Unfortunately, things didn’t go as well as Leon suggested they might. As it moved to evening and then the night, they still hadn’t found a compound that worked. One had alleviated the pain a little for a while, but there wasn’t anything closer to a success. 

Cass was surprised they had so much to try. But after hours of pain, it was getting harder to believe that anything would actually work. She was [i]exhausted[/i]. Without her magic, she couldn’t cope with her lack of sleep like she did before. But she couldn’t sleep either, because she was in too much pain. And the heated bed didn’t help enough! Then it was so fucking hard to change her position, because she had to do all the movement with her arms, which were weak and achy too. 

She really wasn’t having a good time. The ability to keep chatting like she had been when the girls were there was gone. She just wanted it to all be over. 

She’d managed to get a bit more propped up with pillows under her back and head at least, letting her put her phone on another pillow on her legs so she could half watch mindless comedies. But her phone was low on charge… the fucking cable wasn’t long enough to get it to the bed and sit comfortably with it. Because why would anything be easy? 

[color=629c3f]”Leon… Can you plug my phone in?”[/color] It was the first time she’d spoken for a while beyond grunts of acknowledgement or one word answers. She didn’t really look at him, eyes closing with a frustrated frown. 
[color=629c3f]”And maybe… get me a glass of water?”[/color]

Having such a long bend of silence had brought Leon a similar sense of malaise. He [i]could[/i] sleep, but felt absolutely terrible doing so in front of someone who couldn’t. And without his own control over Lelou’s abilities, he wasn’t the same kind of free where he could adjust his circadian necessities. So, he was beat tired, and had his own phone plugged into the most convenient slot. If she was taking the plug, it meant he’d probably need to conserve his battery, as he’d started an old school RPG to pass the time.

And if he had nothing to do, he’d probably fall asleep. [i]Fuck.[/i]

Getting up wordlessly, he locked his phone screen and carelessly flung it off to the windowsill next to him. Hitting hard on the flat back, it made a loud smacking noise, leaving room to wonder how thrilled he was about this. Still, he reached out for her phone.

[color=C67C12]”You want me to just leave it locked and plugged in? Or you trying to tilt your head and watch it propped up on the chord?”[/color]
At least his voice didn’t sound angry or annoyed.

[color=629c3f]”Locked. It’ll charge faster.”[/color]

Nodding, Leon left it to her preference and shuffled off into the dark office beyond. The lights had long been turned out, and tinctures had been left for Leon to keep feeding her throughout the night. He grabbed one, figuring the time would be up soon, then made way for the clean glass cups they kept for the private rooms.
Water, and even a little ice from the under-counter freezer nearby. Maybe it took too long, but he was exhausted. When he got back, he absentmindedly placed the heavy glass on the tray next to her bed and started to shuffle back to his seat without much thought.

By the time Leon came back, Cass’ thirst had really intensified. It [i]was[/i] her fault for ignoring it longer than she should’ve, but she just couldn’t be bothered going through the stress of getting help to drink until she had to. She’d have to get some easy to use plastic bottle sometime…

Not that Leon [i]offered[/i] to help. Sure, fine, she should be able to lift the glass by herself. She’d just about managed before. But it was getting worse! No, it was fine. She could do this.

It was annoyingly agonizing to lift her upper body off the bed enough that she could reach the glass with both hands. The tray was close enough to one to pick up smaller things, but she wasn’t risking anything heavier than a phone without both. Her abdominal muscles screamed in protest as she kept herself up, both hands wrapping around the glass. 

When she finally managed to get a proper grip on it, she tried to pick it up. Her arms shook with what really shouldn’t be much effort! It was a fucking glass! She could pick up cars normally! But no, right now she had literally no strength. But she could do-

With a crash, the glass slipped out of her fingers and spilled onto the tray. It didn’t break because it hadn’t been that far up in the first place, and was strong enough to survive a fall. But the water was everywhere and spilling on the floor, ice sadly floating across the tray. 

[color=629c3f]”Fuck! [b]Fuck![/b]”[/color] Cass’ back hit the bed again with a frustrated grunt. Her hands clenched and unclenched. 
[color=629c3f]”Why… You didn’t look for a straw or some other shit like that?”[/color]

Leon was already shuffling back around the bed frantically, pushing the tray far away from bed and accidentally catching it on one of the monitors causing it to tumble over.

[color=C67C12]”[i]Fuuuuuck[/i] God, damn it I don’t fuckin’-”[/color] he paused, looking at the glass that had simply not been allowed to live now shattered across the cool tile floor. 
[color=C67C12]”-I’m… [i]Actually tired.[/i] For once, I… I wanna sleep! How’m I supposed to sleep with you like this!? Nothing’s working!”[/color] he snapped back, half explaining his lack of awareness and half bitching on her behalf at nobody.

[color=C67C12]”I fuckin’ figured you’d, y’know, not want the baby treatment! [i]You[/i] said you’re not a cripple!”[/color] he said, finally turning the tray upright on its wheels before moving off to go get a fresh glass with water [i]and a straw.[/i]

Cass’ hands clenched into as close to fists as she could, letting out a sharp exhale of breath. Did he think she wanted this?! She [i]didn’t[/i] want the baby treatment. But she didn’t have any fucking choice! 

[color=629c3f]”I felt that way when I could still pick up a fucking glass! Y’think I just dropped it for fun?!”[/color] She bit out, finding it impossible to keep any kinds of emotions under control. She was the one in bed in agony. Was he looking for sympathy from her?! She’d been on the edge anyway… Frustrated, exhausted, pissed off at the circumstances.

[color=629c3f]”You can’t sleep? Oh, sorry, should’ve said and I woulda stopped being in fucking [i]agony[/i] to let you get some rest! I know nothing’s working, Leon. That’s why I can’t pick up the fucking glass! I want to sleep too! Or, I dunno, have someone who actually thinks about whether I can pick something up or not around?!”[/color]

Leon wasn’t used to this… He had to instantly tell himself that she was just in pa-
[color=C67C12]”Sure, I’ll give Trisha a fucking call! I’m sure she’ll give you head too! Sorry, by the way, for fucking trying [i]anything else[/i]. I mean, come on, if you’re fucking tired then look at the glass and say there’s no straw! Don’t just try and pick it up like you’re a fuckin’ superhero! It's pain and fatigue, it doesn’t instantly make you stupid!”[/color]

The glass was [i]perfect[/i] again. Cold, wet, refreshing, and strawed up… He placed it on the table, then slid it close to her head before adjusting the height on it.

[color=C67C12]”There! Minimal movement for my newly minted pillow princess. God, I’m fuckin’ sorry for saying literally anything. I’ll bite my tongue and fuck myself next time I have anything to express.”[/color] he continued, not quite able to let it just [i]go.[/i]

Cass almost didn’t drink out of spite. But she was so fucking thirsty… She leaned her head forward to long gulp. But not too long, because she couldn’t let it go either after he said all of that. 

[color=629c3f]”You think I wanna be like this, Leon?! I’d rather be anything else- I thought I could pick it up! I fucking- Yeah, maybe don’t complain that [i]you[/i] can’t sleep because of how much pain [i]I’m[/i] in next time!”[/color] As she leaned back onto the pillows, she was able to look up at him. 

She [i]knew[/i] she was taking it out on the wrong person. Fuck, she knew he didn’t deserve this… But she just couldn’t deal with any of it! She could hardly deal with talking at all, nevermind this. There was no other way she could take out her frustration either. She was stuck. Fuck. 

[color=629c3f]”I ain’t asking for anything unreasonable- Fuck! I don’t want this! I want to be able to walk into the fucking office and get my own fucking glass of water. I want to be able to sleep! I want the pain to fucking stop!”[/color] It was like a dam broke, and suddenly she was sobbing. She was still so pissed off too, and it was all bursting out. 

[color=629c3f]”This is going to be the rest of my fucking life! I can’t even pick up a fucking glass, when normally I can punch through fucking walls! I’m fucking- I’m fucking stuck! It isn’t fair… it’s not fucking fair…”[/color]

Leon started by grabbing the bridge of his nose as she yelled. Yeah, obviously she didn’t want this [i]far[/i] more than he didn’t. Hell, he’d chosen to stay! But, he’d also figured that ultimately there was a morphine drip or something that’d put her out for a few hours. She was a Green Adept for fuck’s sake, what was an overdose? She could take as much crap as she wanted, as long as she got better before that killed her, she’d have a fantastic ride back to normal life.

But her blood had to be clean for the machine to start tomorrow. Andy couldn’t give her [i]any[/i] mundane medication. Even when it was on the table, she seemed pretty against it. He imagined she’d probably seen the effects of stuff like that after the war, but didn’t push.

However, when she started sobbing, he was quick to slip down next to the bed and [i]gently[/i] moved the table with the glass to a slightly more convenient and less hostile spot. Half kneeling in the water and definitely digging into a glass shard, Leon quickly took Cass’ hand and let her wrap it in his hair. Whatever got her to stop yelling. Submission. She probably didn’t want that either, but it was always his last line of defense when there was a woman in distress in front of him. 

Perfectly trained.


[color=C67C12]”No… No it’s not, Baby… We’ll figure this shit out! So what, we can’t keep you in a River… I can’t fuck your pain away either. But it’s not gonna be forever! We’ll come out of this period, and you’re gonna feel fucking [i]great[/i] again! And when you do, we’re gonna do something fucking awesome! But we’re also gonna figure out how to make this better next time! It [i]will[/i] be better next time!”[/color] he spoke through gritted teeth hoping she’d rip a chunk of hair out of his head just to feel her strength come back right then.

Cass couldn’t do anything but weakly grasp at his hair. It wasn’t the ‘submission’ that had her swapping from yelling to just full on crying, but the [i]closeness[/i]. She couldn’t keep shouting at him like this. She was frustrated at herself for yelling in the first place… 

[color=629c3f]”But what if nothing works? What if even the dialysis doesn’t?”[/color] She sucked in a harsh breath, pain rippling across her chest. She tilted her bed closer to him as she did. 

It would work, Andy had been confident about that. But she felt like she’d been in pain so long that this was her life now. That it’d never go away. 

[color=629c3f]”It wouldn’t be so bad if I could do something! If it was just the pain, or just the weakness. I still can’t move my legs at all… But if I wasn’t in pain I could sleep! And if I could move, I could punch it out! It’s just so hard when I’m stuck here like this.”[/color]

She closed her eyes, head turning fully to rub her face in the pillow. Trying to wipe away the tears. Her next words came out much more muffled. 
[color=629c3f]”I’m sorry, you don’t fucking deserve to deal with this…”[/color]

She couldn’t even promise - him or herself - that it wouldn’t happen again, either.

