use it or lose it

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth isn't sure till she says it, but when she says it, she's sure.

[My particular affinity for Milliways doors is gone. I went too long without using it when we had Jane, and if it comes back at all it will take a long time. Someone may still find one, but we can't expect it to be me or soon.]

She fields some questions - not that many; people tend not to ask Elspeth for clarifications or restatements.

And then she settles Harley on her lap.

"We're stuck in Aurum for a while," she tells him.

Comments

[her_imperial_radiance]

"All right," she says, and she finds something loosely age-appropriate - though Elspeth is not nearly good enough at keeping secrets to sustain this perfectly, she can manage as a general rule - and puts her arm around Harley and reads it aloud.

[pythbox]

Harley snuggles and listens, gazing at the pages of the book.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Eventually the story concludes.

[pythbox]

But the cuddles do not!

[her_imperial_radiance]

Okay then. Cuddles. Elspeth starts looking for another story acceptable for a toddler.

[pythbox]

Warm sunny cuddles!

[her_imperial_radiance]

They've been out long enough that he's getting a little pink. She conjures him a bottle of ice water and hands it over; he wanted to try sunburn, not sunstroke. Then she finds a story that she thinks will be okay and starts reading it.

[pythbox]

Mmm, water! Water and reading and cuddles.

[her_imperial_radiance]

All three of those things.

This story too ends eventually.

[pythbox]

So does the bottle of water!

But there are always more cuddles.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Cuddles are infinitely available.

[pythbox]

That is good, because Harley wants lots.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth does wonder what will happen to a small Joker who is hugged whenever he likes. Perhaps it won't make much long-term difference. But short-term difference suffices.

[pythbox]

The short-term difference is, he feels all warm and snuggly and nice!

[her_imperial_radiance]

The warm may be partially from his blooming sunburn.

[pythbox]

But the snuggly and nice are from Elspeth.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Yes. She takes full credit. Snuggle.

[pythbox]

Cuddleflop!

[her_imperial_radiance]

Pet pet pet.

[pythbox]

Snuggggggggle.

Yes, he is definitely turning pink.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"You've got some sunburn now," Elspeth informs him.

[pythbox]

"Warm," he says.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Yep."

[pythbox]

Snuggle snuggle.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Heh. Pet pet.