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April 20th, 2012
April 30th, 2010
April 21st, 2010
smallestopener
 | 06:54 pm - In Tom's Workroom
Ingress hesitates a moment before pressing her palm to the painting of Tom’s workroom. She knows she has to talk to both Tom and Door about how she's been sneaking to Milliways and how she doesn't want to sneak any more and why it’s not fair that she can’t go as she likes. Tom’s going to be harder to talk to, so she's getting it over with first. He's been the one who's grumpiest when the subject comes up. She could go to Door first, but she learned a long time ago not to play Door against Tom, or vice versa. They're always on the same page somehow.
Maybe he'll be too busy to talk to her.
She opens the painting and steps through. Tom doesn’t notice she’s there. He’s busy pouring smoking liquids into an equally smoky cauldron. It smells of spices and strange plants in his workroom. It’s not a bad smell, but as she settles into a chair by the rows of paintings that serve as exits to the other rooms, she wrinkles her nose a little.
It’s ironic, though she has no way of knowing this, that many would see the intense look on Tom’s face as he works and not dare interrupt him. To Ingress, though, his glowering is all part of who he is, and who he is to her is a dad. Someone who’s there for her, even when he’s being over-protective and goofy.
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April 3rd, 2010
young_tmriddle
 | 10:21 pm - In the Family Room
"Hullo, girls," says Tom, looking over his newspaper as Mary and Ingress step through the painting into the family room. This is the first time he's been able to sit down and relax in twenty-four hours, but the presence of the girls is a welcome one.
He's rather ashamed for leaving them on their own. Hunter watches over the House, of course, and there are other staff and guests to keep an eye on Ingress, along with Megwyn. Mary is certainly old enough to serve as a child minder of sorts, and she is more than welcome in the House of Arch (even if she does take a shrewish tone with her elders at times).
He knows they've likely slipped off to Milliways, too, but that was to be expected. When emergencies come up like the ones he and Door have addressed in the past few days, there's little to be done but hope for good sense and strength in numbers.
"And how are you both this evening? I apologize for us leaving you so long. Mary, are you staying with us another night? Perhaps we can make it up to you."
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February 20th, 2010
young_tmriddle
 | 09:17 pm - In Tom and Door's Bedroom
It's been a few weeks since Tom encountered Marjory Stewart-Baxter again. It's been fewer still since she laid her eggs in his arm.
Tom doesn't know about the latter. It's probably just as well.
He has noticed strange bumps raised along the skin near the crook of his elbow. Sometimes the rash is vaguely itchy, but he keeps forgetting to do anything about it. There's far too much else on his mind at the moment.
Of more concern are the weird dreams he's had lately.
Tonight, he sleeps - finally - after a long night of annoying negotiations with the Goodge Street Guild. Curled next to him is Door, and it is she who wakes first, as he tosses and turns.
In his dream, he walks the lakeside at Milliways, and he is restless, brooding. Something must be prepared, but he doesn't know what or where to find it. He wanders around, looking under rocks, peering into the dark water.
There is a crack overhead - lightning arcs across the sky - but it never does that by the lake. Does it?
Tom looks up. Something small falls onto his face and he winces, brushing it away. Something lands in his hair, and he grabs for it. It's a tiny... finger puppet???? He is covered in a rain of them, their combined weight pressing him down, down, down...
He wakes with a start. Door leans over him, her hand gently touching his face. Neither are strangers to nightmares and waking in the night.
"You okay?" she murmurs.
He nods, eyes wide. "I think so." The images are already fleeing his mind. "There was something falling on me, covering me, and I couldn't move."
"Better than some of the others. Most of the others." She presses a kiss to his cheek.
He breathes in deeply. "You're definitely right about that. Sorry I woke you. I hope you can go back to sleep, darling."
She snuggles against him. "That won't be a problem," she yawns, her eyes closing.
Tom rearranges the rumpled bed clothes. Before he closes his eyes again, he scratches the itch near his elbow. He really needs to apply an ointment or drink a potion to take care of that...
Then he's asleep once more. The eggs in his arm grow and thrive as they await their time to hatch and make their way into the world.
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November 28th, 2009
smallestopener
 | 10:16 pm - In the Courtyard
Ingress sets tin cans along one of the lower walls of the courtyard. The labels represent a wide span of time, and all have dents. She's waiting for Laura to come for lessons, and Ingress has something to show her.
She hasn't had Cuthbert's slingshot out for practice in a long time. It's about time she brushed up. She brought Eddie's slingshot, too. Laura might want to give it a go.
She gathers pebbles in a pile, watching for Laura to appear.
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September 9th, 2009
not_that_spike
 | 08:54 pm
The formless art of Jeet Kune Do nevertheless has forms, although they're loose. He's always looked at them as being like guidelines instead of rules, but every martial art has a basis in some form of movement. This one shares its basic concepts -- kind of, mostly -- with Wing Chun Kung Fu especially with regards to controlling oneself from the center. Everything he knows about what he does starts out with balance, and that... well, that's what he's going to teach Ingress.
Balance and dexterity. Speed, agility. Those things come first. That's why he's got a few sets of supplies, begged and borrowed from Bar: a jump rope in her size, one in his size, a punching bag -- actually, that's the same one he used to have out by the tree near the lake all those years ago -- a pair of towels, and two very large water bottles. Those are the essentials.
While he waits for Ingress, he sits his ass down on the ground and begins to stretch out. It's been a long fucking time since he had the chance to work out like this, and he's going to make damn sure he's ready.
It feels really good.
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smallestopener
 | 09:04 pm
Ingress sits on the rug in the sunny corner of her classroom, reading a book of illustrated fairy tales. Sometimes she still enjoys the classics. Even if the girls don't always do enough of the fighting.
The pictures are pretty, though. And if you color in some hair on the princes, they become princesses easily enough.
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March 2nd, 2009
young_tmriddle
 | 08:43 pm - In the Common Room
Mia is keyed to the House of Arch painting, as is Draco, but neither of them drop by often these days. So Tom is somewhat surprised, but pleasantly so, when he sees Mia step through the painting into the common room and library area.
He puts down the books he was shelving and smiles.
"Mia, how lovely to see you. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
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February 1st, 2009
young_tmriddle
 | 01:03 pm - In Tom's Study
Tom sent an owl to Draco as soon as the response to Mia flew off on Croix's talons. He's been waiting in his study for him, pouring over an old spell book written in Medieval Latin.
There's something comforting in old books of power. It's the smell of the parchment, perhaps, or the promise of accomplishment when one achieves a spell. Books are solid, unchanging (except for the moving pictures), helpful. They never hold things against you. Well, maybe some of them are enchanted to do that kind of thing, but Tom doesn't have any in his library.
Once Draco steps through the painting, Tom closes the book and conjures over a scotch for the younger man. Drawing up another chair with his wand, he leans back in his own.
"Hullo, Draco."
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