Homeplot 1

[sunburned]

He wakes slowly; he's never been good in the mornings. It's become their habit to sleep all in the one bed, all together, within reach of each other's hands. He sleeps on one side of Julie, arm stretched across her and his fingers curleld against Laurence's ribs. It's warm and it feels safe, something to sink into and get lost in.

So it does take him a while to wake, despite the fact that she is insistently calling his name.
Which isn't unusual. He dreams about her often.

He stirs in his sleep, pushing closer to Julie as he does.

Comments

[kissmehardy]

"You followed me into definite danger. Don't you think I would willingly follow you into what is only a possibility? I would go anywhere with you, or for you. Because I know without a doubt that you would do the same for me." I squeeze his hands hard to punctuate my point. "That said, I would be useless on a flying dragon. I would not complain at all to be left behind on the ground."

[geniusofdisaster]

Her words were comforting and Laurence gave a brief, reassured smile in return. He truly was glad to have her as a continued presence in their lives, even if he did worry at times. "I shall speak to John on the matter. You shall remain on the ground if you wish, I promise."

[kissmehardy]

"Well, don't leave behind if you don't have to. I wouldn't want to offend the dragons, if it would. I would fly for them. I've done it for lesser reasons than the approval of dragons." I laugh suddenly, as a bit of silliness occurs to me. "I desperately want your dragons to like me, but I rarely care about people. The last person I felt like this about was you."

[geniusofdisaster]

"I daresay I ought to feel flattered," Laurence said with a smile as he have her hands a quick squeeze. "Though I hope you were not unduly worried that my approval would be hard to come by."

[kissmehardy]

"I did worry, at first, that you would expect me to live up to my grand name, and my title. You can ask John; he laughed at me many times when I said so. But know I know you like me whether I'm a Lady or not." I smile up at him, very content with his company to distract me from the impending excitement of dragons. "It isn't a thing I worry about anymore."

[geniusofdisaster]

"Good. I am certain the dragons shall adore you just as much as we already do, my dear. There is no way they could do otherwise," he said confidently. At the very least they would surely approve of the golden coloring of her hair as well as her title.

[kissmehardy]

"Dragons," I say with a little shiver of delight at the thought that one of my childhood fantasies is about to come true. "If I ever see any of my brothers again, they will turn green with envy. It's the first thing I shall tell them, that I've met dragons."

[sunburned]

"And they are apparently waiting for us," says Granby, picking that moment to reappear with an arm full of clothes and a piece of toast, into the bargain.

"I simply cannot fathom that it's like we were never gone," he says, puzzled, dropping clothes on the bed and sprawling in an available chair. "Catherine sends her regards. And I ran into Jane Roland in the hall."

[kissmehardy]

"And what did they think of you wanting clothes in my size?" I rummage through the pile and pull out some likely looking trousers and a shirt, and give John's toast a covetous glance.

"And how many people is that supposed to feed?"

[sunburned]

"Just myself," he says, grinning, though he's already tearing it into two pieces for her. "There's plenty more where that came from. And Jane did look at me somewhat askance." As Laurence will no doubt testify, Granby's proclivities are not widely known, even in the Corps, but he does have the distinction of being one of the few young Aviators who has not ended up in Admiral Roland's bed over the years.

[kissmehardy]

I consume the toast in short order, and though I am longing for a true breakfast, I'm sure it can wait until after greeting the dragons.

"I suppose I can live with a reputation as the girl who finally captured the elusive Granby."

[geniusofdisaster]

"I daresay that as such you shall soon be subjected to the full scrutiny of his peers," Laurence said rather dryly, adjusting his neckcloth before tucking it neatly beneath his jacket. Though he knew the situation was most likely temporary it nonetheless felt good to be able to wear the full uniform of a captain once more. "Aviators can be a dreadfully inquisitive lot when it suits."

[sunburned]

"Don't make it sound like there's hundreds of them, for the love of God," says Granby, rolling his eyes good-naturedly, as he makes himself decent (though not, admittedly, as decent as Laurence has managed to). "Although, I do imagine Jane Roland will want to get the measure of you for a number of reasons, love," he says, gaze flickering from Julie to Laurence. "I am not the only with...peers."

[kissmehardy]

"I'm sure that Flight Officer Julia MacKenzie, whose extremely common and therefore untraceable name is not even technically a lie, currently of Temeraire, can stand up to anything. Wait, do you have Flight Officers? Or am I a Midshipman? Midwingman?" I do enjoy coming up with a new identity, and this one is much nicer than Eva Seiler. "I have been dying to meet this Admiral Roland ever since I first heard of her, anyway. It will be fine."

I put on my own neckcloth, pleased that fashion will hide my scars without looking odd, and then I pause and get the full impact of Captain William Laurence, in his full and proper glory.

"You are positively dashing."

[geniusofdisaster]

Laurence smiled politely, pleased to have such a compliment directed at him, yet not in any way about to let it go to his head. He did not purposefully set out to be dashing when he put on his uniform, but merely decent. "Thank you. Such access to proper clothing is a welcome change."

[sunburned]

"Oh, please don't encourage him," says Granby, opening the door once he's sure everyone's fully decent. "He'll begin to abuse my clothing choices on the island with renewed vigor." He looks at Laurence. "Pavillions before breakfast?"

[kissmehardy]

"Credit where it is due, John. He looks glorious." I am teasing them both, though I am absolutely honest about my opinion here.

"Dragons," I say firmly. "Then breakfast."

[geniusofdisaster]

To Laurence's mind the question hardly even needed asking. He had not seen Temeraire properly for the span of a year. Naturally he wished to see him now. "Dragons, if you please."

[sunburned]

"I did rather think so," he says, already heading out of the door, turning down towards the steps that will lead them down to the Pavillions. "We'll see Temeraire first, shall we? Or rather, I'll walk over with you and show my face and then I'll go and see herself. You can bring Julie along when you're ready."

[kissmehardy]

I refuse to admit something so babyish, but I do agree that I really ought to start with Temeraire, who by all accounts does not breathe fire.

"That sounds sensible," I say, and resist the urge to take Will's arm in the gentlemanly manner I know he prefers, when I am supposed to be a crew member and nothing more to anybody who might look at me.

[geniusofdisaster]

Laurence, for his part, had to resist no such gentlemanly urges. In fact, he had to resist the desire to abandon the bonds of polite behavior and his companions both, and rush to Temeraire without them. "It sounds entirely sensible."