A/N:
(This is for all ya'll who skip to the last chapter and miss this on the first.)
-SPECIAL AUTHOR ANNOUNCEMENT-
Hey guys. So, it's been a few years since I last worked on "Laurent." I've always felt kind of guilty of leaving all of you hanging like that, especially for this long. I know I hate it when fics I read never have conclusions. I even promised myself I wouldn't become that all-too-common author that leaves their fics on an unofficial, unfinished cliffhanger... so here I am, trying to avoid that terrible fate. Also, more than that, I have some exciting news for the people who enjoyed this fic!
But first, the bad news.
Though I have attempted it, I simply cannot continue this story. "Laurent" was written as I went, with crazy self-imposed deadlines and an incredibly fuzzy outline that I smeared and smudged every single step of the way. Right now, I think of this story as an unsalvageable mess.
BUT WAIT JUST ONE SECOND!
That doesn't mean that "Laurent" is gone for good. As I said before, I won't be the author that leaves you hanging. Instead of trying to repair this project, I decided to start afresh. This version will remain on the site for nostalgic purposes, but will be retitled "Laurent version 1" or something to that effect.
To all of my readers, thank you so much for your patience and support. I really appreciate it and I hardly deserve it.
Be sure to be on the lookout for the new and improved Laurent!
A/N: Hello! It seems like every upload takes longer to get to you guys, and for that I sincerely apologize. Thanks for all of your continued support and I hope this story continues to hold your interest!
Chapter 16: Preparations
After the few months of moping about in his house with nothing much to do, Quillish suddenly decided to do something a little more productive with his time… and since paying for Laurent's school wasn't spending his money fast enough, Quillish had decided to start looking into good causes to put some funds into. It was a strange, idle fancy that caused him to do this... but why not? Even if it was simply an attempt to while away the hours, at least something good would come from it.
It was his first inclination to begin researching foundations… that seemed like a good starting point in his opinion.
…but that seemed a little too impersonal the more he thought about it. When wealthy people gave money away to such things, Quillish always found himself thinking it looked forced or fake. As though those people were just giving away money to seem more likable… or to show the public that they were human enough to care for a certain cause. They never really saw anyone they were helping; they were just throwing money at an organization in some attempt to seem more approachable.
...and a lot of foundations seemed to take quite a chunk of the donated money for their own use anyway.
…and that's how Quillish found himself wondering just how he was going to give some of his money away.
He picked up a pen from the desk and chewed on the end absently as he read a paper over.
At one point, he began wondering what right he had to start spending money when he already had an heir to give it to… what would be the point of even having an heir if he was just going to start giving away his money like this…?
…then again, it wasn't like Laurent was going to be able to use all of his fortune even if he tried, anyway…
…and his money seemed like it never tired of growing. There had to be a more practical use for it than simply filling up the local banks…
Quillish set down the sheet of paper and picked up another.
It was on one day, when Quillish was flipping through an old novel he had chosen randomly from a bookshelf that the idea suddenly struck him. Why not start funding some of the orphanages he had visited all those years ago? The people could certainly use some money, considering how happy they had been when he had given them the small sums back then… why not? It certainly wouldn't hurt anyone…
…and it would at least spend some time…
…and that's how Quillish had found himself digging out old papers from years and years ago with the information of all of the orphanages he had ever visited printed upon them. It was times like those that made him happy he had a bit of a packrattish side.
Quillish put down the piece of paper and lifted another to his eyes.
Here he was now, sitting at his desk, contacting each orphanage, one after the other, and promising them another sum of money, just because.
Ah, what a feeling it was. It almost was though he was a young philanthropist once more, the way he went about it. It was actually quite nostalgic…
Quillish reached for the phone after checking the number on the page once more, but before he could even touch it, the phone began to ring.
Quillish blinked in surprise.
He picked up the phone and placed to his ear, "Hello? Quillish Wammy speaking."
"Quillish, hello, it's me, Roger," The voice on the other end said.
Quillish smiled, "Oh, hello, Roger. How have you been lately?" he asked, leaning back a little in his seat. It was always a treat to speak to him.
"Fine, fine… And you?"
"I'm keeping busy."
"That's good to hear."
"Quillish, your boy is something else," Roger said abruptly.
Quillish laughed lightly, "I could have told you that," he said, picking up another piece of paper and examining it. He paused slightly, "He's not doing anything bad, is he?"
"What do you mean…?" Roger asked, slightly puzzled.
"Oh, nothing. He just has some odd habits at home, that's all. I just had the thought that you were calling because he was being a distraction in class or something like that," Quillish said, sticking the end of his pen back into his mouth absently.
"Like wha-…" Roger paused, "It doesn't matter. No, I just find Laurent to be a different sort of child than what we're used to."
"Is that so…?"
"Do you remember the case your boy solved?"
"Yes. He's a clever boy, isn't he…?" Quillish said with a smile.
"Yes, strangely so. Quillish, I've decided that I want to study him a little."
"Roger, he's a boy, not a bug," Quillish laughed, "…and you're no psychologist."
Roger gave a sigh, "It doesn't mean I can't be interested when one of the children shows an inkling of intelligence…"
"Ah, it's a wonder that children can be smart… that's the Roger I've come to know," Quillish said, grinning slightly.
"Will you just listen to me for a second?" Roger asked, sounding a little frustrated, "I want to study your boy by observing him solving more crimes."
Quillish blinked, "…is that so…?" he asked after a bit of a pause.
