Let's get all your ducks in a... well, you know. [Tag Killian] on At Home

John Skies

September 15, 2020 8:13 AM

Let's get all your ducks in a... well, you know. [Tag Killian] by John Skies

“Alright there?” John checked as an unfamiliar man was spat out by his fireplace. He steadied the new comer with his words, but did not reach out a hand to help unless it looked like it was needed. He was willing to lend a hand when someone needed assistance, but he wasn’t one to mollycoddle.

Behind the stranger - well, the presumed Mr. Killian Row - the fire flickered green for just a fraction of a second longer and then returned to orange. That settled that then. Selina had warned him that she probably wouldn't be joining them - that she would try, but when Selina started using phrases like that, it usually meant she wouldn't be able to. Or, in this case, didn't think she was able to. He knew what had happened at the start of term, and he understood how seriously she needed to take it. However, there was a fine line between taking it seriously and letting her feelings about it consume her.

Still, he had a problem of his own to solve now, so he tried to push that to the back of his mind and focus on the man in front of him. Bit scruffy, but that was apparently a point of so-called fashion these days. John wasn’t sure of it himself. Either a man should grow a proper beard or go clean shaven (his preferred option), none of this halfway nonsense, but that was kids for you.

“Mr. Row,” he stated. He held a cane at ease in his left hand, demonstrating that his standing balance was perfectly fine. He extended his right hand for the man to shake, before transferring his cane back to it. “Come and have a seat,” he invited, leading the way back across the living room towards a large pair of leather wingback chairs. Behind these, on the wall, was mounted a chalkboard, titled with the words ‘Crossword solving times.’ A table was drawn up headed ‘Leo’ and ‘John’ recording the number of victories ‘All time’ ‘This year’ and ‘This month.’ John had a slight lead on all time, but Leo was beating him for the month and the year.

Once seated in the chairs, the views were back towards the fireplace, above which were pretty metal letters spelling out ‘John and Selina’s’. Although Killian would have to get closer to inspect their contents, it was clear at a glance that there was a well-curated collection of family pictures around the room. Prominent amongst them was a large wedding portrait, with styles that had been the height of fashion approximately thirty five years previously, and which revealed that Selina had once had hair to rival Mary Brooding’s (when she’d been Mary Brooding-Only). There was also a progression of what were unmistakable school photos of two girls in Ilvermorny uniforms, one neat and blonde throughout, the other looking increasingly colourful. On the opposite wall, three clocks ticked in a synchronised rhythm, their seconds passing in unison, even as their hours displayed varying times - the first was at the local time of 7.30, the second 8.30 (labelled ‘Sonora’) and the third 10.30 (labelled ‘Ema’).

“Can I get you anything?” he asked. His wand was to hand, so he would summon something if it was wanted rather than getting up. Once that was settled, he addressed the matter that Killian had come here to discuss.

“So, I hear we’re looking for your brother. Or working out how to set people looking for him for you. I got the Ministry of Magic guidelines on reporting missing people. Also got a friend to give me a bit of guidance on how they prioritise their cases so that we might be able to push the right buttons. How hard do you think your brother is trying to not be found, versus just having…” he twirled a hand in the air, “carelessly misplaced himself?”

13 John Skies Let's get all your ducks in a... well, you know. [Tag Killian] 0 John Skies 1 5

Killian Row

September 15, 2020 10:07 AM

Quack quack. by Killian Row

If it hadn't been unprofessional, Killian might have begged Selina to come with him to her own house. This was so weird. It would be fine and Killian was social enough that he didn't really mind, but he still would have preferred her to join them. When he arrived, he shook the man's hand and smiled at him, happy to be greeted by someone who seemed very much like Selina herself: polite, friendly, caring, and very very down-to-business.

"Please, Killian is fine," he told the man, deciding right then and there that the man was going to be nameless unless he was told otherwise, just to avoid any unintentional offense on that front. "Thank you for having me," he added with another polite smile. He'd brought a suitcase and took a moment to dust himself and the case off in the entrance of the fireplace before stepping into the neat living room.

Selina was his colleague, which meant she had no age. As such, Killian had thoroughly forgotten that the Skies were as old or older than his own parents. He wondered a bit at what Mr. Skies saw when he saw Killian. Probably his brother; most people saw Lorcan when they saw Killian, even if they'd never met Lorcan.

He smiled at the crossword scores on the wall, liking this man more and more as he got to peek into his life. His own little flat had never looked this cute and even his living quarters now, a much more permanent arrangement than previous ones, was mostly just a mess. Although that may have been as reflective of his own personality as this neat space was of Selina and John's.

"Water would be great," Killian agreed, feeling thoroughly like his mouth was full of soot. "Thank you."

They got straight to business and Killian was grateful for that. He didn't have the energy for pleasantries the way he might have needed to with other people. He wondered whether this is how he came off when people came to his office, although he suspected he was a bit fuzzier than this man. Still, papers and policies and information were practically Killian's love language and he was hungry for that sort of information, if a bit anxious about receiving it.

