WHO: Harry Dresden and Sarissa WHAT: Harry goes to check in on a friend WHEN: Today WARNINGS: some minor innuendo STATUS: Closed and Complete
Harry was feeling a need to check in on people. He had fewer and fewer people to check in on these days. The losses were mounting up and he was feeling a little battered and bruised. On the other hand, it gave him excuses to make massive amounts of brownies and other foods and share them.
Which didn’t help as much as he hoped it would, but it help him to keep busy.
Which partially explained why he was knocking at Sarissa’s door with a bag full of a tray of brownies, a tuna casserole, a loaf of freshly baked bread, and a small tub of ziti.
***
It was good timing: Sarissa was just wondering what she wanted for dinner when he knocked. Deciding to put aside the decision, for now, she went to open the door - and smiled when she saw Harry.
Winter and Summer may be mortal enemies, but Harry was a friend. As long as they could keep their Mantles at bay, they could stay that way.
“I smell food,” she remarked as she opened the door for him. She didn't let him in just yet, though. Harry was a friend, yes, but they were both always in danger of their Mantles taking over. She needed a moment to make sure this wasn't the case.
***
“You absolutely do. Tuna casserole, bread, ziti, and brownies.” He smiled lopsidedly, but there was a definite side of tiredness and sadness to his look. Deep down, Winter raged at the sight of its mortal enemy, but against the towering rage and sorrow of a Wizard Full, it had not a chance in the hells.
“It's been a rough week or so. Want some company?”
***
He did look rough, Sarissa realized once she'd looked past the Winter chill. Yes, this was Harry, who'd pushed himself too hard again. She wondered what for.
“Come in,” she finally said, opening the door wider.
Once he was in, she took the food from him and went to the kitchen to prepare it. She could have easily used magic for it, but she was still trying to use her powers as little as possible.
“Have a seat. Do you want something to drink? Tea? Water? Liquor?”
***
“Water, please.” He was restricting how much liquor he took in most days, these days. It was best to keep some feelings on the leash.
He found a seat where he could face her as she worked.
“How’ve you been?” See! He could even do small talk!
***
Even without magic, Sarissa was quick and efficient. She was able to come back with plates of food for both of them plus Harry’s water before she replied.
“Peaceful.” To someone who'd spent so much of her time in Tir Na Nog, peace was valuable to the extreme. “I'm enjoying not being in mortal danger all the time. You?”
***
“Oh yes? Good. Good.” He smiled at that news. She deserved the quiet. Her question led to him taking a long swallow of water before answering.
“Less peaceful, but much more so than home. Definitely enjoy that aspect as well. Missing a few people, but… it is a good city to live in.” Which was an answer, but not the whole answer, and avoided it, neatly.
***
Sarissa had lived among the Fae long enough to know when a question was being avoided, though.
She lifted an eyebrow and asked, gently, “What’s going on?”
***
Harry blinked, his cup halfway to his mouth, sighed, and put it down again.
“Sybil was sent home. “ A simple sentence, a simple phrase, meaning much, and little, with the weight of a mountain on it.
“Led to me feeling the need to make sure the few people I call friends here are still here.” much as he had checked in after a previous tragedy. Harry was terrible at day to day keeping up, but he cared and would come should trouble call, but also should worry call. Worry was, often, his worst sin, these days.
***
“Oh, I'm sorry to hear it,” Sarissa said, empathetic. She hadn't met Sybil herself, but she'd seen the way Harry’s face softened whenever he talked about her. Anyone who could make the world-weary Harry Dresden look at peace was someone special indeed.
“Is there anything I can do?”
***
Harry smiled uncertainly. “I haven’t a clue. I really have no idea how to act or think. Last time I had a breakup I didn’t handle it well. This time, I am trying to do better, but I am having… trouble.” He waved at the stuff he had brought.
“Hence the checking in and the cooking, lots of cooking.” He nodded.
“But just… being you is good, I think?” He was truly at a loss, even as he was trying to not shut down.
***
“Yes, I can see that.”
Sarissa gave him a wry smile. “For what it's worth, it seems you're really growing as a person. The Harry Dresden I knew would've taken his frustrations out by blowing things up.”
***
Harry looked down and nodded. “I know. I am not sure I am growing, really, so much as… getting older.” He chuckled at his own silly self-pity and shook it away, looking up at her with a lopsided glance.
“And being far too emo. Sorry.”
***
“You're hardly the first mortal to ponder his age and mortality,” Sarissa pointed out. “Although you haven't even reached middle age yet, as a wizard, so that might be premature.”
She gestured to his plate. “Go on, eat. It'll help.”
***
“True. I just feel old.” He offered her a salute, grinning a little and dug in, waving at her to do the same.
After a few bites, and some chewing and swallowing in peaceful quiet, he spoke again.
“Thank you, Sarissa. For… being here.” This was nice, just… nice. He could deal with this.
***
“It's what friends do for each other,” Sarissa replied, smiling at him. He'd been there for her when she'd struggled with her powers. Spending time with him when he was hurting and missing the girl he liked was the least she could do.
“And,” she added as she took a sip of her fruit juice, “if you find you have an itch you need to scratch, I can help as well.”
***
Harry was sipping his water as she said that, and the resultant reaction caused him to go into a coughing fit as he stared at her, gasping, and coughing, and possibly falling off his chair.
What did she just say?
She couldn’t mean… holy stars and garters!
***
Oh, that reaction was perfect. Sarissa serenely sipped her water while trying not to laugh. She'd been sincere in her offer - Harry’s brand of chivalry had always appealed to her - but she wasn't expecting him to take her up on it. At least not right away, when he was still hurting over his loss. If nothing else, she'd distracted him from his pain for a while.
And if he did take her up on it at one point...well, at least she'd be a willing partner in it, rather than doing it as part of her duty.
***
So mean. Harry shook his head. “You are a mean woman. And a good friend. Thank you, Sarissa.” He didn’t think she was serious, from his point of view. But he was grateful for the friendship and the humor.
From a situation neither of them had asked for, he found himself feeling drawn to the friendship that grew stronger every day with her. A joy that made him smile… even as he cleaned up his mess.
***
Sarissa passed the box of Kleenex to him so he could clean up the water he'd spit out in his shock.
“It's what friends are for,” she said, echoing what she'd said earlier. This time, however, there was an edge of amusement - and entertainment.