19 - Mentoring
"Harry, this is Hank Griffin – my partner."
"Hank, this is Harry."
Harry raised an eyebrow, wondering what the Grimm was up to this time. "Nice to meet you." He dutifully uttered to the other policeman. He kept his attention on the man long enough to shake hands and receive a greeting in return, before turning weary eyes back to Nick.
"Can we come in for a while, Harry? If you're not busy?"
And just like that the wizard knew this was going to be bad – because when did Nick Burkhardt ever ask permission before bulldozing his way inside? But Harry was nothing if not polite so he allowed the two detectives entry into his closed bakery and made them a drink. Coffee for them, tea for him, though he was half-certain he might prefer something a little stronger for this conversation.
When they were all settled at a table, Nick gave his opening folly: "Hank has just recently learned about Wesen – has even seen a few with his own eyes."
And Harry almost groaned because he could already see where this was going. Either the detective wanted Harry to help Hank adapt or…
"Yeah, that was a bit freaky at first – I thought I was going mad. Luckily Nick explained it. We can't all be going mad, so that just leaves the truth." Nick's partner said easily.
…or Nick was still trying to 'help Harry adapt' to being a Grimm.
Bloody hell. Did Burkhardt actually tell his partner to get the kiddy gloves on and try to relate to Harry?
Detective Griffin ignored Harry's silence and continued; "So you've been seeing them too, huh? Like Nick? That must have been really something."
The wizard closed his eyes for a moment, mentally counting to ten. He had gone along with Nick's little mentoring crusade so far – he didn't really mind joining the detective in his searches to identify whatever Wesen he had come across, but this – this was going too far.
He opened his eyes and looked straight at the Grimm, ignoring the man's partner for now. "Nick, I fought a Mauvais Dentes with a breadknife." Harry said, drily – borrowing the Police Captain's phrasing. "I've seen Monroe Woge dozens of times – and he is hardly the only one. You've been dragging me into your Grimm-related research more and more lately - don't think I haven't noticed this little mentoring thing you've been pulling on me lately."
He made sure to make his voice sound as firm as possible. "I'm not traumatized. I'm not in denial. So whatever sort of mental counselling you have bullied your friend into… stop it. Now."
"Harry – It's not that I think you're… troubled. I'm just trying to help you." He waved his hand between himself and Hank "We're just trying to help you."
And Detective Griffin must have seen the rising ire on his face, because the man raised his hands and shook his head, "Hey, this was your idea – leave me out of it, will you."
Nick stopped and looked at both Harry and his partner before sighing. "Ok, fine. But if there's anything you do want to talk about…"
"Oh, I know you'll be just thrilled to coddle me," the wizard said, sarcasm coating every one of his words.
Hank laughed and Nick shook his head and backed down and Harry could see why this partnership actually worked.
It would take someone special to keep up with a Grimm.
This good-natured cop who took things in stride seemed like a good person to know.
Especially if he could keep Nick's hovering to a minimum.
Word Count: 600
