The Magic Box, Monday

[existencemisspent]

Eliot and Margo had taken some time around Christmas to follow a couple of leads on the mainland, hoping to work out how to do this whole "key quest" thing and bring magic back -- or at least get back to Fillory. (Was it wrong that Eliot was no longer at all anxious to get back to Fillory? Look, being High King was a lot of pressure, okay?)

None of them had panned out. Which had made Margo extra grumpy to be around.

But they were back on the island now, had been in time to attend that cute little NYE party at the zombie bar, and Eliot was back to work at the magic shop. And very bored.

Retail, it turned out, was deeply unexciting.

"I know it's a knockoff, darling," he said to Jeff, as he draped a fetching scarf around its neck, "but you're a novelty skeleton, and this is probably going to be stolen by gremlins." He stepped back to admire his work. "Have you ever considered modeling? I know some designers who make things with exactly your frame in mind."

Sometimes you had to make your own fun.

[open!]

Comments

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Jon showed up in the afternoon, with coffee from the Perk made the way Eliot liked it (with room for alcohol).

"Hello." He set the coffee down by Eliot. He looked from Eliot to Jeff and back. "Either you didn't find anything useful over your break, or you found so much that you're desperately in search of something else to focus on."

[existencemisspent]

“The former, alas,” Eliot said, flicking the top off the to go cup and splashing in some booze from his flask. “. . . Though the latter is admittedly a fair guess.”

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"Sorry to hear it," Jon said. "Hopefully there are still things you can check, though."

[existencemisspent]

“If there are, Margo is sure to sniff them out.”

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Jon huffed in laughter. "Whether they want to be or not, I imagine."

[existencemisspent]

“She cares very little about the wants of others,” Eliot said fondly. “It’s one of the first things I lived about her.”

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"You...you do realise that's not generally a good thing, I hope." Not that Jon didn't respect her for it when it was in Eliot's defence, but still.

[existencemisspent]

“Oh, I understand there’s likely an ideal middle ground somewhere. But Margo and I aren’t much for the middle.”

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"And you say I never do anything by halves," Jon accused. "Pot calling the kettle."

[existencemisspent]

“Oh, I know. I’m terribly self-aware.”

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"Theatre kid," Jon teased.

[existencemisspent]

“Theater star,” Eliot corrected proudly. “I played Val Jean in high school.”

High schoolers should be banned from doing Les Mis.

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"I saw Les Mis once," Jon said. "Not nearly as much sewer history as the book."

[existencemisspent]

"And we are all extremely thankful of that."

Had they had this conversation before? Eliot was getting some distinct deja vu here.

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

They had definitely texted about it.

"Not a fan of wading through sewage, I take it," Jon said. "Or possibly of wading through Hugo."

Either was fair.

[existencemisspent]

"I generally prefer to avoid 'wading' through anything at all," Eliot confirmed.

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"Understandable," Jon said. "Except for the ocean, I don't think I've waded through anything pleasant."

[existencemisspent]

“And the ocean has all kinds of shit in it. Such as literal shit.”

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"...Somewhere, I'm sure, yes," Jon agreed slowly. "Not generally the part you go wading in, though."

Wow, Eliot, Jon had possibly never been the optimist in a conversation before.