#neither was traveler

[khaenriahkrimes]

(500 years ago)

Verdandi: oh, Vedrfolnir? sure, i think he's a little strange, but our debates about fate are interesting. it's hardly like my opinion of the big six matters, though. i'm just a tailor, after all.

---

(present day)

Thayer: VEDRFOLNIR GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE, WE NEED TO HAVE A TALK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE TREATING YOUR BROTHER

[pangur-and-grim]

I had to go to a different veterinary clinic this weekend because my usual place is only open weekdays, and the vet was so rough with Grim, for no reason 🥲 like Grim was purring and trying to headbutt this lady and doing cute little meows (despite being so ill that she was gagging and mouth-breathing), and then this lady SCRUFFS HER to get her onto the scale. and continues to use excessive force in pinning her down for the examination. I've been to 12 years worth of vets with Grim, and I've never seen someone act this way. it was so stressful.

on the bright side thought, this vet was obviously component in other areas, because the meds are already working. she's on antibiotics and something to help her airways open (because the throat infection triggered pre-existing asthma), and it's obvious she feels so much more comfortable.

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 162

“So,” Danny drawled from where he was sitting, legs kicking slightly. Really, what a fun reincarnation. A world with heroes and villains where he didn’t have to do shit in and could just vibe with Ellie. 

“So,” Tim responded from where he was typing on his computer, mostly in civilian clothes save for his gauntlets and boots. The Red Robin outfit was haphazardly dropped across the couch and his pole leaning against the end. 

“Technically there’s proper procedures for clones…” Danny motioned to both himself and Ellie from where they sat on the counter, snacking on a plateful of scones. From Alfred, he was certain. 

“Technically, yes… but do we want to actually do that?” 

All three of them smiled, something almost feral in the motion. Of course not. They all had the same memories after all, and Bruce had just returned from the past, from exactly where and when Tim had said he was. Despite no one believing him, hence why they were in his boathouse, and not in the apartment or manor. 

“Think we can pull it off?” Ellie took a sip of tea, mischief swirling in her eyes. 

“Of course we can.” Both Danny and Tim spoke at once, one pulling up a new doc and the other pulling the whiteboard out from under a curtain. 

[chronologically-challenged]

I think that the party's communication issues can be summed up as "man, is it awkward to tell someone that you want to spend the rest of your life with them if you've only know them for a few months? Probably."

[catyuy]

Bridgerton time travel to just before season one.

Anthony immediately breaks up with Sienna and starts arraigning things for Kate's family arrival. Before being reminded by his mother and Benedict that he is Viscount Bridgerton first and others can help the Sharma's get settled in England.

Kate tells Mary that they are going to England now and tells Edwina to forget all that she told her about marriage, and she'll help her find a love match. Once she gets married to Anthony, after a decent engagement period, she starts helping Daphne, Lady Danbury and Violet with items that require a lighter touch then her husband's.

Benedict finds Sophie and gets her out of Araminta's clutches. Then he helps Anthony with various legal/financial matters to support all of their family and friends in the future. He also continues his art because he loves it.

Daphne helps Sophie find employment in the meantime and works with her mother to set up other social matters that will help them in the future.

Sophie is using this opportunity to help Posy get away from her mother as well. Lady Danbury eventually offers her room and board as a Governess for her grandson Gareth.

Colin starts to publicly court Penelope. She insists that he still travel and start his journals, and they can have a long engagemnet. He of course brings back gifts for everyone, even people who aren't legally in his family yet. He also takes Albion and Harry under his wing and has them hang out with the rest of the Bridgerton men.

Penelope takes this chance to improve her spy network Whistledown sources. She also makes sure to set up her sister's with their future husbands and warns her mother that her father is in worse trouble then she suspects. She and Eloise bring Madame Delacroix into their spy network inner circle. She uses her new excess funds to help various friends that are or will be in need.

Simon immediately courts Daphne and secretly finances the Sharma's ship passage. Then he gets roped into helping Lady Danbury and her various "charity cases" (she swats him for that).

