dissimulative | irl meetups & phone

[ At work? Sinclair is working right now? Moreover, he got yelled at? Oria tries to piece things together—it doesn't sound like Sinclair gets yelled at often though Oria wouldn't be surprised if it happened. Work is sometimes brutal, especially on mistakes.

But then they told him to go on a walk...? That's usually said when people want someone to cool down. He can't see Sinclair getting so worked up from fumbling a job—he would just try to be polite, like he always does. Whenever Sinclair got worked up, it's because...

...

He's getting a bad feeling. ]

Wanna talk about it? I'm here.

[There's a long pause on the other end for a moment. Oria might catch the sounds of the occasional car passing, but that fades bit by bit as Sinclair moves into the less populated area of town.]

I...I don't know where to begin.

[Calm down, calm down, calm down. Oria would understand in an instant if he just said her name. But the words catch in his throat.]

...you know, I hadn't visited my hometown since everything...

[ Oh.

Oh no. ]

Your work sent you back there? Despite knowing what happened?

[ Oria is no longer sleepy. He is wide awake and now pissed off. ]

What the fuck is wrong with them—

[Sinclair swallows, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment and draws in a sharp breath. Isn't it strange, to be defended like this?]

...I don't think Dante knew. Or he wouldn't have taken me.

[Dante was a good person like that. He didn't mention what the other leads of the team knew though--the matter was obvious. But everyone had been surprised when she had stepped out]

[ Oria clicks his tongue. He's glad that at least someone would be reasonable if they knew beforehand. But still. What matters is that they're there now—Sinclair is there right now. ]

... Did you see her?

I did.

[Sinclair's voice is carefully measured. Blank. As if it's taking everything he can to stay in control]

She...she was interning for them? Nagel. I wasn't really listening.

Edited 2023-09-18 11:18 (UTC)

... and they left you alone? I can't believe this. I'm glad you called me.

[ Oria is definitely annoyed by this situation now. ]

How are you holding up?

Rodya and Mister Gregor followed me but they don't really...I haven't....

[ Sinclair trails off, his grip on his phone tightening. He lets out a short breath]

I'm...[not okay? one step from finding a car to drive into that damn office building] ...I don't know.

You're doing great.

[ Oria will sternly insist on this. ]

Instead of sneaking out when told to go for a walk, you're doing what they told you to do. You're exercising restraint. You're doing a good job.

[ That gets a shaky laugh. Oria always knows how to keep him steady]

I don't know if everyone else would agree though. I'm pretty sure I threw something back there...

[ A stapler? At Nagel's manager? Yeah.]

I'm very good at sticking with my beliefs no matter what anyone says about them.

[ He's been through the trial by fire about it after all. ]

Besides, they probably deserved it.

That's what I like about you.

[ That's the first thing Sinclair ever noticed about Oria. His voice manages not to waver this time]

Maybe...I don't know. I wasn't thinking. I didn't really feel good about it after though.

[In the background "hey kiddo, where are we going anyway? Town centre is the opposite direction."]

[ Sinclair isn't so vindictive like he is—Oria knows that. Of course it wouldn't feel good. Sure, there's the revenge plot, but you don't have to be vindictive to be angry at your family's killer and wanting revenge.

Oria's about to say something but then he catches the background sounds. ]

Emil, where are you going?

Edited 2023-09-18 13:36 (UTC)

[ Where is he going? Does he really want to go this way? He's not sure who he's speaking to when he finally replies:]

...my family's home is this way. I need to check on it.

[ There's the sound of crunching gravel as Sinclair steps off the main footpath and towards the short cuts he used to take. This is fine]

[ ... ]

Emil.

[ MMMMMMmmmmm he has a bad feeling about this... ]

... it's fine. I need to see it for myself. My family's resting there.

[ He had hired a groundskeeper specifically to keep people away, keep everything neat.

It was hard finding someone, considering everyone was insisting it was haunted now but]

... You should tell them what you've been up to lately.

[ You know. As a proper grave visit and all. ]

I'm sure they'd like to hear it.

Yeah? [ There's warmth there, his voice steadier than it has been all conversation] I was going to rat out Tylor's tamagotchi neglect. Talk about everyone I've met since starting the beta, you...

[ You talk about your boyfriend to your family, don't you? It seems fitting]

Leave a good word in for me! Like "my sweetie oria is such a handsome young man that makes me swoooooon alll the time"—

[ Okay, he's stifling his laughter. ]

Wha--

[Sinclair laughs too, shaky but a little brighter than before. It's okay. Everything will be okay]

Since when do I talk like that? I'll tell them you like peeps, so I can finally get rid of all the halloween ones people keep giving me without feeling guilty.

[ Up and up the hill he goes, making his way to the end of the gravel path]

I better see a box full of them next Halloween!

[ This is nice too, with the way how Oria can keep Sinclair company as he goes to visit his family. Visiting graves can be daunting, especially when they're on a property where the last thing you remember was brutal slaughter associated with it. ]

Oh, and tell them about the boats too. And the time when you flew in Fragment!

That was actually scarier than using my own wings. But they'll probably find it--

[The sound of crunching gravel comes to an abrupt stop

Suddenly there's silence on the other end, broken by:

"Sinclair, what's wrong?"]

M-my family...

[ The phone drops to the ground.

and then from a distance, there's primal anguished scream and then a deeper voice in the background

"Fuck, is that--"]

[ Oria feels his blood run cold. Something happened. Something terrible. ]

Emil? Emil!! Hey!!

[ Oria knows yelling into the phone won't do anything, which is why he feels even more frustrated right now. Ugh, he'll book a quick flight to where Sinclair should be and--

--he's blocked by his mother. Fuck. ]

[ "Kid, don't look. Don't look. Hey, Gregor, call the cops--"

"Let me go, Rodya, let me--my mom, dad, Beatrice--"

There are more incoherent noises on the other end as they grow more and more distant.

Oria might be able to pick up in the sounds of distant screaming, broken sobs and then a deeper male voice saying

"What kind of messed up psychopath..."

Then the phone abruptly cuts off]

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