Lancelot has found a way to comfortably balance the phone while also sitting in a way that the dog can drape over him without making his legs go to sleep. Actually quite tricky since she always seems to want to be near enough on top of him in some way, and he might need to get up at some point. ]
[Faolan's found a room to himself, one that he can keep people out of. It will buy him some time and some privacy -- long enough for a phone call at least. He'll have to let go if Kenzi tries him on his burner though.]
Hey. Sorry, I didn't mean to spring this on you, I just thought...
No, no please it's fine -- are you safe? If you need getting out of somewhere fast I can come pick you up.
[ He sounds concerned. This is because he is concerned. After all, Lancelot has yet to find out why Faolan might need to get out of his job. He's expecting the worst. ]
I... What? [Faolan sounds genuinely surprised at
that.] No, I'm. I'm fine. I'm at Hillingdon House, I've got.
There's a lock on the door, no one's going to be listening in. I'd just.
Like to talk this out, if you've got the time.
[He's more than a little worried he's going to be getting in trouble
for making this particular judgment call.]
Not yet. But they will. It's as I said, something's come up.
[How the hell to explain this. He sighs, heavily, then continues,
dropping his voice low.] Something within Hillingdon. I told you
before the circumstances that led me to joining the Guardians. The power
struggle within our ranks here?
[ That could become... delicate. After all, being a Guardian isn't exactly something you can quit and Faolan... well, if whatever has come up is something that will draw his focus away from his day job... ]
I suppose you could say that they've liked the work I've done for Hillingdon thus far. I must have swayed them somehow, it's the only reason I can think to explain it.
[Explaining. Something he's not doing a very good job of himself, here. In his defense, he is rather overwhelmed with it all.]
I don't--... [Faolan trails off mid-sentence, running his hand over his face a moment.]
I don't know. I don't know if I do or not. I don't really have a choice either way. I'm not going to just back out on them. These are. If ever I had people, these are them.
[It's the closest thing to family that he has left, though he doesn't say as much aloud.]
But I can't-- hide. Not like this. Someone's going to recognize me. Working for Kenzi, it's only a matter of time before I run into one of them while I'm undercover, and then the whole thing's going to be blown wide open.
All right. I'll figure something out. I'll talk to Sylvia. There's plenty of ways we can swing this so that it's a good idea to pull you out. For one thing, so far as I know you haven't found out anything major. She might well be a dead end, and even if she isn't the Night Council won't want this exposed. Don't worry, please.
[Faolan keeps his voice low now that they're discussing more delicate topics.]
She could be. I don't know. I'm not sure that they'd trust me with much more than I've got, no matter how long I stick around. They're working on protection spells. Keeping an eye on their own. But nothing like what Sylvia wanted me to look out for. No signs of any plans of retaliation. None that I've seen.
[He takes in a breath, trying to keep himself calm and controlled, but his voice is low and tense as he continues. He knows how much is at stake here, and it's not just Sylvia Redbright being disappointed in him.] You know the rules, Lancelot. You know what will happen if I break them. But at this rate, I'm a sitting duck. Half the people here, I've met them. I know them personally. They'll recognize me. More than half. I'm not good for this kind of assignment. Not anymore. There's too much risk.
I know. Trust me, Faolan, please. I'll talk to Sylvia, I'll have you pulled out. I promise. As quickly as I can. You'll be fine.
[ Not that he's really sure how quickly he can get this cleared to begin with, but... He thinks if there's the risk of Faolan being exposed, well, then Sylvia would go for it. ]
[Faolan huffs out a breath that might have been a laugh with a little more force behind it, although what sort he isn't entirely certain.]
Are you worried for me, Lancelot?
[He means to be joking when he says it. He isn't sure it's that much of a joke when the other man has reason, though. He can hear a note of it in Lancelot's voice, and he can't really blame him for it at all.]
[Is he being scolded, now? He honestly can't tell.
What he can tell is that Lancelot is concerned for him, and that's new for him. He's not quite sure what to think of it. But... It's nice, really. Knowing that there's someone else out there, looking out for him.]
I will. Be careful. And I'll stay in touch, I promise. As best I can. Though I'll remind you that you told me to, if you start complaining about me calling you up in the middle of the night to get you into trouble, yeah?
[Another beat. He knows he shouldn't let this call last for too much longer, but he hasn't snuck one in in a while. He's reluctant to go, especially now that, well. Things are starting to get tense.] You'll let me know when you talk to her? What she says?
[ He won't, Lancelot is taking this very seriously.
There's a slight rustling, like Lancelot is shifting his phone, and the sound of him chiding Lily! under his breath a little. A little background panting is probably enough to suggest she is very close to the phone, and thus trying to work out how she can also play with this thing. ]
I'll let you know as soon as I've spoken to her, I promise. And Lily says hello.
Does she really. [Another beat, wherein he's contemplating whether it's ridiculous to say so, before he just goes ahead anyway.]
Give her my love, then. And tell her I miss her too. If all goes well though, I'll be seeing her again soon, though. And I'll have you to thank for that. In part, at least.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[He's at Hillingdon House as well, so. Finding some space to himself is surprisingly easy, now that he's in charge and all.]
no subject
A few moments later your phone is ringing.
