Notes: And finally we're at the beginning of Act Two! This act is going to be a slight change of pace from the first one and I promise that things should be a bit less miserable for poor Badger. Also, I know I've plugged this to death already, but I wrote a side-story for Grasping Liquid entitled Squawking at Chimneys, that deals with Crow's first trip to London. If you're interested in Crow & Umid's part of Grasping Liquid and haven't read the side-story already then it's probably worth a look.
Although Badger wasn't sure that time was as good of a healer as people made it out to be, he had to admit that putting a month between what happened in London and now had been helpful. At least it meant that he could look at everything more objectively, if nothing else.
He still had trouble believing that it had all happened over only a few days. Crow getting back from his mysterious holiday, their trip up north to find Wren & Socket, the unplanned visit to London, finding out about... about Crow & Umid, passing out in a cold street at night and finally being brought back to Misthallery – it all felt like it had drained much longer from Badger.
And although since then his days had been mostly uneventful, they were also far from without change. Especially given that he'd been staying with Crow and his mum the whole time since he'd gotten back. Part of Badger was worried that if they got found out, Maureen could get into a lot of trouble. But one thing life had taught him was that people would generally keep their heads down when it came to what strange market families were doing. So far no one outside of their immediate circle of friends had said anything about Badger's new living situation.
It was also kind of nice to get to know Maureen, after years of her being kept a mystery from them all by Crow. She'd taken to Badger right away and while she was very brash, Badger found her easy to get along with as well. On top of that, he had to admit it was oddly nice to see someone who'd frequently knock Crow off his high horse.
Speaking of Crow, he hadn't been doing the best he could have been lately...
"All right, Badger?"
His thoughts were interrupted by a call from down below. When Badger turned to see, he found that Louis was already climbing the steps up to the lookout.
"Y-yeah," Badger answered, as Louis got to the top, "What about you? Doun't often see Lozza up at this time in the mornin'."
Louis chuckled, but Badger could tell it was evasive; "Can't I come and check up on you when I feel like it?"
"If you want. Though there's nowt goin' on 'ere," Badger assured him.
"Nah, none of us have had as much to do since Crow cut the auctions down to once a week," agreed Louis, "I think he has the right idea, though. We were all a bit shaken after he left for London. It's gonna take a while until we're back in the shape we were before. Especially without Wren and Socket's help. And also without... well, um, I mean, how is Crow doing lately anyway? You see him more than any of us."
While Badger knew there was something else Louis was hiding, he wouldn't get any answers by outright asking about it. Since Louis was one of the biggest gossips in Misthallery, he would tell Badger exactly what was on his mind soon enough. It just took some talking in circles to trick him into to doing it.
"I think 'e's seen betteh days," Badger answered. There was no point in beating around the bush with it; "Losin' those two was 'ard on 'im and I reckon 'e's still tryin' to find that fire 'e lost. But... um, 'e did come with me to see me dad a few days ago..."
"That's great!" chimed Louis, "I hope that the old man is getting better."
"Seems to be," Badger mumbled.
He still didn't feel all that comfortable talking about his dad, even with a good friend like Louis. But it was nice to know his dad was around people who could help him. Badger just wished they weren't the sort of people who asked lots of probing questions. If Crow hadn't been by his side, then Badger probably would have clammed up entirely when the doctors started talking to him and that would have only made the situation worse.
It seemed that Louis could tell this wasn't a subject Badger wanted to pursue, so he changed tact; "Anyway, do you know what Crow and Marilyn are chatting about?"
"Hmm?" prompted Badger. This was the first he was hearing about it.
"I'll take that as a no," sighed Louis, "It's been driving me well batty. Usually Mal will let me know any juicy secrets before anyone, but this morning she went off with Crow as if whatever it was could only be fit for his ears. It's not fair, innit?"
"Must be summit private," dismissed Badger, who didn't quite have the ear for gossip that Louis did. Other people's business didn't matter to Badger, unless it had something to do with him. As much as they both did have a lot to do with him, he knew that didn't mean he was entitled to know all of their businesses.
And this wouldn't be the only subject Crow's had his lips sealed about, either...
"I'll find out," Louis vowed, "There's no way Mal can keep something from me forever. Just you wait, I'll be back here telling you what's what sooner than you think."
"If you say so," hummed Badger.
There was a pause and Badger could tell that it was uncomfortable on Louis's part. Given that Badger was the master of awkward silences, he could spot them from other people almost as well as he created them himself. It seemed as if Louis had exhausted any topics he had prepared to put off talking about whatever it was he had really come here to say.
