ic inbox

[headjacked]

Heyyyyyyyy, kiddo, you've reached me. Me who is Rhys. Anyway, not sure why you're trying to get in contact with the king of the dweebs, but I'm sure you've got your reasons. Reasons you should probably re-examine. I'm just sayin'.

Last chance to back out.

No?

Don't say I didn't warn ya.

Comments

audio;

[headjacked]

[ Jack responds by twerking in her general direction while Rhys BSODs. ]

T-try closing Dumpy! There's a -- you just fold him up, b-but he sticks when it's cold most of the time and -

[ Cough, cough, wheez. ]

Please, don't hurt him, just kick him out if you've gotta!

audio;

[spoileralert]

[ Steph leaves the feed running as she pounces on Dumpy with a blanket. Rather than go to the effort of figuring out how fold him properly, she sits on him. ]

I can't-- I can't do this, Rhys. [ Please ignore if her voice sounds a little wet. ]

I can't keep this up.

audio;

[headjacked]

Whuh... what's --

[ This may be beyond Jack aggression. He can't ignore her tone, because even though she's threatening his li'l guy, she's his friend. She deserves gentle treatment. ]

Stephanie. Talk to me. Can't keep what up?

audio;

[spoileralert]

This. I just can't take the constant noise, and the abuse, and-- and this isn't my idea of not being alone.

audio;

[headjacked]

Jack, or as a general thing? B-because... we're all with you there, if it's general.

audio;

[spoileralert]

Jack, and Dumpy, and everything. I'm- I'm not okay, alright? And having that sociopath make fun of every fucking thing I do is not helping.

audio;

[headjacked]

You're talking to someone who GETS it, with the added, shitty bonus of people thinking I was a nut for awhile!

It's like -- if you let him get to you, he wins.

[ It's still hard to tell if Jack WANTS to get smashed, or if that's what he wants you to think, or if you thinking that is what he WANTS to etc etc Inception levels. ]

audio;

[spoileralert]

Yeah! And it's impossible for him not to get to me right now. And he knows it. It makes me so mad I just want to smash something to tiny fucking pieces.

audio;

[headjacked]

Just not Dumpy, I-I can't say 'please' enough times. When you can, let him go off on his own, or give him to someone else.

And we'll talk! I can -- Dumpy, it's quiet time, shhhhhh.

[ Dumpy shhhhhs. ]

audio;

[spoileralert]

Fine. But I'm keeping him contained until I find someone to take him. I'm not risking him carrying radiation to you or Ange.

audio;

[headjacked]

It -

>[ - 'll be a drop in an ocean, all things considered. Is what he's about to say. But he bites his lip. ]

Sure, sure. Careful with his thrusters, though.

audio;

[spoileralert]

[ A drop in an ocean, or a deadly rash when you're going through an area where you have to keep a Geiger counter on 24/7. ]

I'll be careful.

[ She will not be particularly careful. But she won't be spiteful, either. ]

Night 257, text @Enoch - AND NOW FOR SOME BACKDATED MOOD WHIPLASH

[warriorscribe]

Rhys, hello. I know I haven't spoken with you often of late, and I apologize for that, and more so for this having to be a warning. If you haven't spoken with Beckett already please be careful. His death has taken something from him; empathy, love, or something, and he may be hostile.

I know you're close to him, too, so I felt I ought to let you know. Be safe, and don't hold it against him, he isn't entirely himself even if he claims he is.

@Enoch, voice; Day 265

[warriorscribe]

[He spends hours in a stupor when he wakes up, mind lingering on what could have been a dream, perhaps even futilely trying to convince itself it was.

It's when that part of him finally gives up as it should that he reaches out to the people that had been there...]

Rhys. [Enoch's voice breaks on that one simple syllable. He's short of breath, tearful, words racing out as quickly as his mouth can make them. Rhys is the first person he contacted, and it shows.] I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Rhys, please tell me you're well again, please forgive me, how could I have- I know it wasn't me but I still- it was still my hands, my voice, that-

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Can't think, can't talk, just- sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry... [He repeats until there are no coherent words left, only tears. Part of him has forgotten Rhys himself is on the other end of this.]

[headjacked]

[ Hearing this cuts straight through the joy he feels after being free, being together and whole, with Beckett nearby. Safe.

His heart is hammering inside his chest. Rhys paces, trying to burn off the excess energy before it fuels a major attack. ]

I don't --

[ Staggered breathing. ]

Want to hear this. Now. I -- nononono, nope, n-no. You didn't do it but you DID it and your face, your voice, I just.

No.

@imtheboss, text ; day 265

[24karat]

hey firstly fuck you

[ ...that felt like simply going through the motions instead of a genuine 'fuck you.' Man, he needed to sleep this off. But first-- this particular conundrum's bothering him, and Vasquez didn't want to think about it for more than the five seconds it deserved. Too late for that, though! ]

okay that did absolutely nothing to make me feel better and that is just disappointing on a fundamental level.
secondly, what was that. in there, with the whole...........not being a total dick in my direction thing. starting to think i'm losin my touch, here.
[ He prides himself in being a good nemesis, okay. He's not gonna halfass that, ever. For the sake of not leaving the message on that note, he throws in another line of text, although he's pretty sure the answer to it's obvious. ]

did you get your leg back

[warriorscribe]

[He was panicking, drowning in his own emotions and this was his first thought and it was a mistake. He's not making amends, he's making it worse.]

