fiveagainstradley | IC Contact

[ It had seemed so simple: inviting Luke's angel friend over to show her the flat; bringing her into each room in turn, ending up all three of them in the bathroom; closing the door to show her the nifty towel rack hanging from the back of it. Then the door wouldn't open again. ]

I swear this doesn't normally happen.

[ David tugs on the door some more, throwing all his weight behind it, but it won't budge. ]

Have you tried jiggling the doorknob? Sometimes that helps. There's also a thing with credit cards that people do in movies but I've never actually managed it myself.

I think a credit card might only work with latches that actually lift... [But what does he know, really? He walks over turns the knob, and tries to force the door himself. Then he kneels down, jiggles the knob, and turns it a few more times, checking to see if the latch is moving as he does. Finally, he stands again and does his best to lever the pins out of the hinges.]

Either this is a curse, or it's the landlord's way of punishing me for squatting so many times.

I don't have a credit card anyways.

[ He sits on the closed toilet seat, letting Luke have his go at the door. ]

Oh, maybe this is my first curse!

[Cool Dulcie is going to join you on the edge of the tub.]

In which case, this is a nice one to start off with. I can think of a lot worse than getting trapped in a bathroom with two other people.

Very true. [Getting down on his stomach, he checks on the gap between the floor and the bottom of the door, and then walks over to take a look at the bathmat. Seems clean enough. Folding it a couple of times, he steps over the rim of the tub and lies down in the tub, sticking the mat behind his head as a pillow.] What do you think, David?

I think... you're both perfectly nice people to be stuck in a bathroom with.

Really? That's totally sweet of you to say, David.

David's like that. [A brief moment of being very earnest.] How long do you expect we'll be in here? A day? Did you eat before coming in?

Oh, yes, that's a good question. I had some lunch and--

Who's going to feed Chew? [ He stands, knocking on the door and calling for the dog. ] Chew? Are you alright? Hang in there okay, be good and try not to mess anything up.

[Dulcie stands again and moves to the door next to him, leaning into it with both hands.]

My vorp isn't working either. Poor doggy. Oooh, maybe you can call someone to come get him? I'd say they could let us out too but Imma thinking this may not be anything a key will solve.

[Chew walks over outside, meanwhile, and his claws rattle along the door as he paws at it. PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT HIM. Luke just kind of looks sideways.] Yes, all the regular pathways are missing. I'm sure there's someone not locked in a room?

I'll try Charlie. She was there when I bought Chew, so she knows him.

[In the meantime Dulcie is going to climb into the opposite end of the bathtub from Luke because sitting in baths is fun whether or not there is water in it.]

At least we have plenty to do until midnight!

And he knows her, good thinking, David. [Once Dulcie has climbed in, Luke raises his eyebrows at her and then puts his legs on top of her legs.] Have we?

[ David looks at the two in the bathtub and then scans the bathroom, as if Dulcie's seeing a shelf full of board games that he's not aware of. ]

What is there to do?

We've got company. Duh!

[omg you guys, so slow sometimes.]

I can think of all sorts of things, but I've no idea if any of them are what you're hinting toward. [He smiles, and kind of beckons for David.] I suppose I might make an educated guess.

[David finishes texting Charlie as he sits on the edge of the tub.]

What sort of educated-- oh. [He goes red as a tomato, remembering a certain night at Alan's with Chloe.]

I was thinking we could turn off the lights and tell ghost stories but your idea works, too.

[She leans her elbows on her knees, chin in her hands as she watches what happens next.]

Oh no, ghost stories won't work until it's much later. [He gestures at the window, which has afternoon sun streaming through it and, additionally: has no curtains.] We've been meaning to get to that. Now, if it were actually a closet...

[He looks around, judging the room.] I'm not certain the bath is big enough.

Big enough for what exactly? What are you both suggesting?

Okay, ghost stories second.

[She scramble forward onto her hands and knees.]

I dunno. What are we suggesting, Luke?

[Luke tilts his head and looks innocent.] I was suggesting David join us in the tub, but it doesn't seem all too plausible. It looks like we'll have to go to him. [Shuffling himself onto his own knees, Luke hooks the back of David's head with one hand and pulls him down for a kiss.] There. I was thinking that, thematically. I might even be Chloe, if the two of you can come to a consensus.

[ As soon as Luke breaks the kiss David starts sputtering, redder than before. ] Luke! [ He doesn't know how to react. They've never kissed in front of an audience before. He looks from Luke to Dulcie, flabbergasted and embarrassed. ]

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