After Badger had left him to his thoughts for a while longer, Louis finally cracked; "I might not be able to come back here and tell you though..."
"Oh? Why's that?" asked Badger, raising an eyebrow under his mess of hair.
"Because... well, aarrgghh, you're the first person I'm telling this. I can only imagine how the others are gonna take it," groaned Louis. He ran his hand through his hair as he carried on, "But... um, this isn't like Wren & Socket, okay? Don't take it that way."
"Are you movin'?" Badger checked.
"Not forever, no," Louis answered, "But we are going back to Liverpool for a while. We've all been talking and we've agreed that being out here hasn't helped dad's habits at all. So we thought that going home, being away from it all for a bit, might do him some good."
The subject of Mr. Shackwell was one that the Black Ravens skirted around as often as they could. It was unfortunate for them all. Because ever since they'd started the auctions, Louis's dad had been one of their best customers. This was far from a good thing. Shackwell would spend the little money Louis's family had on worthless trinkets at the black market. Most of that money would go back to Louis, but it didn't help his family to have his dad doing this instead of looking for work and it didn't help the Black Ravens to have to lose money they could have earned from genuine customers. Badger had assumed that the auctions slowing down might have helped Louis's family, but apparently this wasn't the case.
"I'm sorreh to 'ear that," mumbled Badger, "Couldn't you stay 'ere yourself? You're old enough."
"I did think about it," Louis admitted, "I reckon that Roddy would put me up in his spare room if I begged him. But then I thought that maybe this would be good for me too. Our little trip to Chillingham reminded me of how much I missed it up north. So maybe it'd be better to get away while we're having a slow season. That way I can come back refreshed and ready to help properly once we're on the go again. Now if only I could figure out a good way to drop the news to Crow..."
"Doun't let ol' Crowlo put you off," insisted Badger, "If 'e starts to 'ave a wobbleh oveh it then I'll sort 'im out."
Louis chuckled, "Check out you, getting all confident all of a sudden. I feel much better knowing I've got Badger to protect me from the big, bad Crow."
Now Badger joined him in his laughing. They would have kept it up for a while longer, if not for sighting Crow and Mariln walking past. It seemed that the two of them were done with whatever they'd been talking about earlier, which was clearly all the cue Louis needed to go pester them about it. Badger followed along behind, since he was at least a bit curious at this point.
"There's the face I wanna see," Crow called, as they came close, "Not yours, Louis. Ya can take that mug elsewhere."
"I know when I'm not wanted," Louis huffed.
"We should just let them talk," instructed Marilyn. She took Louis's arm to lead him away and Badger was certain that she was going to tell him what they'd been talking about anyway. It would be unusual for those two not to know everything that the other did.
"Um, I'll see you both lateh," said Badger. In truth he'd wanted to talk a bit more to Louis about him leaving, but he also couldn't ignore whatever Crow so pressingly wanted to say to him.
"Yeah. And Badger? Don't worry about anything," Louis replied, "Whatever happens, it'll be all right."
Crow frowned at that; "Somethin' I need to know about?" he asked, as the other two disappeared around the corner and out of sight.
"Wouldn't be me place to tell you," assured Badger.
"If ya say so... I do 'ave some news of my own for ya though," Crow pressed on, "It's about Wren an' Socks."
"They doin' ah'reet?" checked Badger.
"Bettah than evah! Which is the reason Wren wrote to Marilyn askin' if any o' us wanna go stay up there for a while," Crow informed, "It seems that their mum doesn't know about... eh, our surprise visit. An' she reckons that 'avin' some o' their friends up might be good for 'em both."
"That's great news!" cheered Badger.
"It is for us," agreed Crow, "Not so much for Mal, since she still needs to look aftah 'er parents' stall. But I think Wren might've expected that when she wrote. Any o' the rest o' us are welcome to go, she said, an' I've already decided that I'm goin'. So I wanted to ask if ya wanna come as well...?"
"If you're goin' then so am I," promised Badger.
Only after saying that did he realise how it might sound. He recoiled a little in embarrassment, but Crow didn't seem to mind. It was still weird for Badger to know that Crow now knew of his feelings for him. But to the leader's credit, he hadn't brought it up since Badger's outburst. Which Badger partly felt was for the best, given that he wasn't quite sure how to deal with it yet. Nor the inevitable rejection that would follow, on account of Crow's own situation.
Umid was another topic Crow had been entirely silent about this last month. Now that was something Badger wished he knew more about...
