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[river_meimei]

The Tams' house at New Mayfair is slightly less tidy than usual -- necessarily, with a reluctant invalid occupying the sitting room full-time. But the cleaners still know their job, and appearances must be kept up. Which is why the upstairs hallway, like all the rooms except the one Gabriel is more or less living out of, is still ruthlessly and tastefully tidy.

There are, of course, doors in this house that even the cleaners and security force don't know about.

Magic will do that kind of thing.

Comments

[wolflord_andain]

There is a shadow in the hall that is darker than it was a moment ago.

In a few moments it resolves into the shape of River and Galadan, though the Wolflord seems to lean on River for a moment or two.

Traveling from Milliways is a tiring prospect, on occasion.

"Shall we?"

[river_meimei]

Unlike many of River's friends, Galadan is short enough that leaning on River is something like a reasonable proposition. She looks a little disconcerted, but a little more concerned.

"Okay."

[wolflord_andain]

He doesn't shake his head, just shifts away slightly, and begins striding down the hall.

"I suspect he's in his study."

Galadan more than suspects, actually. He's rather good at tracking, and there aren't many places that Gabriel could reasonably be.

[river_meimei]

"I know."

River drifts after him, down the hall with its line of fine rugs and towards the stairs.

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan doesn't laugh, though his lips twitch, just the littlest bit.

"I should have suspected you did."

And there's the door. He pauses before it, perhaps to see if River will knock, or not.

[river_meimei]

Silly Galadan. River does not knock. That's for people with better social skills.

The door's ajar; she leans enough to poke her head around the doorframe and peer into the room, instead.

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan stifles the beginnings of a smile.

"Gabriel? You are home at the moment, I presume?"

One of them needs to keep up appearances.

[gabriel_tam]

"I'm not quite sure where else I should be, as yet," he calls back, dryly.

Gabriel is sitting in his preferred armchair, reading over a series of documents that Mark Jiang had sent over earlier in the day. He looks up with a smile, one that grows rather more startled and pleased when he sees his daughter.

"... River."

[river_meimei]

"I'm visiting," River says earnestly, if unnecessarily.

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan steps into the doorway, sliding past River.

"And I appear to be serving primarily as transport."

He casts a quick look down at the girl.

"I do hope the trip was not overly unpleasant."

[river_meimei]

"We'll call you a pilot," River assures him.

[gabriel_tam]

"I can think of several transport companies that would give anything to have a skill such as yours," Gabriel informs Galadan.

"It's good to see you both-- come in, please."

He moves to set aside his files, clearly intending to get up.

[wolflord_andain]

"Really."

Galadan's voice is dry, if amused.

"If only I were not so invested in keeping myself from the public eye."

He eyes Gabriel narrowly.

"Don't strain yourself, Senator."

[river_meimei]

Much as he doesn't like to admit it, Gabriel is an invalid still. He tires easily. And, if he intends to be up to the strain of dinner with guests, he does need to take an hour or two to rest.

Regan's still out, and likely to be until close to dinnertime.

Luckily, these particular guests are fairly self-sufficient. And, as such, have quietly retired to the kitchen for the time being.

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan raises an eyebrow at River.

"Can I expect to be accosted with what most people call 'snack food'?"

The term sounds odd on his tongue.

[river_meimei]

"You'll have to go in quest," River says cheerfully, and boosts herself onto an impeccably clean counter.

This isn't the kitchen she grew up in, although she might still have some idea of where to look.

[wolflord_andain]

"Dinner should serve well enough, thank you."

He settles himself at the kitchen table, grey eyes still fixed on River.

"Someone here is a reasonably decent cook, I imagine?"

[river_meimei]

River's face says: Duh.

"No," she says with the sort of seriousness that's much too over-the-top to be anything but sarcasm. "We're all going to starve."

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan's lips twitch.

"You might, I suppose, also have no taste. It has been known to happen."

[river_meimei]

Duh is upgraded to oh, PLEASE.

[wolflord_andain]

And, in what may be a fit of daring, Galadan rolls his eyes at her in turn.

[river_meimei]

River stares at him.

And then she's giggling, hair falling forward across her face as she ducks her head with laughter.

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan laughs, as well.

Though his is certainly far quieter than River's--and his hair is not long enough to cover his face.

More's the pity.

[river_meimei]

Silence falls soon enough, and River gets distracted at length by something on the clean tiled floor.

What it might be is hard to say, as all that's visible is off-white tile and soft blue rug under the table Galadan is sitting at.

[wolflord_andain]

"Nothing untoward has happened in the time I've been--otherwise occupied, I hope?"

There are ways in which River is more direct than Gabriel Tam.

At least in Galadan's opinion.