[Stephen lets out a surprised little huff of laughter. Is that all? He knew about those two problems, even if he never did get an answer regarding what's going on with Renart.]
I'm aware...more or less. You think something's going to happen while you're gone?
[A tiny scowl breaks his neutral expression. This isn't a joke, he's co-opting someone relatively untested, at least in his eyes, to be a mission assist for a while. He's carefully not thinking about if that means he sort of trusts Stephen too, but he does after the man helped put his arm back on.]
I don't know, but it's your job to be ready if it happens. Nothing happens to them, understand?
[Not that Renart would talk to him about whatever happened. Not that he'd pressed especially hard after she turned him away. But 'be ready if it happens'? That's been in his job description since he accepted the mantle of Master of the Mystic Arts.]
[At least he's not laughing any more, though leaving this part of his self assigned protection detail in someone else's hands is adding to the mess going on in his head. It's necessary, but that doesn't mean he likes it.]
Okay.
[He takes a half step back.]
Both of them, they're-- [Important to him.] --you protect them.
[Stephen snorts. Watch Renart and John. Sure. He'll do that...but more importantly he'll stop by John's place tomorrow to ask if he knows what the hell this is about.]
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Date: 2018-07-31 04:17 pm (UTC)Came to ask you to do something for me.
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Date: 2018-07-31 04:25 pm (UTC)Okay. And what would that be?
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Date: 2018-07-31 04:28 pm (UTC)[Stephen can be told bluntly, he's not one of the ones that will care, and that's good.]
Renart's real sad and John's kind of an idiot sometimes, they need someone to watch their backs.
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Date: 2018-07-31 04:37 pm (UTC)I'm aware...more or less. You think something's going to happen while you're gone?
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Date: 2018-07-31 04:40 pm (UTC)I don't know, but it's your job to be ready if it happens. Nothing happens to them, understand?
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Date: 2018-07-31 04:45 pm (UTC)That's always been my job.
[Not that Renart would talk to him about whatever happened. Not that he'd pressed especially hard after she turned him away. But 'be ready if it happens'? That's been in his job description since he accepted the mantle of Master of the Mystic Arts.]
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Date: 2018-07-31 04:47 pm (UTC)Okay.
[He takes a half step back.]
Both of them, they're-- [Important to him.] --you protect them.
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Date: 2018-07-31 05:20 pm (UTC)Always.
[Though he doubts Renart needs his protection. He's pretty sure she could kick his ass any time she likes.]
What prompted this? Why are you leaving if you're this worried about them?
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Date: 2018-07-31 05:27 pm (UTC)Thanks.
[And then he's turning to start walking away.]
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Date: 2018-07-31 05:29 pm (UTC)[Stephen snorts. Watch Renart and John. Sure. He'll do that...but more importantly he'll stop by John's place tomorrow to ask if he knows what the hell this is about.]