Open RP: Great Hall: It's Alive!

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

The circles under his eyes are more pronounced than usual today. L slips into the Great Hall, to get himself a pot of tea. Once it arrives, he sits and pauses, to wait for it to steep. It needs to be stronger than this.

He's been pushing himself on a case the past few days. It's resolved now, but it was the first real challenge he's had since moving here, so he may have dropped off the face of the earth a little. Time to emerge and make sure everyone is still alive and well.

As soon as the tea is finished steeping, that is.

Comments

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Very happy." A beams. "I have been bringing them with me when I have been spending time out in the greenhouse, so they know it well now, and get to see a change of scenery often. Although I think Wishbone might like it if I left them to play with him sometimes."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Does he like cats?"

L didn't know that.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"He likes Schrodinger and Einstein," A says proudly. "They have played together, and at Christmas he asked to bring them lamb."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I do remember that, actually."

He thought it was just about Wishbone getting more meat, but apparently not.

"He's Near's pet now, so he will be around to see him."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"That seems strange, to think of him as someone's pet."

Dog or not, he talks, which seems unpetlike to A.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't use the word if he hadn't," L assures him.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

A nods. "He probably thinks of it differently than I do."

He's used to people thinking of things differently than he does by now.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Maybe you could ask him."

Emancipate him, L imagines. A dog revolution.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Ask him what he thinks about being a pet?"

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Certainly. If he minds it, if he likes it. It can't hurt, can it?"

Probably.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"I will ask him, then, if it is something he likes. Because I don't think he was Near's pet before."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"No, he wasn't."

L shakes his head.

"I don't know if he was anyone's."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Maybe it is comforting for him. It is a good feeling to have someone look after you and care for you."

[red-eyed-l.livejournal.com]

Beyond had gone in for more jam. And house elf abuse.

When he opened the door and saw L and A, though, he stopped. His face screwed up in a damnit-I-won't-cry face.

L...why'd you break your promise to B?

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"A, B's here."

Slipping a quick hand through his, for support.

"Hello."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

A flinches, and grips L's hand tightly, edging closer to him. He looks at B warily, wide-eyed.

[red-eyed-l.livejournal.com]

"L broke his promise to B..." B said with tears in his eyes. "B was good, and L promised to tell A and L DIDN'T!"

If the normal B had been in control, he would have attacked them both, consequences be damned. Instead, this B looked away and held himself close.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I promised to tell him when I thought he was ready to hear it. I didn't think he was. Your other self hurt him very badly, B, I didn't want to hurt him any more. I said as much to you, remember?"

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"He's looking at me," A murmurs faintly. He's still not sure what to make of this new B, and he's very glad that Einstein and Schrodinger aren't with him.

[red-eyed-l.livejournal.com]

It didn't matter to B why L didn't tell A. All that mattered was that he didn't tell A. He was very childish in that respect.

He just hung his head and looked very sad.

"B...B wants the mean B to go away. Then A won't be afraid anymore. B tried to help, honest."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"We know that, B. But people are more complicated than that. You need to go now, A will come find you when he's ready to. Following him before that will just hurt him more."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"To go away," A repeats.

Could he tolerate this B, even spend time with him, if the 'other' B was gone for good, really and truly gone?

He thinks maybe he could.

[red-eyed-l.livejournal.com]

B wanted to stay. B wanted to help (and maybe play with Einstein. Schrodinger looked soft and cute, but Einstein trusted him.)

But if A wanted him to go away....

"B will go now."

Cue sad kicked puppy. (oh, the irony).

B did head in the direction of the kitchen, though, so when Beyond returned, he just shrugged off the lost memory and proceeded to get jam.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I really didn't break my promise to him," L murmurs to A, "I told him I'd tell you when I thought you were ready. I just couldn't think of a way to do it without making it sound like you were obliged, on some level, to forgive him. And you're not.

He has to wait for you, A. Even if you're never willing to see him; you owe him nothing."

Squeezing his hand again.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

Stressed, A drops to his knees at L's feet, cheek pressed to his shins.

"He's so different and I don't know what to say and I don't..."

Because hadn't he always wanted, all those years wanted, for B to have been someone he could like?