((Min-jae Parker continued from Into the Veil))
The pew wasn't the most comfortable place Jae had ever tried to sleep, but it wasn't the worst. He lay on his back with his head pillowed on his bag and the crossbow resting across his stomach, dozing in and out. He kept his good hand on it, near enough to the trigger just in case. He was banking on the back of the pew shielding him from the view of anybody entering for long enough for him to get a handle on whether or not they were trouble. He never quite managed proper sleep, waiting for the crackle of the speakers to tell him whether or not he'd need to get the hell out of dodge on short notice.
He didn't, as it turned out. That was the good news. The better news was that everyone he knew and cared about had made it through another night.
He already knew the bad news. Hearing his own name wasn't as much of a sucker punch as he'd thought it might be, and Danya's insincere congratulations to him weren't enough to get more than a raised middle finger in response.
The worse news: he couldn't return to the vehicle depot, and Hazel and Jordan couldn't stay there, assuming they hadn't already made themselves scarce upon discovering him gone. Jae wondered for a bit how they'd reacted to that and to how the announcement had described him. Brutality. Putting his heart into his work.
Jae had never tried to create anything without putting his heart into it in some form. Dedication, emotion.
Hurting people wasn't art. Death wasn't poetic or beautiful, or any kind of bullshit like that. Anyone who tried to claim beauty in human suffering was either trying to cope or just fucked in the head. He hadn't been trying to accomplish anything other than mindless violence.
The senselessness of it, the fact that he had no excuse, was the bitterest pill to swallow. Maybe the crazies were onto something with claiming to have a method to their madness.
The light shining through the chapel's stained glass window created an image of a rising sun that moved across the ceiling and pews as the real sun outside climbed into the sky. Jae stared at the colored patches of light until they blurred into abstract shapes and he drifted into a doze again. He muttered in his sleep, and his fingers twitched on the handle of the crossbow.
Devil's Choir
Morning, Day 3
Devil's Choir
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
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Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
((Brendan Harte continued from No Time For Sorrow))
Brendan just had been wandering around for a long time until he arrived at the chapel. He observed it from the outside. He decided that he should hide out here after he had heard the announcements. He knew that sooner or later anyone who had been friends with.... with....
Brendan didn't want to remember the name. He only just felt more shame. More guilt. He thought about what he had done. He didn't like the feeling of people coming after him to avenge their friend. But he had been the one who made the choice to take someone's life to save someone else's.
Jeremiah Larkin.
That had been his name. When he had been alive before Brendan had put an end to it. It was pretty horrifying that he could end a life so easily. Just like that. It made Brendan want to never hurt anyone else. He didn't want to see his friends. Not yet. He couldn't search for them right now. He had too much on his mind. He needed to be alone.
He hadn't been able to sleep that well. As he had been having nightmares about Larkin. He hated the asylum with a deep passion. So he left early in the morning. Or what he thought was the morning. He had wandered around aimlessly until he had heard the announcements that had shattered his heart. He won something at the radio tower but he didn't want to go there. At least not right now.
Brendan made his way closer to the chapel, making sure to keep the spear close to his side. He didn't hold it up in a defensive way as he thought there was no reason for him to do so. He just wanted to get inside. Calm his nerves. Eat a little of his food. Maybe pray. He didn't really know.
Brendan took a deep breath. Then he went through the entrance and he made his way inside. He glanced around to see if anybody else was there. He should have been more cautious.
Not your brightest move, Brendan....
Brendan just had been wandering around for a long time until he arrived at the chapel. He observed it from the outside. He decided that he should hide out here after he had heard the announcements. He knew that sooner or later anyone who had been friends with.... with....
Brendan didn't want to remember the name. He only just felt more shame. More guilt. He thought about what he had done. He didn't like the feeling of people coming after him to avenge their friend. But he had been the one who made the choice to take someone's life to save someone else's.
Jeremiah Larkin.
That had been his name. When he had been alive before Brendan had put an end to it. It was pretty horrifying that he could end a life so easily. Just like that. It made Brendan want to never hurt anyone else. He didn't want to see his friends. Not yet. He couldn't search for them right now. He had too much on his mind. He needed to be alone.
He hadn't been able to sleep that well. As he had been having nightmares about Larkin. He hated the asylum with a deep passion. So he left early in the morning. Or what he thought was the morning. He had wandered around aimlessly until he had heard the announcements that had shattered his heart. He won something at the radio tower but he didn't want to go there. At least not right now.
Brendan made his way closer to the chapel, making sure to keep the spear close to his side. He didn't hold it up in a defensive way as he thought there was no reason for him to do so. He just wanted to get inside. Calm his nerves. Eat a little of his food. Maybe pray. He didn't really know.
Brendan took a deep breath. Then he went through the entrance and he made his way inside. He glanced around to see if anybody else was there. He should have been more cautious.
Not your brightest move, Brendan....
The groan of the chapel doors pulled Jae from his doze. The ceiling came into focus again and he furrowed his brow in momentary confusion before his brain caught up with his consciousness and he drew in a sharp breath, grip tightening on the crossbow.
There were approaching footsteps - just one person, from the sound of it. No voice calling out. Sneaking, or just careless? Or Kimiko, whose name he'd heard twice now, who had won a prize the previous day. Any or all of those could be a bad thing for him.
Jae rose just far enough to steal a look over the back of the pew.
Brendan. He'd heard Brendan's name too, not long ago at all.
And wasn't that a hell of a thing? Brendan Harte, spineless, tail-between-his-legs Brendan, had gone and stabbed someone in the back. The kicker was, he still looked as pathetic as ever, slinking in here with his makeshift spear, looking like the building itself might snap at him. He was so familiar, so normal, it was almost amusing.
Nothing was normal here, though.
Jae sat up fully, bringing the crossbow up to rest on the back of the pew with a dull thunk, aimed in Brendan's direction. "Don't move."
There were approaching footsteps - just one person, from the sound of it. No voice calling out. Sneaking, or just careless? Or Kimiko, whose name he'd heard twice now, who had won a prize the previous day. Any or all of those could be a bad thing for him.
Jae rose just far enough to steal a look over the back of the pew.
Brendan. He'd heard Brendan's name too, not long ago at all.
