Who: Ben and Willis What: Checking in on the Reverend When: 28th August, 1950 Where: Willis’ Room in the communal tent Rating: Low Status: Complete
A few weeks had passed since the fire in the church tent, it was almost completely destroyed by fire and thankfully no one had been killed and the injured were recovering or had recovered. Ben wasn’t there when it had happened, he was in bed with Fitz at the time and had run out to extinguish the flames which probably saved quite a few lives. He had heard whispers that always seemed to go around after events like this, that it was Bella that had caused it, she had gone in there yelling at the Reverend and the candles were hovering and then someone disturbed her, the candles fell down and that was what started the fire.
While he didn’t really know Willis all that well Ben did know that the man was having a hard time at the moment and could probably use someone to talk to who wasn’t a devout Christian. With a few bottles of beer in his hand he walked to the communal tent and found the Reverend’s small corner. “Are you here?” He asked, not finding a door to knock on.
--
Willis had been hiding since the fire. His ghost form, benign invisible to the world, was actually quite easy and felt natural to him. He’d come out of it to get food and other necessities, but for the most part had stayed hidden away. It was her words that haunted him. She’d been right in his feelings for her. He’d never felt love for anyone but God. And even that was not the same love one would have for a lover. But, that’s not what plagued his every moment. Bella had called a “demon”. How could she believe that? He wasn’t a demon. Demons were servants of Satan- or so he believed. And he was a man of God. But-
But what if it was Satan? What if the knowledge that we bestowed upon him, what guided him to test God’s children wasn’t God himself… but Satan? The idea made him sick.
Sat on his bed, he was reading his bible- something he’d done over and over since that Sunday. Of course, others couldn’t see him and assumed he was out. But, when he heard Ben on the other side of the partition that blocked his small space from the rest, he hesitated to ‘stay away’. The man had helped people that day, put the fire out when he could do nothing to help. Had probably saved his life to be honest. With a sigh, he de-ghosted and stood. He walked over and moved the curtain that hung from the ceiling aside and looked at the Elemental. He didn’t know the man too well, he wasn’t one of his flock typically- though his husband was. He’d been happy to wed them and, of course, had worked with him and the rest of the Ten-in-One while doing their Bally. While his job didn’t require him to actually work direct with the performers on a close basis, like they did with each other, he was acquainted enough to know that Ben had his own demons, but was an honest man- where it counted.
“Mr. Du Terte.” He said with a nod. “What do I owe th’visit? Everythin’ alright with th’ mister?”
--
As Ben had not seen Willis around Zion he assumed that either the Reverend was either in his tent, or if he wasn’t then probably somewhere out in the city, he’d give it a minute or so just in case and if the other man wasn’t there than he’d take the beers back to his own trailer and enjoy one with Fitz later that night.
He wasn’t sure what he was going to say but even if he didn’t end up saying anything at all, sometimes just having someone to listen to your problems could be therapeutic and maybe that was what Willis was needing right now, someone to listen and not to judge.
When the curtain was pushed aside Ben wasn’t exactly surprised by the looks of the man standing in front of him, as his grand-pere used to say ‘looked like he got run over by the king’s horses and carriage’ and it wasn’t far from the truth, the Reverend looked horrible, He blinked for a moment before smiling a bit at the question, “The monsieur is fine, but I do hate drinking alone.” He held up his hand, the two bottles hung from his fingers.
--
At first, Will was inclined to send Ben on his way. However, he’d finished the last of his reserves two nights prior and he’d found it hard to sleep since he couldn’t quiet his mind. He was already having issues with ignoring the whispers telling him of the sins around him on the nights the carnival was full. It was getting to the point that the sins of those who worked there were getting louder and almost painful to avoid testing. But he’d promised Kristoph and until he figured out if it was God or Satan whispering in his ear- he was reluctant to act.
With a nod the reverend stepped back and let the other man enter. “Preciate it.” He said with a nod. “Suppose it’d be only right to accept the offer a’kindness.”
--
Ben was definitely right that Wilis could do with a drink just by looking at the man, he had seen this kind of behaviour before, friends back in Paris but thankfully he hadn’t gone like this when he and Fitz fled to London. He almost wished that he had brought more than just the two bottles along with him, the Reverend’s drinking ability was kind of common knowledge amongst those in Zion but something no one talked about. Maybe some other time he’d bring something a bit stronger.
