Jonathan wasn't technically invited along to this meetup, but he's fairly certain neither of them will complain. And if they do, well. He's actually not sure what he'd do in that case. He arrives at the aggressively nondescript and shady pub a little later than he'd intended. Edward and Caroline are both already there in a back corner. It doesn't take him long to realize that any stealth on his part is completely unneeded. They're thoroughly involved in some sort of disagreement. Crane hangs back to observe.
He has no way of knowing what happened in Caroline's past to make her react so strongly to Edward's awkward attempt at being helpful, but Jonathan doesn't think he's likely to find out today. Not with how upset she immediately gets. And then she just sort of... deflates. He's just debating whether he should intervene or maybe even leave when Caroline moves to get up. Jonathan's at the table before he's registered that he's moving. "Don't."
Caroline startles badly and looks up at him, and that's about when it actually hits him that he's at the table with one hand on the back of her chair and leaning over her. She looks even more upset up close. "But..." She trails off and just kind of stares up at him.
Jonathan isn't sure what to do with himself now. Well. Sitting down is probably a good start. He sinks into the vacant chair next to Caroline without actually removing his hand from the back of her chair. She just keeps staring and looking like she'd like the floor to open up and swallow her. While he has no idea what caused this, Jonathan is very familiar with that feeling. He freezes for a moment, and that's when Caroline speaks again. "Wow, I'm an idiot," she says, looking down at her hands. "I should just--"
"Hush." Jonathan reaches up and starts stroking Caroline's hair. She looks startled again. Well, it's not as though he's known for being comforting. She opens her mouth to say something, but Crane doesn't give her the chance. "Do I look like a man who puts up with idiots?" he asks dryly. That actually gets a laugh out of her and she relaxes a little. Good.
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He has no way of knowing what happened in Caroline's past to make her react so strongly to Edward's awkward attempt at being helpful, but Jonathan doesn't think he's likely to find out today. Not with how upset she immediately gets. And then she just sort of... deflates. He's just debating whether he should intervene or maybe even leave when Caroline moves to get up. Jonathan's at the table before he's registered that he's moving. "Don't."
Caroline startles badly and looks up at him, and that's about when it actually hits him that he's at the table with one hand on the back of her chair and leaning over her. She looks even more upset up close. "But..." She trails off and just kind of stares up at him.
Jonathan isn't sure what to do with himself now. Well. Sitting down is probably a good start. He sinks into the vacant chair next to Caroline without actually removing his hand from the back of her chair. She just keeps staring and looking like she'd like the floor to open up and swallow her. While he has no idea what caused this, Jonathan is very familiar with that feeling. He freezes for a moment, and that's when Caroline speaks again. "Wow, I'm an idiot," she says, looking down at her hands. "I should just--"
"Hush." Jonathan reaches up and starts stroking Caroline's hair. She looks startled again. Well, it's not as though he's known for being comforting. She opens her mouth to say something, but Crane doesn't give her the chance. "Do I look like a man who puts up with idiots?" he asks dryly. That actually gets a laugh out of her and she relaxes a little. Good.