I'm- I'm hurting you, I'm still hurting you, I'm sorry, I'll- I'll go.

I'll go.

I'm sorry.

[headjacked]

Fuck you harder, buddy.

Or. Insert something less suggestive here.

[ Rhys has burned through fear, elation, and has settled on exhaustion. Bone-tired. The exchange of Fucks feels equally empty. ]

Call it a combination of being tired of you, tired of this, tired of everything. Pretty sure I've told you you're a tiny itch in the full body eczema that is Norfinbury life.
I meant it.

Also I stand firm that nobody deserves what happened back there, except maybe the Joker. That's not being soft, that's being human.

[headjacked]

I know you are!

[ That's one of the hardest parts. This guy hurts in a way Rhys can only partially understand, because when he had Prophet Rabies, at least he just killed people. Quickly. ...relatively, anyway.

That knowledge doesn't stop the chest pains, the stabs of fear, the urge to run, run, RUN. ]

I-don't-hate you. Keep remembering that, no matter how much I --

[ Breath. Caught in throat. ]

[warriorscribe]

[Enoch had been able to resist the pull of the strange eyes, until his would-be victims could kill him instead. This wasn't the same, it wasn't the same at all.

Enoch was about to leave as promised when Rhys keeps talking, and he has to listen, in uncontrollable tears, unable to calm himself.]

I'll remember- I'm sorry, I'm-...I've hurt you enough, I'll...

[The tablet clatters to the floor as his shaking hands fumble it in trying to end the call.

Rhys may not hate him, but knowing his presence now causes such distress hurts just the same.]

[headjacked]

- are you still there?

[ Rhys has dropped closer to the ground, arms wrapped around his legs and tablet off to the side. He has enough experience with sheer, unbridled panic to get it somewhat... bridled, in certain circumstances.

He still wants to flee, but he tamps down on the urge and speaks slowly. Quietly. One-two-three, look at the fibers of your coat; focus on what's here and now.

Breathe. ]

I also remember you trying your d... d-damnedest to keep me alive. The real you, poking through.

[warriorscribe]

Yes- dropped the- trying to let you be, you've hurt enough, I-...

[The tablet scrapes on the floor as he picks it up again. Unlike Rhys, Enoch doesn't lose himself to panic so easily, he doesn't know how to keep it in check when it's this bad, when everything he is has been thrown into uncertainty this way. He's almost sure he's going insane, which makes the panic worse. His thoughts are a confused mess and his death price prevents him from refining them, and then it's all filtered through tears that make it hard to draw enough breath to finish a sentence before his mind reels into another thought.]

Couldn't let you- never wanted to hurt you. Remember it if it helps.

[headjacked]

Yeah. It does. Know what else does...?

[ A pause, a swallow, a moment to keep himself together. ]

Cold. Get some -- snow, cold water, whatever. Hold it, shove your face in it, do whatever it takes.

@Enoch; text; night 267 - I am so sorry for the inbox spam

[warriorscribe]

[So he's set up a vague meeting with Brian. They're both heading for "the tunnels" so he can hand off his stuff. He knows Brian is going to meet with Beckett and Beckett is with Rhys.

Only the next night does he realize he's forgotten the most important step of all, as the panic of nearly dying from drifting focus settles down. At least he has the presence of mind to use text, instead of video or audio. He's at the point where he can type more or less normally again, no matter how awful he feels.]

Hello, Rhys. I suspect I'm still the last person you want to hear from, and I'm sorry for this. But I'm afraid we may end up in the same place soon. When I died that night in my failed attempt to protect Beckett, I left my things with Brian. He still has them, and says he is going to meet you - or, rather, to meet Beckett. This means we may cross paths, as he doesn't know exactly where he's going or when he'll arrive.

I do admit no small part of me wants badly to rejoin our mutual friend, as well. But I won't stay if it will hurt you. If you'd like, I can only reclaim my belongings and leave as soon as it is safe.

I didn't want to arrive unannounced, after what happened. The last thing I want to do is cause you more pain.

I did find some things earlier to give to you, as a gesture of

[He's mastered the art of using a line break to indicate a confused pause.]

I'm not sure, really, whether it's apology, or goodwill, or both. But they are yours to do with as you wish, whether I am there to gift them in person or I send them along with Brian.

Safe travels, Rhys, and tell Beckett I wish him the same.

[warriorscribe]

Cold? Cold. I'll try it, try anything.

[He shakes his head to clear it, pained breathing marking the pause as he shuffles towards the door.]

Thank you, I'm sorry I hurt you again, I'll- sorry.

[This time, he actually does manage to hang up without dropping the tablet.]