How The Other Half Lives: Episode 15

Bibi sighs ~~ happily ~~, nagerically engaged with Marvin, and conversing absently about nothing much.

Quilt is wrapped around the Bibi-Marvin package, bright colors not showing their best in the indirect light, but warmth unimpeded.

Marvin zlins Eugen returning but says nothing.

Marvin: Mmm.

Bibi: Eugen's here, on the porch, zlins like.

Marvin: Shh. Let's tease him.

Bibi displays her dimples, ~~ willing ~~ to go along with whatever cleverness Marvin plans.

Marvin reaches out and musses Bibi's hair strategically, then his own.

Eugen, totally unsuspecting of the goings on inside, stomps the mud from his new boots while shifting the bag of cheese that he has brought in hopes of talking Gitl into making her famous cheese bread.

Marvin: Oooh. Oooh ooh ooh ohhhh.

Quilt strategically hides the fact that both channels are fully clad.

Bibi moans theatrically.

Marvin stops moaning and pants instead.

Quilt, of course, covers Marvin's pants completely, although they are still audible as his legs kick.

Bibi: Oh, Maaaaarrrrrvin!

Marvin growls lustfully.

Bibi puts her hand over her mouth to suppress a giggle.

Eugen drops his bag of yummies in the kitchen and goes to look for the channels. He half expects to find the two of them holed up in Bibi's office, heads together over some new procedure or other.

Marvin: Oh. Oh yes. Oh yes. Yes. Yes.

Bibi: Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh.

Marvin: Now ... now ... now .... NOW!

Quilt snaps as is it waved theatrically.

Marvin resumes panting deeply and rapidly.

Marvin: [whispers] What, is he deaf? Make louder.

Bibi: AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

Marvin makes loud scroaning noises with much rustling of Quilt.

Eugen moves a bit faster toward the office as there seem to be sounds of distress coming from it.

Quilt is getting somewhat rumpled, which doesn't show off its designs to best advantage.

Eugen doesn't bother to knock since one of the channels in distress belongs to him. He slams the office door open.

Eugen: What is the matter in here?

Bibi clutches Marvin and emits a series of choked gasps.

Eugen: Bloody shen [which is what he thinks is the cause of the moaning].

Marvin pretends to be outraged.

Marvin: Eugen, can't you afford a lady and gentleman some privacy when you hear ...

Bibi holds her breath to avoid bursting out in giggles.

Marvin makes a tasteful but unmistakable tentacle gesture.

Eugen's ~~ embarrassment ~~ spikes through the ambient.

Quilt discreetly covers the non-evidence.

Marvin holds down the ~~ laughter trying to burst out of him ~~ with all he's got.

Bibi is doing the same, but it isn't easy with the two of them zlinning each other.

Marvin gestures resignedly.

Marvin: Well, anyway, since you've shoved the door open... want to join us?

Marvin twinkles.

Quilt starts to quiver over their rib cages.

Eugen slowly remembers where Marvin is in his cycle. The embarrassment turns to ~~ okay ~~.

Eugen: Why not?

Marvin skootches himself and Bibi over a bit and pats the couch.

Eugen rips the quilt off the two channels who are not in flagrante delicto and shoves himself down in between them.

Marvin: Ouch! You're too heavy! Off!

Bibi slides right off the settee and lands Sime-gracefully on the floor.

Marvin carefully dumps Eugen on the floor too.

Bibi augments out of the way to avoid being crushed flat.

Quilt settles to the floor in an undignified heap as Eugen drops it.

Marvin, left alone on the couch, starts to laugh so hard he is pounding his thighs with his fists.

Bibi hugs Eugen and laughs and laughs, nagerically reinforced by Marvin. They're both still deeply engaged.

Eugen reaches up and drags the Sime off the settee.

Marvin sprawls half on top of Bibi, half on top of Eugen.

Eugen grins and shakes his head. ~~ happy ~~

Marvin grabs the ~~ happy ~~ and paints the whole room with it.

Bibi giggles and hugs Eugen again. Well, she tries, but her arms only reach about half way around.

Eugen grabs Bibi in a gentle bear hug. He's not so gentle with Marvin though. ~~ affection ~~

Marvin tickles Eugen and Bibi jointly.

Bibi giggles and cowers against Eugen.

Bibi: Oh, Eugen, protect me from the Sime!

