* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀.

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀—— Now you’ll live through the 𝑨𝑮𝑬𝑺 ;⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀I can feel your ( 𝙋𝙐𝙇𝙎𝙀 ) in the * 𝐏𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒.⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

&&.

Perhaps our 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 are
wild 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐒; that’s why
we keep them in ( * 𝑪𝑨𝑮𝑬𝑺. )

EDWARD ‘TEDDY’ FITZGERALD.

half-scottish, half-french professor of history and english literature. owner of a small bookshop, and single father. writer and tea lover.

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

— letting his eyes fall upon her, causing a grin to slowly sprout across bristly countenance.

“Fuck’s sake. . . aren’t you just a braw sight for sore eyes?”

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

Well, that gets those blue eyes open in no time, a pair of balled fists coming up to gently rub at his eyes and clear the sleep out of them.

“Is the sky blue, darlin’?” He yawns, slowly dragging himself into a seated position ( it’s been a long week; yes, already ) and —

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

Catch him rousing ever so slightly from sleep at the sensation, a sleepy smile claiming bearded cheeks despite the fact that his eyes don’t open just yet.

“. . .who dares tae disturb my slumber?”

A rhetorical question, of course.

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

Feeling particularly sickly this evening.

A proper brew-and-a-book kind of night, now the wee man’s asleep. Perhaps a dramamine’s on the menu, too.

[emotions scrapbook @affectingbot]

It’s taboo to admit that you’re lonely. You can make jokes about it, of course. Ha ha. But rarely do you ever tell people about the true depths of your loneliness, about how you feel more & more alienated from your friends each passing day and you’re not sure how to fix it.

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

— to yourself tha’ you can do it as much as she’s provin’ it to you.”

And yes, he’s speaking from an ( abundance ) of experience.

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

Teddy smiles feebly, a grim gesture of understanding and sympathy, though he doesn’t apologise. He knows better than anyone that, despite the pure intentions of the gesture, they’re just empty words.

“Even so, at least she’s got somethin’ tae hold onto,” Teddy muses, —

[* OLIVER. ( hiatus ) @QUIETLYCURSED]

for the first time in a long time, oliver feels that someone understands. there’s a solemn nod of his head in response.

“ my wife, she . . she passed — about three years ago now. ella doesn’t remember much of her now. “ he’ll spare him of the details, that’s a whole different —

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

— doesnae always seem like it, kids can sense when you’re anxious or nervous about summat, and it rubs off on them, too.”

A friendly smile, as he raises his mug good-naturedly to the other.

“Let her have her fun, and check on her first thing in the mornin’, yeah? Prove —

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

— Teddy’s nose wrinkles and blue eyes squeeze briefly shut at the onslaught of kisses, though he’s grinning from ear to ear.

“. . .aye, I’ve missed you too, darlin’.”

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

He reckons the wee man appreciates having someone else round the house. He imagines he must tire of being cooped up with just his dad in the flat sometimes.

“Good. Maybe we can do somethin’ then, yeah? The three of us?”

Something that doesn’t involve doctors, ideally. —

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

— nowadays with all my doctor’s appointments’n tha’, but for the most part, aye, s’just me.”

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

There are worst realities, believe him.

“Nae bother, pal,” Teddy replies with a casual shrug, settling back down into his chair again, nursing his own brew.

The question takes him a little by surprise, though Teddy doesn’t shy away from it, simply nodding after a brief —

[* OLIVER. ( hiatus ) @QUIETLYCURSED]

who knows, couple more years and he might be living the same reality.

“ even the offer means a lot, cheers. “ he offers a smile before taking a sip.

“ is it just you, taking care of your son? “ pure curiosity, here’s hoping it’s not too personal of a question to ask so soon.

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

— pause.

“. . .aye, it is. My girlfriend at the time – Lyon’s mum – she, er. . . she passed when she had him, so it’s just me,” he answers grimly, nodding as he gazes into his mug for a minute.

“I’ve got a girlfriend now, and she helps out a fair bit too, especially —

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

And it goes without saying that Lyon’s certainly a fan of her, too. Given the way he runs to her whenever she shows up at the door.

“Is tha’ a yes, then?” He enquires, a single brow lifted as a playful expression sits on his features.

“Tae hangin’ around a bit?”

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

Very easy for someone to say when they’ve not had to watch the sound waves episode seven hundred times.

He jests, of course, and it’s not long before the brew is poured, milk added, and it’s set before the other lad.

“There we are. Hope tha’s alright for ye.”

[* OLIVER. ( hiatus ) @QUIETLYCURSED]

color him a bit envious — that sounds better than watching frozen a thousand times over. hopefully she’ll be out of that phase soon—.

of course, of course, no rush.

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

@alondonspy / i was going to say?? pot meet kettle????

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

/ also, new layout, bc it was time. 🙃

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

Looks like he’s going to be buried up to his neck in papers to mark at the weekend.

Well, something to keep him busy while he’s at the hospital, he supposes.

[* 𝑻𝑬𝑫𝑫𝒀. @facetusoraculi]

‘Course, nae bother. If she’s sure.

Not two minutes later is he placing the steaming mug before her, black as can be.

“Careful, it’ll be bloody hot. Not tae mention bitter. Sure ye don’t want anythin’ in it?”