Summary: She was angry now, thrusting his hand away. "You said you'd come home after you finished this one job, after you survived everything else. Now you're scared?" Add your own characters.
Disclaimer: The Bartimaeus Trilogy is the sole property of its author and creator, and whoever else said person gives it to.
Notes: This oneshot doesn't really have much affiliation with the Trilogy except the world in which it's set – I wrote it just after reading it so it seemed natural I should post it here. Constructive criticism muchly appreciated!
- Lines -
- by seori -
She watched as he walked carefully around her, bent over double, muttering incoherently. When he straightened, she saw a circle materialise out of the sand – a fine, un-smudged line of protection that shimmered and changed even as she watched.
"What is it?"
"A line, silly. That's all it is."
"Then what was the point of drawing it?"
"It'll protect you."
"While you're working?"
"Mm."
"But don't you normally draw those penta-whatsit thingies?"
"For demons." As far as he knew, she definitely wasn't a demon. "For guarding, trapping, punishing, commanding. Not for you."
"Not for me," she repeated, a smile playing around her lips. "I see."
He reached inside her circle and took her hand, suddenly unable to look into her eyes. "Stay inside the circle, even if something happens to me."
"I – You know I can't promise that."
"Do it for me. I'd never live with myself if I lost you."
"That's silly talk, and you know it." She was angry now, thrusting his hand away. "You said you'd come home after you finished this one job, after you survived everything else. Now you're scared?"
"I'm not scared, just... wary." He stepped out of the circle. "I'll promise I'll try to stay alive."
"I followed you all the way here; I'm not leaving this place without you, whatever your job is."
He shushed her as her voice rose, squatting down beside her. "Look, I can't talk now. You have to be quiet, okay? Complete silence until I come back."
"And if you don't?"
"Then wait until it becomes quiet and sneak out the way you came." Something in the tone of his voice and the expression on his face told her this was serious. Oh, but she was just as deadly serious as him – "I'll come back for you, honestly I'll try."
"I don't doubt you will." She held his hand again, more to comfort herself than to comfort him, it seemed.
And with that, the assassin walked away, even as the figure inside the circle dropped her disguise and activated the troops waiting outside.
- end -