"That's right," Roger replied, "The best way to observe someone is to observe someone in their element."
"I'm not sure if you could really call it his element. He's only solved that one case and that was months ago…" Quillish said, "I'm sure it was just a passing fancy… something to do to while the hours away and forget about afterward. You know how children are, don't you?"
"Your son is no ordinary child," Roger replied.
"Roger, I will be the first to agree with you in saying that Laurent is indeed a very special sort of person, but you must understand that all children are prone to adventuring and doing new things. Just because they may succeed in certain things, it doesn't mean that those things are in their 'element,'" Quillish said, "Why, you were very good at mathematics when you were younger but you're not a mathematician now."
"Mathematics and solving crimes are two separate things!"
"Why?"
"What do you mean, 'why?'"
"Why do you think mathematics and solving crimes are two separate things? They both pose a question and they both have one take steps to solving that question."
"Mathematics was required… I only knew I was good at them because I was forced to take the classes. Laurent did the crime-solving on his own!"
"Well, what about the time you tried out for music class?"
"I wasn't any good, remember?"
"Well, what if you had been? Would you have given up on being an entomologist because you could play the violin?"
"No, probably not…"
"…you chose to explore playing music, even though you were certain it wasn't your calling?" Quillish asked.
"…yes…"
"So why can't Laurent look at things like the way you looked at the violin?"
"TRYING OUT FOR THE ORCHESTRA ISN'T THE SAME THING AS SOLVING CRIMES!"
"Why not?"
"….because it's common practice to try to play a musical instrument!"
"So, one can only explore doing things that are common practice?"
"Yes… well… no, but…"
"Then I fail to see why you want to study Laurent solving crimes of all things. He's only solved one crime. Why don't you observe him doing other things that he does more often? He's very good at tennis, for instance…"
"You can't see how a mind works by watching someone play tennis!" Roger snapped.
"Ah-ha. That's where you're wrong..."
"Well, it's difficult for me…"
"No one is asking for you to do this experiment, Roger."
"BUT I WANT TO DO THIS EXPERIMENT!" Roger roared.
"Why?"
"…because this child does things that normal children don't do!"
"Bear in mind that your version of a 'normal' child comes only from the students of the school," Quillish said.
"I don't need your chiding, Quillish. Laurent has already agreed to try to solve more crimes," Roger said.
"I never said he wasn't allowed to solve more crimes if he wanted to," Quillish said calmly.
"It sounded like it," Roger said crossly.
"No, I was just wondering why you thought solving crimes would be his element…" Quillish said.
"Maybe 'element' is too strong a word…"
"That's what I was saying," laughed Quillish.
Roger sighed, "Yes… I suppose you were… It's been good talking to you," he said with a tone of annoyance and frustration that he didn't bother to hide, "…but I am very busy now… I just called to inform you of this…"
"Is that so? Well, if you make any breakthroughs about my son, please tell me," Quillish said with a light laugh, "I'm very curious about what you would find out about him. Perhaps that not all children are spoiled monsters…?"
"Don't tease me, Quillish." Roger growled.
Quillish laughed again, "I'll talk to you again, soon, I trust? Goodbye, Roger. Take care of yourself."
"Take care of yourself, too, Quillish. Goodbye," Roger replied, and then he hung up the phone.
Quillish shook his head as he put the phone back on the receiver. He's a scientist, through and through, he thought.
Roger leaned back in his chair and simply stared crossly at the telephone. Obviously, Quillish found his plan flawed…it really wasn't what he expected from him, but… he supposed he could live with it. Laurent had agreed to solve more cases, hadn't he? So he used the wrong word… that wasn't a crime, was it?
He just wished that Quillish didn't have to chide him like that. He wasn't a child, after all…
Roger shook his head roughly and began distracting himself with his work. It was what he was being paid for, wasn't it…?
"Is it really that comfortable to sit like that?"
Laurent looked up from the papers, slightly startled, "Like what…?" he asked, looking over to his roommate who was watching him from the doorway.
"You look like a bird," Matthew said, motioning to him, "That, or a gargoyle."
Laurent shrugged, "I think it's comfortable…" he responded, and began looking over his papers again, tucking his knees a little closer to his chest.
Matthew shrugged in response, "If you say so…" he walked further into their room, "What are you looking at?" he asked, peeking over Laurent's shoulder to get a better look at what was on the desk.
"Nothing, really… Professor Ruvie just gave me a few cases to look over to see if I was interested in investigating any of them…" Laurent responded.
"I don't get it," Matthew stated, picking up a piece of paper at random and examining it as though it contained the secret to life itself.
"Neither do I," responded Laurent with a sigh.
"No, I mean I really don't get it," Matthew said, dropping the piece of paper back on the desk, "Professor Ruvie isn't the sort of person who would…"
"I know."
"So don't you find it a bit odd that he would…?"
"Of course," Laurent sighed.
"Then what do you plan on doing about it?"
Laurent looked up questioningly at his roommate, "What do you mean?"
"What are you going to do about what Professor Ruvie is doing? You find it weird, right? Well… wouldn't it be something to do an investigation on the man who wants you to do the investigating?" Matthew asked.
"He really doesn't interest me," Laurent said truthfully.
"But…"
Laurent shrugged, "If I feel the need to study him, I will, I guess. Right now, I guess I'll just see where this goes…"
"Well… alright, then…" Matthew said, sounding slightly disappointed. He picked up the piece of paper again and read it over, "…hey, you know… this one sounds interesting…"