milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Tom's owl to Sallie arrived this morning, as expected.

Complete with her request. Tom is nothing if not helpful.

She's sitting at a table, with two stoppered vials in front of her on her lap, and she's going over the directions on the parchment that had been included alongside.

In general? This is one time she's probably not very approachable.

[ooc: vaguely locked -- ping stephmuji if you'd like to tag.]

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Boromir sees her at once, and a smile plays about his lips as he joins her. "Madam," he says with a bow.

Sallie bolsters herself and returns the smile, making sure her package was stowed before gesturing Boromir to a seat across from her.

"What have you been up to today? Outside at all?"

"Oh, yes," he says as he takes the chair. "I practice every day no matter what the weather.

"How are you? Did you find homes for all your trinkets?"

"Mostly -- usually the folk that were interested in 'em were from pretty far in my past, never seen a hologram before, for example. Anything I didn't give away I put in the Lost and Found."

"Indeed," Boromir says, looking puzzled. "And what is a hologram? Some sort of messenger?"

Sallie keeps back a laugh. "No, baobei. It's a...moving picture. If you meet any wizards in the bar, they've already had these for a long number o' years, but my where and when only invented them a couple hundred years back."

"I . . . see." He focuses on the important thing: "That word you said--baobei--what does that mean?" He adds, "Are you becoming fond enough of me for nicknames?"

Yes.

"It's just a word in Chinese. Means -- " sweetheart " -- somethin' like a salutation. Hard to translate, really."

He smiles nonetheless. "I like it. Baobei. It's quite pretty."

"Most Chinese is, more so 'n English."

She's turning the vials in her hands over one another while Boromir speaks. If she stops for too long, the twitch of the shoulder that that shows her hand moving below the table is more

( -- Where's it gone?)

noticable.

"Is that what you speak? We simply call it Common in Middle Earth. The language of Men and Halflings." He adds, "Shall I order some dinner for us? Are you hungry?"

"That sounds perfect," happy for a topic away from Sallie's verbal slip. "Uhm, surprise me."

He flags a waitrat and requests suppers for both of them, the simple food he is accustomed to.

"Will that suit?" he asks Sallie.

"Certainly."

She can't add anything to the food while he's sitting right there. Crap. Sallie needs a plan.

"Let me go get somethin' though." Sallie stands quickly before Boromir can offer to retrieve whatever she'd like for herself, and heads for the bar, ordering two glasses of rice wine.

Something Boromir's probably never had.

Something that'd cover up any taste that Tom's potions might have that'd be noticed.

She pulls both vials out of one pocket, pouring them with a shaky hand one after another in the right mixture. One whiff of Boromir's drink to double check that it isn't different than hers, and she returns to the table.

"A particular type o' drink from Shadow. Thought you might want to try it."

He beams, pleased, and takes a glass. "Certainly. It will be my pleasure."

He takes a sip.

And Sallie holds her breath.

Boromir's frowning.

Something . . . is very odd.

He looks at Mrs. Reynolds. She is a good woman, kind and strong, and while there's a well of affection for her it's not . . . the same.

"Madame," he says quietly, "I fear I may have embarrassed you."

"It's okay."

And it is, for as much as Boromir's concerned.

It's not his fault, at any rate.

Sallie stands, not having touched her food or drink, and doesn't at any point truly look at Boromir.

"I think it's time to head home."

Away from here.

Sallie turns to leave.

"We can still eat supper together," he says quickly. "There is no reason for friends not to break bread together."

Friends.

"Not tonight."

It's not a long walk to the door, but the destination is a universe away.

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