And wasn't that a hell of a thing? Brendan Harte, spineless, tail-between-his-legs Brendan, had gone and stabbed someone in the back. The kicker was, he still looked as pathetic as ever, slinking in here with his makeshift spear, looking like the building itself might snap at him. He was so familiar, so normal, it was almost amusing.
Nothing was normal here, though.
Jae sat up fully, bringing the crossbow up to rest on the back of the pew with a dull thunk, aimed in Brendan's direction. "Don't move."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
((Asha's morning had been less than pleasant.))
Time did what time did best and left them all in the settling dust, and before they knew it the sun had started to set on the second day before Asha and Dot could do anything worthwhile. Rationing their single bag of supplies (she'd let Dot have the lions share) had left her hungry and thirsty; not starving or anything but just feeling like a thousand writhing parasites were wriggling around inside her and eating away at whatever they found without any regard for proper table manners. The least they could have done was serve Asha's heart on a white tablecloth. Her mouth was uncomfortably dry, and having two split sleeping shifts between the two of them had left her tired and irritable.
Oh, yeah, Asha's eyes were kind of red and swollen from crying so much after finding out one of her best friends had been 'stabbed. a lot,' too. Couldn't forget that.
God. Danny. She'd told herself over and over that she was ready for anything, that losing her friends now just meant a short delay before she could see them again, in the best case scenario; but the reality of it, the callousness with which the announcement guy had delivered the news had left her cold and sniveling. She knew that Danny couldn't have been handling any aspect of their new life well. How scared had he been, when he died? Had he been alone, with no one but Isabel to hear him scream? How much of a difference could Asha had made to him, if she'd found him when he was still alive?
Isabel continued to sink to new levels of monstrosity, too. Asha didn't regret letting her go; she'd done the best she could to get everyone out of that situation in one piece. No, all she felt was a sickening sensation in her stomach as she tried to understand the mindset that could have lead Isabel to kill a fellow ballerina. Oh, Asha knew that she'd thoroughly and satisfyingly burned her rickety bridge of friendship to Iz, but she'd always seemed fond of Danny. Did the years they'd spent together really mean that little to her? Asha suspected she already knew the answer to that.
So, when she and Dot had been aimlessly wandering after those fun little revelations, Asha hadn't thought twice before tailing the guy she had seen ducking through the chapel doors; too quick a glimpse to identify him. She couldn't let any other opportunity to help pass her by, so she strolled through the open doors without hesitation; at least before she realized the tense scene she'd stumbled onto.
Upon closer inspection, the guy she'd followed was Brendan, who didn't really register at all to her. Sorry, guy. More important was the person who was holding them both at projectile-point; Min-jae, a cool friend, a stylish goth; and also a killer. That last part didn't bother Asha so much, to be honest. Fuck, she'd given Isabel the benefit of the doubt with much less cause, it was the least she could to do be chill with someone she actually liked.
"So, uh, am I included in this, Jae?" Asha hesitantly asked, hands in the air.
Time did what time did best and left them all in the settling dust, and before they knew it the sun had started to set on the second day before Asha and Dot could do anything worthwhile. Rationing their single bag of supplies (she'd let Dot have the lions share) had left her hungry and thirsty; not starving or anything but just feeling like a thousand writhing parasites were wriggling around inside her and eating away at whatever they found without any regard for proper table manners. The least they could have done was serve Asha's heart on a white tablecloth. Her mouth was uncomfortably dry, and having two split sleeping shifts between the two of them had left her tired and irritable.
Oh, yeah, Asha's eyes were kind of red and swollen from crying so much after finding out one of her best friends had been 'stabbed. a lot,' too. Couldn't forget that.
God. Danny. She'd told herself over and over that she was ready for anything, that losing her friends now just meant a short delay before she could see them again, in the best case scenario; but the reality of it, the callousness with which the announcement guy had delivered the news had left her cold and sniveling. She knew that Danny couldn't have been handling any aspect of their new life well. How scared had he been, when he died? Had he been alone, with no one but Isabel to hear him scream? How much of a difference could Asha had made to him, if she'd found him when he was still alive?
Isabel continued to sink to new levels of monstrosity, too. Asha didn't regret letting her go; she'd done the best she could to get everyone out of that situation in one piece. No, all she felt was a sickening sensation in her stomach as she tried to understand the mindset that could have lead Isabel to kill a fellow ballerina. Oh, Asha knew that she'd thoroughly and satisfyingly burned her rickety bridge of friendship to Iz, but she'd always seemed fond of Danny. Did the years they'd spent together really mean that little to her? Asha suspected she already knew the answer to that.
So, when she and Dot had been aimlessly wandering after those fun little revelations, Asha hadn't thought twice before tailing the guy she had seen ducking through the chapel doors; too quick a glimpse to identify him. She couldn't let any other opportunity to help pass her by, so she strolled through the open doors without hesitation; at least before she realized the tense scene she'd stumbled onto.
Upon closer inspection, the guy she'd followed was Brendan, who didn't really register at all to her. Sorry, guy. More important was the person who was holding them both at projectile-point; Min-jae, a cool friend, a stylish goth; and also a killer. That last part didn't bother Asha so much, to be honest. Fuck, she'd given Isabel the benefit of the doubt with much less cause, it was the least she could to do be chill with someone she actually liked.
"So, uh, am I included in this, Jae?" Asha hesitantly asked, hands in the air.
(Dorothy was taken to church)
The announcements were rough. The first one still echoed in her head and the second one dropped a bomb on Asha. She lost a friend and to make it worse, it was Iz that killed him.
Asha's words did nothing to stop the killing, and the implication that he died right after their meeting made it so much worse. They had the opportunity to stop her, but try let her go.
Next time, Iz won't leave. Dot would make her stay. Tie her up or something then take her stuff and leave. Like that, she could hurt no-one again. The idea of harming her, other than the bruises made by a couple of swings of the escrima sticks, was out of question. She wouldn't become like her.
At the moment, Dot and Asha had to deal with something else than a killer. They had to deal with two.
The vampire looking goth didn't register, Dorothy didn't know his name, actually she thought he was a girl for a moment. When Asha said his name, it connected to this morning's announcement and she knew that he was trouble.