He stepped into the small room surrounded by canvas, it was exactly the same accommodation that he and Fitz had started with when they first arrived in Zion until Ben had earned enough money to purchase a wagon which then became their home. A finger was placed onto the top of one bottle, the heat from Ben’s touch expanding the metal cap which popped off without effort, he then handed the bottle to Willis and did the same with the other one, putting both caps in his pockets, he knew his husband liked shiny things. “It’s not as nice as that beer we used to get up north, but it’s not too bad.”
--
“Some a’the brews they had in th’last place were pretty interestin’ too.” He replied, taking the bottle with a nod. He placed the bottle on the small table next to his bed and ventured out of his ‘room’ briefly, returning with a chair from the public area. “Please, sit.” Willis insisted, as he took a seat on the edge of his bed. As he took a drink from the bottle he sighed slightly. It really didn’t matter the taste, it was the effect he was hoping for. It wouldn’t get him drunk, but maybe it would do enough to let him sleep.
--
What Willis had said was true, 2020 did have a lot of interesting alcoholic beverages. Not that he was a big drinker but in the few months that they were there he and FItz had tried all kinds of different kinds of drinks on their nights off and trips into the city. They had also hidden quite a few bottles in areas around their wagon for when they finally got back to 1920 and Prohibition.
He smiled when a chair was brought in and he took the offered seat. “Enjoy it while we can because when we get back to our own time, it will all be illegal and I doubt anyone is looking forward to that.” Ben said, taking a sip.
--
He had been stockpiling for just that reason. What good that did him now. “I didn’t get a chance to say it th’other day.” Will said, changing the topic. “But I wanted to thank you for jumping in and helpin’ everyone… with th’fire. Hate ta think what woulda happened had y’not been there.”
--
Looking up from his beer, Ben offered a little smile at the thanks from Willis about helping with the fire. "I am sorry that I didn't get there sooner." Though he knew that he had done a lot as it is - controlling the fire before it completely burnt through the tent and spread - there was a part of him that felt bad that he wasn't amongst those gathered and could've stopped the fire before it even got a chance. But hindsight was a wonderful thing and Ben did what he could, probably saving a lot of lives.
--
“You where there when it mattered. That’s what counts. And ya saved a lot a’lives.” He assured the firebender. Willis raised his bottle to the other man and took another drink. “More n’I could do.”
--
There were still a few recovering from burns and injuries sustained during the fire but no one had been killed and that was the main thing that stuck in Ben's mind, if he hadn't quelled the fires half of Zion could've got burnt down. "You're right. Fire is very unforgiving, it cannot tell the difference between objects and people, it just consumes." It had taken him a while to come to terms with his element and the destructive power it held.
--
A gentle ‘tink, tink’ could be heard as his finger tapped the glass of the bottle thoughtfully. What did they say about a woman scorned? But what had he done? His mind ran over and over the moments in his mind, trying to think of what he’d said, what he’d done to turn Bella so far against him that she’d lash out in public… and during service. And why had she called him a demon? Where had that idea even come from? One might have thought it hyperbole, but knowing the creatures that lived in Zion… and the conviction of the word, the way she said it. It wasn’t an accusation of character. It was a statement of fact- or fact she believed. It was false of course- she was wrong. He was sure of it.
He wanted to be sure of it.
He wasn’t sure anymore.
--
It didn't go unnoticed that Willis had gone quiet and Ben could tell that the other man had a lot on his mind and was probably lost in his own thoughts, it happened to them all at one time or another.
Taking a sip or two of his beer Ben just sat there, though he did start softly humming a tune so it wasn't completely silent, he knew Willis would snap out if his daze soon enough
--
“Sorry.” He said shaking his head. “Guess I got a lot on my mind.” Which was an understatement. “Still tryin’ ta get my mind around what Bella said, why she did it.” He was sure everyone in camp knew about it by now. The way things spread. Her words would be common knowledge.