Lady Danbury does her best for her various family members. Improving her relationship with her brother, arraigning outings with Gareth and the younger Bridgerton siblings. While keeping an eye on her nephews James and Marcus. She also takes every chance to invite Posy but not Araminta or Rosamund over to her house. As do the Bridgertons and eventually the Featheringtons. She also takes an interest in a young Lucy Abernathy.

Eloise does her best to support all of her siblings and their soon to be spouses. Meanwhile she's helping Penelope with her spy network Whistledown. She's also subtly trying to get Cressida to be nicer and convince her to set her hat on Lord Debling when he returns. She also talks about her new penpal Mr. Crane and his love of plants.

Philip Crane makes it look like George and Marina got secretly married before he left for war. That way her children are legitimate, and they don't have to marry. He and Eloise start up a correspondence again.

Francesca Bridgerton worries about choosing between John and Michaela but they both reassure her that they love her and are fine with whatever she chooses. They all spend as much time together as they can knowing John's time is short.

Gregory and Hyacinth are frustrated by being children again but decide to use it to their advantage and get even more info for Whistledown. After, of course, making sure that they have regular outings with Gareth and Lucy. They might have to wait to be married but they are going to be around their loves as much is proper until they are all of age.

Lady Bridgerton is delighted all of her children are in love and working to better the lives of their friends. She works with Daphne on subtly bettering things in the Ton. And is open to meeting with Lord Anderson when he is in town. But she makes sure all of her children are being "proper" before marriage to avoid any scandals. She decides to make Portia an actual friend and help her with her husband wrangling. (she often assigns her sons or her sons in laws to keep an eye on him at various locations). Mary joins them when she comes to town. They all get tipsy at Agatha's on occasion to let off steam.

I'm sure they're all getting up too much more mischief, but I can't think of anything else to add. Or who else they are forcefully adopting helping.

If somehow Queen Charlotte traveled as well, she's getting her sons to marry their wives sooner and letting her children know she loves them. She is spending more time with her granddaughter. She hopes that things will be different but knows her death cannot be changed. She also engages Penelope in a long-distance chess match, with Agatha having go between to inform the other of their next moves. When he's having a good day she's having family meals with George and their family. She still picks her Diamonds but its not as fun when she knows the Bridgertons have the whole Ton rigged now. However, they do know how to get things done and she can appreciate that.

[kokoa-la]

Prompt from @help-i-need-a-cool-username

Jason has once again snuck into Gotham University. Now, before any assumptions are made onto why the crime lord would break into a college, the reason is because he likes the library. That's it. The public library is trashed and small, barely taken care of, but Gotham U's? It's beautiful. Multiple floors, organized and in sections, taken care of, alphabetical order, it's magnificent. The chairs were a reason alone to sneak in, but the students here added an extra charm. 

He had gone to the very back of the library on the second floor. This area was  pretty well hidden and enclosed. He would come here to read without anyone questioning him, even hiding the books he wasn’t finished with yet to continue on later. Jason wasn’t expecting someone to be so close to his spot though. A few tables across stood a student, thin, tall, with pitch black hair, baggy cargo jeans, and a white t-shirt. The other hadn’t noticed him yet, so he remained quiet and just watched. He was in front of a large white board on wheels, seemingly taken from the rooms he saw down the hall. 

“That doesn’t work, goddammit.”

On the white board was lines upon lines of equations- at least he thought they were equations, with most of them being letters and symbols rather than numbers. It made the vigilante’s brain hurt. The student - assumed STEM major - just kept mumbling to himself.

“Stupid physics, won’t allow interdimensional travel”

What? Jason may have been out of school since 15, but he knew no courses were asking for the answer to traveling between dimensions. It seemed the student had a habit of talking to himself when worked up or focused, possibly why he isolated himself from the rest of the library. 

“If your parents could do it, why can’t you? Think Danny, think!”

That sentence wasn’t concerning at all, but at least Jason learned the boy’s name. Danny seemed to have a strange background, what did he mean by ‘if your parents could do it’? Had his parents managed to travel between dimensions? The other was chewing on the cap of the white board marker, his other hand resting on his hip as he swayed back and forth.

