Notes: I apologise in advance to my fellow Crow/Badger shippers for this chapter. Though speaking of shipping, I did manage to cameo another pairing in this chapter especially for The-Mocking-J. See if you can spot it.
Crow's first few days at the Weathered Duke's Hotel saw him pick up the ropes with relative ease. After Umid had shown him around and told him what was expected of him, the rest seemed to just slide into place. Although Crow hoped that his grand holiday to London wouldn't be taken up entirely by cleaning rooms and ironing bedsheets, he was glad to have somewhere to stay with no string attached.
Perhaps soon they'd trust him enough to let him go wandering around the city, although the suspicious glares he kept receiving from Becky suggested this would not be the case. No amount of Crow's charm could get through to Becky after he'd tried to pickpocket her on his first day here.
Outside of Becky though, both Umid and Margaret seemed to be passively fond of Crow, while Max regarded him with a vaguely mystified awe. It took Crow a while to get use to Max himself, given that the boy seemed to talk almost entirely as if he was a game-show host. Apparently Margaret thought he was going through a phase, albeit one that had lasted the whole time they'd known him.
Another face who'd popped up a few times was a man called Grafton, who Crow gathered was married to Margaret. They seemed to bicker a lot, so Crow gave them a wide berth whenever he saw them together. Today was one of those days. After he'd caught sight of them at the counter, Crow grabbed a large bundle of laundry and hurried out to the courtyard so he could hang it. That would hopefully keep him busy for a while.
However, it seemed someone had beaten him to this job.
"Hanging bedsheets must be a popular job today," Umid commented, as Crow dumped what he'd been carrying into a basket outside.
"I just, ah... wanted to get an early start," mumbled Crow.
"Let me guess, Granny Margaret and Grafton are talking again?" asked Umid, "Those two certainly are very passionate."
"Y-yeah..." Crow admitted.
"Well, if you give me a hand here then we'll both be done quicker and we can head out for a while," Umid offered.
Crow's face lit up at that offer; "Are ya sure? Becky might not like it if I wandah off."
"Simple answer – don't tell Becky," Umid laughed.
While he wasn't quite as sure as Umid was that Becky wouldn't find out regardless of whether or not they told her, Crow had to admit he was eager to get back out onto the streets of London after being cooped up in the hotel for so long. The washing was hanged out twice as quickly as usual after that suggestion and not just because many hands made for light work. It might not have been the most thorough job he'd ever done, but Crow got it finished all the same.
After that, they brought the empty baskets back inside, stored them away in a cupboard and headed for the front door. Umid stopped briefly to talk to Margaret and Grafton, possibly to say that they'd be out for a while, but he'd keep an eye on Crow. With that out the way, the two of them disappeared out to explore.
Or at least, in Crow's case it was exploring. It eventually became apparent that however long Umid had been here, it was long enough that he was familiar with all of these roads. Because of that, he didn't have the same fascination towards them that Crow did. It took Crow a while to even notice that instead of looking at the sights of London, Umid had mostly watched Crow's wide-eyed face and seemed to take some amusement in it.
Once again, Crow found himself embarrassed at Umid's attention.
"S-so wot is ya story anyway?" Crow hastily checked, after he'd recovered from this, "I know ya came to London to see the sights, but why 'ere outta everywhere in the world?"
"I could ask you the same thing," reminded Umid, "But okay then, I'll tell you my story. A few years back my home was saved by a group of travellers from England. My mother and many other people might have died without their help. They left as quickly as they came and since then I've been keeping up with any news about them as best I can. But eventually I realised it would be best to come here myself."
"Did ya find 'em?" Crow prompted, quickly taken in by Umid's tale.
Umid frowned; "So-so. There were five people altogether, but so far I have only tracked down one. From what I've been told, Professor Sycamore is constantly travelling, so I didn't expect to be reunited with him. There was a young girl called Aurora, but so far I've heard nothing of her... The other Professor, Layton his name was, is teaching here in the city. He is the one I've managed to meet up with again. Though his assistant, Emmy, has since taken another job working for the World Times newspaper and his apprentice, Luke, has moved to America, so I couldn't meet with them."
"Must be a right small world, 'cause I know Mr. Layton an' those last two as well," Crow cheerfully informed, "The three o' them 'elped my 'ome too. An' Luke even use to live there before 'e moved."
"Is that so?" hummed Umid, "It does seem like they're busy people. Though yes, to answer you question, they are the reason that I came here."
"All right, so ya came to meet ya friends, I can undahstand that. But without seemin' rude, if ya know only one o' them is 'ere, then 'ow come ya stayed so long?" Crow went on. From the way that the others talked in the hotel, it certainly sounded like Umid's time there had been extending into a longer and longer vacation with each passing day.