Marvin growls like a Sime cheated of his prey this time.

Eugen: Hey! No fair. Who's gonna protect me?

Quilt volunteers to protect Eugen by wrapping around his feet.

Eugen reaches over and tries to grab the offending Sime.

Marvin bursts out laughing all over again.

Eugen: Fortunately I'm not ticklish. Well, not where he's tickling anyway.

Eugen is very ticklish around his neck but so far Marvin hasn't figured that one out yet.

Eugen: Come back here and face your punishment like a Sime.

Eugen still hasn't managed to get a good grip on Marvin. Well, not one he'd be willing to hold for fear of injuring the channel. He's rather happy with the armful of Bibi on the other side and really isn't pursuing Marvin diligently.

Eugen: So Marv what ya doin' squirmin' around on the floor?

Marvin: [indignantly] A gentleman never tells.

Bibi leans against Eugen's shoulder, still laughing.

Eugen: And exactly when did you become a gentleman?

Marvin ignores that.

Marvin: Besides, if I'm on the floor, it's you that got me here.

Marvin rolls off on the side away from Eugen, leaving Bibi sandwiched between the two.

Eugen: And who was it that knocked me off the sofa? Gen abuse! Gen abuse!!!

Quilt is experiencing both Gen and Sime abuse, as it is at the bottom of the pile.

Marvin reaches out a hand to muffle Eugen.

Eugen: Hmmm hummuhh!!

Marvin: Thaaaat's better. Now, Bibi, where were we?

Marvin snuggles up more closely with Bibi now that they're both stretched out.

Eugen uses his superior mass to shove Marvin away.

Nattin walks down the hall, and sees Bibi's office door open.

Eugen: Oh, no, you don't get the cute...

Nattin looks inside, thinking to ask Bibi if she would like some refreshments, and sees the trio tangled on a much-mashed quilt, on the floor. ~~ embarrassed ~~

Eugen: Er, nice lady.

Marvin looks up, sees Nattin, and starts to howl again.

Nattin: I apologize. I didn't mean to interrupt anything.

Bibi considers inviting Nattin to join them, and bursts out in another fit of giggles.

Marvin: [through his laughter] No problem, Sosectu. Carry on.

Marvin has been calling Nattin "Sosectu" since the incident when Bibi lost her Donor and he had to take over running the Center for a while.

Eugen is fit to burst, ~~ howling laughter ~~.

Bibi is overwhelmed by Eugen's powerful projection and flops back, laughing helplessly.

Marvin begins to beat and kick the floor as his hilarity -- and everyone else's -- overwhelms him.

Nattin: Carry one? Well, it'll have to be Bibi. I'm afraid that the rest of you are too heavy for my old back.

Nattin steps into the room, and reaches for Bibi, making as if to sling her across his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

Bibi hugs Nattin, still laughing.

Bibi: Oh, Nattin! Save me from these maniac mules!

Nattin: Always, dear Hajene.

Nattin takes a step closer, hoping to solidify his hold on Bibi, and becomes tangled in the quilt. His grip on Bibi loosens as he tries to keep his balance.

Bibi holds onto him with Sime strength to prevent him from falling.

Marvin overrides his protect-the-Gen urge, reminding himself that Bibi is right there and perfectly competent.

Eugen freezes as he's torn between the urge to grab Nattin and the urge to grab Bibi. Neither would be a good idea.

Eugen: Are you two okay?

Nattin: Yes, yes. I'm just a bit too old to play this sort of game, I'm afraid.

Eugen's laughing fit has abated and he is completely sober now.

Bibi's laughter stops, no longer pumped by Eugen's powerful nager. She stands and helps Nattin regain his footing.

Nattin is a little ~~ apologetic ~~ at spoiling the others' fun. He picks up the offending quilt and starts folding it.

Eugen gives Marvin the hairy eyeball.

Marvin shaves the hair off and hands it back.

Eugen: If some people would behave like adults around here things like this wouldn't happen. ~~ faint glimmer of kidding ~~

Bibi's ribs are a little sore from laughing so hard for so long.

Marvin: [squeaky voice] If some people would learn to blow off steam more often, things like this wouldn't be necessary.

Marvin gives Bibi the now-hairless eyeball this time, just for variety.

Nattin: Now, now. Sosu Eugen, if you don't grow up by three years after changeover or establishment, it's generally agreed that you don't have to.