[color=C67C12]”You [i]assumed[/i] I’d be at home! How could I ever let you deal with this alone if we both know it’s [i]this[/i] bad?! You… Better fucking get used to me being here. I swear, I didn’t mean to complain. I meant it to explain, and the wrong tone came out. If we’re going pound for pound, I know you’re getting crushed right now like it's Pixon vs Ashton at the Palace of Power. But, who the fuck won that fight!?”[/color] he looked up at her with tears of his own.

[color=629c3f]”Pixton did, even though no one thought he would.”[/color] She replied in a small voice, still muffled by the pillow. But she slowly turned her face back to look at Leon. The pillow rub hadn’t helped- it had just gotten the tears and snot everywhere. And she was still crying anyway. 

[color=629c3f]”I ain’t tryna win a fight… You could’ve said it in any tone and I would’ve snapped. I might again!”[/color] She was a bit calmer now, but the frustration hadn’t reduce much- and until she wasn’t in pain, she had a feeling her emotions would keep peaking like this. Leon being there did help, even if he was also what had triggered her anger. 
[color=629c3f]”You remember what Andy asked on Saturday? She did ask if I was having any mood swings… I wasn’t then, but I definitely am now. It’s like… My mood is just as fucking sensitive as my body right now! The pain is so draining… It ain’t how I thought I’d react. Well, I knew I was gonna be frustrated, but I didn’t think I’d snap! And I hate that!”[/color]

[color=CAFFB0]”Skeleton’s on fire. Makes you cranky, sure, but lack of sleep does that to everyone.”[/color]
Andy was in the doorway like a phantom in the dark, and scared the everloving shit out of Leon who proceeded to push up on his wet foot and slip out from under himself in the same move. 

She had a mop in her hand, as well as a broom and pan for the glass.
[color=CAFFB0]”Heyyyyyy!!!! The fucking glass is harder to get out of you than it is the floor, dude!”[/color] she groaned, looking over at Cass and instantly reading the state like she was a medical case in a book.

[color=CAFFB0]”You want him sedated? I can put him to sleep for a fucking week, he won’t bother you.”[/color] she joked, pushing into the room with a terribly nonchalant demeanour.

[color=629c3f]”No thank you, then I’ll shout at you or someone else next.”[/color] Cass grimaced. It was hard to tell if she was joking, since she didn’t really have the energy or emotion to show it. Probably… Maybe… She didn’t entirely know herself. She didn’t want to get upset at Leon either, but at least they were able to talk about it. 

[color=629c3f]”You should… maybe try and get some sleep, Leon? A couple hours, or something. Then maybe one of us won’t be running extra tired and cranky?”[/color] She managed a bit of concern through the tiredness as she looked at him. Both for his fall and the lack of sleep… 

[color=CAFFB0]”Cass, Hon… You’ll realize eventually what you signed up for with a Richoux boy.”[/color]
As she got closer, she started jabbing Leon in the side with the mop handle.
[color=CAFFB0]”Go eat. Go. Get fucking food; Leonard is awake. He’s cooking up a fucking storm. He’s absolutely decimated Andrade’s secret spice stash.”[/color]

Leon’s eyes widened like he’d found bars of gold. He looked up at Cass, then at Andy.

[color=C67C12]”Shhhhiiiiit… Do you think-”[/color]

[color=CAFFB0]”Maybe that’s something I can talk to Cass about [i]alone.[/i] God knows, you’re a bloody fucking lawyer otherwise. [i]Go to the fucking cafeteria, mangemutt! GOOOOOOOOO!”[/i][/color] she groaned, causing Leon to scramble up and bend down to kiss Cass on the head.

[color=C67C12]”I’ll feel better when I come back Babe! I’m sorry, I should’ve done this hours ago, I’ll- I’ll be fine! I’ll be back! Like, half an hour!”[/color] he called before practically scraping himself out the door and off into the dark hallway beyond.

Andy still stood, stark expression on her face. She looked down at Cass, a small frown forming.
[color=CAFFB0]”Shame about the bloody Shame. I’ve been asked to explore the condition through all potentially viable lenses… That means leaving the realm of medicinal herbs for more extreme treatments. However, lucky for you, we’re in a time where fear has transformed into sheer nerve. With someone twisting my arm to be a [i]good[/i] doctor for the first time in my life since I was in Med School, I’m feeling a lot more excited about my life. Happy. Makes me want to do things, like [i]waste[/i] resources looking for esoteric ingredients for new compounds that do dumb things to Lux.”[/color] 

And then she smiled, and started to mop up the excess water still remaining. Just to get close enough so she could hold the water directly to Cass’ lips.

[color=CAFFB0]”Just got back from the Congo. Saw your new admirer abroad. I tell ‘ya, those people? That village? You’ll need to go when you feel better. It’s an incredible fucking experience for a Green Adept. So much joy, so much love. God… Maybe I’ll go there instead, fuck the money, fuck the-”[/color] she stopped herself, finally laughing.
[color=CAFFB0]”-Sorry. You’re hurting, you don’t want to hear about my good time. Fuck me. But, also,-”[/color]

She reached behind her pulling out a little leather bag that looked fat with stuffings. From it, she pulled a small black nodule.

[color=CAFFB0]”-stuff this in your mouth and chew like you’ve never chewed. It’s gonna turn gummy, then dry, then it’ll get real hot. But don’t spit it out.”[/color]


It was a lot for Cass to take in. The topic didn’t jump round much, but it was enough her head felt like it was spinning. Only because she was getting to the point of exhaustion where nothing made sense. Sure, sure, a bit strange to suddenly actually follow that oath they made doctors take and feel happy like she couldn’t do that the whole time… Well maybe not, Temple doctor and all… 

The stuff about the Congo sounded nice. If irritating, when she was stuck here in pain. Must be nice to be able to travel.

She stared at the black nodule. It looked… weird. Sounded weird. But what did that matter now! She just wanted something to work. 

[color=629c3f]”When do I swallow it? Do I swallow it?”[/color] She asked, taking the nodule and putting it in her mouth. She started chewing. Thankfully her jaw muscles were pretty alright, so she was able to give it a pretty good go. It didn’t taste awful. The gummy feeling wasn’t bad. Quite nice actually- but the dryness made her grimace. The hotness made her grimace more, eyes watering a bit as she look at Andy questioningly.


[color=CAFFB0]”Ohhhh… You’ll never get the chance.”[/color]

If she continued on, Cass would find that she was almost certainly no longer chewing on anything. Like, one second it was there, the next it completely dissolved like a cloud of cotton candy, complete with a sweet little goodbye as the heat dissipated instantly. And yet, nothing changed.

[color=CAFFB0]”The story… Is that King N’gouba would go to the great Leech for relief. That the pain was all powerful, and that the King would die each time, to be reborn and refreshed. It broke the heart of his wife, Queen N’dena.who would pluck her hairs in anxiety whenever he died. But, when he resurrected again and again, she would bury the hair in the ground. Eventually, plants with these little beans sprouted. One day, before meeting the Leech, the King stopped to eat of the beans, not knowing they were born of his wife’s grief. While he ate, she wept silently, for she knew he would die again soon. But, when next they arrived at the Leech, and the Leech drank of the king in order to kill him, and his pain with it, he was dissatisfied. For he said that the Light within the King’s body was consumed by Grief, and that it was all wasted.”[/color]

She knew that Cass was tired. Exhausted even, and probably confused even more since the little thing wasn’t doing anything. But, with the context that magic was a real thing, it was hard to not take old legends seriously… Sure, maybe the leech wasn’t a leech. It was probably another Green Adept taking advantage of the king’s toxic blood. Pissed that whatever this new miracle drug was did what it did…

[color=CAFFB0]”Because of that, the Leech refused to drain the king ever again, for the blood was not as sweet, nor as plentiful.”[/color]

She rattled the bag of beans about in her hand.

[color=CAFFB0]”Naomi called them Crying Beans. They don’t cry, but what they can do is isolate and trap Lux. Use enough of it, you can shut someone’s Emotional Field down by overloading it. Dried, powdered, or better yet as a gel compound you force feed someone. However… For people like you, it’s sort of like giving Adderall to a person with ADHD. It treats a symptom that most people don’t have to experience.”[/color] she explained finally, though not exactly nor fully.

Cass normally loved a good, wild myth but right now? She didn’t understand what Andy was trying to tell her- and the only thing that stopped her from getting really cranky again was that she assumed there was a [i]point[/i] to it. But it was hard to see the point! That the… King had less Lux in his blood, or something? 

Lelou [i]had[/i] mentioned Beans that would help… And these were beans. Or called them, at least. Isolating and trapping Lux sounded… Helpful? For the future? To help it not get so backed up? But it didn’t seem to be doing [i]anything[/i] for her right now. 

[color=629c3f]”[i]What[/i] symptom is that?”[/color] She asked as evenly as she could. Sure, she could guess from what was said… But she was too tired to trust that. She wanted it spelled out, for once. 

[color=CAFFB0]”You got toxic Lux in your blood, Girl! You got Light Blood! Shit’s got a Gamma-Four compound in it that is a natural prism shape. Eat it, it dissolves in your mouth and hits the bloodstream immediately. Any cell that absorbs one will have a spot where the poisoning goes and gets trapped. Then, when it's heavy enough, it descends from the cell it's trapped in and floats out. Now, instead of being in all your blood cells at once and infecting your whole body, it gets neatly trapped in places like your Kidneys and Liver.”[/color] she finally blurted out, slowing into an explanation before resting the bag on the table next to her water.

[color=CAFFB0]”Everything about that story tells you what you should expect. But, I’m an asshole. I talk, and talk. Just… Long day, right? God… [i]Anyway.[/i] King goes to a leech and dies every time the curse gets bad? Suddenly the leech won’t suck him ‘cuz his blood’s different after he eats one of these buggers? Cass… [i]The fucking dialysis![/i] It’s… I don’t know… Maybe it’ll help it! Maybe it’ll get [i]everything out![/i]”[/color] she exclaimed happily.

[color=CAFFB0]”I know it’s doing jack shit right now, but… Honestly, fuck the tinctures. Unless you want me to cook something up with these beans; I bet eating them is gonna suck in the long term.”[/color] Andy added haphazardly.

