TRP: Finch, Jonn, and Roddy (Warehouse)

Muse: at 3:42 PM

[Setting: Basha Warehouse. Roddy has just snuck off from
following Larkin around.]

He really wasn't supposed to be here. Roddy knew that. But
frankly, at the moment he didn't care. Now he was wanting to think again- and
really that had worked out so well last time. Yet here he was again, not having
learned his lesson, finding himself a window and staring out it at the mess
outside. Sometimes being an adventurer sucked.

Izzy: at 3:46 PM

Something scrabbled quietly against the roof tiles outside.
A moment later, there was movement outside the window -- a shadow about to move
in front, then quickly pulling back, and another sound of someone almost
slipping off the roof.

Then, more carefully this time, Jonn leaned around the edge
of the window frame, and grinned widely when he saw that it was, in fact,
Roddy. He waved cheerily and mimed opening the window.

Muse: at 3:49 PM

It was a mess outside. Puppets still milling around. Jonn
upside down in the window. Wait. WHAT?

Roddy shot bolt upright, staring. Almost shouted Jonn's name
but clamped his mouth shut just in time. Furtively he glanced around, nobody
was looking, so he opened the window and leaned out. "Jonn! What in Helm's
name are you doing here?" he stage-whispered. "Your gonna get
hosted!"

Izzy: at 3:53 PM

Jonn waved it off. "Nah. Rooftops. We're too slippery
to get caught by those fuckin' things." He kept grinning and crouched down
to better keep his balance. Once Roddy leaned out and Jonn shifted, Roddy could
see that the 'we' referred to another dark-clothed person behind Jonn, looking
less steady on his feet and generally less comfortable with the entire
situation.

"Hey, I didn't expect you to be here," Jonn said.
"You doing okay? Is my dad with you?" His grin faded a bit. "Is
he okay?"

Muse: at 3:56 PM

"Hansel's okay. Or- alive at least. I don't think any
of us are 'okay' at the moment," Roddy said, making a face. "Uh, hey.
Are you that guy that fell out the belltower?" Roddy asked, giving Jonn's
companion a little wave.

Izzy: at 4:01 PM

Jonn's friend didn't respond, glancing at Roddy for a moment
with a suspicious look and then hissing at Jonn. Jonn waved at him dismissively
without looking back. "Yeah, that was him. He's my partner, his name's
Finch, he's an asshole, don't mind him. Why are you guys here, though?"

Finch hissed at him again and Jonn ignored him. He growled
under his breath and turned away, making his unsteady way further up the roof.

Muse: at 4:04 PM

Roddy craned his neck to watch this 'Finch' person go.
Didn't seem too happy. "Oh we killed Ripley but there were lots of puppets
coming so we came to hide out here," he said distractedly. "Why are
you here? Shouldn't you be- I dunno- somewhere not so infested?" he asked,
gesturing at the crowd of puppets below.

Izzy: at 4:08 PM

Jonn shrugged. "I mean, the whole city's pretty much
like this. We've been doing all right so far." He paused, thinking. They'd
killed Ripley? He didn't like Ripley, but he'd thought that all of them did.
Roddy seemed pretty unfazed about it, though. It'd be interesting to dig into
that further, but Finch was going to get even more annoying if Jonn kept him
waiting.

"Anyway." He looked past Roddy into the warehouse,
but couldn't see anything. "Listen, is that tiefling still working with
you guys? Not the captain, the other one. Larkin. She safe?"

Muse: at 4:14 PM

"Oh yeah, nobody in the party's dead at least,"
Roddy said. "Goro got hosted though. We're gonna kill Diva tomorrow
though, should get him back then." Roddy could feel splinters biting into
his palms as his grip on the windowsill tightened. His voice had gotten higher
as he'd mentioned the upcoming Diva-fight. "Maybe you should- not come in
though. I think everyone's still mad."

