Around the island, Sunday afternoon

[hasaknightjob]

Steven and Llewellyn were men on a mission. Specifically a mission involving putting up fliers all around town. Specifically fliers which read:



Hanukkah Party
With Food & Friends
All Are Welcome
19 December, 8pm
Flat #15, MHA
(There's no dress code or anything. Don't have to bring anything either if you don't want. Just a bit of fun during the holidays. Though there will be alcohol so adults only, please.)
Questions? Contact Steven Grant or Det. Watts

If one came away from reading said fliers with the impression that a much beleaguered print shop clerk had given up and simply typed in everything Steven said as he said it... well there was good reason for that.

[open for anybody who might want to say hello to the boys as they go about their work]

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

"She's worried about her sisters," Steven said. "Not - nothing's made her worry. Just she hasn't been able to check on them in a while. Mainly wants to go, make sure everything's as all right as it can be, then come back. Only meant to be gone for a day. She's bringing Marc along just in case."

[stykera]

"He seems like he would be good to have, just in case," Stark said. "Hopefully everything will go well. Are you...are you okay with that?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Be a problem if there was a chance them getting stuck there," Steven said. They would still help Nell if she asked, of course, but it would require doing much more prep work than was currently on the agenda. "But they swear it's as stable as when Llewellyn and I popped back to London. So yeah. If anything I'm thrilled she's not doing it on her own. It's good she's able to ask for help when she needs it."

Not that that comment could apply to any of the men standing around in that moment, whether or not they were part of the current conversation. Don't be silly.

[stykera]

"Not everyone can do that easily," Stark agreed.

[hasaknightjob]

"And it's good Marc's doing things on his own," Steven said. "Well, with Nell but you know what I mean. Reasons for him to get out and about instead of me."

Which, Steven realized, he was going to have to find other options for Marc now that Wanda was off the island. That was admittedly disheartening. Which possibly showed on his face.

[stykera]

"I've seen him out a few times," Stark pointed out. "Maybe you've convinced him, at least a little?"

No, he didn't know what that expression was for.

[hasaknightjob]

"Work in progress," Steven agreed. "That was one of Summer's points, actually. Said the more people knew, the better it might be getting him out and about. Llewellyn's been trying to help me feel brave enough to do it. Just tell everyone."

[stykera]

"She may be right," Stark said. He thought she probably was. "It's gone well so far, hasn't it? Explaining to people?"

[hasaknightjob]

"It has," Steven said. "But that's the problem. Feels like more to lose if it goes wrong. Which is me being a coward, I know."

[stykera]

"Protecting yourself isn't cowardly," Stark said quickly. "You need to do it, sometimes."

Whether he'd agree with that when talking about himself was questionable.

[hasaknightjob]

"I keep thinking about what might happen if someone doesn't take it well," Steven said. "Not just for me but my friends. Like if Travis hadn't been understanding, would he have thought poorly of you for spending time with us? Which - I know he didn't. He's a good person. But I worry about other people."

[stykera]

"Why would he?" Stark asked. "You're not someone who's doing something harmful to others. Neither one of you. You're just yourselves. He... he can be judgemental? But he's a good man. I think nearly everyone here is. Maybe everyone. No one I spend time with isn't a good person as far as I'm aware."

[hasaknightjob]

"It's why you spend time with them, isn't it?" Steven said, with a little smile since he was making a little joke. "Because they're good people. Can't imagine you spending time with anyone horrible."

Steven looked around, his eyes glancing up at the hat on Stark's head. "In some ways I think it helps us, being here. What we are... not as strange on an island where cookies appear by magic. People hear about us and think we're just different, like everyone else here. Not that we're wrong. Broken."

[stykera]

"I've known much stranger people than you. And I don't think you're broken."

Stark thought he was broken but he wasn't going to say that.

[hasaknightjob]

"Thank you," Steven said. "It's not like that back home. There we're something that needs to be fixed. It's nicer here. People understanding that Marc and me help each other. We're not fractured. We're intertwined."

Steven really liked that terminology from Lana.

[stykera]

"But you're here now. Where it is like that. Where you're just yourselves and I'm just me. Nobody looks at me and sees a 'lesser species' here and nobody looks at you and thinks you need fixing."

Well. Maybe they did but not in the same way, surely.

[hasaknightjob]

"I'd never think of you as lesser," Steven said. He knew Stark hadn't said that looking for reassurance, but he wanted to make the point all the same. "You're one of the greatest friends we have."

[stykera]

"I know that. But you aren't from where I am. And there we're... sometimes not even people. That's always better here."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven was now giving Stark a look that suggested he very much wanted to give Stark a hug.

[stykera]

"I know I'm people," Stark said quickly, misinterpreting that expression. "I just know some disagree."

[hasaknightjob]

"I mean that's good," Steven said. He assumed if Stark wasn't saying the contact was welcome then it wasn't. Which was fine. Everyone had boundaries. "And I see what you mean about it being better here for all of us. Maybe that's why there's so many nice people. We know what it's like, not being wanted."

[stykera]

"A lot of people here do understand," Stark agreed. "That makes it easier, often. At least I think it does. I'm glad you're doing well here. It's always better when people are comfortable. It makes them more likely to stay."

Stark didn't have nearly enough friends to feel comfortable with losing any of them. Not even just to moving away.

[hasaknightjob]

"I'd like to," Steven said, smiling, because he did pick up the meaning behind Stark's words. "There's good people here. Good friends. For both of us. Been a luxury, really. And I think I will try it. Being honest. Just - not right away. Too much to imagine trying to deal with it before the party."

And also maybe the week before the party might turn out super busy for some reason. You know, with party prep. Or something.

[stykera]

"I don't think you need to rush anything," Stark told him with a gentle smile. "You ought to be comfortable and it's still yours to tell when you wish. Better to wait until after the party and give yourself time. There's time enough after."

And yeah, this week might be busy for some reason. You never knew!

[hasaknightjob]

"Llewellyn suggested the new year," Steven said. "Especially since that's when new people might be arriving. Fresh starts all around."

And gave Steven time to work up his courage.