Marvin bursts out giggling again.

Bibi: I haven't laughed so hard in longer than I can remember. Your nager has quite a kick, Eugen.

Bibi is smiling, ~~ appreciative ~~.

Marvin nods maniacally.

Marvin: Indeed it does ... does ... does ... does.

Bibi hugs Eugen, Marvin and Nattin in sequence.

Eugen is ~~ warmed and joyful ~~ to have actually done something right with his nager.

Marvin makes the-winnah-and-next-champeen gestures.

Nattin: You see, Hajene Marvin? You obviously have to give your Donor more practice in laughing without starting a cascade. If the card tricks aren't doing it, I have a book of particularly bad puns that date back to the Ancients.

Marvin: I don't really think this kind of cascade is actually a problem, Sosectu, as long as it doesn't interfere with duty.

Eugen: I do try, Professor N, but well, you know how it is with us Gen Mules. ~~ sheepish grin ~~

Bibi pats Eugen's shoulder.

Bibi: That was good for me. Thanks.

Eugen: Any time, cutie.

Bibi snickers, then starts to giggle, and puts her hand over her mouth.

Marvin: [proudly] She is a cutie, isn't she?

Marvin beams at everyone.

Bibi giggles harder.

Marvin uses a tentacle to make silly bee-ba-dee-ba-dee-ba-dee noises.

Nattin: Absolutely, and there lies the secret to her success. Even the Wild Gens out here have trouble fearing tentacles in a suitably cute package.

Marvin: She just looks so harmless.

Marvin beams at Bibi specifically this time.

Bibi pulls herself together, and tries to look like a competent Tecton channel, not a mere cutie, but the dimples are irrepressible.

Nattin: Yes. An illusion that we know any Sime ought to be able to zlin through easily.

Nattin looks at Marvin, to check.

Marvin: But it's so much more fun not to. See, when I zlin Bibi, I know she's cool, calm, collected, competent, and other words beginning with C. But when I look at her, I think...

Marvin whistles and makes other out-T-style noises and gestures.

Bibi blushes, of course.

Marvin: So which would you rather do?

Nattin: Well, not being able to zlin, I have to make do with outward appearances. Since that makes me much more singlemindedly sincere, Bibi-my-dear, I hope you will find it in your heart to sign that requisition for certain materials on your desk...

Nattin looks ~~ very hopeful ~~.

Bibi: I'll get to it today, Nattin, I promise.

Marvin: [tragically] Oh, Bibi, I do sooo want to zlin Sosectu's profound joy when he gets his wherewithal...

Bibi rolls her eyes and smiles at Nattin.

Eugen: Well, I for one like the cute act. Besides it's nice to be around people who get the out-T thing without having to try and fake it. ~~ smiles at Bibi ~~

Bibi smiles back.

Eugen isn't actually referring to Cristal, not really...

Bibi: Well, Cristal will be back from his run, shortly. I hope he and his friend haven't encountered any more mud puddles.

Marvin: From what you tell me, every time they do, he gets to bring her back here. That can't be all bad, surely?

Bibi: Well, I suppose not. Perhaps she'll learn to trust me a bit, eventually.

Nattin: I gather Cristal's friend is a relative newcomer to Hannard's Ford, and is not related to Miz Brown.

Bibi: She's a retired nurse, from Cago. She works part time for Dr. Tavis.

Nattin: She's also female, and thus somewhat less susceptible to Hajene Bibi's cuteness.

Bibi: Perhaps the harmlessness will work, though.

Bibi gets ~~ serious ~~.

Bibi: I hope... well, maybe once she gets more comfortable with Cristal and with me... she might be able to influence Dr. Tavis, about recommending parents bring their children here, when they're in changeover.

Nattin: That would be a significant step forward, certainly.

Marvin: Indeed it would.

Bibi: Well, we can hope.


Mary Lou Mendum says about Quilt:

Have we used this one yet? It fits, being a largeish lap quilt. It's called "Dinosaur ABC", and is one of the first two quilts I made, back in 2002. It hangs in my nephew Noah's room. The dinosaurs are fanciful fabrics; the plants, of course, are as close to anatomically accurate as was practical to make them. The squares are pieced, with applique and embroidery over the top. You can't see it in the photo, but there is a realistic ginkgo leaf quilted in each of the little squares in the sashing.


Return to Table of Contents