Maybe. The odds of the murder being self-defense were there. Not 100%, but Dot hoped it was the case.
The urge of running and hug the second killer started when Dorothy saw Brendan. She wanted to hug him and tell him it's going to be okay, and, with Asha, they'd find a way out.
But the announcement played in her head, again.
Jeremiah. Stabbed. Radio tower.
He did that, and won something out of it. Shudders crawled on her back, but she couldn't run away. She had two friends here, maybe a third one even, and they were going to stick together.
Or at least, Brendan and Asha will and Jae will leave quietly. That was realistic, right?
"Hi Brendan!" She waved at him from behind the shoulder of Asha, she said the same to Jae, just with less energy.
She was ready to pull on Asha's sleeve and to book it, but she hid that behind a smile.
The announcements were rough. The first one still echoed in her head and the second one dropped a bomb on Asha. She lost a friend and to make it worse, it was Iz that killed him.
Asha's words did nothing to stop the killing, and the implication that he died right after their meeting made it so much worse. They had the opportunity to stop her, but try let her go.
Next time, Iz won't leave. Dot would make her stay. Tie her up or something then take her stuff and leave. Like that, she could hurt no-one again. The idea of harming her, other than the bruises made by a couple of swings of the escrima sticks, was out of question. She wouldn't become like her.
At the moment, Dot and Asha had to deal with something else than a killer. They had to deal with two.
The vampire looking goth didn't register, Dorothy didn't know his name, actually she thought he was a girl for a moment. When Asha said his name, it connected to this morning's announcement and she knew that he was trouble.
Maybe. The odds of the murder being self-defense were there. Not 100%, but Dot hoped it was the case.
The urge of running and hug the second killer started when Dorothy saw Brendan. She wanted to hug him and tell him it's going to be okay, and, with Asha, they'd find a way out.
But the announcement played in her head, again.
Jeremiah. Stabbed. Radio tower.
He did that, and won something out of it. Shudders crawled on her back, but she couldn't run away. She had two friends here, maybe a third one even, and they were going to stick together.
Or at least, Brendan and Asha will and Jae will leave quietly. That was realistic, right?
"Hi Brendan!" She waved at him from behind the shoulder of Asha, she said the same to Jae, just with less energy.
She was ready to pull on Asha's sleeve and to book it, but she hid that behind a smile.
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Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
Brendan had been stupidly careless. He should have known that someone would be there. On their guard. If only he had been more careful. He had stopped moving and he turned his head a little towards the direction of the voice. And he recognised who it was right away.
Min-Jae Parker. Someone who didn't like him. But he was also a killer as well. Brendan wasn't sure how to feel about that. Who had the victim been? Samuel Howard. Brendan didn't know the one who died at Min-Jae's hands. It didn't make him feel better to know someone else who did the same thing as him. Killing Jeremiah had been wrong. Brendan admitted that to himself not that long ago. Had Min-Jae felt the same after what he had done?
Brendan was about to speak up until he heard someone say something instead. It sounded like a girl's voice. Someone had followed him inside. He should had known that would happen. He turned his body around more to see who it was. It was a risk since Min-Jae was aiming a weapon at him. He realized that it was Asha. He didn't really know her but she seemed to know Min-Jae more than him. So he guessed that she could help calm him down.
Brendan then saw a familiar girl who waved to him and greeted him. How funny he hadn't been in the mood to look for his friends for some time. But now here was one of his friends.
Dorothy.
Brendan wanted to drop the spear. He wanted to rush over to her. He wanted to pull her into a hug. He wanted to know if she was okay. He wanted to know if anyone had hurt her. He wanted to confess how he was feeling right at that moment. But he didn't do any of that. He just stood there. Staring at Asha and Dorothy.
"....D....Dorothy....?" He murmured softly and he felt his heart ache. Did she think that he was a bad person now? He didn't want to know. He didn't want one of his closest friends to be afraid of him. "Are you.... you alright? No one has hurt you...?"
Min-Jae Parker. Someone who didn't like him. But he was also a killer as well. Brendan wasn't sure how to feel about that. Who had the victim been? Samuel Howard. Brendan didn't know the one who died at Min-Jae's hands. It didn't make him feel better to know someone else who did the same thing as him. Killing Jeremiah had been wrong. Brendan admitted that to himself not that long ago. Had Min-Jae felt the same after what he had done?
Brendan was about to speak up until he heard someone say something instead. It sounded like a girl's voice. Someone had followed him inside. He should had known that would happen. He turned his body around more to see who it was. It was a risk since Min-Jae was aiming a weapon at him. He realized that it was Asha. He didn't really know her but she seemed to know Min-Jae more than him. So he guessed that she could help calm him down.
Brendan then saw a familiar girl who waved to him and greeted him. How funny he hadn't been in the mood to look for his friends for some time. But now here was one of his friends.
Dorothy.
Brendan wanted to drop the spear. He wanted to rush over to her. He wanted to pull her into a hug. He wanted to know if she was okay. He wanted to know if anyone had hurt her. He wanted to confess how he was feeling right at that moment. But he didn't do any of that. He just stood there. Staring at Asha and Dorothy.
"....D....Dorothy....?" He murmured softly and he felt his heart ache. Did she think that he was a bad person now? He didn't want to know. He didn't want one of his closest friends to be afraid of him. "Are you.... you alright? No one has hurt you...?"
Fuck.
He'd had the situation in hand. Brendan didn't look dangerous, but Jae had made that mistake before. He was keeping Brendan at a distance. He started going over his mental checklist and everything was in order: nineteen bolts for the crossbow, the one already loaded in and the eighteen he'd pilfered from Samuel's bag. Decent cover, and Brendan lacked a range weapon unless he decided to try his hand at javelin throwing with that broomstick. Jae was in control here.
And then Asha stumbled in, raised hands and nervous smile aimed right at Jae. It was hard to tell from where he was seated, but he thought her eyes looked red and puffy, like she'd been crying. Just because he hadn't lost anyone yet didn't mean that other people he cared about hadn't.
