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[allgotrabies]

Hey, it's Annie, you know what to do.

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[allgotrabies]

"Only if you want to get in the water." Sweeney never does, she doesn't think he owns anything remotely swim-appropriate. "Nah you're good like this."

[madaboutit]

"Alright." He nods and tries to remember where the Enclosure is. He has time to figure it out.

"I'll meet you there when you're ready then."

He likes plans. And this feels like a good plan.

[allgotrabies]

When she meets him she's in a bikini. Board shorts, yes, but she's aware it's still almost as much skin as when he first met her on Sweeney's bed. She has a towel slung over her shoulder, and when they step inside it's already programmed as a warm Californian beach.

[madaboutit]

He flushes at the sight of her, and his gaze dips instinctively. But he reminds himself that if he's going to be here and actually help people, he's going to need to push out of his comfort zone.

So he dutifully lifts his eyes back to her face and dares a small smile before following her inside.

[allgotrabies]

She grabs a board from the programmed stack.

"Hold my towel?" She grins when he actually looks at her again. He's doing better than she thinks she would have, if she'd come from some older era and been suddenly exposed to half-naked men.

[madaboutit]

"Uh..." His jaw lingers open for a moment too long as he works to process the request. There are a lot of things that are happening at once.

"Of course," he manages and takes the towel.

[allgotrabies]

She throws a smile at him and then runs with her board into the surf. This is an art form to her, and like all good arts it's best seen and not explained. Besides, surfing always clears her head and she badly needs that right now.

She treats him to a range of her tricks: flipping, turning, skimming. When she falls into the water she's quickly back up again, and when she walks back up onto the beach she's soaked head to toe and peaceful.

[madaboutit]

He walks towards the edge of the sand where the soft slide of it isn't yet threatened by the water. Allowing himself to sit (not knowing how long she'll be), he watches her, fascinated by the whole thing.

It's such a pleasant moment, the warm sand, the crash of the waves. Familiar, yet difficult to place. He struggles to catch it. The reflected light of the sand forces color behind his closed eyelids, and he strains against it, wincing.

When she returns from the water, he stands and starts towards her. Once she's in range, he tosses the towel to her. With the briefest dusting of sand from his trousers, he reaches up to take the cigarette from behind his ear. Placing it between his lips, he makes short order of producing his lighter.

"Just showin' him the ropes then?" One brow arches, and he takes a slow drag before snapping the lighter shut. He's not thrilled at the prospect.

[allgotrabies]

"He said he's never seen surfing," she towels off her hair and spares a wicked grin for him. "And when's the last time you saw me all out of breath and wet?"

[madaboutit]

His gaze slips down her, then promptly back up.

"Ya forgot those bruises already? Or ya just lookin' fer some more?" Patience doesn't seem to be one of her virtues.

[allgotrabies]

"I wouldn't say no to more," she smirks, and wraps the towel around her waist. While he's here: "Can I trade for some whiskey? Maybe part of a bottle?"

[madaboutit]

Sweeney lets the sentiment lie in favor of a lift of his chin so he can look down and study her with narrowed eyes.

"Whad'ya have in mind?" It's more curious than suggestive.

[allgotrabies]

"A book. I haven't even finished it yet, it'll drive me nuts not being able to, and I really like it." But she needs alcohol for Crozier so he doesn't get sick and die.

[madaboutit]

"Hm."

Sweeney mulls on it, even though there's little need to. He takes a slow drag.

"May I see it first?"

[allgotrabies]

"Yeah. It's in my cabin, Godric's cabin. I can go change and bring it to you." She's watching him smoke, her palm all but itching for want of a cigarette of her own. Top that with the usual ways she wants him and she almost needs to walk out.

[madaboutit]

"I'll be in the grass."

Sweeney has no desire to stay here, somewhere that strangers randomly show up unannounced. At least in the Greenhouse, he has a better chase of seeing them coming and has a bit of a home field advantage.

He taps his ash and tips his head before he starts to the door, ready to make a straight shot to the knoll. He didn't realize how much he's craving the touch of the grass and the smell of the earth until just now.

[allgotrabies]

When she finds him again her hair is still damp--it often is around him, she's realizing--and she's in a more fall-appropriate skirt and top. She has the book tucked under her arm and she's finding it harder to give up than she'd thought it would be.

"This is it," she says, kneeling in the grass and offering it to him. It's an older text, all about dragons and centaurs.

[madaboutit]

In the grass beside him are a couple of flowers with long slender stems and small blossoms. They've been partially twisted around each other.

He takes the book when offered and starts to casually peruse it while tapping his ash, making sure to avoid the pages. Sweeney's not that much of a dick. And it would be good to have more books on hand, now that there's a market for lending.

Without looking up, he speaks casually. "How much do ya want fer it?" After all, there had been a few initial offers.

[allgotrabies]

"A full bottle if you've got it," making herself look up from the book. Silly thing to be attached to, but it's the first book she's ever picked out just for herself, the first one she's spent time learning new words for so she can fully enjoy it. "I'm sharing with a guy now but this whole fucking month would be better if I could just be drunk till it's over."

[madaboutit]

He chuckles, pausing his page turning without looking back to her.

"Ya best be a light-weight 'bout it then. 'less he is." Going that long on a bottle is a tough task.

Sweeney's glad that she has a new man in her life. Hopefully he's not fucking gay and can actually fuck her whenever she likes. One less thing for him to stress about.

[allgotrabies]

Unfortunately for her, Crozier is--was--her father figure. But she plans to set a little aside for Steve as well, who she hopes will be a lighter weight than she is on account of having never once been drunk. Not that she'd fuck him drunk, but a little liquid courage might help loosen things up a bit.

"Yeah I wish I had more things I actually cared about," she grimaces. "A bottle's not going to last long."

[madaboutit]

"Really?" He turn his glance her way with lifted brows.

"Nothin' else ya care 'bout?" The question is honest, not suggestive. Seems a bit strange given how...intense she is about everything. But Sweeney acknowledges it doesn't always translate.

[allgotrabies]

She shrugs a shoulder. "I don't own anything back home but clothes. Doesn't seem any point in keeping a lot of stuff here."

There are a small handful of things: a rose Connor gave her, for example. And she has a flower from each of Gerard's bouquets drying between the pages of heavier books. But she can't imagine sacrificing those for alcohol.

[madaboutit]

"Hmm." Sweeney mulls on the dilemma, his gaze focusing on the ceiling. He thinks for almost half a minute. Then his attention turns down to her.

"A'right, I'll make ya a Deal. The book," he starts, his fingertip tracing feather-light over the page it's open to. "For a bottle and five cigarettes."

Sweeney's attention shifts down the nearest path before returning to her. "After port, ya bring me a loaf of sweetbread ya make yerself fer 'nother bottle." His voice is firm in his clarification.

"A whole proper loaf. None of this mini ones or muffins or shit like that." His brows lift, putting the ball in her court. He almost never looks to set terms himself unless the deal is mutual.

Let it never be said he's not merciful.

[allgotrabies]

Her smile is warm. "I can do that. A whole loaf, for you." With a little 'S' carved on it, too, she thinks.

"It's just...you know how we all get accused of being alcoholics? This guy actually is. I can go without booze if I have to but he'll literally die. And," a small, shaky breath. "I can't let him die. So. You're gonna get the best fucking sweetbread you've ever had."