The detective gives that trip 0/10. Would not visit again

[gadaboutdetective]

Who; Llewellyn and people
What; 2 Open logs and 1 closed
Where; Assorted
When; All through May
Warnings; Alcohol for a start. I will update accordingly depending on what gets discussed. Update: Brief mention of homophobia and unfair laws of the era in Ignis' thread, discussion of a murder case in thread with Ivy.

( I can also do personalized starters if you want! just let me know either on Discord: WhimsicalSpook#8219 or Plurk: whimsicalspook You are also welcome to throw a starter at me if you want, I don't bite!)



Finding his way home. - Closed to Rhy

It was late in the evening and footsteps were echoing through the sewers of of the city. Steps unsteady and a little staggered as the man exited the tunnels with a distracted look on his face.

He doesn’t really look particularly different how how he did a week ago when he disappeared. His gaze lightly unfocused as he walked almost on autopilot, his mind a whirl. Less a flock of starlings as he was prone to describing it and more of a tornado, and his emotions running rampant.

There was so much in his head now, too much. It was scrambling to sort what seemed like two very different lives. Almost two years away from home, between the Sphere and this world… And nearly that long suddenly stuffed in his head from his own world, much of it far less pleasant in some ways than the two years he’d come to know away from it.

Leaning against a lamppost, Llewellyn took a deep breath and then another as his eyes finally focused on the world around him. He was back, back in the world he’d come to think of as his home… And after having been back in his world? It had only cemented that feeling, regardless of how powerless and ill prepared he felt when it came to some of the things that happened here… It was better than the gnawing pain and repeated cycle of loss that he felt trapped in.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to cry in frustration or relief as he stared at the quiet evening around him. Frustration for what he’d gone back to with no memories of this place, or in pure relief for being here again. Regardless, a few stray tears escaped anyway, though he’d deny it if asked.

… He’d deny a few things if asked, honestly.

“I need a drink…” He muttered, wishing to quiet his over-loud, racing thoughts just a little. It had practically been a part of his schedule over the last few months… Drink to quiet the thoughts, drink to numb the feelings that you wish you didn’t have, drink to forget how once again you were alone.

Then, absently, a particular thought rattled into place. Here he wasn’t alone. He had someone waiting for him.

Rhy.

The name comes to the forefront of his mind, and his heart suddenly ached for a different reason. How long had he been gone for? He’d promised not to leave the man, promised to stay by his husband’s side and not leave him to feel so very alone again…

The drink is forgotten for now, and Llewellyn turns in another direction, the correct direction. He wavers on his path once in a while, if only because worry had begun worming its way into his head. Worries of what to say to his husband, worries about what the man would think if he heard some of the last two years. Fear of disappointment, or judgement, or...

Llewellyn squinted at the door before him, the stained glass rose window glowing lightly with light from within. He had made it back without realizing it, so caught up in his own head again.

At first, he almost does the absurd thing, and knocks. Instead, having a small sensible thought break through the confusion, he pulls out his key and lets himself in.

It's an odd feeling as he wandered into the entry hall. Relief sinking in, the wonder of 'this is my home, it's safe here' catches a hold of him lightly. It's not the slightly lonely boarding house room, dim and empty aside from a few personal belongings, wine, and case notes. It's warm, bright, inviting, vibrantly full of life.

There's just one thing left... He wants- needs to see Rhy. Despite the vague anxiety of what on earth he might say, and the fear of how long he might have been gone lingering... He needs to see him. "Rhy?" He spoke as he began moving from one room to another in hopes of searching.

His voice doesn't sound as strong or confident as he'd like, he notes. He needs to fix that when does see his husband.

But it's a start.


Business as usual. - Gullwings or Aerith's shop ~ OTA if anyone wants to try to catch his attention when he's hiding in his work

If there was anything that would never change about Llewellyn, it was his proclivity for choosing avoidance of issues in favor of work. Why dwell and talk about the things in your head when you could be focusing on being productive and useful.

There were plenty of things that needed his attention, after all. There was work to be done at the Gullwings offices. He was a week behind on the smaller cases he'd taken on around the city, and hey- wouldn't it be nice if he tidied his desk a little? Adjust the tornado so it looked a little more...

Well, not better, but as though it had moved around a bit? Maybe a little more centralized on his desk instead of overflowing onto other people's spaces?

Plus, he noted with some confusion, he needed to tidy up the many odd little flowers that had been left on his desk. Llewellyn certainly didn't remember putting them there, and their presence puzzled him some...

Yes, anyone who walked in on seeing him organizing was probably going to wonder if they were hallucinating.


Then there was the flower shop. The detective knew he had time to make up for there, having left Aerith to take care of things by herself so rudely.

They were into the time of year where flowers were blooming and just waiting to be gathered to arrange in vases or baskets. So it wouldn't hurt to give the plants a little extra attention, would it? Especially since she'd allowed him to leave some of his starters to transfer at a later date.

