(no subject)

[jamesmcginty]

To BestPilot [@] Freenet:
From JMcGinty [@] Freenet:

I'm with R right now. Someone fired a gun twice at the protests. I'm all right, people worried if I'm okay, minor injury, went to a doctor. Just letting you know if anything ends up in the paper.

R was there, watching crowd. Kind of amazing when he walked over. Also met Inspector Javert. So there I was bleeding, and near the third thing on his mind? I better not be being a pirate. He said he knew you. Is he on the bad list?

I'd say it wasn't . . . too bad? I mean - dramatic speeches, tense people, but it didn't feel that bad. Tom was there. He wants to catch up with you, I think about Damian.

Love, J

Comments

[jamesmcginty]

James ended up in some basement under a cafe sort of curled next to R with two chairs shoved together. He's got the feeling Tom's treating it like shock (his hands are shaking a bit, so maybe it is.) And he's pretty sure R's reading the email he's typing up on the phone.

"It's honest, you know," James says looking over at R. "The - I was damned glad to see you."

[grand_error]

R grins at this, a little surprised, but definitely pleased to hear that. "I was damned glad you were all right." he answers, quite seriously, as he's shifts a little so that more of his robe can cover James. He's struck with the idea to kind of keep him here like this for as long as he can, so long as everyone's on board with the idea.

"It was...let's just say it was terrifying." And I feel guilty that it was probably my people who tried ruining this and nearly killed you, he doesn't add. He can see where someone would do it though.

[jamesmcginty]

James leans in and curls an arm around R's back. "I honestly didn't realize I was shot at first. I heard the noise and - I guess it was shock?"

He curls a hand a little tighter. "I just keep thinking if it was you. Possessive of me or something. Is that ... okay to think about? I mean - dammit." He closes his eyes. "Don't you wish people came with a handy manual? Please greet me with tea and cookies, but not daisies or romance kind of stuff?"

He could swear he could hear Tom being a traitor and telling Dr. Combeferre that James would probably swear he's fine until he fell over and asking about what to keep an eye out for. Ugh. He'd only swear he was fine until he got dizzy. Different.

[grand_error]

"You never have to worry about it being me." R's not sure that's strictly true, but he does know that his skills give him more of a chance than other people to be all right in that kind of situation. He's not sure how he can explain it without the details, but maybe it's worth a try after all.

"I'm...do you know how people can sometimes tell when things are coming? It's sort of like that. Helps with self preservation." he adds, "Not that I mind that you're possessive or anything. It's nice, actually. Not a lot of people..."

Well. Grantaire's not going to finish that because he really doesn't see a need for that. "Cookies and tea are more than acceptable. There are SOME things you can use to figure people out." he adds, grinning a bit. "Not to that detail but...if you pay attention. I've made a study of human behavior lately."

As far as that goes, R has no intention of letting James do that kind of thing if he can help it. Not really anyway. He probably should figure out what to look out for too, but right now, well, Tom can probably pass it on, right?

[jamesmcginty]

James grins. "That's good, at least? But - you know, the I could've died, or Tom, or you kind of - it hits you later."

He reaches up to touch R's hair and then leans in a little. It's - he's not exactly sure what he wants, but - "I'm good with daisies, actually. But ... the rest, I'd need your permission, I'd think."

Is this flirting? Is it too much flirting? "The side's not too sore. If I'm too close?"

[grand_error]

"It does." R agrees, thinking of Arno and Bellec, and those missions when everything seemed to go wrong all at once and it struck you after how many times you might have really gotten someone killed accidentally. Death was all around them and courting it seemed...pretty awful. all things told.

"I think though...if I tell you something a little crazier, will you hear me out? It may make you feel better about the possibility of me being harmed."

Daisies. R smiles at the thought of those. "Daisies. Good to keep those in mind. And really? I think you have my permission for near anything."

[jamesmcginty]

James pulls off his glasses to set them safely out of the way. "Crazier than you can predict things?"

