GRETA CATCHLOVE is too young for this. (wensleydale) wrote in find_horcruxes, @ 2009-08-20 12:06:00 |
|
|||
After talking the situation over with Addie, Greta could think of only one option, aside from actually talking to Benjy himself about their situation: talk to Doc. She couldn't even begin to call it any sort of relationship. They were seeing each other, dating casually, which should have been fine with her. She was young, she had her entire life ahead of her, and she shouldn't have been worrying so much about a man, but she couldn't stop thinking about it. She should have been perfectly happy with the way things were going, that much she knew. He continued to ask her out, and he seemed to have a good time with her, and she had a good time, but -- something was missing. Her first stop was the Hogs' Head. If Doc wasn't there, she wasn't sure where she'd go next. Couldn't go to their flat, just in case Benjy was there. And if Benjy was at the pub with Doc, well... she'd just act surprised. Right. Greta paused just inside the doorway and scanned the crowd. After not spotting any familiar faces, she stomped right up to the bar and planted herself on a stool right in front of Doc. "Hello Doc!" she greeted him, far too cheerfully for her mood. "I'm Greta, but you probably know that. I'm here enough, with Addie, after all. How are you?" Doc had made a habit of looking up everytime the door swung open as a security sort of arrangement. The sooner he caught anyone wandering in who wasn't welcome at the Inn -- and it did take an awful lot to manage the notoriety necessary to be tossed back out -- the less fuss it was for everyone inside, himself included. It was for that reason that he sighted the blonde that often came in with Addie Banges, and without any other company. That should have tipped him off that she was about to cross over to the bar where he was standing, but the logic under which Doc operated was to not make too many assumptions. Of course, as she did settle down in front of him, he knew his deductive reasoning was still in working order. It was a funny thing that Addie seemed to approach him of all people to talk, but not in the way of a laughing matter. And now Greta was here alone, and Doc could only wonder what the topic was going to be, trying not to assume that it was Benjy before she could say it herself. Doc gave Greta a nod of greeting, looking up now that he'd been addressed. "I can't complain, Greta," he replied, almost managing the smallest of smiles at how she had introduced herself despite having been in a handful of times in the past with Addie. "What can I do for you?" It was her call about how to take that question. He'd intentionally left it wide open. Oh, good, she thought, glad that he actually did look okay and wasn't just saying so -- although if he was anything like his friend (and she had a feeling he was), he wouldn't let on that anything was bothering him. He couldn't get mad at her, then, for pushing ahead with what she wanted, rather than talking about himself. "I wanted to talk," she explained, tilting her head to the side a little. There was no point beating around the bush, after all. She was only there for one reason. "You could get me a drink, too. Just a butterbeer. Not really in the mood for anything stronger," she added quickly. She would have felt guilty about bothering Doc and wasting his time and not ordering anything, especially if he actually had anything helpful to say. Lowering her voice a little automatically, even though she knew it wouldn't do any good if anyone really wanted to eavesdrop, she leaned in against the bar. "It's about Benjy. You know him better than I do, and since I can't figure him out for the life of me, I thought I'd come ask... although now that I'm here, I have no idea what to say." She sighed and pushed her hair out of her face. "We've gone out a few times now, and he told me about his parents which I think would be a big deal, at least talking about it, because he says he's not talkative, but he actually talks to me--" Greta knew she was rambling, but that was just how she was. "But he won't kiss me, and I have no idea why not. Or what's wrong." She didn't finish that last sentence, but she was starting to wonder what was wrong with her. As a matter of it being his job to, Doc reached for a mug, filling that one butterbeer while Greta explained. Too many people had a habit of cutting in before all that needed to be said had been said, and so he slid the drink over the counter to her and resumed simply listening. So it was Benjy, then. Hopefully Greta wouldn't ask about anything Benjy had said in regards to herself because that was a topic that Doc had not pursued. As far as he could tell, what Benjy did in his free time with Greta was between him and Greta. Matters of privacy. It was dating, not the drama programming on the WWN. "You're worried about his reasons for holding back," Doc summarised. It definitely was not about a simple kiss that Benjy wouldn't give her. It rarely ever was. "If he's otherwise willing to continue seeing you." It wasn't posed as a question, but Greta would likely sense that Doc was merely trying to grasp the situation first. "Yes!" she said excitedly. Greta didn't think she'd made herself clear, before, with her rambling. She didn't think she ever did when she was passionate or excited about something, or angry, so she was glad that he'd caught onto her meaning anyway. "Like I said, he seems interested in seeing me, because he keeps asking me out, or at least apologising when he gets too busy and I don't hear from him..." She inhaled slowly and then took a drink from her mug. It was time to calm down a little and try to voice her concerns properly. She didn't mind that he was busy, and it wouldn't be fair to demand more attention even if she did mind. That only