Izzy: at 4:19 PM

Jonn tilted his head. He'd gotten so out of the loop since
they'd taken the ship offshore and he hadn't been able to spy on them anymore.
Killed Ripley, gotten Goro hosted, apparently going to kill Diva. He hadn't
known that was even an option.

He hissed up at Finch, and while his partner was making his
way back down to the window, he said, "Oh, yeah, I didn't wanna come in.
We're not friends with the Bashas anyway." He grinned, a little too
toothily. "And I guess I'm not friends with you guys, either. Except you.
I'm glad you're not mad at me, anyway. You get it, right?"

Muse: at 6:49 PM

"Uh, not really?" Roddy admitted. "No one-
really explained to me what was going on. Just- uh- everyone got mad at you.
And Goro said not to talk to you any more." Oh right. Goro had said that.
Roddy glanced back into the warehouse, considering. Goro had good advice.
Sometimes. Okay you know, considering Goro was now sitting in a basement, host
to a hivemind, and that was kinda his own fault, Roddy was thinking it was
probably all right if he ignored Goro's advice.

Izzy: at 7:00 PM

"Oh. I figured --." Figured they'd have all turned
on him. Maybe Hansel had stopped them.

Jonn shifted, crossing his legs under him. Finch joined them
and he hastily signed to him in thieves cant, She's safe, before turning back
to Roddy.

"I made a deal with that Diva thing, you know?" he
said. "'Cause of fucking Mishka. I had to keep him from hurting Dad any
more -- Hansel, I mean. And I couldn't do it by myself." He hesitated.
"You know what happened last time, I almost fuckin' died. And so did Dad.
Diva said she would make Mishka suffer, so --." He shrugged. "I didn't
know she was going to use him to firebomb everyone and shit. I'm just trying to
protect Dad. That's -- I mean, since I'm not around, you can help with that,
right?" he asked, leaning forward.

Muse: at 7:10 PM

Mishka. Right. Roddy should- really really not mention that
they'd gotten him unhosted. "Yeah, uh, I get that," he said
cautiously. "Um. I'll do my best. Just uh. Diva's- really strong. And-
well- just look at all those." Roddy gestured down at the puppets milling
around. "Wouldn't- wouldn't be surprised if none of us made it," he
said, flashing a quick, shaky grin.

You know. It was curious though. Had- anyone bothered to ask
Jonn his side of the story here? Protecting Hansel- well if Roddy was going to
make a deal with Diva for anything, that would be a good cause. Sure it
backfired terribly but- Roddy doubted Jonn expected this outcome. He knew Goro
hadn't.

Izzy: at 7:39 PM

Huh. Jonn tried to figure out what Roddy's reaction might
imply about how well Hansel was taking the whole thing, but it was too
complicated. Hansel must be ... okay? Maybe -- maybe he would have been okay
anyway, without Jonn doing anything. Maybe he wasn't as attached to Mishka as
Jonn had thought.

He chewed his lip. Maybe this had all been a mistake.

Then he brushed it off. Useless to think about it now. He
gave Roddy another grin. "I'd help but -- I think people might shoot me
again. Kinda defeats the purpose." He thought for a second. "I dunno.
Is there anything I can do, d'you think? To help you and Dad?"

Muse: at 7:44 PM

"Um," Roddy tried to think, was there anything
Jonn could do to help? Wait- "You know Goro thinks- thought- whatever,
it's- possible that Diva is still- able to see and hear the things you
do," Roddy told Jonn. "I'm a little lost on the why's but- Goro
studied magic I just sing and things blow up," he said with a shrug.
"So uh, maybe I shouldn't tell you too much, might get back to Diva."

Izzy: at 7:52 PM

Jonn blinked. "Yeah, that's smart. I didn't know
that."

Roddy was being ... weird. Didn't fit with what Jonn had
noticed about him before. Something had changed. In Jonn's experience, when
people started treating him differently, it meant he'd done something wrong. He
tried to figure out what that might've been -- he hadn't been able to do
anything with Roddy since the last time they'd seen each other, and things had
been fine then.

