House

[london_spy]

The trip took much longer than he'd hoped, and he'd been right in assuming he'd wind up taking a ship back. That would have been fine, except the damn thing had sunk  miles out from the shore, forcing him and the other passengers to struggle to shore on planks and leaky lifeboats.

He'd done it though, all without losing a single item from House's order.

He was feeling victorious- Until only a few hours into the last leg of his trip back he'd begun coughing and his body shakey and unsteady by the time he reached Greg's door and began to knock.

Comments

[drfeelbad]

House blinked at him.

"Wait, Alex was your boyfriend?"

It wasn't like there was a long list of powerful artificers. House hadn't known him well, but he certainly knew who he was. He'd met him. And he'd heard he was dead.

[london_spy]

"He was. Yes," Danny said softly. "He was... He was special."

[drfeelbad]

House rubbed the back of his neck, looking awkward. "Well uh. Sorry.... for your loss, I mean. I didn't know him really. Met him once or twice. He seemed... sharp."

[london_spy]

"He was remarkable," Danny said softly, wrapping his arms around himself.

[drfeelbad]

House looked uncomfortable. "Well look. Even if I didn't already like you I'd help you under these circumstances. I sure as fuck don't want that stone getting into the wrong hands. Okay?"

[london_spy]

Danny nodded a little, then sighed.

"I think he wanted me to destroy it, but- I can't. It's the last part of him still here. He's gone, but his magic is in this stone. A bit of it, at least."

[drfeelbad]

"No, don't destroy it," House said immediately. "I mean, it's... an incredibly impressive piece of magic."

[london_spy]

"It's dangerous," Danny countered.

[drfeelbad]

"Well yes," said House. "Most very impressive magic is."

[london_spy]

"He thought it might ruin the balance in the realms," Danny explained, tucking it away and looking uneasy.

"It's safe with me though."

[drfeelbad]

"Do you have ways to protect yourself?" House asked. "Weapons? Spells?"

[london_spy]

"I never learned magic. I have a knife," Danny shrugged.

[drfeelbad]

"I'll make some things for you," said House. "And show you how to use them."

[london_spy]

"Okay," Danny said, though he felt a bit like he was taking advantage or being a burdon.

[drfeelbad]

House hesitated, and then decided he had to ask. "You ah... you weren't trying to run into me on purpose though, that day in the market? It's just quite a coincidence, for you to end up in the company of another powerful artificer."

Not humble, but it was accurate.

[london_spy]

"No offence, but I didn't know who you were. ...I'm still not clear on what you do, exactly. I didn't know what Alex did until after he died. He told me he worked for the king's treasury," Danny replied.

[drfeelbad]

House snorted, amused. "Okay, fair. Small world, I guess."

[london_spy]

Dreadfully tiny, on occasion," Danny agreed.

[drfeelbad]

"Let me think about what might be good for you to carry with you," House said thoughtfully. "I can put one-off spells into objects. Like... break something open and bam! Also I can probably work up a portable shield, but it will take some supplies..."

[london_spy]

"I'm sure anything's better than nothing," Danny assured him.

[drfeelbad]

House nodded. Then he poured himself some more tea. Before saying, "You still seem kind of skeptical that I actually want to help you," he said.

[london_spy]

"It's not that, It's... People who help me tend to get hurt," Danny shrugged.

[drfeelbad]

"Lucky for you I'm already hurt," House said. "Look it's fine, I can take care of myself. And also... there are plenty of people who already hate me."

[london_spy]

"But do they want you dead and out the way?" Danny asked. "This isn't a grudge, House."

[drfeelbad]

House wasn't entirely confident that wasn't true, but he understood the point, so he just shrugged.

"Your warning is noted," he said. "But I can take care of myself. Besides, I'm bored. At least helping you is interesting."