[OPEN] APRIL CATCH-ALL!

[reticence]

A. TROUBLE AHEAD [CLOSED TO LANCELOT]
Faolan isn't quite sure what to think when he first hears the news. Him? Nominated for a position on the Night Council? It's bad enough that he's somehow found himself Head of Hillingdon and Guardian both, but now this? Should he try for it, now that he's been nominated for it? Does he even want it? He could do a hell of a lot of good on the inside like that, and part of him understands that it's a way to get out of being a Guardian and the dangers involved in walking that line. But a seat on the Council...

He stew on the news on his own for about a day before he can't take it anymore. Locking up his office at Hillingdon House he pulls out his mobile as he heads out the door towards the station, Lancelot's number dialed even before he knows what he's doing. "Hey," he says, as Lancelot answers the phone. "Are you home?"

B. ON THE CAMPAIGN
Faolan doesn't really know whether he wants the position or not. He's got enough on his plate as it is, without complicating matters further with a position on the Night Council. But he has no qualms speaking to people about the idea of it, if they have any thoughts to share on the matter. A candidate from Hillingdon, that's nearly unheard of, considering the faction's less than political slant. Although it's been growing more so, as of late.

He makes sure that he's available to speak at Hillingdon House, and when the idea that he should advocate for himself in the position comes up, he's not quite sure what to do about it. Though it occurs to him that while he may not want the position, it's a good opportunity to spread his ideas about. Carefully. He has to make sure he's not breaking any Council or Guardian rules while he's doing so. But a bit of simple expression of his opinion never hurt anyone. Right?

And so he makes himself available around the Council building, in Night Council Territories, and in Redbright territories as well. Just sitting himself down at a table in a cafe, sometimes grabbing a sandwich but more often than not just a coffee. And being there to talk. About whatever they'd like. His position on his belief in equality for all branches of the supernatural on the Underground, perhaps? Although nothing's stopping anyone from sitting down to chat about anything else. His face has suddenly become a lot more well-known, for better or worse, and Faolan's going to do his best to make use of that while he can.

C. LIES AND SLANDER
He should have known it was only a matter of time before someone started slinging his name through the mud. And he should have known that it would be Gilbert Norrell doing the mudslinging. What with the position he'd taken against him in the latest territory dispute and his own personal stance on the matter of equality for all. Including the fae, a hot button item as far as Norrell is concerned.

The flier he's just been handed by some unknowing volunteer is much the same as any other political flier might be. No doubt the poor kid didn't even know who he'd been handing it to. But it's what it says that has Faolan growling at anyone who dares look at him as he makes his way down the street. There sports on the front of it a large photograph, caught at some function or another, god knows who took it or where, of Faolan standing guard behind the Council Members, Sylvia Redbright and Gilbert Norrell featured prominently in the foreground but it's clearly Faolan in the photograph. Below it reads:

FAOLAN O'NEILL: DISOBEYED HIS SUPERIORS TO SUPPORT THE FAE. WOULD YOU GIVE A GUARDIAN LIKE THAT MORE POWER???

He'd been so careful. He'd jumped through hoops to keep his position with the Night Council a secret. But the story is out now. God knows how many other fliers have been printed up. God knows what other things they say about him. By the time he reaches Hillingdon House he's in the blackest of moods, shutting himself in his office and hiding away from the world as best he can. But he can't hide forever. People at Hillingdon will be able to find him. And people out and about now too for that matter...

D. GOING SHOPPING
He needs something to take his mind off of all of this political business, and the one thing he can think of is the fact that he knows that Lancelot's birthday is coming up. At least, he's fairly certain that it's coming up. He's got a pretty good handle that it's in May at least, although the exact date he's a bit hazy on. The 5th stands out most prominently in his mind, but he'll need confirmation on that for certain before he starts making any plans. But he'll need to make plans. And he'll need to get the other man something. Something good. Something to make up for this mess that he's put him through, time and time again. Better than a bottle of wine, or a dog toy. Certainly better than the Monkey's Paw, what with that and the decapitated head he's sure Lancelot's had enough of dismembered body parts in boxes for a while yet.

He finds himself standing staring into the window of a pet shop one afternoon, wondering if maybe the secret to the other man's heart really is through his furry friend, and how lame a gift it would be to repeat a gift he's already done, knowing at least that it would be appreciated. But Lancelot had bought him a coffee machine. No, he's going to have to do much better than that.

