extradimensional space

[thaumobabble]

Here is a house.

It is pretty and trim and green-and-cream and really ought not to be able to hold itself up like that, and yet here it is, somehow defying the laws of architecture. It is surrounded by a neatly bordered garden of ornamental and useful plants of all sorts: here vegetables, there herbs, there spell components, there rows of flowers.

There is a sign out front. It says only: Magic. Not, Beware, Magic or Magic Emporium or anything like that. Just: Magic.

Sitting on top of this sign is a cream cat with smoke-dark points of color on each paw, his ears, and his face and tail.

All in all, you could be forgiven for thinking that a witch lives here.

Comments

[thaumobabble]

"Because it'd be awkward if it was the first one?" guesses Bella.

[calendarofcrime]

"It is possible that if it is the first one, someone might attack me. I prefer to avoid that."

[thaumobabble]

"That too. I suppose whoever Her Majesty sends can find out that sort of thing."

[calendarofcrime]

"Yes."

[thaumobabble]

Bella nods.

She falls over.

She picks herself up and drifts Tonyward, looking hopeful.

[allthebrightest]

Laughing, Tony scoops her up again.

[thaumobabble]

Bella smiles and plops her head onto Tony's shoulder and pulls out her book again.

[allthebrightest]

And on they go!

[thaumobabble]

Yay!

On they proceed, without further incident, wizard-related or otherwise, although they do see a unicorn who's in a terrible hurry to get somewhere and doesn't stop to talk, and a collection of birds who, combined, seem to know rather a lot about music theory.

They stop for the day by a tree with unseasonable icicles on it (but not directly underneath, because that would be silly for reasons of both temperature and sharpness).

Bella puts her book in her sleeve and waits to be set down.

[allthebrightest]

Tony sets Bella on her feet and then, on impulse, kisses her on the cheek.

[thaumobabble]

Ee!

Bella is pleased! And a little confused! Mostly pleased.

[allthebrightest]

"Sorry," she says, "I just, I felt like doing that."

[thaumobabble]

"I support your decision completely! If it were in some sort of contest I would cheer it on and wave a little flag."

[allthebrightest]

...Tony cracks up.

[thaumobabble]

"However, I tend to overthink things and wish to know if there is any broader context to this decision which may or may not get its own flag?"

[allthebrightest]

"...Broader context like what?"

[thaumobabble]

"Like, why you felt like doing that, how likely you are to feel like doing that again, and what reactions I could have that would still be pleasant to have had in a week and what reactions I could have that I would regret later?"

[allthebrightest]

"I felt like doing that because you are cute and pretty and I like you," says Tony. "And I feel like doing it again right now."

[thaumobabble]

"Ooh." Bella tilts her head invitingly, because if Tony's not going to be helpful about context she'll work it out herself but that won't be appreciably harder with two kisses instead of one.

[allthebrightest]

Kiss!

[thaumobabble]

Kiss!

Bella is not a complete novice here; her school was mostly girls (mostly witches; men can be, but usually aren't) and there was one she kissed a little bit, if not very much. Kiss!

[allthebrightest]

Ooh. Lots of kiss!

Tony is... the opposite of a novice.

[thaumobabble]

Yeah, Bella notices. Bella notices with a little itty bitty unconscious noise in the back of her throat.

[allthebrightest]

Kisssssss.

[thaumobabble]

Bella's not sure what to do with her hands. Can she rest her forearms on Tony's shoulders and lace her fingers together behind Tony's neck? Can she do that with her hands?