doing-the-right-thing
Harry is really, really glad he didn't go into some depressive fit thing after Susan... you know.
He considered it. It was very tempting. But in the end... what good would it have done? Susan wouldn't want him to do it. Hell, if she'd popped out of the woodwork and he hadn't left the house in four months she'd probably have slapped him. So he forced himself to get his boots on every day and do his damn job. He found lost things. He worked on improving a few of his foci and enchanted objects and stuff. Cries most nights, but doesn't admit it, and that's been getting better. Recently he took a job protecting some kind of monastery from monkey demons.
A factor relevant to that particular job is currently napping in his coat pocket. He found the puppy there afterwards and tried to call that monk dude, but the monastery seemed to have vanished. Which was weird. But he got the puppy vetted by Bob and Father Forthill, and they said the little guy wasn't some kind of hellspawn, so... he kept him. Called him Mouse. Let him nap in his coat pocket. Mister got along with him, because Mouse wasn't big enough to be a threat to the big cat's authority.
Anyway, Mouse is napping in his coat pocket, and Harry just got out of the morgue looking at a corpse. He's pretty sure this is the work of some White Court bastard. The victim doesn't have a mark on him, but he's got the dopiest grin in human history. And Harry, being Harry, knows from dopey grins. So Harry sets out looking for a White Court vampire. Thomas doesn't know of any of his cousins who'd have gone after this guy (their official victims are dumped in a nearby quarry, apparently), so he's out investigating the red light district. And trying to look like someone who would be interested in a prostitute, instead of someone who would rather cut off his testicles with a spoon than lay a finger on a member of the oldest profession.
He considered it. It was very tempting. But in the end... what good would it have done? Susan wouldn't want him to do it. Hell, if she'd popped out of the woodwork and he hadn't left the house in four months she'd probably have slapped him. So he forced himself to get his boots on every day and do his damn job. He found lost things. He worked on improving a few of his foci and enchanted objects and stuff. Cries most nights, but doesn't admit it, and that's been getting better. Recently he took a job protecting some kind of monastery from monkey demons.
A factor relevant to that particular job is currently napping in his coat pocket. He found the puppy there afterwards and tried to call that monk dude, but the monastery seemed to have vanished. Which was weird. But he got the puppy vetted by Bob and Father Forthill, and they said the little guy wasn't some kind of hellspawn, so... he kept him. Called him Mouse. Let him nap in his coat pocket. Mister got along with him, because Mouse wasn't big enough to be a threat to the big cat's authority.
Anyway, Mouse is napping in his coat pocket, and Harry just got out of the morgue looking at a corpse. He's pretty sure this is the work of some White Court bastard. The victim doesn't have a mark on him, but he's got the dopiest grin in human history. And Harry, being Harry, knows from dopey grins. So Harry sets out looking for a White Court vampire. Thomas doesn't know of any of his cousins who'd have gone after this guy (their official victims are dumped in a nearby quarry, apparently), so he's out investigating the red light district. And trying to look like someone who would be interested in a prostitute, instead of someone who would rather cut off his testicles with a spoon than lay a finger on a member of the oldest profession.
doing-the-right-thing
Harry grumps his way through the door of the apartment building and starts down the stairs.
An elderly Polish-accented voice quavers "Who's there?"
"Just me, Mrs. S."
"Harry! Good! How's Susan?"
"...She's great, Mrs. S."
"Good!"
An elderly Polish-accented voice quavers "Who's there?"
"Just me, Mrs. S."
"Harry! Good! How's Susan?"
"...She's great, Mrs. S."
"Good!"
doing-the-right-thing
"Oh- I do have a visitor. He'll be staying with me until he gets back on his feet."
"Oh! All right. As long as he's not just taking advantage."
"He's not."
"Hmph. What's his name?"
Harry looks to Buttercup for guidance.
"Oh! All right. As long as he's not just taking advantage."
"He's not."
"Hmph. What's his name?"
Harry looks to Buttercup for guidance.
doing-the-right-thing
"...Buttercup?"
Harry cringes. "Yes, ma'am."
"Is he some kind of exotic dancer?"
"Not as far as I know, ma'am."
doing-the-right-thing
(!)
"Well, I suppose it does take all kinds. You and your stripper take care, now."
Harry gestures Buttercup somewhat frantically into the basement apartment.
doing-the-right-thing
Once Buttercup is ushered into the apartment, Harry starts breathing again.
"!"
"!"
doing-the-right-thing
"I mean, it's, it's not that bad, I just- squeaking," Harry says helplessly. "It's bad for my reputation, you know."
no-return
"Maybe if you're less intimidating and more adorable people will call the cops on you less?"
doing-the-right-thing
"A fringe benefit of taking you on monster-hunting missions. You'll make me squeak adorably."
doing-the-right-thing
"You know what, sure." Harry takes an honest-to-god Bakelite telephone out of its cradle and dials a number.
"Hi, Charity?" Harry winces. "Yes, and I'm still very sorry about that. But I'm- no, I have- I need a sweater." There's a pause. "Yeah, he's about as tall as you, I'd say. Yes. And he's- no, I just- there's magic reasons, okay? I need your fluffiest sweater. Not your best, just- yeah, fluffy. As much fluff as humanly possible. Yes. Thank you, Charity, I owe you one. Okay, I owe you several. I did already apologize for that. Thanks. Could you send Michael over with it? Good, good." He holds the receiver at arm's length and gingerly clicks it back into the cradle.
"Well, that went as well as expected. Your sweater is en route."
"Hi, Charity?" Harry winces. "Yes, and I'm still very sorry about that. But I'm- no, I have- I need a sweater." There's a pause. "Yeah, he's about as tall as you, I'd say. Yes. And he's- no, I just- there's magic reasons, okay? I need your fluffiest sweater. Not your best, just- yeah, fluffy. As much fluff as humanly possible. Yes. Thank you, Charity, I owe you one. Okay, I owe you several. I did already apologize for that. Thanks. Could you send Michael over with it? Good, good." He holds the receiver at arm's length and gingerly clicks it back into the cradle.
"Well, that went as well as expected. Your sweater is en route."
doing-the-right-thing
"Eeeeyep. The older something is, the less likely to go kablooie. Hence the car, hence the phone, hence the candles and fireplace and lack of water heater, sorry about that last one by the way."