Duplicity Inbox

[alwayskayaking]

Duplicity Inbox

You've reached Tim Stoker. I'm out at the moment. Leave me a message and I'll return your call soon.

Comments

[compellingstatement]

Considering he's used you and the others to help gaslight me in the past?
I wouldn't put it past him to play the sympathetic ear to get you on his side.
All the better to help convince me I'm being unreasonable, irrational.
He's just the old boring, but helpful Elias we all knew and admired.

Why can't we all be friends again, Jon?
You're being so paranoid, Jon.
Why are you always like this, Jon?
He's just trying to help you, Jon.

[Jon is attempting to keep his cool, but the anxiety and paranoia are bubbling up in his throat.]

[alwayskayaking]

[After so long of wanting someone, anyone, to listen and believe him Tim thinks he can understand how Jon feels.]

You do an amazing Elias. Have you thought about quitting archival work and doing impressions as a stand up gig? [He hopes Jon appreciates the attempt to lighten things up and doesn't hate it.]

[compellingstatement]

[Jon hates it. It feels like he's being mocked. He has just enough self-awareness to know that he's probably being uncharitable to Tim, though.]

I'll take the suggestion under advisement if I'm ever looking for a new job.

[He can pretend to be fine with it.]

In any case, I really do hope you find something better than a gun.
Something like that seems bound to cause more problems than it fixes.

[alwayskayaking]

I'll consider it if you consider talking to Martin.

Take care of yourself, Jon.

[compellingstatement]

[Right, so. He has to talk to Martin to make Tim give up the gun? Hngh...]

You, too, Tim.

[alwayskayaking]

[Jon wishes it was that easy.]

[massrez]

[ That prompts a small frown. ]

'Spoiled'?

[alwayskayaking]

Yeah, like you're reading a book or watching a movie for the first time so you don't know how it ends. Then someone tells you the ending before you can read it, or in my case, live it for yourself.

[massrez]

...and how does it end?

[alwayskayaking]

Explosively.

[massrez]

[ Well. It really doesn't need more of an explanation than that, does it? ]

I can't imagine what that's like. Living with that knowledge.

[alwayskayaking]

It's... weird. I don't want to die, but knowing that I save the world and avenged my brother helps. Or... I at least save it for a little bit. [Until the next ritual happened.] Just too bad I don't get to be around to gloat about it. That's the real tragedy of it all. [Said with a light bit of forced laughter as Tim attempts to slightly lighten the mood and feels like he's failing to do so.]

text, un: crashdown

[ortecho]

Hey! So... My boss is having this fancy thing on Valentine's Day and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?

[alwayskayaking]

[Tim is in the middle of packing when he sees the text message. A smile spreading across his face when he reads it. She thought of him?]

I would be honoured and delighted. How fancy? Should I get a three piece suit?

[wolfehawke]

A poor one.
So we're all lucky you aren't.

But as I'm given to understand you have to either kill it or admit your greatest flaw. Considering some people don't even know what their greatest flaw is, it does take a strong and wise person to confront that about himself.

[ There's a pause between texts, then: ]

Just give Jon a bit of time.
I'm sure he'll be alright, and I'll make sure he doesn't become a complete hermit among the stacks.

Just now I'm more concerned with how you are, after all that.
So. How are you?

[ortecho]

[ Tim was definitely the first friend that came to mind when Liz was thinking of a plus-one. ]

I mean, he's calling it a ball, so I'm springing for a nice dress. I don't want you to break the bank for one night or anything, but it definitely sounds fancy.

[alwayskayaking]

It wasn't so hard. Not so long ago Charlotte and I were attacked by a shadow where I had to do the same thing. Took me a lot longer to figure out what I had to say that time. I just got lucky the same thing worked for the clone.

Thanks. He'd live in his archives if given a choice.

[It's Tim's turn to have a bit of a pause between texts. Hawke was worried... about him? He had been getting so use to everyone caring more about those who attack him than himself that it was strange to see those words come across his screen. Especially from someone he hardly knows.

