milliways_bar | (no subject)

*Meg makes a face.*

You know - everyone knows this place isn't a permanent kind of place, but still, when people leave . . .

Lilly shrugs.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Even if you know people are going to leave, it still really sucks when it happens."

But it is better when you know in advance, *Meg agrees, with a sigh.* Gives you time to get used to the idea -

Lilly nods, slowly.

"Yeah..."

She smiles crookedly.

"If I ever know that I'm leaving, I promise to tell you before I go. So we can have a goodbye, at least."

*Meg looks at her for a long moment, and then nods, once, firmly.*

- you'd better. Or I will hunt you down.

"I will," Lilly says, and for once she's entirely serious.

"I didn't get goodbyes... well, the first time I needed them. If I can help it, I won't let that happen again."

Me, neither - if I can help it, *Meg agrees, just as serious.*

But the way I get here - the door could close any time. So I won't make any promises I can't keep.

I'll find some way to send word, though, I promise that. Even if I have to post a letter all the way to the end of the universe.

Lilly smiles a bit at that.

"God, you'd need so many stamps. Maybe we should just count on one of the random telepaths hanging around the bar to pick up on it instead."

No thanks, *Meg says, immediately.* I'm nobility now, I can afford it - and I'd rather not have anyone listening to my head, if it's all the same.

Lilly arches an eyebrow.

"You're nobility? When did that happen?"

- oh, didn't I tell you? *Meg says, a trifle sheepishly.* Andrew and I got a province. On Antar.

Is it bad I can't remember the name of my province?

Lilly cracks up.

"Yes," she says in between giggles. "Your people will revolt, if they remember who you are, of course. Oooh, does this mean you and Andrew have titles now?"

Yeah, we're Lord Wells and Lady Giry, *Meg says, rather ruefully.*

- I did hire a good steward to take care of the estate. Seeing as it's, you know, on another planet, and you know, I kind of liked being one of the people who could revolt, instead of the people who were revolted against -

Lilly laughs again.

"One of the perils of being a revolutionary. Sometimes you end up as exactly what you were revolting about in the first place. Well, hey. If you get revolted against, I'll have to be on your side. I'm Lady Lilly, after all."

*Meg giggles.*

So when'd you get nobilized while I wasn't looking?

"Oh, I've been noble," Lilly says airily. "Practically since I got here. Pete gave me a title after the whole thing with his sword and, um, Nyarlathotep."

The smile fades a bit there, but just for a second before Lilly continues.

"So yeah, I'm Lady Lilly the Dauntless. Pretty cool, huh?"

Not too shabby, *Meg agrees, and adds, lightly and entirely offhandedly -*

So, how's Peter taking the whole Alain thing, anyways?

Lilly wrinkles her nose.

"He doesn't know about it, actually," she says. "No one does, except for you and Mel. Not that it's like a big secret or anything, it's just... well, a thing."

All of this is true, and it also neatly avoids making Lilly think about whether or not it would bother Pete.

- well, makes sense, *Meg says amiably, eyeing her.* I mean, it's not like it's the sort of thing that just randomly happens to come iup in conversation, I guess -

"Not really, no," Lilly agrees. "And besides, Pete moved into House of Arch so I don't really see him as much anyway, except for at like, sword-fighting lessons."

And the suitewarming party, where he got drunk and kissed her. She doesn't mention that, though.

"But you know, if it turns into something worth mentioning, I will. It's not like Pete'd really mind or anything anyway."

It doesn't even sound convincing to her.

*Meg gives her a look. A friendly look, but still.*

- you know better than that.

My advice'd be just to tell him straight off - better than him hearing it from someone else - but, you know, that's just me.

Lilly sighs.

"Yeah, I do. I just wish I didn't. I like Pete so much, I don't want to be the girl who like, breaks his heart or whatever."

She looks at Meg.

"If whatever Alain and I are doing turns into something, I will tell Pete. But man, that's not going to be a fun conversation."

*Meg sighs, too.*

- yeah, probably not so much.

But at least it's having the conversation. Which, you know, is better than not having the conversation, which would mean not talking, which would probably lead to not talking so much at all which would be bad.

Even if you break his heart, better'n breaking the friendship and his heart, you know?

Lilly ponders this.

"I guess, yeah. It'd be nice if I didn't break either, but considering... well, stuff, I don't think that's possible."

. . . stuff I already knew, or new stuff? *Meg asks, eyeing her.*