"I 'oped ya'd say that," confessed Crow, "But wot about ya dad...?"
"Um, I'll let 'im know I'll be away for a while," Badger awkwardly answered, "At least this time I can be sure there's people there t' look afteh 'im."
"Good to 'ear. An' Marilyn said she'd ask the othahs if they wanna come," Crow told him, "That's probably wot she was gonna talk with Louis about. We just need to wait 'til tomorrow to find out everyone's answahs."
It felt weird for Badger to hear this, because he knew that this holiday probably wasn't what Marilyn would end up talking about with Louis. But as much as he didn't want to keep secrets from Crow, it also wasn't Badger's place to tell him Louis's business. Clearly Louis wanted to talk this through with the leader himself. Badger was just honoured that he was the first to know the news, even before Marilyn did.
The rest of the day was spent mostly waiting for tomorrow, to receive news of what was going on. In this time, Badger made his way around the market, chatting aimlessly with his friends when they weren't busy. At one point he did see Louis head down the manhole with Crow and Roddy, so he knew to steer clear of that place for a while. During which point, Gus gave the game away about something else.
"I'm not going with you this time," he replied, when Badger asked about the trip, "Marilyn said it might be best if just you and Crow- ...um, I-I mean... would you like a sherbet dip? I've got an extra one."
It didn't take a genius to work out what Gus was going to say. And while Badger had no idea what Marilyn might hope to achieve by sending just Crow and Badger away, he had to admit that he was privately glad that it would just be the two of them. Last time they'd talked to Wren & Socket it had gotten all muddled and angry. Hopefully things might work out better with less people around and no one wanting to argue.
So once the next day arrived and Crow was passing on the news, Badger had to act surprised. Although it seemed he didn't do a fantastic job of this.
"Ya don't 'afta pretend ya didn't know about Louis," scoffed Crow, "'e already told me that 'e let ya know first. Must be a northern thing, the two o' ya stickin' togethah like that."
"If you say so. But, um, 'ow are you takin' it...?" Badger checked.
"Bettah than I might 'ave done before," admitted Crow, "I know 'e's comin' back. An' I know that 'is family need this. I think 'earin' it aftah decidin' to go see the othah two 'elped as well."
"Yeah," hummed Badger.
He assumed that this was pure luck on Louis's part. Had the scouser told Crow about his plans before Marilyn had got there with her letter, then things might have gone differently. There wasn't much point in worrying about this now though.
"The next bit came as a surprise to me," Crow went on, "Ya might already know this, but it seems as if none o' the othahs can come with us to Chillin'am. It's a right shame, since they might not get anothah chance like this for a while, but I guess bad timin' can't be 'elped. It's just gonna be you an' me, Badge'."
"S-sounds ah'reet to me," mumbled Badger, hoping his face hadn't turned bright red, "What about yer mam though?"
"Mum knows I'm a restless travellah now. She can't stop me when the road calls," insisted Crow. If Maureen had been here then Badger was sure she'd be snorting loudly at that comment. Crow had been away from Misthallery all of twice.
"That and I bet she wouldn't mind a chance to clean yer room," prompted Badger, grinning.
"She wouldn't!" squawked Crow.
"Leave it off, Crowlo. We're not cancellin' our trip just 'cause you don't want yer mam spoachin' undeh yer bed," Badger scolded, though he couldn't stop himself from laughing at the same time.
"I guess ya right..." mumbled Crow, "Though I swear the two o' ya are both against me some days."
"Can't prove owt about that, can you?" teased Badger.
"Nah, but it does give me somethin' to whine about," Crow concluded, "Now let's go get ready. I want us both to be propah prepared for the journey this time."
That was a matter Badger could most definitely agree on. It would be nice to go to see the siblings knowing that this time everyone was going to be on good terms and it was all planned. No trekking through the country without being sure exactly where it was they were going, either. This time, even if they couldn't get a lift from the train station, they would know the route. And they'd know there'd be two friends waiting for them at the end of it as well.
As much as Crow might not have left on the best terms with them last time, Badger is sure that the leader could talk his way through an apology. Crow admitting he was wrong was a rarity that would probably be satisfying enough for Socket at least. And Wren was mature enough to be able to know he wasn't in the right frame of mind last time, to say the least.
It was going to be fine. There was nothing to dread this time. As much as not knowing exactly what was to come generally upset Badger, this time the knowledge that Crow was by his side comforted him instead of unnerved him.
Everything was going to be all right.