[This is probably ill-advised, but Abel feels its entirely necessary. He'd like to do it in person regardless of the slowly tapering Death Toll, and the forced down time is enough to drive him half crazy in his own head, but it's given him even more time to think. Know your enemy indeed.]
You and I need to talk. It doesn't have to be now, but this isn't going to be something you and I can avoid.
Let me know when you're available, or don't. I'll find you if you put this off too long.
[He's rather sick of it actually and the amount of wide-spread damage it's capable of doing in a short amount of time.] Four-fourteen, please. It's unlocked.
[It usually isn't, but he's not going to wear himself out by playing games or wandering everywhere.]
Fine. You pick, I don't really care where it is, I'd just rather it be somewhat private. I've had enough of my business posted to the network without my permission, and I'm not- I'm not afraid of you.
[He isn't entirely sure this is a lie, it's been shifting so much lately as he thought about what had happened, who Jacob is. He might be afraid of what Jacob could do to him, but he feels like after everything, perhaps they can actually come to some kind of understanding.
If anything he wasn't afraid enough to let him know how much he hated that someone else had to be dragged into this. It feels to close to home, not being aware of being used, manipulated. Just do it yourself or not at all.]
[That wasn't too far. He could do that.] Give me ten- [Actually, he was still exhausted, trying to look less like shit and more put together would take longer than that if he wanted to not sweat through a fresh shirt by the time he'd gotten there.] Twenty minutes, I'll be there.
[He bites back the 'thank you for the experience, asshole' and shuts the feed off.
Twenty minutes does not give him enough time for a shower, but it does give him enough time to change, brush his teeth, fix what he could of his hair. It shouldn't matter, trying to look like he's not hating every moment of his life, but after every alert, it's what he'd gotten used to. Look your best for the post-mission debrief so it wasn't obvious how much it affected you. He might not be good at keep his reactions hidden in a casual conversation, but there was strength in grief and pain that he could touch, at least right now that might help.
When he does show up, he's not late, doesn't sit just yet, even if Jacob seems to have gotten himself comfortable. Sitting felt like slowing down, and the short trip down a floor was enough to get him tired. He doesn't even hesitate before he starts in, there was no reason to try and say anything else so why bother?]
Why didn't you just kill me yourself? You would have gotten caught regardless, and no one else would have ever had to get involved.
You know what, Jacob? I'm fucking sick of this. I'm sick of you, I'm sick of being that, for everyone.
[God, this was not what he came here to say. It's hard to refocus though with the thought that he'd been used again, against his will, for something that in the end? Didn't even matter.] I thought I had you figured out, take away the religious bullshit and you're left with devotion. But I guess that's where it ends, any similarity I might have thought I saw.
I don't break promises, and I don't use people to get what I want. I do it myself. You're pathetic.
No, that isn't all. I deserve to know why you thought it was okay to use me, use Hilbert. Why you even did all of this in the first place.
Everyone else might have come to their own conclusions already, but I haven't. The only person I can get the truth from is you, and maybe next time you decide to implode at least have the decency to take a few steps back from the rest of us.
And I'm not going to make you, but I'm not leaving, and apparently neither are you any time soon, especially if you're going to act like this.
[He needs to sit down, but he doesn't want to. Something about showing Jacob how terrible he feels even if he is very much aware of how it actually is feels wrong.]
So either you're going to be stuck here, stagnating forever in purgatory, or you're going let me know my enemy.
Seems to me like you do give a shit. This isn't death, and it certainly isn't hell or where ever you thought you might end up. You're not just sitting around doing nothing, you have friends, connections.
Dead men don't have those, and they certainly don't desperately try to do what ever the fuck you thought you were doing with all this bullshit.
[Abel isn't moving.] You try touching me again and I'll shoot you.
[He wonders if the stun gun at his hip would be more affective with a headshot than a body shot. The skin was thinner, perhaps, though it wasn't meant to do real damage.
He wasn't here for that, he was supposed to be here to help people.] Trust me, I wouldn't hesitate.
[He does hesitate though as he considers Jacob, thinking about the trouble he's already in. He'd tried to fix it, and he can admit that perhaps he could have done more, but his fumbling of this, his immediate failure with Jacob, that had hurt Norton, even if the conclusion of this hadn't even been about him at all. It was still a failure.]
Fine. Norton doesn't deserve having to deal with your bullshit any more than he already is anyway, and I'm not going to be the one that adds to it.
[He does move, just barely. As soon as Jacob leaves he's going to sink into that couch and fall apart.]
I better see you in the gym, Jacob. Not this week, but shortly after.
[Well actually it was the other way around, but who's asking? Abel certainly isn't going to share.
He watches him walk away, and honestly? He would be surprised if he quit. When he's far enough away, he will sink down into one of the chairs, head in his hands.
Jacob was a liar. He'd be back, he was sure of it.]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 02:46 pm (UTC)You and I need to talk. It doesn't have to be now, but this isn't going to be something you and I can avoid.
