undergrounds | .nov 24, closed to nancy and eames

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.nov 24, closed to nancy and eames

[Arthur's nearly out of breath when he opens the door to his apartment, pushing it open for Nancy to walk through and then following her inside. He flicks on the light and locks the door behind him, taking off his jacket hastily. He's gruff when he speaks.]

Living room's just right through there. I'll put some coffee on.

[There's a pistol in a holster on his belt. He puts the pistol on the counter when he goes into the kitchen, setting up the coffee with practiced speed. When it's brewing, he finally takes a deep breath. This night has been an exercise in frustration but there's no sense losing it in front of Nancy. He's considerably more calm when he finally walks back out to the living room, letting out a sardonic, amused sigh.]

I almost forgot to ask if you're alright.

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Wonderful.

[She gives Eames an appreciative nod.]

Thank you. For telling me.

[Arthur gets up and takes a long swig of beer as he takes a couple steps toward the map again, looking down at the borough in question. There's a warning in the back of his mind, in case Nancy didn't notice just where Croydon is. Wedged between the fae in Bromley and three Daybreak boroughs. It's not the safest place for them, but he won't suffer Eames' wrath by mentioning that, and he certainly wouldn't counsel Abby against it either. Whether it turns out well or not, it at least gives Midnight a foothold in the south - maybe they can start gaining power again.]

[Eames finishes his own beer and sighs, frowning at the map from his place by the door. There's still a lot that needs considering, but that's enough business for tonight. He's even cooled down enough to be fully aware that trying to get at Norrell right now would be, at best, idiotic, but the man has found his way firmly onto Eames' shitlist. Either way, tonight is done.]

I should be off.

[He glances between Nancy and Arthur; not entirely sure what this is or why she even likes him, but that's an obnoxious conversation for another day. Right now he needs to retrieve his bag of ruined clothes from the kitchen.]

You going to be alright?

[She pushed herself up to standing once more, walking a few steps over towards Eames.]

I don't want to find out come tomorrow you've gone and done something stupid.

[Arthur certainly isn't going to stop him, feeling pretty confident that Eames is in his right mind now and won't be doing anything dumb. He watches Nancy get up and he knows that Eames will insist, so he stays put.]

You should put a shirt on. It's not warm out there.

[Eames smiles at Nancy and waves a dismissive hand at Arthur's comment - He's Unseelie, a bit of cold weather isn't going to bother him.]

Unless by stupid you mean drink a bottle of wine and go to bed, I'll be fine.

[That same dismissive hand goes to Nancy's shoulder to give it a gentle squeeze, and he tilts his head to look at her face properly.]

What about you? You going to be okay tonight?

[Her heart absolutely wrenches as she looks up at Eames. Her makeup's a mess thanks to some crocodile tears she'd shed earlier that evening, and it's been a very long night. But she's found other things to focus on, to worry about. Not how much of a disaster her evening had been. It's selfish, to keep thinking about it, when Lewisham was taken.

She gives Eames a smile, a light in her eyes.]

Yeah- Arthur's letting me stay. I'll be alright, Eames. Thank you.

[Arthur looks from Nancy to Eames - he knows there are going to be some questions as to why the 19-year-old witch is staying in his apartment to begin with, but those can be dealt with later. He stays where he is by the coffee table.]

Text me when you have a plan for Croydon.

[Eames nods, looking at the two of them again before he turns to leave. Time to get drunk and sleep like a log.]

[With Eames gone, Nancy turns to Arthur.]

Thank you. Honestly, for picking me up and letting me stay. I just wanted to say it again.

[Especially after... that. Whatever had just happened.]

[Arthur glances up from the map, which he's fixating on again. It's an easy thing to stare at, to imagine the faction lines running through the boroughs.]

It's fine. You're not putting me out at all.

[He gestures at the door.]

I'm sorry he interrupted, but I'm glad we got it all out in the open, in the end.

You can have the bed, I'll take the couch. [She promises him. It'll be penance, from when she picked Stiles up in the middle of the night and had him on her couch, rather than her bed.]

Nothing to be sorry about. I just didn't know you knew him. [She gives a small smile and, true to her word, walks to the couch to sit, keeping her eyes on Arthur. She's remarkably more casual now than she was at Norrell's- there's no elegant crossing of her legs just so or anything. Just a teenage girl on his couch at half-past fuck-it in the morning.] It's awful- about Lewisham. I had no idea, or I wouldn't have called.

It's fine - it's not my loss. I just don't like to see Sylvia get her way, and I knew Eames had plans for Lewisham too...

[He sighs and wanders back to his armchair. He looks downright tired now, but that doesn't mean Nancy's off the hook.]

So, who's Fagin?

He's got a lot of plans.

[She pulls her blanket closer, leaning against the pillows to block out the chill that came up at his name.]

The fae that raised me since I was a baby.

[He can see her physically trying to get away from the subject, so he remains in thoughtful silence for a moment. When he speaks again, his tone is gentle, but there's a weight in it to communicate how seriously he's taking this.]

I'm involved with all of this, and I have been for a while. I'm not going to ask you to tell me anything you don't want to tell, but if there's anything I need to know, I want you to tell me. I don't like surprises.

[She doesn't want to tell him. But he's right. He is involved in all of this, and Eames knows. Eames would tell him, likely, if he asked, and it's far better to control what someone hears than leave it up to another person, especially when Fagin was involved.

She looks at her hands.]

They used to call him a Kidsman. Takes in orphans, kids from the street, has him steal for them. Some are fae, metahumans, humans. We run the gamut, really. We bring him what we steal, he'll fence it, or keep it for himself, most often.

[It's easy to see now, how she got into sex work. Why she drinks so heavily.]

Usually it's boys. I'm the first girl.

[the promised first-born.]

[He's starting to piece it together. He listens in respectful silence until she's done, and then there's a beat while he considers it all.]

Have you ever tried to get away?

I can't.

[She finishes her coffee.]

I won't.

[Arthur sighs through his nose, looking down at the floor. He's not going to convince her tonight, and he's not even sure he can, but he doesn't like the finality in her tone. The only inescapable thing is death.]

I'll get you some more bedding.

[He stands and makes for the hallway, signalling that he's officially done asking her about all this.]

[If she escapes it... It won't be easy. and it won't be without her life, not a chance in hell.]

Thank you...

[She pauses for a moment.] Would it be too much trouble to ask to borrow a shirt or something? [She'll shower, as well, but won't trouble him to ask. She'll just do it when she thinks he's asleep.]

Yeah, no problem.

[He goes down the hall, returning a minute later with a warmer blanket than the one she had along with some extra pillows and a t-shirt. It's a simple shirt, not very well worn since he only owns t-shirts to work out in, but it fits him and so may be a bit big on Nancy.]

Let me know if you need anything else.

Of course. [When Arthur returns, she's happy to accept the pillows, blankets and clothes. She sets them down on the end table, before walking over to Arthur again.]

I'll be gone in the morning before you know it. [Only fair to tell him, she hated to impose and mornings were always so odd, after nights spent drinking. She'd spend the rest of the day at her place, completely decompressing over a bottle of wine, and some long-overdue cuddles with Juliet.

But for now, she leans up, pressing her lips softly to Arthur's cheek.]

Thank you. Again. sleep well.

[Arthur's mouth quirks into the ghost of a smile when she kisses his cheek, and then he clears his throat and nods.]

Goodnight, Nancy.

[He looks around, quickly decides that he'll clean up tomorrow, and then he retreats down the hall, to his bed where he plans to sleep for roughly 18 hours.]

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.nov 24, closed to nancy and eames

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