[color=629c3f]”I… So…”[/color] Cass trailed off, furrowing her brow. She had immediate reactions that she quickly put to bed. That it sounded like a cure! But obviously it wasn’t entirely, because Andy was still mentioning the dialysis. She pursed her lips, silent for a moment as she really processed it. Normally, she’d get it all immediately. But she was working with much less brain power than normal… 

[color=629c3f]”I’ll still need the dialysis, but it should make it easier? And I won’t… It won’t be this bad in the future?! With the pain?”[/color] She asked after the silence, hope flaring back into life and giving her a little boost. 
[color=629c3f]”I’m still gonna have… Whatsit… Luxal fatigue, ain’t I? Cause I gotta use up my Lux, even though it also poisons me, so it doesn’t fucking flood shit and make me into a crystal- Uh, but the beans and dialysis would make it… manageable? Maybe? Hopefully?”[/color]


She tilted her head, adding an afterthought. 
[color=629c3f]”Eating or drinking’s all the same to me… it ain’t like it took that long to eat.”[/color]

Andy took a long pause, thinking about the long term implications of the treatment.

[color=CAFFB0]”Ahhh… So, basically, if it’s all getting stuck in certain places and clogging there, we can expect pretty consistent cycles of pain and whatnot. We can also probably simplify the blood treatment overall, since we’ll be filtering clean blood mostly. It’s not like you have some sort of virus and we need to capture it all; the prism filter will bind with the natural gamma prisms, and the blood should flow clean. One pass every day for the first few days of your treatment… Think of it like a [i]real[/i] bad period every quarter or so.”[/color] 


Cass pulled a face.
[color=629c3f]”That’s… still pretty shit. But I guess it [i]is[/i] manageable. If I’m gonna be in pain and need my blood filtered, I’d rather know when it’s gonna happen and have it happen as fast as possible.”[/color]

She was silently thoughtful for another moment. Her head wasn’t exactly [i]clear[/i], but it was a bit clearer knowing there might be some way they could manage it. And that they could guarantee getting it out. 

[color=629c3f]”So… Intense pain and blood filtering quarterly- fuck, that makes it sound like business shit. Uh- then… I’m guessing off my normal Lux usage and the last few days of pushing it, I'll probably burn out my Lux every few weeks to monthly. I think. I’ma try track it. But if it ain’t so painful cause my blood ain’t getting all toxic so quickly… I think I can deal with it. How- How long will the dialysis take this time?”[/color]

[color=CAFFB0]”This time, it’ll be pretty crummy. But, once your blood’s nice and full of gamma prisms, you can expect typical hemodialysis. Three days a week for as long as the flareup lasts, around four hours. But, at least we don’t have to kill you. As far as the pain? It’s still toxified when it passes from your bones. That shit sucks, because your bones are covered in nerve endings that basically die a shameful death on contact. It’s why you can’t move. The place your muscles hurt ends up being the fucking roots. Tendons, ligaments, places where the tissue is stretched directly over the bone. Breathing’s always gonna hurt. You’re always gonna have headaches, because the bone is directly exposed to the nerves in the brain cavity. It’s… Never going to be good, honey. Not unless we find you a big fucking tree or something.”[/color] she intoned solemnly.

[color=629c3f]”Leon mentioned Naomi’s boat… but I can’t deal with being trapped like that. I’d rather deal with the pain and inability to move every few months for just a few days than be stuck in one place. [i]That’d[/i] kill me.”[/color] Cass replied, expression dropping a little bit. But it wasn’t as bad as it had been. She wasn’t about to start sobbing again. 

It fucking sucked. Maybe she’d get used to it eventually. She was used to pain, but not such consistent pain. Hopefully she’d figure out how to sleep through it at least… 

[color=629c3f]”I guess I just gotta learn to deal with it, don’t I? It’s a [i]lot[/i]! I thought I was prepared, but I really wasn’t… ugh… No point dwelling on shit I can’t change. I’ll just get used to feel like I’m being slammed into a wall.”[/color] She managed something of a self deprecating grin. 
[color=629c3f]”Can we start the first dialysis soon? I know it’s gotta be set up at the Cannery, but… if it’s four hours at a time, the first can be done here, right? If I’m gonna be in so much pain no matter what, I wanna be getting something that’ll actually help eventually.”[/color] 

[color=CAFFB0]”Mmmmmmmno. Everything’s already set up. You’re going home. But, when you get home, I’m [i]putting you to sleep.[/i] Because I have an early appointment, and so’s the dickhead who knows Nephrology better than I do. You don’t want me setting up your tubes: He’s going to send one of his nurses over to your place for when you wake up. And, unfortunately, Leon [i]needs[/i] to do his job today. Important business with Sycamore I hear. So, it’ll be better for all of us if I can just clobber you.”[/color] Andy grinned, lazily sweeping up the last of the broken glass not trapped in the mop head.

[color=629c3f]”Ain’t gonna hear any complaints from me… Normally I hate shit like that, but I feel awful enough I’d let you knock me out with a baseball bat. Anything to fucking sleep. Do I… get to sleep after they set up all the shit, or do I have to make sure I got entertainment I can reach?”[/color] Cass squinted at Andy- mostly because keeping her eyes fully open was so fucking hard. Not that she was sleeping naturally. 

Of course it sucked Leon had to be out. Kinda sucked more if it ended up being some exciting shit she could’ve watched from a distance… But it was fine. He’d fill her in later. She’d have to get used to being stuck inside no matter what else was going on, anyway.

[color=CAFFB0]”What do you want? I’ve got the bat; that lasts about twenty minutes… Or, the rest of your life depending on how far we push the envelope. I’ve got the craziest opiate you’ve ever experienced synthesized from the most degenerate fucking thing I’ve ever dealt with, I call it ‘Milk of the Infinite Red’, and you’ll probably be out until the nurse wakes you up. You’ll have to deal with the whole treatment anyway, we may as well slap the extra filter in and just dredge the shit out of you. So, it’s that… Or, we can play the long game, and I can give you some shocksalt, which will put you into a sixteen hour torpor where you’ll have the [i]wildest[/i] dreams you can possibly ask for.”[/color] Andy explained bluntly, giving the maximum amount of time either option would last.

As much as sixteen hours out sounded pretty great, Cass wasn’t sure if she could deal with wild dreams right now. Normally she’d be so down, but when she was emotionally flip flopping? She wasn’t sure if that’d be the best idea… 

[color=629c3f]”I’ll take the opiate. I don’t wanna dream wild shit right now I just wanna be out as peacefully as possible for as long as possible. Honestly I’d love it right fucking now! But I should probably wait for Leon to come back or he might freak out or some shit…”[/color] 

[color=CAFFB0]”Oh sweetheart… It’s a cult, remember? He’s not making it back. He doesn’t even know he’s got a meeting yet. Someone’ll catch him while he’s eating in a slightly better mood, and he’ll be directed out before the sun comes up. Now, close your eyes, a-”[/color]
She’d already put the syringe into Cass’ iv on her hand. 

The world almost instantly faded away into darkness, and there was nothing except for the cold, distant melody of a little girl humming a tune. [hr]

The mornings were just getting colder and colder. First, the raid on Elysium goes belly up in the water. They lose people in the deal, don’t find what they need. It’s a shit show. Then, the other group needs rescuing? Okay, fine. Leon could handle that part with his eyes closed. With Cass, it’d really been no big deal. They got the goods, got out, wait for information begins. Now, as he emerged from the portal back out into their new meeting place for the day, he couldn’t help but think of all that they’d learned at this point.

Kari’s notes revealed some sinister shit. A plan to take over by a group obscured and hidden in the shadows until now… Or, at least they had been for most people. Those who really [i]knew[/i] St. Portwell could’ve seen Luis Cox coming from miles off. Property bought up through his legitimate ties, certain drugs showing up that’d never been around before. But, Lynette hadn’t bothered trying to stop him. Rather, it seemed like she found some reason to cede ground to the foreign interests of The Dollhouse.

In return, some were parishioners. He was told to steer clear of their properties on his infrequent evening sprawl brawls. That whatever happened on one of their properties was none of his concern. Fine, sure. But, he’d never expected that this “Father Wolf” was more than a single entity. Experiments of the wretched Heinrich Thormer and his equally terrible abstraction, the Undesired are entities that Kari Wilson had been looking into in a very intimate fashion. A type of doppelganger, these Undesired are born utilizing a small piece of an individual’s DNA. 
Once born, the Undesired’s first stage of life is spent on the hunt for its donor, with its first real goal being to assimilate the donor in order to take on all of their characteristics. 

From there, the evolved Undesired is allowed to slip back into it’s Donor’s life, acting as a sleeper agent until a specified command is given. This command, coming from Heinrich Thormer himself, can be anything which he can himself consider, allowing him to use this network of Undesired to silently and undetectably commit murders in multiple places at multiple levels of society. No matter who or what, apparently, things simply weren’t safe.
It was only by virtue of the remaining Sycamite’s continued skepticism in one another that they’d managed to avoid these Undesired. Each one had, it seemed, made the correct choice in clustering up without becoming a homogenous group.

If they’d stayed separate, there’d have been time for the imposters to slip into the cracks. If they’d all gathered and stayed stuck together, they’d have allowed for a situation where small behaviors would be lost in a sea of people. But, there was a clear reason they were all still alive, while people like Kali and Auri were dead. 
And now Leon got to hash it out with Linqian. She’d become Edict’s de facto representative since Britney was getting sick. [i]Real sick.[/i] They weren’t sure what was wrong apparently, but Edict wasn’t doing so hot either from what their go-between was saying. Meaning it was just her to talk with, supposedly.

[color=C67C12]”Y’know, it really does explain it all-”[/color] Leon grumbled half-caught beneath his breath.
[color=C67C12]”-why they went after who they did. People who couldn’t fuckin’ tell! They saw a friend, maybe in need or maybe not, and just went after them! I mean, to think of one of those monsters… I’m… I’m really sorry, Linqian.”[/color] Leon intoned, a flood of fond memories spent watching Jinhai come further and further into the light of Manhood during that fateful summer.

[color=C67C12]”Of course, anyone without developed super-sensory bullshit would miss it! It sounds like they’re the perfect fuckin’ assassins! It wouldn’t even surprise me if [i]I[/i] couldn’t smell them. Like, they’ve already infiltrated our little group! Am I paranoid!?”[/color] 

[color=CD5C5C]”Yeah, but that's why you're still alive.”[/color] Linqian intoned. She pulled out a packet of cigarettes from her coat pocket, putting one straight in her mouth. One finger glowed white as it lit the end. She offered the packet towards Leon at the same time, though she was pretty sure he didn't smoke. 

She was trying to cut down on it herself, but shit like this just pushed her right back towards it. 

Of course they got Jinhai but not her. She was saved purely by virtue of working her ass off. There wasn't any time to make friends, and she was only ever alone with someone when sleeping with some relative stranger. But Jinhai had so many friends. People [I]liked[/I] him. Of course he'd let a friend into their home without question… Fuck. Why hadn't she quit her job earlier? 

