(no subject)

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

Everyone's seen a ruined man, a hopeless man, walk into a bar.

They probably have never seen one walking in and standing so taut with pent-up...
something, that he looked as if he'd tear the head off of someone with the slightest provocation. Not that Vimes would do such a thing, but it was certainly what he looked like tonight. Deep, dark circles were under Vimes' eyes, and he was chewing fitfully on his cigar.

He barely noticed when he walked into Milliways--or rather he did, but he had so much else on his mind that he merely accepted it in an instant and walked up to the bar, sat down, and ordered some water.

He would not go home to sing to his son tonight. He had not in the last few weeks. He would not until he found the one responsible for his man's death and stopped him--really stopped him--at last.

Comments

[timsbooks.livejournal.com]

*Tim nods to Vimes.*

Evening your lordship.

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

"It's Vimes. Mister Vimes," Vimes corrected him, still chewing away at that cigar.

[timsbooks.livejournal.com]

Ah?

*Tim raises a brow.*

I was led to belive you were a Duke....

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

"I am. It's still Vimes," Vimes informed him.

[timsbooks.livejournal.com]

Ah, all right then Mister Vimes.

*Tim nods again.*

How goes?

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

"One of my men was killed a few weeks ago. Torn to shreds," he answered gruffly and bluntly.

[timsbooks.livejournal.com]

*Tim blanches.*

I'm sorry to hear that. May i offer any assistance?

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

"Hey, it's not my cow!" Ace calls cheerfully at Vimes from her seat by the fire. "Buy you a drink, officer?"

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

He turned to give her her a Look*--the sort he gave her the first time he was here actually--but upon seeing who it was, his face softened. Slightly. "Sure." He amended, "Something non-alcoholic."

He needed some information.

*One that fully justified a gratuitous capital letter.

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

Ace knows all about Looks. She's gotten quite used to getting them from a certain Doctor she travels... travelled with.

"Cocoa? They make a pretty good version here. Or something else? Tea? Coffee? Prune juice?" She fishing. Thankfully not in the Ankh.

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

"Tea's fine," Vimes said, taking off his helmet and leaving it on the floor at his feet. He rubbed his eyes.

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

"Right. Cream? Sugar?" Ace reaches out and snags a conviniently-passing rat, scruffing it before it can escape her.

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

"Neither," Vimes said absently, staring, as he had been the entire time, at the liquor bottles at the back of the bar.

[kidontheraft.livejournal.com]

Timmy paddles quietly over to Vimes and floats over his head.

Vimes may begin to feel a little short of breath.

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

Vimes held a hand to his throat and stared. "I think you should get down from there, kid."

[kidontheraft.livejournal.com]

Did Timmy hear something? He looks around curiously.

Probably just another drowning comedian swimmer.

He stays where he is.

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

Normally Vimes would have let well enough alone. But he can't breathe and he's had a horrible day that's been part of some of the worst weeks of his life.

He reaches up and very cautiously burns a hole in Timmy's raft with the lits end of his cigar.

[kidontheraft.livejournal.com]

Timmy gives him a Look, as if to say "Well, you don't have to be mean about it."

The hole in the raft fills in and Timmy floats away.

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

Vimes was left in peace. Except for the chaos in his own head, mind you.

[key-youth-bert.livejournal.com]

Cuthbert recognizes the look. He offers the stranger a sympathetic nod from where he sits at the bar.

"Long days and pleasant nights, sai."

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

Vimes puffed on his cigar. "It's not exactly been the most pleasant of nights," he said, "but I appreciate the sentiment."

He nodded in greeting. "Vimes."

[key-youth-bert.livejournal.com]

"Cuthbert Allgood. And no, you don't look like a man who's been experiencing terribly pleasant nights. My sympathies."

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

"I lost one of my men, a few weeks ago," Vimes said simply. "And I can't find the man who did it, even though I know who he is."

[key-youth-bert.livejournal.com]

Cuthbert nods solemnly. "Aye, I know how that feels. I came here from the aftermath of a war. Saw a lot of good men die, and we did our best to avenge their deaths, but, well..." he trails off, waving a hand. "Say sorry, sai Vimes."

[mister-vimes.livejournal.com]

"S'not a war. I'm Commander of the City Watch," Vimes answered. "He was off-duty. He didn't have to die--the man who did it did it to get to me."