It was nice.] I'll be alright. [He needed to do some soul searching if he thought he might one day become that thing with his face. If it was suppose to be his double then doesn't that mean Tim could one day get that bad?] The clone didn't get a chance to touch me.

voice; [ un: daughter-sea ]

[seaboard]

Do not bother responding to me Master Stoker, we both know we have no kind words to say to one another.

Never break Master Frye's heart. He deserves better for the kindness he has in his soul. If you are using him or treating him poorly as a way to prove your point against me or anyone else of my 'kind' as you are of a want to put it?

You shall know my fury.

voice; [ un: ShowStopper ]

[alwayskayaking]

[She can't tell him what to do! He's going to respond!]

You can't stop me from seeing people I wish to see no more than I can do the same to you. [No wonder Jacob was so worried about her seeing them together. What a bitch.]

> action

[seaboard]

[ There is the sound of her door opening.

Her door slamming shut.

Angry, measured footsteps.

Then bang, bang, bang on his door. It's happened, she's finally, well and truly, completely, lost her temper. ]

[alwayskayaking]

[He is not opening the door. He stands on the other side with his gun in his hand.] Piss off!

[seaboard]

If you think I cannot open this door, you are sorely mistaken!

[ Her voice rises, rises and rises. Ebbing and flowing and rising and falling, rushing, rushing, rushing. ]

Do you love him?! Do you care for him?! Or are you 𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖍𝖎𝖒?!

[alwayskayaking]

You break down this door and I will try to kill you. Go back to your apartment, Gilia! We agreed to keep to our own space and I've been following that agreement! [He's taking out his phone. Getting ready to call the city.] Go home before this gets worse! [For both of them.]

[seaboard]

𝕯𝖆𝖒𝖓 𝖞𝖔𝖚! Damn 𝖞𝖔𝖚 and 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖈𝖎𝖙𝖞 and 𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖞𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖊 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖔𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚! 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖘𝖜𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖙 𝖆𝖑𝖑! When I heard you had been hurt I wept! When I found it had been one I cared for, 𝕴 𝖌𝖔𝖙 𝖔𝖓 𝖒𝖞 𝖐𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖘 and begged him never to touch you again! When I could have let you suffer, I tried to talk to you and make peace with you!

[ Her voice only grows louder, the sound off, in so many ways. Because she speaks, clear, sharp words, the second sound falls each inflexion, of weeping. Of a woman weeping and weeping and weeping. A wail of misery as all her control that she has clung too for months starts to slip well and truly. ]

𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖓𝖔𝖙 𝖉𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖑𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊 𝖒𝖊 𝖔𝖓 𝖍𝖔𝖑𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖒𝖞 𝖙𝖔𝖓𝖌𝖚𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖞𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖒𝖞 𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖉! When the thing that had your face forced itself on me, I told no one! No one but 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖋𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉 because I did not want further enmity between us! Even when Jack pressed me and I wept in his arms with its bite on my skin! 𝕴 𝖕𝖗𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖈𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖙𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖚𝖘! No matter how I wanted to scream and cry at the sight of you! I have kept my peace! I have kept it for weeks and weeks 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖐𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖐𝖘, no matter how I felt! I have been debased as a woman on every level, by everyone I meet, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖞𝖊𝖙 𝕴 𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖐𝖊𝖊𝖕 𝖒𝖞 𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖈𝖊.

𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖙𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖒𝖊 𝖎𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖍𝖚𝖗𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕵𝖆𝖈𝖔𝖇 𝕱𝖗𝖞𝖊, 𝖔𝖗 𝖓𝖔𝖙, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕴 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖒𝖞 𝖆𝖓𝖘𝖜𝖊𝖗!

[massrez]

You're here now.

Here, we're afforded time outside of our own. It isn't ideal, but I believe there's good that could be done here. People who could stand to be helped. If that is what brings you peace, as I think it does, I think you should pursue that for yourself.