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]

I think you are. Just not that typical kind of fighter. As for what happened, she lost someone very important. She's stopped caring.

「About just everything.」

[sciencelizard]

... Oh.

[Hahaha. Well. Doesn't she know something about that.]

Is... did you g-go see her? Are you her friend too?

[puzzlingly]

I...

「Oh, no one had asked that one... He looks a little taken aback by the question.」

I don't think she'd consider me so. But– I did go see her. I asked her roommate about her, he told me she wasn't doing well. Then I... 「Literally barged in... Wow, now he feels awful.」

I only wanted to see if she was okay. She wasn't. She isn't.

「And then he never left. Okay he did form time to time, but he has overstayed for a long, long time. Days and everything.」

[sciencelizard]

[She pauses a bit, like she's trying to formulate a good answer, and then reaches forward to put a hand overtop his.]

I think... you d-did the right thing. And even if you didn't know her before, it was really caring.

[Not that she knows the circumstances, of course...]

I'll try to go see her. Uh, soon.

[puzzlingly]

「And, again, she's the first one to say he did the right thing.

No, actually, there was someone else. And both of them seemed to know Rey quite enough. He is not looking for any kind of recognition but, he won't deny he feels a little warm inside that she would think so. Same as that little scaly hand (claw?) over his, he didn't expect it to be so warm. It's reassuring.

He nods at her, slowly.」

Thank you. Just– be careful.

[sciencelizard]

It's okay. She w-wouldn't hurt me.

[And she believes that.]

Do you, uhm... need anything else?

[puzzlingly]

「He'd love to believe it...」

No, I got everything I needed.

「She's exactly the kind of person he was looking for.」

Thank you-- 「Oh...」 Actually... May I know your name?

[sciencelizard]

[She gasps a bit. Oh, shit! How could she have forgotten to give him her name! She blushes, sputtering as she taps her claws together.]

Ohmygosh, I'm sorry, I'm-- I'n Alphys. Dr. Alphys.

[puzzlingly]

「He can't help a smile to her reaction.」

I'm Atem. Doctor, huh? One of these days you should tell me more about that, Alphys.

[sciencelizard]

It's nice to meet you! And, I, uh-- I will! I p-promise.

[Once everything with Rey has blown over, that is...]

[puzzlingly]

「Oh, a promise, he likes those. But he's glad she gets the urgency of the situation. He also hopes she can help Rey at all. He stands and places the chair back where he took it.」

I gotta go back. 「He forces a little smile.」 Let yourself in whenever you decide to go. I wish you luck.

「And he turns to leave. He doesn't like this, being so short, so impersonal. It will have to do.」

[sciencelizard]

[She nods, understanding. He's worried. She is now, too.]

Okay! Uh... t-thank you!

[Alphys turns, mind already buzzing. She has a lot to do now, too.]