hands.
“I brought you some clothes and some other stuff.” Marcus made to enter the room but was stopped by the wards.
Mathieu cocked his head and looked at the case in Marcus’ hands. “Just push it through. The wards are set so that no living thing can enter.”
“Should I be offended that you don’t seem to trust me?” Marcus was tired, dark circles under his eyes seeming even darker in the half light from the hall.
“I can’t control what you feel or don’t feel.” Mathieu wrapped his arms around himself. “Besides, I came all this way with you. I’d think that would salve your wounded pride.”
“Maybe.” Marcus started to pass the case through the door when a cat wandered up behind him--a ginger tabby with a nicked ear. The cat purred and rubbed itself on Marcus’ leg and then walked into Mathieu’s room to investigate.
Marcus raised an eyebrow and pulled the case back. “I thought you said that no living thing could go in there.”
Mathieu glanced down at the animal and shrugged. “Except cats.” He paused and then reached down to stroke the animal. “I like cats.”
“I’m beginning to think you don’t like me.” Marcus met Mathieu’s eyes across the doorframe, blue to brown. “I think we need to talk.”
With a sigh, Mathieu touched the doorframe. “If you insist.” The wards parted enough for Marcus to hustle in. Marcus could feel the opening sealing behind him as he moved.
The room felt strangely still, even to Marcus’ merely human senses. He looked up at the ceiling and then down at the floor while feeling for any type of disturbance. “You have got to teach me how to do this.” He knew there was awe in his voice but he didn’t care.
Mathieu snorted. “No, I don’t think I do.” He took the suitcase from Marcus’ hands and placed it on the bed. The cat jumped up on the bed and explored the bag with feline thoroughness.
“Why not?” Marcus walked up behind the slender figure next to the bed. “This is just amazing. I’ve never felt anything this strong or complete before.”
“Because if I taught you how to make it, I’d also be teaching you to unmake it. I don’t want you to have that kind of power over me.” Mathieu unzipped the suitcase and opened it. The cat jumped in immediately.
“I wouldn’t do anything like that.” Marcus reached in and grabbed the cat out of the bag. Mathieu absently stroked the cat as it went past.
“Forgive me if I don’t quite believe you.” Mathieu sighed and then continued, “You said you didn’t think I liked you. I don’t, but it’s not personal. I’m fairly sure that I’m not capable of feeling anything for anyone anymore.” Mathieu picked up a piece of clothing from the bag and examined it.
“You like Jenn.” Marcus said it accusingly as he held the purring cat in his arms.
Mathieu’s shoulders sagged. “No, I don’t. I remember some part of her that used to be someone I loved long, long ago. And I remember that I did love that part of her back when I was capable of loving, and I honor that memory. But I don’t ‘like’ her. There is a difference, you realize.”
“No, I don’t realize.” Marcus gestured towards the clothes and changed the subject. “Someone here guessed your size just by looking at you. I shouldn’t be surprised, I suppose. After all, we’re in France. Great food, great fashion.” The cat began to struggle so he dropped it to the bed again. “There’s shower stuff in there too.”
“ In my youth, too much bathing was considered a sign of vanity and sinfulness.” Mathieu stroked bottles of shampoo and body wash absently.
“In this day and age it’s considered more of a courtesy to the people around you.” Marcus smiled as Mathieu snorted.
“Yes, I can understand that. Trust that I’ve never been adverse to a little hot water. There were some old Roman baths near my home and we visited them from time to time when I was growing up.” Mathieu tilted his head
“I brought you some clothes and some other stuff.” Marcus made to enter the room but was stopped by the wards.
Mathieu cocked his head and looked at the case in Marcus’ hands. “Just push it through. The wards are set so that no living thing can enter.”
“Should I be offended that you don’t seem to trust me?” Marcus was tired, dark circles under his eyes seeming even darker in the half light from the hall.
“I can’t control what you feel or don’t feel.” Mathieu wrapped his arms around himself. “Besides, I came all this way with you. I’d think that would salve your wounded pride.”
“Maybe.” Marcus started to pass the case through the door when a cat wandered up behind him--a ginger tabby with a nicked ear. The cat purred and rubbed itself on Marcus’ leg and then walked into Mathieu’s room to investigate.
Marcus raised an eyebrow and pulled the case back. “I thought you said that no living thing could go in there.”
Mathieu glanced down at the animal and shrugged. “Except cats.” He paused and then reached down to stroke the animal. “I like cats.”
“I’m beginning to think you don’t like me.” Marcus met Mathieu’s eyes across the doorframe, blue to brown. “I think we need to talk.”
With a sigh, Mathieu touched the doorframe. “If you insist.” The wards parted enough for Marcus to hustle in. Marcus could feel the opening sealing behind him as he moved.
The room felt strangely still, even to Marcus’ merely human senses. He looked up at the ceiling and then down at the floor while feeling for any type of disturbance. “You have got to teach me how to do this.” He knew there was awe in his voice but he didn’t care.
Mathieu snorted. “No, I don’t think I do.” He took the suitcase from Marcus’ hands and placed it on the bed. The cat jumped up on the bed and explored the bag with feline thoroughness.
“Why not?” Marcus walked up behind the slender figure next to the bed. “This is just amazing. I’ve never felt anything this strong or complete before.”
“Because if I taught you how to make it, I’d also be teaching you to unmake it. I don’t want you to have that kind of power over me.” Mathieu unzipped the suitcase and opened it. The cat jumped in immediately.
“I wouldn’t do anything like that.” Marcus reached in and grabbed the cat out of the bag. Mathieu absently stroked the cat as it went past.
“Forgive me if I don’t quite believe you.” Mathieu sighed and then continued, “You said you didn’t think I liked you. I don’t, but it’s not personal. I’m fairly sure that I’m not capable of feeling anything for anyone anymore.” Mathieu picked up a piece of clothing from the bag and examined it.
“You like Jenn.” Marcus said it accusingly as he held the purring cat in his arms.
Mathieu’s shoulders sagged. “No, I don’t. I remember some part of her that used to be someone I loved long, long ago. And I remember that I did love that part of her back when I was capable of loving, and I honor that memory. But I don’t ‘like’ her. There is a difference, you realize.”
“No, I don’t realize.” Marcus gestured towards the clothes and changed the subject. “Someone here guessed your size just by looking at you. I shouldn’t be surprised, I suppose. After all, we’re in France. Great food, great fashion.” The cat began to struggle so he dropped it to the bed again. “There’s shower stuff in there too.”
“ In my youth, too much bathing was considered a sign of vanity and sinfulness.” Mathieu stroked bottles of shampoo and body wash absently.
“In this day and age it’s considered more of a courtesy to the people around you.” Marcus smiled as Mathieu snorted.
“Yes, I can understand that. Trust that I’ve never been adverse to a little hot water. There were some old Roman baths near my home and we visited them from time to time when I was growing up.” Mathieu tilted his head
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