Dorothy appeared just a moment later, all but using Asha as a human shield. Jae didn't know Dorothy so much as know about her, but Brendan apparently did. The four of them formed an odd overlapping shape; Jae versus Brendan, Jae and Asha, Dorothy and Asha, Dorothy and Brendan. He could nearly see the crisscrossing lines in his head pulling them all together, like points on a map connected with string.
Jae's eyes darted from Brendan to the girls and back again. Brendan didn't look dangerous. He looked like he always had, so pathetically normal that it looped back around to being surreal here. No thousand-yard stare like Alvaro had just before he snapped.
But Brendan was closer to Asha, almost close enough to reach with the makeshift spear, and neither she nor Dorothy were armed that Jae could see.
He couldn't afford to make the same mistake twice. Not when it was more than just his own life on the line.
"Brendan," he said slowly, "back away from them. Keep your hands where I can see them." His fingers twitched, but he didn't let them rest on the trigger just yet. If Brendan so much as looked at Asha the wrong way, though... well, that nice little prize that had been left for him at the radio tower just might go uncollected.
He glanced back at Asha, trying to split his focus between her and Brendan. He was glad to see her, nerves and sad face and all. Out of everyone he knew and liked, Asha was probably the best person to run into after the announcement that had just played. He didn't know how Hazel would react to him anymore, Henry would probably keep trying to pretend everything was okay even though it obviously wasn't, and Nadia would probably judge him, rightfully or not.
None of them knew what he had been through. They hadn't been there, in the dark.
"You're fine," Jae said to Asha. "I'm not going to hurt you."
He'd had the situation in hand. Brendan didn't look dangerous, but Jae had made that mistake before. He was keeping Brendan at a distance. He started going over his mental checklist and everything was in order: nineteen bolts for the crossbow, the one already loaded in and the eighteen he'd pilfered from Samuel's bag. Decent cover, and Brendan lacked a range weapon unless he decided to try his hand at javelin throwing with that broomstick. Jae was in control here.
And then Asha stumbled in, raised hands and nervous smile aimed right at Jae. It was hard to tell from where he was seated, but he thought her eyes looked red and puffy, like she'd been crying. Just because he hadn't lost anyone yet didn't mean that other people he cared about hadn't.
Dorothy appeared just a moment later, all but using Asha as a human shield. Jae didn't know Dorothy so much as know about her, but Brendan apparently did. The four of them formed an odd overlapping shape; Jae versus Brendan, Jae and Asha, Dorothy and Asha, Dorothy and Brendan. He could nearly see the crisscrossing lines in his head pulling them all together, like points on a map connected with string.
Jae's eyes darted from Brendan to the girls and back again. Brendan didn't look dangerous. He looked like he always had, so pathetically normal that it looped back around to being surreal here. No thousand-yard stare like Alvaro had just before he snapped.
But Brendan was closer to Asha, almost close enough to reach with the makeshift spear, and neither she nor Dorothy were armed that Jae could see.
He couldn't afford to make the same mistake twice. Not when it was more than just his own life on the line.
"Brendan," he said slowly, "back away from them. Keep your hands where I can see them." His fingers twitched, but he didn't let them rest on the trigger just yet. If Brendan so much as looked at Asha the wrong way, though... well, that nice little prize that had been left for him at the radio tower just might go uncollected.
He glanced back at Asha, trying to split his focus between her and Brendan. He was glad to see her, nerves and sad face and all. Out of everyone he knew and liked, Asha was probably the best person to run into after the announcement that had just played. He didn't know how Hazel would react to him anymore, Henry would probably keep trying to pretend everything was okay even though it obviously wasn't, and Nadia would probably judge him, rightfully or not.
None of them knew what he had been through. They hadn't been there, in the dark.
"You're fine," Jae said to Asha. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Asha internally berated herself for not taking a moment to compose herself more before she'd spoken. Her voice had been too weak, playing perfectly into the loose script they were all following; discounting Dot's heroic attempt at a cheery wave. She'd hoped her comment would have deescalated the situation a bit, but no; Brendan was still standing and mumbling with spear in hand, and Jae was still treating the situation with a deadly seriousness. Bless his heart for trying to "protect" them, but she'd really prefer that no one caught a crossbow bolt on her behalf.
Things could be so simple, everyone just had to take a second to breath and it would all work out. Asha liked Jae, it looked like Dot liked Brendan. All they had to do was unite their reunions and they could stop worrying about dying or killing for a while. Now that she got a good look at him, Jae looked... pretty fucked up! All that stress couldn't be good for him, or his complexion.
Time to get to work. All smiles.
"Thought never crossed my mind!" Asha said brightly, nonchalantly shrugging as she lowered her hands to her sides and hoping the gesture didn't look too much like one of Isabel's fucking smug shrugs. Smrugs. She walked closer to Jae, settling down on the back of a pew roughly between the two groups.
"And I mean, Brendan's obviously cool too. If he was a bastard he'd be picking up his shiny award right about now, but he's here instead! Way to stick it to the bad man, Brendan. I'm proud of you," Asha continued, flashing him a grin and wishing she could have seen Isabel's face when she'd learned that she had missed her second chance at being recognized for being a homicidal maniac after killing one of Asha's best friends. She snorted a bit at the thought before realizing that laughter might make her seem just a bit insincere about the whole "congratulations" business.
She hoped she was right about Brendan's intentions, but even if she wasn't; nothing like a good guilt trip to try and force him to be a better person. "So, can we all just calm down? Please?"
Things could be so simple, everyone just had to take a second to breath and it would all work out. Asha liked Jae, it looked like Dot liked Brendan. All they had to do was unite their reunions and they could stop worrying about dying or killing for a while. Now that she got a good look at him, Jae looked... pretty fucked up! All that stress couldn't be good for him, or his complexion.
Time to get to work. All smiles.
"Thought never crossed my mind!" Asha said brightly, nonchalantly shrugging as she lowered her hands to her sides and hoping the gesture didn't look too much like one of Isabel's fucking smug shrugs. Smrugs. She walked closer to Jae, settling down on the back of a pew roughly between the two groups.
"And I mean, Brendan's obviously cool too. If he was a bastard he'd be picking up his shiny award right about now, but he's here instead! Way to stick it to the bad man, Brendan. I'm proud of you," Asha continued, flashing him a grin and wishing she could have seen Isabel's face when she'd learned that she had missed her second chance at being recognized for being a homicidal maniac after killing one of Asha's best friends. She snorted a bit at the thought before realizing that laughter might make her seem just a bit insincere about the whole "congratulations" business.
