#set 33

[gobs-o-dice]

Old Dice Staging Methods: Batch #7

[wellamarke]

Drabble #352

IX: i work better when it’s dark.

Martin’s first overnight stakeout with Arthur is… enlightening.

Their DI has instructed them to keep a close watch on a suspect’s house, and to be as inconspicuous as possible. Martin’s wearing a simple shirt and jeans, with a jacket and scarf for when it gets colder.

Arthur’s wearing sunglasses and a long black coat.

“Why?” is all Martin can say, initially.

“I work better when it’s dark,” says Arthur, putting on a deep, secret-agent-y voice. 

“It is dark,” Martin points out, gesturing in the general direction of everywhere. “This is a night shift.”

Arthur grins. “It’s even nighter in these.”

[gobs-o-dice]

Dice Set #33: Amethyst Gemstone

[wellamarke]

Drabble #350

III: if you’re lucky.

“If you’re lucky, Snoop,” Arthur says conversationally, taking her lead off the peg, “Mum’ll let you have the scraps from Herc’s dinner, later. She says they can’t stay in the house because they’re a pepper on the senses.”

Snoopadoop waits patiently for the lead to be attached. “Oh, maybe I mean a salt. A salt on the senses…? Neither of them sound very good.”

Arthur opens the front door. “Maybe it’s both. A salt and pepper on the senses would definitely be something to get rid of.” 

Snoopadoop drags him down the driveway, blissfully unaffected by his struggle against idiom.

[wellamarke]

Drabble #348

VI: don’t panic.

“We can’t,” said Arthur wisely. “It’s against the rules.”

Martin frowned. “What rules? No wait, don’t tell me. There’s a big fat guidebook with ‘Don’t Panic’ embossed on the back…”

“No,” said Arthur, eyes lighting up, “But that sounds great! Mum, d’you think--”

“He’s teasing you,” said Carolyn. “With a period-specific literary reference, no less. Good luck, Martin. All the books Arthur’s read are thirty-eighth century or later.” 

“Not true! I’ve read White Fang!” 

“Ah, yes. That was published while we were stranded in 1906. We were there for three weeks, but with Arthur’s chapter-summaries it felt like thirty.”

[wellamarke]

Drabble #316

V: i can do it by myself.

"I can do it by myself, Daddy," Verity insisted, wiggling away from Douglas's attempts to help her with her cardigan buttons.

He stood back obediently and watched her, a smile forming on his lips as he noted the spare button left at the top, and the empty hole at the bottom.

Verity noticed them too. She looked up at him. "But you can help if it makes you happy," she said, benevolently.

"Thanks, sweetheart," he said, bending to reach the buttons. "That's very thoughtful of you."

He caught her smirking at having 'tricked' him, and felt a surge of pride.

[wellamarke]

Drabble #256

II: you saw something.

There’s a silence after Douglas makes his announcement. Not even Arthur can find any words.

“When do you leave?” Martin asks, eventually.

“Tomorrow morning.” Douglas rests his chin on his hands, a defeated posture that looks so wrong on him. “I’m sorry. I did ask if it could be delayed, but no such luck. I’m not even supposed to contact you tonight, but… you know.”

“It’s not fair,” Arthur says. “Why do you have to go away, just because you saw something?”

“It’s for his own safety,” Carolyn tells him.

She wishes she could say, ‘and for his own good.’

[wellamarke]

Drabble #261

VII: I have a list!

That night, Herc is very smug.

“How does it feel?” he asks, grinning. “Not having to hold it back anymore?”

Carolyn snorts. “I never had to do that.”

“Oh, really?” He nudges her playfully. “I have a list, you know. Of all the times I’ve seen you visibly stopping yourself from blurting it out.”

She tries to keep a scolding tone, but her “What?” comes out as a very un-Carolyn-like squeak.

Herc chuckles. “You can see it, if you like. Seems silly to keep it hidden now that it’s obselete - maybe I’ll frame it and put it up somewhere.”