lieutenantantichrist | [8] Video/Action for Goldenrod, backdated to around the 9th

[Jail is fucking boring.]

[They'd stuck Blake in a cell for a while until they figured out something about community service. It was a lot faster than back in the real world, but even crazy bullshit island has red tape. Blake's not sure whether that's nostalgic or not.]

[Cells are the same everywhere, too. He's never been on this side before. The novelty wears off fast.]

[He wishes he had a ball to bounce against the wall or something. They didn't even leave him any of his animals for company. Maybe that's a good thing. He doesn't know how he's going to explain this to Steve.]

[There's nothing but a book, and there's only so much anybody can take of The Dratini Code.]

[Blake leans back on the hard bunk and tosses his phone in one hand. When he got in here the one thing he was sure of was that he didn't want to talk to anybody, but nothing weakens that conviction like a couple hours alone with the hot, uneasy feeling in the back of his head.]

[He flips the phone open before he can think about it too much and says the first thing that comes to mind.]

[The face that comes up on the screen will look a lot less combative and more withdrawn than usual.]

Hey.

You think they have the Shawshank Redemption around here?

Maybe with one of those stupid puns in the title, and he digs his way out with one of those mole things. A little tiny one for finding rocks.

Seems like everything around here is like back home but turned the local kind of stupid. Do they even make any real original movies?

[In the crappy florescent lights shared by jails everywhere, the lines on his face look deep and weathered.]

I'm tired of nothing but the same old thing.

((OOC: Open for calls and visitors! Blake's in jail for punching Parker, but you don't have to broach the topic if you don't want to. He's not real proud of himself, so he'll pussyfoot around it unless asked directly. If you definitely don't want it to come up, just put in an OOC note.))

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[He sounds like he has.]

[Blake takes the cards and fans them out, barely seeing them. His hands are on autopilot.]

[If somebody hurt Jayden he wouldn't give a damn, maybe shake their hand, but other partners he's had...]

[Yeah, he'd go out swinging for revenge.]

[There's only one thing to ask.]

Is he dead?

Yeah.

...didn't get to kill'im. But he's dead.

[Double Kings. Awesome. He raises.]

I tried to take him down myself the first time.

Nearly cost the mission...and my life.

[Does that still leave a bad taste in his mouth.]

Learned a tough lesson.

[His voice grates, but there's something honest there.] At the end of the day, that's what matters.

They're dead and they can't fuck with anybody else.

[Blake has a hand full of nothing, but he meets him. Bluffing's not hard when you're too busy thinking of something else for it to register in your head or on your face.]

What'd that be?

...don't go in with your feelings.

[Rude goes all in. He's feeling really good about this hand.]

I got mad. Thought I'd show him what happens when you mess with one of us.

...didn't really stop to think it through enough. I had a job and a junior under me; once I went down, I jeopardized the mission.

Could've cost a whole lot more than my pride and a few bruises.

Could've got my junior killed.

...just...wasn't the right time or thing to do at that point.

[Blake makes a low, hoarse, guttural sound that might've been born the same species as a laugh.] Yeah, keeping a cool head. That's what everybody says.

Thinking things through, letting your head go against your gut...

[Blake taps his cards against the table.]

If I'd done that, maybe this case would've turned out different.

But it turned out how it turned out. Same thing with yours. Your buddy isn't dead, and now you know better.

Mine...hell. I could've been smarter, but it wouldn't have changed anything important.

[Nothing would change who the killer was, or that Blake wouldn't have found him in a million years.]

[He lays his cards down. Nothing.]

Maybe there's a reason people say it all the time.

...it doesn't change the past.

But it can change your present. And your future.

[Hmm...that didn't come out as nice as he thought it'd would. He tries again:]

What I'm trying to say is...you made mistakes. Don't make'em again. It's not easy, but what's important is the trying. And the more you try, the better you get.

You weren't smart. But you can get smart, if you want to.

The future, huh.

[Blake flicks his thumb over the edge of the cards in the deck.]

I haven't thought about that much. It wasn't looking real good, back in the real world. Here? Who knows.

[He huffs out a breath, looking down at the table. He wants to say he could do that.]

I'm an old, old dog. Not easy to learn new tricks.

It's not easy. But it's possible. It depends how much you want it.

[His head rolls to the side.]

One thing's obvious. Whatever I'm doing, it's not working.

[It takes a lot out of him to admit that.]

That's a first step. To admit that. That's good.

Now, take the next step.

What are you going to do?

Hell if I know.

Maybe...just hang back and think things over for a while.

[The idea of stopping and thinking is strange and alarming to Blake.]

Take as long as you need.

[It sounds like a big step outside of Blake's comfort zone. And the older you get, the harder it is to change your ways. Rude can't imagine being confronted to stop fighting. That'd...that'd be impossible, unless there was a damn good reason for it.

Rude gathers, shuffles and cuts the cards. Probably going to be their last round; one of the guards gives him a curt nod to remind him. Rude nods back in return and starts to deal.]

[the corner of his mouth twists] Might be a while.

[Blake's world has been shaken up a lot, and it's not going back to normal. He could reappear in the streets of Philadelphia tomorrow and he still wouldn't be the same man. It's time he faced that.]

[The last hand gives him a lot to think about.]

[In the end, it doesn't matter who wins or loses that last match.

One final game later, and Rude pockets the cards. Who would've guessed that Blake could've pulled that hand out of nowhere? Rude's slightly amused at his own mistake of underestimating Blake, but it could've just been luck working against him. Standing up, he offers a handshake through the bars, ignoring the sharp warning from the officer nearby.]

Take care of yourself, Blake. I'll see you when you're out.

[Blake takes his hand in a firm grip, though for once he doesn't try to do that thing where you squeeze too hard to show you're tough. Rude could probably dislocate his arm anyway. The man can throw a punch.]

[They always complain about touching. Blake has a good sense if how much you can get away with before the officer on duty feels obliged to get off their ass, learned from the other way around.]

See you around.

[He lets go and steps back. Something comes into his head, something odd. A thing that doesn't often come out of his mouth.]

[Ah, to hell with it.]

Thanks.

Hmm.

[One last quick nod and he's off. He's actually not too sure if he'll see Blake in awhile but things have a funny way of turning out. And the truth is that while they're far from friends, Rude is slightly concerned about the man's well being. Just his weekly quota of corporate social responsibility, he supposed, even if he's technically not working for Shinra at the moment.

Hopefully things will turn out OK for the guy.]

[8] Video/Action for Goldenrod, backdated to around the 9th

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