Let me know when you're available, or don't. I'll find you if you put this off too long.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 03:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 03:09 pm (UTC)[He's rather sick of it actually and the amount of wide-spread damage it's capable of doing in a short amount of time.] Four-fourteen, please. It's unlocked.
[It usually isn't, but he's not going to wear himself out by playing games or wandering everywhere.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 03:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 04:01 pm (UTC)[He isn't entirely sure this is a lie, it's been shifting so much lately as he thought about what had happened, who Jacob is. He might be afraid of what Jacob could do to him, but he feels like after everything, perhaps they can actually come to some kind of understanding.
If anything he wasn't afraid enough to let him know how much he hated that someone else had to be dragged into this. It feels to close to home, not being aware of being used, manipulated. Just do it yourself or not at all.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 04:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 04:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 04:15 pm (UTC)[But he'll be there, reclining on the couch.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 04:27 pm (UTC)Twenty minutes does not give him enough time for a shower, but it does give him enough time to change, brush his teeth, fix what he could of his hair. It shouldn't matter, trying to look like he's not hating every moment of his life, but after every alert, it's what he'd gotten used to. Look your best for the post-mission debrief so it wasn't obvious how much it affected you. He might not be good at keep his reactions hidden in a casual conversation, but there was strength in grief and pain that he could touch, at least right now that might help.
When he does show up, he's not late, doesn't sit just yet, even if Jacob seems to have gotten himself comfortable. Sitting felt like slowing down, and the short trip down a floor was enough to get him tired. He doesn't even hesitate before he starts in, there was no reason to try and say anything else so why bother?]
Why didn't you just kill me yourself? You would have gotten caught regardless, and no one else would have ever had to get involved.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 04:41 pm (UTC)You were waiting for that.
[He leans back, resting his head on the back of the couch.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 04:52 pm (UTC)Of course I was, didn't seem to stop you before when you lost your shit in the gym.
Your problem with me shouldn't have to touch anyone else. It's got nothing to do with them.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 02:25 pm (UTC)[He rolls his eyes.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 02:57 pm (UTC)You know what, Jacob? I'm fucking sick of this. I'm sick of you, I'm sick of being that, for everyone.
[God, this was not what he came here to say. It's hard to refocus though with the thought that he'd been used again, against his will, for something that in the end? Didn't even matter.] I thought I had you figured out, take away the religious bullshit and you're left with devotion. But I guess that's where it ends, any similarity I might have thought I saw.
I don't break promises, and I don't use people to get what I want. I do it myself. You're pathetic.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 03:07 pm (UTC)That isn't new information to him. He doesn't even glow the slightest bit red.]
That all?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 03:15 pm (UTC)No, that isn't all. I deserve to know why you thought it was okay to use me, use Hilbert. Why you even did all of this in the first place.
Everyone else might have come to their own conclusions already, but I haven't. The only person I can get the truth from is you, and maybe next time you decide to implode at least have the decency to take a few steps back from the rest of us.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 03:21 pm (UTC)I don't have to tell you shit.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 03:28 pm (UTC)[He needs to sit down, but he doesn't want to. Something about showing Jacob how terrible he feels even if he is very much aware of how it actually is feels wrong.]
So either you're going to be stuck here, stagnating forever in purgatory, or you're going let me know my enemy.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 03:31 pm (UTC)The boy can learn.
But I'm not helping you. You lost that fucking chance.
[He does stand and turn towards the door. Still no red.]
And I don't give a shit about being here. I was supposed to die. I am the sacrifice.
I don't want to be anything else.
So move, kid. I don't want to hurt you.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 03:39 pm (UTC)Dead men don't have those, and they certainly don't desperately try to do what ever the fuck you thought you were doing with all this bullshit.
[Abel isn't moving.] You try touching me again and I'll shoot you.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 03:42 pm (UTC)Good. You should. [He points to his forehead.]
Right there. Now get out of my way, you're not worth the trouble I'd get in for doing it myself.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 03:55 pm (UTC)He wasn't here for that, he was supposed to be here to help people.] Trust me, I wouldn't hesitate.
[He does hesitate though as he considers Jacob, thinking about the trouble he's already in. He'd tried to fix it, and he can admit that perhaps he could have done more, but his fumbling of this, his immediate failure with Jacob, that had hurt Norton, even if the conclusion of this hadn't even been about him at all. It was still a failure.]
Fine. Norton doesn't deserve having to deal with your bullshit any more than he already is anyway, and I'm not going to be the one that adds to it.
[He does move, just barely. As soon as Jacob leaves he's going to sink into that couch and fall apart.]
I better see you in the gym, Jacob. Not this week, but shortly after.
You've still got work to do.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 04:00 pm (UTC)Get fucked, boy. I quit.
[And maybe he actually will. He needs more than a day to think about it, though. He heads down the stairs and away.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 04:05 pm (UTC)He watches him walk away, and honestly? He would be surprised if he quit. When he's far enough away, he will sink down into one of the chairs, head in his hands.
Jacob was a liar. He'd be back, he was sure of it.]