[The Spine's Bedroom; fabulae_victoriana]

[awfulsentimetal]

The Spine is, at heart, an automaton that prefers simplicity over the ornate designs that were so pervasive in the 1800s and early 1900s. When picking out the trappings of his room he chose functional furniture that could bear his weight. In addition to the bed, his room contains bookshelves and a large, comfortable chair.  An assortment of ropes are looped from the ceiling that he can often be found resting in when he isn't in his chassis.  

Feel free to visit, but please, knock first. This means you, Rabbit.

Comments

Let's try this dating thing again.

[awfulsentimetal]

It was their first date since before the house had burned down, and The Spine was determined that it would go smoothly, unlike the last. The fall sky was clear and sunny, the air carrying a chill that he couldn't feel. Drifts of orange and yellow leaves collected in the gutters and crunched beneath their feet. The air was clean and sharp, carrying the scents of last night's rain, or so he supposed.

It was a good day for a fall date. They walked side-by-side, arm in arm, the tall, lanky automaton and his Walter Girl. A wide, twitterpated smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he adjusted the fine red scarf around his neck. It was unnecessary, but he hadn't said so. The gesture had been too sweet to not lean down and let Brianna bundle him up like he might catch a cold.

"I thought today we could just... do whatever strikes our fancy, if that sounds all right." Because plans always seemed to backfire in the worst ways. Not that he didn't have a small inkling of an idea, if the opportunity presented itself.

[yesterdaystomorrow]

"Of course that sounds just fine..." Tiny, gloved fingers gave a gentle squeeze at the automaton's arm, the action only further emphasizing the Walter Girl's approval of this impromptu date. "You know I'm just thrilled to be out and about just the two of us. Where we go doesn't matter nearly as much as long as we go together."

A little sappy? Perhaps, but it was the honest truth as far as Brianna was concerned, the woman curling just a little closer to The Spine as a heavy gust of wind blew at the pair's legs, scattering orange leaves at their heels. Her ruffled skirt and jacket fluttered around her petite frame in the wind as a free hand was reaching up to straighten out her own matching scarf, chin tilting upwards to peer up at the automaton's face as they continued their walk. "I can't believe the holidays are approaching so quickly. It feels like we were still enjoying the summer weather just a few weeks ago."

[awfulsentimetal]

It might have been a little sappy, but The Spine loved every sweet word. He was, after all, quite full of sap himself. They were a perfect, syrupy-sweet match. He watched the leaves swirl past them as the wind abruptly changed direction, his free hand rising to hold down his hat. When his glowing green gaze shifted to meet B's, he smiled. "Time sure has been flyin'." And, surprisingly, it had been flying with very little out of the ordinary occurring.

Well. "Out of the ordinary" being a relative term. For Nusquamton? It had been a slow few months. No one had attacked the Walters since the last attempt to kidnap Peter the First and The Spine. The automaton was beginning to allow himself to hope that, perhaps, the city had accepted and forgotten about them.

Thoughts for another time. For now, he gently guided the Walter Girl down a street running through the one they had been strolling along. All right, so maybe it was a little more than an inkling of an idea.

"I've always liked the fall. The leaves turnin' is always pretty, and it's nice the way the sky clears after a good rain." Back in San Diego, the nights after a rain had been the best time to see the stars through the ever-present smog.

[yesterdaystomorrow]

Flying was certainly one way to describe how time had been progressing. Especially considering the pair had nearly been together for half a year now.

"Me too!" Even if the temperature never dipped too far down back home for them, Brianna had always had a certain love of cool weather. Perhaps it had partially to do with the fun of pulling out heavier coats and thick scarves and wool hats. "That's not to say I don't love warm summers, but there's just something special about fall, don't you think? A sort of magic in the air. Speaking of which--" A squeeze at his arm, Brianna following along loyally at the automaton's side, the pair no doubt standing out amongst the crowd for their great height difference alone.

"I'd like to get a little something for your family. Will you help me shop later on? I think I can figure out Rabbit and Hatchworth rather well by now, but I'm not sure what the Colonel would enjoy..." Besides coffee. The man seemed to love his coffee more than anything.

[awfulsentimetal]

They certainly did stand out, a pennant of steam following The Spine's footsteps, lingering in the air longer than the small puffs of hot breath from the locals passing by. Most eyes briefly locked on them before quickly averting, no doubt out of fear of their strangeness being contagious, but a few lingered. The looks varied, some curious, some appalled, but it hardly mattered. The automaton was confident that they wouldn't be harried as long as they kept to populated areas and away from the shadowed alleyways.

"I'll do my best," he replied, turning a corner and glancing down to flash a warm smile at the Walter Girl. In truth, a lot of his memories of the colonel prior to arriving in Nusquantum were hazy due to wipes. He thought he could recall enough to help pick out a gift the man would find useful, though. "Maybe another coffee pot. That way he can have two goin' at once."

Was that a joke?

The Spine was smirking. It was definitely a joke.

As they began to cross a stone footbridge he slowed to a halt. The water ran cold and clear beneath the bridge and the sky could be seen clearly through the gap in the buildings that crowded either side of the waterway. Exactly the kind of pretty spot he'd been hoping to find. "Speakin' of giving gifts... I wanted to pass somethin' by you while we were out if, uh, if you don't mind."

this is da shortest tag ever sorry

[yesterdaystomorrow]

The Walter Girl's blue mouth curved in amusement at the small joke between them, though even she couldn't deny that the (human) men of the Walter family had a slight addiction to their coffee so perhaps it wasn't the most terrible idea to ever come up with...

She'll just give it more thought later. But it was a good start. Yulemas was still some time away.

"Oh?" Brianna's attention was drifting away from the beautiful scenery and the passerby's to fly right back up to the silver automaton's so handsome face, smile brightening ever so slightly just as it did every time she looked at him. Together for months and the man's presence alone still had her heartbeat rising. "What is it, Spine?"