Mr. Foxwood always made him feel uncomfortable. He had made it very clear from the beginning that he was a second rate citizen, and although he shouldn’t have been shocked at words the man spewed at him, he couldn’t help but take a step back and frown. He wasn’t going to answer that. Gus tried so hard to be a good person; he wasn’t perfect by any means, far from it if he could voice his own opinions of himself, but he always gave the benefit of the doubt to people over and over until he felt like he had nothing more to give. And even then, if they asked for another chance Gus would give it to them without sparing a thought of how they could screw him over. He knew the man wasn’t fond of him, and he could only assume that much of it stemmed from after he and Basil had split ways.
Still, as he held his hand out for the letter, Gus gave him the benefit of the doubt; it had been a decade and he’d matured in some instances. The moment Basil needed him to take a step back, let go, disappear forever, he would without a second thought. Hopefully the elder Foxwood would see that. He squeaked out a thank you.
The letter had taken him a good bulk of the late morning to write; he knew how much Basil valued education, so while the gift was meant to be enjoyed, Gus had taken the time to explain the background of each tea, tossing in as much of the history as he was able to find. It was a way for him to share his time away without actually sharing with Basil. Of course after the post office debacle and despite agreeing to move on, Gus could tell they both still blamed him for how things had ended between them, although he couldn’t condone those thoughts. If the roles were reversed he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to fully trust Basil again, nor would he have desire to. He’d take baby steps toward that open door of friendship until Basil slammed it shut in his face and locked it. Atticus Foxwood stared him down, with seemingly the same questions dancing across his face as he ripped the letter in half, allowing the two sides to flutter to the ground.
His fingers tightened around the now split paper, another small tear ripping on the edges as he moved to rip it in half again. It was Basil’s voice that made both of them pause in their actions. “I’m sorry, I was just -” But the door shut in his face. “...leaving.”
Still, as he held his hand out for the letter, Gus gave him the benefit of the doubt; it had been a decade and he’d matured in some instances. The moment Basil needed him to take a step back, let go, disappear forever, he would without a second thought. Hopefully the elder Foxwood would see that. He squeaked out a thank you.
The letter had taken him a good bulk of the late morning to write; he knew how much Basil valued education, so while the gift was meant to be enjoyed, Gus had taken the time to explain the background of each tea, tossing in as much of the history as he was able to find. It was a way for him to share his time away without actually sharing with Basil. Of course after the post office debacle and despite agreeing to move on, Gus could tell they both still blamed him for how things had ended between them, although he couldn’t condone those thoughts. If the roles were reversed he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to fully trust Basil again, nor would he have desire to. He’d take baby steps toward that open door of friendship until Basil slammed it shut in his face and locked it. Atticus Foxwood stared him down, with seemingly the same questions dancing across his face as he ripped the letter in half, allowing the two sides to flutter to the ground.
His fingers tightened around the now split paper, another small tear ripping on the edges as he moved to rip it in half again. It was Basil’s voice that made both of them pause in their actions. “I’m sorry, I was just -” But the door shut in his face. “...leaving.”
![[Image: UkiVTG8.png]](https://i.imgur.com/UkiVTG8.png)