[color=CD5C5C]”Fuck… Greyson's gonna use this to excuse his fucking murder wall. Fucking bastard.”[/color] She suddenly stopped, and squatted, taking a long drag of her cigarette. 
[color=CD5C5C]”He’s actually waiting in the car, if you wanna talk to the actual brains. But wait here with me a moment, I need some fucking peace.”[/color]

Between two sick people, her overly energetic brother, and her overly energetic best friend… it was a fucking lot. Then add all this one top? She'd been doing so well at pushing down the grief because she had no time to think about it. But then she'd had the time… It sucked. A constant energy drain, doubled by trying to hide it and just go on like normal.

She just smoked for a moment before speaking again.
[color=CD5C5C]”At least we can narrow down who might be one. Sloane and Anya aren't- no way it could copy being that much of a bitch. The Adjoined too… Can't exactly get their magic from fucking stealing DNA, can it?”[/color] Right now she was certainly more… even than normal. It was the grief after the revelation. For the moment it sapped all of the fight out of her. It wasn't one single murderer… who the fuck was she getting revenge on? 

Maybe it was surprising she was actually thinking about it, but she'd always been smart in a more practical sense. It was just always overshadowed by others, or her own anger. 

[color=CD5C5C]”It could've been anyone. Jinhai knew so many fucking people. Maybe they weren't even that close! He didn't hold onto the paranoia the same way I did after the Snake… Well, fuck, it wasn't like he was hit by the shitty mind fucking so much.”[/color] She never thought she'd find herself wishing her brother had been on the front lines more. But that didn't really matter, because she would've let a friend in their apartment too. She just hadn't had the free time to ever have anyone over. She pressed a hand to her face.
[color=CD5C5C]”Who the fuck would suspect a friend like that?”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”Well… You, right? No chance you're actually chilled the fuck out if I know you. You're probably more pissed than I am, that it could be any one of those assholes. Hell, maybe that's why Drake and Ken are still gone? Maybe they were never here… Maybe Drake and Jade never got separated to begin with.”[/color] Leon shrugged, taking the cigarette and pulling out a cheap lighter from his coat pocket.

His theory wasn't true. That old toad Ken traveled with was the one responsible for that abode: He'd know deceit and duplicity surely. Fucking Toad God, right? So at least Ken was real. Drake too, probably. Just unfortunate.

[color=C67C12]”You're not planning on doing anything drastic, are you? I'd… rather be there with you, and have a chance to help rather than not know and wind up losing you. For what it's worth, you grew up strong. It's infinitely impressive.”[/color] Leon offered the compliment like he was disabling a landmine, unsure of whether his words would have the desired effect, or the opposite.

Linqian let out a short laugh, tilting her head up towards Leon. 
[color=CD5C5C]”Didn’t have much of a fucking choice there. Try supporting a family of three as a highschool dropout. Anyone’d group up strong. But no, I’m not planning to fucking hunt down this Heinrich bastard myself. Wouldn’t get far, anyway! Can’t fucking leave the house without someone noticing. Fucking Green and Pink adepts…”[/color]

She couldn’t lie and say she hadn’t thought about it. She’d had an outburst meetings ago about going to do everything herself. Sometimes it was even harder than normal to control herself. Because she truly did wish it had been her. Sometimes even Henri wasn’t enough for her to want to keep going anymore. But she did anyway, because she had to.

[color=CD5C5C]”I can’t leave my brother to have fucking Greyson as the main adult figure in his life either. Can you imagine? He’ll turn him full fucking sleezy Mafioso… So no. I’ll keep following the shitty ass group.”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”I highly doubt your brother has the same capacity for hateful actions as our bobble headed friend. If anything, there's a world where Greyson yields to his golden retriever whimsy.”[/color] Leon grinned and shrugged.

She probably missed it, but now that he was out of the magical closet, sweet Henri hadn't just been playing nursemaid. He'd visited the Temple Grounds a few times now, with Andre and his son. No services: Just a bright smile and enthusiastic questions about the way things work.

Greyson, however… Casey had been clear. Handle with care.

[color=C67C12]”You ever track Greyson? Keep tabs on him a whole day? Not, like, the days where he stays at home like a sybian in the corner. I mean, y'know, when he's out playing Gangster. Or, even maybe on a night with him… He ever been to a place called Feel Good Inc. down on Folsom? Or, maybe Christiansands? In La Para?”[/color] he asked simply, not trying to draw her too close to his information.

Linqian’s eyes narrowed at Leon. What the fuck was he fishing for? Mafia dealings? She wasn’t exactly a stalker. Greyson did dodgy shit, whatever. So long as Henri didn’t get involved in it, she didn’t give much of a fuck. But… Then, did he just want to know about fucking nightclubs? She couldn’t make sense of it. 

Didn’t try to for much longer either. 
[color=CD5C5C]”We’ve been to Christiansands. Then we got kicked outta Christiansands. [i]Can’t[/i] fucking remember why, cause I was piss drunk. Why? What’re you trying to find out?”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”I'm trying to figure out if you know what I know. Either you do, and you know how serious it is, or you don't and all I can do as his friend is give him the chance to explain himself… What'd you mean about a [i]murder wall?[/i]”[/color] Leon questioned through a drag of his smoke with narrowed eyes. 

This was certainly fishing, but again, he wasn't going to be the one to cause Linqian to fly off the handle. All Leon could do here was hope that if she didn't know, maybe all this evidence would force Greyson's hand. He didn't [i]smell[/i] any lotus blossoms, so the chances that Edict was remotely piloting Linqian was out of the question at least.

[color=CD5C5C]”He’s got a creepy ass board with pictures of us. Kinda shit you see a murderer have-”[/color] Linqian shrugged one shoulder. She was fairly certain he’d planned to at least manipulate the fuck out of them all at one point. He’d said he’d approached Henri with bad intentions, after all. Maybe worse… There was that back tattoo. But by the time she’d seen the wall, she wasn’t so worried. Some part of her trusted him now. As much as she could someone who’d proven themselves to be untrustable. 

[color=CD5C5C]”What- No. I don’t think I know whatever the fuck it is you know.”[/color] Her lips pulled down into a heavy frown. Was it… Greyson had said some shit about a leap of faith in the future? Some hand wavey bullshit. 
[color=CD5C5C]”Cause far as I’m aware, that club was just one he knew the boss of- some kinda typical mafia shit. What, there’s fucking more?”[/color]

Leon nearly swallowed his cigarette on inhale. [i]Knew the boss.[/i]

Half-choked, Leon's olfactory senses purged the tainted acrid remains of smoke from his palette as he opened himself up to where that fucker was. That bold fucker…

[color=C67C12]”Where's your fucking car… I can't believe this.”[/color] he half-laughed, the other half raging inside.

The gutting part was that he had to deal with the mess. The cleanup. Cass had been the only good thing about this debacle, and even then he had to go through Trisha just to get to this point… But here this asshole was, murder in his heart and a plan to hurt people he supposedly loved open very clearly for this dumbass to see? She doesn't bother asking any hard questions?

But he was walking toward it without her prompting, long strides half-stunted by wrathful tension hopefully being masked.

Linqian had to half run to catch up with him, burning the rest of the almost done cigarette to a cinder between her fingers. Couldn’t believe what? What the [i]fuck[/i] wasn’t Greyson telling her? 

The car wasn’t that far. Far enough away that they wouldn’t be easily found by other Coven members who left by the same exit, or anyone else hanging around… But not a long walk. Especially when one person had extra long legs, and the other hurrying to keep up. 

She was already a bit preemptively pissed. She wasn’t focused enough to pick up the full extent of Leon’s reaction, but she could at least tell he was agitated. So what the fuck was it?

It wasn’t helped by getting there and seeing Henri in the back fussing over Greyson, instead of [i]in the front[/i] like he was [i]supposed to be so they could drive away quickly if they needed to.[/i] Sure, it wasn’t needed, but fuck!

[color=CD5C5C]”Huanyi, [i]out[/i].”[/color] She didn’t bother with greetings as she ripped open the back door at her brother's side.

He turned around with an immediately awkward grin. 
[color=ffe63b]”But I’m not-”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”I don’t care! Get out!”[/color] 

[color=C67C12]”No, no… Henri, fuckin’ stay…”[/color]
Leon didn't give much of a greeting, having gone round the other side to grab ahold of the [i]other[/i] goober in the car.

Only, Leon wasn't feeling very cute toward his friend. And as massive hands wrapped around Greyson's collar, he could only contemplatively yelp in turn. He'd hardly started to recover from the incident during the rescue, having sundered another Adept's mind using only his own skull as the Channeler. It left lasting complications with rapid movement, pupil dilation, migraines and even hallucination… 

So, Leon ripping him out of the car and out into the light, then the feeling of the World Champion's right hook nearly caving his jaw in, both contributed to his now near-delusional state.
He was half leaned back against the roof of the car, with Leon assuming one punch was enough to get the dinner bell ringing.

He got incredibly close, pulling Greyson's ear right up to his own lips.
[color=C67C12]”It's Dollhouse, Greyson… Kari's notes mentioned all the players. I wonder who the Capo Dio guy that kept coming up was! Linqian?”[/color]

Greyson, still panting, threw his hands up before Leon decided to hit him in the head again.

[color=F5388C]”Leon! Fff-d-don't!”[/color]
[color=C67C12][b]”I risked my life for you!”[/b][/color]

[color=ffe63b]”What the fuck?!”[/color] Henri scrambled forward into the empty spot where Greyson had been. Light started to spark off his skin. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Do [i]not[/i] fucking heal him, Han Huanyi! Keep your ass in the fucking car.”[/color] Linqian slammed the door in front of her shut, quickly coming round to the other side. 

She still didn’t know why Leon was pissed. What the fuck it was that Greyson was hiding. Maybe she should trust him over Leon… but she’d never seen Leon get this pissed over something that wasn’t reasonable. Even in all the times they’d clashed. 

She didn’t get as close as Leon did- couldn’t because he was blocking the way. Instead she just stood there, blocking Henri from getting out, and her eyes narrowed at Greyson. 
[color=CD5C5C]”Explain, Greyson. What the fuck aren’t you telling me? Why the fuck is Leon so pissed off?!”[/color]

[color=ffe63b]”M-Maybe we can all calm down first?”[/color] Henri tried to suggest, trapped in the car and panicking too much to think about getting out the other way.

[color=F5388C]”Hen-ri… D-don't! We've talked… about this!”[/color] Greyson intoned as he started to choke, a bit of blood rolling down his throat and into his lungs as Leon let him go. 

He sunk down slightly, a migraine gripping him now.

Henri’s eyes widened, and his head jerked between Greyson and Linqian. Shit. Shit… This wasn’t going to be good. He’d struggled with it, and he wasn’t… Like she was…

[color=C67C12]”Spill the fucking beans, Greyson!”[/color]

Greyson looked up with a great deal of pain.

