Notes: This is the last chapter of Act Four! It's been a slightly shorter act than the others, which I had a feeling would be the case. For a while I considered combining it with Act Five for that reason, but in the end I decided that Badger's tour of England stood best on its own. Next time this fic updates we'll be getting to Act Five, but before that will be another side-story. This one is called 'A Collage in Broken Glass' and is focused around the legendary Alphonse Dalston.
The week went by in what felt like the blink of an eye, but just like his visit to Monte d'Or, it felt as if that was for the right reasons. They'd got through all of the worries and complications, at least as best they could for now, and were left with the time they all wanted to spend together. The Black Ravens always made it through, Badger told himself, with more than a dash of pride.
During the time that he, Wren and Socket were in Misthallery, they'd had many chances to see the new Black Ravens in action, as well as take part in some auctions themselves. Just like old times. And indeed just like old times, Badger found that he clicked into it all so well that he might as well have never left. He wished that he could go back in time to tell himself that there was nothing to worry about, there'd always be a place for him with the Misthallery Black Ravens if nothing else worked out.
And yet...
...there was no Crow.
This was what bothered Badger the most. He'd talked to Crow over the phone a few times, of course, but it had now been more than three weeks since they'd last seen each other. And a selfish part of Badger knew that he'd never truly feel the magic of doing all here this without Crow acting as the ringmaster.
So when the time came for them all to part ways again, Badger knew that he'd be going back to the person he wanted to be with.
"Are yers sure that yer doun't want me t' travel back up with yer for the journey? I doun't mind if yer do," Badger asked, not for the first time.
"Badger, we're capable of getting a train by ourselves, so don't worry so much," Wren assured him.
"Those two could probably invent a better train if you left them alone long enough," added Charlie.
"Ah'reet, just making sure," concluded Badger. He was secretly quite glad of this answer, since it meant he'd get back to Southampton sooner.
The three travellers were stood at the station entrance with Charlie, Gus and Marilyn. The others had opted to say their farewells back in Misthallery, as work didn't rest for anyone and neither did the Black Ravens. But these three had decided to walk with them all the way to the station in the other town. And now it was late afternoon and time to say goodbye.
"You'll keep writing, won't you?" Wren asked Marilyn.
"Of course. Now that Crow's got in on the writing game we could almost start a pen pal club," laughed Marilyn.
"That sounds lovely. When are you going to start writing to me?" said Charlie. He gave Socket a nudge with his elbow and Socket recoiled in horror.
"I ain't writin' to ya, Curly! So just get ya 'ead outta the clouds!" Socket shot.
"Oh, that is a shame. Maybe I'll just have to find a man who's good with a pen," teased Charlie. With that he walked over to Gus, who took a nervous step back.
"That one's taken," Marilyn warned.
Charlie held his hands up in defeat; "You're all against me!"
"Wait... since when?" gaped Badger.
"Gus and Marilyn are old news now, they've been together for ages," dismissed Wren.
"I didn't know that! Am I realleh the last to know everything...?" Badger mumbled.
"Would seem so," said Charlie, with a shrug, "And from what I've heard you're the last one ask out your crush as well."
"Yer... yer 'eard wrong, reet?" Badger hotly insisted, "Fer yer information, Curly, Crow asked out me and I told 'im no."
This was the wrong thing to say. Suddenly he had five eager eyes staring at him, all wanting to know the details. If Charlie and Marilyn grinned any wider then their mouths would escape their faces.
"Did you really say no? I thought you liked him," Charlie pressed.
"I... I mean..." Badger stammered.
"Wot! Since when does Crow ask Badger out? Does Crow think that Badger is proper into men or somethin'? Is... Crow proper into men? I thought that was just Curly," Socket babbled.
"L-look, when I said..." Badger tried.
"Give him some space, Socket," scolded Wren, "Though I didn't know about... about Crow. I guess that explains a lot of things... Badger, were you, um, trying to protect me when we talked about it last year?"
"Yes." At least that was one thing Badger could give an honest answer to.
"W-well... thank you," Wren mumbled.
Badger instantly felt bad. She looked at least a little upset. All throughout the time that Badger had been hanging out with the siblings, Wren had never made any mention of her old crush on Crow, so he'd kind of forgotten about it. And he knew that Wren had decided it was best to move on from those feelings anyway, but that didn't mean they were gone entirely.
"Look, 'e weren't interested in me back then," assured Badger, "I would neveh just try to get yer out the way or summit."
"I didn't think that you would," Wren replied, "And don't worry. Whatever Crow feels, well, that's his business. And if you like him too then there's no reason why nothing could come of that. Don't let me hold you back. Like I told you before, I'm already over that show off."
Part of Badger doubted that this was entirely true, but he was glad that Wren wouldn't hold anything that might happen against them. However, he wasn't off the hook with everyone else just yet.
"So why did you say no?" Charlie demanded, looming in with his grin still intact.
"Because... because 'e were rubbish at asking, reet? I told 'im t' go away until 'e got betteh at it," huffed Badger. He could feel his ears and his nose burning bright red.
"Wow... I'm actually impressed," Charlie purred.
