[closed - Davin]

[just_another]

It's hard leaving Spencer.

Joel knows they need to get back into a routine, he knows they can't always be beside each other, but he also knows Spencer doesn't want to be alone yet. More than that, he also doesn't want to leave Spencer alone, not after being without him for days, but they can't spend every single minute of every single day together. Slowly they need to adjust, they need to go back to their lives, and Spencer managed just fine without him the day before, so Joel knows he can do this, too. It makes his stomach clench uncomfortably, but he kisses Spencer goodbye, tells him he won't be long, then sets out for Davin's place.

This is important, too. Spencer isn't the only one dealing with the aftermath of what happened and Joel hopes this is going to go a long way toward helping Davin feel safe again. Putting the wards on Spencer's house after Mark had taken him had helped a lot, he knows that, and while it had still taken time for him to feel comfortable going back into the library, they'd gotten there, too.

Everything takes time. The good and the bad. But if Joel can do something to help speed along parts of it, then he's going to do those things without question. Which is why he has a small bag filled with the things he needs; a soft grey crystal Davin can easily fit on a window sill somewhere, four candles to be burned at the four points of the compass, a small bag filled with ingredients he's already mixed.

And a witch bottle. He knows it isn't the same as a ward, he knows it won't be nearly as effective, but Joel's always had a witch bottle in his home and in his business and there's something strangely comforting about it, so he's made one for Davin, too.

Carefully he adjusts the bag once he arrives at Davin's, then knocks softly, shifting back and forth on his feet as he waits.

Comments

[just_another]

"We'll bring you back a tiny Empire State Building," Joel promises with a grin. "I've never really been anywhere either. I moved here from New Brunswick, but I haven't really left Siren Cove since I came here. Except for that ill-fated cruise, which ended terribly, but that was also when Spencer and I decided to get married, so it really wasn't all bad."

The memory of that night is one of his favourites. The quiet evening spent in that hot tub while most of the rest of the cruise had been attending a grand ball. Officially asking Spencer to marry him. There's not much better than that.

[davin]

"I'll find a place o' honor for it," Davin promises with a laugh, and then scrunches his up his nose at the mention of the cruise. "Yeah, I'm not all that sorry I missed out on that one."

In that moment, he can't even remember why he didn't go. Something had come up, or maybe he was simply too busy. It wasn't long after he was put in charge of the shop, after all. But he's heard the stories, and that's more than enough for him. He does smile at the mention of their engagement. It's not like they weren't headed down that road anyway, but he's glad something good could come out of that cruise.

"He told me we could go wherever I want," Davin says thoughtfully, "but I don't know where to pick. Someplace warm that's not super crowded is all I want."

[just_another]

Joel thinks about it for a moment and then shakes his head. "I'd make the worst travel agent," he says. "Isn't the French Riviera supposed to be warm? Although it's also probably fairly crowded, so forget it, that's a bad suggestion."

Anywhere warm he can think of probably has a crowd. People who live in cold parts of the world and want to escape to somewhere warm.

"I guess it depends on how much money he's willing to spend," he says a moment later. "Even the most crowded places in the world are bound to have somewhere quiet if you have enough money." Which he himself certainly doesn't. He knows he and Spencer are doing just fine between the bookstore and the money Spencer has in his savings, but Joel has been relatively poor his whole life and even now it's hard for him to imagine spending a lot of money on anything. Even shopping for the baby has been a bit of a struggle for him as he tries to get over the need to hold onto every last penny he's earned.

[davin]

"Right? He's the rich, well-traveled one. Why should I have to pick?" He laughs and shakes his head, then nods a bit when Joel mentions the money. He grew up not really having any, and now he has a decent enough (for him) income, he's never been an extravagant person. It's not often that he treats himself, but he thinks maybe that he's overdue. He deserves it this time.

"Well, he better not be expectin' t'pay for the whole thing, or he'll have a very pissy Irishman on his hands," Davin says with a smile, and then he shrugs as he carefully starts to replace all his herbs and ingredients back into their proper places. "I was thinkin' St. Bart's, maybe. They have private cabanas ya can rent, an' it seems nice."

He starts placing everything back into the wooden chest and looks over at Joel, smiling at the way he's holding the charm. "When are the two o' ya takin' off?"

[just_another]

Joel had felt the same way at first when he and Spencer had begun sharing expenses. There had been a lot of money in Spencer's bank account for reasons Joel wishes he'd never had to experience, but he'd spent such a long time struggling that it had felt weird to accept the money from Spencer. That had been the reason for their first and really their only fight, and Joel still feels a little guilty for the way he had bristled when Spencer had helped him to buy the building that houses the book store.

He knows now how stupid that was of him. He knows Spencer had only ever wanted to help him and that feeling like it was charity had been ridiculous. Being in a relationship means sharing things and he's long since accepted that sometimes he needs help.

"Friday morning," he says. "And we'll be back Monday afternoon. It's only two full days, but given that we're planning on a literary bar tour on Saturday, I think Sunday might be spent recovering from our hangovers."