[eppy]

[callipygos]

Aphrodite has been feeling hungry for gossip.

Well, 'hungry' may be too strong a term. Peckish, perhaps. In need of a light nibble. And, since there is no place in the manifold universe better for the acquisition of interesting tidbits than Milliways, she's sitting at the Bar with a fragrant drink that seems primarily to involve whiskey, cherry, and orange bitters.

She has on a sleek black trenchcoat (for secrecy) and a pair of high high heels (for the femme fatale in her).

Comments

[2020sight]

He makes a buzzer noise.

"If you can't count 'em, how can they count?"

[callipygos]

She sighs.

"Do you really want me to start naming names? We'll be here all night. That's not the point, anyway."

[2020sight]

"And what is?"

[callipygos]

Aphrodite doesn't fidget, exactly.

"That I ... occasionally ... care about you, Epimetheus. If you don't like what I have to say, then fine; it isn't a mandate."

[2020sight]

. . . He grins, after a moment, a little sardonic.

"Your grudging sense of familial affection is much appreciated."

[callipygos]

"Does that mean you'll talk to me?"

[2020sight]

"Well, I haven't run away yet."

He is, arguably, hindered by having a kitten to take care of.

"But seriously, what's your angle? If I am or am not getting laid, big whoop."

[callipygos]

Aphrodite smiles.

"I'm bored. And I haven't really done much by way of grudging-familial-affection duty lately."

She pauses, tracing the rim of her glass with a fingertip.

"Not the way you did for me."

[2020sight]

He raises his eyebrows.

"so you're gonna grudgingly get me a date?"

[callipygos]

"If that's what you want."

Her lips quirk.

"I get the impression you don't think about it much."

[2020sight]

"Getting laid?"

He blinks at her.

"Nnnno, I guess not."

He sounds wary. He suspects a trap.

[callipygos]

"Why not?"

[2020sight]

"Why don't I think about getting laid much?"

He shrugs, still eyeing her.

"I mean, it's fun, but it's not important."

[callipygos]

Aphrodite hmms.

And produces a pair of thick-rimmed spectacles from her coat pocket, which she perches atop her nose.

"So, in the case of Miss River, the reason you don't want any game is ...?"

[2020sight]

"Jeez, Aphrodite, she is very young."

[callipygos]

"I'm not sure what that has to do with anything."

[2020sight]

He frowns.

"She's -- look, I don't know what happened with her, but I know broken when I see it. And I'm not about to go after some girl who's been taken apart and put back together by who knows what. I've seen enough of that. She doesn't need me."

[callipygos]

Aphrodite frowns.

"I didn't know that about her."

Perhaps because she doesn't know broken when she sees it. Or because she finds mosaics a perfectly lovely art form, even if they're composed from bitty pieces. (Or the way she finds a tragic love story better than no love story at all.)

"But, all right, that sounds ... it does seem fraught. What about your boy?"

[2020sight]

He blinks at her again.

"--Matt?"

It was like a year ago, cut him some slack.

(Miss Thing is investigating Aphrodite's drink.)

[callipygos]

"Nuh-uh," she giggles, whisking her glass away from the kitten's important research, "that's probably bad for you."

A slight pause.

"Yes, I think? Curly dark hair, lovely eyes, nice cheekbones?"

[2020sight]

"Matt," he confirms. "He's very nice. Haven't seen him in a while."

He hesitates, then adds, cautiously, "Would sleep with him again."

[callipygos]

Aphrodite blinks, then laughs.

(And sips some of her drink, to save Miss Thing from alcohol poisoning.)

"This isn't a Yelp review, Eppy, it's your life."

[2020sight]

Meeeeeeew.

"The hell are you after, then?"

[callipygos]

"Have you slept with him again?"

[2020sight]

"I haven't seen him in a while," he repeats, slowly, in case she missed it.