A deep sigh. For a moment Crow worried that he'd touched upon something too sensitive, but then Umid smiled and continued.
"In truth? I like it here a lot," he explained, "Before coming to London I'd spent much of my life in a tiny village back home. Mostly because I'd always felt as if they needed me to look after them there. But as I got older, I started to see that all of my young friends were beginning to look after themselves better. Then one day, my mother sat me down and said, 'Umid, you'll get sick of life if you only stay here forever. If you want to go out and see the world, then you should do it while you're young.' So I did. It wasn't easy, but I was determined to come to London once I'd set my mind on it."
The coincidence felt almost unreal. Umid had come here for nearly the exact same reasons that Crow had. He'd been bored of life in the same place everyday and wanted to see more of what the world had to offer. The main difference being that Umid had been certain those he'd been protecting could look after themselves when he left. While in Crow's case, he'd been less than sure that the Black Ravens would handle the auctions without them. When he thought of this a wave of guilt spread across him, but he swallowed it back as it became apparent that Umid was waiting for a response.
"Sounds like the two o' us 'ave a lot in common," he said quickly. Hopefully the pause hadn't been too long.
"Perhaps that's what I saw in you when you first arrived," Umid suggested.
"I still think ya lookin' too 'ard to see anythin' in me," dismissed Crow, "But all the same, I'm glad ya took me in."
"This way maybe the two of us can get the most out of London life together," agreed Umid.
"Y-yeah. That'd be nice..."
His words left Crow with a feeling of fleeting joy that his new found friend wanted to be here with him. Though it soon returned to that longer-lasting feeling of guilt. Did Umid think that Crow was going to permanently live here now? Because as much as Crow had wanted to get away from Misthallery, he never planned for this visit to be more than just that – a visit.
For that matter, Crow didn't even know for sure how long Umid would stay here himself. It sounded as if what had started out as a curiosity holiday had turned into Umid prolonging his trip back home more as time went on. Perhaps Umid had been so enthralled by London that he was considering staying here for good.
Crow spent the rest of the afternoon trying to work up his courage to ask about it, but constantly stopping himself at the last moment. Somehow questions like that felt intrusive. And if Umid asked the same of Crow, he wasn't sure how he'd respond to that. His previously definite answers had become a little fuzzy...
So they made small talk about other things, mostly the hotel and various tourist questions Crow had on his mind in regards London. It was amazing how fast time flies when talking about nothing with someone you enjoy being with.
When the sun was setting into a purple evening, they'd wandered into Regent's Park and both taken a seat on the grass to rest. Despite it getting on in the day, this still seemed to be a good place for people watching, as many faces went by. A young Geordie girl was being reunited with her mother, after seemingly getting lost in the zoo. The policeman who'd found her was a stout fellow, who got flustered at the praise the northern lady gave him. Just beyond them was a couple who were talking eagerly about a performance they were going to see at an open air theatre – a wild-haired guy said that he was looking forward to hearing some outrageous jams from a singer called Yuming, while his companion, the woman Crow had seen outside the university when he'd arrived here, assured him that these concerts were much tamer than his usual scenes. There was no doubt that the longer he spent here, the more people Crow would see and the more glimpses of their lives he would experience.
He decided then and there that this would be the place he'd come to when he had some time off and wanted to relax. Maybe one day he'd even be able to bring some of the Black Ravens here. But on the other hand, they might get bored faster than he did. Badger at least he could imagine would enjoy harmless people watching as much as Crow. Because Badger was pretty observant and didn't like to talk much. Whereas Louis would probably just want to come here to collect gossip. Even if he didn't know any of these people, gossip was gossip to Louis.
Umid and Crow sat together in companionable silence for a while, simply letting the world drift by. Somehow Crow could imagine that Umid felt the same way about this place as he did. Eventually though, it did seem like time for Crow to break the silence.
"Think we bettah get back before it gets too dark?" he checked.
"I know my way back well enough," Umid assured him, "So unless you're scared of the London nights I don't mind staying out longer."
"Oi, I bloody ain't scared!" Crow shot, indignantly.
All this resulted in was Umid laughing again; "Ah, maybe not now. But you will be once we get back and have to deal with Becky's wrath for skipping a full day's work."
"Maybe we could stay out for 'til latah..." mumbled Crow. There was no shame to admit that being told off by Becky left him a bit frightened.
"I thought you might say that," Umid replied, "Don't worry too much, though. There wasn't a lot that needed to be done today. If there had been then I wouldn't have suggested coming out like this."
"Easy for you to say. Becky nevah seems to get angry with ya," Crow muttered.
