onwards and upwards

“There’s only so much I can borrow and pay back, Gawain.” The whole point of this year was to save for school, not get into debt before it had hardly begun.

He shook his head. “You don’t have to pay me back. I mean — really, I get the principle. But I’m your brother, and it’s not as though I’m still in school too. It’s the least I can do.”

Gideon grinned, then tapped his boyfriend on the arse. “It’s a long, long story.” And then he launched into the tale, not sparing one detail. 

“Obviously,” Percy replied back, tone amused as he flicked the ash off the end of his cigarette. “Sounds nice.” He was surprised, when their food was called as ready, expecting it to take much longer given the state of the server. “C’mon, let’s go eat over there.” 

Percy gave a small shrug. Usually he would use his birthday as an excuse to buy a bag, drink the most expensive whiskey, and go home with a hot stranger. This year, though – “Probably have an early night. Get some takeaway, hang out with Bil.” Outside of this tradition, he’d never been one to make a big deal of his birthday. “You?”

“Obviously I’m having a massive party,” Gawain said drily. Then, with a shrug that matched Percy’s, he added, “Seeing Gid, maybe.”

“Yeah,” Percy replied, looking to the server with amusement before moving off to the side to finish his cigarette.

Gawain rattled off their orders, and the bored-looking witch set to readying the fryer at a glacial pace. Repressing a sigh, he turned back to Percy. “Any birthday plans?” Real ones, he meant, though he didn’t expect a positive answer.

“On the fucking telly. Me, your boyfriend, shaking my arse on the telly.” Gideon beamed. “Dunno yet, they haven’t told me, but you better watch me, yeah? Maybe I’ll come up with a secret signal that I do just for you, that way when you see it, you know I’m thinking about you.” 

Gawain laughed. “Of course I’ll watch you. I’ll be more attentive to the weather report than I’ve ever been in my life. How’d this happen, anyway?”

Clem scratched a finger down the old, worn fabric of the sofa. It only highlighted how little money she had. “I can’t really afford to take my time.” She had no interest in going back, however, in stepping out of the security of the walls they were currently housed within. 

He shrugged. “I’ll help, if that’s what you need. Or want.”

“You’re looking at the WBN’s newest weatherman.” Gideon beamed. 

“You’re on the telly?” Gawain shook his head in disbelief, his smile widening. Trust Gideon to bounce back with another interesting job. “That’s incredible, Gid. Are you on every day?”

It was a relief, even in the face of Clem’s embarrassment, to hear a yes. She wouldn’t have to go to D.W. to say she couldn’t pay her share or slink to Marlene with her tail between her legs. “Thanks.” Her smile was genuine, even if it was smaller than usual and didn’t quite reach her eyes. Those were averted from Gawain anyway; it was easier to look elsewhere when she felt so awkward. “Maybe I should have just gone to the academy like dad wanted.” Nothing had gone right since June. Nothing had been easy since June. 

Gawain expelled a sigh. “It might’ve been easier in one way,” he said with a shrug, “but it’d still be hard, in other senses.” He didn’t bother pointing out that she would’ve disliked the Academy — he believed she knew what she wanted, believed that it had to have taken strong feelings to take the step she’d taken. Ever practical, he turned to logic to reassure. 

“How long do you think you’re going to be off work? That is — I think you ought to take your time.”

“Yeah, everything alright. Kind of nerve-wracking with the whole curfew thing, though. The pub cut my hours, and you know Fab and I just finalized buying the bakery, so money was tight for a bit.” He sighed. “But, I got a new job. Pay’s fucking brilliant, too.” He couldn’t wait to see the look on Gawain’s face when Gideon told him the news. 

“Oh?” Gawain focused on the latter, figuring positivity couldn’t hurt here. “That’s great to hear. I mean — awful about the pub, but the job... What are you doing?”

