Justin stopped buttoning the bottom of his shirt and dropped his arms to his side to get a better view up Iris's slip from the mirror, craning his head a bit dramatically, "I've never seen your knees." he reminded her.
Iris sat up quickly and pulled at the skirt of her slip so the fabric exposed her scarred knees. She looked toward him defiantly. Justin turned around to face her, letting his shirt fall open. He walked over to her and pushed his frame between her legs, so her face was resting just a hair above his belt buckle. She looked up into his face.
"Well," he said smiling wickedly, "don't look at me, look at it."
Iris pushed the sides of his shirt away and ran her fingers along the lines spiraling and intersecting across his pale skin, the knurls and knots and branches mirroring his own ribs. In the sunlight the stark contrast of ink and white flesh startled the flirt out of her and replaced the smile on her face with an open mouthed awe. "Did it hurt?" she asked as she looked into his eyes again. He grasped one of her hands in his, and brought it to his mouth, kissing her fingertips lightly. Things between them had become suddenly serious.
"Excuse me."
Iris looked toward the doorway first. Sofie was leaning against the door jamb, completely non plussed at the scene in front of her. "Yes dear?" Iris choked out, her voice a faint version of it's more commmanding self. Sofie didn't seem to notice.
"There's a detective at the door for you."
"For me?" Iris asked, straightening herself out more.
"What does he want?" Justin interrupted beginning to button up his shirt with the kind of assured grace that he never lacked.
"He didn't say," Sofie shrugged her shoulders, "only that he wanted to speak with Ms. Iris." Sofie shifted on her feet, "What do you want me to tell him?"
"Tell him I'll be right down." Iris said, exhaling loudly to signal that nothing could be helped, and with that Sofie disappeared.
"Is there anything I need to know?" Justin asked as he turned to the mirror again for a final preening.
"No." Iris said simply, biting her lower lip as she stood up, her mind racing through various scenarios. She looked at her brother wondering how many he knew about, wondering if he was ready to let her hang for something she hadn't yet discerned. With Justin discernment was always necessary. And she always forgot to pray for that particular gift. Always assuming she had enough.
"You look like someone just walked over your grave." Justin said, chuckling to himself.
"Did they?" Iris asked, boring into Justin's eyes with a will much stronger than she actually posessed.
"Not on my watch, my dear." Justin answered turning to face her and smiling somberly, to let her know he was indeed serious about the sentiment.
"Well then," Iris tried to smile as though that alone was enough comfort, "guess I should go see what he wants."
Justin watched Iris trapse out of the room as if she was on her way to the firing squad. Iris's march of death was interchangable with the loping strut of a cat that still had feathers dangling from its maw.