#carolas

VII: characters are secretly dating

“That wasn’t very subtle, Douglas,” Carolyn observed, a lightly scolding tone in her voice.

He blinked at her. “I don’t know what you mean.”

She huffed. “Your cabin address. Card tricks, ghost stories or sex? Please. Martin’s sitting there with you, so he knows that’s not directed at him, and even he could work out that it’s me and not Arthur…”

“Just one of my jokes,” Douglas assured her. “It's not exactly a new game. ‘Things you’d never say to a cabinful of passengers’.”

“Could you blow that out, please?”

“Blow what out?”

“The — flame.”

“You may have to give me more clues. Where is the flame?”

“Don’t be smart. There’s just one flame in the room.”

“I can’t see it. What have you set light to?”

“...the wax stick. On the shelf, to your left.”

“Ah, you mean this?”

“Of course I mean that.”

“Why did you not just say so?”

“I did.”

“Yet you did not use the real name of the wax stick.”

“Nor did you, just then.”

“How true. I must say, it was much less hard to keep up this game when I just saw you at work.”

“Yes. Now there is no rest from it.”

“...do you wish there was?”

“Of course not. I’d rather— Damn!”

“Ha! I win!”

“It was very unfair of you to turn the conversation to such a serious topic! And with that look on your face, too.”

X: character A sees character B while B is on a date with someone else

He so, so badly wants to see them as a terrible fit – Herc is everything Carolyn claims to despise, after all, and she’s not going to feed his ego the way his ex-wives had – but the two of them defy logic, that’s the only explanation.

Douglas catches a glimpse of what must be their fourth or fifth date - he’s impressed, but not really surprised, to see real light in Carolyn’s eyes. He stops only for a second, then walks on. He’s not there to pry. Not if she’s happy.

CAROLAS   CAROLINE/SILAS