RP Log with scotcopper | Everyone Has a Past
If Stuart was a woman, people would probably be wondering if he was knocked up by now. The only way he seemed to be able to explain his behaviour since returning from the cruise was 'nesting'. In fact, Jules had spent the morning sniggering at him when he went so far as to Google these special muffins for people who needed to eat certain things after abdominal surgery... and then proceeded to bake them, even if they looked nothing like they did in the picture he printed out by the time he was done. And so what?! He was a copper, not Jamie Oliver. He still made them, though, and they tasted pretty damn good, if he did say so himself. That was just one thing, though. Since they got that, he hadn't exactly been overprotective of Tom, he just had an intense urge to take care of him. They were now officially living together for the first time, too, in their own that used to just be Tom's but was now theirs. It felt good. More than good. Despite the difficulties, Stuart was happy for the first time in a long time. He just wanted to make sure Tom was okay, and do what he could to make things easier. It didn't even bother him that they now had both Jules and Gus staying with them. The house was huge, and there was plenty of room. They were in separate rooms, and hardly a bother. It made sense to have them both here, and Stuart was getting too used to having his brothers on tap. It could get messy when they went back to Scotland, but that was a problem for another day.
It was now his day off, and after the Martha Stewart moment in the kitchen, he went on to tackle the living room, which had somehow gotten messy when they got home with them both returning to work pretty much as soon as they came back from the cruise. It was Gee's day off, too, and she had come over to commiserate about Euan's infuriatingly frustrating behaviour, even if he was subdued still recovering from the operation. Stuart could sympathise with how it could be taking care of someone sick, though. Sometimes they did just accidentally piss you off, even if they didn't intend it. It sucked getting over an illness or injury. With a snort, Stuart ejected a DVD from the player and stuffed it in the empty Titanic cover that had been beside the stereo. Jules and Kenzie must've watched it when they were there. He had found a small handful of seemingly blank DVDs lying around that he needed to match with their covers. He knew for a fact he certainly hadn't been watching Titanic. At least, not the innocent version. "Just... I dinnae know, suffocate him with a pillow?" he suggested unhelpfully and put the next DVD in the player, pausing only to reach down and give his balls a quick scratch. Gee was well and truly his partner now, there was no more awkwardness and if she was going to protect him with her life - and vice versa - things like a random ball scratching or fart during a case conference was old school.
Now that Gee had gotten over her bitchiness where Euan was concerned - well, regarding everything else except for today - she was more than glad to have Stuart back. She didn't bat an eye at the ball scratching considering she'd been dealing with worse with Euan. She was suddenly surrounded by blokes and really didn't care what the fuck they did so long as they weren't making her life hell. "Then I'd have to fill out paperwork, or go to jail. No thanks. I think I'll just continue to annoy him by watching chick flicks when he can't run away, or even wrestle the remote off me." She started to watch Stuart with interest from her position on the sofa and tilted her head as she picked up a nearby blank DVD. "No offence to your suit, but surely he could have afforded some kind of label maker?"
Stuart shrugged. "He's probably just anal about putting them back in the cases when he's done. We just got lax with house guests with a run of gay porn on their hands," he said with a smirk and hit the play button. Some gay porn cropped up on the screen that looked much like an orgy with a Moulin Rouge theme. He tilted his head slightly, looking up at the large home theatre TV on the wall. "Man, that guy shouldnae wear red leather, let alone a Full Monty-esque red leather thong. You think he could've at least invested in a back, sack and crack. That dude could knit booties with pubes," he said with a snort. "So, you got over the urge to kill him, then?"
Gee crinkled her nose at the larger than life sight greeting her. "Are you trying to make sure I stay celibate for the rest of my life? Does this stuff really do it for you and Tom? Because really... Fuck me, what's that bloke doing with the feather boa?" She dragged her gaze off the screen to look at Stuart. "Yes, I did. Now I'm just waiting to see if he gets over the urge to hate me. I did walk out, and I did treat him like a prick... ish. So he had every right to be angry."