“Oh! Oh! Oh! That! The thing! That thingy!”

Jason could practically see the lightbulb go on above Danny’s head. Just then the other erased a solid portion of the whiteboard and dropped to his knees, ouch. He started frantically scribbling, fast and messy, barely cohesive. Though, Jason was sure that if it was Tim sitting where he was instead, the boy could probably understand everything on that board. He’d stick to English literature, thank you very much. 

“That’s it! Oh my ancients! I got it!”

Danny practically jumped in the air, punching the air in triumph. Jason almost felt proud of him, this complete stranger he’s been watching, wow he was being creepy, huh? Danny shot both of his arms straight up, the marker gripped tightly in his right hand fist. 

“I did it!”

He looked so happy, so excited. He began to buzz, even spinning, before stopping mid loop and turning around slowly. Shit, Jason had been caught. To be fair, Danny hadn’t exactly turned around the whole time, meaning Jason was just watching his back the whole time as he worked through his… problem? It’s such a shame, Jason was thoroughly entertained by this random kid. 

“Uhhh, hi? How long have you been there?”

Oh shit, Jason had to talk now, didn’t he?

“Not very long, but long enough to know you were trying to solve interdimensional travel before apparently succeeding.” 

The color drained from Danny’s face. Whoops?

“Uhm, no I didn’t.”

Now that he got a closer look, the student looked like someone Bruce would adopt. Black hair, clear blue eyes, tan skin, sharp features, the whole nine yards. He was actually fairly attractive, maybe even cute. 

“Really? I could have sworn that you said ‘stupid physics won’t allow interdimensional travel’”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah sure, and I’m a student here.”

“Wait, you’re not a student here?”

“That’d only be true if you were lying.”

“Well I’m not so-”

“Uh huh, sure you’re not.”

“Look dude-”

“Jason.”

“Look Jason, there’s no way that I could solve interdimensional travel, the multiverse doesn’t exist.”

“Look Danny-”

“How do you know my name?”

“I won’t tell a single soul if you explain how you did it to me”

Curiosity won his gambit. Would he regret what he was about to say? Perhaps.

“Maybe over a coffee?”

He knew it was worth it when the marker hit the floor and Danny moved his hand to cover his red face. Well, it wasn’t the first time he’s done something he regrets, maybe this time it’d be a cute STEM major who knows the secrets to the multiverse. 

[mrs-monaghan]

WHY TF WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT JMXCK ???????

Emporium Armani have been sticking to his booty his since 2018. He has never wore any other brand for 6+ years except his off stage convenience store colorful undies.

The ONLY time he wore CK was for 2018 CK denim shoot bts did. Now in 2023, when his bf became ambassador he SWITCHED cuz now he gets free branded undies ????

Also... he wore those lil briefs ☻️ like he mostly does ☻️ when he got into pool his shorts were flowing around but we didn't saw any boxers underneath ☻️ but he was wearing an undie cuz we saw the band ☻️ just saying ☻️ his bf specially orders lil briefs etc for him in size small ☻️ as CK only sents him boxers in his size only ☻️

1+1=2 I dont make the rules

🤭

Now all Jimin has to do is post this on JK's birthday this year and we'll be good

Not but seriously her art keeps coming to life wtf?!

But anon, we can't talk about half naked Jimin wearing CK and not talk about this

Tweet

JK blatantly checking out Jimin lives in my brain rent free 😭😭😭 he did it not once, not twice, but three times! 😂 even after all this time

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Sidebar: that one time we wondered about those smaller boxers JK folded during his live 🧐

[marragurl]

Sethos: *seeing Alhaitham and Kaveh interacting and immediately clocking them as a couple*

Me: one of us. One of us. One of us. One oF US. ONE OF US

Bless Sethos’s entire existence and every one of his voice lines (I see the Wanderer potential too, happy pride guys??? Ignore that I’m posting this like 2 days before June ends shhhhhhhhhhhh)

Alright, I now need Sethos to show up in every patch in every region and immediately clock every gay ship.

