PC CATCHALL FOR VAN ZIEKS

[greatdeduction]

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week 2, day 1

[greatdeduction]

[Sholmes is...trying his best to make his way through these shards of glass on the ground, Irene in hare form on his shoulder. He's doing pretty well, managing to avoid them...except when he hears a noise, he missteps, looking over at Van Zieks.]

[The memory that comes forward is...extensive.]

[But it leaves the detective quite unnaturally sullen by the end of it.]

[winebar]

[Frankly van Zieks' instinct is to pretend he's seen nothing. It's surely the polite thing to do. But... too much of it informs recent discussions, complicates and confuses them. So after a long moment, he looks up at Sholmes and simply asks;]

Why didn't you go with him?

[greatdeduction]

...

[He lets out a sound that almost sounds like a bitter laugh.]

Many reasons, my dear fellow. He had a child at home that he hadn't seen for six years. And with Iris...well, she was my responsibility. I wanted to stay behind to look after her.

[me also oocly: okay but why not just do this in japan though you gay idiot]

[winebar]

[We've discovered the biggest hole in GAA lore.]

You are referring to miss Mikotoba, yes? She seems to quite favor you. I don't see why you could not have taken Iris with you back to Japan with him.

[greatdeduction]

[salkjdasdj STOP YOU'RE RIGHT]

...I felt I didn't want to interfere. I was only part of his life in London. There was no need for me there.

[winebar]

[Folds his arms. You fool!!! You clown!!! He cannot believe he was considering listening to you!!!]

And when he returned recently? What did you do?

[greatdeduction]

[HE WAS THINKING WITH A checks math 24 YEAR OLD GAY BRAIN SHUT UP]

...We went on a grand adventure, again, like old times. [He smiles, but it seems distant.] And we helped to bring in our unruly judge, don't you remember? But he's gone back to Japan, now. It was a nice reunion in person, while it lasted.

[winebar]

[WELL WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE FOR THIS TIME, HUH?]

... I truly do not understand you.

[greatdeduction]

...Hm? Why?

[DON'T LOOK AT ME SOMETIMES GAY DADS ARE SEPARATED]

[winebar]

[Ok Nero. Talk to your husband.]

How am I to act on your advice when you will not even follow it yourself?

[greatdeduction]

[THEY SEND MAIL ALL THE TIME THERE'S. COMMUNICATION.]

[And he is actually flustered at that.]

W-What? This is...this is complicated, my dear fellow!

[winebar]

Are you saying that my situation is not?

[My brother was MURDERED by a man I RESPECTED and I just recently realized he was also the ACTUAL SERIAL KILLER and ALSO SO IS MY BOSS AND ANOTHER TRUSTED MENTOR?]

[greatdeduction]

Hardly not, it's...a different sort of complicated...

[winebar]

But complicated nevertheless. And thus surely as good an excuse for restraint as yours, no?

[greatdeduction]

...

[He sighs.]

Please don't call it an "excuse".

[winebar]

I would say the same to you.

[Not nice to get turn tabled is it.]

[greatdeduction]

[FOLDING HIS ARMS]

Doesn't exactly negate my advice or anything, you know.

[winebar]

Should it not? You prioritized other things over your own feelings. I am doing the same thing.

[greatdeduction]

This was different-! Goodness! It wasn't as if I decided to retire to my apartment and decided I would never even look at people ever again-!

[(sholmes voice) I HAD SOME FRIENDS YOU DINGBAT]

[winebar]

And that is certainly not what I did either!

[HE HAD TWO FRIENDS LEAVE HIM ALONE.]

[greatdeduction]

...You were grumpy about it. Honestly, when was the last time you smiled?

[winebar]

Just the other day, I'll have you know.

[Because Yuri dared him to.]

[greatdeduction]

[LEGIT SHOCKED]

You did?!

[WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT]

....Wait, it wasn't because someone offered you wine or something, was it?

[winebar]

.... The circumstances aren't important.

[greatdeduction]

[gasps]

It was wine.