[Semi-Open] Eating Crow

[maltesefalcon]

Who: Cerrit Agrupnin and People that Should Know
What: Little Talks about a Big Deal
When: Backdated late August up until Dahlia's Gala
Where: Wherever Talks Happen
Warning(s): None yet


Cerrit's secret has been eating at him, and now it's time to let it out. If you work closely with him as an Enforcer or a member of the militia, or if you're good friends with Cerrit and you don't know about his deal with Aster yet, sometime in late August (post-Blight) or early September he's going to invite you for a private conversation.

The means may vary, the context may vary, but he has some things he needs to say.

Comments

[maltesefalcon]

"To be fair, I never anticipated falling for a human, myself." Cerrit does his equivalent of a wicked grin, something Watson can easily read by now.

[lightconductor]

"You did have the advantage of knowing humans exist," Watson points out, but there's a laugh underneath it.

[maltesefalcon]

"Yes, well, none of those humans were you." And that mattered significantly, apparently. "There are elves that marry humans, you know. Even though they'll outlive their spouses by centuries, potentially."

[lightconductor]

Well, that has him blushing! Watson gives a pleased little laugh, momentarily unable to come up with any words in response.

"Psh. I'm a very ordinary man, at the end of the day. But thank you." He's still smiling. "I'm rather glad we don't have to deal with centuries, though."

[maltesefalcon]

"So am I. We'll deal with today, we'll deal with tomorrow. We'll deal with life here. And then...who knows?" There is, again, a Holmes-shaped hole in the conversation. John has someone he could go home to, as Cerrit has a whole calamity.

[lightconductor]

"Yes, who knows."

Watson closes his eyes for a moment. "I love you," he says. "Maybe I'm a fool for that, but I do."

[maltesefalcon]

"We are both fools, but that's not news, is it?" Cerrit touches Watson's cheek with the back of a talon.

"Let's just enjoy the moments as we have them, for now."

[lightconductor]

"For as long as we can," he says, fervently. "For however long that might be." The unspoken topic is wearing at him. Watson turns his head to kiss Cerrit's hand, briefly. His voice drops. "Do we need to talk about Holmes?"

[maltesefalcon]

"I think that's yours to decide, love." He leans in so his beak is lightly pressed to John's forehead, a not-quite kiss and gesture of closeness.

[lightconductor]

"Is it? It seems unfair of me to refuse to speak of any of it. Though, frankly, I don't know what to do with any of it myself."

He shakes his head, his expression pained.

[maltesefalcon]

“Do you want to try to pick through it while also picking through deer guts? That might help.”

Somehow.

[lightconductor]

He laughs at that, just a little.

"If you're trying to make a point about my timing, consider it taken," Watson says, wryly. "I suppose it is rather morbid of me."

[maltesefalcon]

“…I was trying to say now’s as good a time as any. We’re alone and there’s something to do with our hands while we wrestle with the emotional bits that might be involved.”

[lightconductor]

"Ah," he says. "So at least we're the same flavour of morbid."

Watson looks down at the meat he's been wrapping. "I think I'm still in shock from it all, if I must be honest. I have lost a great many people in my life, Cerrit. This is the first time anyone ever came back."

[maltesefalcon]

"I can't even imagine the feeling, myself. It must be pretty intense in your head. Tell me anything, love. It doesn't need to all come out organized."

[lightconductor]

Watson doesn't say anything for a long moment, frowning to himself.

"Sometimes I think the worst of it is that I don't hate him. I think it would be very much easier if I did, but I do not."

[maltesefalcon]

"Too busy being relieved he's alive, perhaps?" Cerrit can't say he doesn't understand. Honestly, if he found out Laerryn or Patia were here, he'd feel similar.

[lightconductor]

"Perhaps so. I certainly don't want him dead, however else I feel about him."

Watson glances over at Cerrit. "I am glad he is alive. I think the world is better for having him in it. I just also wish I could throttle him a little bit."

[maltesefalcon]

"Someday, you may have that opportunity." They don't need to navel-gaze on the possibility for too long, though, yet.

[lightconductor]

"... yes, I may."

It comes out heavier than he intends. He can't even think about that yet. It's too much. It's painful. He knows he'll have to deal with it eventually, but... not yet.

"I also think it very likely he's currently suffering enough from his own actions that my attempting to punish him for it any further would just be petty. But we shall have to cross that bridge if and when we come to it."