Who: The brothers Grimm What: Jacob being a mother hen, basically When: Wednesday Night Where: Wil's room
Jacob could tell something was bothering Wil, and that bothered him. It wasn't often they didn't tell each other everything, and Jacob didn't like being in the dark regarding how Wil was feeling. No matter how many times Wil repeated that he was fine over the internet, Jacob was going to panic until he actually saw the look on Wil's face and knew he wasn't hiding anything while he said it out loud.
He gathered a few things together and then knocked on Wil's door, even though Jacob had said he was going to come speak to Wil. His arms were full of wine, cheese and crackers. A fairly posh snack for an 'are you alright' conversation, sure. But Jacob preferred it that way.
"Wil, open the door please? My hands are full of wine and cheese."
Wil put down the book he'd been reading and went to the door, pulling it open with an exasperated sigh.
"I told you, nothing's going on," he said, indicating the end of his desk as a place to put the plate. "Did you bring a cheese platter to interrogate me with?" His brother's tendency to mother hen him was a little annoying, especially when he was harbouring secrets he wasn't willing to share yet.
"Not exactly," Jacob said with a shrug. "I've also missed you lately and I thought it might be nice to spend some time together. I don't want to interrogate you, Wil. I just want to make sure I haven't upset you somehow."
"You haven't. It's fine." Wil waved a hand dismissively and pulled up a spare chair for Jacob to sit down on. "Just you're being so friendly to Wil now. I thought you found him a bit annoying, that's all. Just wondering what's changed."
"Ah," Jacob said, taking a seat in the chair that Wil had provided. "Me. I am what has changed. I don't want to be the same, grumpy old hermit I've been for decades upon decades. I suppose even as few as twenty years ago I wouldn't bother reaching out to someone like Hans because it would have been too much effort. I guess now I don't mind a little bit of effort. Does that bother you, Wil?"
"No. Not in the least." Wil shrugged a shoulder like it didn't matter. And it didn't, now he was aware that Jacob wasn't interested in Hans. "I suppose it's a good idea for you to branch out a bit." He shrugged a shoulder and reached for some cheese.
"I am going to be involved with raising a child, I probably shouldn't close myself off like I used to. And once you spend time with Hans, though I must admit the time I spent with him was minimal, he is quite interesting and we had a little in common. He played his violin for me, which was absolutely breathtaking. I may have misjudged him in the past. You seem incredibly interested in my thoughts on Hans, Wil. And I can't help but wonder why."
"It's your branching out that got her pregnant," Wil said, a sly smile on his face. He did like teasing Jacob when he could. "I don't have a reason. It's just been a while since we've met a contemporary of ours, and it's just... interesting. He's interesting." He shrugged like it was no big deal. The letters hidden in his desk seemed to be glowing in his mind, showing his guilt.
"He is," Jacob agreed. "Here," Jacob reached for the bottle of wine and he unscrewed the lid before handing it to his brother. "So my spending time with Hans, in the limited capacity I have, and speaking to him isn't upsetting you? You come first, Wil. Always. If it is upsetting you, I won't speak to him any more."
"No! It's fine! It doesn't upset me." Wil hurriedly shook his head. "I'm not upset. You don't talk that much. I was just wondering why the change of heart, and you've explained it, so, it's all fine." He took the wine bottle and poured out two glasses, handing one to Jacob with a smile.
Jacob took the glass and he sipped deeply from it. Something still felt a little off, but he didn't want to push. He hadn't seen much of Wil and he didn't feel like spending this time fighting.
"I'm glad it doesn't upset you. How do you feel about Hans? I only as because when I said I considered him charming, you didn't sound as if you agreed."
Wil hoped his slight blush wasn't too obvious. "I don't know. He tries too hard to make you like him. He talks himself up and then he's excessively self-depreciating." He hid behind his wine glass, talking a long sip. "I suppose he's likeable, when he wants to be."
Jacob accepted that with a slight nod and he didn't ask any further questions about Hans. "That is fair, I suppose. On a completely different topic, I have missed you lately. I've been pouting at the books in the library. They were not sympathetic."
Wil laughed. "Of course they weren't. But my articles are finished now. Haven't you been spending time with your Muse?" He helped himself to more cheese and crackers, glancing sideways at Jacob. "I haven't heard an update from her in a while. Is she doing okay?"
"She isn't my muse," Jacob said carefully, "and she's doing fine." Jacob knew Clio was upset because she didn't enjoy the month of March. Memories got to her. But she wasn't curled up in a corner with no shoes on. "The baby is fine as well. I met the baby's godfather. It's Saint Patrick! I wouldn't have expected a Greek to get along with a Catholic, but they seem like good friends."
Wil laughed. "This community we've got ourselves involved in is really quite eclectic. Saint Patrick? Are we going to be bumping into Jesus Christ on the streets too?" He chortled to himself and sipped his wine. "So what was the saint like? Did he seem extra holy?"
"No, he didn't seem holy at all. He seemed...energetic. I want to get his story out of him sometime. It would be pretty fascinating. I read up on him and some of the stuff is pretty out there. There are local legends of him turning people into foxes. Which sounds a lot like our area." Jacob finally reached for some cheese and then he washed it down with some wine. "What were the articles you were writing about?"
"Oh, just some stuff about literacy and language for an education journal." Wil waved a hand dismissively. "It's interesting if you want to read it. It's on my computer." He chewed thoughtfully on some cheese for a minute. "A lot of those legends can cross-over into our department. A lot of the people we've been meeting lately can cross-over into our department. It's kind of bizarre."
"I enjoy it," Jacob said with a grin. "But you know that. The way the elements of a person's story come together is fascinating to me. As are literacy, language and education. I most certainly will take a look at that. So you're doing well then? Happy and...healthy and okay?"