Lancelot has found a way to comfortably balance the phone while also sitting in a way that the dog can drape over him without making his legs go to sleep. Actually quite tricky since she always seems to want to be near enough on top of him in some way, and he might need to get up at some point. ]
no subject
Hey. Sorry, I didn't mean to spring this on you, I just thought...
no subject
[ He sounds concerned. This is because he is concerned. After all, Lancelot has yet to find out why Faolan might need to get out of his job. He's expecting the worst. ]
no subject
I... What? [Faolan sounds genuinely surprised at that.] No, I'm. I'm fine. I'm at Hillingdon House, I've got. There's a lock on the door, no one's going to be listening in. I'd just. Like to talk this out, if you've got the time.
[He's more than a little worried he's going to be getting in trouble for making this particular judgment call.]
no subject
[ He shifts a little to get more comfortable then, since seemingly he isn't about to have to leap up and get some shoes on. ]
Well, I'm happy to listen if you think I can help.
no subject
[Faolan lets out a sigh, throwing himself back in a chair as he tries to figure out how to explain this -- where to even begin.]
I need a way out of this assignment, before they find out who and what I am. Before they realize I've been planted there the whole time.
no subject
[ That'd be bad. ]
Have they become suspicious? Asked questions?
no subject
Not yet. But they will. It's as I said, something's come up.
[How the hell to explain this. He sighs, heavily, then continues, dropping his voice low.] Something within Hillingdon. I told you before the circumstances that led me to joining the Guardians. The power struggle within our ranks here?
no subject
[ That could become... delicate. After all, being a Guardian isn't exactly something you can quit and Faolan... well, if whatever has come up is something that will draw his focus away from his day job... ]
no subject
I suppose you could say that they've liked the work I've done for Hillingdon thus far. I must have swayed them somehow, it's the only reason I can think to explain it.
[Explaining. Something he's not doing a very good job of himself, here. In his defense, he is rather overwhelmed with it all.]
no subject
Explain what?
[ Come on, Faolan, out with it. ]
no subject
Hillingdon Clan leader. They made me the Hillingdon Clan leader.
no subject
I'm not so sure I see how that's a bad thing. Unless... Well, you don't want to be?
no subject
I don't know. I don't know if I do or not. I don't really have a choice either way. I'm not going to just back out on them. These are. If ever I had people, these are them.
[It's the closest thing to family that he has left, though he doesn't say as much aloud.]
But I can't-- hide. Not like this. Someone's going to recognize me. Working for Kenzi, it's only a matter of time before I run into one of them while I'm undercover, and then the whole thing's going to be blown wide open.
no subject
no subject
She could be. I don't know. I'm not sure that they'd trust me with much more than I've got, no matter how long I stick around. They're working on protection spells. Keeping an eye on their own. But nothing like what Sylvia wanted me to look out for. No signs of any plans of retaliation. None that I've seen.
[He takes in a breath, trying to keep himself calm and controlled, but his voice is low and tense as he continues. He knows how much is at stake here, and it's not just Sylvia Redbright being disappointed in him.] You know the rules, Lancelot. You know what will happen if I break them. But at this rate, I'm a sitting duck. Half the people here, I've met them. I know them personally. They'll recognize me. More than half. I'm not good for this kind of assignment. Not anymore. There's too much risk.
no subject
[ Not that he's really sure how quickly he can get this cleared to begin with, but... He thinks if there's the risk of Faolan being exposed, well, then Sylvia would go for it. ]
no subject
Thank you. [A beat.] I'm sorry. To ask this of you.
no subject
[ Which, you know, is more difficult in practice than on paper -- but an attempt would be nice? ]
Please, until I can pull you out. I'd rather have you back intact, if I can.
no subject
Are you worried for me, Lancelot?
[He means to be joking when he says it. He isn't sure it's that much of a joke when the other man has reason, though. He can hear a note of it in Lancelot's voice, and he can't really blame him for it at all.]
no subject
[ Honestly, Faolan! Not a funny joke! ]
Promise me you'll be careful, and get hold of me if you need bailing out sooner. Doesn't matter the time of day, call me at 3am if you need to.
no subject
What he can tell is that Lancelot is concerned for him, and that's new for him. He's not quite sure what to think of it. But... It's nice, really. Knowing that there's someone else out there, looking out for him.]
I will. Be careful. And I'll stay in touch, I promise. As best I can. Though I'll remind you that you told me to, if you start complaining about me calling you up in the middle of the night to get you into trouble, yeah?
[Another beat. He knows he shouldn't let this call last for too much longer, but he hasn't snuck one in in a while. He's reluctant to go, especially now that, well. Things are starting to get tense.] You'll let me know when you talk to her? What she says?
no subject
[ He won't, Lancelot is taking this very seriously.
There's a slight rustling, like Lancelot is shifting his phone, and the sound of him chiding Lily! under his breath a little. A little background panting is probably enough to suggest she is very close to the phone, and thus trying to work out how she can also play with this thing. ]
I'll let you know as soon as I've spoken to her, I promise. And Lily says hello.
no subject
Does she really. [Another beat, wherein he's contemplating whether it's ridiculous to say so, before he just goes ahead anyway.]
Give her my love, then. And tell her I miss her too. If all goes well though, I'll be seeing her again soon, though. And I'll have you to thank for that. In part, at least.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)