Nearly lunch hour.


The lift doors were just about to close shut when Virgil slipped right in, nimble and quick as a cat. He was on his way back to level nine after working an early shift at the laboratory in Scotland[1] - though. he'd had to make a costume change, from one of the department-issued wetsuits into his favourite work outfit. A single red rose was pinned to a corner of his vest, a shade that matched his rouged lips and the little ruby earring he sported on his right ear.

            "What's the hurry, Virgil?"

He looked up in surprise at the only other occupant as the carriage began to descend. Adelaide sported a Ministry visitor's badge over her silver grey robes, and was smiling indulgently at her little brother. "I was just headed down to say hello. Meeting on two isn't for another half hour."

"Laidie!" Virgil almost leaned against the lift doors, but they slid open just in time to reveal the empty Mysteries foyer - dark and gleaming tiles indifferent to the pair. "I don't, um, I don't actually have time to chat," he stepped back and suppressed a sigh when she followed him out of the lift.

It was hard to put Adelaide off, which was probably one of the reasons she became an attorney. "So you have time to do song and dance routines at Stardust, with dad, but no time to chat with me?" she raised her eyebrows - friendly enough with a hint of hurt underneath. He hated that tone.

Her eyes dropped from his face to his neck, first dropping further to the rose he wore, and then flicking back up to the crook of his jaw.

"Dad told[2] you." Virgil guessed, this time making no attempt to disguise his sigh. "Don't worry I'm not meddling with vampires anymore. It's fine, I'm fine, I'm--"

Laidie frowned as he tried to explain, and she reached over to touch his neck. Virgil slapped away her hand. "I said I'm fine. Fucking leave it."

1.	Plot: It Came From Outer Space
2.	20th Jan - Yep, he did.

His sister pulled back, bewildered more than shocked. He rubbed his face. Behind him, through the main passageway, he could hear doors opening and closing in a series of echoing clicks; the other Unspeakables were taking their lunch break. Adelaide stared at her brother searchingly. "Virgil. Virgil, what's the matter? You can talk to me. I wish you would, you've been like this ever since...since..."

A hazy, unfocused look came into her expression and Virgil met her in the eye. He saw her thoughts, the path of her thoughts, and very gently nudged them aside, bringing another one to break surface instead.

"We can have lunch another time can't we?" his smile was strained, colleagues beginning to stream in around them and towards the lifts. "Just a busy time, Laidie, you know what Yavin is like. No rest for the wicked."

Adelaide nodded slowly, coming out of her daze. "Right. I should... I should go, better to be early to the meeting. Owl me, yes, sleepy boy?" she smiled back, glancing over her shoulder and hurrying to catch the lift before it could close on its cargo of chatting Unspeakables. He waited until the doors closed.

He waited until the door closed before turning around on his heels, a sulk in the downturned corners of his mouth. No, he wouldn't be owling her anytime soon. Virgil glanced down at his watch and picked up his pace.