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[jumpthegun]

1201 Sugar Plum Grove

Comments

[devoutish]

Is this you telling me you really would like to come?

[jumpthegun]

You should have back-up, just in case.

[Not that he doesn't think Alfie can't deal with more than one Beetle, but if there are twelve of them, sheer numbers are working against him.]

[devoutish]

Royce is good backup.

[Obviously when he said he was thinking about going alone, he was including Royce in the plans.]

[jumpthegun]

If you're bringing Royce, that's not 'alone,' Alfie.

[devoutish]

[He throws up his hands, not really exasperated but sort of playing at it.]

I meant alone without others besides him. Royce coming along was implied.

[jumpthegun]

Not really. Use your words, mate. They work better for you. Or is implication how you're planning to negotiate?

[devoutish]

Well, why don't you use yours, then. "Alfie, Alfie, I would very much like to tag along on your adventure."

[jumpthegun]

I'm not-

[John can feel his embarrassment picking up. He'd like to see a little action, yes.]

I could go and negotiate with them on my own, as well.

[devoutish]

But that's not what you said, is it?

[Says Alfie, thoroughly enjoying this.]

You wanted to be my bodyguard and all.

[jumpthegun]

Clearly you've already got a bodyguard. [He realizes that's tacit agreement and hurries to amend.] And I wasn't offering that. Just- back-up.

[devoutish]

Partner.

[He and Royce bodyguard each other, thank you.]

Would you carry a gun?

[jumpthegun]

[Is he being bullied? It feels a little like he is in a very Alfie way. John could just not answer and shut the conversation down. He glares at the other man, puts down his tea and pulls his service pistol from the back of his trousers where he has it hidden. The gun is shown for a moment, then put away.

Stupid question. He always carries a gun.]

[devoutish]

[Alfie shifts, then flips up the hem of his own shirt, showing that he has his tucked away, too. Great minds think alike, eh, Watson?]

[jumpthegun]

So, you don't need my help. That's really all you needed to say.

[He knows Alfie's probably making a point about them not being so different, but he's going to ignore that for the moment, thank you.]

[devoutish]

I've got a knife, as well.

[He flips up his hem on the other side, showing off the hilt of a very ornate-looking ivory dagger.]

But that's not what I said. I'm having a think about it.

[jumpthegun]

So've I. I'm guessing Royce has fifteen knives on him at any given time.

[There's a switchblade knife that he pulls from his pocket briefly.]

And it already seems like you've got it covered. What are you thinking about?

[devoutish]

Thinking about having you along regardless. You've been the police; why not try the other side of it, eh?

[Inviting him over to sincerely mend fences, and then immediately instigating: it's the Alfie Solomons way.]

[jumpthegun]

I've worked with the police, Alfie. I've never been a police officer.

[devoutish]

Yes, yes, yes. Do you think you could menace a beetle with a gun, if you needed to?

[Now he's definitely trolling.

[jumpthegun]

[John rolls his eyes.]

I already have. Flynn didn't much like it.

[devoutish]

Did you really?

[He raises his eyebrows, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.]

I haven't heard this. Tell me about it?

[jumpthegun]

[Really, Alfie?]

There's not much to tell. There was a Beetle blocking him from getting into the library, so I shot near its feet. It panicked and skittered off to the side. Flynn was trying to reason with it and freaked out a bit. Also tackled a few of the Beetles that were stopping Royce getting where he wanted to. Me not taking it especially seriously pissed him off, though.

[devoutish]

Yeah, I heard about that bit. You should tell him about the gun, though.

[jumpthegun]

Why? He doesn't like guns.

[devoutish]

It's the principle of the thing, innit. You took them seriously enough to shoot at them.