[Elisha/Eileen] Open the Kraken

[cipherspeak]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man, regardless of how many buildings he might own or how many staff he might have, will on a biweekly basis find himself slumped in the shoe department at Nordstrom, surrounded by more bags than should be counted.

At least that was Elisha's experience.

Luckily, the number of buildings he owned and the amount of staff he had on payroll meant that the very sympathetic sales associate (who was also very grateful for the extra commission that an Eicheln-Kagan visit meant) had brought him coffee. Which he was sipping as he eyed his younger sister, and her shoes.

"How do you even find stilettos with fish on them?"

Did squid count as a fish? He wasn't sure.

Comments

[lowtohigh]

There's an almost entirely unconscious rolling of her eyes as she shifts, giving the shoes another examination from another angle in the mirror. It's part of being a sibling, she's fairly certain; a chronic inability not to let her eyes roll.

It's a serious condition. Seriously.

"Probably not. Besides, you probably wouldn't be overly fond of being hit on by men who think an octpus vulgaris belongs in a pick-up line."

[cipherspeak]

"I don't know. Art pickup lines are the very definition of cheese, darling. Just one of the many reasons I don't date my own kind anymore." Though admittedly higher on the list was the fact that a relationship could only survive one person with artist levels of self-absorption.

"Anyone coming up with decent pickup lines that I should know about?"

That question is definitely part of being a sibling.

[lowtohigh]

Her hum is calm and just a little amused as she moves to sit, tugging carefully at the shoes she will very much be getting her brother to pay for.

"I don't see how it'd be any of your business if there were."

Except that it was part of this dance they were meant to play.

[cipherspeak]

He tilts his head and eyes the shoes with what he likes to think is an artist's eye, but is really just stereotypical male bewilderment. Why even, Eileen? Why. Even.

"It's my honor-bound duty to harass them," he tells her innocently. "You wouldn't compromise my honor, would you, princess?" Plus, it's fun. She wants him to have fun doesn't she?

[lowtohigh]

Like so many pieces of female fashion, the point wasn't truly to be understood by menfolk. The heels would give her legs a nice lift, and the decoration would catch attention--and beyond that, they simply made her happy.

As much as Eileen wants Elisha to have fun, she knows he wants her to be happy. It's a good trade off.

"Just the serious ones, though. No point in you preemptively scaring anyone off, right?"

Shhhh this isn't late. Work wasn't terrible this week. YOU SEE NOTHING.

[cipherspeak]

It works for them. It's always worked for them, even in less...even-keeled times than now. He can't say he isn't glad that they're both at the point where the most painful part of getting together is getting his credit card out at Nordstrom.

"Can I trust you to tell me when they're serious?" He asks.

No, work was pretty terrible this week. /r-reaches to curl up on

[lowtohigh]

They had gotten somewhere good in their lives at last, and they'd absolutely gotten there together. It's part of what makes moments like this--of nothing in the world really being wrong--all the better.

It doesn't mean she isn't going to glance over with a bit of incredulity. "Can't you trust me?"

It was heinous, wasn't it /pets

[cipherspeak]

"Oh, implicitly. Most of the time." He stands up as the associate rushes their way. "Just not when it comes to boys. She'll take them," he adds, handing over his American Express.

"I can always have Addy spy on you, you know. He and Cadogan would do it." Probably.

We'll have good weeks again someday.

[lowtohigh]

Her already-owned shoes are pulled back on easily with one hand, her other fingers reaching out for her brother's to help her up. She doesn't need it, but she's never quite grown out of the compulsive need for this sort of contact when they're together.

"You've never actually done that, right?"

Because there was lots of good theoretical fun between them, and there was a huge amount of trust. But there was also just the tiniest bit of concern about this not being a joke.

Re: We'll have good weeks again someday.

