Marital Advice (or, Those Who Can't Do, Teach)
Author: Firebird
Rating: K+
"Always let her know that you care about her," Detective Inspector Jack Robinson advises Constable Hugh Collins over drinks, a few days before his wedding. "No matter how tired or angry or numb you are, always remember to smile at her, and hold her, and let her talk about whatever it is she wants to talk about."
Hugh nods uncertainly. He can't imagine a time when Dotty won't make him smile, when he won't want to hold her or hear about the trivial womanly details of her day. But he looks up to the Inspector, who is everything he aspires to be one day, and so he smiled and nods.
"Yes sir. Smile at her, hold her, listen to her. Got it."
Jack smiles back, remembering a time when he was that young and innocent, and thought everything could be that simple.
...
"Always let him think he's in charge," Phryne Fisher advises her companion, Dot Williams, over tea a few days before her wedding. "Always let him think that he's right, that everything is his idea, and that you depend on him utterly." She smirks and waves a hand in the air. "That way, you can run the show unmolested."
Dot nods, smiling. She's learned a lot from her employer over the last year, and is completely confident in her ability to manage Hugh Collins. In fact, she's been doing it for months.
Phryne smiles back, remembering that Jack lets her break every one of those rules and yet still seems to care about her in his own quiet, restrained way.