She hoped she was right about Brendan's intentions, but even if she wasn't; nothing like a good guilt trip to try and force him to be a better person. "So, can we all just calm down? Please?"
Dorothy and Asha weren't on the same wavelength. They wanted the same thing: peace and no fighting. Something was, however, not agreeable about Brendan's case. Asha wanted him to not get his award while Dorothy wanted Brendan to go get it. Not because of the obvious "kill people with your new toy" reason but more along the line of "if they had it, nobody could have it" reason. She wanted to get the threat in her hands and dump it in the ocean or somewhere.
Or maybe keep it around and scare future encounters off but they had the taser at the moment, and really, she didn't want to carry a gun that could accidentally fire or something. She wanted to keep her body in one piece, and while that may not stay like that forever, the longer before the cut the better.
This little detail stayed on Dot's mind, and she started to think about the possibilities. She determined that it was too early to reveal her plan to the group since they were dealing with another issue at the moment. They could brainstorm together after this.
So, Dot kept analyzing and decrypting the scene behind her red glasses. Her eyes shifted right and left, up and down, and she came down to a conclusion.
The biggest threat was Jae then it was Brendan. The former was distracted by Asha, and she had the taser so one zap and the duo would be in control o the situation and the deadly weapon. Brendan was a wild card, he could do something like running up to Dot, totally innocuous and innocent, and Jae would consider him a threat and he'd be shot.
Since Asha handled Jae, it was Dot's responsibilities to handle Brendan. She squeezes her hands together and rubbed them a tiny bit. Time to create some magic.
"I second that, let's not hurt each other. Right Brendan?"
Or maybe keep it around and scare future encounters off but they had the taser at the moment, and really, she didn't want to carry a gun that could accidentally fire or something. She wanted to keep her body in one piece, and while that may not stay like that forever, the longer before the cut the better.
This little detail stayed on Dot's mind, and she started to think about the possibilities. She determined that it was too early to reveal her plan to the group since they were dealing with another issue at the moment. They could brainstorm together after this.
So, Dot kept analyzing and decrypting the scene behind her red glasses. Her eyes shifted right and left, up and down, and she came down to a conclusion.
The biggest threat was Jae then it was Brendan. The former was distracted by Asha, and she had the taser so one zap and the duo would be in control o the situation and the deadly weapon. Brendan was a wild card, he could do something like running up to Dot, totally innocuous and innocent, and Jae would consider him a threat and he'd be shot.
Since Asha handled Jae, it was Dot's responsibilities to handle Brendan. She squeezes her hands together and rubbed them a tiny bit. Time to create some magic.
"I second that, let's not hurt each other. Right Brendan?"
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Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
Brendan knew that Jae wouldn't trust him. For a very good reason. However, he was not going to attack Asha because she posed as no threat to him. He wasn't going to hurt every single person that he would come across. Well, not now. To be able to show that he was not going to hurt anyone, was to drop his weapon. Could he really do that? With Jae somewhat threatening to maybe kill him?
Not a bad idea. It would be what you deserve, Brendan.
A dark thought, yes. Brendan felt a bit ill thinking about it. He was being selfish. He couldn't let that happen. Not when one of his friends were here. He couldn't abandon her. He wanted to stay by Dorothy's side. He wanted to protect her. Maybe Asha as well. Jae might not want him along but.... Well, that was too bad. Brendan was going to stick around for a while.
When Asha mentioned Brendan's award at the radio tower, he felt a pang of guilt and his heart felt a little broken. He hadn't wanted to remember about it. But now that she had said about it. He had to disagree with her. He had to go and get it sooner or later for a pretty obvious reason.
"Asha, you shouldn't be proud of me..." Brendan was speaking more clearly as he focused his attention on her. "I was planning on getting it later. I don't want it to be left there in case someone else will get it and use it for bad intentions. I kill.... killed Jeremiah. Because I thought that I was doing the right thing by trying to stop him and Michael from killing a girl. Now.... Now I'm not so sure. What I did.... was unforgivable...."
Brendan dropped his improvised weapon and he listened to it scatter to the ground. He was silent for a second. He slowly stepped forward towards where Dorothy was standing. Hoping that Jae would not take a shot at him. Would she be scared of him? Knowing what he had done? He wanted to know how she felt. It felt important to him. But how could he ask her?
"Dorothy.... I...."
He couldn't get any words out.
Not a bad idea. It would be what you deserve, Brendan.
A dark thought, yes. Brendan felt a bit ill thinking about it. He was being selfish. He couldn't let that happen. Not when one of his friends were here. He couldn't abandon her. He wanted to stay by Dorothy's side. He wanted to protect her. Maybe Asha as well. Jae might not want him along but.... Well, that was too bad. Brendan was going to stick around for a while.
When Asha mentioned Brendan's award at the radio tower, he felt a pang of guilt and his heart felt a little broken. He hadn't wanted to remember about it. But now that she had said about it. He had to disagree with her. He had to go and get it sooner or later for a pretty obvious reason.
"Asha, you shouldn't be proud of me..." Brendan was speaking more clearly as he focused his attention on her. "I was planning on getting it later. I don't want it to be left there in case someone else will get it and use it for bad intentions. I kill.... killed Jeremiah. Because I thought that I was doing the right thing by trying to stop him and Michael from killing a girl. Now.... Now I'm not so sure. What I did.... was unforgivable...."
Brendan dropped his improvised weapon and he listened to it scatter to the ground. He was silent for a second. He slowly stepped forward towards where Dorothy was standing. Hoping that Jae would not take a shot at him. Would she be scared of him? Knowing what he had done? He wanted to know how she felt. It felt important to him. But how could he ask her?
"Dorothy.... I...."
He couldn't get any words out.
This wasn't progressing the way Jae had expected it to.
What else was new, right? Ever since he woke up, he'd been reflecting on how the normal, proper way of things was essentially fucked up the ass. He'd paid the price for it and had tried to adjust accordingly. Then, just when he thought he'd started to get a handle on how things worked here, they got turned on their head once again.