[color=F5388C]”I ain't given them anything in weeks! Nothing really, I-... swear to you… I fucking swear, I'm not-”[/color]

Leon wasn't looking for excuses or explanations that didn't involve admissions. So he hit him again, this time on the other cheek.

[color=C67C12]”Talk or I kick your fucking head in, Greyson! People are dead because of you!”[/color]

People were… Fuck. That fucking bastard. Linqian’s already pissed off expression only got worse, and the temperature in the area started to slowly rise. He was fucking [i]involved[/i].

Greyson's newly bruised face was covered in tears now.
[color=F5388C]”I… Told you. You'd need to leap, Linqian. That I was wrapped up in some bad shit!”[/color] he admitted, though not fully.

[color=F5388C]”Don't act like you ain't guilty, Leon… Your folks seem to like their money… I'm the [i]fucking[/i] Capo Dio, Linqian! The notebooks? Come on… We got them out safe together. You think I didn't know this was coming next!? Do your fucking worst… Kill me, I won’t need to deal with how much of a piece of shit I am then!”[/color] he finally snapped, finding some dignity and gall.

[color=CD5C5C]”You- You killed my fucking brother!”[/color] There was bad shit, and there was this. There was taking a leap, and him being directly involved in Jinhai’s murder. He’d [i]helped[/i] them find the targets. 

Linqian shot forward and pushed past Leon to grab Greyson roughly. She wasn’t hot enough to burn through clothes yet, but the heat radiating off her skin was painful and oppressive. She shoved her hands into his shirt to grab his shoulders.

[color=CD5C5C]”Save the fucking pity part shit! Was it fun?! Ruining my fucking life then pretending to help put it back together?! You sick fuck- What, so you started feeling fucking guilty?! Stopped seeing me as a fucking dumb bitch to manipulate, and as a fucking pitiful charity case to help you feel fucking better?!”[/color] All her thoughts were jumbled up, and there was only anger left- anger and grief. She couldn’t see it as anything but a sick fucking game. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Why the fuck should I take any fucking leap for you?!”[/color]

Now he was being burned… No magic to stop the pain now. Couldn't even bring himself to try a wildcast. The point was to feel it. Anything, one last time.

[color=F5388C]”B-cuss-”[/color] he started up, voice contracted entirely as he tried with all his might to not scream in bloody murder.
[color=F5388C]”-To-old yo-o-ou… I… Did… S-said I'd look like a l-l-liar t-too…”[/color]

The migraine, the face surrounding it, the two fried handprints in his shoulders.

[color=F5388C]”I d-dont want to die the b-b-ad guy… Henri…”[/color] he said to Linqian, his eyes weakly darting down to try and catch a glimpse of his pal… Maybe the last one he'd ever get.

[color=C67C12]”What about us, Greyson!? All that time, all those evenings? I knew you wanted us dead… But I never thought you'd reduce yourself to playing someone else's eyeballs just to be able to watch it happen…”[/color]

He couldn't deny his revenge fantasy. And it certainly wasn't his fault that Linqian had ignored such a terrible red flag… But he'd fostered this. Greyson knew his own level of culpability, and didn't want to hide anymore. Not when he didn't have to.

[color=F5388C]”How was… I supposed to fucking [b]know!?[/b] That I was going to change my fucking mind!?”[/color] he finally gave in, cringing and shouting as the pain became too much.

It’d be easier for Linqian if he hadn’t changed his mind. Then she could just kill him and be done with it. But now she was feeling fucking conflicted. Because her brother liked him! He was actually fucking helping Henri! And- And she fucking liked him too! 

It only made her feel more disgusted. 
[color=CD5C5C]”You do look like a fucking liar. A fucking selfish prick. So you changed your fucking mind- but you stayed in our fucking lives?! You kept fucking [i]pretending[/i]?! I really fucking-”[/color] She cut herself off, fingers digging deeper into his shoulders. Her temperature continued to creep up. 

Henri was genuinely worried that Linqian was going to kill Greyson. He didn’t want him dead. He didn’t want her killing someone!
[color=ffe63b]”Jie, he really regrets it! [i]Really[/i] regrets it!”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”So fucking what?! How the fuck can you defend him?!”[/color]

[color=ffe63b]”Because I felt it! All of his guilt and remorse- he’s been working against them! He’s really on our side, Jiejie! He regrets all of it! And- And Ge’s gone! Please don’t kill one of the only other people in our lives!”[/color]

Linqian didn’t let go of Greyson, but her temperature stagnated. Still burning hot, but not to the point she could so easily kill him. Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, only to immediately evaporate.
[color=CD5C5C]”You should’ve had them kill me, Greyson. Then there wouldn’t be anything to fucking regret. You’d still be fucking happily murdering us, because there’d be no fucking little brother to help you change.”[/color]

[color=F5388C]”It was always going to be fucking hollow Linqian!!!”[/color] he finally screamed, his writhing and twisting face pressing up against hers.

[color=F5388C]”I was never going to make it… I knew. Revenge never tastes as sweet as the fantasy, Linqian! Its always bitter, leaves you with a taste like you want to kill yourself. It's a scam! It's what people feed themselves when they're hurt, because they can't stomach the fucking grief! Please, either kill me or let me fucking go!”[/color]

Leon was listening… Revenge. He'd have had a lot less sympathy for the devil if he hadn't felt that himself. What good was beating a monster when it didn't flinch? There were a million different things that could taint that perfect fantasy taste he spoke of, and so many factors contributing to the dish. He'd finally expelled Kane and Abel from his home, nearly. Had managed to actually hurt the bloody thing, no longer caring about the information it guarded. 

He had to ask himself if it felt good. If it had been anything else but a letdown.

[color=C67C12]”Every time we give you the chance to talk, you seem to wriggle away. Make him writhe, Linqian. Test his theory about revenge.”[/color]

Linqian tilted her head back slightly and let out a bitter laugh. 
[color=CD5C5C]”It doesn’t fucking matter! You think I don’t already want to kill myself?! That getting revenge is going to make the fucking worse?! That it’s really what keeps me fucking going?! Don’t talk to me about fucking grief, Greyson- I’ve been fucking crushed by it! Every fucking day! So what’s it fucking matter if I torture you for [i]him?[/i]”[/color]

A burning hot knee came up and shoved right into his crotch, pressing in hard. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I’d started to finally think it wasn’t all fucking hopeless! But that was just a fucking lie, wasn’t it?! I was a fucking fool to ever fucking think there’d be anything else in my fucking life. But you know why I’m still fucking alive, even though I can hardly bear it?! Why I’m not going to fucking kill you?! Because Yi-er doesn’t deserve to lose anyone else.”[/color]

She knew her own revenge would be hollow. Because killing the one who killed Jinhai- and everyone involved- wouldn’t bring him back. Nothing could bring him back. He was dead. Killing others wouldn’t change that.

She finally let go, foot dropping back to the ground. But she didn’t move away, staying right in his space with heat radiating off him. 
[color=CD5C5C]”You’re just going to have to live with me fucking hating you.”[/color]

Greyson didn’t say anything… Just tried to lean forward to kiss her like he always did after a fight like this.

Linqian recoiled away from him, a hot hand coming up to slap him across the face. 
[color=CD5C5C]”Are you fucking with me?! You think that’ll fucking work this time?!”[/color]

Leon managed to laugh aloud, seeing the little moment as nothing more than another of Greyson’s insecure little ticks. Probably a test of her willpower; to see if she’d acquiesce to carnality rather than stand on her principles. He was happy she’d stuck to the latter. Greyson himself didn’t speak. Just hung his head in shame.

[color=C67C12]”You’d do well with coughing up a list of Undesired in the city.”[/color] he directed sternly once Linqian had moved far enough away that he was on his own to pay attention again.

The whole situation sucked. He wasn’t a good enough spy to have gotten all his targets killed, and he definitely wasn’t a close enough goon to be privy to the knowledge. He really didn’t have much at this point; especially after the last meeting with Luis.

[color=F5388C]”Th’guy’s Cuban… Miami Cuban. Luis Cox, I mean. The Dollhouse guy?”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”That doesn’t help.”[/color] Leon coldly spoke.

[color=F5388C]”He’s got a brother, Leon. A twin. You didn’t know that, huh? Did you ever ask? No. Too busy stuffing ourselves with dollar bills, weren’t we? Two gluttons in the same pocket on different sides of the country!?”[/color] Greyson couldn’t help himself. Maybe it was penance… Maybe Leon hadn’t punched him enough.

Rightfully, Leon had no clue what the fuck Greyson’s point was now. It wasn’t clear, and it definitely wasn’t sensicle. 

[color=C67C12]”Spill. Your. Guts. Or I swear I will, and I don’t think Linqian’s gonna try to stop me today either.”[/color] Leon growled.

[color=F5388C]”I’m trying to tell you Andrade’d know a lot more about the status of Undesired in the city than I would!”[/color] he shouted, smacking his fist into the door of the car behind him.

Leon’s hair stood on end. The world turned dark, and darker still. No he wouldn’t. No he wasn’t. Andrade had been with Maxwell since he was a teenager… He said that when his Father died, he went off the rails. That Maxwell had been his saving grace. That everything he’d done was for the man and woman who’d given him every opportunity…

[color=C67C12]”You’re lying.”[/color]

Greyson didn’t know what Kari’s notes said… But if his codename came up, then surely-

[color=F5388C]”Hermano! Fucking Hermano Dos!”[/color]

The name had come up in the ledger only once… 
[code]Ten new subjects implanted with Merrigon Core. Hermano Dos to distribute subjects through legitimate interests.[/code]

[color=C67C12]”Only mentioned once! Barely worth noting! You’re fucking bluffing to throw me off!”[/color] Leon barked back, taking a step forward.

[color=F5388C]”Did she figure out what a Merrigon Core was!? What about why they were stalking Alizee!? Why do you think she was suddenly a fucking Saint in your little church when before nobody would touch her with a hundred yard pole!?”[/color] 


[color=C67C12][i]Nobody liked Alizee.[/i][/color]

The thought crashed again through his head. Nobody but [i]Andrade[/i]. He’d always thought he was just keeping the Void Heart close, in case he needed taking care of. But, it was starting to make a little more sense. Leon’s face and entire body softened. Anger was replaced with regret and sorrow, for having been misled in his own time. For not reading all the signs, and just doing what he’d been told.
The recent prosperity of the Temple, the financial accruing, the sudden leap in progress for the Eden team…

[color=F5388C]”Say it out loud, Leon! Don’t make me the only guilty one here…”[/color]

Leon grimaced, head slowly turning to Linqian. Tears filled his eyes, but his voice didn’t crack.