Stuart smirked at her over the top of his Red Bull can when he took a mouthful. He set it back down and shrugged. "You are lucky he's stuck you out, you know. You wanted him to give a little, and when he does, you piss on his parade. And no the feck way is this my shit. I'm nay into feathers or silk, unless the silk is on a certain favourite of mine. Then we'll talk. Looks like Jules and Kenzie got into Tom's porn stash, though. I know he's got a lot, but to be honest, I couldnae fecking tell you what he's got or where it is. We didnae have a lot of time here before he got into the accident." He ejected that DVD and set it aside, having no intention of finding it's home. The next disc got slotted in and he hit play again. This time, it looked like it was something from Tom's homemade collection. A redhead on his knees between Tom's legs in what looked to be some sort of conference room. Stuart just blinked, pulling his lips to the side as he tried hard - and failed - not to get jealous. An irked heat crept into his cheeks and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"I know I'm lucky, and I'm incredibly grateful he's seen it fit to slum it with me for so long, I really am." She tilted her head to look around Stuart as she looked at the screen and cleared her throat after a moment. She had a hard enough time listening to Euan talk about his past let alone watching him and other women. "Just change it love... Or conveniently lose it. No one would blame you. And really, redheads like that? Not sexy."
Stuart ejected the disc this time with enough force that his half empty can nearly bounced off the edge of the DVD player. He caught it before he caused any random electrocutions and put it on the floor so he could move on to stuff the disc into one of the cases, making sure he scratched the surface over the plastic edges and basically made the DVD useless. With a satisfied nod, he picked up the next blank disc. "Did you get him to clarify what he was talking about? I mean, it sounded like it was pretty full on. Nay getting any cold feet because of it?" he asked and hit play yet again. This time Tom was the one doing the servicing, of a pumped brunette, both of them in just towels. Stuart's whole face went red this time and he literally growled, eyes locked on the screen as he pursed his lips tightly. Jules and Kenzie must've had a field day. "What's fucking next?! A blonde dressed like Marilyn Monroe?!"
Gee got up off the couch and came up behind Stuart before moving around him to open the DVD player before she 'accidentally' dropped the disc and stomped on it hard enough to break it. She winked at Stuart as she rubbed her hand against his shoulder. "This is just his past, love. I know it's easier said than to done to just forget about it, but it's really not healthy to get jealous about it now." She smirked and held out her hand for a shake. "Nice to meet you, Kettle. I'm Pot. And no, I'm not getting cold feet. It was about his former life. The moment where he decided he wanted to survive. He's not proud of it. It's why he won't talk about it."
There was some extremely aggravating about seeing your fiancé balls-deep in someone else. Stuart had always thought it wouldn't bother him to see this sort of thing, but it was stabbing away at all his sensitive spots and he really wanted to just pick up all the DVDs and shove them under the nearest passing double-decker. But there could actually be something important in the movies, like memories Tom actually wanted to keep. Hopefully none of this porn was part of it. "Understandable," he finally agreed with a small nod. "I always wondered if there was something shady in his past that led him to be a copper. He's too rough around the edges, and I dinnae mean that in a judgmental type way. There's just something aboot his copper style... like it's coming from something deeper rather than taught detective skills. He has a knack with crims, too. Gets into their heads." The next disc could well become one Stuart wished he never laid his hands on, and as it was, he wasn't sure he wanted to see more of Tom's cock in any part of any other blokes ever. But he persisted, and this time, there really was a starring blond act. Only, it wasn't Marilyn Monroe. Stuart froze, feeling like someone tipped ice water down his back and there was no heated cheeks, either. Just paling as he realised he recognised Tom's conquest and all he could do was stare, fixated on the image.
Gee's face reflected instant concern as she saw Stuart's expression change. It wasn't anger, it was something else - and it actually scared her. She reached out to put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Stuart? Stuart, are you with me?" She'd missed the party at Phillipe's so she had had no chance to meet Stuart's newly extended circle. She didn't recognise the blond on top of Tom. She tilted her head just a little bit as her eyes flicked to the screen, but quickly tore them away before he assumed she would approve of watching his partner in other blokes. "Stuart? Love, what's wrong?"
There really was something different. Something in the way Tom was in this movie than he was with the others. There was more there, and when the couple on the screen change positions, and Tom was almost embracing the other man, Stuart felt literally like he was punched in the gut and he threw his hand out to grab hold of the edge of the mantel to keep himself upight. It wasn't anger, it was pure and chilling shock to be witnessing the sight on the screen. "That's... it's..." he stammered hoarsely and gave his head a slight shake as small, sharp laugh of disbelief fell from his lips. "That's Ethan's brother-in-law."