Jae had come to expect violence and wrongness. Alvaro was insane and violent, things between him and Hazel might be irreparably damaged, and Jae himself had crossed a line so dire that most people tended to agree that you couldn't ever recover from it and be the same person you were before. Almost everyone was a potential enemy. Fuck - if Brendan of all people had found it in himself to kill, who could assume anything about the rest of their classmates?
But here they were. As Jae was trying to convince himself that he could shoot Brendan if he needed to, that it would be justified, Asha started in with the peacemaking. She'd never doubted him, even after hearing his name on the announcement and finding him here like this. She hadn't given in. Asha was the same as always, off-kilter sense of humor and happy nihilist shtick intact. He couldn't be as sure about Dorothy, but he could reasonably assume she hadn't made any attempt to fuck Asha over in the time they'd been together.
And Brendan - Jae could hardly even look at him without feeling that familiar disdain settle over him. Spineless Brendan, always looking at him like he'd done something horribly wrong because Jae refused to walk on eggshells around him, stammering and cringing and making excuses about taking a life just the same way he had when he'd messed up Jae's painting in the art room. It was like he hadn't changed at all. He wasn't crazy. He never had been.
And if Brendan wasn't, and Jae wasn't, maybe none of them were.
Dissonance was the word for it. Three days of the fear, of feeling control slipping through his fingers and being unable to do anything about it, and now this. After everything else, it was the idea that maybe none of them had changed that much after all that set him off-balance again.
Brendan dropped his weapon.
Jae watched him move towards Dorothy and took in a deep, shaking breath.
He lowered the crossbow into his lap.
He didn't feel calm. The world, as always, refused to align itself the way he thought it should and it agitated him. The tension had seeped out of the encounter somewhat though, with Brendan now unarmed and Asha making herself comfortable on a pew not far from Jae. He still didn't know what the fuck was really going on or what it all meant, but it all seemed less likely to end in another murder at this point.
That left him with the disdain. Everyone kept poking at the idea that Brendan had won the weapon for the day, which was almost laughable in itself when you stopped to think about it. A double slap in the face, both to Brendan and to anyone out there who was actually gunning for the prize. If they knew Brendan and what he was like, if they could see him now... Jae snorted a bit in spite of himself.
"So, Brendan. How's it feel to be a winner for once in your life?" And it came easily. Just like they were back at school. Like they were all the same people they'd always been.
What else was new, right? Ever since he woke up, he'd been reflecting on how the normal, proper way of things was essentially fucked up the ass. He'd paid the price for it and had tried to adjust accordingly. Then, just when he thought he'd started to get a handle on how things worked here, they got turned on their head once again.
Jae had come to expect violence and wrongness. Alvaro was insane and violent, things between him and Hazel might be irreparably damaged, and Jae himself had crossed a line so dire that most people tended to agree that you couldn't ever recover from it and be the same person you were before. Almost everyone was a potential enemy. Fuck - if Brendan of all people had found it in himself to kill, who could assume anything about the rest of their classmates?
But here they were. As Jae was trying to convince himself that he could shoot Brendan if he needed to, that it would be justified, Asha started in with the peacemaking. She'd never doubted him, even after hearing his name on the announcement and finding him here like this. She hadn't given in. Asha was the same as always, off-kilter sense of humor and happy nihilist shtick intact. He couldn't be as sure about Dorothy, but he could reasonably assume she hadn't made any attempt to fuck Asha over in the time they'd been together.
And Brendan - Jae could hardly even look at him without feeling that familiar disdain settle over him. Spineless Brendan, always looking at him like he'd done something horribly wrong because Jae refused to walk on eggshells around him, stammering and cringing and making excuses about taking a life just the same way he had when he'd messed up Jae's painting in the art room. It was like he hadn't changed at all. He wasn't crazy. He never had been.
And if Brendan wasn't, and Jae wasn't, maybe none of them were.
Dissonance was the word for it. Three days of the fear, of feeling control slipping through his fingers and being unable to do anything about it, and now this. After everything else, it was the idea that maybe none of them had changed that much after all that set him off-balance again.
Brendan dropped his weapon.
Jae watched him move towards Dorothy and took in a deep, shaking breath.
He lowered the crossbow into his lap.
He didn't feel calm. The world, as always, refused to align itself the way he thought it should and it agitated him. The tension had seeped out of the encounter somewhat though, with Brendan now unarmed and Asha making herself comfortable on a pew not far from Jae. He still didn't know what the fuck was really going on or what it all meant, but it all seemed less likely to end in another murder at this point.
That left him with the disdain. Everyone kept poking at the idea that Brendan had won the weapon for the day, which was almost laughable in itself when you stopped to think about it. A double slap in the face, both to Brendan and to anyone out there who was actually gunning for the prize. If they knew Brendan and what he was like, if they could see him now... Jae snorted a bit in spite of himself.
"So, Brendan. How's it feel to be a winner for once in your life?" And it came easily. Just like they were back at school. Like they were all the same people they'd always been.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Asha wanted to high-five Dot for her part in their wonderful tag-team of peacemaking cheer. Unfortunately the mood still hadn't calmed enough to allow for that; so she settled for shooting her a grin. Everyone's weapons were down, but so were their spirits, understandably. Asha did feel bad about her choice of words; once Brendan spoke to her he'd made it pretty clear that more guilt was the last thing he needed. Poor guy still seemed to think that anyone who was judging him mattered.
Jae wasn't helping, either, and Asha had glanced back at him and frowned as he pushed the blood-soaked knife deeper into Brendan's skin; irritably tapping a finger on her crossed arms. Unfortunate, but not a surprise. Even under normal circumstances, Jae could be... difficult to deal with. Even if he'd been better recently, well, she doubted that SOTF ever brought people's best natures to the forefront. Now wasn't the time to bat him on the nose with Danya's pamphlet, anyway, not in front of everyone. He'd clearly been through hell; and while she wished he'd be a bit more cooperative she was sure there'd be time to help him later.
In the end, what it came down to was that Jae seemed fine...ish, and Brendan looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown. Much as Asha hated to prioritize, it was pretty obvious what she had to do. She ignored Jae's remark and turned back to Brendan, hoping to distract him before he could fully digest the insult.