He steps into Liyue, sees Ningguang and Beidou do their weird flirting, and immediately thinks they're married.

As soon as he gets to Inazuma and has one convo with Yae Miko about how the war ended and her part in it, he just hits her with the “So glad you saved your wife!” and leaves while Miko just gets the weirdest feeling that she was played.

Gets to Fontaine, hears everyone say that Neuvillette is very cold and has no personal relationships, then just hears Neuvillette say he has a personal relationship with Wriothesley and goes “You’re kidding me right??”

He hears about Clorinde and Navia playing DnD together as well as that whole drama and gives Navia his condolences, saying “So glad to see you’ve worked it all out with your girlfriend” and Navia just freezing because what?? She hasn’t gotten to that point fully yet!

No hesitation, no beating around, he just congratulates everyone on their amazing relationships, no one is able to tell him they aren’t together, and so instead Sethos accidentally kickstarts every gay ship in every region just by calling everyone out. We love a fellow fudanshi, hail Sethos

Can’t wait for Sethos’ life-changing field trip to Natlan XD

[starscr0ss]

they share 1 braincell

[widowshill]

— And do you or do you not have difficulty remembering such simple instructions? — Only during thunderstorms, sir.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965) / DARK SHADOWS (1966)

[mrspark7777777]

https://x.com/thekmlogic/status/1815180661008879678

SHALL I BE DELULU AND BELIEVE IT WAS INDEED KOOK'S EYES ??? OR BE NORMAL AND THINK ITS SOMETHING JIMIN SAYS OFTEN OR A PHRASE RELATED TO TRAVELING???????

I mean...

We've been saying!!

Really talk, were you not on board yet? Coz the man on that Billboard looks like JK. Shipping or no shipping.

[allykakamatsu]

KH X GI Relationship Squares

(There's more ships than these, these are just the ones I can make square charts out of)

Neuvillette -> Wriothesley: A very reliable friend who he's more than happy to go to for advice.

Wriothesley -> Neuvillette: Not so secretly down horrendous. Will never confess first though so he just hopes Neuvi notices his flirting.

Neuvillette -> Arlecchino: Still a bit wary of her, especially since he figured out she threatened Furina, but once those two worked things out he mostly got past it and the two are friends.

Arlecchino -> Neuvillette: Wonders how he put up with Furina's act for so long, but highly respects his dedication.

Arlecchino -> Furina: Couldn't stand her at first, but after learning of her sacrifices she began respecting her and now they're on okay terms.

Furina -> Arlecchino: Terrified of her a lot of the time but also wondering how the hell she's so hot. Glad they're somewhat friends now so she can crush without feeling like an idiot.

Furina -> Neuvillette: A bit awkward around him at the moment due to wanting to avoid all aspects of her time as an Archon, but still cares about him deeply.

Neuvillette -> Furina: Always cared despite his annoyances, but now he knows the truth he just wants to do whatever he can to make her happy.

Wriothesley -> Arlecchino: Doesn't like Fatui in general but he can't deny how much she helped Fontaine.

Arlecchino -> Wriothesley: Impressed by the work he did to Meropide, but after hearing how he tormented with Lyney just for fun to the point it activated his darkness she's been resisting the urge to go down there and slap him.

Wriothesley -> Furina: Doesn’t know her too well but thinks she’s nice from the little he’s seen

Furina -> Wriothesley: Doesn’t know him that well but Neuvillette talks about him fondly and that’s enough for him to get her seal of approval

(More under cut)

(Also probably a bad post to have this on but please support me on ko-fi here )

(Context, Ei get's exiled for a bit after the Archon quest and when she's allowed back she and Ayato are almost dragged into an arranged political marriage to keep things stable, so the gang, led by Miko and Thoma, have to stop the wedding. They do, but Miko repurpose's it into a wedding for her and Ei.)

Ei -> Ayato: Overall thinks he's pleasant and dependable, but their relationship is strictly professional.

