Week 5: Post Execution

[disclosures]

[After a while, like maybe three or four hours after the execution, Rebecca's looking for Evan. She doesn't seem like she's been crying or anything along those lines. But she does seem tired. Almost like she hasn't been sleeping that well.

She'll start by knocking on his door.]

Evan? Are you there?

Comments

[selfinserting]

[Once he registers whose voice that is, he opens the door fairly quickly.

In contrast to her lack of crying, it's obvious that has been; the skin around his eyes is red and swollen. He looks exhausted, too, and it carries through in his voice when he speaks, tone soft and muted.]

...Yes?

[disclosures]

[She won't ask if he's okay. Losing a partner always seems like... it would be awful. Hopefully Cardia won't ever have to go through it. It's a question she already knows the answer to.]

So... it's about your objective. Being pushed out of a window from a great height.

[selfinserting]

[He moves back to let her in, nodding once he hears what she says.]

...Okay. What about it?

[disclosures]

So I've learned there's somebody else who's objective kind of goes with yours. Which is to say- they need to push somebody out a tower.

[selfinserting]

[It’s clear from his expression that she has his attention, but there’s one piece of information he wants to know first.]

Who is it?

[disclosures]

It's Hikage.

I don't know how you feel about him.

[Because, unfortunately, Rebecca doesn't tend to keep tabs on people who don't affect her in any particular way.]

[selfinserting]

...I don't really know him.

[Which is why it might be surprising when he immediately follows that up with:]

If he wants to do it, that's fine with me.

[disclosures]

... You're fine letting him push you out a window? You're sure about this?

[selfinserting]

I'll have a harness, and we were planning to put mattresses on the ground, too. So... If he doesn't mind, I don't, either.

[disclosures]

Okay. I don't think he wants to kill anybody, so I think he'll be okay with it.

I'll check in with him.

... Where are you getting mattresses from?

[selfinserting]

Okay. You can tell him it's me, too. And, um, just let me know what you find out. I can take some rope from the jousting grounds to get ready for it either way.

[...He pauses.]

Well, um, I was thinking my room. My, my new partner says he's going to sleep on the couch in the main suite instead, so he won't miss it for a night.

[disclosures]

Sounds good. I'll try to let him know soon.

... Lord El Melloi? I don't think he sleeps much in general. Try to make sure he gets like... an hour or two each night. He needs it.

[selfinserting]

Thanks. [...] If you want me to go with you when you ask him, I can.

[He pauses.]

...I'll do what I can.

[disclosures]

Just... do your best. Don't forget to take care of yourself.

I think everybody knows it was a bad week.

[selfinserting]

[Quietly, after a moment:]

...I'll be fine.

[disclosures]

Are you sure? It's fine if... if you're not sure.

[selfinserting]

[He shakes his head.]

...I can't, can't lose it. I have to bring him back.

[disclosures]

I think everybody wants their friends and partners back.

... We'll work towards a happy ending.

[selfinserting]

...Yeah. I can at least help with two objectives at once, for starters.

[disclosures]

It'll help.

[She gives him a little smile.]

Do you want company or would you rather be alone for now?

[selfinserting]

[He hesitates.]

...I don't, um, think it's safe for me to be alone.

[disclosures]

[Yeah, that's fair. He lost his partner, he's just been paired up with Lord El Melloi II.

She wouldn't want to be alone if Cardia died.]

Okay. I can stay. Something you want to do to pass the time? Or I can just... sit here, I guess?

[selfinserting]

...I don't know what people usually do to pass the time.

[He's open to suggestions, though.]

[disclosures]

Read a book? Maybe do some card games? Boggle? Sudoku?

Maybe not Sudoku, I don't have any of those puzzles lying around.

Oh! Re-read old case file-- never mind, we wouldn't have anything like that around.

[selfinserting]

[...Hm.]

Have, have you ever had a sleepover? Stephanie told me about, about them.