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[stand_unshaken]

 

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[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.]

[stand_unshaken]

[Before he takes his things, he pulls hers out of his inside pocket: wrapped, clean, with a bow on it. Not his doing, clearly.]

I don't condone him breaking your arm. I been in enough fights I know that can happen, but I don't condone it.

[dog_eat_dog]

[She takes the handkerchief with some relief, and can’t help a flicker of scorn at the bow. Asshole.]

It didn’t just happen. He held me down and told me he’d do it. [A beat.] Thanks, though.

[stand_unshaken]

[He holds his hand out for Yunlan's things and lets out a deep sigh.]

I'll talk to him about it when I bring him this.

[He's not making her return them herself.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[ Some mild fumbling — sure is fun only having one arm to use — but she hands them over. ]

Alright.

[stand_unshaken]

Right.

[He swallows thickly, and then nods again. What the hell can he say? He should be the bigger person and reach out, but he's been burnt before. What if she keeps doing this, and he keeps being a fool?]

[dog_eat_dog]

[She lets the silence hang for a minute, pondering all the good will she’s completely squandered and then meets his eyes for a second.]

Okay, well, you should get that back to him before he snaps and comes for my other arm.

[Joking, but just barely.]

[stand_unshaken]

He does that, I'm gonna personally demote him myself. [Firm. He's still protective of her, even if a bit of trust has been lost.]