october catch-all

[claudel]

Who: Fergus Fraser (claudel) & OPEN
What: Various things.
When: October.
Where: Olympia.
Warning(s): TBD



[ Now that he's been here a couple of months, and things seem to be settled - more or less - Fergus knows he can't just hang around home. Not that he doesn't mind it. There's a lot to catch up with both Claire and Bree, and trying to get his mother's "adopted" son to warm up to him. Still, Fergus is the man of the house. He has to try and get some sort of job, right?

You can find him milling around the businessed of Olympia, trying to see which of them might suit him best. Feel free to let him know how you feel about your own job if he runs into you! Or maybe you two just cross paths in your day-to-day wandering.

Still ... Fergus can't help but be drawn to the less savoury parts of the city. Smuggling has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember, and maybe he can make himself useful with it here ... ]

((Feel free to go off this prompt, or write your own starter! Hit me up at fritzwinky for plotting/personalized starters.))

Comments

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Man of the house he may be, but he's still Claire's boy.

Which means that, sometimes, she helps him with things he can surely do on his own: like washing the end of his arm where hand should be. It's a bit crude, the scars left by whoever sewed him back together, but not too bad now that he's grown and the skin as stretched. The handiwork bothers her less the more she sees it, and as she finishes up and reaches for his wooden hand, she gives it a good look.]

I imagine we could find you something better than this, here. [She hefts the hand as if it were an apple or baseball in her palm.] Have you considered that? Something more comfortable?

[claudel]

[ No, he doesn't need the help, but he knows better than to try and protest. It's actually quite nice, honestly, that Claire is going out of her way to spend so much time with him. She certainly doesn't have to and Fergus is appreciative of having her time.

He's even gotten passed the embarrassment of it.

So he laughs when she brings it up, and he shrugs. ]

I have gotten so used to that, I have never thought of a new one.

[nineteenfortyfive]

In my time, we have ones that look more natural and feel more comfortable. I can only imagine what a place like Nadril might have. [She should have looked into that while they were there, but they can always go back. Claire smiles, looking down at the wooden fist.] Of course, this is just fine if it suits you. Just something to think about.

[It doesn't seem to bother him. Something did, though, in stasis. The smile fades from her face as she recalls Bree's texts.]

[claudel]

Then we will go one day. I can tell that it will make you feel better if we look at other options.

[ He just looks at her with fond amusement as he takes his hand back, securing it in place. Her looks doesn't go unnoticed, though. ]

Is something wrong?

[nineteenfortyfive]

[He humors her more than Bree and Fergus, and it's very much appreciated. She would say as much if she weren't caught. The frown deepens as she fights off the reflex to tell him that no, nothing is wrong. Honesty is hard.]

Well.

[She shifts, crossing her arms over her middle.]

Bree told me that you came across her in stasis. [Her, and Frank.] She said you were pretty shaken.

[Understandably.]

[claudel]

[ It takes a moment for him to recall, but when he does, his eyebrows go up. ]

I thought siblings were supposed to keep things in confidence.

[ Fergus is teasing, of course. He doesn't blame Bree for telling Claire. He knows it was probably born from concern, so in a way it's sweet. He looks down at his hands. ]

It was nothing. A silly thing.

[nineteenfortyfive]

She's never had brothers before. She's still learning the ropes--and I'm glad for it. [Teasing he might be, she's serious. She's very glad Bree was worried enough to bring it up to her--truth be told, it hadn't crossed Claire's mind that Fergus might ever see Frank.]

I don't think it was silly, either. We can talk about it, if you'd like.

[claudel]

It is nothing to talk about. Really.

[ He knows Claire worries. It's why he had been so hesitant to bring up the incident all those years ago in the first place. Well. That and facing whatever disappointments he had imagined in his head. ]

It was just ... Unexpected.

[nineteenfortyfive]

I know. [She reaches over a hand that's still damp from washing his arm to cup his cheek.]

