(no subject)

[mycursedface]

It's summer in Egypt, so the Nile is a swollen, flooded thing right now. But Medusa's father built his home above the highest waterline, and in any case he is a god and weather and water can be bent to his will. (Or at least coaxed, for the Old Man of the Sea had ever been one for soft words over thunderbolts). There are a several buildings, arranged roughly in a semi-circle, and made from stone and mud and straw. There is a garden, too, with trees and flowers and a pretty little stream, but that is behind the buildings and can only be glimpsed at.

It's night in Egypt, so it is pleasantly cool. During the day it'll be hot (although, not as hot as Medusa is used to sleeping through, because gold feathers and the hot, hot sun do not always get along), but now it is merely...nice.

Also, dark. Even with the stars and the cresent moon, but Medusa has a cat's eyes (almost literally, because while now her pupils are huge to let in the light, in the Bar they are nothing but slits), so she leads Sam by the hand across the main open space to the granary.

"There are footholds in the walls, if you wanted to climb up?" She says once they reach it, grinning in the dark.

Comments

[necessary_child]

Sam grins back at her, eyes blacker than ever in the darkness. "I could climb up."

Beat.

"Or I could run!"

And he suits the action to the word.

[mycursedface]

"Show off," she says with a long-suffering sigh.

Well.

As long-suffering as one can be while giggling.

She climbs up, normally if fast, and then stands on the (mostly) flat roof of the granary. In daylight, the view is amazing - reeds and water and fishing boats and in autumn, everything turns red from lotus flowers.

At night, it's more eerie than anything else, but Medusa likes it. She walks across to the east-facing side and sits down, legs crossed under her and wings unfurled behind her.

[necessary_child]

Sam follows her across, sitting with his legs dangling over the side. He kicks his feet, sliding an arm around her.

"It's nice." Thoughtfully.

[mycursedface]

"Isn't it?" She says, snuggling a bit closer. "It'll be a shame to leave."

[necessary_child]

It's been a long, long time since Sam's seen this sort of sight.

"Why're you leaving?"

[mycursedface]

"I'm the Mistress of the West Gate, Luce. I still have my duty to do."

[necessary_child]

"Luce, indeed." Sam tugs lightly at a lock of her hair. "I've killed beings for less, you know."

The narration bets Medusa's really really scared.

[mycursedface]

"So, the Great and Mighty Lucifer avoids nicknames while he bequeaths them on others?" She asks, archly.

Yes, very scared. This is why she is not'smiling.

[necessary_child]

"I avoid daft nicknames," Sam corrects, also not smiling. (Really.)

"All the nicknames I bestow are perfectly sensible."

[mycursedface]

"I could have said Lucy, you know."

[necessary_child]

"You could have. And then I'd've had to pout, see. It'd be terrible."

Sam demonstrates the poutyface.

[mycursedface]

"Ah, but I didn't! I said 'Luce'. So you can stop pouting."

[necessary_child]

"Butbutbut -- Luce." He pulls a face.

It is a very woeful face.

[mycursedface]

Which is why she kisses it! Everyone knows that kisses make things better.

[necessary_child]

Sam is in full agreement with this!

Which is why he kisses her back, thoroughly.

[mycursedface]

"There," she says, pulling back with a (moderately goofy) smile. "Does that make everything better?"

[necessary_child]

"It makes many things better," Sam agrees. "I feel there should be more kissing, though, just to make sure we covered everything."

[mycursedface]

"You would."

[necessary_child]

He grins at her, cheekily. "Well, you've got to be sure about these things. Can't take any chances."

[mycursedface]

"...father's house. With my clawed, fanged and winged sisters. And a brother. And Pappos himself."

Still, she kisses him again, just once and lightly.

"There."

[necessary_child]

"Yeah, but the danger's half the fun," Sam smiles. "So long as the cause is worth it, of course." He kisses her cheek, this time. "And you're definitely worth it."

[mycursedface]

Sorry, Sam, were you expecting Medusa to say something sensible after that? Because, you're tough out of luck.

If you wanted a very, very large and foolish grin, though...

[necessary_child]

Sam grins back at her, twisting a strand of her hair around his fingers.

"Beautiful dork."

[mycursedface]

"That's...good, yes?"

[necessary_child]

He winks. "I think so."