[Closed Post] ..the sky will come for you once..

[lanselos_du_lac]

The day is warm and bright -- it's lovely, in fact -- and so Lancelot is doing his best to ignore the strange tension that has been dogging him over the last few days. He is, of course, keeping to his usual routine, which helps, and now he is in the little clearing where he and Magnus meet for training. He's waiting for Magnus to arrive, checking the straps of Arthur's shield while he waits, and doing his best to clear his head and focus up on what he has determined they need to focus on today.

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[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I think--" Susan starts, and then she shakes her head, stopping herself. "No. That would rather change the subject. I shouldn't want to glide past your troubles."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"No, sweet," sounding a little surprised, "Say on. We have spent time enough on my troubles, and I do feel better. I would ever know thy thoughts."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"It's rather silly," she warns. It shall be a tremendous tonal shift to their conversation. "Only - there is a favor I would ask of you."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"I think nothing of silliness," lightly, "and would do thee any favor thou might ask."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Well," says Susan. "I suppose I've hatched a plot with Sagramore to create a welcome-back-to-life gift for Shen Yuan - it's what I was working on when you came in - and I was hoping you might be involved."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Of course I will help. What needst thou?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Merely for you to pose for a photographed portrait," says Susan, and a faint look of chagrin flits over her face as she adds, "while nude."

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot laughs that sudden gasp of a laugh that means he's sincerely surprised. "What?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"It's all right, you might position Regina across your lap - or your sword, or some other device. The suggestion of a prick is more important than the visual of one for this sort of medium. We're making Shen Yuan a calendar, you see. A calendar of men. Because he's ever so tremendously homosexual. Wait, I've got a sample." And she slides off of Lancelot's lap to retrieve one of the example calendars from her satchel.

[lanselos_du_lac]

He watches her, bemusedly. "Why would Shen Yuan have such an interest in me?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Why, because you're tremendously handsome, of course," says Susan, coming back over. She reclaims her spot on his lap and holds the calendar between them. "I'm afraid it's less about you specifically, and more about a bouquet of attractive men generally."

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot says, "Show me, then. I am not certain I understand."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan opens the calendar to the first month. This one features a man - naked, of course; the photo includes everything from his prodigiously muscled thighs to the smirk on his face - flexing and carefully holding a small duck to obscure his groin.

[lanselos_du_lac]

He laughs and says, "Absurd!"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"But surely you see the vision, dear heart, yes?"

[lanselos_du_lac]

"I suppose so. Very well, I shall help."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan gives a little cry of delight and deposits a triumphant kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Oh, lovely. --I was so certain you'd take more convincing."

[lanselos_du_lac]

He grins at her, "If it will please thee, then I am happy."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Oh, it jolly shall please me tremendously. Please do act reluctant when Sagramore comes to beg your participation, though, I imagine that should be quite funny."

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot grins at her, his eyes glinting. "At last, I shall have the chance to play a trick on him."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan kisses him then, light and sweet and heartfelt. As she pulls away, she says - half-tease, half-earnest - "I do love to give you as many gifts as you've given me."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"It is a very fine gift, sweet." He smiles at her, brushes her cheek, and then softens a little. "Thou makest everything well."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I'm pleased to hear it," says Susan, and gives him a firm, assessing look. There is, of course, no small amount of interest laced through it. "How else might I help you? Specifically?"

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot rubs her back, smiling at her. "Hast helped a great deal, already. I should have spoken with thee sooner."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Yes," says Susan, simply. "You ought always speak to me. I would know whatever troubles you."