45th Howl | Talking is Important [CLOSED]

[professorwolf]

Who: Lyall and Nick
When: Backdated to October 22, night
Where: Nick's apartment
What: Concern and possibly difference of opinion

When news about Anthony broke, the first thing Lyall did was call Nick. To his concern, the man didn't pick up. But he let him have some space, since he knew how important Anthony had been to him. He tried calling again two days later, figuring that was enough time to let the man grieve on his own and be ready to talk. Still nothing.

Now, two nights before the funeral is supposed to happen, he isn't going to let Nick hole himself up alone-- or whatever he's doing-- any longer. He shows up on Nick's doorstep after dark, checking by scent for whether he's actually home. If he isn't, he sits in front of the door to wait. If he is, he knocks. And, in fact, pounds, if Nick doesn't open up after the first couple knocks. If it gets to that point, though, there might wind up being a hole in the door, given Lyall's still working on controlling his newfound strength....

Either way, he's not going away.

Comments

[professorwolf]

Though he lingers for the kiss, Lyall smiles a bit, sadly, at the thanks that follows. "The least I can do is come and drag you away from work and your own thoughts for a while." He catches Nick's hand before he can pull back, and adds more seriously, "If you're not ready to talk about anything yet... that's all right. I'll wait. But I think it might help."

He feels like he has to at least get that out there, so that whenever Nick is ready, he'll know he can. Sometimes all someone needs is explicit permission. Maybe not Nick, but when working with teenagers, sometimes you had to be very open and specific like that. It can't hurt, anyway.

[detectivetroll]

He squeezes Lyall's fingers. "I will," he promises, and he means it. He trusts Lyall - he loves him, even if he hasn't managed to actually say that part outloud yet - and if he's going to talk to anyone, it'll be him.

But he can't do it yet. It's already come too close tonight, to acknowledging what's happened, what he's lost. What the world's lost, what never should have been taken. Right now, if he starts talking, the only thing he's going to end up saying is 'it should have been me.'

And he doesn't really mean that. Well. No, he does, right now, he really, really does. But he shouldn't mean it, so he isn't going to say anything.

"But I can't, right now," he adds quietly. "I think - I think I could just use a break."

At least he's willing to admit that.

[professorwolf]

If he's disappointed, Lyall at least knows better than to show it. He nods, instead. "Then a break I can give you. You can stay the night at my place." And he'll find some way to stay put and quiet while the man gets some much needed sleep. Leave a book or two by the bed. This nocturnal thing really isn't all it's cracked up to be when you have to live with people who aren't nocturnal.

So he gives Nick's fingers a light kiss and asks, "Do you have everything you need?" The less time they spend in an apartment that smells like Anthony, he figures, the better.