milliways_bar | (no subject)

Manuel looks disdainful.

"You are not to be putting your gun in another man's holster."

"That's...a rather apt way of putting it."

Having decided, for the moment at least, to simply Ignore Anthy, Cuthbert glances under the table and says, sweetly,

"In any case, Meg, I'm certain Manuel here would find your family ever so much more interesting than mine."

He looks at Meg consideringly.

"Do YOU have a beautiful wife?"

I have a beautiful ex-fiancee, *Meg says dubiously.* But, er, no wife.

Anthy looks betrayed.

Manuel gives Anthy a look of LUST.

Cuthbert gives Meg a look of "What the almighty fucking HELL?"

But, er, *Meg adds hastily,* they're not here. The ex-fiancee, that is. They're. Er. Somewhere else.

Manuel sidles closer to Anthy and speaks in his Sexy Voice.

"You like Manuel, no?"

Meg owes Anthy.

Anthy ignores Manuel as hard as she can, and says to Meg, with some confusion, "I am?"

....

Bert...

...Yeah, Bert's got nothin'.

*Okay, if Anthy's just going to throw herself to the wolves like that . . .*

Well, okay, she's not. But she is underage!

Manuel's eyes gleam.

"Does she hhhave all hhher teeth?"

Anthy covers her mouth.

Cuthbert considers the situation.

On the one hand, he has a rather extreme grudge against Anthy.

On the other, Manuel is sort of creeping him out.

Mmm, internal conflict.

No, *Meg lies blatantly.* She lost all her teeth at age two. Tragic baking accident.

Manuel looks DELIGHTED.

Cuthbert, meanwhile, is considering Manuel's inquiry, and his reaction, and putting two and two together.

"OW. Ow, brain, I did not need that, thanks."

Oh, damn. He's going to hate himself for this, but...fucking chivalry...

Cuthbert steps in front of Anthy. Protectively.

And possibly grumbling a bit.

*Meg bestows a glowing smile on Cuthbert, from under the table.*

Anthy is visibly relieved. And content to let Cuthbert defend her.

Manuel looks at Cuthbert frankly.

"Will a slice of Sausage Pizza make you to move?"

"Not terribly fond of pizza, say sorry." Bert responds blithely.

And then, because he has no desire to stand between a crazy girl he hates and a creepy man in underwear all night: "Anthy? Don't you maybe have some roses that need tending or some such?"

He pairs this comment with an under-the-table-foot-prod to Meg, which is supposed to indicate Some help might be nice, yes?

*Meg is too busy laughing at this point.

Turnabout's fair play, after all.*

I don't think, *she says, through giggles,* he's all that fond of - of sausage - either -

"No, I watered them just a few hours ago," Anthy says helpfully.

Manuel raises an eyebrow.

"You like the watersports?"