Bets and wagers
Written for @eliasbouchardweek
Day 7 - Favourite character dynamics
The results of the bets and wagers might seem to be suspiciously in Peter’s favour but it would be silly to suspect Elias might be the culprit. Why would he be cheating in favour of the other one?
.
.
.
One older man and one young man are sitting together playing cards in the older man’s office. The young man is having a surprisingly good time.
“Who would have guessed it is so easy to beat a servant of the Eye in cards. One more game?” Peter laughs, already putting cards back into the deck.
“You are really good at cards indeed.” James nods and struggles not to smile.
…
The older man could now be called simply old. The young man is still young even though his hair and beard are turning silver quite quickly.
“It seems I won the bet.” Peter laughs and collects his prize. Stock of papers with detailed information about people who encountered the Forsaken. As a member of Lukas family Peter who are so generously sponsoring the Magnus Institute, he would be entitled to get that information anyway. But who is James to ruin the fun.
“Hm, we should make another bet.”
“Sure. You really don’t like losing, do you?”
Of course, James doesn’t like losing. That is not what he is doing right now though…
…
One still quite a young man and one not so young man anymore meet to resolve the results of their latest bet again.
“For someone serving the Beholding you are terrible at predicting the future.” Peter collects his prize. At first look it is just a simple wedding ring. On closer look one who knows could notice that it is clearly a Lonely artefact.
“You do not have to rub it in.” Elias frowns. He is not really happy about giving up on any of his artefacts but how can the winning seem real if he is not willing to lose something he hates letting go?
“New body did not seem to improve your winning abilities.” Peter puts his trophy in his pocket. “So, what will we wager about this time?”
…
One middle aged man and one older man continue with their bets. The winner and loser are usually the same as always.
“Not your lucky day again, huh?” Peter takes stock of statements and documents talking about this new ridiculous obsession of his. The Extinction. Elias still doubts it is real. It was annoying putting it all together for him.
“Sometimes I doubt if you are not cheating,” he pouts and Peter rolls his eyes.
“One would expect you will learn how to lose by now.”
Soon. Soon Elias will collect the fruits of his labour.
…
Two older men meet again.
“One more victory and I will start believing you are letting me win.” Peter laughs but collects no prize as this time they forget to decide on a prize.
“Well, if you win the next bet, it might be the last one anyway.” Elias smiles.
“Oh? What do you mean?” Peter looks amused. He does not believe he could lose. Good.
“You will see as soon as I explain it all. Though I feel that this time I might be the one winning.”
“I doubt that. But very well let’s hear it then.”
Both of them are certain they know how this wager will end. Only one of them is correct.
…
One old man and one much older corpse are left alone in Panopticon.
“You would not believe how hard it sometimes was to arrange that you will win. You were always so terrible at gambling.” Elias’ sighs. He suspects he will not see his associate again. He will miss him a bit. He was the closest he had to a friend in these past years. Peter would hate to know that. Elias smiles but his smile is sad.
Future awaits! (…it can wait a little longer though)
Written for @eliasbouchardweek
Day 6 - Humanity
Read it on AO3
As per usual Barnabs does not understand the importance of Jonah’s work. That is nothing new. But how can he dare to suggest he might be just wasting his time?
…
“You have been lying in the books all day. You lie in them every day. What is one evening Jonah!” Barnabas cries dramatically as Jonah declines to accompany him to a party of… well… someone. Truth be told he was not really listening to the details of what his friend was saying as he had already made his mind not to go.
“One evening can change everything, Barnabas. Mr. Smirke finally got me those books he got from Mr. Raider… or Mr. Rainier? Never mind, I feel like I am finally close to something.” He waves with excitement towards piles of books surrounding his desk. His friend could not look any less impressed. As always.
“Mr. Smirke this, Robert that… you’ve been lately obsessed with those silly stories he has been constantly talking about. Really you are even worse than him. I never should have introduced you!”
“Barnabas, dear, it is not my fault you choose to remain ignorant to-”
“Oh, so just because I cannot engage in the boring talks about architecture, I am ignorant now?” Jonah takes a deep breath. He loves Barnabas, he truly does, he is always so full of joy and impressed by every little thing Jonah does. But sometimes he wishes he was a bit more able to engage in conversation about something else than gossip and art. He always compliments Jonah how smart and eloquent he is and listens to what he says but it is as if he was not really hearing the words.