"Listen to me for a sec, Brendan. You aren't the reason Jerry didn't get out alive, alright? He was gonna die, no matter what happened, same as the rest of us." Asha would have preferred to cushion her point a little more, but she wasn't sure how long he was gonna stick around, and she needed to make sure he understood that he hadn't done anything wrong.
"You said he was trying to kill a girl? You don't need me to tell you that's fucked up. Like, all you can do in that situation is try and do whatever hurts people the least. The best case scenario obviously would've been everyone getting out alive, but come on, we're fucking teenagers, not superheroes. You didn't kill him just to listen to him scream or some shit like that, yeah? The girl got out alive, you were trying to do the right thing. It could have turned out better, it didn't, oh well." She paused for a second, then smiled. "Look on the bright side. You saved him from being a murderer! I'm sure he wouldn't have been any happier about it."
"In the end, we've all got, what, a week tops of living? Do you really wanna spend it feeling shitty because of something that's not gonna matter in the end? It's just pointless."
Jae wasn't helping, either, and Asha had glanced back at him and frowned as he pushed the blood-soaked knife deeper into Brendan's skin; irritably tapping a finger on her crossed arms. Unfortunate, but not a surprise. Even under normal circumstances, Jae could be... difficult to deal with. Even if he'd been better recently, well, she doubted that SOTF ever brought people's best natures to the forefront. Now wasn't the time to bat him on the nose with Danya's pamphlet, anyway, not in front of everyone. He'd clearly been through hell; and while she wished he'd be a bit more cooperative she was sure there'd be time to help him later.
In the end, what it came down to was that Jae seemed fine...ish, and Brendan looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown. Much as Asha hated to prioritize, it was pretty obvious what she had to do. She ignored Jae's remark and turned back to Brendan, hoping to distract him before he could fully digest the insult.
"Listen to me for a sec, Brendan. You aren't the reason Jerry didn't get out alive, alright? He was gonna die, no matter what happened, same as the rest of us." Asha would have preferred to cushion her point a little more, but she wasn't sure how long he was gonna stick around, and she needed to make sure he understood that he hadn't done anything wrong.
"You said he was trying to kill a girl? You don't need me to tell you that's fucked up. Like, all you can do in that situation is try and do whatever hurts people the least. The best case scenario obviously would've been everyone getting out alive, but come on, we're fucking teenagers, not superheroes. You didn't kill him just to listen to him scream or some shit like that, yeah? The girl got out alive, you were trying to do the right thing. It could have turned out better, it didn't, oh well." She paused for a second, then smiled. "Look on the bright side. You saved him from being a murderer! I'm sure he wouldn't have been any happier about it."
"In the end, we've all got, what, a week tops of living? Do you really wanna spend it feeling shitty because of something that's not gonna matter in the end? It's just pointless."
Dorothy didn't agree with what Asha said, but she still nodded to agree with her. They were not going to die. Maybe some of them, but not all. There was someone that would make it out, and maybe a couple of others if they figured a way out.
Maybe Asha was just generalizing, but Dorothy didn't like it but she kept acting, mimicking Asha's attitude.
Some points were right, she had to give her that. They weren't mutants with superpowers or something, they were barely adults for some, and some were still kids. A little part of her looked over the edge between life and death, and she saw herself looking back.
Good, nothing to fear then.
Dot looked to Jae as she slowly let her bag fall to the floor and showing her hands. She smiled politely, and pointed Brendan with her chin. She spun her head toward him and her smile grew wider.
"No problemo, okay? You can talk to me about it if you want, but I really don't mind as long you're okay."
Dot didn't know if she lied, she knew she wasn't being honest though. Maybe she was sugarcoating it to comfort herself at the idea of touching a killer, but it did well as she took a couple of steps toward him while opening her arms.
"Seriously, don't worry about it."
Maybe Asha was just generalizing, but Dorothy didn't like it but she kept acting, mimicking Asha's attitude.
Some points were right, she had to give her that. They weren't mutants with superpowers or something, they were barely adults for some, and some were still kids. A little part of her looked over the edge between life and death, and she saw herself looking back.
Good, nothing to fear then.
Dot looked to Jae as she slowly let her bag fall to the floor and showing her hands. She smiled politely, and pointed Brendan with her chin. She spun her head toward him and her smile grew wider.
"No problemo, okay? You can talk to me about it if you want, but I really don't mind as long you're okay."
Dot didn't know if she lied, she knew she wasn't being honest though. Maybe she was sugarcoating it to comfort herself at the idea of touching a killer, but it did well as she took a couple of steps toward him while opening her arms.
"Seriously, don't worry about it."
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Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
Brendan had heard what Jae said. Being a winner? Brendan wanted to laugh at how pitiful the question sounded to him. But he didn't. He didn't want to look like he was losing his head. Even if he was feeling like he was about to have a breakdown. He really didn't feel like a winner. He felt sick. He felt wrong. He felt guilty. He felt like a complete loser.
Asha was saying something to him. A lot of words that he was sure was her way of making him feel better. It wasn't helping his mood at all. But he appreciated that she was trying. At least she wasn't making him feel worse like Jae did with his question. He knew that many others would die. But he just didn't like the fact that someone else's blood was on his hands. It was something that will stick with him for how much longer he was going to live. A day? Two days? Three days? He didn't have a clue.
Brendan then realized that Dorothy was speaking as well while he had remain quiet as he listened to Asha. He turned his attention to what she was doing. She was moving towards him with her arms open. She was looking for a hug. From him...? He would talk about everything with her if he wanted to. But.... he didn't feel ready for a talk and a hug with her. He needed to....
Find Jonathan....
He had to find him. And that was what he was going to do. Talk to him and hopefully bring him back here. Five people would make things more secure to Brendan. More safe. Even tho he and Jae were both killers. He couldn't stay there. He needed to go and find Jonathan. He needed to go to the radio tower as well. He couldn't let anyone else get the prize.
"Actually, I think you should save that hug, Dorothy."
He took a few steps back to where the stick was and he picked it up. He couldn't leave without it. He needed it to fight off anyone who will threaten to hurt him. He might run into Michael again. He needed to be careful. He gave Dorothy a small smile.
