Oxford with Iris Part II

[balancingminds]

As the rain kept falling, they stayed in Charles' hideaway in the library.

Finally though hunger and a touch of stiffness made it seem wise to move on and Charles led Iris to one of his favorite pubs that's close to the river.

It's a place frequented not by scholars of his discipline but my scholars of the mind where he can pick up on new topics without having to worry about having to talk too much about his own work.

They get rained on a little bit and he's laughing as he pulls her into the pub and to a cozy booth near the fire.

Comments

[chrysopteron]

Iris holds her hand out to Charles to stand.

A goddess is never ungraceful. But it does take Iris a moment to catch on to the particulars of the movement, the method of the thing.

But then she's moving, and terribly close to Charles, and things seem more familiar than they used to be.

[balancingminds]

His smile softens and he kisses her, holding her close while he can before the music speeds up,

"Mm, need more of that later."

[chrysopteron]

Propriety in public is not really a thing on Iris' mind. She kisses Charles with her hands moving to his collarbones to help slide his jacket off.

[balancingminds]

It is something in Charles' mind and he laughs as he thinks and kisses her.

Not here. We'll get a boat and have privacy or go back to the flat.

[chrysopteron]

Utterly prim: "I am simply thieving your coat, Charles. Such presumption."

[balancingminds]

"Then take my coat, I wouldn't want you to catch a chill,"

He slips it off and around her before tugging her back into the booth. The thoughts around them are a mix of jealousy and amusement at them.

[chrysopteron]

Most of the amusement might be coming from Iris herself, at the idea of 'catching a chill'.

"Would you like another?" Iris points at their glasses. "The servant boy is pacing in debate for a return."

[balancingminds]

"Yes, I think one more and then we'll head out again,"

As that's what he said, he drapes his jacket around Iris' shoulders and waves over the server to ask for two more ciders and an order of bread pudding to share.

[chrysopteron]

With the time to kill and a new distraction in the jacket, Iris starts pulling out some of the things she finds in the pockets.

"Coins, a -- I believe a pen, one of your handkerchiefs. Oh -- "

Crumpled up notes. Iris starts to flatten them out with investigative fervor. "Anything worthy of interest?"

[balancingminds]

"I don't remember,"

These are more personal notes, his private shorthand for minds of interest around him so they might not make sense, and a shopping list.

[chrysopteron]

Reading off the notes is disorderly in Iris' mind, jumping from one paper scrap to another. Butter. Olive oil. The keys are in the downstairs junk drawer, if only she'd remember. Paper clips. Lubricant. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Iris laughs loudly at the array right as their order arrives.

[balancingminds]

Her laughter is wonderful and the server gives Charles a look, wondering what this academic has that he doesn't. Charles grins as he follows Iris' progress and calls up the memories to go with the notes.

[chrysopteron]

Even not understanding some of the references, it's still funny.

"All so scattered," she giggles to herself. "What was this word here?" Iris points at the ridiculously long one. "I'm amazed your pen did not run out of ink."

[balancingminds]

"That's from a book and movie and a way to try and capture being terribly happy when one adjective just won't do. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"

[chrysopteron]

'Movie'. Another question for later. "Hmm. I don't know if I would invent words for this, but I can see the appeal."

[balancingminds]

"I don't think there's time to show you one today but another time. Yes, it was in something created for children and they like creating words."

[chrysopteron]

"More things like your book from earlier." In case saying 'Hardy Boys' might be a bad plan here.

There isn't anything wrong with imagination.

[balancingminds]

"Yes, they can be rather fun and that song has a way of getting into your head."

[chrysopteron]

"Perhaps another time. Let's head out?"

[balancingminds]

"Yes,"

He'd gotten the bill with dessert and leaves the money on the table before standing up and taking her hand. She looks charming in his jacket.

[chrysopteron]

The shift of ambiance from pub to the street is extreme, but welcomed. A breeze is coming in off the water and breaks between the automobiles on the road.

"Is there a place to go in particular, or are we just heading to the riverside?"

[balancingminds]

"We're heading towards that bridge, which is where the boat rentals are. Its also a nice place to be near the water,"

They don't have too far to go and the rain has turned into a touch of mist.

[chrysopteron]

The latter is all Iris had been intending, but standing out here in the mist and spray puts a beaming smile on Iris' face with an idea.

Would you like to see something?

[balancingminds]

"I'd love to,"

Her smile is beautiful and he gets his arm around her as they reach the bridge.

[chrysopteron]

Iris touches her finger to Charles' hand on her hip. Look at the buildings.

In Iris' mind, they are all shifting in color and texture and light in the near-dark of the Oxford evening. The afternoon and evening rains have turned everything wet - and in so doing, renewed.

"I have to remember that others might not see it the way I do."