“I have already tried to explain that it has nothing to do with architecture but you simply refuse to listen to what I am saying and-…”
“You are the one who refuses to hear what I am saying!” Barnabas raises his voice even more. He is red in the face with exasperation and it is not really a flattering colour for him… “I am not asking much, am I? Just one evening to spend with my friend?”
“But I am so close, please, just-”
“Just this one evening. Just this one day. Just this one week. You always say that,” Barnabas cries in accusation. Despite his claims that Jonah is not the one hearing him out, he does not even let him finish. Why is his friend always so hard to deal with?
“Listen to me it’s-”
“And you never seem to find anything you are looking for. Have you considered you are just wasting your time? No. No, I am sorry I dared to ask you to spend some time with your friends instead of your books. Enjoy your evening, Mr. Magnus.” He turns around and makes a point to slam the doors to Jonah’s study behind himself. Well that went well as always. Jonah signs and turns back to his books. Barnabas has always been hot-headed and selfish like this; he will soon come apologies from screaming at him like this.
However, the damage is done. Not to their friendship, of course not, but to Jonah’s determination. There is the seed of doubt. The curse that has its grasp on everyone who is about to make a life changing discovery.
Have you considered you are just wasting your time?
What a silly question from a silly man. Of course that he has considered it. How could he not? Sometimes he is so determined and he sees so clearly how things are. Sometimes he feels he is so close to understanding the nature of the Entities Smirke was talking about. He feels connected to one of them, he Knows he will be able to See so much when he will fully embrace it…
But some days he struggles to comprehend anything and he feels like it is all slipping between his fingers. And the questions come. What if he is wasting his life? What if he is seeing things where there are none? What if Smirke is a madman and he is a fool who has fallen for lies he tells?
He needs to take his mind off this all, from his research for a second. The books will still be there in a few hours.
Jonah gets up and buttons his waistcoat rushing out of the door.
“Barnabas, wait! I’ll go with you after all”
Why should he not indulge himself a bit and enjoy the simple human pleasures for a bit. Why not let himself be tempted for once. It is in his nature as he is still just a human. For now, at least.
Pocket Watch
Written for @eliasbouchardweek
Day 5 - modern / old fashioned
Read it on AO3
The pocket watch used to be brand new and modern. Now it is antique and old fashioned. That is simply how the passing of time works
…
“You are late,” Mordechai says instead of greeting as soon as Jonah slides into the chair opposite to him. Of course, that he was sitting at the furthest corner of the main area of one of the most exclusive gentlemen’s clubs. Jonah’s membership might or might not be obtained through some questionable means.
“I have been doing great, thank you for asking.”
“Do not waste more of my time with pleasantries.” Mordechai seems to be in a bad mood today. Which is no surprise as he always seems to be in a bad mood. There was a time when Jonah felt unnerved and nervous by it. Not anymore. Mordechai loves to make any conversation with him as unpleasant as possible but he rarely mirrors his real opinion of feelings towards the topic of conversation or his conversation partner.
“It has been what five minutes?” Jonah looks at the clock on the wall. “I left the house on time, I swear, but then I ran into my neighbour and-…”
“Here.” Mordechai hands him a pocket watch. Jonah gives his companion a confused look but he takes it and for lack of another instruction he opens it to check time there as well. Pocket watches are quite expensive in general but this one looks like there was extra care put into it, not to mention it seems to be brand new. It takes him a few seconds of admiring the craftsmanship before he remembers he was about to check what time it claims to be.
“Your pocket watch is showing exactly the same time as the clock in the room. Do not try to claim I am more delayed than I actually am.” Jonah frowns still mildly confused and hands it back to its owner but Mordechai shakes his head.
“Keep them.”
“What? I cannot! I mean they must have been quite expensive…”
Mordechai just shrugs as if he could not care about the fortune the watch must have cost him. “You were complaining that I haven’t given anything for your birthday anyway. So, pretend it is just a belated gift from your… acquaintance.” Is Jonah imaging it or is there a little smirk on his face?
“Thank you?” He is still hesitant, expecting there to be some trick as he puts them in the pocket on his waistcoat.
“Just make sure to use them and arrive on time since no you have no excuse not to know it. Anyway, can we finally get to business?”
