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 Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:20 pm
Barth came back to his dorm with the stair-climber folded under one arm, and a note from Hellma in his pocket. His steps felt lighter than usual, but he was tired. Victory made them light. The work still to come made him tired. It wasn't a matter of work he'd have to do, but there was still the work of finding others to do it, and the leisurely forever-and-a-year pace he preferred was strained to a few days time.
He'd made it back in time for Prom and Exams, and there wasn't time to spare. Exams were tomorrow. Prom soon after. Even so, Lilith filled his thoughts. He wasn't sure if he could still taste the kiss, or if it was only a ghost of flavor, but it permeated him so completely it didn't matter. It made him feel like humming.
He turned the knob to his door and discovered it was locked. He never locked the door. He briefly considered knocking, remembered this was silly, and dug carefully through his pockets instead to find his keychain. After several more minutes of fiddling, he opened the door, ready for the familiar and welcome sight of his bed.
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:24 pm
The place was spotless. Carpets gleamed as though brand new, (save for the countless stains and a few more- it seemed someone had at least tried to remove them) every tool and contraption in it's proper place, cleaned and glimmering, his laundry had been tackled. The waste baskets were empty. Sitting in the middle of the cleared space of floor was... a new contraption, with a bit of ribbon tied around one of the roll-bars.
And on his couch, was an exhausted looking Igor using the now heavily stitched to shape and slightly stained lab coat as a pillow.
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:52 pm
The place was completely clean.
He admittedly didn't expect it to be. It wasn't Christof's job any more. Why had he done it? Christof liked the work, and to be busy, yes, but outside of their Agreement? Barth wasn't sure where they stood. The brief period where they had no Obligations to each other, Christof had avoided him completely.
He leaned the stair-climbing device gently against the wall next to the door.
Christof had been inventing. That was good. Barth had expected that. He had not expected one of his projects nearly-finished, with a bow wrapped around it.
He examined the device. He'd put in designs and ideas and notes for easily-scavenged parts throughout the year, after repeatedly failing the hedgemaze class. After all the walking he'd been doing, it was comfortable to see the finalized design, here, solid, physical, waiting in his room. He touched the ribbon. A return gift, maybe, for the lab coat. But the lab coat had been business. Christof, he noticed, still had what he assumed was the coat. It had been modified. Barth was glad to see it close by him, instead of buried or hidden somewhere.
Barth wondered if there was not a little blurring of the business and the personal going on. He realized he still didn't understand Christof completely. He wasn't sure what to think about it.
He collapsed in his chair instead of his bed, and dozed on and off while he waited for Christof to wake up.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 8:03 am
It was unclear how much time had gone by, but when the Igor awoke, fumbling upright as though woken by startling dreams, only to numbly set about his school books on the coffee table. He didn't notice the lump of Sloth on the chair at first... but when he did, there was an instant double take. Eyes wide with relief, he let the coat drop as he stood, rushing to his Master's side.
He was back! He actually came back!! Gingerly, he gave the flopped figure a tentative poke.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:36 pm
Barth, who had been sleeping in a waiting sort of way instead of a determinedly dead sort of way, opened his eyes half-way, then looked at Christof.
"Been err, been busy, I see," he said, "Kept the place up while I was away, too."
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:43 pm
The Igor nodded enthusiastically, suddenly reaching to grab the Sloth's clawed hand to wrench him to his feet, motioning to his gift excitedly.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 8:13 pm
Barth let himself be wrenched, stumbling after Christof and in front of what, he was completely sure, was the doom buggy.
He had the same mixed feelings. It should be simple. Reciprocation. He'd given Christof a gift, so Christof had built him one. ...And cleaning was the sort of thing Christof did naturally. ...Except he hadn't... not after they'd gotten back from the island. Barth still didn't have his feet around the new Arrangement.
It was easier to concentrate on the physicality.
"It's well-constructed," he said, bending to inspect the undercarriage, and smiling at Christof. "You've been working on it this whole time? ...Does it start, have you tested it yet?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 10:33 pm
The Igor beamed, hands rising and hoped Barth hadn't forgotten any of the sign language he had begun to pick up, quickly motioning, 'Not-whole-time-took-lots-work-wanted-to-be-productive.' At the question of testing, though, he flushed, rubbing the back of his head with a clawed hand before rising a finger and thumb for 'small'. He would have licked his lips anxiously if he had been able, instead twisting his hands a moment before signing once more, 'You like it?'
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 10:36 pm
"Yes," Barth said, meaning it, but not quite as enthusiastically as he meant to. The other thoughts were weighing too heavily. He gave up trying to address the physicality. He might as well address them.
"Christof, you know these sorts of projects...I mean not your own, of course, but...things for me that I haven't asked for... and the cleaning too, are outside the Contract we have now. Not that I mind- I mean, I'm glad to have the things done, it's only that I'd thought... Well, look."
Barth thought this was turning into something like chastising, and he didn't want that. He just wanted clarity.
"Why?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 10:40 pm
Christof gaped at him, as though not quite understanding the question.
Why? Why serve his Master? He served Riley didn't he? And sure, Barth wasn't quite as impressive as Mistress, he still was his first Master he had made in the school. It was difficult to shake that. Slowly, his hands raised in response, 'Asked-to-care-for-dorm. To-be-productive. Was-what-coat-is-for,yes?'
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 11:02 pm
"Well, yes, but we're not...strictly official any more. Not for those things. The coat's within the realm of our Contract. But you go on...picking up laundry, and looking to me for Orders when I'm not officiated to give them, and so forth. What you do is all well done, but I haven't...the authority on those fronts. I know it isn't..." Barth tapped his claws nervously on the sofa. "isn't personal between us, so what's it about?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 11:24 pm
Oh.
Christof sagged, his expression falling as well as he looked down at his socks, shifting slightly as he tried to debate an answer. He wasn't entirely sure what was within the realms of Contract or Not either... and honestly, he didn't care.
Slowly, methodically, his hands moved, 'Thought-you... liked-my-help.' An Igor is as an Igor does, after all... and he liked Igoring for Barth. He liked Igoring for Mistress too, but it was always business and head pats and sending him on his way. When he and Barth finished projects, there would be video games and television when they were done and... time spent together. Like friends but better because he was his Master too.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 11:41 pm
"I do. I just thought-" He might as well go on, he'd managed this far, "after the island, you didn't want much to do with me. I don't...I don't mind it being personal. That is, if you sometimes just do things for me because you like doing them, and...vice versa. I err, was just under the impression that you didn't."
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 11:44 pm
'Contract gone. Mark gone. Thought-you-angry-about-what-happened.' Angry like Riley had been. He didn't dare even make the sign for 'island.' Even so, the Igor's expression was troubled, shrugging anxiously before a trembling hand motioned, 'Worry.' He shifted, looking uncomfortable again, 'Like-working-for-you. And-with-you.' It took a bit more digestion before he scrambled his memory for the hand motions, 'Only-frustrated-when-you-procrastinate.'
Procrastinate had been one of the first words he had looked up in Sign. As well as 'Stop.'
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 11:47 am
"Well...I like having you work for me. And with me." There were addendums, like with the procrastinating on Christof's side, he supposed, but nothing that was unmanageable. ...Or that really mattered.
Maybe there was more important footing to find than with the Contract. He did feel steadier, the strain of their previous understanding being off-limits lifted. They did have a Contract. And every now and again, they might do things for each other just because they liked to.
"...Thank you. For the gift."
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