Absolutely everybody -- at or near the fireplace

[cook_the_rude]

This evening, there are several people relaxing by or near the fireplace the fireplace, doing slightly unexpected things. Among them are:

• Katrina Crane, seated in a comfortable chair, reading -- a romance novel?
• Pearse Harman, scribbling down bullet points for tomorrow's sermon while at a table with a glass of -- beer?
• Teja, in his usual chair by the trilobite tank, with all four cats and a soundly sleeping Egil, playing his -- guitar?
• Lady Margolotta, at a table drinking cocoa and cuddling a cute, pink-nosed -- rat?
• Dr. Hannibal Lecter, lounging on a sofa with his feet up, reading a book on -- demonology?
• Dorian Gray, sitting cross-legged in from of a coffee table, sensuously enjoying several different -- cupcakes?
• Madame Thénardier, hunched on an ottoman right by the fire, voraciously reading a book by -- Hilary Mantel?

[[OOC: Say in your tag whom you want -- open until it scrolls! Not trying to emulate the sheer numbers on the last one, though...]]

Comments

[cook_the_rude]

"Alana," he says. "You need to go past that. This place exists independent of whatever lies beyond somebody's door. You're here now; use it!"

[patterns_bloom]

Alana tucks her chin to her chest. Shaking, she takes a first step, and then another, forcing herself forward. Her shoes bite into the wood, and she escapes.

[cook_the_rude]

"Alana?" Hannibal says to her vanishing form. "For all it's worth, I can assure you that I didn't kill you. Not in my time-line."

[patterns_bloom]

A door slamming is his only answer.

[cook_the_rude]

He picks up his book again, and lies back down to carry on reading.-