“Coorsel and Nayena?”
“Both well. Hammet, Coorsel’s uncle, was killed,” Law said.
“I suppose everything is about to get boring again,” So’la said. “Call me again when a disaster strikes. With Mal around, it won’t be long.”
He vanished before Mal could flip him off.
It’ll be a cold day in hell when I summon you back, she groused.
Next week it is!
She had a sense of him laughing and decided to quit while she was behind.
She and Law ambled toward the towers.
“I guess you’ll be working late tonight,” she said, yawning.
“Does that bother you?”
“No. I’m going to go soak in a tub with a jar of peanut butter and a bowl of chocolate chips for dinner, and after, I’m going to crawl into bed with my boyfriend, Elliot.”
Law didn’t respond.
“That was a joke, well, except the part about the tub, the peanut butter and chocolate chips, and bed. The boyfriend part was a joke, though Elliot does think he’s entitled to a spot on the bed.”
“I’ll try not to be too late.”
“Oh, please. It’s a hell of a mess to clean up, and who knows what sort of damage that spell caused. I’ll be surprised if you make it for breakfast.” She frowned. “Do you think I’m mad? Because I’m not. I don’t have any issues with your job. What makes you think I do?”
“Because you nearly died tonight, and I couldn’t help you and now you’re going back to the apartment alone. It isn’t right. I should be there with you.”
Mal broke out into laughter. “Who are you and what have you done with Law?”
He pulled her around to face him. “I’m serious. If I weren’t bound here—”
“Oh, shut up. If you weren’t bound here, you’d have another demanding job and it wouldn’t make a difference. Also, if in the last couple of seconds, you’ve had a massive stroke and are about to suggest I should be with someone who has a nine-to-five job, I suggest you keep that to yourself or risk me stuffing a glitter bomb in your underwear. I don’t want anyone else. I want you. If that means I have to go to bed with a goat now and again, boo hoo. You can make it up to me with bacon. And of course, I’m okay if you’re a little bit tortured by thinking of me naked in the tub while you have to work.”
“Things have been tense between us,” he began again.
“Law, this is not the time nor the place to have serious conversations about our relationship. I am filthy and I’m not sure what might have managed to crawl into my crotch when I was in the water, but I’d very much like to go get clean.”
That got a chuckle from Law. Finally.
“Promise me one thing,” he said.
“Fine, but I’m not going to be responsible for public indecency complaints,” she said, her hands falling to his belt and starting to unbuckle it.
He laughed again and caught them, lifting them up to kiss her fingers.
“Promise me that you’ll let me spend two weeks babying the fuck out of you.”
“Two entire weeks?” she squeaked. “I’ll go insane.”
“No, you won’t,” he said, bending to brush his lips against hers. “Or rather, I promise to make you insane in a very,verygood way.”
“Will there be bacon? And coffee?”
“And so much more. I want two weeks, Mal. Just us and no work. I get to coddle you with impunity. With total abandon.Andwith your complete and total cooperation and participation.”
