refining the experiment

[merryeccentricities]

Joly's test flight of his little prototype flying craft went fairly well-- he's pretty sure he's found out at least one major flaw, and he's made the acquaintance of some extremely interesting people. But the machine is up in his lab now, out of the way of curious cats and incurious beetles. He'll work on it after he's thought everything through a bit more, and done a little more research.

Which is what he's doing now, curled on the couch with a cat sleeping on his legs and a cup of coffee on the end table, watching the videos his robot-self recorded, really watching them, for the first since Cubefall ended.

He didn't show Athelstan all of them, only some of his solo flights. But now he's watching the ones he had with Legle; there's audio too, mostly wind, but some conversation gets through. He is totally watching this for science and not just smiling like a sap.

Comments

[merryeccentricities]

Joly starts grinning at Bossuet's sarcasm; he ends up beaming. "No. No, we're talking about the same thing. Entirely the same thing." " I just--I need to know what that is for you. Things have changed. I- if nothing else, I always thought we'd be three." His smile softens for a moment, and then he laughs at himself. " And I've been thinking in slightly different terms before, and-though it hardly matters, you've always been at the heart of everything anyway-- I need to, to know what that is for you. What you want that's any different from just, oh, how things have always been between us. Because we're talking about the same thing, and I want to make sure we always are."

He laughs, meaning to say something about the rather ludicrous conversation he'd been having with Bahorel about all this, and then turns thoughtful. "...I think you're talking about the same thing I am, too, about...about how things are, here. But. Hmm." He squeezes Bossuet's hand-- go on,not disagreeing, just thinking a moment.

[tire_moi_mes_bottes]

He touches Joly's elbow at the reference to Musichetta. Yes: Musichetta's presence would make things entirely different.

"I don't know that very much need change. Er--that is--from how things have been here. That is--erm. I haven't exactly been cultivating the company of grisettes, wandering the streets at midnight, sleeping on Grantaire's floor, hunting up demoiselles at the ball; I'll grant you that a lack of grisettes, streets, and dance-halls might have something to do with it but, erm." He clears his throat. "I've had a sort of a notion of fidelity lately. Novel thought, I know, but..."

[merryeccentricities]

Joly blinks, a little surprised, and then laughs again. "Novel ideas indeed! Well, you've always been good enough to help me with my experiments, I'm certainly willing to cooperate with yours. And, you know, it's sure to be easier than explaining--" Joly's look takes in the beetle on the wall, and the cherubs, and the general Everything about the room "-- to any new acquaintances, even for you. By all means, let's test the theory."

If he's grinning remarkably like a smitten sap, well, they'll both probably just have to get used to that.

[tire_moi_mes_bottes]

"There, you see, you make a very good point! One's ménage is of such a particular sort that it takes a particular sort of person to understand, and--and, having found a particular sort of person, why keep looking? Luck only extends so far! Er--"

He shoots Joly a sideways glance and leans in to kiss him. Luck does extend that far, yes? Sometimes a person has to make sure!

[merryeccentricities]

Right, it's always good to test a theory. There can never be too much supporting evidence. Continuing research suggests that luck does indeed extend that far--

--and also that the humans in the room are horrible neglectful tyrants who don't pay any attention to their cats ever, a fault that must be rectified by force. Joly pulls back a little, laughing, and tips a tabby from his shoulder into his lap. "All right, all right, your petitions are noted, dinner is coming." Not at top speed-- he leans in for another quick kiss, first--, but general movements in that direction can begin. "But-- mm-- but I think that's what I've been talking about, too, with--everything else. When you put it that way-- do you want to call for anything? I think we have an egg and wine here-- that, that's the thing about being here. You know?"