[color=C67C12]”You… Were right all along. You were right, and I was too dumb and biased to imagine you may be right. The… Temple. We’ve been using Greyson as a go-between, to trade Supernatural goods and materials with Dollhouse. Only, I figured if it was just us, and that nobody cut out the middle men, we’d be able to keep it above board as we could. Never knowing they had an inside man the entire time…”[/color]

Linqian didn’t even have the energy to punch him like she had Greyson. It was like all the heat was drained out of her, switching to a harsh coldness. Her glare was bitterly cold. 

[color=CD5C5C]”You really thought something like that would work? Fuck, you’re stupider than I am. So your fucking cult was supplying our murderers. They- [i]you[/i]- helped just as much. Ignorance isn’t a fucking excuse!”[/color] Her voice was icy. There wasn’t even a raging fire anymore. Like she was just… Done with him. 

Both of them. Greyson wasn’t excluded from her cold glare, even as she asked him a neutral question. 
[color=CD5C5C]”Anything they sold that helped with these Undesired or other shit?”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”It’s Apparitional. The Undesired, I mean. Every instance is just a little part of the whole. So, unless Andrade’s been cooking-”[/color]


[color=F5388C]”No. I know that much. Andrade and Luis both have the same mindset: Apparitions and the Adjoined who use them are only as useful as their loyalty. Their Father was killed by one, and it ran their lives in his skin for the better part of their childhood. Neither are interested in Herman being any more powerful than he is… Now, I hate to be that guy? But I need to either kill myself now, or find a [i]very[/i] deep hole to crawl into. Because, uh… I know both of you have a pretty foggy memory of what happened that night, but [i]I’m still holding the Sycamore Tree.[/i]”[/color]

[i]Fuck…[/i] The actual overarching plan, to siphon the essence of the Stygian Snake from its resting place and harness it. How they planned to do it made a bit more sense, at least… Treat it like any other meal, it seemed.

Leon gripped the bridge of his nose. He could feel Linqian’s chill, but he didn’t want to deal with Greyson anymore than she did. So, he still deferred to her instead.

[color=C67C12]”Well… What the fuck? Do we call everyone back together right now? Stuff this asshole into Jack’s tatami house until we find a better jail cell?”[/color] he asked.

Why the fuck was the decision falling onto her? When the fuck should any decision ever fall on her? She [i]didn’t know[/i]! She’d quite gladly leave him for dead… But she [i]couldn’t[/i] let anyone get their fucking hands on the Snake. Not after how much devastation it caused then! If she was lucky, she and Henri would both die in whatever followed… 

[color=CD5C5C]”I- I don’t fucking know! We’re not fucking calling [i]everyone[/i]. Sloane will have a fucking field day! God [i]fucking[/i] damnit.”[/color] Linqian’s hands clenched into fists at her side. Maybe she should just kill him. Put them all out of their collective misery… 

She glanced at Henri, who was silently watching with wide eyes. She couldn’t… 

[color=CD5C5C]”Jack’s the best fucking option, isn’t he? Unless they can follow you to that Void place…”[/color]

[color=F5388C]”They can… It’s the fucking… Pit, or bust!”[/color]

The pain in his head was coming back so much worse as his body reactively attempted to cleanse the mind of synaptic stress through the use of magic. It only made his entire brain press tightly against the membrane inside the skull. He rolled against the car, tucked, and brought both hands around his ears as he started to scream.

[color=C67C12]”Fuck, Greyson…-”[/color]
With what senses he had on tap, he gave a sniff as he got close to the man.
[color=C67C12]”-You’ve… Got Lux Poisoning! What the-”[/color]

[color=F5388C]”-The night you and your girl came and -RRRRRRRGGGGGAAAA-”[/color] he seized, pain gripping him. In the interim, he panted until he could speak again.
[color=F5388C]”-came and saved us. I fucking killed… No channeler.”[/color]

Leon had seen Greyson try to wild cast a billion times, then and now. Before and after [i]Edict.[/i] He was obsessed with it, almost. Thought he’d be able to master it through hook or crook one day, just like he did everything else. It was easy for a Pink Adept to think that. They could trick themselves into anything, typically. Love was one Hell of a drug.

[color=C67C12]”You didn’t trust Cass enough to get you home!?”[/color]

[color=F5388C]”B-brit’s… Pregnant! I wasn’t gonna leave it up to fucking ch-aaaAAAAAAAAAAGH!”[/color]

The hits just kept coming today. 


[color=CD5C5C]”Oh. That fucking explains a lot.”[/color] Linqian intoned. Her reaction made it seem like she didn’t care at all. 

She shouldn’t, really. She certainly wasn’t going to be fucking happy about it while her main feelings towards him were still murderous. Not caring was- should be- the other option. Not whatever fucking strange gut clench she felt was.

[color=ffe63b]”Wait- Britney’s pregnant?! Holy shit!”[/color] Henri shouted, entirely shocked. He wasn’t sure whether it was right to be excited right now.

Linqian’s still cold gaze moved back to Leon. 
[color=CD5C5C]”It was fucking stupid. I’d just killed the guy right next to the one he brain blasted. If anything, he would’ve shot me. Then, I would’ve killed him myself.”[/color]

Leon looked at Linqian with shock and confusion in his eyes, then back to Greyson.

[color=C67C12]”You… I…”[/color]

At first, he stepped back just a little. This wasn’t what he’d been training himself to smell all of yesterday was. It wasn’t the same astringent and ammonia smell at the back of Cass’ breath that gave away the toxicity level of her blood. This was iron. This was mercury mixed with tar on a hot day. This was dead braincells, synapses firing off into nothing. Friction between the brain and the skull.

[color=C67C12]”Do you… Do you know what I… Do… F-f…”[/color]

Leon buckled, listing forward and bending his knees until his ass hit the pavement. Both feet stayed planted firmly as he curled into himself a moment. He thought of Britney. Of her smiling face in the old times. About how they’d come to the silent understanding, and how he’d ruined it by pushing the envelope for a group of people who weren’t even going to be around anymore. He felt a great deal of sorrow and regret… But could only express fury.

[color=C67C12]”Fuck you, Greyson… You’re… You’re gonna fucking die anyway, you stupid bastard. D’you know!? Do you know what you’ve [b]fucking done to us!?[/b] There’s a timer on [i]everything now![/i] And I have to go live my life and act like a normal fucking person!? Because of you!? Because you made a foolish moronic mistake and threw your life away!?”[/color] he screamed up at him.

[color=F5388C]”No! No… No, no, your… Luis has a cure! For this! I know he has, Lee, I see’n him do it! I fuckin’ swear, he’s got a little pill, it-”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”[b]Your brain. Is. Dying![/b] What, are you [i]actually[/i] stupid now? You don’t fucking use it? I know it’s still working, Greyson, you better get with the fucking program! Nothing is going to stop the necrosis when your grey matter can’t get blood to flow through it! Never mind how badly it's swelling! Fuck, I can practically hear it scraping against your skull! Just… Go! Go, go fucking die, somewhere far away from us so that when St. Portwell gets swallowed by the Stygian Snake, you don’t get the privilege of being buried here!!”[/color] Leon bellowed, tears starting to stream from his eyes.

Looks like it was time to break up with Cass…

[color=CD5C5C]”Are you… seriously…”[/color] Linqian didn’t even know how to begin feeling. Happy, since she didn’t have to do it herself? Not really. Sad? She probably should. She didn’t really feel much at all, though. 

[color=ffe63b]”W-W-Wait, what?! No, no way, he’s- your-?”[/color] Henri finally scrambled out from the car, dropping his feet onto the ground and making for Greyson. His hands glowed as he healed the damage Leon and Linqian had inflicted, his brow furrowing. Linqian didn’t bother stopping him this time. 

[color=ffe63b]”It’s… It’s really… [i]Greyson[/i]! You’re- You’re-”[/color] Nothing could stop the waterworks, and Henri started absolutely sobbing.

[color=F5388C]”No! No, no no Henri, see… Leon just doesn’t know everything! He doesn’t, but see you remember everything I saw don’t you! This is [i]exactly[/i] how it always went! Tell everyone everything because you’re from the family with all the magic! Oh, I’m Mister Know-It-All! Fuck that!”[/color]

With all the strength he could muster, he pulled Henri up into one arm at the shoulders and ripped the car door open with the other. 
[color=F5388C]”Get back in the car, slide the fuck in! Linqian, please get us the fuck home? For now!? I’m fucking begging you at this point, the both of you!”[/color]

For once in his life, he desperately wanted Greyson to be right. Because if he wasn’t, there was no hope left. St. Portwell was dead, and who knew what could be next.

[color=C67C12]”Wait! Wait…-”[/color]
Leon practically launched himself up and forward, grabbing Greyson’s coat sleeve.
[color=C67C12]”-Keep your [i]fucking[/i] phone close. There’s a chance Andrade doesn’t know what we does… If you’re [i]serious[/i] about this drug? Whatever the shit is? We’ll make it ourselves. You’re a Bishop, for fuck’s sake: Lynette’s made an oath to you. Whatever she can-”[/color]

Greyson did the only thing that Greyson knew how to do to shut people up… And in doing so, maybe gave away both of their hands [i]just[/i] a little more than Leon would’ve liked in front of Linqian. His lips pressed into Leon’s tightly, free hand gripping at one side of Leon’s face before pulling away slowly.

[color=F5388C]”Don’t let it go, Asshole… Just help her. She’s all that really ever mattered.”[/color]

Leon’s bottom lip quivered.
[color=C67C12]”Keep. Your. Phone. [b]Close.[/b]”[/color]

Linqian stared at them both before her lips pulled up into a cold smile. All of it only made her feel worse. It was like the deep void of grief for Jinhai was now swallowing entirely as it was added to. Bitter hopelessness… Annoyance she’d ever let herself hope for anything from anyone but Henri in the first place. Of course, she knew how Greyson felt. It only confirmed her feelings from earlier. And the two of them… She would’ve had more of a reaction before, but now… She just felt so empty. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Yi-er, you still have the keys?”[/color]

[color=ffe63b]”Y-Yeah, do you-”[/color] 

[color=CD5C5C]”No.”[/color] Linqian turned to stare at Greyson. 
[color=CD5C5C]”Henri will drive you home. [i]Then[/i] he’s going to pack all of his things, and get ready to go back to Madison- you hear that, Yi-er?”[/color]

[color=ffe63b]”Wait, but, Jie, I don’t-”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”Find someone to stay with. I’ll sort the rest.”[/color] 

[color=F5388C]”Henri… Do what she says. Don’t ask questions. Get in the front seat, start the car. I’ll call someone; we’ll get your stuff packed.”[/color]

Leon turned away then. Greyson was, and would always be his own worst enemy… And Leon was a natural enabler. He’d let that man walk right into a moving train if he thought that’s where he was sending himself. 

