Work Text:
The Cane
There was something oddly boring about waiting for Simon to arrive.
Thrumming its way under the boredom was the knowledge he was about to go get his first cane and then lunch with someone he hadn’t even met. It was like setting himself up on a rather obscure date with the oldest man in history and knowing about it. He shuddered at the thought and shook his head.
He was craving a smoke like he hadn’t since he first quit. His free hand kept fiddling with a pen he was holding because he needed to keep his fingers busy, because being around other people smoking right now on the stairs leading up to the institute wasn’t helping much. His other had a death grip on the handle of the hospital’s cane that needed to go back.
He wasn’t sure what to think about this. It felt like a huge step, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready for it yet or not.
He was nervous about what Simon will be like in person. He was nervous about not getting back to work on time and he was nervous over getting a cane, even though he knew he needed one now.
That last one was the one worrying him the most, which he supposed was odd as well. Considering he was going on a lunch date with an old man known for throwing people off or out of things, it felt strange. Then again, he was getting very used to Angela being around and she turned people into tiny pieces.
He wasn’t used to the Vast, more used to Flesh and Beholding, as they were the powers he tended to interact with or belonged to. But he got along well enough with Simon online and the statements he was in had him show up always cheerful.
It could have been Annabelle who had offered her services. Hell no to that idea. He would very much like to stay as far away from the Web and her people as possible, thank you.
“Archivist! Yes, hello!” called out one of the people walking along the path to the institute. Jon looked and stared. He couldn’t really help it. Honestly for one of these fear Avatars, the best disguise is to be old. Because there was no way this was anyone other than Simon Fairchild walking up to him.
Simon Fairchild, who looked like your normal, everyday old man. Harmless, small, frail. It was a great cover. He was wearing a bright blue button-down dress shirt and dark blue slacks. A baseball cap was on his head, wisps of white hair creeping out from under it in places.
“Why was I expecting you to be wearing a bowler?” he asked before the words even fully formed in his head. He cringed right afterwards. “Right, you don’t have to answer that, by the way.”
Simon laughed at that. “A hat for all occasions, Jon. Now come on, before you miss out on lunch completely.”
He grimaced at that. “Not really hungry right now, anyway, but I did tell the team I would bring in a late lunch at the sandwich shop just across the street.”
Simon looked across the street to the shop they generally buy lunch at and nodded. “Right, you can go do that after we’ve gotten you all sorted, shall we?”
Jon let out a sigh and nodded. “Yes. You know the way. I have no idea where I am going or doing or pretty much anything to do about this.”
“You don’t sound enthusiastic about this.”
“I’m not…”
Nodding, Simon patted him on the arm. “You’ll get used to it.”
He looked down at the ground and nodded. “Yes, I know. It is just a huge change. One that has affected a lot more than I ever thought it would.”
“Hmmm. You’re a young man. The young tend to think these types of things are never for them, until they are needed. I lived through a time where it was the height of fashion for all young men to use a cane. Times change.”
That actually worked to ease his mood a bit enough to smile weakly. “Yes, you’re old. Okay, let’s get this over with.”
One thing was certain, for an old man Simon was both fast and filled with what seemed to be an endless supply of energy. It also became apparent that the cane he used was more a prop than anything else. He did use it like a cane sometimes, but not consistently.
On more than one occasion, Simon had to slow down to let Jon catch up, which was embarrassing and made him feel slow. As it was, he doubted he’d be able to keep up for long if he still had two fully working legs.
By the time they made it two streets over and into a shop tailored for assisted living, he was sore, tired, and cranky.
Simon made his way over to the nearby counter with a smile on his face, using the cane like it is meant to be used. “Hello, my young friend here needs a cane. It’s his first.”
He glared at Simon in reply. “I can talk for myself.”
“He’s in a bit of a temper from the walk here.”
Sighing loudly, he walked up to the counter himself. “If you bothered slowing down, I wouldn’t be.”