Gee blinked, and looked back at the screen. There was no mistaking the difference now between this encounter and the others, and even Gee was more than a little shocked to see it. Tom had been more capable of affection than he'd let anyone believe. It might not have been love, but there was definitely something. "Ethan's... Oh, shit. No, really? Oh my god..." She trailed off before she let go of Stuart to drop down onto her knees and stop the disc. "You didn't know?" she asked him quietly.
"No," Stuart mumbled quietly, still watching the screen, even if it was blank now. He swallowed heavily, feeling an odd sick sensation in his gut. He was pretty sure this was up there was a past relationship that should have been revealed on some level. Ethan was Tom's best friend and apparently there had been something with his brother-in-law. With Sophie's baby brother. Stuart had told Tom he had slept with Gee, out of courtesy more than anything. This was just something else. That wasn't just outright fucking on the screen like the first two had been. He rubbed his hand over his mouth and shook his head. He didn't even know what he was supposed to think. He had a strange urge like he wanted cry, but he fought it off like any typical male. He tried to push it all away and let his hand drop back to his side. "Everyone has past fucks, right?" he asked, not meaning it to sound like a desperate plea for reassurance.
Gee stood up again to wrap her arms around Stuart in a hug as she struggled to think of how she was going to placate him over this. The past was past - it wasn't as if Tom was fucking the brother-in-law now, but still... When you find something out for the first time, and then actually witness it - it's enough to shake anyone's confidence. "Of course they do, love. It's all part of our history. It's what makes us who we are, and I'm sure there was a reason he didn't tell you..."
"He's twenty-two!" Stuart suddenly shrieked, throwing up a hand in frustration. "Just!" he had to add for emphasis as he was overcome with an urge to pace, or to get in the car and find the nearest Morgan sibling and interrogate the shit out of them so he didn't actually do what his mind was first reacting to, and find Liam to give him a mouthful. Perhaps right before giving his fiance a mouthful and smacking him in the head with the blank DVD.
Gee covered her mouth as she backed away to give Stuart some space, her eyes watching him intently. "What's done is done, love. It still looked to be very consensual. I think you're best talking to Tom about it, since I really have no idea what to say. Other than to ask if you've ever had a younger lover."
"I'm twenty six. Want me to fuck a preschooler?" Stuart snapped and then put his hand over his mouth, his shoulders slumping. "I'm sorry. I shouldnae be directing this at you. It just slipped out. I saw how very consensual it looked. It was practically... practically..." He couldn't bring himself to say 'making love'. Some part of him was possessive and protective of the fact Tom had told him he was the first to do that with him. At the very least, the encounter... probably not a singular either... with Liam was some deep affection and now all Stuart could wonder was how many times, how long it had gone on for, and why Tom hadn't revealed it to him. "I feel like throwing up or hitting something."
"Please direct both of those away from me," Gee replied firmly even if she moved in closer again and touched his hand. "Do you want a drink? I'm sorry, it was a stupid question. I don't know the blond. I only know Tom, and I know just how deeply he loves you. You're engaged, Stu. He really should have fucking said something, but he didn't. I'm not even engaged to Euan and we're still giving each other shit over revealing important information. Look at what I did when he did tell me something."
Stuart glanced around, feeling his anger start to set in under his skin. "Aye, I want a drink. I want a big drink." He went over to the fully stocked bar Tom had in the corner of the room for entertainment purposes and pulled out the closest bottle of scotch his hand laid on. He cracked it open and took a long drink directly from the bottle. The joys of being a Scotsman, the amber liquor went down like water when it needed to. He rested the bottle down on the bar, licking his lips as he tried to force his mind to think clearly on the situation. "Why him? Of all the people. Liam is Sophie's wee brother. Why didnae someone tell me aboot it?"
Gee held her hands out. "Maybe no one knew. They can't tell you what they don't know. It's possible it was a secret thing. Even Sophie and Ethan might not know. I really can't answer that, Stuart. I wish I could. It seems like the only people that did know were Jules and Kenzie and they wouldn't even know who Liam was, would they?"
It was only then that Stuart realised she was right. Kenzie and Jules would know, they were why the DVDs were out. At least, he hoped they were. If they weren't, that meant it was Tom himself and if Stuart let himself linger on that thought, he really would vomit and probably end up doing or saying something he regretted. He re-capped the bottle and pushed it aside, feeling his pockets reflexively for his keys, which weren't there considering he was just in daggy track pants and an old t-shirt. "I'm going to talk to Ethan," he decided with a strange calmness to his tone. "Do you want a ride back home?"
