039: VIDEO

[intheblanks]

[This one's coming out to you from the dining table at the Cathedral rectory, where a black-robed Doctor Father Robert Chase adjusts his dog collar and sips delicately from a floral mug of tea.]

Not to sound like anyone's schoolteacher, but there's no reason to wait for high days and holidays to show up for Mass. The congregation at this morning's service was looking a little thin. Everyone's welcome, I for one would love to see a few new faces coming into the fold.

And, to sound exactly like someone's schoolteacher, cachetism, Latin and Greek classes start up again for the new term from this afternoon. In the Vestry as usual, after confession hours.

Finally, Miss Mac Cionaoith assures me the High Tea she's laying on for us this afternoon will be enough to feed the five thousand and I can vouch highly for her cucumber sandwiches. There's food and company for residents new and old, and a guarantee of no preaching at the table. Though I thought we might discuss plans for this fall's Harvest Festival. How about a pageant? There are some old costumes in the storage room, if anyone wants to find a reason to dress as a ham.



[ooc: Road Not Taken: Chase didn't drop out of seminary and was ordained as a priest.]

Comments

[synanthrope]

The choirs of angels rejoice.

[A pause]

I've thought of you.

[clerical]

When you've

[Oh. Hm. He turns back to sit facing forward again, though his attention is primarily focused on the placement of his hands in his lap.]

[synanthrope]

On the rare occasions, yes.

[She says it so matter-of-factly.]

[clerical]

[Yeah he's not looking up.]

I'm not sure I can say much to that.

[synanthrope]

You don't have to say anything.

[clerical]

Did you want to talk about anything else?

[What subjects are left uncovered, his opinions on oral?]

[synanthrope]

Who deals with your emotional burdens?

[clerical]

Ordinarily, I'd go to other clergy if I had an issue.

[synanthrope]

This is not an ordinary case, is it?

[clerical]

Nothing about this place is ordinary.

[synanthrope]

How long have we been friends?

[clerical]

Years.

[synanthrope]

Sometimes I can't tell who's cursed, you know.

[She just looks out]

I can't tell if it's you, cursed to be a priest, or if it's me, cursed to think that we were in a relationship.

[clerical]

[Well. He can't say that's not a familiar position to be in. Over time the transitions do get muddier. She looks out and he looks back across.]

Timing aside, neither sounds like the worst way to spend a day.

[synanthrope]

I never knew what it meant to miss someone who was right there.

[The rest of those words go unspoken]

But no. It's not so terrible. Tomorrow, the world will be hale again.

[clerical]

Tomorrow. [He nods.] Will you come back and terrorise me either way?

[synanthrope]

I think I'm incapable of leaving you alone.

[clerical]

I think I'm glad.