"Misplaced himself," he said immediately. "Well. Maybe? I would guess that it started that way at least. He's got a history of . . . substance use. And disappearing. He kept his daughter a secret for a decade," he grimaced, thinking of Bonny. "But I also wouldn't be that surprised if he just sort of stopped wanting to be found. Decided this was easier than his responsibilities. Or maybe he misses her while she's at school. I'm not sure."

22 Killian Row Quack quack. 1450 0 5

John Skies

September 15, 2020 7:03 PM

That's the spirit by John Skies

"John," he returned with a curt nod, when Killian introduced himself.

He summoned a jug of water and two glasses, both of them setting themselves down on a small table between the chairs. He poured some for each of them.

"Ice?" he asked, conjouring a couple of cubes into his own glass. Of course, Killian could likely the do the same for himself if he wanted it, but it was polite, as his host, to offer. "Let me know if you want anything else," he added. Under normal circumstances, he would offered something a little stronger than water but Selina had acquainted him with the topic at hand. John wasn't one to be fuzzy about feelings but that wasn't the same as having no tact, and he would either wait for Killian to raise that subject or only do so carefully.

He listened carefully to Killian's remarks, his face more or less impassive. He was not here to be reactive or to judge - he was here to solve a problem. He did click his tongue disapprovingly at the second mention of the girl, his eyes glancing across the room to his own daughters' smiling faces.

"Misplaced is probably easier to work with," he mused. "Here's the thing, you can file a missing person report, and they'll say that's all very sad and they'll do their best, and I'm sure that, in a sense, they will. Most people in that line of work are good people who want to do right. It doesn't mean they have the time and resources to do more than keep an ear out. There's a few different ways to push their buttons though, to make them look at your report and decide they'll follow it up. Now, if he isn't hiding on purpose, that could help. Nice easy job, add one success to their quotas without getting mixed up in stuff that's too nasty. That can be a good sell. So's the other end of the scale - if he's gonna cause them worse trouble by not being brought back to the straight and narrow. Cheating Muggles to feed his habits, that sort of thing. Easier to nip it in the bud than clean up after. Though sometimes there's red tape about not being able to act against adults until they've crossed a line. Apart from the substances, what kind of trouble has he got a history of getting into?" he asked.

13 John Skies That's the spirit 0 John Skies 0 5

Killian Row

September 23, 2020 6:01 PM

I live to please. by Killian Row

Killian waved a hand, not preferring ice in his own water, and taking a sip before he began providing information. His mouth felt dry despite the water and he took more drinks throughout, eventually pouring himself another glass. It was easier because John was a very direct man who had a lot of information to share himself, so Killian could finish his turn and then focus on drinking and chilling and trying not to feel antsy while the older man explained about missing person reports and the like. He opened his mouth to argue that his brother wouldn't cheat anyone but promptly closed it, knowing that wasn't true.

"I'm not sure too much of it," he admitted with a grimace. "I haven't spent much time around him for over a decade. I know he's e to enjoy the company of women of all backgrounds," he added with a bit of a blush. "Nothing wrong with them," he added, both to be clear about where he stood and to be clear about what sort of talk he'd accept about the women. "But I don't think he's going to reputable sex workers either. He's prone to fight," he said, resisting the urge to rub his nose. "But not generally a violent person on the whole. More hot tempered than anything. That's where some of my worry comes in . . . the wrong person challenges him to a duel, calls him names. . . . I could see things going badly for him. He's completely unfamiliar with Muggles," he added, remembering the rest of the question. "But also lives in London, so he's definitely around them. Just doesn't know much about them."

22 Killian Row I live to please. 1450 0 5

John Skies

September 29, 2020 10:41 PM

That might get you in trouble by John Skies

Well, the other Row sounded like an absolute charmer. John was fairly used to dealing with all sorts, and the associated unsavoury behaviours that went with them. He kept his comments amd his facial expressions to himself, presenting a neat professional face to Killian.

"Might be worth checking in if he's already had any brushes with the law. A profile of your brother sent to the misuse of magic office, and a request that if anyone of that description is in their custody or comes into contact with them that they let you know. They can't always, they'd probably need his agreement that he wanted you to come collect his sorry ass, but it helps to put that idea into their heads in the first place, especially if he's got himself into a place where he's not sure if he can reach out. You'd hope things would join up between departments but they don't always, so it's best to get a finger in as many pies as possible.

"That can also help to tip the scales - let's say Joe Bloggs down in Misuse has a pal in track and trace. He might lean on that friend for you, get him to go round this one up before it becomes a problem for him to deal with. Hopefully we can make your brother sound like just enough of a nuisance that they want to bother looking for him but don't want to throw his behind in jail when they find him. If he has been up to no good, any serious kind of no good, that is a risk you would end up taking going the official routes. Private gives you more options, though there are some things they are obliged to report - but only serious nasties, which don't sound like his usual pattern.

"I got a couple of names for you there too. One human, one ex-house elf. There's quite a lot of Beings in the private game. Different powers and they don't always have the same rules to abide by as us - some overlap of course, and sometimes their hands are tied in a way a wizard's wouldn't be. Swings and roundabouts," he shrugged, waiting to see which of the options Killian was most interested in pursuing.

13 John Skies That might get you in trouble 0 John Skies 0 5