Gee blinked at the change, not sure if it was a good thing or not. She could deal with an angry Scot if she had to, but truth was a calm Scot actually scared her. It meant something was very much brewing under the surface. "Can you drop me off at Euan's instead? I just want to make sure he hasn't done himself in out of boredom. As much as he was adamant being stuck with cable TV was better, I still don't know that he has the attention span for it."
Stuart gave a slight nod, already heading for the door. "Better make sure he's not off making homemade porn with your cousin or something," he bit out with a glance over his shoulder. The truth was, he didn't really know how he was feeling so he was forcing himself to not feel anything before he had more facts. At the end of the day, the detective in him always seemed to win out.
It was now his day off, and after the Martha Stewart moment in the kitchen, he went on to tackle the living room, which had somehow gotten messy when they got home with them both returning to work pretty much as soon as they came back from the cruise. It was Gee's day off, too, and she had come over to commiserate about Euan's infuriatingly frustrating behaviour, even if he was subdued still recovering from the operation. Stuart could sympathise with how it could be taking care of someone sick, though. Sometimes they did just accidentally piss you off, even if they didn't intend it. It sucked getting over an illness or injury. With a snort, Stuart ejected a DVD from the player and stuffed it in the empty Titanic cover that had been beside the stereo. Jules and Kenzie must've watched it when they were there. He had found a small handful of seemingly blank DVDs lying around that he needed to match with their covers. He knew for a fact he certainly hadn't been watching Titanic. At least, not the innocent version. "Just... I dinnae know, suffocate him with a pillow?" he suggested unhelpfully and put the next DVD in the player, pausing only to reach down and give his balls a quick scratch. Gee was well and truly his partner now, there was no more awkwardness and if she was going to protect him with her life - and vice versa - things like a random ball scratching or fart during a case conference was old school.
Now that Gee had gotten over her bitchiness where Euan was concerned - well, regarding everything else except for today - she was more than glad to have Stuart back. She didn't bat an eye at the ball scratching considering she'd been dealing with worse with Euan. She was suddenly surrounded by blokes and really didn't care what the fuck they did so long as they weren't making her life hell. "Then I'd have to fill out paperwork, or go to jail. No thanks. I think I'll just continue to annoy him by watching chick flicks when he can't run away, or even wrestle the remote off me." She started to watch Stuart with interest from her position on the sofa and tilted her head as she picked up a nearby blank DVD. "No offence to your suit, but surely he could have afforded some kind of label maker?"
Stuart shrugged. "He's probably just anal about putting them back in the cases when he's done. We just got lax with house guests with a run of gay porn on their hands," he said with a smirk and hit the play button. Some gay porn cropped up on the screen that looked much like an orgy with a Moulin Rouge theme. He tilted his head slightly, looking up at the large home theatre TV on the wall. "Man, that guy shouldnae wear red leather, let alone a Full Monty-esque red leather thong. You think he could've at least invested in a back, sack and crack. That dude could knit booties with pubes," he said with a snort. "So, you got over the urge to kill him, then?"
Gee crinkled her nose at the larger than life sight greeting her. "Are you trying to make sure I stay celibate for the rest of my life? Does this stuff really do it for you and Tom? Because really... Fuck me, what's that bloke doing with the feather boa?" She dragged her gaze off the screen to look at Stuart. "Yes, I did. Now I'm just waiting to see if he gets over the urge to hate me. I did walk out, and I did treat him like a prick... ish. So he had every right to be angry."
Stuart smirked at her over the top of his Red Bull can when he took a mouthful. He set it back down and shrugged. "You are lucky he's stuck you out, you know. You wanted him to give a little, and when he does, you piss on his parade. And no the feck way is this my shit. I'm nay into feathers or silk, unless the silk is on a certain favourite of mine. Then we'll talk. Looks like Jules and Kenzie got into Tom's porn stash, though. I know he's got a lot, but to be honest, I couldnae fecking tell you what he's got or where it is. We didnae have a lot of time here before he got into the accident." He ejected that DVD and set it aside, having no intention of finding it's home. The next disc got slotted in and he hit play again. This time, it looked like it was something from Tom's homemade collection. A redhead on his knees between Tom's legs in what looked to be some sort of conference room. Stuart just blinked, pulling his lips to the side as he tried hard - and failed - not to get jealous. An irked heat crept into his cheeks and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"I know I'm lucky, and I'm incredibly grateful he's seen it fit to slum it with me for so long, I really am." She tilted her head to look around Stuart as she looked at the screen and cleared her throat after a moment. She had a hard enough time listening to Euan talk about his past let alone watching him and other women. "Just change it love... Or conveniently lose it. No one would blame you. And really, redheads like that? Not sexy."
