and the property values just keep going up

[cross_and_bow]

Time passes. Juliet practices, Shell Bell makes squares - increasingly irritable about it, she really doesn't like the perpetual discomfort, but she bites down on that as best she can and churns them out - and Tony installs things.

Finally he has installed enough things.

Comments

[pythbox]

"The clothes," says Giles.

[cross_and_bow]

Juliet looks Minus up and down. "I don't think that's the same outfit he had on last time you met," she remarks.

[eversomuchfun]

"It isn't."

[dearsweetsoulful]

Plus looks from his own rather drab white button-down and navy jeans to Minus's black silk shirt and motorcycle boots.

"And yet," he says, "I can see why he might have guessed."

[cross_and_bow]

"Bells seem to trend towards default clothes. That's witch silks for Amariah and that leather flying outfit for Angela but the rest of us wind up in jeans and t-shirts, and eventually, when appropriate, crowns on top," says Bella. "I wonder why you have different styles."

[eversomuchfun]

"Because my better half is boring," Minus says fondly.

[cross_and_bow]

"In what conceivable way is having a soul supposed to render one's taste in clothes boring?"

[dearsweetsoulful]

"I dress closer to how we used to," says Plus. "Apparently not having a soul makes one more inclined to wear silk and leather."

[cross_and_bow]

"Wonder why," says Juliet, reaching out to pet Minus's shirt. (It's soft.)

[eversomuchfun]

"Haven't the foggiest," he says, leaning into her hand.

[pythbox]

Giles cleans his glasses.

[cross_and_bow]

"Well. Another sequence?" proposes Juliet, and without particularly waiting for an answer she turns her hand on Minus's shirt into a throw. (It's not like it's tactically useless. She can play bait, let vampires think she's not wise to them, and then surprise!)

[eversomuchfun]

Also, the giggling has a negative effect on his combat-readiness.

[cross_and_bow]

Oh well. They can try it again presently.

This makes the first two-Sherlock sequence she wins on her first try.

[dearsweetsoulful]

"Congratulations."

[cross_and_bow]

"Thanks. I think I can smooth it out, though, let's do that one one more time."

[eversomuchfun]

"Do let's," says Sherlock.

This time he is on much better form.

[cross_and_bow]

But so's she. She wins again, but she needs another smoothing round to correct for his improved start, and then she's smooth.

[eversomuchfun]

"Brilliant."

[cross_and_bow]

"Why thank you." A peck right on the end of his nose, and then she stands ready and says, "Surprise me."

This all goes on for the customary amount of time. Bella pretty much ignores Giles in favor of her sparring partners. He's a Watcher, he's Watching, all's well.

[pythbox]

Giles is watching.

And feeling more than a little redundant.

[cross_and_bow]

She tires out, after a few hours. "How'm I doing, Giles?" she asks, flexing worn-out arms. "Is it okay if I drop the 'mister'? I don't usually call my friends Mister anything and it'd be weird to call you by your first name."

[pythbox]

"Yes," he says, "Giles is fine. And honestly, I have never heard of a Slayer who became this good this fast."

[cross_and_bow]

"Ooh, cool, I'm ahead of the curve," says Juliet merrily, "even spending half time on the fire wand. I'll be a terror if I pick up any witchcraft."

[poeticterms]

"Witchcraft, you say?"