Really, between arrangements waiting to be put together and flowers needing care, there was plenty for him to help with to make up for his absence!

Whether it was the office or the garden shop, there was nothing wrong with putting in a little more time here and there! And it gave him time to catch up with and check on people, which was still a priority at the end of the day.


I'll have that drink now. - The Tavern ~ OTA But warning for excessive drinking

Llewellyn was... adjusting.

Yeah, let's go with that. It sounded better than anything he could come up with. He really just needed time, he was sure. Time to finish sorting all the new thoughts and experiences into their little boxes on a shelf in his mind. Once that was done, he would lose the vague amounts of distraction and the questions of if he was listening or if something was off would stop.

He could do without those, really. He was fine. One hundred percent okay. Just adjusting. Just processing almost two years' worth of information.

Just trying to shake off the paranoia and anxiety that's still lingering from being in my own world. He let out a long breath while he waited for the tavern-keeper to bring him another drink.

Since it was just him and his thoughts? He could admit to himself that... There were some things that were less than fine.

He was tired of looking over his shoulder every time he was with Rhy, worried about some unknown seeing them and bringing danger down on their heads for just walking.

Tired of wondering when he was going to mess things up here, too. Both his personal life and professional life had... developed quite a track record. An annoying voice in the back of his mind kept musing that it might only be a matter of time before the rug got pulled out from under him.

And he was damn tired of the vague, lowered faith in the people around him. Expecting someone to spout some idiocy or opinion that would hurt someone who didn't deserve to be hurt, or even some slight against him when he didn't agree with them.

What happened to the progress he'd made? What happened to the glass being half full instead of half empty?

Another glass of something amber in colour was set in front of him, and idly he mused, 'There's a full glass.' As he pulled it towards him, hoping it might quiet his mind some while he passed some time before going home.

Comments

[gadaboutdetective]

The alcohol was probably muddling some of his usual tells, though perhaps one could consider that a cue all on its own. The lingering tension from anxiety about the uncertainties he felt and the sad look lingering in his eyes were the only other remaining signs of what he was feeling, really.

Llewellyn glanced over again at the question, offering a small nod in confirmation as he wondered what she was getting at. Even if she didn’t think it was the most helpful advice… It was better than some things that could be said, and it reminded him that he wasn’t the only one with ‘several’ versions of themself, so to speak. Enis would understand it better than others might, considering he knew her from a world that she couldn’t even remember. She still felt the same to him at a base level, of course, but there were things that were different simply because she didn’t remember or experience them.

He offered her an attempt at a smile, weak as it was. “Thank you, Enis… That’s not terrible advice.” He added awkwardly, staring at his glass again. “I think… I prefer the me that I’ve grown into in these places, from knowing you and others. It’s uh- hard to not worry that I still might not be enough at times, or that I might mess some things up as I have in my world… But perhaps focusing on the me I am here would be best.”

Humming a little, he rotated the glass between his hands. “And for what it’s worth, the versions of you I’ve met have, uh- both have been good friends.” He added, perhaps a little sentimental, but he could blame the alcohol for that.

[blindpuppet]

Enis scoffed. "That's a first for me." She was shit at giving advice and even more shit at following advice. Even so... she was starting to care about this disaster of a detective and she didn't want to see him hurting like this. It made her incredibly uncomfortable.

This whole conversation was uncomfortable but she was here and trying.

Her throat cleared awkwardly and she lowered her voice. "Me too." She looked down at her glass, unwilling to look at Llewellyn. "You have been a... good-" This was weird. "A friend. You've been a friend." Enis didn't have a clear basis of comparison but she was trying to not suck at this.

"If anyone makes you feel bad, tell me. I'll kill them for you." She was still cultivating her powers but she was confident that she could protect Llewellyn. It also helped that she knew where he was at all times.

[gadaboutdetective]

It was still better than some advice Llewellyn had been given in the past, especially in his own world… So first time and discomfort with the conversation or not? Llewellyn appreciated the attempt, even if he might struggle with following it at times and default to her current vice.

Her clumsy attempt at trying to define what he was just felt so familiar to Llewellyn, reminding him of the shift in their friendship back in the last world. Even if they weren’t quite where they had been before, it was a welcome familiarity. “I’m… Glad? To be your friend, that is… So thank you for saying so. I only hope I can be a better one over time.” Once he got himself… sorted, or adjusted, or whatever it was he needed. “I hope you know that mm… if you need to talk about things yourself, I would listen.” He hadn’t forgotten how long she’d been absent, and how he hadn’t been able to find her before disappearing himself.