E. WILDCARD
What it says on the tin! Want to do something that I haven't written a prompt for! Either run it by me first if you like or just GO FOR IT!! c:

Comments

[knightscode]

Lancelot fumbles his phone a second as he adjusts his hold on his current prisoner, a fluffy creature Faolan knows well.

"Home?" he prompts, then, "yes! I, ah, I'll have to get more food in if you're coming though -- unless, well, I have some risotto I could make. Mushroom risotto? Lily, sit."

Prisoner Lily obeys, if reluctantly. The sounds around Lancelot might clue in Faolan that he's outside, perhaps in the garden then?

[reticence]

Faolan lets out the huff of a breath. Trust Lancelot to cut straight to the matter of food -- although he's grateful for it. He'd eat, if Lancelot has food to feed him. "Yeah, I'd. If you're alright with that. Whatever you've got, don't go out of your way," he says, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly before forcing himself to the point.

"I need to talk to you. I mean, I really just need to talk to someone, but I'd like to talk to you. About this business. With the election..." He pauses to give the other man time to turn him away, or to question just what the hell he's talking about. It's possible he hasn't heard, after all. Although he doubts that, considering he works at the Night Council himself.

D

[stauncherhearted]

Woah. Woah woah woahhh. "Dubhan?" Nancy's out running errands when she notices the familiar face. She hadn't seen him in a long time. He'd left Kenzi's service and now...

Dressed in jeans, trainers, and a light leather jacket, Nancy looks similar to how she did the night he walked her home. Her makeup is light, saving the heavy stuff for work. "It's Nancy- Kenzi's friend, you walked me home? I'm not sure if you remember." She's giving him the benefit of the doubt as she smiles at him.

"How've you been?" She's going to kill him for leaving Kenzi's service. Because now her best friend in the entire world was a vampire, and it was all her fault. Time to blame everyone else.

C

[anniesgonemad]

Faolan- he was a Guardian? He worked for the Night Council? Annie didn't want to believe it, but she takes the flier all the same. She holds it, looking at it as she rides the tube back to Hillingdon. There's no way that's not Faolan. There aren't many men that look like him out there. And a name like that is hard to forget.

Digging her nails into the skin of her wrist, she holds the flier in one hand, standing outside of his office door. It takes her a few minutes to work up the courage to knock.

"Faolan? It's Annie. Can we- can we talk?" Ask first. Make sure it's true. Let him explain. It's how she wanted to be treated, what she'd wound up doing for Sirius. There was no reason not to extend the same courtesy to Faolan.

[knightscode]

"Ah," Lancelot says again, and there's a slight rustle as he moves his phone again. "Well, of course you can come! Only -- Well, forgive me but I was planning to give Lily a bath. Unless you don't mind that? Or you'd like to help I suppose."

The hint of humour in his voice suggests that such an offer may not necessarily be wise, in Lancelot's opinion.

C

[whatmatters]

Ringer made an appointment to see Faolan. She wanted him to see her name in his book or on a post-it or however Hillingdon managed to organize things, to know she was coming. It also served to make the visit less personal and more distant, a pretty clear indication that she was already made aware of his secret position. At least this time she wasn't avoiding him. He deserved the chance to explain himself.

A minute before the assigned time, she knocked at his office door and let herself in without waiting. Ringer looked at him, paused, and very carefully closed the door behind her to avoid damaging it in anger. She then moved forward to take a seat, all without saying a word. Once seated, one leg folded over the other, both hands in her lap, she waited for him to speak first, her expression a perfect neutrality as only Ringer could manage.

[reticence]

Faolan pauses for a moment, puzzled slightly by the thought of it. Helping bathe Lily? Well, he's never bathed a dog, but he supposes that it would be easier with help? Especially given the tone the other man is giving him.

"I could help," he offers, off-handed. "Might as well make myself useful or something. I'm sorry to drop in on your plans..." He just doesn't know what he's doing, and he wishes he had some guidance. Barring that, he would welcome some advice at least. And Lancelot always seems to be able to keep a level head, no matter what he's faced with. He should have some decent thoughts on the matter. Shouldn't he...?

"I'm just leaving now from Hillingdon," he says, to give the other man a reference on timing and when to expect him.

[knightscode]

"Send me a text when you're walking distance? I'm going to try and brush some of the worst of this out before I get her more wet, so I'll be in the back garden -- might not hear you knock."

'The worst of this,' of course, being a clue to what Faolan might be letting himself in for.