When: 3rd December

Where: The Bongalow

Who: @grobards​

Clem was high all day these days. What else was there to do, stuck inside a prison of your own making, with memories and feelings you wanted to blur the edges of? She stayed in here as life went on outside without her. She was trapped in time as well as inside. Did she even still have a job? Clem couldn’t find the will to care if she did or didn’t at the moment. It was hard to care about much when you were perpetually stoned. But it was the beginning of the month and rent was due. It was awkward, needing to ask for money, but what other choice did she have? And since Percy had told John to fuck off, and he had a child to pay for, she was asking Gawain. Her cheeks felt hot when she did. “I haven’t got enough money for rent, since I’m off work.” It came out rushed and garbled. “Can you cover me, and I’ll pay you back when I’m back at work?” Whenever that might be. 

This, Gawain hadn’t expected, to say the least. Clem so rarely asked him for things. But of course, given the circumstances — and the circumstances with John especially — it made sense. “Of course,” he said, doing his best to sound as reassuring as possible. “Of course, and if there’s anything at all I can help with...” He trailed off meaningfully, though he didn’t really expect her to jump at the offer.

Percy huffed out a laugh. “Yeah. Happy birthday.” 

They were greeted at the fish and chip shop by a very unimpressed looking witch, flipping through a magazine and barely even looking in their direction as she said “Yeah?”

“Hi,” Gawain said automatically, though judging by the witch’s general...everything, she wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries. Glancing at Percy momentarily, he said, “The usual, yeah?”

“Could make tea first, if that’d help. And…” Gideon reached into his pocket, charmed to fit quite a few things, including a large bag of baked goods. “I brought biscuits.” He pressed a kiss to Gawain’s temple. “But, if you’d rather me prattle on about something, we can do that, too.” 

“I want to hear what you’ve been doing too,” he said, firmly. “And your family. Everyone’s— I hope everyone’s all right?” But he began to move towards the kitchen, snagging Gideon by the elbow to lead him along.

Percy shrugged, taking in a deep inhale of smoke before letting it out slowly, some of the tenseness he felt slipping away. “Probably not.” They didn’t really get breaks. Just like they worked ridiculously long hours, and never got their full training. He was hungry, tired, and irritable, and even if the date had slipped Gawain by, since the clock had passed twelve, it was officially their birthday. “C’mon. Your shout.” He made his way over to the chippy. 

“Wow, thanks,” Gawain said drily. A glance at his watch explained why now; it was past midnight. “Happy birthday, by the way.” 

At least there was a measure of normalcy in their birthday tradition — something that felt sorely lacking in Robards family interactions of late, and in the world to boot. One had to wonder — and Gawain certainly did — what their second Christmas without their mother would be like, the first Christmas with the world so uncertain. 

Bad, probably. No, definitely.

Gideon nodded. Of course he wanted to come inside; he couldn’t think of anything else he wanted but to be wrapped within Gawain’s orbit. As soon as the door closed behind them, he reached a hand to Gawain’s face, rubbing a thumb against his cheek. “Talk to me. What’s going on with you?” 

He didn’t want to crumble so easily, didn’t want to respond to Gideon’s concern with a pathetic sort of wilting. But try as he might Gawain still couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to put up a front around his siblings, and by contrast anyone else who looked at him with this much warmth knocked down his façade, easy. 

But it was impossible not to offer some resistance. He let out a long sigh. “It’s— Merlin, I don’t want to go on about my life. You’ve only just got here.”

“No, you swot,” Percy began to fish out his packet of smokes. If they were going to have a break – ““m hungry.”

“Oh.” The set of Gawain’s shoulders relaxed. “Is it time for a break?” It felt harder to focus on patrol lately — or, rather, he was so busy focusing that it became harder to remember the reality that existed outside of work.

When: 19th November 1980 Where: Tinworth Who: @grobards​

It was a coincidence that the two of them had been paired together for patrol that morning, in Tinworth of all places. Percy held very few traditions that he bothered following through with, and he hadn’t expected them to fulfil their birthday one that year. But here they were. “Oi.” He got Gawain’s attention, jerking his head towards the 24 hour fish and chip shop. It was not their usual gardens, but it would do. Plus, he could use the break.

Gawain at first looked at the fish and chip shop with a critical eye. It didn’t seem to be a threat of any kind. But maybe Percy saw something he didn’t. “What? Did you notice something?”