...a surprise? [his voice his a bit small--that's what he thought it would be] You know--hey, how great someone else can be in the line of fire for once so you can do what you feel you need to do without getting hurt.
You were shoved into a wall, and you were bleeding, and you told me that was normal! That that wasn't that much! If that's not that much, what is? A broken arm? A black eye? Both? Worse?
[his voice cracks a bit, and he shuts his mouth with a snap, swallowing, hard, trying to get himself under control. He looks down at his cane. ]
...I'm sorry. I'll tell him we won't be needing his services.
[And Edward feels... awful, when Oswald first speaks up. But... But it's all too much, right now. Oswald was trying to do something nice, he gets that, really he does, and he's trying to make it right, now. Except he's already told someone about him and he can't exactly undo that. And every time he remembers that part, he just feels so hurt and anger is easier and...
He can't. Be here right now.
He has to go clear his head.
So, Edward keeps walking. He does his best to take a deep breath and make his expression neutral, as he reaches the door and walks out.
"Ah. Yeah." [he rubs the back of his neck] "Well...you get that worked out and you're still interested, you gimme a call, okay?" [and he'll hand Edward a card that says "Butch Gilzean" on it, along with a phone number and an email address]
"Because I gotta tell ya, the kinda stuff you're doin' sounds way better that followin' around some guy with too much money and not enough time to spend it."
"Yeah. I mean...." [he shrugs] "They mostly like to go to strip clubs or Vegas and just drink and do drugs. That's about it. Same old, same old, y'know?"
"Because it's a job. And I'm paid to do it and keep my mouth shut, so that's what I do. So whatever you gotta do, you do it, and I'd help out and make sure nobody kicks your ass for it.
Your reasons for doing whatever you're doing are your reasons. I'm not here to judge that."
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...a surprise? [his voice his a bit small--that's what he thought it would be] You know--hey, how great someone else can be in the line of fire for once so you can do what you feel you need to do without getting hurt.
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[his voice cracks a bit, and he shuts his mouth with a snap, swallowing, hard, trying to get himself under control. He looks down at his cane. ]
...I'm sorry. I'll tell him we won't be needing his services.
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I'm going out.
[And he turns around, starting to walk out of the living room.]
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....okay.
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He can't. Be here right now.
He has to go clear his head.
So, Edward keeps walking. He does his best to take a deep breath and make his expression neutral, as he reaches the door and walks out.
...Is. Butch still there?]
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[Edward slows to a halt. He'd... kind of forgotten. But of course Butch would still be there...]
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I don't like someone going behind my back.
[So. It's not so much the concept (partially, sure, but) as it is. Well. Oswald.]
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"Because I gotta tell ya, the kinda stuff you're doin' sounds way better that followin' around some guy with too much money and not enough time to spend it."
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...Does it, really.
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Your reasons for doing whatever you're doing are your reasons. I'm not here to judge that."
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[He doesn't know what to feel or think about that right now. His capacity to do either of those is kind of reaching its limit, honestly.]
Well--
[He's interrupted, though, by the sudden flickering of the lights in the hallway. Does that happen in a building this nice...?]
Oh, for...
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"....huh. Power surge?"
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[And one of the lights actually shatters.]
Tantrum.
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"...tantrum. Alright."
[he glances at Edward, then]
"And how exactly do we make the tantrum stop?"
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