[reticence]

Faolan turns, starting at the name. He had forgotten, perhaps, that he had used that name when he had gone under cover for the Night Council, and thus to hear it spoken aloud here and now, ten years after the person he associated it with had passed...? It struck a chord, even if she didn't mean it to. It had been his own fault for choosing it, though.

He tries to calm the sudden hammering of his heart as he focuses on the girl in front of him. "Nancy," he says, nodding to show that he remembers her. "Of course, I. Sorry, I guess you caught me off guard." That, and he's a bit surprised that there's anyone who knew him as Dubhan that hasn't learned of him as Faolan at this point. Not that he's complaining. It's much easier to play that part than be himself, these days.

[reticence]

Faolan glances up at the sound of the knock on the door. He anticipates of course that people will be stopping by like this, especially members of Hillingdon, and well. They do have a right to, after he had hidden it all from them. They more than most perhaps, considering the level of deception it had required. Of course, he hadn't done it on purpose. He'd been sent into the Night Council as a Guardian by members of Hillingdon themselves, those very same people he'd accidentally usurped. And now...? Now he has to wade through the consequences of that, he supposes.

"Ah, yes," he says, before motioning to a seat across the desk from him. "Here, sit." He doesn't know what he's about to be in for, but he finds himself steeling himself for the worst regardless. Perhaps it's better that way. Maybe she won't be upset about it after all. Maybe...

[reticence]

Faolan takes in a deep breath when he does see her scheduled in. Most people don't even bother with scheduling, but he can see what she's doing, in such a gesture. He knows that it means that she knows what had once been his secret, and he supposes it does give him the chance to prepare himself for whatever is coming. He does his best, but knowing how she had reacted when he had just been friends with Lancelot, he can only imagine what Ringer's reaction is going to be now.

He glances up at her as she lets herself in his office, and winces slightly at the cool, calculated calm she's composing herself with as she sits herself down across from him. It's obvious that she's waiting for something from him, and he knows that whatever he's about to say, no matter what he chooses, she isn't going to like it. The only question is, how mad is she going to become at him...

"You're within your right to be upset with me for this," he settles on starting with, at last. Because it's true, at least in his estimation.

[reticence]

"Sure," Faolan responds absentmindedly. Lancelot's sending him all sorts of clues as to what he's getting himself into when he arrives, but his mind is a bit otherwise preoccupied. On the election, on the nomination, on what his options are and the consequences of each choice. "See you in a while."

Faolan pretty much sleepwalks the rest of the way to the train and off of it again, sending the other man a text when he's about five minutes out and making a leisurely pace the rest of the way there. It's as he's approaching the other man's front door that he thinks he could have brought something, or offered to bring something, but it's too late now. He pulls out his phone to send another text if necessary.

[knightscode]

When Faolan checks his phone there will be another message waiting for him, one that is simply a photo of a dog that used to be white. Lancelot himself is moving about inside cleaning his hands, and when he opens the door he's still drying them off with a cloth. He's dressed down in faded and worn through jeans, a worn out t-shirt already a little flecked with dirt.

"Hi!" he says simply, "please, come in. Would you like a drink? Before I start making a mess of you, that is."

[stauncherhearted]

"God, I'm so sorry!" She says by way of an apology. "I should have cleared my throat or something, first." She waves the issue away.

"I haven't seen you for a while- what happened, if I can ask?" Kenzi had needed a body guard. Especially when she'd started fucking with the vampires that had fucked with Nancy.

She maintains a pleasant tone of voice, smiling pleasantly. They'll get to Kenzi later.

[anniesgonemad]

Annie feels, for the first time ever, since she first stepped into this room, like she's about to speak with the principal. Stiffly, she takes a seat, still holding the flier. Once she's settled, and at least somewhat comfy in the chair that feels harder than before, she gives Faolan an attempted reassuring smile.

"I, uhm. The fliers." She gestures to hers. "I wanted to ask. And to hear what you had to say." She can be his ally, if he needs one, that way.

[reticence]

Faolan does a double-take at the photograph the other man had sent. Is that really Lily? What had they been doing, to get her so dirty as that? It hadn't been especially wet that afternoon -- had Lancelot gotten it in his head to let her help with some gardening, perhaps, he wonders, as he looks at the other man as he opens the door and spots him dressed down and flecked with dirt as well.

"Ah, thanks," Faolan says, stepping inside the other man's flat -- a place that is quickly becoming, if not already done so, a second home to him, of sorts. "Please. Dare I ask? About the mud?" he says, gesturing to the spots on Lancelot's shirt and wondering at the suspiciously absent dog.

