Post by Rosie on Aug 1, 2010 8:54:34 GMT 10
Title: Romantic Advice
Rating: PG
Length: 544
Summary: Gary asks Douglass for his advice. From April's 31 days, prompt: Perhaps it's because it's not sad enough.
Orginal and Subsequent Haunts: Goldenlake, TKO.
--
"How do you tell the love of your life that you can't live without her?" Gary complained.
"Just like that, I imagine," Douglass answered absently, sitting cross-legged on Gary's bed, Lord Theodore in his lap. He suspected that the teddy bear was reading the book faster than he was, but only because Douglass kept getting distracted by Gary. "As long as they understand Common."
Gary let out an exasperated sigh. "That's not poetic enough," he replied, dragging his hands through his hair so it stood up on end. "Don't you ever speak to girls? That's the sort of thing they like. Poetry, and flowery things."
"Say what you mean," Douglass suggested, turning the page - more for Lord Theodore's benefit than his own. He'd managed to read only a quarter of the book despite being more than halfway through.
"Didn't you hear what I just said?"
It appeared Douglass wasn't going to be able to make any further progress with his knight-master in this sort of mood, so he snapped the book shut. "Yes, I heard you. You're awful at poetry, though, Gary. Really awful. If you want her to say no, then I suggest you continue on with it. If she's not offended by your painful rhymes, the fact that you squeeze ten syllables on one line and four on the next will see her running for the door."
For a moment, Gary looked like he was going to protest this, but then his eyes lit with inspiration. "You can write a poem for me, then."
"Excellent," Douglass said, setting Lord Theodore aside. "Are you sure she'll appreciate an ode to me, though? I know she likes me, but that might be a step too far."
He softened as Gary rolled his eyes and turned back to his pitiful verse. Of course, it had just occurred to Douglass what Gary would be like if Cythera refused him, and the thought wasn't pleasant. "Look, you're good at speeches. I'm sure girls like speeches. Write it out, show it to me, and then you'll be prepared. As prepared as any man facing certain death can be, of course."
"That may not be a bad idea," Gary mused, drumming his fingers on his desk. "I can write a romantic speech."
"Wonderful," Douglass said encouragingly, though he was beginning to feel faintly ill at the prospect. "That's the spirit. Get writing!"
Half-an-hour passed by, in which time Douglass had begun to reread his book from the beginning. He didn't hear a single thing from Gary, until, "It doesn't feel right somehow. I can't picture her saying yes to this."
Douglass bit back the urge to ask if he could picture her asleep through boredom at this point, and instead suggested, "Maybe it would be better if you made it sad. Girls like crying."
Gary frowned at him. "I don't want her to cry."
Douglass shrugged at him. "You asked for my help. I don't know much about girls. I'd be much more helpful if you were going to propose to Sacherell or Geoffrey. Maybe Alan, but I don't think you should propose to him. He'd probably challenge you to a swordfight or something, and you're a bit rusty there."
"Out, Douglass. Take your teddy bear with you."
Rating: PG
Length: 544
Summary: Gary asks Douglass for his advice. From April's 31 days, prompt: Perhaps it's because it's not sad enough.
Orginal and Subsequent Haunts: Goldenlake, TKO.
--
"How do you tell the love of your life that you can't live without her?" Gary complained.
"Just like that, I imagine," Douglass answered absently, sitting cross-legged on Gary's bed, Lord Theodore in his lap. He suspected that the teddy bear was reading the book faster than he was, but only because Douglass kept getting distracted by Gary. "As long as they understand Common."
Gary let out an exasperated sigh. "That's not poetic enough," he replied, dragging his hands through his hair so it stood up on end. "Don't you ever speak to girls? That's the sort of thing they like. Poetry, and flowery things."
"Say what you mean," Douglass suggested, turning the page - more for Lord Theodore's benefit than his own. He'd managed to read only a quarter of the book despite being more than halfway through.
"Didn't you hear what I just said?"
It appeared Douglass wasn't going to be able to make any further progress with his knight-master in this sort of mood, so he snapped the book shut. "Yes, I heard you. You're awful at poetry, though, Gary. Really awful. If you want her to say no, then I suggest you continue on with it. If she's not offended by your painful rhymes, the fact that you squeeze ten syllables on one line and four on the next will see her running for the door."
For a moment, Gary looked like he was going to protest this, but then his eyes lit with inspiration. "You can write a poem for me, then."
"Excellent," Douglass said, setting Lord Theodore aside. "Are you sure she'll appreciate an ode to me, though? I know she likes me, but that might be a step too far."
He softened as Gary rolled his eyes and turned back to his pitiful verse. Of course, it had just occurred to Douglass what Gary would be like if Cythera refused him, and the thought wasn't pleasant. "Look, you're good at speeches. I'm sure girls like speeches. Write it out, show it to me, and then you'll be prepared. As prepared as any man facing certain death can be, of course."
"That may not be a bad idea," Gary mused, drumming his fingers on his desk. "I can write a romantic speech."
"Wonderful," Douglass said encouragingly, though he was beginning to feel faintly ill at the prospect. "That's the spirit. Get writing!"
Half-an-hour passed by, in which time Douglass had begun to reread his book from the beginning. He didn't hear a single thing from Gary, until, "It doesn't feel right somehow. I can't picture her saying yes to this."
Douglass bit back the urge to ask if he could picture her asleep through boredom at this point, and instead suggested, "Maybe it would be better if you made it sad. Girls like crying."
Gary frowned at him. "I don't want her to cry."
Douglass shrugged at him. "You asked for my help. I don't know much about girls. I'd be much more helpful if you were going to propose to Sacherell or Geoffrey. Maybe Alan, but I don't think you should propose to him. He'd probably challenge you to a swordfight or something, and you're a bit rusty there."
"Out, Douglass. Take your teddy bear with you."