Argumentative Puffball

Belle and Lauren have left the library.

Ageless sits for a while, staring at Cancer the Crab. The Usurper. 

Then he closes the book on constellations, and heads down the stairs. 

He will visit Kobo, his beloved. She'll console him.

He catches a bus to Gaius's house, and scrapes at the front door.

No answer. He goes round the side.

Climbs up the brick wall, and looks in through a window.

Ahhh! There she is on the shelf. 

The window is open.

Clik-clik, clicks Ageless. It's me.

Kobo looks up from her reading.

It is you,  says Kobo. She returns to her reading.

Why so cold, my beloved? asks Ageless.

I've got used to life without you, says Kobo. 

But I never will, says Ageless.

You don't know what you're saying, says Kobo.

What am I saying? asks Ageless. 

At least she is speaking.

You'll never get used to life without you, says Kobo. It doesn't mean anything.

I didn't mean me, says Ageless, but if I did, I would have meant it.

You haven't changed, says Kobo.  

Nor have you, says Ageless. My argumentative puffball.

Enough of the puffball, says Kobo. Why don't you come in?

Can't, says Ageless. Door's shut.

Gaius is out the back, says Kobo.

So Ageless goes round the back, where Gaius is watering his pumpkins.

Ageless! says Gaius. What brings you here?

The quoll and the bicycle, says Ageless.

Don't tell me Lauren is photoshopping you into my video! says Gaius. It was a satirical suggestion on my part.

She is, says Ageless. I stood in for Du Fresne in good faith, little realising.

Little realising? says Gaius, directing the hose at his grapes. 

It's a reward for a quoll, says Ageless. 

Still, says Gaius. At least now Du Fresne is acknowledged. 

I should have made more of my part, says Ageless.

The video is unimportant, says Gaius. It's my article that readers will find interesting. All this fuss about hiding a bicycle. 

Is there a prize? asks Ageless. For finding the bicycle?

Jumping Jupiter! I hope not! says Gaius, spraying Ageless accidentally. 

Ptushhh! splutters Ageless. I'm going inside.

Yes indeed, go in and get dry, says Gaius. I'll be in shortly. Talk to Kobo, she's not been herself lately. Pining for you I shouldn't wonder.

Pining for him!

Ageless hurries inside.