[color=C67C12]”I guess you’re walkin’, Linqian? Or can I offer you a last ride?”[/color] he asked, not turning back around to watch Greyson play uncle-brother to someone he barely knew.

[color=ffe63b]”O-Okay.”[/color] With both Linqian and Greyson telling him to, Henri could only hang his head and do as he was told. As he shuffled into the front seat, Linqian considered what she actually wanted. This part of town was a long way from her house. A walk could clear her head, but she was just as likely to break down on the way. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I won’t say no if you’re offering.”[/color] She intoned eventually, not bothering to look away from Greyson. It was still so cold.
[color=CD5C5C]”Go, enjoy your last however long with Britney. Say goodbye to Yi-er. Get them to pack my stuff too.”[/color] 

[color=F5388C]”I’m not doing that until we’ve talked! He’s leaving because its [i]safer![/i] You leaving just because you feel some type of way about something I said out of pocket is fucking [i]typical.[/i] I’m not fucking running away, you don’t get to either. What I fucking [i]said stands[/i]. You’re all that’s ever mattered.”[/color] 

He slammed the car door shut, not giving Linqian the chance to come back at him with anything he couldn’t easily ignore through the glass. There were a thousand reasons for her not to believe him… But if there were any left, that [i]had[/i] to equal a hung jury. Leon could only start to laugh.

[color=C67C12]”I did [i]not[/i] ask him to fucking do that, by the way!”[/color] Leon scoffed as he started to make way down the road, not turning to see if Linqian was making her way up to keep pace with him.

[color=CD5C5C]”What?”[/color] Linqian was left stunned, staring at him through the car window. The switch from getting pissed again- because she wasn’t fucking running away, she was telling him to fuck off out of her life- to pure confusion would be obvious. But she didn’t get a chance to force open the door and pry more answers out of him, because Henri was a bit too efficient in driving away. 

Great. 

There was a momentary consideration for just walking, before she jogged to catch up with Leon. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Yeah… I got that.”[/color] Linqian intoned, shaking her head. She was definitely feeling too much all at once, emotions directly clashing inside of her. The negative side that didn’t believe him, the hopeful side that wanted to… But why the fuck would that be the case? It made no sense. 

[color=CD5C5C]”What the fuck.”[/color] 

[color=C67C12]”What the fuck… What? C’mon. Now ain’t the time to be vulnerable and precious with our feelings, is it? We could die tonight!”[/color] he tried to grin, though his eyes were still full of tears.

The stupid fucker. Stupid, stupid bastard of a child. He always knew Greyson had some hidden vengeance fetish. Hell, allowed him to explore it in their darkest hours. What else did two old friends do when both of their lives had become so base; so carnal by desire? But, that was because, in spite of it all? Greyson Devola could be [i]so[/i] charming. So funny, and witty. Maybe Leon appreciated his darker side a little bit too… Who couldn’t, all that intellect winding up in the body of a criminal?

So what was he making such stupid decisions for? Had it really been how Linqian had said it was? Now he’d have to ask Cass, and she wasn’t-

She wasn’t his girlfriend anymore… She had to get the fuck out of St. Portwell! His skin grew a little more clammy.

[color=C67C12]”Like, here, I’ll start! I’ve gotta go home now, and break up with this [i]really great[/i] chick I just met. Because, if I run, I’m a coward! But if I let her stay, she dies in the ashes with the rest of us! I don’t really think that’s fair. And, here we are, because of that guy! That fucking dude! Fuck. Him. Right? Linqian?”[/color] Leon finally turned and started to walk backward to see her expression.


They spent the last month waiting to be stabbed by some fucking doppelganger assassin, how was now any more the time to open up? Just because it was inevitable? It had always been fucking inevitable, really. At least that’s how Linqian had felt. Since she lost Jinhai… 

Her face still looked incredibly blank. Not emotionless blank, but shocked blank. 
[color=CD5C5C]”Fucking him was exactly how I ended up in this mess. Just… Just be a fucking coward, Leon. If you have something to live for, run and fucking live for it. Who’s going to be left alive to judge you?”[/color]

Then she pressed a hand to her face, expression slowly dipping from blank to dour. Maybe he was right. If they were both going to die, it didn’t matter what she said. 
[color=CD5C5C]”I fucking [i]like[/i] him, Leon. Barely fucking admitted it to myself when we got together! And I like Britney too, so I was fine with the whole fucking thing we had going on. But he helped [i]kill[/i] Jinhai! And he [i]had[/i] Brit, so he could’ve just left me the fuck alone! Because what do I matter, anyway? Feels like a sick fucking joke.”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”He has a tattoo of a half-chopped down Sycamore tree on his fucking back, Linqian! You’re like a red flag seeking missile! You don’t think a guy who wanted to chop our fucking heads off, yet still met me every six months for the past four years to fuck and exchange goods, wasn’t going to have some kind of fucked up mental image of what love is!? He’s a Pink Lux Adept, dude… He was forced to kill people as a [i]little[/i] child! What fucking chance did he ever have?”[/color]

Why was he defending him automatically? Because he was pathetic. Because even someone like Greyson Devola needed a cheerleader every now and again. Because, in spite of it all, maybe she’d seen the side he’d seen too. But they were at Leon’s car, and he pulled the passenger seat open for her, then closed the door behind her. It left a moment for introspection before he came back, opening his side and silently climbing into the car. He started it with the same wordless actions.

Linqian’s more vitriolic response was cut off by reaching the car, giving her a moment to process the things she really already knew. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I [i]know[/i], Leon. I know he’s the biggest fucking red flag around. It was [i]just[/i] supposed to be sex! I wasn’t supposed to develop any feelings. Wasn’t supposed to be bothered by any of this shit either, cause I knew what I was getting into! But here I am… Fuck.”[/color] 

She knew Greyson had a fucked up image of love. She didn’t know what her own image of it was, either. Loving just led to being hurt… Yet again. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I don’t even give a fuck about being the second choice. Hell, I’m obviously fucking polyamorous myself! I’d just assumed there was some [i]actual care[/i] by now, fucked up love or not.”[/color] There was, if she believed what he’d said before leaving. But it was hard to believe.
[color=CD5C5C]”It’s so fucking hard to tell.”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”You were the first choice, I think. If it makes any kind of difference. If I remember correctly, from [i]way[/i] back… He mentioned something like, uh… Well, y’know, Jinhai never would’ve let it happen. I don’t think he was ever satisfied with that outcome. Probably explains why he’s been so weird about the both of you lately.”[/color]

Leon thought about all that time ago. About how it never really made sense for Greyson to latch onto Britney in a purely lustful sense. Sure, maybe Britney was partly his type, but who [i]didn’t[/i] think Linqian was drop dead gorgeous? It only made a little more sense when he’d come to realize that Greyson loved the head games as much as he loved the physicality. He needed things to be a joust, or he just… Couldn’t get it up. There had to be tension, or anger, or some overarching thing that made him utterly poisonous. Toxic to the core.

But it didn’t make him less of a human. He still wanted all the other things, even if he never deserved them. Love, and tender care. A family. To be needed and wanted, and to be respected.

[color=C67C12]”He put aside his wants when he decided to be with Britney. I think it was the only time. And when she left him, I guess it all came crumbling down. Only recently, talking about what he wanted to happen to his money if he died… [i]Which I’m in control of, mind you.[/i] The Temple. Our lawyers, our money… His. He expects it paid out equally to you and Britney. You get the property in Louisiana. She gets the property here. It’s already set up, and the Will’s drawn.”[/color]

Leon waited for a moment before explaining.

[color=C67C12]”We always talked about [i]she.[/i] Or [i]her[/i]. The amorphous desire of the one: A partner to continue the legacy. When we were teenagers, anyway. So, when he came. He said what he said just then… [i]She’s all that ever mattered.[/i] I’d forgotten… But he hadn’t. He didn’t forget a single fucking thing, all those years.”[/color] 

Coming to a stop light, he looked over at Linqian.
[color=C67C12]”You think he didn’t forget because he was angry? He didn’t forget because he still loved us. Every single one of us. And that’s how you get when you think all the people you love turned on you. You want them all to die, like you feel they killed you. It’s selfish of him, but we know who he is. What isn’t selfish is the underlying emotion… It’s fucking [i]love.[/i]”[/color]

Linqian was visibly conflicted, staring at Leon in resurfaced shock. 
[color=CD5C5C]”Of course it’s fucking love… Fucking- He’s so full of it. It’s why I fucking fell! I didn’t fucking believe it at first, but then it was impossible to ignore how he felt.”[/color]

It made some things make more sense. What had seemed fast for her- his sudden feelings, their dating, him saying he loved her from the get go- wasn’t fast at all for him. Ten years of held onto feelings. She’d liked him then, flirted with him then, but certainly not loved him. She wasn’t even sure if she’d loved Bianca in that way. 

[color=CD5C5C]”But [i]even[/i] if ‘she’s all that mattered’ meant me then- which is still fucking hard for me to get my head round- surely it means Britney now. [i]She’s[/i] the one who was going to be his wife. The one pregnant with his child! That fucking desired partner to continue the legacy.”[/color] 

It shouldn’t matter if he loved them all- if he loved her. If he was splitting all of his money between them both. But it mattered to her far more than it should. That occasional ugly jealousy she had- it had gone both ways once or twice, because she liked Brit too, but it was mostly him. The intense fucking toxic human love bomb.

But she was singular. It could only mean one of them, even if he was splitting his material wealth like that.
[color=CD5C5C]”It doesn’t make sense…”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”It’s both of you, you absolutely dense woman! She is amorphous, it refers to a concept! She! Like you’d ingender a boat, or a fucking vessel, like the [i]firmament[/i] that he’s built for himself is She. Y’know, like, ‘Steady as She goes?’ Even if he wasn’t magic, that guy could never be faithful to a single person, c’mon!”[/color] Leon chided, realizing finally that he had to really spell it out. 

[color=CD5C5C]”A boat is a singular thing- two people isn't.”[/color] Linqian narrowed her eyes, feeling that she wasn't all that stupid for completely misreading it the whole fucking time. Who'd hear she and assume it was two women?! She completely skipped the last sentence to defend the small amount of brains she felt she had.
[color=CD5C5C]”You… have a plural pronoun in English? They? Don't [i]they[/I] teach you that over here?”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”I’m absolutely not about to go into the intricate ways in which language syntax is broken by people every day. You’re fishing for an argument to avoid feeling silly, and that’s fine. But, my point stands. It’s not one or the other. He’s got what he wants and likes from one, and the same from the other. There’s plenty in there for him to want to give. But it’s aaaaaaall over. Because he’s a totally unabashed moron.”[/color] Leon couldn’t help but let a vague smile crack. 