"Did you guys ever go the Sanctuary of Eldath?" he
probed. "Or, I mean, don't tell me because of the Diva thing if you think
that's better." Maybe Luci had said something.

Behind him, Finch muttered, "We should fucking
go."

Muse: at 8:03 PM

Roddy hesitated a moment, thinking it over. But really, the
information seemed pretty harmless. "Um. Yeah. I met Luci! She's nice, I
like her. We threw swords in a lake." Oh right. Jonn didn't know Hansel
was Dad for Roddy too. ...You know Roddy didn't really want to tell him that
either. Made his stomach feel funny.

Roddy shot a glance at Finch. He probably had a point, but
everything was going okay so far. "If your worried about falling you could
just go hang out back there further," he offered helpfully. "Probably
don't have to worry about getting hurt, but the puppets and all."

Izzy: at 8:18 PM

There was some hesitation there, but Jonn didn't have enough
information to guess what it was over. Luci was probably fine, though, or Roddy
wouldn't know about the thing with the lake. They'd prayed together then. He
liked that.

Finch scowled in response and Jonn swatted at him, then
grabbed him to pull him closer and put an arm around his shoulders. "Be
fuckin' nice to Roddy." To Roddy, he added, "Finch just wanted to
come here to see if Larkin was still alive." (Finch shoved at him, but not
hard on to get away.) "I'm glad you were here though. I miss hanging out
with you on the ship and stuff." Again, he considered for a moment.
"Hey, once you guys kill Diva and all, can we meet up again? Dad can find
me. You can come with him." He looked his best approximation of hopeful.

Muse: at 8:28 PM

"I can tell Larkin you dropped- oh no wait actually
that would probably be a bad idea," Roddy started to say. "Well. Uh.
Maybe next time you can actually talk to her. Instead of- doing something
really dramatic again." It had been cool though.

"Yeah, miss you too," Roddy mumbled. "I'll-
mention it. Once Diva's dead. If we're both still alive."

Izzy: at 8:40 PM

"I don't wanna fucking talk to her," Finch
snapped, then looked away sullenly.

Jonn shot him a glare. "I said be fucking nice."

He looked back to Roddy, his fingers tapping against Finch's
shoulder. In his deal with Diva, he'd tried to keep her from being able to hurt
Roddy, but he didn't know if it'd extend this far. He couldn't remember the
exact words. He'd written them down, but then he'd lost his notebook.

"I really hope you don't die," he said bluntly.
"When I made that deal I told Diva not to hurt you, but ... I dunno. Stuff
didn't work out how I planned. I think I made a -- dumb decision," he
admitted. What would Hansel say? (Finch hissed at him as his fingers dug into
his shoulder.) "Be careful. I can come back here tomorrow night and check
on you?"

Muse: at 8:48 PM

Huhwha- Jonn had tried to keep Diva from hurting Roddy? That
was- nicer than he'd expected. Roddy stared blankly for a minute before shaking
his head. Right. Plans For if he survived. He'd been too busy fretting to
consider what he'd be doing.

"Uh. I don't think we're very welcome here. Probably- a
bad place to meet up. Um. Maybe- outside where the Sausage used to be? That's a
more neutral area. Again, assuming, I don't die." Roddy started drumming a
beat into the windowsill. "I really hope I don't die," he said
quietly, staring at the puppets down below.

Izzy: at 9:02 PM

That was perfect -- that was his meeting place with Hansel,
too. Roddy was on the same page as them. Good. Good. Jonn's fingers drummed on
Finch's shoulder again as he smiled. "You'll be okay. Dad'll protect
you." His head tilted again. "He looks at you the same way he looks
at me, y'know?" Same way he looked at Luci. Same way Flynn had looked at
Jonn.

He thought about that fireball again, the scorch marks on
the deck. Mishka could have fucking killed Roddy with that, the way he'd killed
Flynn. Well -- not Mishka, that time. Diva. She hadn't kept her part of the
deal from the start, had she?

