E-mail to R

[jamesmcginty]

From JMcginty [@] Freenet :

I'm not sure why, but I ended up picking up some watercolor paper. Maybe it's the weather? There's a nice view down the street and the trees are just leafing out.

There's a place near me that does pretty nice little collections of things to nibble on or some butter, ham, and bread, and you could join me?

Work's been fine, but ... it can wait, I guess, till you're there. If you can come?

James

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[grand_error]

Email: AGrandError [@] ParisU

James-

Watercolors and you? Along with a cafe? How can I say no to that? I need to get out of this apartment as it is, I think I may be hallucinating on the fumes from the rather different painting they've been doing in the halls.

Anything I should bring?

-R

Reply :)

[jamesmcginty]

From JMcginty [@] Freenet

I'm curious about how the sketchbook is going, but -

Got any more of those dubious fruit syrups? A lady at work swears by adding them to crushed ice. I'm not certain it would help, but it might be interesting to try.

She is, by the way, six foot something and I'm fairly certain she can crack walnuts with her thumbs. Pleasant enough to talk to, but I feel like I should check if she has a ruler at all times.

Would any of your friends like to come? If the painting is that ghastly?

-J

Re: Reply :)

[grand_error]

It, and the syrups, can definitely come along. I mean, worth having something impressive to share with the scary coworker, right? Sounds like some of the stuff that goes on at the OTHER cafe, the one where Bahorel supposedly bounces but who knows what he's really doing there?

My guess is illegal fightclub but...

I'll see who I can talk into it. :)

-R

Re: Reply :)

[jamesmcginty]

You're . . . not in that other cafe, are you?

Well, I guess it's none of my business. You're still here, you know? And I'm thrilled to have that.

See you later. I need to drop off some work at 1400, but after that I should be free for company. Window's unlocked, if you show up early.

-J

Re: Reply :)

[grand_error]

I KNOW it, but I don't go in there. Even I've got standards, horrifying as that is to admit.

I don't PLAN on going anywhere if I can help it, trust me.

Sure thing!

-R

[jamesmcginty]

James was a bit pink in his cheeks as he headed back home. It was a brisk walk down to drop off the ledgers and a brisk walk over to the bank to drop off a few checks. By the time he headed down to get some fresh coffee and pick up a few things for the house (he's fairly certain that R will tease him for having King's Marzipan scented soap in the bathroom. It was on sale.)

Look, it's not his fault that he picked the apartment for being affordable, close to work, and quiet. The fact that the hot water tank was his own and generous was a bonus. Besides, it made up for being on the southwest side, and a bit stifling in summer. Cold baths and buying a few fans made up for a lot of issues.

[grand_error]

That IS the kind of thing he'd snicker at, sure. At the moment, R's admittedly a little annoyed. Guess who got approached and asked to help out on a job? Technically, it's not like people are forbidden from requesting help or anything, though the mentor and council really don't like it if you have personal involvement with the target involved, but he's still a little stunned someone wanted HIM to head along.

He's making it over to James's place a little bit after the time he'd thought, anyway, but he'd also had to try to get the blood off. He's glad his coat won't really show anything anyway, and hopefully the worst of it's gone, so...he's heading over, glad he'd grabbed everything else into a bag before he'd gotten approached. And that he had a place to hide it too.

James is used to seeing him a little bit bloody by now, right?

[jamesmcginty]

James' window is open and the curtains (still those floral ones from Turkey from his cousin) are flapping in the breeze.

The place smells like fresh coffee right now, mostly because he's got a fresh bag of it in the kitchen. He's flipping through the paper and leaning on the kitchen counter. "Hey," he flashes a grin. R doesn't look - great. Using the Mervin standard, he'd guess - "I did turn the water heater on when I got in. Wasn't sure you'd want to grab a shower, but -"

Is that blood?

[grand_error]

It's occurring to R that he COULD have come in through the window, all flashy like. Then again, that'd probably give too much away, wouldn't it? He's not been great at the being subtle bits when it comes to being an assassin. There's one of the rules he's breaking right there. But, like it's been pointed out before, if a target's noticing you, you probably have to kill them as it is, or at least scare them half to death so...

