Page 94 of A Suspicion of Serpents

"They're as dormant as any tree now," agreed Julian.

Jacques finally emerged in his thin purification robe and grinned to see them all ready to go. "Just let me get my kit on," he said, going to the locker he'd shared with James.

"We're going to visit my garden after this," said Julian proudly. "Then Jones will drop you two off before taking us home."

"Sounds good," said Jacques, dressing efficiently and as unsexily as a man that built could manage, not that Alex was looking. Much.

Julian poked him through the bond.

"I hear you two are going to be interviewed soon, maybe," said Alex instead.

"Ugh, yes," said Jacques. "It's going to be so stupid, but at least our rooms are extremely boring to people who read magazines."

"Alex suggested we ask Raj and Roger how to make it all sound very boring," said James. "The duller we are, the less likely it is we'll be flooded with requests after this first one is granted."

"I thought they were still choosing who to let in," said Jacques, putting on his boots. "And who to interview."

"They are, but you know it'll be us," said James with a sigh. "Especially as we'll have more time off once we're no longer on assignment and have debriefed about Julian and Alex again."

"I can ask my palace contact if they have a list of the more trustworthy publications, I guess?" said Alex dubiously.

Julian giggled. "He hates talking to the people at the palace, but the press secretary there is actually really brilliant."

"It's fine, we've got our own people looking into it," said James. "We're just not thrilled to be picked for it, no one would be, really."

"Our sympathies," said Alex with only a hint of trolling. "Press stuff sucks."

"Truer words," said Jacques, and they sat for a moment in the silence of their mutual hatred of publicity.

"I hate the ones that try to block cars," said Jones after a moment, which started another conversation about theannoyance of pushy press, rather than just its existence at all, which lasted until they were pulled up into the Temple of the Guardians' parking garage.

"We'll see you soon," said Alex. "You already promised Cody to come make us practice more often."

"We did," said James with a half-grin. "We'll hopefully come out for mostly social reasons next time."

"Because friends," said Julian.

"Because friends," agreed Jacques.

Jones handed them their bags, and that was it. The Guardians went inside and Jones pulled out, headed for home.