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

[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."

[hasaknightjob]

"How's that work with Steven?" Marc asked, genuinely curious since he knew Steven's sense of humor. (Which in and of itself showed how much privacy there was for when Steven and Watts were together.)

[pocketpretzels]

“He has a very particular smile that he uses when joking,” Watts told him. “At least, with me.” He was aware that most other people didn’t need such things telegraphed.

[hasaknightjob]

Normally Marc would've found the idea of someone cataloguing another person's smiles to be a little on the stomach-turning side. But it was about Steven, who deserved somebody who paid that kind of attention, so it got a pass. "There's your problem. I don't smile."

Which went hand in hand with how normally Marc didn't make jokes either.

[pocketpretzels]

“Now that,” Watts said, “I had noticed.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Good way to tell the difference between the two of us, huh?" Marc replied. You know, besides the accents. "Anyway, point being the bike doesn't even register. Not exactly a deal breaker for Steven."

Especially not in comparison to all the things Marc himself had done.

[pocketpretzels]

Well, and Steven already knew what Watts considered one of the worst things he’d done.

“So noted. It was an- embarrassing incident all the same.”

[hasaknightjob]

"You don't know how to ride?" Marc guessed.

[pocketpretzels]

"No," Watts shook his head. "It was more- She was on a cross-country tour when her bicycle was stolen. We got to talking during the course of my investigation and I found I enjoyed her company. I thought that perhaps that would... be enough. So I withheld the fact that I had, in fact, found her stolen bicycle in a pawn shop."

[hasaknightjob]

"What'd she do when she found out?" Marc asked, since he figured ultimately it was her call on how pissed to be about it.

[pocketpretzels]

"Gave me a most disappointed look and reaffirmed her desire to continue her tour," Watts said. "Of course, she then also claimed she'd be willing to return to Toronto afterwards. Though she never did. I imagine upon reflection she grew more displeased with my deception than she had been in the moment. Probably for the best."

[hasaknightjob]

"Cop hiding someone's property doesn't make a great impression," Marc told him, since that wouldn't go over well in modern times either. "But guess you're not complaining now."

[pocketpretzels]

"No, in retrospect it was- a poorly-thought-out impulse," Watts admitted. "And you're right, I'm not."

[hasaknightjob]

"I'd ask how it's going but I already know what he thinks," Marc said.