Yeah. It's not the kind of thing you want to do to people you care about, anyway.

"Hey." He offers a little bit of a smile. "Sorry, I kind of wound up running into a little trouble on the way over. Nothing major though. I mostly wound up keeping an eye on a friend in a fight." Close enough to the truth there.

"It's good to see you." He adds, smiling. "Good to see people are still normal."

[jamesmcginty]

James moves over to help with the bag he's got and to give him an one armed hug. "Still normal. As normal as I get, at least." He's trying to not jab the corner of his glasses into R's chest.

"Is this where a normal guy would make a joke about skilled hands? Is any of that blood yours? Or your friend?"

[grand_error]

That works for R. He's learned the angles fairly well for working with glasses. The funny part is when they manage to bump each other, accidentally. Which never ends up working out well for awkward teenagers as it is. But for now, things work out pretty okay, and he grins at the comment.

"I think that might count. Mine are getting there, apparently. And I THINK some of it might be Arno's, but I'm pretty sure it was the other guy. He was walking on the way back to get patched up, anyway."

[jamesmcginty]

"You know, one of these days, I'm going to end up - I don't know. Flirting too far. Or asking questions." James curls a hand on his side. "Let's get this set down. You want a pass at the shower?"

He hesitates. "I haven't met Arno, right?"

[grand_error]

"That'd be fantastic." R answers the second question, and needs to think a little more about parts of that first one. There are a lot of things that he should probably say, but finding one is...kind of difficult for the moment. "And no, Arno's...we're not exactly from the same walks of life. I mean occasionally, if we do a job, we do something after..."

Something involving drinking, and maybe it's the fact that Arno's primary vice is wine, and R's is definitely stronger, but he does seem to be courting some kind of death by drink by 40, at the oldest, 30, more likely, not that R can really comment on people and their drinking habits but he's seen the bottles on the tables. Something is up and he can only imagine it comes from the job.

"One of these days, we'll probably run into him." He hopes it's not one of those times Arno decides it's hilarious to jump onto people he knows from the rooftop. He'd probably react, and murdering your friend in front of someone you care about isn't the best option at all. Even if he courts it.

"One of these days, I'll be stupid enough to answer questions." He mutters, lastly.

[jamesmcginty]

"Hey. You don't have to." James reaches to ruffle his hair. "If I'm worried if I'm safe, I'll ask."

[grand_error]

That's pretty nice in and of itself, especially after backing up your partner of sorts while he shoots someone with a miniature crossbow and gets three other guys to kill each other via drugged darts, so R leans into it a little bit.

"It's...someday, anyway." He smiles. "You're safe though, definitely. Safer than you used to be with me, in fact."

[jamesmcginty]

"Really? I liked you the entire time, to be honest." James ducks his head a bit. "Well, let's - get you less bloody."

He tugs R's hand a bit.

[grand_error]

"Think I did too." Grantaire muses, thinking about it. There was the thing with Enjolras, which he realized soon enough wasn't going to happen pretty much immediately after Bellec had confirmed he wasn't crazy when he noticed stuff on the jail walls, and while that had been obsessive in a lot of ways...it's not the same. He does know that.

"Careerwise it's...I've gotten to a point it's stable now. I don't think anyone's going to be in danger with me around now. So that's something, huh? It might be safe."

[jamesmcginty]

"Even if it was dangerous, it's -" James sighs. "I know you're doing things. And it's secret and your group and you walked into it with open eyes."

He's snagging some towels for R. "But there's safe in your job, and safe as in you're . . . happy. Happy enough. I don't expect either of us would be dancing a jig." He pauses. "I'd be worried if we were, to be honest. But - I want a safe thing for you. Not just that your job makes things safer or you're shielding folks from - I don't know - reptiles in the catacombs or something."

He's trying to pick the most unlikely thing he can think of.