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[stand_unshaken]

 

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[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.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[That she does very much like. She nods.]

My hero.

[stand_unshaken]

Fuck you. [There's no heat in it. He's just tired, and he misses her.]

I'll bring you dinner, tonight. In case you don't wanna see people.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Hah. She’ll take that fuck you over being called stupid or iced out any day of the week.]

You don’t have to do that.

[stand_unshaken]

No, but you only got the one hand. I'll bring it tonight.

[dog_eat_dog]

[No sense in arguing that. She nods.]

Thanks, Arthur.

[stand_unshaken]

Yeah, sure. [He feels downtrodden, he hates this, but he knows all he can do is give it time. Not pull away completely. He was loyal for years - he can be loyal longer, still.

He tucks the items away, then tips his hat to turn around and return the items to Yunlan. But, as he'd promised, he's back that evening with a tray of food.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[Those hours are enough for Tess to decompress in some ways, compress in others –– she thinks about how much she would have just loved for him to really be in her corner, beat the tar out of Yunlan, thinks about how enabling her bullshit wouldn't really be being in her corner, either. It's an unpleasant situation. It feels somewhat insurmountable.

She answers the door, moves like she might take the tray from him, but thinks better and just steps back to let him in so he can put it down himself.]