"That's because she can rely on me based on my reputation," teased Umid.
"All right, my record might be a bit spotty, but I've bin workin' my socks off since I got 'ere," protested Crow.
"I know. That's how I know you're a good person," said Umid.
That comment shut Crow up. It wasn't very often that he was referred to as a good person. While he'd worked hard to become particularly skilled back home, it was his sly cunning that impressed others. People liked him, but not many of them would call Crow "good" specifically. Apparently Umid would...
"Thanks..." Crow murmured. Far too aware of how closely Umid was watching him.
"People must not tell you that enough," Umid pressed.
This time it was Crow who laughed; "Nah, they don't tell me that 'cause it ain't true. If ya saw me back 'ome then ya wouldn't be usin' the word good to describe me. Amazin', yeah, but not good."
"I wouldn't disagree with amazing either," replied Umid.
Crow froze up at that. Usually Crow was an expert at dealing with people. He had to be in his line of work. Reading words and feelings just came with the territory, if you were good at it. Then you took what you'd read and spun your own words into something that helped you get what you wanted from them. Which in Crow's case was for the black market's customers to part with their money.
Something about Umid had made him lose this cool manner of dealing with others ever since he'd got here. But even in his dulled state, Crow could almost sense that Umid was trying to spin Crow the way Crow usually spun other people. He'd controlled every conversation they'd had since Crow had met him and only now was Crow starting to realise this.
So the question was, what was it that Umid wanted from him?
This time, the pause before Crow spoke next was a calculated one, not a flustered one.
"That seems like a strange conclusion to come to, seein' as ya mostly seen me scrubbin' dishes so far," Crow pointed out, "An' I doubt I'm the most amazin' at that."
"There's no need to act so suspicious. I can think you're amazing even if all I've seen of you is housekeeping," Umid dismissed.
"Wot's so special about that then?" Crow pressed. He hoped this wasn't leading up to Umid admitting that he was an avid fan of housework.
Umid shook his head; "You're something else."
"That didn't anwsah my question," insisted Crow.
He watched as Umid shuffled closer to him where they sat. Despite the fact that he was questioning him, Crow felt comfortable around Umid. So he didn't move away at all as he moved closer, merely maintaining his gaze up at him. Because if he lost eye-contact then that was the end of this conversation.
"That is my answer, whether you like it or not," Umid informed.
"Look, I know I'm amazin' an' I know I'm somethin' else, but I dunno why ya think that when we 'ardly even know each othah," argued Crow.
"Then I have a question for you," Umid countered, "Why do you think I'm so wonderful?"
"...N-nevah said that I did..." mumbled Crow.
A smirk; "Yes, you did. Maybe not in so many words, but I've seen it on your face since you arrived," assured Umid, "You are impressed by me, despite having no reason to be. Is it so far-fetched to assume that I feel the same about you?"
"...Yes! I-I mean, eh, I dunno... wot ya mean..." Crow coughed. And in that moment he knew that he'd messed up.
"You're a bad liar," Umid replied.
"I'll 'ave ya know I'm a fantastic liah," retorted Crow.
"Then tell me you don't like me," challenged Umid.
They stared at each other. As much as Crow knew that he'd lose this if they broke this moment, a bigger part of him felt that he'd already lost. His shoulders slumped and he lowered his gaze down to the grass below.
"...I'm not that good a liah..." he confessed.
"No, I didn't think you were," agreed Umid, "But I'm glad that you're not. At least it means we're on the same page now."
"We are?" Crow enquired, "An' wot page would that be?"
"A very confusing page," concluded Umid.
Crow could hardly disagree with him there. He nodded quietly and somehow felt better for having got this out in the open. Whatever this was.
After a moment of reflection he looked up and ahead, back towards the path. While they'd been talking it seemed that most of the earlier people had headed off. They still won't alone here by a long shot, with the sound of that concert coming from the distance. But to Crow it might as well have been just the two of them.
"Right, well I'm glad we're both confused. Or I think I am, anyway," Crow said, "Maybe... maybe we can be confused togethah?"
Umid got to his feet and stretched. For a second, Crow worried that he'd taken this too far. But then Umid offered out a hand to pull him up from the ground. Crow took it gratefully.
"And maybe we can go listen to some of that singing before we head back?" Umid added.
"Yeah," Crow confirmed, "I reckon I could make time in my busy schedule for that."
No closer to knowing what was going on between them or what they were going to do about it, the two headed off towards the source of the singing together. Even if they didn't have any answers, something about it felt better now.
So much so, that as they stood there listening to the beautiful sounds of Yuming's songs, Crow felt bold enough to slip his hand into Umid's.
Umid didn't object.
