Aslan smiled, and there was something sly about it. He turned to fully face the acquaintance again, straightened his left arm to the side, bumped him intentionally with it, then stuck his hands in his pockets.

“A little more elbow space, and a little more to chat about about.”

He crossed his arms and shook his head.

“I suppose priests’ sex lives will do on the slow days.”

Francis rise his brow and shook his head as he eyed the watch. "You're always so paranoid."

He snickered and started to walk away slowly. "What sec lives? They are as pure as a summer's morning aren't they? At least they act that way. I have my theories. Maybe I should be a detective. " He laughed a bit and turned to him. "Why are you out here anyway? You never said. "

Aslan snapped his fingers and pointed in agreement.

He shook his head at the fellow’s theorizing and ambitions.

“I was looking for you, Detective,” he answered with an amused look. “Where you headed?”

Francis smiled huge and shrugged as he looked at him. "I am going where I'm always going... nowhere in particular. Why would you be looking for me, though? You haven't mentioned work."

He eyed the watch once more before placing it in his pocket. The man stepped closer and looked around though no one else appeared out of the misty night and turned towards him once more. "I guess I can help you out for the nice gift. What do you need?"

“Mm,” Aslan hesitated.

Fuck it.

“I don’t think one of the priests are fucking or anything,” he said.

No. He thought two were, at the least. Totally truthful phrasing.

“But I do wonder the going-ons of a church with as high turnover as St. Hilda’s Catholic. Keep an eye out on them?”

Francis rose his brow. He chuckled as he stepped closer and suspiciously eyed Aslan's face. "You don't think one, but not the other? Which one? Has to be the prettier one, he is very odd and definitely more at ease about...things."

He gave a shrug to appear mysterious as he stepped away from Aslan and folded his arms. He didn't stick too close to the detective or anyone. They didn't like a homeless dirty rat like him sticking close more than necessary. "I am happy to keep an eye out. If you want anything in particular, I will do it. You are nice to me, so I'll help you out. But I mean some times it isn't so mysterious. That one guy, Kemble, hated it here and wanted a higher position or a nicer church."

As soon as that lone brow rose, Aslan knew he hadn’t been as subtle as he hoped he had been. He touched his tongue to an eye tooth and looked over his shoulder.

Still just water behind him.

“I didn’t say that,” he said, conspiratorially.

Weighed his words too long, too carefully to not have something he was dancing around saying outright.

“Which one’s the prettier one?” he asked instead.

Were they putting something in the holy water?

Francis stretched out his arms and paced around feeling restless as he talked to him on the depressing bridge. He glanced at him over his shoulder.

"Oh? You think they both are the same level, huh? Well. I think the new one is. But then he is more amusing when he's not scaring me." He laughed a bit and started walking to one end. "Walk with me, detective. I want to make sure you're not gonna attempt a flying lesson tonight. "

Francis turned around to watch him and hope he followed.

Aslan raised his hands in faux protest.

“I said no such thing,” he claimed, though it didn’t sound like an especially strong assertion.

He had the brief paranoia that perhaps this … budding detective, who beckoned he walk with him, had overheard a certain priest and mustache-clad man one night. Did he? Well. Blackmail hadn’t come up, so no matter.

Rather than answer to ‘flying lesson’ (did he? Allah Allah) … Aslan fell into step and whistled. Like a bird. A lilting, quick warbler.

"You are so careful to say very little I notice. Why? Do you think I'll tell on you? I don't know who would even care!" He shrugged as he walked.

He seemed to actually relax as the other walked with him. "I've already said my secrets. It's very uplifting, did you know? I feel like I've no weight on my shoulder and nothing to hide. You should try it some time."