Really, it was because of Linqian. How she was, simply. She could never help it.

Linqian held back her retort about how English was her third language, so of course she took things literally- and instead just rolled her eyes. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Fine, so it’s both of us. Fucking hell… God fucking damnit, I want to punch that smug bastards face again. Bet he was [i]sooo[/i] fucking excited to have a third pair of helping hands. I’m the only one who’s looked after a baby before, y’know, fuck!”[/color] It wasn’t exactly a reasonable reaction to having a confirmation that it really was both of them for Greyson from someone she vaguely trusted- or at least, couldn’t think of a reason why he’d lie about this. She was feeling a lot. There was still the fucking helping kill Jinhai thing… But how much did that matter now? Greyson was going to fucking die. They all-

[color=CD5C5C]”Why the [i]fuck[/i] was I so caught up on that?! You’re right, it’s all over, because we’re all going to fucking die. None of it even fucking matters anymore! Fuck- Can you take me to Oakwood Cemetery? May as well spend what might be my last day with the people I’ll have ‘left’ in the city.”[/color] At least when Henri was gone.

Leon frowned again, witnessing the realization hit Linqian all at once.

[color=C67C12]”Well… Farbeit for me to be the guy I always used to be, but… I’d spend the time maybe, like… With the people with the people who I [i]won’t[/i] have left? I’ll get plenty of time to sit with the dead and buried here too. We all will. But, your brother… You’re both right to send him away. If I had it my way, I’d convince you and Britney to both get out. Otherwise, all that money goes to waste. You hate that, don’t you?”[/color] he asked rather sincerely, knowing how she’d always been about finances.

[color=C67C12]”And maybe… He may’ve been too far away to have been the one spying on Jinhai, and who got him killed. Maybe he never knew. Who knows? Just… Just saying.”[/color]

In spite of what he said, he was still going to do what she wanted him to. Oakwood it was, even if it was only for a little bit. It wasn’t exactly like he wanted to go home and do what he had to do next. [i]Felt[/i] he had to do next. He was thinking more and more, he’d ask her. It would be stupid not to. She was a grown woman, and he didn’t think the little boy inside him could handle the thought of dying alone. It made him want to weep. Hell, she’d probably be for it. Why let the end of days be anything but fun when you knew your life was going to be spent in pain forever? 

She’d use it, or lose it. They’d be okay…

[color=C67C12][i]But fucking [b]Andrade![/b][/i][/color]

Maybe Greyson hadn’t known. Even if he had… What was worse? Leaving things in this state between them before he died- they all died- or at least making things clear cut? As much as she was still upset, she wanted to at least say goodbye to Britney too. 

She [i]assumed[/i] Henri was smart enough to go from the place Greyson had them all in to their family home. That was where she originally planned to go after the cemetery.

[color=CD5C5C]”I need to talk to Jinhai before I decide anything. Well- the grave. It’s close enough to my house, so you’re not leaving me stranded if you gotta get back. [i]I[/i] think [i]you[/i] and Cass should leave. Hell, take your whole family! But you won’t for the same reason I won’t, will you? Cause we fucking defended the city ten years ago, and would die tryna do it again, right?”[/color]

She shrugged. It wasn’t that she was particularly noble… But this was her home more than any of the other places she’d lived in. Even though she’d lived here for less time than she’d left it. Six years… But they were the best six years of her life. Her parents and Jinhai rested here too. 

[color=CD5C5C]”As for the money… [i]My[/i] will says everything I have goes to my little brother, assuming Jinhai is dead- which he is. Technically Jinhai’s friend is still in charge of it, so as long as your Temple lawyers are efficient and we get a couple of days between Greyson dying and me… It won’t go to waste.”[/color]

She had to talk to Jinhai… The idea. The concept. He got it very well. Too bad he couldn’t go visit Dad at this point. Too much potential for an Andrade encounter, which he wasn’t thrilled to get into. He needed the Cannery first. Needed to see Cass. 

[color=C67C12]”You wanna hear something fucked up?”[/color] he asked, not really caring whether or not she wanted to hear.
[color=C67C12]”Cass can’t even leave if she wanted to. Y’know how Andre, y’know Tournesol Andre? His son? Got that fucking Shame shit? That Lux curse? I fuck you not: Cass got a diagnosis not two weeks ago. Doc caught it [i]just[/i] before a flare-up. She’s in so much pain right now, I almost think she’d let the building collapse over her to make it stop.”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”She has the [i]Shame[/i]? And she’s- fucking pure Green, right?”[/color] Linqian’s eyebrows shot up. She knew about it. Very well, in fact. In the short period that she’d had with her Mother between kindling and her subsequent death, it had been drilled into her and Jinhai how lucky they were. Because while her Mother was from the line many, many generations ago, it had gone down a different branch entirely. 

But it ran in Andre’s family. He didn’t have it, but there was a fair chance his children would. So they’d have to help out when they kindled. In the end, Linqian hadn’t been there when Lucian or Louis kindled. They hadn’t needed their help either. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Lucian’s is mild and he complains enough about it- Fucking hell, that is fucked up. You’re not seriously gonna go break up with the poor woman while she feels like she’s dying- and probably won’t be able to do anything to escape anyway!”[/color]

Leon started smiling, shaking his head.

[color=C67C12]”No way… I’m… Just gonna ask her how she feels about it. If I were her? I’d wanna die here while it’s good, with the dude who I wanted to sleep with since I was a teenager. Fucked up, probably. But I know I catastrophize things. That’s my anxiety to deal with, and I do I think. Just takes me a few extra seconds to work through it. I… Promise… Unlike some people? I’ve actually tried fixing the things that made me an asshole at nineteen.”[/color] he giggled.

[color=CD5C5C]”Ha ha, some of us didn’t have the time to reflect and fix shit.”[/color] Of course, Linqian assumed he was poking at her- or maybe a large number of the Sycamites. But she didn’t jump up to anger like she normally would. By now, she was exhausted. Didn’t have the emotional capacity to get that pissed. Not after everything else… 

[color=CD5C5C]”All of my personal development or whatever went towards learning to be a teen Mom to a fucking eight year old. That shit just makes your temper even shorter, the fact I’m no worse than ten years ago is a miracle.”[/color] She said with just a hint of sarcasm, waving a hand. 
[color=CD5C5C]”But I can tell, cause I haven’t wanted to punch your fucking face as often as I did then. If you told sixteen year old me I would be sitting here having a reasonable fucking conversation with you, she would’ve laughed you outta the room! [i]And[/i] you would be breaking up with her without even asking, cause you were fucking full of yourself then.”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”You also… Would be an ass for assuming I’m talking about you… Your growth is clear, because I wouldn’t be having a reasonable conversation with sixteen year old Linqian. I was talking about Jughead. He’s probably sobbing in the car right now with that other blubber head brother of yours. He really is the baby… You and Jinhai? No tears. Never. Saw Jinhai scream his head off until he went orange once, but never a single fucking tear. Me? I wear ‘em. But I’m there. Those two? What’s with the waterworks?”[/color] Leon couldn’t help but joke, having made his position and opinion clear.

It was nice, at least, to have something like this. A relationship with an old acquaintance who could maybe end as a friend. He needed friends now too. Maybe more than ever before…

[color=CD5C5C]”Even if I did cry, you wouldn’t see it. Tears fucking evaporate before anyone does.”[/color] Linqian managed to laugh slightly. She did cry, but not in front of people where she could. All of the grieving over Jinhai had been in private. It would be the same for Greyson, assuming he died before the rest of them. 

[color=CD5C5C]”It’s cause they think the waterworks’ll make people sympathetic! I dunno for sure with Greyson- But Yi-er had us wrapped round his little finger. There was this one fucking time when he was… eleven I think? Old enough to know better- but he wanted this fucking handheld game console. A… Boy something… I dunno… But we couldn’t fucking afford it. We told him no… Then I went to work. Came back, Jinhai was on his fucking side- ‘oh Linqian, we can squeeze and get it for him’. Fucking lil bastard turned on the waterworks as soon as I was gone. Then, he did the fucking same to me when Jinhai was out! Just fucking… He was so fucking cute then… His face fucking balled up and he starts sobbing and saying how it’s all he wants. So- So I bought him the fucking boy game thing. And barely ate for a month.”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”I think if anyone needed the facade, it’d be Greyson. Sounds to me like you-... You don’t care what it sounds like to me! You’d have fuckin’ asked!”[/color]
He started laughing, leaning in slightly.

[color=C67C12]”Just… Don’t tease him, alright? It’s not a top or bottom situation between us. We’ve always pulled equal duty.”[/color] he started laughing openly, hoping the joke would lighten Linqian’s mood a little more as they approached the final stretch

Linqian shook her head slightly, unable to stop a proper laugh from escaping. 
[color=CD5C5C]”Already assuming I’m gonna fucking talk to him again- Somehow I doubt it was completely [i]equal effort[/i]. He’s such a little bitch about some things!”[/color] She waved a hand. 
[color=CD5C5C]”I already have plenty of sex shit to tease him with, anyway! I don’t need any from outside sources, c’mon.”[/color]

The drive down the long narrow stretch toward the graveyard was at least mostly defused of the tension surrounding it. They’d be able to talk, and maybe even accept what one another had to say for the moment… [i]Just[/i] the moment, maybe, but it was better than nothing. Eventually they reached the gates, with the old throughway still being wide enough for carts and hearses. Leon drove right in, and continued down the main lane.

[color=C67C12]”I’d let you walk, but I know where I’m going. And I’d hate to see something happen to you now of all times… So I’ll get as close as I can, I think. But, I’ll stay in here at least.”[/color] he admitted calmly.

[color=CD5C5C]”Sure. I appreciate it… Thanks, Leon. You won’t be able to understand shit anyway, unless you’ve learned Chinese.”[/color] 

Linqian didn’t wait after they pulled to a stop, getting out immediately. She paused just before Jinhai’s grave, a few away. Their parents… They hadn’t been able to get him next to them, but it was close enough. Only three people between them… She lingered there for a moment, saying a few words before she moved on.

In front of Jinhai’s grave, she crouched down. She didn’t speak immediately, lighting an incense stick she’d left there a couple of days before. Then she pulled a small flask out of her pocket, which she promptly downed half of, the rest poured into the dirt. After that was done, she finally spoke. 

While Leon wouldn’t be able to understand anything she said, the emotion- raw despair and sadness- couldn’t be hidden. It wasn’t that long. Maybe ten minutes, little curls of steam evaporating off her cheeks and mingling with the incense smoke. Her eyes were still a little wet as she went back to Leon’s car, but there was no other evidence of tears. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Just… Fucking… Take me to Greyson’s place… Please.”[/color]