|
Post by Carlos Castro on May 11, 2009 16:38:28 GMT -5
Carlos chuckled at Mortimer, watching him, still unsure what exactly the man was or why he had let himself get inveigled in this adventure.
"And you never gain weight?" he asked wistfully.
|
|
|
Post by Mortimer on May 11, 2009 16:45:26 GMT -5
"Gain? How does one gain weight?"
He had thought people were just what they were. Erik was very very skinny, Carlos was fat. They were both very pretty--or handsome, he supposed.
"Is it bad to loose it? Like money?"
Now interested in the new topic, he pulled away from the window and clambored over the seats, inspecting things as he went and stopping in Carlos' lap, investigating his portly shape with curious hands.
|
|
|
Post by Carlos Castro on May 11, 2009 16:54:38 GMT -5
Carlos' eyes widened at the sudden man-handling he was being subjected to. He put his hands on Mortimer's shoulders and pushed him gently back.
"You really haven't spent much time around other people, have you?" he said, not harshly and not unduly alarmed but determined to put a stop to this right now. Perhaps the private compartment had been a bad idea. On the other hand, better this happened outside of public view.
|
|
|
Post by Mortimer on May 11, 2009 17:10:17 GMT -5
When held away, the little sharkman pouted up a bit at the American.
"I've spent lots of time with lots of people...why does everyone say that? It's not my fault people pretend to thing they have no need to pretend to."
He slid off the man's lap and went back to the seat across from him, putting his attention back on the window again.
|
|
|
Post by Carlos Castro on May 11, 2009 17:17:37 GMT -5
"What are you talking about?" Carlos asked, genuinely curious. "Pretend what? Most people are surprised by, er, intimate contact without warning. I should think that would become quickly apparent. I'm not angry, Mortimer. I think your manners are... well, they're a bit charming, I suppose. But very unusual."
And Carlos was well aware that they were only charming because Mortimer was small and attractive. Coming from him, the same behavior would be seen as threatening, overbearing, and rude.
|
|
|
Post by Mortimer on May 11, 2009 17:31:43 GMT -5
"Because they aren't used to it because they've been taught that it's wrong. Well it isn't. Everyone needs to be touched."
He hmphed and crossed his arms over his chest, sinking down into his seat.
|
|
|
Post by Carlos Castro on May 11, 2009 17:46:03 GMT -5
"Of course they do," he said. "It's just that they might not all appreciate being touched by people they don't know--or it might make them nervous, on account of other relationships."
Not that he thought Mortimer's touching was necessarily sexual, but he couldn't rule out the possibility, under the circumstances.
"Don't sulk, Mortimer." Carlos pouted gently.
|
|
|
Post by Mortimer on May 11, 2009 17:51:38 GMT -5
"I only wanted to know if it was bad to loose weight, like money. And I only know Erik who is so very thin and the fireman who is so very very muscular, but I don't know anyone who is shaped like you."
|
|
|
Post by Carlos Castro on May 11, 2009 17:57:21 GMT -5
Carlos laughed at this, but it was a soft laugh, not directed at Mortimer.
"Indeed?" he said, smiling despite himself. "A very flattering account, I see. Some people, Mortimer, like to eat. A lot. And some of those do not have your lucky ability to stay the same size. I was always big, even as a boy. Most people, I daresay, think I could stand to lose a few pounds."
Carlos thought himself beautiful, but such an opinion did not entirely dispel his native insecurity. Whatever his bluster.
|
|
|
Post by Mortimer on May 11, 2009 18:02:13 GMT -5
"But then you wouldn't look like you, and how would people know you?"
His fingers fidgeted with the edges of his coat, but he grew quickly excited when the train started moving, throwing himself at the window and grinning.
|
|
|
Post by Carlos Castro on May 11, 2009 18:09:09 GMT -5
"I imagine I should still look enough like me, minus some excess around the middle," he said wryly.
|
|
|
Post by Mortimer on May 11, 2009 18:13:55 GMT -5
"But you wouldn't be as handsome," he muttered distractedly and then trilled as the scenery picked up pace and rolled past the window smoothly.
"I like the train very much!"
|
|
|
Post by Carlos Castro on May 11, 2009 18:29:35 GMT -5
It was gratifying, but Carlos was not certain it was true. In truth, actually, he'd lost a little weight since the cat thing. Or rather, more of it was distributed as muscle.
"I'm glad," he said. "Can you see much, out the window?"
He could see more than he ought, but that was the cat, again.
|
|
|
Post by Mortimer on May 11, 2009 18:33:34 GMT -5
"Oh, yes of course! I can see everything, only that it is going by so quickly. I should like to ride the train a long ways someday."
He beamed and turned back to Carlos, his earlier upset gone from his features.
"Can we eat something now? Is the food very good on the train--do they have apples and chocolate? I would quite like some apples."
|
|
|
Post by Carlos Castro on May 12, 2009 11:37:06 GMT -5
Carlos shrugged. "If you like. I expect they'll have both." Luckily the little man seemed to like simple things. Snack cars often had candy and fruit, because it was easy.
He rose, opening the door and swaying lightly with the train.
|
|