Dinner Conversation, Conclusion
Oct. 23rd, 2007 02:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prodigalwatcherOOC: Follows immediately after THIS PART.
Wesley stood from his place at the table to face the returning Lindsey. Meeting the other man's gaze levelly and calmly, he tried his best to gauge Lindsey's expression. He found he couldn't, not at that moment. "Lindsey," he said by way of greeting. "Welcome back. What do you say?"
Lindsey sat his drink down at his spot at the table, putting Logan's beer down as well. "First off, Logan and I have decided that we want a rule about not shooting your teammates as part of the agency's policy," he looked up at Wesley, smirking a moment before bringing his lawyer face into play as to keep any hint of expression from showing. "Beyond that, I'm not really being given much of a choice here. I'll agree that with Cordelia's visions not stopping because of Angel's absense, there is a need for people to take up that. The two of us do well enough ourselves, but a team would be better."
He locked eyes with Wesley. "However, you and I got to work on this whole communication thing. You want me to trust you, you need to start showing me that I should. I've got every reason in the world to hate you, but it's obvious that I'm a man willing to forgive the past, if being given a reason to want to." He looked at Cordelia a moment, since she was the one who stated he would have just said no because it was Wesley holding the meeting, then back to Wesley.
"Everyone at this table got an e-mail from you but me about this meeting. Maybe you asked Cordelia to tell me, maybe you didn't. But if you wanted me here, you should have asked, plain and simple. I expect at least that much concideration and respect. Our history might not be the best, but it ain't gonna change unless we both work on it."
"So yeah. I'm in, for now. You need to convince me to stay."
Gwen opened her mouth, getting ready to ask Lindsey and Wesley if they wanted a ruler so the pissing contest could be settled once and for all. But for once Gwen bit her tongue and didn't say anything. "Well, if you're going to have a no shooting rule I want a clause that says I can put a bolt up anyone's ass that acts like one." Her eyebrow rose as she looked at Lindsey, then she winked at her friend before turning her attention to the rest of the table.
She didn't know what Lindsey meant by he didn't have a choice in the matter. He could've said no, it wasn't like anyone was twisting his arm. It had been his choice to come back into the restaurant after his talk with Logan, and Gwen really didn't see Logan as the type to strong arm anyone. And she really didn't see Lindsey not doing anything he didn't want to do. They were too much alike for that to happen and he would have just said screw it if he didn't really want to be there.
Cordelia couldn't help being a little impressed by Logan. For him to be able to talk Lindsey into returning, as angry as he'd been... that was a surprise. She'd fully expected Lindsey to leave the restaurant. At least now there was a chance they wouldn't have to have a huge fight later.
Well, okay, they probably would still fight. But at least not until later. And he was agreeing to work with them, which was all she'd really wanted. She could deal with his temper.
"So I guess we're all in," she said, and leaned back in her chair. "Now what?"
Wesley crossed his arms and bristled silently. A voice in the back of his head was insisting on him letting Lindsey know exactly what Wesley thought of the man's demands and accusations. He wanted to let the man know how he was there mostly on Cordelia's insistence and a very rapidly shrinking amount of Wesley's sufferance. What he'd told Lindsey was true: after some thought, Wesley had realised the value of a dissenting voice in a group, but it was a later addition to his thoughts, and dissent was not defiance. Instead, though, he simply nodded slowly. "Very well. We'll all have to be accommodating to one another, it seems... but then, there's no reason to expect otherwise."
It wasn't the time or place for the confrontation, Wesley told himself. If and when it would happen, not only would he choose the time and place, he would be ready for it.
"Now," said Wesley, returning to his chair, "I propose we commence with dinner. There's still the matter of a location and other logistics to work out. As soon as they have been, I'll contact you-- all of you-- with the specifics. Until then, let's see if we can't at least make the meal a pleasant evening."
THE END
Wesley stood from his place at the table to face the returning Lindsey. Meeting the other man's gaze levelly and calmly, he tried his best to gauge Lindsey's expression. He found he couldn't, not at that moment. "Lindsey," he said by way of greeting. "Welcome back. What do you say?"
Lindsey sat his drink down at his spot at the table, putting Logan's beer down as well. "First off, Logan and I have decided that we want a rule about not shooting your teammates as part of the agency's policy," he looked up at Wesley, smirking a moment before bringing his lawyer face into play as to keep any hint of expression from showing. "Beyond that, I'm not really being given much of a choice here. I'll agree that with Cordelia's visions not stopping because of Angel's absense, there is a need for people to take up that. The two of us do well enough ourselves, but a team would be better."
He locked eyes with Wesley. "However, you and I got to work on this whole communication thing. You want me to trust you, you need to start showing me that I should. I've got every reason in the world to hate you, but it's obvious that I'm a man willing to forgive the past, if being given a reason to want to." He looked at Cordelia a moment, since she was the one who stated he would have just said no because it was Wesley holding the meeting, then back to Wesley.
"Everyone at this table got an e-mail from you but me about this meeting. Maybe you asked Cordelia to tell me, maybe you didn't. But if you wanted me here, you should have asked, plain and simple. I expect at least that much concideration and respect. Our history might not be the best, but it ain't gonna change unless we both work on it."
"So yeah. I'm in, for now. You need to convince me to stay."
Gwen opened her mouth, getting ready to ask Lindsey and Wesley if they wanted a ruler so the pissing contest could be settled once and for all. But for once Gwen bit her tongue and didn't say anything. "Well, if you're going to have a no shooting rule I want a clause that says I can put a bolt up anyone's ass that acts like one." Her eyebrow rose as she looked at Lindsey, then she winked at her friend before turning her attention to the rest of the table.
She didn't know what Lindsey meant by he didn't have a choice in the matter. He could've said no, it wasn't like anyone was twisting his arm. It had been his choice to come back into the restaurant after his talk with Logan, and Gwen really didn't see Logan as the type to strong arm anyone. And she really didn't see Lindsey not doing anything he didn't want to do. They were too much alike for that to happen and he would have just said screw it if he didn't really want to be there.
Cordelia couldn't help being a little impressed by Logan. For him to be able to talk Lindsey into returning, as angry as he'd been... that was a surprise. She'd fully expected Lindsey to leave the restaurant. At least now there was a chance they wouldn't have to have a huge fight later.
Well, okay, they probably would still fight. But at least not until later. And he was agreeing to work with them, which was all she'd really wanted. She could deal with his temper.
"So I guess we're all in," she said, and leaned back in her chair. "Now what?"
Wesley crossed his arms and bristled silently. A voice in the back of his head was insisting on him letting Lindsey know exactly what Wesley thought of the man's demands and accusations. He wanted to let the man know how he was there mostly on Cordelia's insistence and a very rapidly shrinking amount of Wesley's sufferance. What he'd told Lindsey was true: after some thought, Wesley had realised the value of a dissenting voice in a group, but it was a later addition to his thoughts, and dissent was not defiance. Instead, though, he simply nodded slowly. "Very well. We'll all have to be accommodating to one another, it seems... but then, there's no reason to expect otherwise."
It wasn't the time or place for the confrontation, Wesley told himself. If and when it would happen, not only would he choose the time and place, he would be ready for it.
"Now," said Wesley, returning to his chair, "I propose we commence with dinner. There's still the matter of a location and other logistics to work out. As soon as they have been, I'll contact you-- all of you-- with the specifics. Until then, let's see if we can't at least make the meal a pleasant evening."
THE END
