 'u' and '2' and '4' whenever he can," Cindy said, nodding. "'What u up 2 2day?' and the like."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"I think the only person who can get away with that is Prince." Henry declared firmly. "And that's only because he is a genius."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"Which Prince, exactly?" Cindy said.

She tried, but there were only so many Mundy artists she could keep up with.

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"The singer?" Henry said. "Are you one of those people who doesn't pay attention to music?"

He was curious, not hostile.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy gave him a disarming grin and shrugged. "Guilty as charged," she admitted. "If you heard what I liked for music, you'd be convinced I came to Fandom directly from the 50's."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"What do you like for music?" Henry asked promptly. "It's a hobby of mine. The parts of my apartment that aren't covered in books are covered in CDs, but I promise not to judge."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"Honestly?" Cindy said, a little embarrassed anyway, "I like a lot of Doo Wop and the early rock and roll. I have a lot of love for the swing and jazz of the thirties and forties, and Doo Wop is kind of the natural extension of that or, at least, that's what my mun is saying, based on like 5 seconds of internet searches."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"I love swing and jazz," Henry answered, ignoring the bits he found embarassiong. "Opera, too. My mom was a singer. But I'm a punk diehard."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"Punk?" Cindy had heard of the genre but couldn't name a single song. "You've reached one of my vast realms of musical ignorance, I'm afraid. Though swing and jazz..." she gave Henry a speculative glance. "I don't suppose you can dance, too?"

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"I'll make you a CD." Oh, Cindy. Fear. "And yes, I can dance. Whether I can dance well is a different question, but as long as you don't mind havig your feet stepped on once or twice..."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"I can probably survive it," Cindy said, laughing. "Though I have a right to demand drinks as compensation after the third, all right?"

She took another long sip of her coffee. "And a CD would be nice--though you'll have to explain everything to me, you know that, right?" Just dig the hole deeper, Cindy.

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

Henry smiled at her slowly. "Oh, I think I could put up with that -- the drinks and the explaining."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy grinned back. "Throw in dinner and it sounds like a truly wonderful evening actually."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"Tell me when and I'll be there." No, wait. "Actually, is that a date?"

Henry hadn't been on a date in a decade. He was rusty. Not averse, but rusty.

"I'm sorry, Cindy. I'm still figuring out the rules."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy was just as rusty. She hadn't been on a date--a real date, as opposed to something for her cover--since before she married Bluebeard. "I don't know," she admitted. "Is it? Dinner and dancing is fairly date-like, but it doesn't have to be." She looked up at him with understanding eyes. "You have a lot to figure out, I know."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"I do," Henry agreed. "And Clare and I haven't filed papers yet, and ... I don't want to hurt you."

He tried his tea again. It helped him think, and it kept his hands busy.

"I want to date you if you're okay knowing -- and I feel like the heel of all time just saying this -- I'm not ready for anything serious. If not, we can go as friends."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy's mouth quirked up in a grin. "Is it rude to say that I don't think you're ready for anything serious yet?" she asked.

And if it turned serious, she'd have to sabotage the relationship anyway, before it jeopardized her cover. "You've been married to Clare for years. You shouldn't jump from one serious relationship to the next--" said the queen of relationships here "--and I certainly don't want to be your rebound girl. Serious wouldn't be good for either of us."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"It can't be rude to tell the truth," Henry said. It seemed more polite than oh thank god. "Well, it can, but ... what I am trying to say is that I agree to dinner, dancing, and absolutely nothing more serious."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"To nothing more serious," Cindy said, raising her glass. "No no expectations, rules, or anything else beyond a damn good time."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"To a damn good time."

Some part of Henry was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Henry told that part to hush. Now was now.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy would probably just add that shoe to her collection anyway

And for her part, Cindy was already mourning her almost-inevitable betrayal. But nothing of that showed on her face. Now was now, indeed.