~ [closed post]

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Now that the Mansion is producing goods again, it's very easy for Susan to compile a picnic basket full of, essentially, the makings of a rather international charcuterie board. Four cheeses (a good British cheddar, a French camembert, an Italian sheeps-milk ricotta, and a wedge of Dutch Leyden), three meats (jamon Iberico from Spain, mortadella with pistachios, and something labeled as an American bison-blueberry salami), along with some honey, fruits and fruit preserves, a baguette, olives, nuts, and crackers. She tops this off with nice linens and silverware and all the necessary ingredients for French 75s. It's definitely more than enough for two people.

Something about the end of that dreadful month has her considering wearing color again. As a first step toward moving past mourning clothes, she experiments with a very flattering deep navy dress that's definitely not black, though it looks it in most lights. She adds a coat of lipstick, and then takes herself and her basket to Janet's room, where she raps lightly on the door.

NSFW!

Comments

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"We shall include that as one of the questions prior to the magical demonstrations I'm trying to sort out," Susan says, snagging a piece of cheese and some of the salami. "I believe Nina can do things with bone, at least."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Oh, she can," Janet says with another quick grin. "It's badass. Can I be on the panel of judges for the magical demonstrations? I'll be the Simon Cowell."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I don't know who that is," Susan says, "but I was rather hoping you or Thomas might take charge, given that you know best what magic entails."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"I love magic and I love judging people." Janet's quite cheerful about this. "I'll write you a cover letter to that effect if you want."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"You can if you'd like," says Susan, brightly. "I trust your credentials, but if it brings you joy..."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Don't tell me you wouldn't get a little turned on by a good To whom it may concern."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I take it back," says Susan immediately. "Please prepare several such letters at once."

[sorrowandsorrow]

Janet smirks. There's not really another verb for it. "I never did the corporate rat race thing," she admits, "but my parents were lawyers. I picked up some things."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Then I look particularly forward to what you produce."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"As many perfectly-formatted resumes as you can handle, babe," Janet drawls. She grabs her freshly-made French 75 to emphasize that with a delicate sip.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"You do know the way to a woman's heart," says Susan, pleased, drizzling some honey over the ricotta and then scooping it up with a cracker.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"And they say women are complicated." Janet watches Susan with the charcuterie, pleasantly tipsy enough that she can be frank about looking at her.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Ah yes, the catchprase of the laziest of men," says Susan, primly. "I imagine Enjolras finds women mystifyingly complex."

[sorrowandsorrow]

Janet laughs. "There's no way Enjolras could find the clit. Not even if it walked up and tapped him on the shoulder."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I doubt he'd care enough to learn that that women even have the capacity for pleasure, much less trying to identify one of the sources of it."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Shouldn't being a mother of the republic be its own reward?" She's exceedingly deadpan.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"It's true: there is no greater pleasure than raising son and country."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Not even one greater pleasure, huh? Really?" Janet widens her eyes deliberately at Susan.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Oh, perhaps being a self-sacrificing idiot, but I'm certain that's not meant to be women's work."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Definitely not." She sips her cocktail again, pointedly. "That leaves the rest of the pleasures to us poor childless women."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"However shall we begin to cope," says Susan, resting a hand on Janet's knee.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Can you think of anything? My pretty little head's all empty," Janet says, deadpan again. She breaks into another grin about a nanosecond later, blatantly fishing and not sorry about it.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan knocks back a large swallow of her drink and sets the glass to the side, then tucks a short strand of hair behind Janet's ear, letting her touch linger. "I'm afraid I'm at a loss," she murmurs.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Hmmm." The brush of Susan's fingers on her cheek, near her jaw, compels Janet to tip her head into the touch a little. She twirls her own glass between her fingertips. "I guess it's time to start experimenting."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"How far would you like to extend this bit?" Susan asks, thoughtfully, now running her thumb lightly along Janet's hairline. "I'd consider attributing the knowledge of the clit to leading a monarchy, but unfortunately I can think of far too much evidence to the contrary."