Ayato -> Ei: Glad she's finally ending the Decree's holding Inazuma back, but sweet Celestia never make them almost get married again-

Ei -> Miko: Never stopped loving her but prior to them getting remarried thought that Miko hated her.

Miko -> Ei: Missed her dearly for those 500 ish years but would rather die than admit it, the wedding ended up being the push she needed to finally admit she loved her.

Miko -> Thoma: Not as fun to tease as Gorou but still fun, has more respect for him now.

Thoma -> Miko: Still a bit afraid of her but nowhere near as much.

Thoma -> Ayato: Loves but is worried about how the nobles would react to them being together, main reason their relationship was a secret to the point the arranged marriage almost happened.

Ayato -> Thoma: Loves him to the ends of the earth, only kept the relationship secret due to Thoma's worries, but once he gatecrashed the wedding Ayato had no problem finally proclaiming his love.

Ayato -> Miko: Worried she's a bad influence on Ayaka but outside of that genuinely enjoys her company.

Miko -> Ayato: Known him since he was little, glad there's someone in Inazuma who can keep up with her.

Ei -> Thoma: Barely knows he exists but is happy for him and Ayato.

Thoma -> Ei: Has complicated feelings about and does his best to just stay out of her way to not make things awkward.

Lumine -> Xiao: Fell hard the second she met him, but the more she learned about him the more she wanted to get close to and help him

Xiao -> Lumine: Wasn't sure what to think at first, but between her kicking Osail's ass and their somewhat date at the Lantern Rite he fell hard.

Xiao -> Venti: Has had feelings for him ever since Venti saved him, but hesitant to pursue them due to self esteem issues.

Venti -> Xiao: Pretty down bad but more so just wants him to love himself

Venti -> Lyney: Pretty good friend.

Lyney -> Venti: Bit awkward around because well, Fatui and Archon, but still enjoys spending time with him.

Lyney -> Lumine: Was initially just planning on charming her so she could help save Fontaine, but he became down bad and started flirting for real REALLY quick.

Lumine -> Lyney: Always attracted to him but it wasn’t until Lyney’s quest plus Meropide that she truly realised she was down bad.

Lumine -> Venti: Cares about him a lot but wishes they’d be more honest about his feelings.

Venti -> Lumine: You know those best friends turned couples that still act like besties, yeah that’s them.

Xiao -> Lyney: At first only staying close so he didn’t try anything funny with Lumine, but after a while the magicians charm worked on him as well.

Lyney -> Xiao: Was mostly just teasing his new pretty friend at first, but once he realised Xiao was crushing he went ‘okay this sounds fun let’s do it’

[phoenixcatch7]

Reading loz/lu fics and it's just so interesting how wide the spectrum is of their personalities.

Sometimes it's got an in universe reason (different past (usually gender or species change), recent or ongoing traumatic events, a spectacularly bad first meeting), but sometimes (often) the characters are just... Weirdly angsty or peppy, there's no in between!

And I'm beginning to think less people have played more than one game than I thought XD.

Not that it's anyone's fault! One game is more than enough to be part of it all, and loz is exclusive to Nintendo consoles - and all the older stuff is frustratingly hard to get hold of. Heck, I'm still looking for wind waker, and that was really popular! And then you have to play it! They're not small games!!

But could people writing wild please ease off just a tiiiiiny bit so he can be a semi functional member of society pretty please XD? He's just as much a polite boy as any other member of the chain! He won't even run in shops! He can't attack npcs! He talks to every single person he's ever seen and remembers every single name. Yes, he's three quarters woodland creature with a hefty amount of trauma but he's also a fashionista who managed to avoid accidentally taking sides in a mayoral election and that's not easy!

[linkahavocz99]

Anyways what yall know about burn notice

[helianthus21]

chase years Daniel starting to think practical and just burying two plane/train tickets for wherever he was going next. bc armand would find him at the destination anyway so why not sit next to each other during travel as well:)

alternatively armand giving him tickets for the next destination bc he'll find him anyway so why not dictate where they’re going next for a change

[bookshelf-in-progress]

A Jules and Vern Christmas

A time travel story for the Christmas Challenge at @inklings-challenge. This is a follow-up to "Jules and Vern"--a very short piece that explains how the time travel works, so you may want to read that one first.

