Re: [ER: Newt & Patrick]
"The fringe, we call it," Newt informed Patrick, as if he wasn't at all acknowledging this behavior on his part. "You call them... erm, bangs." It sounded horrible to him, but Americans were odd creatures. Still, he'd a fondness for them, didn't he? "You need to stop being observant." This was said with a feigned severity, but, Newt was glad, anyway, that Patrick seemed capable of chuckling. It was hardly heartfelt, but it was something. "It's always easier concerning ourselves with other people's troubles." That much was true. It was true as well that anger wasn't an emotion the man felt overly often. "Adrian had his reasons for doing this. I couldn't say what they are, since you said you'd not discussed his comments to you on the forum. But, I'm certain he thought he was acting to help you. I'm not troubled or angry about that. I'm—I don't think he went about it well and I'm afraid I think he's rather selfish. That you should suffer for that, that doesn't sit particularly well with me. Please don't excuse him."—Patrick was, in many cases, clear-eyed about the behavior of his siblings. He was loyal to them and he loved them, but he wasn't blind. But, he did have a habit of explaining their behavior to Newt, when Newt himself was quite capable of making himself second guess his own emotional reactions. And, the fact remained, while all of what Newt said was true, it was hardly the most important thing to grapple with this evening, especially for Patrick.
And, Newt'd not lied. Adrian had told him about Patrick. Newt simply didn't clarify to say he'd had to push it from the elder brother. That, it felt to him, he'd practically had to beg to get Adrian to so much as acknowledge that someone ought know where the hell Patrick was. So, when Patrick seemed to accept Newt's... erm, omission without seeming to understand that it was an omission, well, that was just fine by Newt. Then, he patted Patrick's knee, and listened to the younger man tell him of how Connie'd made him feel better. "Would it help if I put you in a headlock? I will. Just for you. If I'd known patting your knee was unbearably mushy, I'd've punched you to make up for it." Newt wasn't being serious, even if his delivery was dry. And while there would, perhaps, be knee-patting involved between Newt and Jack, well, it wasn't as if it came from any real history. Everything forged between them was new.—When Patrick said Adrian hadn't come, it wasn't surprising to Newt. In fact, he'd rather expected that. But, he did feel badly for Patrick. He knew it would've made a difference. "Perhaps he'll come soon." He'd ask him to, if the bugger wouldn't do it himself. "Connie could handle this, Patrick. She's an adult." Surely that was true, wasn't it? "But, she needn't know if it's not what you want."