Stuart ejected the disc this time with enough force that his half empty can nearly bounced off the edge of the DVD player. He caught it before he caused any random electrocutions and put it on the floor so he could move on to stuff the disc into one of the cases, making sure he scratched the surface over the plastic edges and basically made the DVD useless. With a satisfied nod, he picked up the next blank disc. "Did you get him to clarify what he was talking about? I mean, it sounded like it was pretty full on. Nay getting any cold feet because of it?" he asked and hit play yet again. This time Tom was the one doing the servicing, of a pumped brunette, both of them in just towels. Stuart's whole face went red this time and he literally growled, eyes locked on the screen as he pursed his lips tightly. Jules and Kenzie must've had a field day. "What's fucking next?! A blonde dressed like Marilyn Monroe?!"
Gee got up off the couch and came up behind Stuart before moving around him to open the DVD player before she 'accidentally' dropped the disc and stomped on it hard enough to break it. She winked at Stuart as she rubbed her hand against his shoulder. "This is just his past, love. I know it's easier said than to done to just forget about it, but it's really not healthy to get jealous about it now." She smirked and held out her hand for a shake. "Nice to meet you, Kettle. I'm Pot. And no, I'm not getting cold feet. It was about his former life. The moment where he decided he wanted to survive. He's not proud of it. It's why he won't talk about it."
There was some extremely aggravating about seeing your fiancé balls-deep in someone else. Stuart had always thought it wouldn't bother him to see this sort of thing, but it was stabbing away at all his sensitive spots and he really wanted to just pick up all the DVDs and shove them under the nearest passing double-decker. But there could actually be something important in the movies, like memories Tom actually wanted to keep. Hopefully none of this porn was part of it. "Understandable," he finally agreed with a small nod. "I always wondered if there was something shady in his past that led him to be a copper. He's too rough around the edges, and I dinnae mean that in a judgmental type way. There's just something aboot his copper style... like it's coming from something deeper rather than taught detective skills. He has a knack with crims, too. Gets into their heads." The next disc could well become one Stuart wished he never laid his hands on, and as it was, he wasn't sure he wanted to see more of Tom's cock in any part of any other blokes ever. But he persisted, and this time, there really was a starring blond act. Only, it wasn't Marilyn Monroe. Stuart froze, feeling like someone tipped ice water down his back and there was no heated cheeks, either. Just paling as he realised he recognised Tom's conquest and all he could do was stare, fixated on the image.
Gee's face reflected instant concern as she saw Stuart's expression change. It wasn't anger, it was something else - and it actually scared her. She reached out to put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Stuart? Stuart, are you with me?" She'd missed the party at Phillipe's so she had had no chance to meet Stuart's newly extended circle. She didn't recognise the blond on top of Tom. She tilted her head just a little bit as her eyes flicked to the screen, but quickly tore them away before he assumed she would approve of watching his partner in other blokes. "Stuart? Love, what's wrong?"
There really was something different. Something in the way Tom was in this movie than he was with the others. There was more there, and when the couple on the screen change positions, and Tom was almost embracing the other man, Stuart felt literally like he was punched in the gut and he threw his hand out to grab hold of the edge of the mantel to keep himself upight. It wasn't anger, it was pure and chilling shock to be witnessing the sight on the screen. "That's... it's..." he stammered hoarsely and gave his head a slight shake as small, sharp laugh of disbelief fell from his lips. "That's Ethan's brother-in-law."
Gee blinked, and looked back at the screen. There was no mistaking the difference now between this encounter and the others, and even Gee was more than a little shocked to see it. Tom had been more capable of affection than he'd let anyone believe. It might not have been love, but there was definitely something. "Ethan's... Oh, shit. No, really? Oh my god..." She trailed off before she let go of Stuart to drop down onto her knees and stop the disc. "You didn't know?" she asked him quietly.
"No," Stuart mumbled quietly, still watching the screen, even if it was blank now. He swallowed heavily, feeling an odd sick sensation in his gut. He was pretty sure this was up there was a past relationship that should have been revealed on some level. Ethan was Tom's best friend and apparently there had been something with his brother-in-law. With Sophie's baby brother. Stuart had told Tom he had slept with Gee, out of courtesy more than anything. This was just something else. That wasn't just outright fucking on the screen like the first two had been. He rubbed his hand over his mouth and shook his head. He didn't even know what he was supposed to think. He had a strange urge like he wanted cry, but he fought it off like any typical male. He tried to push it all away and let his hand drop back to his side. "Everyone has past fucks, right?" he asked, not meaning it to sound like a desperate plea for reassurance.