Jonah would not really say he changed a lot during the more than two hundred years of his lifetime. No one who really used to know him is still around so no one could really argue with him about it. Though sometimes there indeed are moments when he is willing to admit he did not remain exactly the same.
…
For example, his opinion on punctuality has changed.
“You are late.” Elias frowns as Peter Lukas finally enters his office three quarters of an hour after the time they agreed upon. He is leaning on the front side of his desk, pocket watch in his hand and giving his guest a disapproving look. Even though it might look like he has been waiting like this for the entire duration of his delay he has actually been standing there for past half a minute as Peter finally got close to approaching his doors.
“Your Institute is a maze. And I am not that late.” Back in his days being ‘not that late’ had a slightly different meaning.
“It has been almost an hour. Feel free to check for yourself,” Elias shows him his pocket watch. Peter does not really bother to look at the time it shows nor admire how nice and well preserved it looks and just sits down with a scoff.
“Pocket watch? Really? How old-fashioned of you.”
Elias smiles. “They were brand new and a peak of modern technology when they were gifted to me.”
“I do sometimes forget how old you are.”
“Old fashioned or not they are much more importantly functional. Maybe I should consider getting one for you as well on some occasion…”
Elias: Peter and I are very close we always finish each other sentences.
Peter: …
Elias: Peter does the silence after finished sentence. :)
Everything is ready
Written for @eliasbouchardweek
Day 1 - Favorite Canon Scene
There is one letter waiting to be read before everyone arrives and things finally get interesting.
…
“Thank you for the coffee, Rosie,” Elias takes a cup from his receptionist. He never asks her to make him a coffee. It is just something she does sometimes. I was already making a cup for myself, it is not a bother, really, she told him once he questioned her about it. It is very nice of her. It also happens to be a smart cover story she can use in case he catches her snooping around his office when he is not there. He can appreciate the amount of carefulness put into the habit of indulging her own curiosity.
“You’re welcome. I was thinking about taking my lunch break now, if that’s all?” Rosie looks at the tall antique grandfather clock standing in the corner of the office of the Head of the institute.
Elias knows what time they are showing. He looks towards them as well.
“Would you mind delaying it for another half an hour?”
“No problem.” Rosie does not stop politely smiling but her eyes show her unhappiness. She knows that in half an hour the cafeteria will likely run out of her cheesecakes that are available only on Thursdays. Well, she will have to survive it, Elias will need her assistance for what is to come. “Do you have some work for me, Elias?”
“Not yet.” She is not very happy with his answer. “You can go now.”
“Just call me if you need anything.”
As soon as she leaves his office Elias’ sight turns back the clock. He should be getting ready.
First though, he checks his desk. He wants to make sure it is clean and all in order since he is about to have a lot of visitors in his office. He hides a stock of documents in the table as he would hate for them to get messed up. Only paper he leaves is one ready to be signed employment contract.
Now back to the clock. He measures them with his eyes as if he did not know very well how tall they are. It has been residing in his office for quite a while. It was a gift from Kempthorne when he was moving to Australia. It is a nice memento. Call him sentimental but he likes keeping around a thing or two reminding him of his friends from the times he was Jonah. Anyway, the clock itself is not as important as the thing hidden on top of them.
He takes one of his guest chairs and pulls it to them. As embarrassing as it is, he will probably need it to reach everything comfortably. His current body has much more… delicate frame than his previous two which were a bit taller. He climbs on the chair to get a better view at the top of the clock.
“Hello, Barnabas” Jonah greets a pile of bones, “apologies I have not been paying you much attention lately, have I? Then again… I had never been paying you as much attention as you would like.” He reaches for the skull and gently picks it up so he can get to the real reason he is here. The neatly folded piece of paper hidden under it.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have much time for you now, excuse me, yes I just needed to borrow your letter for a second.” Jonah puts the letter into safety of his pocket. Then he places Barnabas’ skull back, but not before pressing his lips in a short kiss on a place where his forehead used to be. He should really be cleaning dust of his friend more often.
“See you later, dear friend.” He gets down from the chair and puts it back to its place before sitting back behind his table.
A tape recorder appeared on his desk in the meantime. Ah, so it is about to begin. The tape recorder clicks. Elias reaches for the phone. And dials a number.