I just wanted to explain, if it's something you needed. And if not, that's all right, too.

i hope this is okay! ianto is doing the shades lighter quest and this is the perfect setup!

[torchwoodteaboy]

[Smuggling has been not so much a part of Ianto's life, but he is no stranger to petty crimes and smuggling falls right into that wheelhouse. So when he had caught wind that Shades Darker had needed a little help in transporting their goods, he had volunteered his time (and skills) in at least attempting to make it so. He already visits his roommate the bouncer on a fairly regular basis as it is. It isn't that odd that he might be stopping by with a delivery as well, regardless as to whether John is there or not. Especially if he gets some coin out of the exchange. Is it?

Ianto gathers the satchel closer to him and attempts to look a little less like he may be transporting illegal goods. Perhaps he is. He honestly hasn't looked in the bag. He figures it's probably best if he doesn't know himself, if Koralle didn't tell him in the first place. It's not heavy enough for wine, though he can hear the sound of small glass jars tinkling together if he jostles it too hard. Best be a little bit more delicate, he thinks to himself, as he continues his journey.

Of course, for Ianto, acting naturally means a coffee in one hand to stave off the cool air that is starting to creep into the city. He sips at it gingerly as he makes his way along the path. Dodging by a man who seems to be going nowhere in no particular hurry. Another refugee, by the looks of it.

He's not honestly sure why he turns back to glance at the other man, but he does, hesitantly speaking up to call out:] If I can help point you in the right direction, I'd be happy to. They're ruthless, in this part of town. We're lucky the festival's ended, otherwise they'd be on us like flies.

[claudel]

No, I am not lost.

[ He smiles, his English very good but his accent impossibly French. He glances around, and maybe he's purposely not looking at the man's bag. Fergus has smuggled and stolen enough in his life to recognize body language and cues, but he wouldn't ever suspect anything of anyone. Not without reason. ]

Are you going to be all right? If this part of town is so ruthless.

[torchwoodteaboy]

[Ianto's a native English speaker himself, but he's got an interesting accent of his own. Have you ever met a Welshman before, Fergus? Well there is a first time for everything!

He offers the other man a smile, glancing down the street just in case there are any wayward ladies of the night headed their way, but they seem alone so far. Small blessings.]

Well. So far, so good. Are you volunteering to help if I need any rescuing?

[He quirks an eyebrow at the other man, but it may be the case that he's not entirely joking. That he might have actually needed rescuing the last time, the woman coming on too strong to take anything but no for an answer and Ianto too polite to turn her down flat out.]

[claudel]

[ Honestly. English speakers sound so strange, Fergus isn't sure how they understand one another on a good day. ]

I so not recall saying so. [ His mouth twitches up into a smile. ] But I could not watch an innocent man go to his downfall if I could help.

[torchwoodteaboy]

["Innocent" is an interesting choice of words, considering they are meeting each other in the Red Light District and Ianto is technically smuggling (potentially illegal) goods for a brothel as they speak. But he's certainly not going to go out of his way and convince the other man that he's a scoundrel either.]

Cheers.

[He quirks a smile at him, raising his coffee in turn, before glancing down the road. So far so good, there's no one come after him or tried to mug him for the satchel so far.]

Where are you headed then?

[claudel]

Me, monsieur? Nowhere in particular. I just have not had much time to see the city. And I suppose that a part of me feels at home in places like this.

[ He realizes how that might sound, so he offers a smile along with his explanation. ]

I was raised in a brothel before I was adopted. This is all very famililar.

[ And then, because, really. If they're asking each other what they're doing here ... ]

Do you work down here?

[torchwoodteaboy]

[Ianto quirks a smile to the other man at the question, shaking his head as he does.]

Not me personally, no. But a friend of mine does. He's, ehm. The bouncer at a brothel, actually. You know... Stands at the door, looks menacing, keeps people from getting into trouble. I was just headed over to check in and see if he was working there now actually.

[So it's a bit of a lie. But a white lie. John really does work as a bouncer. The fact that Ianto's headed there to drop off the items in his satchel rather than to visit his friend is -- neither here nor there.]

