Title: Black Coffee Blush
Day/Theme: 1/20) excite those ideas in me
Series: Neverwhere
Character/Pairing: Marquis de Carabas, Richard. Preslashy.
Rating: currently the default rating is PG/PG-13. It'll go higher later.

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The Marquis washed the bad taste of morning out of his mouth with some tepid water. Well, that was the last of his stores, he'd have to refill at the next fountain or barter with the next person he found. Having two people was a drawback as it lessened the stores, though on a plus side, Richard could carry more water with him, so he supposed it evened itself out in the end.

The Marquis was used to waking up first, but for once, he'd somehow slept in. He opened up one eye in a pretense of sleepiness, for he'd been awake a short while and simply listening to gather the situation around him.

What trouble had the boy gotten himself into now? Even if Richard was getting better, he still wasn't quite adept enough to be left on his own just yet.

"Coffee. A girl gave it to me for free once I told her my name. I saved you some."

De Carabas' ears perked up. "For free?"

"Yes."

Another fan. News had spread like wildfire after the slaying. Quite so, as he'd been the one to feed it to the rumor mills. He might have exaggerated it a bit, but what was a story without exaggeration? Boring, that's what it was. So he might have implied that Richard was fall more valorous than the reality, where he was shaking and probably pissing his pants as the beast came by. It was much more entertaining – and useful. Sir Richard of Mayberry, indeed.

He took the cup and sipped at the coffee. Black, with no milk and sugar, and mighty strong stuff as well. Still, it was fresher than most of the drinks one got were. He was more a tea man himself, but it was good. Far more uncommon down here than the upworlder who had one every morning.

His gaze flitted to Richard. "And what did you tell her?"

"Only that I was traveling with you as your companion. She seemed disappointed after that, I can't imagine why," Richard mused. He rubbed at his stubble, mulling it over in a way that showed that he was thinking of every possibility save for the obvious.

"I can't imagine why," the Marquis said, his voice silky, with hidden amusement and secrets of his own. He wondered how talkative this girl was. By noon would the story be spread about that they were lovers – to think them, the Upworlder hero and the Marquis – well, the Marquis wasn't so much a surprise, considering— He mimicked their voices even when mulling it over in his mind.

Then he wondered whether to do damage control, or to play with it. It could be quite amusing to imply that they were bedfellows. Something he could report with some accuracy given that they were. Not of the sexual kind at the moment, but if anyone were to ask Richard Mayhew's sleeping habits, the Marquis could go on at length.

Besides, while he wasn't entirely opposed to the idea of sleeping with Richard, nothing would compare to the enjoyment that would be watching Richard's face once the rumor got back to him, and then teasing him about it. At every possible opportunity. It could even be a running joke to imply that Richard had misunderstood what exactly he had been asking in this favor. Maybe he'd even blush. For everything yet, he'd not gotten Richard to blush yet. Which was a shame, as Richard was prime blushing material here. He could probably stutter and color like some schoolboy with the right provocation.

Yes, he was liking this more and more...

"You look like you've just hatched up some evil plan. Did I miss something?" Richard asked.

"Nothing at all of matter, my dear boy," the Marquis said with a wide grin. "Nothing at all."