duel 5. ( anon text. )

[puzzlingly]

You know what fucking sucks?
The Speakeasy
The owner is never around.
Just Who Does SHE Think She Is?!?!?!
She can't do shit right around here.
WE HAVE NEEDS!
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO STAND THIS HEAT WITHOUT MY BOOZE?!

「Hey, hey, Rey's friends... yeah, he's calling you out, come defend your friend, come show you care about her! He needs you... She needs you. Please.
The clock is ticking.

Yep, this is ruse. It WAS HARD, OK?! He feels terrible. It had to be done.」

Comments

[puzzlingly]

Okay... about that... 「Sigh.」 That was an attempt to see who would stand for her. Sorry, I didn't mean to offend her for real. I was--

「Growing desperate! He is, still.」

It worked, I guess, since you're her friend, right?

[foundafamily]

[He might finally be calming down now, but he's only more lost now that he doesn't have a familiar narrative of a threat to follow.]

...And why would you want to do that?

[puzzlingly]

Because she needs people like you, she doesn't need some half hearted speech from someone she doesn't know about how things are going to be alright, she needs those who actually give a damn about her to be around, she needs to realise she's wanted, needed and loved. Because right now... she doesn't want to wake up again.

「It's not and ideal way to ask, he knows it, and it might sound crazy. But the situation is just as bad.」

Unless you didn't notice.

[foundafamily]

[His jaw is tight as he listens. He does know how low Rey is after having seen her--and he doesn't like that being knowledge that's more widespread than he'd initially thought.]

I've still got some questions for you. First, how do you know this? Second, why do you care? And third, why the hell'd you think this was a good way to "help"?

[If Firo were in Rey's shoes, he'd be most concerned about number 1. Information about this weakness getting out is a major concern, the kind of thing that--Firo thinks--slaps a big old target on your back. If he's not a friend, Firo'd want to know how he came to know something like this. And if he is a friend, Firo'd want to know why he's talking about it. ]

[puzzlingly]

「He nods at the questions, it's only fair to explain himself.」

I've been going back to her place over the past days, it didn't seem right to leave her alone like that... I don't know how she was when you last saw her but she's just lying there. She's hurting herself and... of course I was worried. That's all. And, I didn't know if this could help or not, but I figured that if you cannot take a little of that, you probably cannot handle her.

「Not to say she's a handful, but she kind of is.」

Look, I know it's not a good way to ask for help but, I don't think she needs a line of people she doesn't know at her door. It was the way I thought I'd call the attention of her real friends.

[foundafamily]

[His eyes darken, and he lowers his voice. It doesn't yet occur to Firo to explain that he knows of Rey's predicament and has already been speaking with her--he's annoyed, and Firo's not in the mindset of thinking he owes anyone an explanation.]

Listen, pal, you don't tell me who I can or can't handle, got it?

[puzzlingly]

「Atem instead, remains silent for a moment, his reaction not coming from what is being said, but from what it is not. Why wouldn't he simply tell him he's been at Rey's place? She's more important than holding some stupid grudge over the (stupid) way he chose to call the attention of her friends.」

I didn't mean it in that way, clearly you can.

「But he's too tired to get into an argument.」

But this is not about you, nor me. If you have been helping her in your own way then, I'm sorry if I wasted your time.

[foundafamily]

[Firo pauses, assuming that the guess about him helping Rey is just a kind of meaningless thing people say to smooth things over. He didn't say anything about it, so of course this guy doesn't know...]

It's really none of your business. You want her to get helped, do it yourself. That's the only way to get anything done.

[Though, honestly, it does concern him that this guy--who Firo doesn't know--knows this about Rey. Obviously he'll have to ask her about it to make sure it's okay, but he has to be wary of such a big weakness being exposed. He wouldn't necessarily think of Rey as vulnerable, but having weakness known isn't generally a good thing for anyone.

The question might seem to come out of nowhere in their conversation, but Firo doesn't see the need to give context for it either way.]

How do you know her, anyway?

[puzzlingly]

「That answer doesn't bode well... Doesn't this guy care at all?」

That's what I've been doing.

「And he will keep doing so, without his help, apparently. He's met someone as cagey and as paranoid as Firo before, it's alright. The question doesn't come as out of context as he might think, after all, he has to worry about her friend in some way, even if it is not exactly the way Atem wishes it was.」

We talked once at the Guard, had a drink. 「She already looked, not so well, even then.」 I don't know her much. But it doesn't mean I want to see her hurting herself.

[foundafamily]

[Firo can agree with those last two sentences all too well. Immediately, he recalls his recent encounter with Rey in her home, when he finally managed to bait her into opening the door and saw how bad she looked. The pain of that memory might show in the tightness of his mouth, but he tries to brush it away.]

All right. And what was it you said you were doing for her?

[Going over could encompass a lot of things. Firo wonders how receptive Rey is, considering the kind of security he had to get through, with her barricaded doors.

Mostly, he's still preoccupied with trying to vet this guy.]

[puzzlingly]

「What Firo thinks and what he does is not very congruent. Atem doesn't know what make out of that. But what can he do? Shaking him by the shoulders for him to realize the gravity of the situation is not quite an option.」

Just being there for her. There is not much other I can do.

「Not that he's been too successful, after all, he wouldn't be asking for help if he was.」

Making sure she drinks some water... Just, keeping her some company. 「Cleaning dry blood of her old self inflicted wounds, bandage any new ones, changing her blanket every now and then, stand her sudden mood changes. You know, the usual.」

[foundafamily]

Why?

[It sounds like they were nearly strangers before--and this is a guy she met at the Guard at that, which in Firo's book hardly gains points for trustworthiness (sorry, dude). Then again, Rey having been part of the Guard herself might mean that their personal rapport is fine, but Firo's still sniffing for another potential motive besides kindness.]

[puzzlingly]

Why not?

「Firo wouldn't be entirely wrong. There is indeed an ulterior motive. But it's nothing but his onw guilt over past events acting on him. Something he will not discuss with anyone.

So, yes. It could be said it is just an act of kindness. Those exist.」

[foundafamily]

[A shrug.]

I don't see anything in it for you.

[But there is something. And Firo has to find it and make sure that it's not something that'll backfire on Rey.]

[puzzlingly]

Haven't you ever helped a stranger before?

「The tone might be leaning towards a judging one, but only because he cannot see why he's making it so difficult.

But he's not here to explain himself, he's here to explain what Rey is going through, which he just did.」

If there isn't anything else...

「He's a busy guy, dude.」

[foundafamily]

No.

[And to Firo's mind, that answers both questions. It isn't strictly true, but he doesn't tend to consider someone a stranger once he's helped them.

He sighs, frustrated with himself for being no nearer to figuring this guy out.]

Hey, you're the one who wanted to talk to me.

[puzzlingly]

I already told you what's going on.

「He stands from his seat. So, had he chosen wrong? One can't win them all.」

It's your turn now.

「The game isn't over yet.」