"Stop bein' so impressed by Carrotnose!" whined Socket.
"What's it to you if I am? Are you jealous?" Charlie teased.
"N-no...! Don't be so daft, I'd never be jealous over somethin' like that! I j-just think that... Badger could do a million miles better than the likes o' you, that's all," Socket insisted.
"Good thing he's got his sights set on Crow then," Gus pointed out.
"Curly does not have his sights set on Crow!" snapped Socket.
"He meant me," Badger corrected, "And speaking of me, that's me train just pulling up. It were great seeing yers all. Sorreh that I can't stick around t' chat much longeh, but I'm sure that we'll meet up again soon."
As he spoke, Badger was already backing away. At the first opportune moment he would sprint.
"Don't worry, Crow's going to be getting a few letters about this," hummed Marilyn.
Crow was actually going to kill him. He'd have to get back and explain everything before Marilyn or Wren had a chance to write him a single letter.
"Take care, Badger. We'll see you when you're next up here," called Gus.
"Y-yeah, bye...!" called Badger.
He gave them all a wave and then sprinted off to his platform, bags in arms. It was a wonder that he didn't drop anything, given how many he had. Part of him still felt a bit guilty about what he'd said to Gus at the start of the week. They hadn't properly talked since then, but if Gus was saying goodbye then hopefully that meant there were no hard feelings.
After he'd climbed onto his train and taken a seat, Badger looked out the window and back at the others. His train was going in completely the opposite direction to what Wren and Socket's was, with theirs arriving about half an hour after his. No doubt the others would keep them company at the station until then. But right now it was Badger who was getting their focus, as everyone waved at him. There was the big waves from Socket, with his full arms going into it, Charlie's best impression of a royal wave, Wren's polite little wave and the other two just waving like... like people who Badger had known for most of his life now. And he was glad to know all of them. As the train pulled away, he felt himself become overwhelmed with emotion.
This was it. He was going back to Southampton. Maybe that place didn't entirely feel like home yet, but after the work that Crow had been doing to it Badger had no doubts that it would do soon.
The funny thing was, once upon a time the train journey from Misthallery to London had felt like a long one to Badger. And Southampton was even further away than London. But now Badger had spent so much time on trains going all over the country that it didn't feel like that much of a trip at all. Not when he knew what was waiting at the other end.
Regardless, it was night by the time that the train pulled into the station there, so perhaps it had been longer than Badger realised.
He stepped out into the streets in something of a daze. Since it was getting into summer now, the air was clear and warm. It couldn't be a further contrast from the dismal day that he and Crow had first arrived on, back before either of them knew for sure that this would be the place. Well, maybe Crow had been sure. It was hard to tell with him.
As Badger walked towards the shop people passed him on the streets. At first he didn't pay this much mind, as what others did was hardly something he should be nosy about, but then he noticed that many of the people were walking together and there were quite a lot of them. It felt like a crowd that was just leaving at the end of a concert or something like that.
"That was splendid!" claimed a large man with a pompadour, who was wearing a pink shirt.
"I'll say it was, sonny. Never had that much fun away from a good puzzle in ages. Wouldn't you agree, Puzzlette?" replied an elderly lady, who looked towards a third person who was with them.
"Nothing can beat a good puzzle, Granny. But that did come close," answered the lady known as Puzzlette, "We should come back again soon. If we're ever in the same place at the same time. I can't remember the last time we all met up like this."
"Fortune just came my way to cross paths with the esteemed Granny Riddleton and her charming granddaughter, Puzzlette," said the man.
"Stop trying to be such a charmer, Aldus," scolded Granny Riddleton, "And anyway, do either of you know what I'm going to do with a set of silk curtains? I might have got a little carried away with my bidding."
...Bidding? Bidding meant auctions!
Badger edged around the crowd and then ran full pelt towards the shop. Sure enough, the lights were still on. He could see them through the now much cleaner windows. There were many shapes on the other side the windows, it looked like a well-stocked shop. But that wasn't what Badger was focused on right now. All he wanted to see was that one person.
He pushed the door open. There was the sound of a little bell as he came through. That was something that hadn't been there when he'd left. Crow must have made sure Dalston's workers got every little detail down about this place. And speaking of Crow...
"Auction's ovah for tonight. But come back next week an' I promise we'll 'ave an even bettah one," came a call from the back room.
"Crow!"
There was a pause, then Crow rushed through to the front of the shop, still half dressed up as the Black Raven. He stared at Badger for a moment. Then they both hurried over to each other and hugged tightly.
"Badge'! Oh, Badgah... Ya didn't say ya were comin' back today," Crow mumbled, from somewhere near Badger's shoulder.
"Wanted it t' be a surprise," chuckled Badger. He allowed his head to rest on top of Crow's; "See ya got the place set up. And 'ad an auction without me."
"Just testin' the watahs, Badge'. I 'ad to 'ave everythin' perfect for when ya got back," said Crow.
"As long as yer 'ere and yer safe, it's alreadeh perfect t' me," Badger assured.
And so, even knowing that they both had many stories to tell each other about their time apart, the two allowed themselves to stand there like that, completely at peace, for five minutes more.
