ring_for_giles | Come Sail Away Inbox

"Quite" Giles agrees, settling himself beside Ossie as he tries to get his thoughts in order

"Perhaps it should have been anticipated that what seemed innocent enough on the surface would take a turn, and yet I still doubt anyone could have entirely predicted it."

"Bloody hell," he repeats again, in a slightly different intonation. His hands would be shaking if they could.

"At least not in the manner it did. Losers dying, perhaps, but... the bastard seemed bored. Dredged up Erin's past, but then- what, nothing? No commentary? No call to action? It's... lunacy. I have to expect it was only to keep us on edge."

"It seemed only to stir trouble, trouble that could easily have the blame shifted onto a passenger rather than staying with the real instigator. I suspect Erin Peters might have gotten the worst of it simply because she was the only one to make a fuss at being called the wrong name. It created a target on her back that would prove all too tempting for a bully."

Giles sighs slightly, staring into his tea

"Not that she had any good options there, I suspect it was worse for her than the others"

"I do wish there'd been a way for me to do more without getting dragged into the soup myself. If he'd said anything about our pasts..."

Ossie shudders, gnawing on his lip.

"And I don't see there's much we can do outside of our usual meddling, even now that the grand bastard himself isn't lurking over our shoulder, threatening to do the same to us. He's a brute, simply a brute."

Giles leans into Ossie a little, one hand moving to trace soothing circles over his back

"No, I don't think there is much to be done beyond answering the questions others have where we can. And hope that nothing further is dredged up"

"We couldn't have just gotten lucky and had Queen Holle accompany us here instead of Erin, could we?" he muses weakly.

"I don't mean it, of course, but... Christ, Giles, what would we have done if someone took her up on it? I believe in Erin's Spring, of course, but..."

He trails off, leaning back into Giles.

"I couldn't trouble you to run me a bath, could you? I think I just need to get my mind off things."

Giles very carefully doesn't answer the first part, because he honestly would have simply stood by if someone had tried to kill Erin as she'd asked, and he knows well enough that such an answer won't help Ossie any.

So, onto the less fraught topic it is, with kiss placed lightly in Oswald's hair first

"Of course, my love. Do want me to do so now, or would you rather finish your tea first?"

The unfortunate part is that Ossie would've done the same thing. It is a false comfort to imagine that one of them at least would repay the kindness she's shown to them.

"I think we should finish our tea first, dear. It's delicious, as always," as if he even still needs to say it.

"You know, I do hope the bally thing isn't cursed."

Giles still preens a little at the praise, even if it's been said a thousand times before.

"I hope so too. I tried to learn what I could from it, but all I know is it was purchased in the year 2022, it will take longer for anything more useful than that."

"I'm sure you'll be able to work it out, with some patience and delicacy; both of which, I'll remind you, you have in spades."

Ossie sighs, happily.

"I'm glad and grateful to have our home and you with me. You always make me feel better with your presence alone."

"As am I, my dearest love. Anything would be bearable with you by my side."

Another kiss gently placed in Ossie's hair, before Giles returns to his tea, though he keeps his eyes on Oswald, watching and enjoying the view.

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