[knightscode]

"We went for a walk," he says simply, "and she she had an adventure. Coffee? Fruit juice? I've still got some coke, I think, but it hasn't been in the fridge..."

He shoves the door so it swings closed and pads around into the kitchen, begins rummaging in a cupboard and finds a bottle to stick in the fridge -- either for later or just for a few minutes, or just in case. Lily, for the moment, is nowhere to be seen. She is in muddy dog exile.

C

[specifiercity]

Arthur avoids Faolan for a couple days after he finds out. He knows he needs the time to cool down. It feels like a betrayal, but more than that it feels like he's been stupid, like he should have seen it. He winds up trying to remember every detail of every conversation they've ever had. He's always been careful with Faolan, but if he had known he was Night Council, he would have been moreso. It's maddening, and finally when he's trying to retrace the steps of the same conversation for the twentieth time, he decides it's time to just go see him.

It's after lunch one day, and Arthur finds Faolan's office empty. Gone on a break, no doubt, but that just means Arthur can lean on the wall outside with his arms crossed, driving himself crazy with details again as he waits. His usual frown of concentration is sharpened by frustration now, but it's not like he has any weapons on him or is making any attempt to be intimidating.

He's just a little angry, is all.

[reticence]

Faolan raises his eyebrows at the explanation -- 'an adventure' -- but doesn't push it. Whatever sort of an adventure she'd had, it had obviously made quite the mess, from the photograph at least. And from the fact that she's nowhere to be seen in the other man's flat.

"Coffee'll be fine for now," he says, even though it will probably be his fourth or so for the day. Ah, well. He'll save a harder drink for later. When he doesn't have to think too hard about whatever point it is that he's trying to make. "I'm sorry to drop in like this. At least I called this time," he says, sheepishly. "And you'll have an extra set of hands for her, yeah?"

[knightscode]

"That will be appreciated, helps holding doors and restraining wet dog enthusiasm. She's outside at the moment, save her tracking dirt everywhere."

He sets a mug under the coffee machine and hits a button to begin it grinding, gestures with his other hand in the vague direction of the garden. Through the glass Lily is staring in intently, eyes flicking between the two of them. Every so often she paces a few steps around but then comes right back to fix them with her big dark eyes. She can come in soon, yes? She wants to be inside with them! She must be!

[reticence]

Faolan glances in the direction that Lancelot has gestured, to spot her staring through the glass at them, looking just as bedraggled as she had in the photograph he'd sent. He quirks a smile at her, Hello Lily, before glancing back at Lancelot himself.

"I'm amazed you got her to stay out there without you," he comments. "How is she with getting a bath, by the way?" he has to ask. What exactly is he getting himself into?

[reticence]

"Ah, yeah," he responds, looking slightly uncomfortable with the question, but of course she has a right to ask. Kenzi did need a bodyguard, perhaps more than most. But he'd needed out, and she'd given him the perfect reason to bail. She'd made some pretty poor decisions with him after all.

"I. I had to quit," he says, honestly. "For a couple of reasons." One of which being he had become the head of the Hillingdon Clan, after all. "I'm sorry. She was. I mean, she had been good to me. But she led us knowingly into a nest of vampires and expected me to protect her from them. And I knew that if I stuck around business like that, I was going to get myself killed."

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy pales- she hadn't told her that. Good lord, Kenzi had been an idiot. And it was all her fault. Kenzi had been trying to get revenge for her, and Nancy'd only found out when it was too late. A few days later she'd be dying on her couch.

"My god- I'm so sorry, Dubhan. I had no idea- she's a bloody idiot." He made the right choice, to get out of a bad situation while he was still able. "She's always been reckless, but I never thought she'd be that stupid."

[knightscode]

"She doesn't hate it," Lancelot supplies, "but she doesn't quite understand it isn't a fun game. Samoyed fur is very good at staying waterproof too, so it takes a while to get her properly wet. Then she shrinks to about half the size."

Lily wags her tail enthusiastically when Faolan smiles at her. Hello, Faolan! Hello! Are you going to come out? Or let her in? She hopes so! She bounces slightly on the spot, clearly anticipating that this eye contact means something will happen soon.

[reticence]

He nods quietly. He had figured that might be the case, considering the one in her hand. And he doesn't blame he. How could he? He had knowingly kept a secret of something that a lot of people in Hillingdon would take an offense to.

He lets out a quiet breath, before speaking up again. "Ask anything you like. I'll try to answer as best I can. And. If it's any consolation, Hillingdon has always been my top priority..."