"Hey, I really wish I could help you fuckin' kill that
Diva motherfucker," he said brightly. "And if she's listening, I hope
she heard me say that." Maybe that was a bit too much to say to Roddy, but
he wasn't sure anymore.

What would Hansel do? Probably a hug. Jonn didn't know if he
should do that; usually when he hugged people other than Hansel, it made them
uncomfortable. He must be doing it wrong. He reached out awkwardly instead to
pat Roddy's shoulder.

Muse: at 9:12 PM

Roddy let out a wheezy, slightly hysterical laugh. "You
know I kinda wish that too," he said, briefly reaching up to squeeze
Jonn's arm. Maybe- maybe he should share that Dad thing with Jonn. Just- just
in case they never met again?

"Um. Yeah. We've talked- me and Hansel- and- he's kinda
Dad for me too?" Roddy shot a brief glance up at Jonn before looking away.
Hopefully he wasn't going to be jealous. "He's- a good dad."

Izzy: at 9:24 PM

Jonn vibrated a bit in excitement. He knew it. He'd been
right. Hansel wanted more kids, and Jonn already liked Roddy. And Roddy liked
Luci. Maybe after this was over they could just -- all go somewhere that people
didn't want to kill Jonn, and settle down. Hansel would like that. He needed a
rest.

"Yeah, he is. That's good. That's perfect." He
couldn't stop grinning. "So, you're gonna be fine. 'Cause he always takes
care of me, so he'll take care of you."

Muse: at 9:33 PM

Jonn wasn't jealous? Looked more- excited even. That- that
was good. Roddy wasn't sure how to take it, but that was good. Roddy mustered
up a weak smile, the lingering thought still in the back of his mind that maybe
Hansel wouldn't be able to take care of him this time. Or Roddy wouldn't be
able to take care of Hansel. Or- too many bad thoughts. Don't think about
those.

"Yeah. And- you- you stay safe till Diva's dead okay?
Or- if we um- if in twenty four hours things haven't got better around here you
should both do your best to get out of Skyport. Not that it'll matter in the
long run."

Izzy: at 9:47 PM

Weird. No one had ever told him to stay safe apart from
Hansel. Jonn shrugged. "I mean, I'll go where the guild sends me, I
guess." He glanced at Finch, who shrugged back at him, then lightly said,
"But I'll see you tomorrow. Don't worry about it."

That was what Hansel would say. Don't worry about it. It'll
be fine. We'll be fine. I'll take care of it. He was running out of things to
say, but Hansel said the same shit a lot, and it did always make him calm down.
He was sure Hansel had already said all this to Roddy, though. (That was good.
That was really, really good.)

His fingers dug into Finch a little bit again, and Finch
finally brushed him off completely. "We need to fuckin' go, Jonn."

Jonn rolled his eyes. "It's not gonna get any fuckin'
darker, Finch." He grinned at Roddy again, then impulsively leaned in to
quickly hug him, one-armed, around the neck. "Take care of Dad, okay? I
gotta get this motherfucker back to his panic room."

Muse: at 10:07 PM

This was an awkward angle to hug from, so Roddy just stuck
to patting Jonn's arm. "Yeah, I bet Larkin would be glad that you're not
dead," Roddy said to Finch. "Just- be careful." Which he'd
already said but. "Don't wanna lose anyone."

Izzy: at 10:17 PM

"Don't tell her you saw me," Finch grumbled.

Jonn rolled his eyes again. So paranoid. He pushed himself
up and backed away from the window, pulling Finch along. "You should
probably close the window before the Bashas see you or anything. Those people
are fuckin' vicious. We'll stay safe. You -- do the same."

He didn't really want to leave, but he knew it would be
better for all of them if he did. Hansel was so close. And it had been such a
long time. And he really had missed Roddy -- even if Roddy was different now. Had
to be his dad's influence. Hansel had made him different, too. Better,
probably.

He backed up a few more feet and waved before looking out
across the dark rooftops, grabbing Finch's hand and plotting a safe course back
to the bunker.

[end]