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[stand_unshaken]

 

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[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess is out with a sling and a bottle of painkillers, her backpack dangling by a strap from her good hand. She glances at Arthur, feeling some overwhelming combination of indignant and embarrassed; she fucked up, she knows she fucked up, but it wasn’t supposed to be this fucked up. She just remarks:]

Probably three or four weeks to heal.

[stand_unshaken]

Great. Come on--

[He leads her to the common room, so they can at least be out of the hallways.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[She nods and follows, eyes on the floor. A little surprised he’d pick the common room, but she’ll take it over a closed door.]

I know I screwed up, alright?

[stand_unshaken]

So I don't need to go and kick his ass for breaking your arm.

[dog_eat_dog]

I didn't say that. I went into his room, alright? I screwed up on that. But I was looking for my shit, and I didn't lay a finger on him until he made it a fight. I was trying to get away.

[She fucked up, but it wasn't entirely on her.]

He had me pinned to the floor and told me he'd break my arm, and then he did it when I decided to defend myself.

[stand_unshaken]

[He's grinding his teeth, hands clasped tightly together between his knees.]

But you broke. Into his room.

[He's a man of violence himself. He refused to shoot William, but he did punch him for the exact same thing. If William had fought back, who knows what could have happened?]

[dog_eat_dog]

And I didn't trash his place, or wait around for him to come home so I could shoot him, or fuck all. I couldn't find my handkerchief, so I took a couple small things as collateral. I'll give 'em back the minute he gives me what's mine.

[stand_unshaken]

Do you hear yourself, Tess? [He's trying not to get angry with her, but after what happened just days ago it's hard to hold down.]

You broke into his private, personal space, tried to steal one thing, couldn't find it, and decided to just steal more of his things? You tried asking him, before all this?

[dog_eat_dog]

I do, I'm not stupid. He wasn't going too listen to me, and I wasn't trying to steal anything. I was just trying to get what he took from me, but he trapped me in there and I freaked out, alright?

[stand_unshaken]

You shoulda known better than to do it in the first place! You go for a break-in, you make a goddamn plan - and you don't commit the crime at all if it's not worth it! It's one damn handkerchief, Tess, it ain't worth the trouble!

[dog_eat_dog]

[She's sorely tempted to point out that he's the robbery expert here, but she's made this situation fucked up enough as it is. She doesn't reply for a moment instead, not looking at him, trying to haul together something that could explain herself. It doesn't feel like she'll ever figure that out.]

He pushed me around and disrespected me, and it's mine.

[stand_unshaken]

You were supposed to come to me!

[He gets up, agitated and eager for something to hit and removing himself from any targets. He's feeling a little short of breath because of it, the cold not having done his lungs good to begin with.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess just purses her lips. She knows that. She screwed it up. She tried to head to him right after.

But he needs to space, so she just waits, her good arm holding the other in the sling, pain completely absent under a thick layer of stress.

And then:]

I know I'm not good at this. I'm sorry.

[stand_unshaken]

[He knows she's in pain, and he can see, through his own anger, that this is hurting her. That she doesn't like that he's angry. But he doesn't like it either, and he's not the one causing the problem.]

Maybe I was just being a damn fool for thinking it might work for longer than a few days. Maybe I made a mistake.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess looks away. She thinks she knows how this goes.]

Maybe I should let you be for a bit, huh?

[stand_unshaken]

Yeah. Maybe.

[Because right now he isn't feeling charitably towards her at all, and he doesn't like that.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[Deep breath. It is what it is. She'll just make herself scarce.]

Alright. I'll check in with you in a couple days.

[stand_unshaken]

[He nods, tightly, arms crossed. Some trust has been lost, and he can't hide that from her. Shouldn't.

Still. He doesn't make it a few days, because Yunlan's let him know what she's taken. So he sends her a message:]

If I can get you the handkerchief back, will you give me his belongings?

[dog_eat_dog]

[She's at war over making peace with Arthur and whether she wants to make Yunlan whole after what he did to her, but sometimes you have to set pride aside.]

Yeah, that can be arranged.

[stand_unshaken]

I'll tell him.

[dog_eat_dog]

OK.

[A pause.]

You alright?

[stand_unshaken]

Tell you the truth, not precisely.

And he doesn't elaborate. Yunlan is at his door minutes later, handing him the handkerchief.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Does not bode well. Tess hates tiptoeing, but it's almost second nature at this point.]

Alright.

[She's not going to push to talk.]

[stand_unshaken]

Five minutes later, there's a knock on her door.

[dog_eat_dog]

[She opens up promptly, ready for it, Yunlan’s things in hand — two knives, the necklace. She does not like the idea of handing them over before she gets hers, but she has to trust he’s not going to screw her over.

She wordlessly holds them out for him, not quite meeting his eyes, lips pursed.]