*

Vernon looked up from his writing in a daze. The papers spread across his kitchen table, the books piled on shelves and chairs across his sparsely-furnished apartment, seemed suddenly unfamiliar. Outside, it was nearly dark, and a light snow shower was falling.

He'd lost track of time--gotten too deep into his writing. This draft of his article was due by the first of the year, and there was so much worth writing about now that he had practical experience--not just theoretical knowledge--of time travel.

He had his new patroness to thank for that. His one and only time travel cruise--paid for with his life savings--had brought him in contact with one of the wealthiest heiresses on the planet, who'd adopted him like a stray cat. She'd guided him through the cruise and even paid to extend his trip. A man in his position couldn't refuse gifts like that--but neither could he repay them.

He looked at the silver-wrapped package sitting on the edge of the table. It seemed silly, giving presents to a woman who could buy him a thousand times over without blinking an eye. He could mail the package next month. Send a nice little note keeping things purely professional.

But it was Christmas. After roaming through history with Juliette, he'd come to consider her a sort of friend. This deserved a personal touch.

He put away his manuscript, seized the package, and left on his errand before he could talk himself out of it.

*

The high-rise hotel, sleek and silver, towered over the squat brown-brick historic buildings of the rest of the street. Bedecked in golden lights, the building looked like a Christmas candle, like a queen among peasants.

Vernon felt like a peasant as he stood in the golden light coming through the glass of the revolving door. A doorman in crisp livery—blue with gold trimmings, a finer suit than anything Vernon had ever worn—took one look at the threadbare elbows of Vernon’s jacket and the holes in his woolen gloves and growled, “Move it along.”

The doorman’s square head reminded Vernon of some of the meaner-looking idols he’d seen on ancient temples. This face would have been a guardian of the underworld, ready to smite the unworthy with the wrath of the gods.

No, he scolded himself. It was the face of a doorman. Of a hotel. Vernon hadn’t walked through ancient battlefields to turn tail because a hotel employee scowled at him.

Vernon held up his package—a silver rectangle. “I’ve a delivery for Miss Juliette—“

The doorman's voice was like something that would have come from one of those stone idols. “She doesn’t take unmarked deliveries.”

Vernon felt like he’d run face-first into a wall. He stepped back and tried to gather his wits. Snowflakes fell down his collar. "If you'll just--"

From behind, a languid female voice drawled, "Vern? Is that you?"

Juliette stood behind him, wrapped in black fur. Her black hat—bedecked with white feathers and an enormous red flower—was wide enough to cover both of them, and her heels were so high that Vernon wondered how she’d managed more than two steps on the icy streets.

Juliette took Vernon's arm and told the doorman, "Relax, Pete, he's with me."

The doorman gave a skeptical stare.

Juliette's laugh sparkled. “Oh, very well.” She tugged Vernon by the arm. “We’ll roam the streets.”

Juliette took Vernon down the sidewalk, past the stores of this wealthy shopping district. These shops were nothing compared to the astonishing height of the modern hotel, but their wares were so rich Vernon half-feared he'd be charged a fee just for looking.

Juliette strode through the snowy streets with perfect confidence, never looking at a shop, never stumbling in her heels. “What brings you here, my darling little scholar?”

Compared to the wares being sold just outside her door, Vernon's offering seemed pathetic, but there was no help for it now.

He held out the package. "I brought a gift.”

Juliette stopped and tipped back her hat so she could look him in the face. “Gift?”

Could he call this a gift when her world meant so much more by the name? Jewels, cars, vacations—those were gifts. This was—

“A...small token,” he amended. “In honor of the holiday."

"Holiday?" Juliette seemed truly perplexed. At last, she laughed, low and languid. "Oh, Christmas. How quaint!"

Her laugh made Vernon bristle. Not for the first time, he wondered if she'd ever had a heart.

"I ought to have known you celebrated," she said. “It's so earnest and wholesome--like you."