--
That was definitely an understatement. "Who knows why any of us say what we do?" Willis had clearly said or done something to upset Bella which caused her to lash out, but calling someone a demon? Ben knew they had 'angels' in Zion, even though they were nothing like those in the Bible, so why couldn't there be demons? "Maybe she didn't literally mean the dark, horned servants of Satan kind of demon. It could be that you put your relationship with God above all else and she doesn't like it." Really Ben was rambling, he didn't know why Bella had said what she did.
--
“She knew of my commitment to God.” He shook his head. “It’s been no secret.” Bella had been helping him with church services and his duties as a spiritual guide for those who needed it in Zion practically since they’d known each other. “She said I couldn’t love.” And she wasn’t completely wrong. Willis had not felt for Bella the same as she’d felt for him. All he’d been able to do was mimic her feelings back to her. “I’m not sure she wasn’t right.” He muttered, taking another drink.
--
There was a time when Ben could've said the same for himself, back in Paris he was surrounded by beautiful women all wanting his attention yet he felt nothing for them, that was before he met Fitz and his whole world changed that day.
"Maybe you can love, maybe Bella just isn't the right person. I used to think the same way, I had beautiful women around me a lot and felt nothing, it was as if they were beautiful paintings or sculptures, I could admire them but my heart was just not interested."
--
Willis shook his head. “Thank you for tryin’, but that ain’t it. An dun get me wrong, Bella’s mighty attractive. I jus-” Had a higher calling?
He took another drink. “See, she has me thinkin’ on things. Things only a couple know ‘bout me.” Why not share a part of his plight. It wasn’t going to make things worse for him. He heard people talking when they didn’t know he was standing right there and he came up in conversation. Zion loved to gossip and there were a lot of tales on their lips now’days. “Y’know why I became a man of god?” He asked. “I woke up in France, on a farm. No memory a’who I was or how I’d got there. Knew my name but nothin’ else ‘bout m’past.” His accent definitely wasn’t French, it didn’t really fit anywhere quite right. Southern, some British, some Western USA, some Northeastern. Just an amalgam of where he’d been. “Then… I heard a whisper… felt it… it’s hard ta explain if ya’ve not experienced it. But I knew it was god, he was showing me the sins of the people in the town. He wanted me to help them repent.” He’d leave the part about the trials and how everyone had failed them and ended up dead in one way or another.
--
Ben could put two and two together, Willis was having a crisis of faith after being called a demon by Bella. "And after what Bella said, you're wondering if it really is God talking to you, or some other unseen force." It was only a guess but Ben had a feeling that he was right, or close to it. He wasn't a believer in God and Satan and everything else, no matter how many times he went to church with Fitz. "I do wish I had an answer for you, maybe there is someone here that could help, that has the same level of faith that you do."
--
The shadows around him seemed to get darker with his mood, or maybe they were always that dark. “If she’s right… then yes. All these years I’ve spent devoted t’God. All the people I’ve helped.” Because Willis truly believed he helped people. Even when people failed ‘God’s tests’, he believed they learned a lesson and could take that to become better people in the eyes of the Lord. And most people did fail- he was cursing them after all. His belief in what he did was just too strong to see the harm he really did as a bad thing. At least, he had until recently. “What if I’ve been on the wrong path... “
He finished what was left of the bottle and set it on the bedside table, rubbing the back of his neck. “Might not be a bad idea. ‘M sure there’s a church in town. Maybe it’s time I found guidance in his house.” Willis had no problems visiting a real church, but he felt a sort of purpose leading those who were outcasts from most places, and wandered too much to have a parish to call their own.
--
Seeking advice from a fellow padre sounded like a very good idea to Ben, he was sure that even those within the church, no matter the denomination, went through the same things that Willis was currently going through. "It sounds like a very good idea, they would know what you're going through and have more insight than someone like me." He just hoped that talking about it had helped in some way, Willis didn't seem as dark and broody as before but that might also be the effects of the beer.
His own bottle was emptied with one last swig and he collected them both to dump in the trash on his way back to the wagon but didn't get up to leave just yet.
--
“You’re a good man.” Willis said with a nod, fighting to ignore the ‘whispers’. Jealousy with regards to his lover. Pride when it comes to family. Guilt over something from his past. Everyone had buttons to push- ways to be tested. Even good men.
--
"You've been nothing but kind to Fitz and I, you're a good man too." He smiled as he stood up from the chair. "I'll see myself out."