sent men running. "Things are going fine, and then he's... eager to get me home. Why would he do that? I know, I should just ask him, but you know him better, and I was in the area, and... I don't know. I don't know why I'm concerned, because it's been great, getting to know him, but... I just fancy him and I can't read him at all." Her cheeks flushed lightly at her confession, but it was true, she did like him a lot so far. Most of what Greta was telling him was news to Doc, and he considered that an advantage. It was always easier to view the problem without having any predetermined thoughts about it. Here was Greta, clearly upset, and while Doc hadn't heard Benjy's side, he didn't believe Greta would come by to see him merely for the sake of drumming up trouble. There was a pause in which he leaned against the counter with his side, digesting the furthered story. It did make sense about Benjy getting Greta home when every week passing seemed to bring more frequent attacks, but there was definitely an element of timing that needed to be considered in conjunction with that. There was seeing her home safely after the date, and then there was seeing her home and making a fast exit for whatever other reason Benjy might have had. The benefit of the doubt given to Benjy, Doc started again, "Things aren't as safe as any of us likes to believe they are out there. Benjy's job may well have him used to danger, but it's possible that he's only looking after your safety." "He can do that without... making it seem like he's trying to get rid of me," she pointed out, even though he hadn't done exactly that. She was overreacting, most likely. He'd been a perfect gentleman every time she'd seen him, and it was sweet for him to want to keep her safe, and really, she hadn't felt like he was trying to get rid of her. She had been the one to end the date the night before, too, although that had been completely intentional, as a stupid test to try to get him to react. She hated that she'd turned into someone who did that sort of thing, but she just never wanted to leave, and that was the problem. She couldn't tell if he felt the same way. "I know he's probably just looking out for me," Greta conceded after a moment, "I know he's worried. And it's fine. It's nice, having someone like him worry about someone like me. I'm just not convinced it's only because he's worried. This is stupid, isn't it? I'm being stupid, I'm sorry. He's great. Really, he is. It's not like me to get all frustrated like this. Usually I just... say sod it, and then I move on." Doc nodded. It wasn't his obligation to defend Benjy, and he was certain Benjy wouldn't mind that he was trying to take the neutral approach by only using what he knew to make what he felt were sensible calls. As loyal as Doc was to those he considered friends, his respect for fairness often caused him to detach himself from them enough to actually be helpful. As he thought, at least. Someone had approached the bar, and Doc excused himself for the moment to fix them up with whatever they needed. Returning back, he picked up again. "I don't really have the insight into Benjy's thoughts, Greta," he told her, though he was certain she knew that much. "But there's nothing stupid about talking this out if it bothers you." He looked across the Inn's interior, briefly scanning over the patrons' faces. "And talking to someone that can be of more help than myself. Have you spoken with him about it?" Greta sighed. She should have expected that, instead of some brilliant insight into how someone else's mind worked. Or maybe she'd only gone to Doc in hopes that he'd mention it to Benjy and she wouldn't have to do anything else. She just about finished her drink in the few moments he was gone, mulling over her options and her thoughts. Although she knew she was something of an open book when it came to her emotions, putting all of her concerns out there like that was still a bit unnerving. "No," she said with another sigh. "I should. Next time. I'm not sure how to say it right, without sounding --" 'Desperate.' "Without putting any more pressure on him. Lord knows he doesn't need any more of that." She looked up from her mug with a faint smile. "Or you, either. I shouldn't've bothered you with this. He's just driving me a bit mad, and all his signals are getting me all mixed up, but... I'll sort it out." "I'll tell you what," Doc started again. He stopped only to give one last consideration before making her his offer. "I can talk with him. He doesn't need to know that you came to me." It didn't have to be meddling in their affairs, Doc rather thought. Greta came to him, and so he would talk with Benjy to make sure that nothing was absolutely wrong on Benjy's side of things. They could work the remainder out on their own as they well should. "I'm not promising a thing, but if there's something on his end going on, it'll be the least I can do as his mate -- if not because I'd like to help somehow." If she didn't want for that, all she had to say was 'no thanks' and there wouldn't be a single ounce of harm done. "Another drink?" Greta opened her mouth to object -- she didn't want him to be uncomfortable by her going around talking to other people about them -- but she should try to trust Doc. He wouldn't ruin it all for them, would he? At least not intentionally? "Well... all right," she said slowly, a brighter smile returning to her face. "I think I deserve to know, if there's anything going on that's getting in the way. I'd rather know and get on with life than sit around wondering." Even if it meant she'd never go on any more dates with him, that would be better than not knowing at all. She'd only come in for one drink, but one more wouldn't hurt. "Just one more, and then I'd better be on my way. Can't have you draining me of my entire paycheque, can we?" |