"I have to go. There is someone that I have to find out there. I can't just hide here and mope around. Because that will do nothing to help anyone. And I need to explain things to him. Maybe-Maybe I can convince him to come back here with me. Just as long as you guys are still here when I get back...." He said as he moved pass Dorothy but he gave her shoulder a gentle pat. "Please stay alive.... All of you...."
And then he was gone.
((Brendan Harte continued This time I might just disappear.))
Asha was saying something to him. A lot of words that he was sure was her way of making him feel better. It wasn't helping his mood at all. But he appreciated that she was trying. At least she wasn't making him feel worse like Jae did with his question. He knew that many others would die. But he just didn't like the fact that someone else's blood was on his hands. It was something that will stick with him for how much longer he was going to live. A day? Two days? Three days? He didn't have a clue.
Brendan then realized that Dorothy was speaking as well while he had remain quiet as he listened to Asha. He turned his attention to what she was doing. She was moving towards him with her arms open. She was looking for a hug. From him...? He would talk about everything with her if he wanted to. But.... he didn't feel ready for a talk and a hug with her. He needed to....
Find Jonathan....
He had to find him. And that was what he was going to do. Talk to him and hopefully bring him back here. Five people would make things more secure to Brendan. More safe. Even tho he and Jae were both killers. He couldn't stay there. He needed to go and find Jonathan. He needed to go to the radio tower as well. He couldn't let anyone else get the prize.
"Actually, I think you should save that hug, Dorothy."
He took a few steps back to where the stick was and he picked it up. He couldn't leave without it. He needed it to fight off anyone who will threaten to hurt him. He might run into Michael again. He needed to be careful. He gave Dorothy a small smile.
"I have to go. There is someone that I have to find out there. I can't just hide here and mope around. Because that will do nothing to help anyone. And I need to explain things to him. Maybe-Maybe I can convince him to come back here with me. Just as long as you guys are still here when I get back...." He said as he moved pass Dorothy but he gave her shoulder a gentle pat. "Please stay alive.... All of you...."
And then he was gone.
((Brendan Harte continued This time I might just disappear.))
Jae's expression shifted somewhat over the course of Brendan and Dorothy's awkward almost-reunion, but it was all some variation of frowning. Mildly interested, a bit more than mildly annoyed, vaguely disbelieving, in that order.
He tensed again when Brendan retrieved the broomstick, but the next words out of Brendan's mouth just brought the annoyance back rather than anything else. "What, you think we're just going to sit here all day?" He asked, but Brendan was already out the door. "Right, sure, because you're the only one around here who has people to see," he continued at the empty space where Brendan had been.
The thought occurred to Jae, fleetingly, that he could have raised the crossbow again and put a bolt right between Brendan's shoulder blades as he hurried off.
He huffed out a sigh, a short, sharp note of disgust. "Whatever."
There was something to be said for normalcy, but Brendan had always been worse than useless. Brendan with a gun, jumpy, uncertain, with only the faintest idea of what he was going to do? Yeah, fuck that. There was no way that was coming to anything other than disaster. Brendan could dig his own grave if he wanted to, but he wasn't taking Jae down with him.
Jae felt an irrational twinge of resentment; he'd been here first, but now he he had the urge to leave just because Brendan had to go and show his face.The problem was, he didn't actually feel like running off anywhere even if he'd been physically capable of running. He had no idea where to look for Hazel, he was tired, and he wasn't keen on leaving Asha behind. He had half a mind to try barricading the door against any other unwanted company and going back to sleep.
How long had it taken him to get from the garage to the asylum the night before? He'd had no way to tell time besides the position of the moon when he could see it and his own increasing exhaustion.
"The radio tower's on the other side of the island," he informed Asha and Dorothy. "I was there yesterday. There's no way he's getting there and back before nighttime, even if he doesn't make a detour to look for whoever the fuck." Or get himself killed, was the unspoken addendum.
Jae sighed again, quieter, and let himself flop bonelessly backwards to rest his head on his bag again, uncaring if he was squishing any of the food inside. The colored pattern of the stained glass window had crept across the ceiling to the opposite wall in the time since he'd last looked at it.
"I'm going to rest here for a while, but I'm not waiting for him to get back," he said aloud, a sulky note to his voice.
He tensed again when Brendan retrieved the broomstick, but the next words out of Brendan's mouth just brought the annoyance back rather than anything else. "What, you think we're just going to sit here all day?" He asked, but Brendan was already out the door. "Right, sure, because you're the only one around here who has people to see," he continued at the empty space where Brendan had been.
The thought occurred to Jae, fleetingly, that he could have raised the crossbow again and put a bolt right between Brendan's shoulder blades as he hurried off.
He huffed out a sigh, a short, sharp note of disgust. "Whatever."
There was something to be said for normalcy, but Brendan had always been worse than useless. Brendan with a gun, jumpy, uncertain, with only the faintest idea of what he was going to do? Yeah, fuck that. There was no way that was coming to anything other than disaster. Brendan could dig his own grave if he wanted to, but he wasn't taking Jae down with him.
Jae felt an irrational twinge of resentment; he'd been here first, but now he he had the urge to leave just because Brendan had to go and show his face.The problem was, he didn't actually feel like running off anywhere even if he'd been physically capable of running. He had no idea where to look for Hazel, he was tired, and he wasn't keen on leaving Asha behind. He had half a mind to try barricading the door against any other unwanted company and going back to sleep.
How long had it taken him to get from the garage to the asylum the night before? He'd had no way to tell time besides the position of the moon when he could see it and his own increasing exhaustion.
"The radio tower's on the other side of the island," he informed Asha and Dorothy. "I was there yesterday. There's no way he's getting there and back before nighttime, even if he doesn't make a detour to look for whoever the fuck." Or get himself killed, was the unspoken addendum.
Jae sighed again, quieter, and let himself flop bonelessly backwards to rest his head on his bag again, uncaring if he was squishing any of the food inside. The colored pattern of the stained glass window had crept across the ceiling to the opposite wall in the time since he'd last looked at it.
"I'm going to rest here for a while, but I'm not waiting for him to get back," he said aloud, a sulky note to his voice.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."