And well - leaning in to kiss R's cheek is a little awkward by bending his side the wrong way and he's leaning in heavier than he planned as he scrambles with his other arm to support himself.

Still, near anything, right? "I'm always willing to listen."

[grand_error]

"Crazy as in the reason I can do it." R says, pausing. "And as in what Arno and I actually DO." It's sort of difficult, but he might as well tell James. It's the kind of secret he can't keep any longer. He hates keeping it anyway.

"When I was arrested for those couple days a while back, I met a guy." he says, hesitating just a bit. "He noticed that I could see some things on the walls that others didn't. That I have this sort of...well it's the ability I told you about. I got some training to make it better and I use that to help people. It's what Arno does too, what we do together. Sometimes people get hurt when we try but it's the lesser of a lot of evils. And beyond that..."

R tugs James a little closer, being rather gentle. "It means my instincts and my reflexes are now highly toned. I practice a lot and some of these things...I can tell when things are going to happen, by knowing the patterns most people use, things like that. It makes me less likely to get hurt because I know what I'm doing. I'm glad to have a reason to use that now."

[jamesmcginty]

"So when you were getting those scrapes on your hand," James says slowly, and then makes a noise as he settles in. He doesn't entirely want to mention the burn. It's - pretty easy to guess that was part of it.

"I wonder if there's simple stuff I could learn. You know - ducking and rolling without shedding my glasses like half assed caltrops?" James is trying for a joke. Mostly he's got a hip under one hand and he's found R's leg with the other. "And there's more reason in the world than just me. You can put up with that much optimism, right?"

[grand_error]

"I was on a job." R nods, not mentioning the burn, the brand now, himself. It only hurt for a while, after all, but wasn't permanent. It's supposed to be a metaphor about life as far as he knows, going back to some Italian Renaissance Assassin or other. "I sometimes get a little scraped up but I do know what I'm doing in a fight. And I have backup, usually."

As far as that goes, R's studying James and slowly nodding. "I think we could work on those if you wanted. It'd probably be good to just secure them but I can show you that method too." He's sliding a hand over and squeezing Jame's as it settles on his leg. "Maybe I can. I'm not too sure about that fact, but..."

[jamesmcginty]

"If I told Tom to haunt you with mittens and sensible hats, he would. So - there's a reason. If I told Mervin to do it, they'd all be adorable. Even with the secret organizations and the future predictions. And whatever else that might mean." Admittedly, the image of R being very very bemused by an owl patterned hat is kind of attractive, but -

James leans over to kiss his jaw. "I love you, you know. And if I'm the reason standing between something stupid and you, then I can do that. But I want all the world standing there, if I can."

[grand_error]

"Adorable?" R laughs. "I'm picturing, I dunno, our insignia with a smiley face or something. Happy eagles, maybe?" he quips, imagining that for a moment here and finding it...quite entertaining to say the least.

And then he stops, turning his head a little, to more properly meet that kiss. "I love you too." he says. "And you're the BEST reason, can we go with that? For now at least? I'm still checking with the rest of the world."

[jamesmcginty]

"If it's -" James hesitates a little as R turns his head and then leans in awkwardly to continue. He's not exactly skilled with kissing that's not a peck on a cheek or the like, but it's not like it's that confusing to figure out. "If it's not to muster, the world, let me know. We'll manage."

He curls his hand in R's. "My apartment's kind of oven like in summer, but you're always welcome. For now though, can I stay like this?"

[grand_error]

"Of course you can stay. Long as you want." R assures him, snuggling James a little closer. "We'll manage. We. I like that part." It's nice, knowing that there's back up, for sure. He can go with it.

[avian_cat]

"It's - I don't know. A stoic thing? He had a hell of a cold and it took three letters from me to nag him to head down to the clinic. That and the school dealing with a flu outbreak," Tom's saying. He's leaning on the wall half watching them.

"So your speaker lads. Are they going to want me? Or just my old roommate that got shot?" Since well - it's probably good to check. "I think Grantaire would want time to be sure he's okay."