[Stoneface sounds somewhat strained, and he takes a moment to answer.]
'Course you did, stupid question... yes. Yes, I have a son. Known that for some time now... [And now everyone knows it. And your grace? This is a bit much to take in.]
[There's a long pause. He doesn't know if it means something that Stoneface never mentioned that. Gai won't ask how long, he decides. His voice, when he speaks again, isn't as loud as it was at first, but it's still warm.]
And you have your whole name. That is something to be admired. I would be glad to call you Vimes.
Yeah. [Stoneface - no, Vimes - isn't able to see what Gai's thinking, not now. But he still explains himself, somewhat.] Never saw much of a point in talking to people about back home. No one except Elsa, at any rate.
[The shock of having one's self displayed like this dims a bit, and he sounds a bit more collected when he speaks again.] Vimes. [He says it again, and it's comfortable, like slipping into an old bit of armor he had forgotten about. It fits.] Yeah, all right. Looks like we'll both be calling each other by our real names now.
Oh. [He considers that, and it makes some sense. Gai would have thought it would come up one of the times he'd mentioned Lotus, but Ston--Vimes has always been a more private person.] Home is something to be embraced and treasured.
We shall! You, me, and Brianna all have our real names! The Watch is on a bread! No. On a loaf? Or... I forget what the metaphor is, I am sorry.
Right, you haven't been here long enough to know that bit... huh. Feels a bit like you've been around forever. [He puffs on his cigar a couple times.] He used to go by the name of Spike.
[There's a long pause as Gai thinks about what he just heard. He speaks slowly.]
I think I understand more, now. Why... Why.
[Then his voice regains its normal enthusiasm.]
But you have a son too! Congratulations, Stone-- Do you wish to go with what he called you?
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[Stoneface sounds somewhat strained, and he takes a moment to answer.]
'Course you did, stupid question... yes. Yes, I have a son. Known that for some time now... [And now everyone knows it. And your grace? This is a bit much to take in.]
Vimes. Yeah. Yeah, that's my name. Sam Vimes.
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[There's a long pause. He doesn't know if it means something that Stoneface never mentioned that. Gai won't ask how long, he decides. His voice, when he speaks again, isn't as loud as it was at first, but it's still warm.]
And you have your whole name. That is something to be admired. I would be glad to call you Vimes.
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[The shock of having one's self displayed like this dims a bit, and he sounds a bit more collected when he speaks again.] Vimes. [He says it again, and it's comfortable, like slipping into an old bit of armor he had forgotten about. It fits.] Yeah, all right. Looks like we'll both be calling each other by our real names now.
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We shall! You, me, and Brianna all have our real names! The Watch is on a bread! No. On a loaf? Or... I forget what the metaphor is, I am sorry.
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[There is the sound of a match being struck. Someone needs a smoke.]
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