In Honor of the USS Denial...
Jul. 20th, 2005 10:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
andverygingerAnd in honor of fan fic and a failure to provide closure -- Zorro!
Diego watched Gabriel disappear into the house before turning back to her. “Are you feeling all right? You look chilled.”
Victoria laughed at the concern. “I suppose I am a bit,” she answered, readjusting her shawl. “But I’m fine. Really.” He arched a skeptical brow. She blushed under his attention. “I’m just... not accustomed to all of this.” She waved an arm, indicating their surroundings. Attending the de la Vega dinner parties was one thing; being a guest of the Cristobas was quite another. While Doña Helena had been with the group, she felt very much included. The doña’s attentions were motherly in nature, and she made Victoria feel very welcomed. That lasted until Doña Helena went to bed. Her daughter-in-law, Doña Beatriz – aloof most of the evening anyway – followed suit soon after. Victoria was then left alone with the men and suddenly felt out of place.
Diego grimaced. “I apologize for Doña Helena. Don Luis told us she was recently ill and has not regained her strength as yet.”
“Perhaps I should have stayed in Los Angeles,” she observed with a scowl.
“Nonsense.” Her scowl lightened to a smile as she thought about how much he sounded like Don Alejandro. “I’m certain Doña Helena has enjoyed your company.” He paused. “If it’s any consolation, I know I have.” Another pause. “And father, of course.”
Victoria couldn’t quite hide the smile that stole across her lips. “Of course,” she echoed. Their smiles faded as silence fell over them. Her gaze drifted to the fringe of her shawl, and she fingered it idly, unsure of what to say. “I – I suppose we should go back in.”
His voice was quiet when he responded. “Yes, I suppose we should.”
The silence dragged on for a beat longer. Swallowing, Victoria glanced up, watching him through her lashes. The firelight danced across his features, casting shadows usually brightened by Los Angeles sunlight. He was more imposing in the dark, she noticed, outlined as he was against the lanterns, and wearing nothing over the thin cotton shirt. But it was his eyes that stood out – bright blue, caught directly as the closest lantern flared. His gaze softened as she watched, his eyes dusting every contour of her face. The expression took her breath away; she felt at once alarmed and loved – neither of which were feelings she expected to be stirred by her best friend.
Just as quickly as the expression appeared, it vanished, hidden as she turned to face him. He smiled down at her and offered his arm. “Shall we, señorita? If we hurry, we might catch young Sabrina’s concert.”
Still in a state of shock, Victoria laughed nervously. “That would be..wonderful,” she replied, hooking her arm in his. She moved in step with him as they crossed to enter the music room. They paused together, his hand at the small of her back as he allowed her to enter first.
Six hours and five pages to get to this point. And now the muses have a hangover. Ugh.
Diego watched Gabriel disappear into the house before turning back to her. “Are you feeling all right? You look chilled.”
Victoria laughed at the concern. “I suppose I am a bit,” she answered, readjusting her shawl. “But I’m fine. Really.” He arched a skeptical brow. She blushed under his attention. “I’m just... not accustomed to all of this.” She waved an arm, indicating their surroundings. Attending the de la Vega dinner parties was one thing; being a guest of the Cristobas was quite another. While Doña Helena had been with the group, she felt very much included. The doña’s attentions were motherly in nature, and she made Victoria feel very welcomed. That lasted until Doña Helena went to bed. Her daughter-in-law, Doña Beatriz – aloof most of the evening anyway – followed suit soon after. Victoria was then left alone with the men and suddenly felt out of place.
Diego grimaced. “I apologize for Doña Helena. Don Luis told us she was recently ill and has not regained her strength as yet.”
“Perhaps I should have stayed in Los Angeles,” she observed with a scowl.
“Nonsense.” Her scowl lightened to a smile as she thought about how much he sounded like Don Alejandro. “I’m certain Doña Helena has enjoyed your company.” He paused. “If it’s any consolation, I know I have.” Another pause. “And father, of course.”
Victoria couldn’t quite hide the smile that stole across her lips. “Of course,” she echoed. Their smiles faded as silence fell over them. Her gaze drifted to the fringe of her shawl, and she fingered it idly, unsure of what to say. “I – I suppose we should go back in.”
His voice was quiet when he responded. “Yes, I suppose we should.”
The silence dragged on for a beat longer. Swallowing, Victoria glanced up, watching him through her lashes. The firelight danced across his features, casting shadows usually brightened by Los Angeles sunlight. He was more imposing in the dark, she noticed, outlined as he was against the lanterns, and wearing nothing over the thin cotton shirt. But it was his eyes that stood out – bright blue, caught directly as the closest lantern flared. His gaze softened as she watched, his eyes dusting every contour of her face. The expression took her breath away; she felt at once alarmed and loved – neither of which were feelings she expected to be stirred by her best friend.
Just as quickly as the expression appeared, it vanished, hidden as she turned to face him. He smiled down at her and offered his arm. “Shall we, señorita? If we hurry, we might catch young Sabrina’s concert.”
Still in a state of shock, Victoria laughed nervously. “That would be..wonderful,” she replied, hooking her arm in his. She moved in step with him as they crossed to enter the music room. They paused together, his hand at the small of her back as he allowed her to enter first.
Six hours and five pages to get to this point. And now the muses have a hangover. Ugh.