milliways_bar | (no subject)

His expression softens a bit.

"I'm... sorry, Columbia, I didn't mean that I thought you were, simply... Mother is very seldom nice. What sort of upset was this?"

"I think it was more amused than truely upset. Your mother is someone who enjoys watching as other sqwirm, kinda like you. i don't think I need to worry that I made hesheit mad, I was on my best behavior. "

He smirks.

"This is where I'm supposed to make some sort of comment about coming by such things honestly then, isn't it."

"No, then you'd get away with it. You don't get to write off the way you treat people because of how your mother acts. It doesn't work that way, and you know it." Columbia smiles, it doesn't fit her words but still she smiles.

It's rare, perhaps - although perhaps it shouldn't be - that he's looked serious, and yet not angry. He looked so when she saw him in this place, before; other than that, it is hard to say how long it has been since he's worn such an expression. But that is how he is, now.

"Not that, Columbia. Never that."

Her smile drops, she expected him to get angry. Part of her want to keep going yelling at him was never a good option before so she decided to not chance it. "I don't think you have any idea what you created when you took me in." she just looks at him with a blank expression on her face.

"I... thought I did, I think..."

If the expression is not odd enough, the fact that for once he almost sounds uncertain surely is.

He shakes his head. "But... perhaps you're right, Columbia."

"You had your crowd, all of your friends and fans and... you could never see that we were crying out for you to love us back. I guess, i could go and say it's over I have a chance to be something but I still love you" she shrugs and smiles a sad dopey smile. "Probably always will"

A very slight careful smile, and he takes the step closer to lean down and press a kiss to her forehead.

"I have loved you as well, Columbia, in my way."

"Don't" she winces."Please,I shouldn't have said anything. You are never gonna love me the way I love you." she laughs

His voice is rather quiet.

"No, Columbia. You're right about that, at least. I do love you, but it's not what you want. And you'd most likely be happier if you found someone else to love. Here, at least, it will be easier to do that than at the castle."

Perhaps it's quiet so that it won't crack. Hard to tell, as it doesn't.

And then he smiles again, and looks the way it seems he ought.

"I'm glad you're here, dear Columbia."

"Yeah, I've met a few people,actually. But..." she grins sheepishly. "I'm glad you're here too."

"I may disappear every once in a while, of course, as I just did, but... I'll be here, Columbia. I don't have all so very many other places to go, even if I wished to do so... and besides, I have family here."

His hand's on her shoulder.

"And friends."

He smiles.

Columbia nods "Good, I like seeing you sometimes, I was kinda glad not to see you for a while there. But I missed you." she covers his hand with hers.

The smirk's a bit of a wry smile just at the moment.

"Well... fair enough, I suppose, at that."

He chuckles.

"I'll... I'll be around, of course, my dear. You know me, I never could manage to leave well enough alone, could I."

Columbia smiles "You know, we are kinda the same in that. Well enough is not something to leave alone, it something to attack head on, often."

He grins, for a moment, before it fades back into his regular slight smirk.

"And I hope you've been enjoying yourself while you do so."

"Of course, there are a few things to enjoy here. There is someone I'd like you to meet actually, but you probably steal him away." Columbia smiles. "Not that I would let you."

Another smirk.

"I'll have to meet him, then. Make sure he's good enough for you."

"Bill is still trying to decided who it is he is. He's been back home though. I'm kinda scared. We aren't serious or anything, but I really like him" she smiles.

And while mundane lightheartedness is what he wants right now, this particular topic is not perhaps the best.

He offers a smile in return, however, because this is, after all, Columbia.

"I'm glad for you, my dear."

Columbia smiles back and tries to think of a better topic. "So... uh..." she's lost.

Another smile.

"It's all right, Columbia, I should... I should probably get something to eat anyway, it's been a while."

He leans over and drops another kiss on her forehead.

"After all, neither of us will leave well enough alone, so... you'll see me soon, I'm sure."

And a moment later, without waiting for a response, he's gone.