The comment, the threat to those who might wrong him, is also alarmingly familiar. They had been here before too, after all, back when he’d been attacked at the sphere. It was no less worrying now than it had been then. “I, um… I appreciate the thoughtful offer, though I think I shall refrain from asking that of you… I don’t really like the idea, though the thought behind the offer counts.” And at least it seemed unlikely. He had yet to make enemies of anyone here… In many ways, this world was safer than his own world for him.

[blindpuppet]

Enis scoffed at the refused offer but he really didn't have a say in the matter. If she came across a situation where it was a choice between his life and another's, she was choosing him. Enis wouldn't hesitate. But she knew that he didn't like violence and decided to try her best not to be violent.

It was going to be hard...

"We'll continue to be friends." It would get better and she'd learn how to interact with him as their time together progressed.

Her mouth quirked into a smirk as she took another swig of liquor. "Trying to take focus of yourself?" There were things that she wanted to tell him but this wasn't the place to divulge secrets. She could explain her transformation vaguely by simply mentioning her lack of supplies but she knew that Llewellyn wouldn't leave it at that. He was going to have a lot of annoying questions.

"Before that." She continued. "Are you sure you're alright?"

[gadaboutdetective]

“I’d like that a lot, Enis.” He responded thoughtfully, not keen to lose his friend again. He wanted to keep working on their friendship, learning to be friends again and try to be better about being there for her. He just needed to figure out the places she might have gone here, since this world was a little different from the last.

His head ducked with some embarrassment, expression awkward at the question. “Perhaps a little. Can uh- a friend not express concern for another friend who had also been rather difficult to find for a time?” He asked in an attempt to seem less desperate to turn the focus off himself and his current conflicted emotions. Even if his thoughts were cluttered, it wouldn’t take much prompting for him to remember the difficulties she faced now that she was in a world where the things she needed for the serum she used might not be readily available.

Her expressed concern got a shrug. He couldn’t say he was alright considering everything that happened. She’d probably be rather angry to find out about some of it, considering her earlier threat to kill someone who meant to do him harm. But… He still wasn’t ready to talk about most of that, and the advice she had given him was enough to make him want to focus on his life here instead of all that. “Mm.. I will be Enis. As I said, I just need time, I think.”

[blindpuppet]

Enis shrugged. "Don't know." She had absolutely no experience in making friends but she was trying her best and making some assumptions based on Llewellyn's behavior up to this point. She figured that she was getting close to being a good friend. "I just can't tell. So I'm trusting you to talk to me and tell me shit." Everyone had secrets and she wasn't really interested in those but there were some things that were meant to be spoken allowed.

"So, just... find me. When you need a friend." Enis wasn't his best option for a friendly ear but right now he was the only friend she had and she was relying on that relationship to learn how to interact with others. If things continued like this then she'd need friends.

Which she should probably tell him.

Enis exhaled as she looked down at her empty glass, pushing it across the bar before resting her elbows on the polished wooden surface. "I wasn't able to find a solution to my problem or stop it. It's getting worse. That was why I disappeared. I couldn't be around people." It hurt a little that Llewellyn hadn't found her but she hadn't made it easy and she didn't really blame him.

It just hurt.

It was weird.

[gadaboutdetective]

Llewellyn knew that much was true, having spent so much time with Enis before now. “Then I can say with certainty that as your friend I can, indeed, be concerned about you regardless of what is going on at the moment.” He responded with a nod. Friendship was a two-way street. Even if the way they might handle things was rather different, they would naturally handle things in their own way. His method was talking, offering food, and assistance when needed… The problem was, he really couldn’t know what she needed without her explaining it to him.

And he nodded slightly, picking up his glass again. It wasn’t as though he’d forgotten Enis was awkward with listening to things like this or offering advice, but he never minded that. She still had interesting points of view, even tonight had put things into perspective at least. It was still better than some of the very bad advice he’d been given and taken in his world, after all. “You have my word, I will… But you should too, if you need it.” He added, reinforcing that it should work both ways.

He felt bad that he hadn’t found her either, when she’d gone missing, but Enis was good at covering her tracks when she didn’t want to be found… Still, his brows rose noticeably as she explained where she’d been. “I thought you…??” She had told him she was working on it, and to not worry… Clearly that hadn’t been as true as he had thought. He didn’t know much about her serum, how it was made, and had believed that she meant it when said it… But maybe that had been stupid on his part. She was probably just trying to keep him from worrying.

He couldn’t even tell her she should have told him. He hadn’t been here, he’d been in his world. Downing the glass, he turned to her properly. “Is there anything that can be done now? Or… Is there anything you need that I can help with?” He supposed that might be a stupid question too… But he needed to know, and he needed to help somehow, if he could. The idea of losing another friend due to circumstances outside his control turned his stomach.

[blindpuppet]

She closed her eyes and shook her head before turning to face Llewellyn. "No. There is nothing that can be done now. I'm... adjusting." Her eyes flicked around the bar before finally coming to rest on her friend. "This really isn't the place to get into it. We can go into details later." She didn't mind talking to him but she didn't want her condition to become known, she was handling it... in a sense.

