The Devil's Nest, Monday, August 15, 2021

[texted3times]

Eric was at the bar tonight, enjoying a Manhattan expertly poured by Tiny and relaxing.

Tiny was creating an elaborate three-dimensional castle made entirely out of cocktail olives in a cabinet under the bar.

Eric was very much ignoring that.

The Devil's Nest was open!

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

"... Yes. Of course." Watts drained the rest of his glass, having not realised until that moment that particular detail of Steven and Marc having a houseguest.

[hasaknightjob]

"Apparently it meant something," Marc admitted. Which he still felt a little guilty about. And not that he wanted to spread Nell's business around town but if nothing else Watts had earned knowing he wasn't being inconvenienced for no good reason.

It was really annoying when Steven was right about things.

[pocketpretzels]

Watts considered that.

"When you put it like that... I can understand that, actually," Watts admitted. "When my sister left me, my landlady took me in. She was under no obligation to, but she did it all the same. And it was- nice. To realise my well-being mattered to someone."

[hasaknightjob]

"That part," Marc said, since Watts summed it up better than he could've. He noticed that Watts didn't act like this was information Marc should know already, or that he was put out having to say it twice. It made Marc a little more inclined to have a frank conversation. "You know her home life's fucked, right?"

[pocketpretzels]

Well, yeah. He didn't expect that Steven would have shared everything Watts told him with Marc, particularly details like that.

"From what I gather, yes, that is an apt way of putting it." That use of fucked, at least, he could gather from context.

[hasaknightjob]

"How much do you know about it?" Marc asked. He wasn't going to share anything on Nell's behalf. But anything Watts knew already was fair game.

[pocketpretzels]

"She grew up in a cult with incredibly restrictive views on how women ought to dress and behave," Watts said. "Married young, to a man who already had a wife. Unlike a lot of folk from such backgrounds, she knows the church she was raised in doesn't have the right of things, but she's making the best of a poor situation."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc gave a nod. He couldn't fault Watts's presentation on efficiency. "And how much do you trust the asshole she had to marry?"

Not that Marc was showing his hand there or anything.

[pocketpretzels]

"Doubt comes to me naturally and cynicism via experience," Watts told Marc. "Which is to say, not overmuch."

[hasaknightjob]

Hey cool, Steven's boyfriend had a brain.

"Of course she doesn't see that and you can't point it out to her," Marc said. Which was both observation and instruction. "I'm mainly keeping my eye on fallout when it hits. If it hits. Future her went home but that doesn't mean anything."

[pocketpretzels]

"She did say she'd be obligated to do so should the opportunity arise," Watts nodded.

[hasaknightjob]

"She's got family, which I get," Marc said. "Sisters. I'd do it for that too."

[pocketpretzels]

Marc was talking to a man who had been willing to confess to a murder he didn't commit because he thought it would save his brother from the noose.

(Whether or not he'd go to the same lengths for Clarissa... well. Honestly, probably? He still loved her, even if he couldn't forgive her.)

"Yes, there is that," he agreed. "Still, I got the distinct sense she'd prefer to remain here if she truly had a choice. But she feels she does not."

[hasaknightjob]

"That's what happens when good people meet bad," Marc said. "She ends up thinking she's the one taking advantage of the situation."

[pocketpretzels]

“Hmm,” Watts nodded in agreement. “A phenomena I am, unfortunately, more than familiar with.”

[hasaknightjob]

Marc gave him a curious look. "Who do you think you're taking advantage of?"

[pocketpretzels]

“I wasn’t speaking of myself, more… in general of times when someone wronged has in fact felt themselves to be the guilty one, something I’ve seen a lot of in my career,” Watts clarified. “But if you must know, then yes, there have been times when I have taken advantage of a situation for my own selfish gain. Some I regret. Some… I do not.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Any I need to worry about?" Marc asked.

[pocketpretzels]

“Not unless you find yourself in the company of a Miss Fiona Faust,” Watts said sheepishly. “But that is highly unlikely, given that she resides in Vancouver and my time besides.”

A short pause, and then, eyes wide, he added: “I should clarify when I say taking advantage, I merely- withheld from her the fact that I had recovered her stolen bicycle.”

[hasaknightjob]

Marc gave Watts a long look. "Guess Konshu didn't send me after you since you were on another planet."

[pocketpretzels]

"Another planet?" Watts looked at him in confusion. "I've never even left this one." Time traveled via magic train, yes. Gone to another planet? No. "And I got the impression he cared more about violent crimes than lies of omission."

[hasaknightjob]

"Different version of Earth than where we're from," Marc said. "Whatever you want to call it. And yeah, that was the point. You're not exactly criminal of the year."

Marc had obviously not gotten the memo that Watts didn't pick up on jokes easily. In Steven's defense, Marc wasn't exactly known for making jokes often enough for it to have been a concern.

[pocketpretzels]

"Oh," Watts nodded. "A joke. I see it now."

[hasaknightjob]

"I'm hilarious," Marc said. Which, if he was Steven, he would've explained was also a joke. But he wasn't so...

[pocketpretzels]

"I'm sure you must be," Watts said. "But humour is often... lost on me."