“I very rarely stop, Jonathan.”
Considering the constant shuffling of his feet, Jon would believe it. He rubbed at his face and waved his hands about. “Well, I’m here now. And I need a cane.”
The person at the desk smiled and walked over to them. “Sure. Is there anything in particular you are looking for?”
He blinked. “Uh. Something that will last? I’m going to be doing a lot of walking. Something so I can keep it on me if I have to climb anything. That is really awkward for me and my knee. Uh, something that’s not going to break easily.”
They nodded their head and waved him over to a place near the desk which was stacked with canes. “Okay. You’ll be wanting one of the foldable titanium ones. These are what we have in stock. The length can be adjusted.”
Jon nodded, distracted by the sudden impulse to just grab the nearest one and get the hell out. But no, he was here to find one that he liked. He’d be stuck with it for quite a while, after all. So, instead he started rummaging through the metal sticks.
Simon was busy chatting up a woman with a walker who just came in the shop, so he was on his own to find one he liked, which was probably for the best. At this point, he’d choose the exact opposite of anything Simon told him to get.
It didn’t take him long to go through them. When his eyes kept going over to a black one with a silver-coloured handle with a bright blue wrist strap, he decided that one was going to be it and grabbed it. He wouldn’t lose it if it was strapped to his wrist after all.
He slowly tested it out to see if it would be a good fit as is and found it the right height and sturdy. It was also thinner and lighter than the one the hospital had given him and was much easier to carry around when not actively using it. He grinned because this was so much better than he had imagined he would be getting. Better yet, Tim couldn’t tease him for getting something drab, since it wasn’t all black.
He nodded to himself and went back over to where he had left the hospital one. He had what he had come for and it was time to pay and leave. He looked around to see where Simon had flitted off to now and saw him at the check-out counter talking with the woman working there.
He made his way over to them, a cane in each hand. “Hello, yes, I picked one.” He put it on the table, ready to be bought.
“Oho! I like the wrist strap! Good choice, Jon,” Simon said with enthusiastic cheerfulness.
He grimaced. “I didn’t get it to please you.”
Simon laughed. “Well, of course not! It’s not my cane.”
And that…that made no sense. Actually, it made all the sense, he was shopping for himself, but he was sure that Simon would dominate the conversation and the looking and ‘help’ by picking one for him. And none of that had happened. He’d been left alone to choose for himself, but Simon stayed nearby in case he did need help with anything.
None of how today has gone is like he imagined it would.
He paid and had his new cane packed up, so he would continue using the hospital one until he could get to the hospital and give it back. Hopefully, he could get that done by the end of that day. He’d have to ask Georgie if she could drive him there, since Tim still wasn’t behind the wheel yet.
The walk back was a lot more slow and leisurely for him, since he now knew the way and he didn’t have to keep up.
Unfortunately, going slow on the way back meant that more time passed. He had only five minutes of lunch time left before his break was over and he was supposed to be back at work. Thankfully, there wasn’t a line inside the shop when they reached it. He thought it had been good timing all up. He hadn’t taken as long as he feared he would.
He ordered his four sandwiches and sat down to wait, Simon sitting next to him. “Well, that went well! You got a cane, you’re not too late and sandwiches are being had by your and your assistants. I believe this is where we will part.”
He took a deep breath and nodded. “That was helpful. Thank you.”
Simon grinned widely and nodded. “You are welcome. I’ll see you around. Bye.”
With that said, Simon was gone, and his hair was all in his face. His eyes stung by the force of the wind as the old man disappeared off into the Vast. He blinked away the sting and shook his head. He should really have put two and two together from statements, that Simon Fairchild was a bit of a show off.
He chuckled and shook his head and a few minutes later was carrying a bag holding his team’s sandwiches in addition to the two canes. He made his way across the street 10 minutes late, but it was better than he had feared.
He felt like had accomplished something big.
One thing he knew for sure. He was in an oddly good mood for the rest of the workday.