“You don’t celebrate?”

“I haven’t paid attention in years.”

“Why?”

“When you’ve experienced every single Christmas in history, it gets rather dull.”

“Every—”

“Christmas cruises. Some time travelers try to hit every Christmas Day in history. They get so insufferable about it.”

Not for the first time, Vernon’s mind swam at the unimaginable wealth this implied.

Juliette said, “I decided against the full set. It’s just not worth it. The first one’s off-limits, of course, and then there's nothing really interesting until the Arians show up. But even in the most exciting years, it's all variations of the same thing, isn't it? Food and fires and presents and songs and various states of inebriation. There's only so much of that kind of thing one can take."

Vernon's chest burned--a bit of shame, a lot more anger. He tucked the silver-wrapped package beneath his arm. "I'm sorry I wasted your time," he said, turning away.

Juliette grabbed his arm. "Wait!” The languid tone had been replaced by genuine alarm. “Don't listen to my nonsense. It was kind of you to think of me."

Her eyes, amber in the streetlight, held some deep spark that Vernon had never seen before. A hint of genuine feeling. She was truly afraid of being alone. Vernon felt a pang of pity.

He handed her the gift.

She tore off the wrapping and uncovered a hardback book. The crimson cover glowed like an ember against the black of her furs.

"The first copy of my latest work," Vernon said. It didn’t sound so pathetic when he put it that way. "A treatise upon the interactions of parallel time streams, supplemented by observations from our travels."

She turned the book in her gloved hands, looking at it from all angles. “It looks disgustingly academic.”

"Exceedingly so."

She grinned. “I’m delighted, and I’ll never read it.

Vernon relaxed into a smile. "I didn't think you would. But I thought you deserved a copy all the same."

She put the book into a massive handbag. "I feel I ought to have a gift for you."

Vernon laughed. "A time cruise is a gift I could never repay.”

"Would you like another one?" Juliette asked.

Vernon stepped back, his hands held before him. "I couldn't accept such--"

"Just a short one. A cheap Christmas trip. Horribly touristy. Everyone and their mother heads to the Victorian era for a proper Dickens Christmas. The place is crawling with time travelers."

Vernon thought about the book in Juliette's bag, and his mind lit up with a new theory. "That would explain the ghost stories--"

She pointed at him, her eyes bright. "See? That's the mind that could make even that kind of Christmas interesting again."

It was flattering, and tempting, and yet--

"I think you're missing the point," Vernon said.

“Am I?” Juliette drawled, one eyebrow raised.

“Yes,” Vernon said firmly. “You don't need to run off and watch a Christmas that's already happened. You need to experience this one."

She waved a dismissive hand. "I've seen a thousand like it."

Vernon wondered how literal that was. How many Christmases had she traveled to--?

He pulled his mind back to the point. "I'm not sure you've seen any Christmas. You've seen parties, feasting, carols, but you haven't seen Christmas. The reason for the celebration. I'm not sure you can see it."

“I know," she said. "That’s why I need you.”

Snow fell onto her expensive furs, white against the black. A cold breeze ruffled the flower on her hat. She was a fashion plate, the model of luxury--and she looked so alone. All the money in the world, able to buy anything she wanted, go to any place or time she desired on a moment's notice--and she had no one to spend Christmas with.

He took her hand in his, tattered wool against sleek leather. "Then I'll come with you. But not to Victorian Christmas. To this one."

She raised an eyebrow “The time travel expert is turning down a chance to time travel?”

“Gladly."

"You'll never get anywhere in your career if you keep turning down opportunities like this."

"I'll take the risk."

She looked at their joined hands, then shifted her grip to turn it into a handshake. “You have a deal.”

Snow fell faster, thick white flakes. The shops along the street began turning off the lights in their windows. In the distance, church bells sounded.

Vernon inclined his head toward it. “We can start there.”

As the snow fell and the bells rang, Vernon tightened his grip on Juliette’s hand and pulled her down the street. In the lamplight, her eyes held a spark of something that looked a little bit like joy.