[cipherspeak]

"...No." Though he had, perhaps, thought about it. Once or twice, primarily when Eileen was between the ages of fifteen and seventeen. "I'm saving that trump card for if and when I have kids to terrorize. Then I'll have you on my side to help terrorize them."

[lowtohigh]

Well, that's certainly something to light up and swing hands about.

"I do solemnly promise and swear to make certain your children are incredibly well-protected and date no one before the age of 35."

Kidding.

Or not.

While I recover from Hell Day, tags.

[cipherspeak]

"Oh come on. Forty, at least." He's a thirtysomething man. He's pretty sure no one under about forty-five is really equipped to deal with him.

"It's terribly negligent of me to let you date, but I figure the experience will come in handy later on."

As you do. /offers tea

[lowtohigh]

"Entirely terrible of you, true. Like everything you do."

Or, well. Like nothing. There had been rough times, after all, but never moments of Elisha being less than a wonderful big brother. But who says that? No one.

"In the spirit of transparent fairness, though, the nearest threat to my singledom is all the way in Connecticut. Locked and loaded to stay a spinster until you have kids to terrorize."

/sips and is harassed by emperor

[cipherspeak]

"Connecticut? Who the hell wants to be there?" It has to be said that Elisha is not tremendously a fan of non-city parts of the world. Possibly too much time in the middle of nowhere when he was in the army.

"You can probably do better."

HAIL

[lowtohigh]

If only there were cities in Connecticut.

Or, well, if only cities in Connecticut weren't the size and style of Hartford.

"Relax. The entire state is a suburb of New York." Which, well. Is actually slightly true. "And he's an artist. Isn't that better than an i-banker?"

He's sleeping now. It's hard leaning precariously over the tub so we can drink bathwater.

[cipherspeak]

His father had gone to Yale. Aunt Debbie had pointed that out to Elisha when he'd come back from the army and decided it was time for college. There'd been something about it having a good art school, too.

He'd just looked at her and enrolled in SAIC.

"Acceptable," he pronounces. "Does he have a name, or is he the Artist Formerly Known as Brian?"

Such good emperor. Very cat.

[lowtohigh]

"His name is Charlie." And Elisha's shoulder is still just about the perfect height for resting against when she's in low-slung heels. "And he's probably not coming out here any time soon, so you can save up your protective mojo for a later date."

Or for his own children, not his siblings young enough to have felt half like children when they were younger.

Much feline.

[cipherspeak]

"Charlie's a much better name than Brian." And really, as much as he teases, he doesn't mind the idea of Eileen dating. As long as it's not an asshole. "If he wants to come out here, I promise to behave. Cross my heart and all that jazz."

[lowtohigh]

"See, this is where trust breaks down between us. You're terrible with boys I bring home."

Although, to be fair, her track record had contained quite a few more assholes than decent young men. Also to be fair, there hadn't been all that many brought home since she started getting happily lost in her studies.

"Just going to give up and marry a shark someday, you know."

[cipherspeak]

He just raises a brow. He doesn't have to remind her about Todd. He knows he doesn't. Hot Topic Goth Boy is ingrained in both of their memories. He'd put on his army uniform strictly to scare the shit out of him.

"I don't know if a shark's the best choice," he says, though. "An octopus'd probably be more fun.

[lowtohigh]

It's a chapter of life which can remain solidly closed. Solidly.

"Maybe." Her head shifts on his shoulder. "Are you really supposed to marry someone who's smarter than you are?"

[cipherspeak]

"That's the word on the street. But it doesn't have to the same kind of smart, you know," he says as he slings an arm around her shoulders.

"Just like I'm not going to marry another brilliant artist, maybe you shouldn't be looking for another complete nerd, princess."

[lowtohigh]

"For the sake of our love, I'm going to pretend you said 'another nerdy scientist,' mm?"

Which is, she's fairly certain he knows, the technical term for marine biologists.

[cipherspeak]

"Obviously," Elisha says with a half-grin, "it was a slip of the tongue. Come on. There's still more money for you to spend."