[oopfsb / darkest timeline] Tom

[stilljustandrew]

The corridor outside the Security Office isn't the busiest place, usually; not a common spot to run into someone else.

Andrew might be upping the odds a little, though, by dithering indecisively outside it for several minutes.

Comments

[riddleofthebelow]

The lessons are... coming along, Tom thinks. Matt is much less petulant and much more willing to try, which makes it much easier for Tom to get on with him and actually care. Progress with Occlumency is also coming along, slowly but surely, and that's no small thing.

He hasn't had time to linger at Milliways. He's nodded to X in passing, but he really hasn't spoken to anyone else during the time he's been working with Matt.

And it's been an

age

since he last spoke to Andrew.

"Andrew, hullo, old man. How the hell are you?"

[stilljustandrew]

He turns swiftly at the sound of his name. "Tom?"

... he's looked a hell of a lot better. Of course, he's also looked a hell of a lot worse, and that recently.

[riddleofthebelow]

Tom's smile fades somewhat. Andrew doesn't look like himself at all.

"What's wrong?"

[stilljustandrew]

"You don't --"

His stricken glance darts to the Security entrance and the cells beyond, and back to Tom's face again.

"You don't know."

[riddleofthebelow]

His eyes narrow.

"Know... what?"

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew swallows.

"The -- the guy they asked you to train in Occlumency. M-matt Jamison..."

[riddleofthebelow]

Tom clasps Andrew's shoulder. Temple and Arch, he's never seen him like this.





"Did he hurt you? With his magic?"

X didn't mention who Matt hurt. It's odd of her not to say, and that makes Tom a little cross.

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew swallows. Nods.

Low and tense: "Can we talk about this somewhere that isn't here?"

[riddleofthebelow]

His lips are pressed together in a tight line.

"Of course. Where do you wish to go?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Anywhere. Somewhere quiet?"

[riddleofthebelow]

"Let's go to the House," he suggests.

Getting away from the bar seems like a good idea.

[stilljustandrew]

A shaky sigh. "Yeah. Yeah, please."

He'd probably be willing to go almost anywhere Tom suggested, but the distant peace of the House of Arch seems inexpressibly appealing just now.

[riddleofthebelow]

"Brilliant," he says softly, his brow furrowed.

A few minutes later they've passed through the few painting frames to reach Tom's study. Andrew's no doubt been there before. The nightmare mouse Dream made for Tom skitters across the desk overflowing with scrolls of parchments and books, squeaking contentedly; otherwise, all is quiet. Tom guides Andrew to the arm chair beside his desk.

"Would you like a scotch or a bourbon?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Scotch," he says, "thanks."

Getting drunk seems appealing in its own way, but it's almost certainly a bad idea.

[riddleofthebelow]

Tom pours them both a shot. He's been on the wrong end of a bottle of scotch. It's not the best place to be. Sometimes a small glass makes things feel somewhat less horrible, though.

"Fucking Milliways, eh? Tell me whatever you want, Andrew. However you need to."

[stilljustandrew]

He swallows the shot, feels it burn down his throat.


"How much ..." Slow. "How much do you know about what he can do?"

[riddleofthebelow]

"Not enough, apparently. I knew he'd caused damage - set fire to the Bar- and his power influences others to do whatever he wills. X didn't tell me more so I was happy to step in and provide what aid I could."

It is a good thing he didn't know more, to be honest. He might have been less in the mood to be helpful.

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew swallows hard, wishing he hadn't emptied the shot glass yet.

"It's not as simple as making people do what he wants. He can ... attract people. Charm them."

[riddleofthebelow]

Tom thinks about this a moment, and then he nods.

"That makes sense as far as what I've experienced of his power. It won't work on me, but I've felt it battering at my barriers often enough."

Tom doesn't ask if Matt charmed and attracted Andrew. He's pretty sure he knows the answer, and if Andrew wishes to tell him, he will.

"And, to be quite honest, I know the power of charm. All too well."

[stilljustandrew]

"And he can, under the right circumstances he can ... drain people's energy."

Coward, mocks a voice in his head.

Shut up, he mutters back, this is hard.

[riddleofthebelow]

His eyebrow raises and his hand stops mid-lift of his drink.

What??

Tom has neither love nor patience for Velvets and their ilk, no matter what world produces the thieving leeches.


"On purpose?"

[stilljustandrew]

He nods silently, not looking up.

[riddleofthebelow]

"That is..."

What? Disappointing? Distressing? Unpardonable?

He sighs, drinks, and reminds himself that his presence at Milliways was just as distressing and unpardonable once upon a time.

"...much more complicated than I knew."

[stilljustandrew]

"He told me he's done it before."

His voice is a bare whisper.

"And he said they died of it."

[riddleofthebelow]

Well, that's horrific. The little shit.

Matt is not as important right now as Andrew, though, and Tom wants to make sure Andrew knows it.

"Andrew, you act as if it was your fault that you didn't know this about him. It's not, you know. No matter what he did or didn't do, what he did or didn't do to you, it's not your fault."