"I'm alive and I'm not going anywhere. Things are just changing." Her heart still beat and she inhaled, though she wasn't sure she needed air to breathe. The sun was problematic but the chip in her head prevented her from dreaming. It was all very strange but she was functional and adjusting... slowly.

"That's all really. I can tell you more later. If you want to talk about it."

[gadaboutdetective]

Llewellyn opened his mouth to question what adjusting meant, and if there was anything he could do to… help with that… Because he had a feeling that adjusting to these changes would be more than a little complicated than anything else one could picture. But she was already cautioning that it might not be a good time or place to talk about it… So he frowned at his glass, this really wasn’t the best time for him to be wallowing in drink and self-doubt, now was it?

Even if it was easier of late…

Things were different here, and admittedly, the people he’d come to know in these places were even more important than those in his own world. So he slid the glass away with a small nod. “I understand… Then later, when you’re ready? If I can help with mm… anything at this point, I want to.” It was a small relief to hear she wasn’t actually going anywhere, even if the change was clearly difficult for her. Her absence had been worrying to begin with. The idea of it becoming permanent again was upsetting to say the least…

He really didn’t want to lose anyone else, especially not someone as important as Enis.

[blindpuppet]

Enis scoffed. "Not sure I'll ever be ready but later is fine." She watched his face and noticed the way that blood rose beneath his skin as the alcohol colored his already pale features. "How about I get you home?" They could pick up another bottle of alcohol on the way back if he wanted to continue drinking but she wanted him to get back safely.

She also felt awkward listening to his heartbeat now that she'd notice the ruby flush to his face. There were some things she didn't want to know and her new abilities were sharing all of that and more.

"Come on." Enis stood and grabbed the bottle that she'd purchase prior to the bar tender leaving them. She wasn't going to take no for an answer.

[gadaboutdetective]

Could Llewellyn blame her for not being sure if she’d be ready to talk about it later? No, he couldn’t, considering the way he handled most things. Still… he wanted her to know she could talk about it. He’d feel better with more information to begin with, and to know how her state of mind was. So… Even if it took a while? He would be ready when she wanted to talk. “As long as later comes, I uh- don’t mind waiting for that time.” So he wouldn’t push her right away, which was probably for the best. He might not be the best ear right now, and after a certain point, alcohol did not make one particularly good at being coherent.

“Home?” He commented thoughtfully at the suggestion. Yes… Yes, perhaps home was a good idea. There was something particularly comforting about the idea of going ‘home’ here, given his state of mind. “Mm… Yes, perhaps you’re right.” He pushed himself up from the chair, more steady than one might expect. Even if he was a little disorientated from the volume, he’d already consumed. Hopefully, some fresh air would help sober him up a little before he got home.

The firm confirmation to follow is responded to with a nod as he fumbled to tug his hat brim from the counter and put on his head again. “Thank you, Enis. I uh- I appreciate it.” She was a good friend, putting up with him like this, really.

/wrap up here?

[blindpuppet]

"When you aren't drunk." Enis wouldn't mind talking about it now but she didn't know how coherent he was and she didn't want to alarm him. It'd be better if they talked at a time when he had a level head and a sense of spatial reasoning. "Or less drunk. Which ever." She shrugged before grabbing his elbow and gently gliding him away from the counter.

She was strong but after spending the last month away from others she had learned how to control her strength. At least things like this weren't difficult, fighting was another matter entirely.

"I'm an okay friend." She conceded with a quick glance around the bar. There were those who she was sure would take advantage of the detective and she made sure to give them a stare that would freeze them should he drink again without her nearby. No one touched her friends.

Enis lead him out of the bar and then steered him towards home. She didn't bother explaining how she knew where his house was.

Sure!

[gadaboutdetective]

Llewellyn almost promptly responded that he wasn’t drunk, but… Well, that wasn’t true at this point and he knew it. Not a lie worth telling, given he wasn’t fond of that unless he needed to. So he let out a small sigh, “Mm… Yes, when I’m not drunk, then.” Or closer to sober, at least. But… With any luck, their conversation would stick and he’d try to be a little less lost in all of this.

There were better things to be focusing on, after all, he just needed to shift his attentions to it and be a little stronger than he’d been feeling.

“Nope. More than okay.” he responded with an pointedly stubborn tone, luckily missing the particularly icy glares his friend was giving the rest of the bar on his behalf. He might have been a little worried about that, otherwise, as much as he appreciated it. But, instead, he let her lead him back towards his home with very little fuss and very few questions about how she knew where he lived. Drunk as he was, it was hard to forget how good Enis was at figuring these things out.

(ooc: And they made it home without any unexpected adventures, the end!)