Sam Winchester (sammmy) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-10-01 00:21:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !complete, percy weasley, sam winchester |
Who: Percy + Sam Winchester
When: Mid September
Where: Law Offices of Weasley & Winchester
What: Talking
Rating/Warning: Low, talk of depression
Status: Complete
Sam brought the coffee pot and a couple of mugs with him to Percy’s office. They’d been working a lot, and it was time to hire on some help. He was hoping to get the okay from Percy to give Padme a formal job offer letter. Even though she didn’t have her Bar results back, she would surely be more help around the office than some of the interns they’d had mucking up the place.
Also, Sam couldn’t help but notice that Percy had been a bit… off… lately. And Sam wanted to check in. He himself had been a bit distant, but mostly because he’d been buried in work.
Sam knocked on the open office door and held up the coffee pot.
Percy glanced up, like he was surprised to see anyone in his doorway at all -- nearly a jump in his seat before his shoulders relaxed somewhat. He turned his attention back to the word he’d been in the middle of writing, finished it off and then glanced back up at his partner.
“Sam,” he greeted, eyes on the coffee pot. That looked like it could save his life, in some regards. “Come in?”
“Thanks.” Sam moved over to the desk, set the mugs down, and then poured. “Thought you might need a cup of this as much as I do,” he commented. Of course, he wanted to ask Percy how he was doing, to make sure the other man was all right, but he wasn’t sure how to approach the subject. And he needed a bit of a breather himself, so… he flopped into a chair in front of Percy’s desk with a sigh.
“I appreciate it,” Percy said, although his expression was oddly cautious. He knew full well what his mood made him like around others, but had rather been hoping Sam might stay oblivious to it all.
He took the mug when it was full and then pulled out packets of sugar and powdered creamer form the little reserve he had in the top drawer of his desk. “Long day,” he said, awkward.
Sam nodded. He’d take his coffee black today. It seemed like a black coffee day. The pot was empty now, so he set it beside the chair on the floor. Empty, but still hot. The carpet would make for a nice buffer between the hot glass and anything else, allowing it to cool slowly and not hurt anything in the process. “Very long. They all seem to be long lately. I’m thinking it’s time to bring in another lawyer, and I have one in mind.”
“Padme,” Percy said, prompt in response but a little flat in tone. Not because he didn’t like the woman, just because he wasn’t getting excited about much lately. He couldn’t seem to manage it. “I did ask her well over a month ago if she’d be interested -- I enjoyed her study ethics. She never quite got back to me.”
“I think she may have been concerned about the Bar at the time?” Sam said, then shrugged. “I figure we can offer her a position as a Legal Aid, and when her results come in she can move up in the firm.” Sam suggested, hoping that Percy would agree with him. Though, he absolutely noticed the flat tone and lack of excitement. He’d been noticing it a lot out of Percy lately.
“We could use the help,” Percy said, because it was hard not to agree with that kind of logic. The days were long even for him, and he tended to never mind staying late or arriving early. He looked down at his mug of coffee before lifting it, and just letting the warmth of it seep into his fingers. “You should ask her.”
“All right. I will.” Sam said with a nod, then sipped from his mug. He brought it back down and held it between his hands in his lap, watching Percy across the desk. “Are you all right?”
Percy glanced up, but didn’t seem particularly surprised at the question. If he hadn’t been talking to Wilson on and off throughout the week about this very thing, he supposed he might have found it easier to lie or brush it off. Anyway, Sam was his friend. He considered, sipped his coffee, and then offered an apologetic smile. “Not really. But I’m trying not to let it affect my work.”
“Well, I haven’t noticed anything affecting your work,” Sam said, breaking into a bit of a frown. It was true. Percy was a damn good lawyer, and though he looked really… blue… in the hallway and file room, it hadn’t affected his work so far. “Is there anything I can do?”
He set his mug back down, tilted it so that it lined up evenly between the grain of the wood on his desk. Awkward, he thought. Then again, when didn't he make things awkward?
"No, probably not. It isn't as if my dog died or anything. I just get --" he paused, feeling silly and annoyed about it, shook his head and spread his fingers as if to say like this. He chewed his inner lip for a moment. "James is -- well. I'm going to talk to someone about it. But I appreciate it, Sam. I do.”
Sam was about to say something like ‘I understand,’ but stopped himself. He didn’t really understand. He could sympathize, but not empathize. With a gentle shrug of his shoulders, Sam finally spoke. “I think that’s a good idea. And I’m here, should you need anything. Really.” He nodded once, as if that settled the matter. “Let me know if you need help researching therapists. I’ve done a bit already, so I can pass that along, anyway.”
Percy flushed, looking a little embarrassed over it, but then gave a half a nod. "Yes. Maybe." It was probably unhealthy just how much he wanted to resist seeking out help, because this was just who he was and he shouldn't have to change.
Except being depressive kind of sucked, and that was being nice about it.
"It would help, if you cared to email me a list." He looked back down at his coffee and then shrugged. "You're a good friend, Sam."
“Sure. Not a problem.” Sam went to a counselor off and on. Off more now that he had Deryn, but losing his girlfriend in a house fire during college had really messed him up. Then came the horrible dreams. He’s had a lot of things he needed to work through, and wasn’t above the understanding that he needed help to get through them.
“Thanks, Perce. You’re a good friend, too.”
Percy brushed that off like he didn’t quite believe it, but would take it anyway. “So you should… call or email Padme?”
“I will.” Sam said, then stood from his chair. “I’ll handle it. Don’t work too hard.” He said, then collected up the coffee pot, and turned to head out of the room. “Try to get a solid night’s sleep.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Percy murmured, glancing back down at his coffee and giving it a tiny smile that wasn’t honest, but an attempt at it.