Have you been to Shades Darker before?

[claudel]

I have not. I haven't had much time to really see the city until now. My mother is worried that if I come around here that I will take up some unsavory habits.

[ Fergus laughs. ]

But forgive me. My name is Fergus. And you are?

[reek]

[ Theon doesn’t warm easily to anyone. That’s how it’s always been, and that’s how it continues to be. It took him months to become comfortable with Claire, and he isn’t particularly happy with her right now. She fixed his hair (temporarily), but she also took what remained of his teeth (permanently), leaving him in a sour mood that will pass in time. There is a set of false teeth waiting for him somewhere, though, but he’s unaware because he’s too stubborn to give up his silent treatment of Claire.

He’s moping on the porch, surrounded by his dogs, just as Fergus is leaving the house. It isn’t as though he has anything better to do. Alison snarls, Theon silences her as he glances up briefly. ]

I suppose I should thank you for not telling her anything of that night in the graveyard.

[ He covers his mouth as he speaks. It isn’t a new habit, but it is one that had fallen by the wayside until recently. Even looking as he does, he’s still a vain young man. Having no teeth at all doesn’t make him feel particularly good about himself. ]

[claudel]

Huh? Oh. It is nothing. I told you I would not, so I didn't.

[ It's as easy as that. He smiles, just a little, not wanting to offend Theon. All things considered. He figures Theon's going through a rougher time than usual. ]

Would you like to go for a walk with me?

[reek]

[ Of course, Theon does not smile. He merely looks glum as he ruffles Alison’s fur. His bond with her is strange, but she seems to like him far more than she likes Fergus, if the way she worries at his hand without taking off another one of his fingers is anything to judge by.

He doesn’t look at Fergus, but he does nod. A walk might help to take his mind off of his sour mood. ]

Aye, I will.

[ He struggles to get to his feet. He’s still unsteady, but he manages, though he pauses to glance at the dogs. ]

Some of the hounds might follow.

[claudel]

[ Fergus is actually surprised by the answer. He'd asked and he'd meant it, but he'd expected Theon to decline. It's hard not to hide how pleased he is by the turn of events. ]

That's all right. They are more than welcome to come, too.

[reek]

[ Theon would ordinarily decline, but he’s unhappy with Claire and still shunning her, and Robb doesn’t seem to be in the mood to speak with him, so Fergus is the best he has. He is, after all, not the best when it comes to making friends, but that doesn’t stop him from feeling lonely just like everyone else.

He moves to join Fergus, and Alison shadows him immediately. She doesn’t growl at Fergus again, but she does watch him with untrusting yellow eyes. ]

Where were you planning to go?

[claudel]

I do not know yet. You have been here a while, yes? You know the city better than I do, is there a place I should go? Or maybe we can just walk and not worry about places to be.

[ It's not as if either of them have anything else to do, though Fergus won't say that. This is the most interaction he's had with Theon without Claire trying to force them into it, he's not keen to ruin it. ]

[reek]

For longer than a year.

[ A very long time. He finds it difficult to keep track of time since his long days beneath the Dreadfort, and he only knows because Claire informed him that they’d known one another for a year.

But he stopped exploring the city long ago, when his paranoia set in, and he quit the Royal Guard when Ramsay arrived. He can’t recall the last time he stepped out of the house without a mission in mind. It feels strange, and he can’t pick out any places he actually enjoys. ]

But I can think of nowhere to go. I do not know the city as well as others.

[claudel]

There is no problem in that. I could tell you all about the area in Paris where I used to live, but I could not show you around the city.

[ Fergus has learned how to be patient over the years, and has had, at this point, a number of more-or-less younger siblings. To him, no doubt because of Claire, Theon is simply another one, and Fergus knows that sometimes an easy and understanding conversation is better than anything else. ]

Then we will just walk. It is nicer not to have a place in mind. Then we are not feeling rushed to get there.