Gee stood up again to wrap her arms around Stuart in a hug as she struggled to think of how she was going to placate him over this. The past was past - it wasn't as if Tom was fucking the brother-in-law now, but still... When you find something out for the first time, and then actually witness it - it's enough to shake anyone's confidence. "Of course they do, love. It's all part of our history. It's what makes us who we are, and I'm sure there was a reason he didn't tell you..."
"He's twenty-two!" Stuart suddenly shrieked, throwing up a hand in frustration. "Just!" he had to add for emphasis as he was overcome with an urge to pace, or to get in the car and find the nearest Morgan sibling and interrogate the shit out of them so he didn't actually do what his mind was first reacting to, and find Liam to give him a mouthful. Perhaps right before giving his fiance a mouthful and smacking him in the head with the blank DVD.
Gee covered her mouth as she backed away to give Stuart some space, her eyes watching him intently. "What's done is done, love. It still looked to be very consensual. I think you're best talking to Tom about it, since I really have no idea what to say. Other than to ask if you've ever had a younger lover."
"I'm twenty six. Want me to fuck a preschooler?" Stuart snapped and then put his hand over his mouth, his shoulders slumping. "I'm sorry. I shouldnae be directing this at you. It just slipped out. I saw how very consensual it looked. It was practically... practically..." He couldn't bring himself to say 'making love'. Some part of him was possessive and protective of the fact Tom had told him he was the first to do that with him. At the very least, the encounter... probably not a singular either... with Liam was some deep affection and now all Stuart could wonder was how many times, how long it had gone on for, and why Tom hadn't revealed it to him. "I feel like throwing up or hitting something."
"Please direct both of those away from me," Gee replied firmly even if she moved in closer again and touched his hand. "Do you want a drink? I'm sorry, it was a stupid question. I don't know the blond. I only know Tom, and I know just how deeply he loves you. You're engaged, Stu. He really should have fucking said something, but he didn't. I'm not even engaged to Euan and we're still giving each other shit over revealing important information. Look at what I did when he did tell me something."
Stuart glanced around, feeling his anger start to set in under his skin. "Aye, I want a drink. I want a big drink." He went over to the fully stocked bar Tom had in the corner of the room for entertainment purposes and pulled out the closest bottle of scotch his hand laid on. He cracked it open and took a long drink directly from the bottle. The joys of being a Scotsman, the amber liquor went down like water when it needed to. He rested the bottle down on the bar, licking his lips as he tried to force his mind to think clearly on the situation. "Why him? Of all the people. Liam is Sophie's wee brother. Why didnae someone tell me aboot it?"
Gee held her hands out. "Maybe no one knew. They can't tell you what they don't know. It's possible it was a secret thing. Even Sophie and Ethan might not know. I really can't answer that, Stuart. I wish I could. It seems like the only people that did know were Jules and Kenzie and they wouldn't even know who Liam was, would they?"
It was only then that Stuart realised she was right. Kenzie and Jules would know, they were why the DVDs were out. At least, he hoped they were. If they weren't, that meant it was Tom himself and if Stuart let himself linger on that thought, he really would vomit and probably end up doing or saying something he regretted. He re-capped the bottle and pushed it aside, feeling his pockets reflexively for his keys, which weren't there considering he was just in daggy track pants and an old t-shirt. "I'm going to talk to Ethan," he decided with a strange calmness to his tone. "Do you want a ride back home?"
Gee blinked at the change, not sure if it was a good thing or not. She could deal with an angry Scot if she had to, but truth was a calm Scot actually scared her. It meant something was very much brewing under the surface. "Can you drop me off at Euan's instead? I just want to make sure he hasn't done himself in out of boredom. As much as he was adamant being stuck with cable TV was better, I still don't know that he has the attention span for it."
Stuart gave a slight nod, already heading for the door. "Better make sure he's not off making homemade porn with your cousin or something," he bit out with a glance over his shoulder. The truth was, he didn't really know how he was feeling so he was forcing himself to not feel anything before he had more facts. At the end of the day, the detective in him always seemed to win out.