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

[headjacked]

No.

[ It's typed and sent in a second, fingers smashing against the tablet. And after a few seconds pass, after the initial reaction, he feels... the inevitable guilt.

He doesn't want to leave Beckett. He doesn't want to see Enoch in person yet. Something has to give eventually, and prolonging it... ]

Wait, hold up, nevermind, just come at me, bro. If I freak out and puke oh well I get it out of my system faster.



What kind of things did you find.

[warriorscribe]

[And Enoch would never suggest Rhys leave Beckett - if it came down to it, he would be the one to offer to leave, no matter how badly it fueled the fear of loss Clayton's death had planted in him. That he not hurt another was more important, always.

Even so, that flat no makes his heart sink with the twofold pain of seeing Rhys's distress and the denial of meeting even for a moment. He's trying to come up with the best way to say he can't not retrieve his things and it will be at most a night, when Rhys sends another reply.]

If you're sure - again, I will leave if it will help you. Thank you. It's kind of you to try.

[...In case that "no" had been a reaction to his name and not the message. He wouldn't blame him for not wanting to read, lest he start hearing it in his voice.

Rhys gets a photo of a dress (it would conveniently fit someone between himself, Angel, Beckett, and Brian), patterned with bespectacled cats reading thick books. It's ridiculous, but, you know, cloth. Laid on top of it are a tablet cover with a cute cartoon cat pattern, a stylized cat decal, and an ash shovel. So, half actual use, half just cute.]

I don't have a proper bag, so I couldn't carry much more than this.

[24karat]

well hey, get a load of that
you're being awful forward tonight
there's better ways to word an invitation, for the record. but alas, there's so many hundreds of feet of white bullshit and some locked doors keeping that from happening.
[ Low-hanging fruit, but that's the best he can reach for right now. Woo. ]

yeah, yeah. i remember.
[ As much as he'd like to disagree and claim that he's a bigger problem, it...really isn't true. Vasquez has even kind of been avoiding Rhys, although mostly unintentionally-- he just hadn't shown up in the crosshairs in a while, and that was fine by him. There were more important things to focus on, and in the meantime, he'd gotten distracted enough to care a little bit less. ]
but it's weird. kinda figured we'd have gone for each other way more times than this once i knew you were here. just seems like the way we do things, usually? it's routine. not a lot of that these days.



y'know what? i'm just gonna go ahead and call an actual truce while we're here. mutual fucking off, and not in the 'harder' way you suggested. that sound good to you?
[ Or at least until Rhys recuperates. As much fun as it would be to kick him while he's down, it's just...cheap, and he can't say it doesn't feel a little wrong after what had gone down in that building. Vasquez will just have to tell himself that this's all part of a bigger scheme to screw Rhys over later, a gambit that'll pay off eventually. ]
[ Feelings are dumb, and he doesn't like having the nicer ones. ]

[headjacked]

That works.

For now.

We can go back to trying to best/outdo/humiliate/kill each other if and when we escape the current shituation. Actually I'd say the first three things are still on the table, but. Maybe avoid actual murder for now.

[ Rhys is too drained to pretend this is part of some kind of elaborate scheme. The effects of being in Norfinbury for so long.

Doesn't mean he won't punch Vasquez, no sir, but. The pure animosity has fizzled. ]

Leg's fine bee tee dubs.

283 @zd; text

[swatsflies]

Yo, Rhys! Wanted to check up on your guys and ask if I could show you something. Thought you guys might be able to figure it out.
You both okay? How was all the other weird shit from the last couple of weeks?
How's Dumpy?
Get back to me when you can!

@Enoch; text; Night 279

[warriorscribe]

[Angel might have told him this was coming, at least, so it may not be a complete surprise.]

Hello, Rhys. Angel tells me you two are returning from downtown. Are you doing well?

[headjacked]

YO, MY MAN

We're doing oka -- no, better than okay. Great. Getting ready for another round of Pancake Heaven, and YOU are cordially invited.
Just put that weird shit (any and all) behind you. That's my goal.

Oh and show me the Thing, what's the Thing?

[headjacked]

Ultra-super-mega-inferno well, Enoch.
I could not be more well if I tried. Stick a fork in me, I'm well... done.

[ Yes, she warned him. Yes, he's overcompensating. ]

[swatsflies]

Pancakes??? Oh man yes! I'm there.
OH and now I have two things
I might have given Beckett a heart attack
the other thing can wait. It's just weirdo school stuff and passwords.

[warriorscribe]

[Yeah, the overcompensation is kind of obvious. Makes him feel a little like he's being hollowed out. He's trying, though, and the fact that Enoch even thinks of that is proof of his own progress, in a way.

Not that he's going to bring any of that up. And not going to directly reply. That fork idiom is just unfortunate.]

She also tells me you make some excellent pancakes. Beckett's said I should try some in the past.

[headjacked]

Wha


whaaaaaa


How?? Did the. Heart attack thing. Explain please.

[headjacked]

She's 100% correct, I am a fluffcake visionary. And you are more than welcome to the latest pancake party.



I mean it.

[swatsflies]

Told him about Zack asking Angel on a date.

[warriorscribe]

[He wasn't expecting that - but just as part of him looks for an indication it's just talk, he remembers the hope that this might happen he'd managed to find in Angel's words. That things are going to be okay. That this pain, for both of them, won't last forever.]

Thank you, Rhys. It means a lot to me.

I have a plate to help serve them on, if you need any contributions.

[And a spatula, but he's more or less forgotten about it. Plus, it's a tiny icing spatula anyway. He's been here since day one, he's acquired a lot of useless stuff. The point is that this is normal.]

[headjacked]

He

WHAT.



Like I try to stay out of Angel's love life especially with her dad outside of my head but oh man. Don't they kind of... hate each other, a little? Beckett and that guy?

[headjacked]

[ He knows. He feels a gushy swell in his chest. Fidgets, not entirely comfortable, but traces of a smile despite it all. ]

Well sure, if we want to pretend we're civilized for a night.

[swatsflies]

Not just a little.
And Zack thinks he's sixteen again and doesn't remember anything.
I guess at that age he asked all the cute girls out.

[ Sending a screencap of his messages with Beckett. ]

[warriorscribe]

The food isn't the only thing we're treating ourselves to. Small comforts are important. I also have a fork and a bowl, if they will aid in the preparation.

[He is determined to make this the best pancake party ever. Or, at least as good as he can make it.]

[headjacked]

Oh, okay, so he's a pile of raging hormones. Temporarily.

I have to give him props for flustering Beckett, that's always hilarious.

[headjacked]

You're the man, man. We gotta find something nice to bring to you.

[swatsflies]

Pretty much.
Man I wish we could see how Kunsel was at that age.
That would have been something.

He's talking about someone giving Zack the talk!
Oh man, I have to record this if he ever does.

[headjacked]

Saw that, but does he really need The Talk at 16?? You should know a thing or two about the Do at sixteen And Beckett's so old, I think when he was first around 16 was basically middle age.

[swatsflies]

How different do you think it would be?
I can't even picture it.
And you're going to be RIGHT THERE when he does it.
You should take pics.

[headjacked]

'Now see here, young man, if you touch each other, you will get klamidia. And die.' Or something like that.

Pics or for amateurs, it's video or bust.

[warriorscribe]

I can't think of many things nicer than hot food. The pancakes are more than enough, themselves.

[More than he deserves, is the first thought that comes to mind. He surprises himself with how it doesn't wrack him with a physically painful guilt now, how certain he is it's false.]