| Details for Man to Man |
| Summary: | After a date with Katie, Gavin and Daniel have a talk about the young soldier's intentions. |
| Date: | 30 April 1940 |
| Location: | Hind Residence, Waterloo |
| Related: | On the Town. |
| Characters |
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After Gavin has given Katie and Mary and Jack their final good nights after dropping off Katie at home. The young soldier slides a pack out from the inner pocket of his coat and tips his head in such a way to the older retired soldier that is universal in inviting the man for a cigarette. There is a moment when both Daniel and Gavin give their heads a shake at Jack when he looks like he's about to get up and join the other men for a cigarette. So while the men step out onto the landing outside of the kitchen door Jack pretends to be reading one of the books Gavin brought him next to the window.
Outside Gavin places a cigarette into his lips, passes Daniel one and offers to light Dan's cigarette with his trusty trench lighter before lighting his own. The unlit cigarette bobs in his lips as he starts the conversation. "Sir, I'm sure you have some questions for me. You must have seen the pin Katie was brandishing. I hope that you don't mind me giving that to her?"
There wasn't a big fuss made over the pin, although with the men out it's highly likely that Mary is asking Katie some questions as well. Daniel couldn't help but notice the addition to his daughter's wardrobe. The cigarette is accepted, although Daniel is only a sometimes smoker, and he takes his first draw and pauses before responding to Gavin. He leans on the side of the building, his demeanor casual and his voice low but neutral when he speaks. "I did notice it, yes. She seems quite happy." Another pull on the fag, and smoke puffs lightly from his lips as he asks, "And what is your intention with my Katie then, Private Ferguson." Still in a light tone, it's the use of the younger man's title and surname that show the true depth of the inquiry.
Gavin turns to lean on the railing so that he can face Daniel and look him in the eye. "Sir, that is rather entirely up to you. I am in love for the first time Sir. That pin is not just some trinket, it's a promise and I hope you know me well enough by now to know that I keep to my promises." He takes a drag of his cigarette before continuing. "What I mean by it's up to you sir, is that my intentions are the full deal. I would ask for your blessing right now, but instead I would rather ask you if you would give your blessing, how long do you feel is appropriate for me to wait to ask for it? Your respect and yours and Mrs. Hind's blessings and support are a requirement for me Sir."
That turn is what gives Jack a full view of Gavin's lips as he speaks to Daniel. The boy watches intently, book open but ignored and Katie and Mary too busy talking to notice his eavesdropping on the men.
Daniel looks at Gavin levelly, still keeping a poker face that shows little more than interest. His free hand comes up, arm crossing over his chest so his hand can tuck under his other elbow. With the cigarette pinched between index and middle finger, he idly scratches at the stubble on his jaw with his ring finger. "Katie is nearly twenty now," he says. "It's amazing how fast she's grown up. Seems a blink ago she was just a baby in my arms. Learning to walk. Starting school." There's a pause as the love for his firstborn swells in his heart, covered by the handy cigarette. "I've come to know you as an honourable man, Gavin," he finally goes on, back on a first name basis. "It doesn't take a genius to see what's in Katie's eyes when she looks at you. She looks so like her mother when we were courting." Another thoughtful pause. "Our blessings and support will be there. But I cannot dictate the time for you. You'll know." He did when it came to proposing to Mary.
Gavin is a touch twitchy under his clothes, just little ticks of his shoulder and arms. He's rather anxious as he is given nothing but a poker face from Daniel. When assurance that blessings and support will be there the ticking tension instantly relaxes. That is until he's told he'll know when the time for it will be. That makes him tense again and he takes another drag from his cigarette, "That means the world to me sir, it does. I was just hoping to avoid your ire, if you think it's too soon already to be asking you now for your blessing so when the moment comes, it could be done right, and right then." He really doesn't want to bollox things up and make Daniel think he's rushing things. He's not sure if he was just given the go ahead to ask Katie, or if he was given the go ahead to ask for the go ahead closer to the time he's going to ask Katie. Another drag is taken, he smokes like a chimney when nervous.
Jack frowns lightly, unable to see his father's response, and his head ducks immediately back to his book as his sister brushes past him, giving his hair an affectionate ruffle on her way. His head doesn't come up immediately, but his eyes raise to follow her progress until he's sure she's engrossed in the conversation with their mother once more. The boy's attention returns to the conversation outside a moment before Gavin speaks again.
Daniel isn't a cruel man, but there is something a bit satisfying as a father to see Gavin's nervousness. It shows his sincerity and love for Katie, but it also shows respect for the opinion of her father. And it brings a bare smile to Daniel's lips. "Wait until after her birthday," comes the advice, slowly and with much thought. "You'll have our blessings on the day she was born, after that it's up to you, lad."
Gavin sighs out lungfuls of smoke. Now that things are quite crystal clear he relaxes. At least in so much as to not look like a slouch in front of Daniel. Since he became close with Katie, Gavin tries his best to not look like the post-bender surly Scot any more. Minding his P's and Q's. The cigarette is traded off into his off hand so he can offer his hand to Daniel for a good firm hand shake. "Yes Sir. Thank you Sir. Is there anything else Sir?"
Being left handed, Daniel's right is already free to reach out to complete the shake on it. There's a bit more of a squeeze at one point, his smile fading, as he responds to the question. "You make our Katie happy, son." There's just enough menace in the words and gesture to assure Gavin that this is a man who loves his baby girl very much and will always do whatever he can to make her happy, much in the same way Gavin would. But as soon as the words are done the grip loosens, and the half smile returns.