duke_of_illusions | one foot in front of the other

one foot in front of the other

It helps a great deal, having someone to care for, having something to focus on. He wakes up the next morning aching, but with a bit better of an idea of what to do with his day than he has in the months since his partner vanished.

He makes breakfast, and brings it to Liam's room. Knocks on the door.

"It's me."

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"Please and thank you. Behaviour other people consider menacing or unsettling."

The things he gets wrong.

"How to let someone know they are of importance. Not-belittling people."

Liam stares at him for a moment, wondering he's just imagining that those words are directed at him. For some reason, the idea flusters him.

"I-I can try."

"The things I'm ill-equipped to handle."

He explains, simply.

"Jack was managing. I-"

Liam nods.

"I'll do my best."

He hesitates before adding softly.

"You don't have to manage it all on your own."

"-taking care of me again, Liam?"

But he smiles.

Liam gives him a well-practiced faux scowl.

"Someone has to."

"Thank you."

He murmurs.

"Drink your tea."

Liam picks it up from where he set it on the bedside table and sips at it, relaxing slightly.

"Perhaps, in addition to meeting the children, I should meet this Gilbertine?"

She'll get him a gun, he's sure, if she's anything like her male counterpart.

"That can be arranged."

He nods.

"She is- impressive."

Liam raises an eyebrow.

"You said 'troublesome' before."

"Both of those things."

He agrees.

"One does not normally think 'impressive' when it comes to Gilbert," he murmurs, a bit amused.

He savors his tea, relaxing. The painkillers are kicking in, and he's feeling better than he did when he woke.

"She has lived through rather more than him."

He explains.

He frowns a bit over that, but he nods and doesn't ask for clarification.

In part because he's just realized something rather embarrassing.

"Sir... I, er, need to use the facilities."

"All right."

He moves to set the teacup aside.

Liam grimaces in embarrassment, and lets him take it. He carefully moves his legs over the side of the bed.

It's probably a good thing that he has to go now, rather than when he was in too much pain to move easily or later when he's without help.

"I'm sorry."

It's not dignifying at all.

"Don't be. I anticipated this."

He moves to support him, standing at his good side and putting an arm about him to lift.

"Tell me about your world, Liam?"

Liam nods, able to stand better with the help. He's still embarrassed, but he concentrates on answering.

"I don't know whether it is different from yours. I work for Pandora, and am a part of your household. The struggle right now is that the Baskervilles are destroying the Sealing Stones that contain the--"

He realizes that might not be the best thing to point out, pieces of Jack's body being used to seal them, so he finds another way to word it.

"That keep Glen Baskerville's soul contained. It's a race to stop them from destroying all of them, resurrecting Glen, and potentially causing another Tragedy."

"It sounds much the same as mine."

He admits, easing him towards the bathroom. They're getting there.

"I met him in this world, obviously. I'm not blind to his fate."

Mission failed, though not entirely his fault if it was something Barma already knew. He decides to keep talking.

"You discovered the secret of the Sealing Stones. In a journal by Arthur Barma."

They get to the bathroom, and Liam gets visibly flustered.

"All right. I'll-"

Leaning to hitch Liam's pyjama pants off, robe aside.

"You'll have to sit. I'll step out and take care of the tray. Call me when you're ready for me."

Liam nods, looking thoroughly humiliated, and levers himself down as Barma leaves the room.

Of course, him being stubborn, he's going to get himself back into a standing position and pull those pants back up before calling for Barma.

Barma will just be puttering about the room, changing the sheets on the bed while he waits for the call. Liam is going to be in for an earful if he tries it.

Liam is rather of the opinion that the lecture will be preferable to the embarrassment. So of course he does it. He does not, however, attempt to walk to the bathroom sink to wash his hands. He's not that stubborn.

"Ready?"

He asks, a few moments later. It's been enough time, he thinks.

this stuff doesn't come naturally to Barma

That's because he practically IS a bad-tempered cat. That's why he and Break hate each other~~

and again, sorry

Re: and again, sorry

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