Chapter Text
Cub looked amused, which was a good thing. Grian hoped so at least. Cub seated himself at his desk, the top of it was covered with more messages. Grian seated himself once he moved another stack off the chair. Grian stared at Cub, expecting him to tell him what was going on but as always Cub stayed quiet, looking at him from above his glasses, his fingers steepled in careful thought… This time Grian was going to win… But as the pressure of silence weighed on him… Grian broke. “So… How are you?” he went with. A sort of half victory. He didn’t mention the endless telegrams at least…
“Oh you know busy.” Was the reply and then silence. Which was annoying. If Cub was that busy, why didn’t he just start the conversation instead of playing games… Damn it! Grian wanted to shake the man until he spoke but he couldn’t. Cub was his boss. Cub would just find it funny and Grian knew it would do no good.
Silence grew, it flowered, it fruited, it died and spread it’s seeds deep in Grian’s mind until he broke. “So, want to talk to me about these telegrams?” Grian asked with gritted teeth. Okay so he lost. He didn’t win even a little bit. It was a stupid game that only stupid people would want to win much less actually win!
Cub gave him a knowing smile, no doubt tallying up his latest win with all the others. “Oh yes. I suppose we should address it. I have been sorting out the telegrams for you and Mumbo into a couple groups.” He told him and pulled out a number of cards. “Now these are the ones that might be helpful. It seems that some people had written in with leads and clues… there might be a possible witness or two in the pile.”
Grian took the cards, flicking through them to see if there was anything useful in them. He paused at one. “Oh… another…” he commented and sighed confusedly. “Dear Miss Grian…” He read out loud before turning to Cub. “That’s the second one that mistook me as a lady?” He ran his fingers along the edge of the card before forcing himself to meet Cub’s eyes.
“It might have come from your submitted article from this morning.” Cub told him as if it explained everything. Thankfully he passed over the paper and Grian glanced over the words he knew he wrote… There were no changes to what he submitted so he had no idea why people were mistaking him as a woman though.
“Cub… I don’t understand?” Grian eventually admitting, now knowing that Cub was enjoying himself too much which meant that he would have to ask him to get the answers. He grabbed another card. Another Miss Grian…
Cub chuckled with raised eyebrow. “Grian… perhaps I should read it out loud?” He took the paper back. “It was with great haste that I followed the cutting form of Mumbo towards this mysterious location, my skirts hampering my efforts to keep up with his endlessly well-formed long legs, it was only his broad strong arm around my waist that encouraged me to scurry at his pace. That and the call of the answers we sought. I may have been dressed as a street walker but I was not used to walking these streets like this. My usual clothing would be far more comfortable but needs were a must!”
Now hearing it being read out loud, it all fell into place. Grian wrote the piece from his own point of view… he didn’t mention being a man… and the way he had described dressing up, he didn’t say he was male… just that he didn’t dress as a street walker. Grian rubbed a hand over his face. “Oh heavens.” He commented.
Cub chuckled and lowered the paper. “I suppose it keeps you from being recognised.” Cub told him which did make Grian feel a little bit better. “Though Mumbo will have to deal with all the hate mail he received regarding him dragging his poor innocent wife or fiancée across the city after a murderer.”
Grian swallowed at that, and forced out a dry laugh. “I doubt Mumbo would be grateful for that… I do believe… he is a little bit of a cad if you know what I mean. A jack of the town.” He lied a little bit. “A new woman each week… He will be distraught to think people would think he has been tied down to a person.”
Cub raised an eyebrow. “Mumbo? Well, I never thought of him to be like that… You think you know someone…”