duplicity inbox

[ownperson]

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[bothbarrels]

[ North watches York's reaction with dispassion. This is what they've become, York. ]

I suppose.

[infailtration]

No, you are. She's your sister -- your twin. As someone who's lost their entire family, I'm not gonna watch you two just... I"m not, okay?

[bothbarrels]

[ North looks a bit uncomfortable at that. He doesn't like the implication that he'd lose South out of his own stubbornness, or something. ]

Yeah, okay.

[infailtration]

[ York catches that look and sighs. ]

I'm not judging you, you know. But it takes two people for shit to get like this.

[bothbarrels]

[ North sighs. He knows what York is getting at. ]

I know it does.

[ownperson]

[ South comes back, sets the full glass of water on her bedside table, and frowns a little to herself at the silence; she almost expected to come back to them chattering between themselves.

Whatever. She flops back on the bed, picks her device up again and sighs. ]

Alright. M’back. You two even still fuckin’ there?

[bothbarrels]

[ North unmutes the call. ]

We're here.

[infailtration]

We're here. You doing okay, South?

[ownperson]

M’fine. Just— needed a minute. Didn’t wanna start another argument.

[ Not a first from her perspective, but. ]

[bothbarrels]

Okay. Anja, I want to sit on this for a while. Is that okay?

[ownperson]

[ She bites her tongue to hold back a ‘what, like I could say if it wasn’t?’. Exhales. ]

Like I said before. Following your lead on this. So. Yeah. S’fine, Drew.

[infailtration]

For what my input's worth, I'm glad you guys talked. Keep it up, okay?

[bothbarrels]

We will.

[ At least, he intends to try, and he gets the feeling from the way this went that Anja wants to, as well. ]

I'm going to let you go, okay, Anja?

[ownperson]

[ She wants to. She wants to fix whatever the fuck is wrong with them more than anything. ]

Yeah, okay. Uh. Thanks, York. Sorry you got caught up in this. Talk to you when you're ready, Drew.

[ And then she'll actually hang up herself. She needs a workout, or a nap, or— something. ]

[infailtration]

[ York reaches over to rub North's shoulder encouragingly as the call ends. ]

I don't mind, for the record.

[bothbarrels]

[ North is feeling disconnected and numb; normally, that would earn York a smile. Instead he nods. ]

Thanks.

[infailtration]

[ Yeah, that's not the best reaction. York drops his hand and wonders if he screwed up somewhere along the way but. He did his best. ]

You want me to leave you alone?

[bothbarrels]

I don't know. No?

I think it might be better for me not to be alone, I mean.

[infailtration]

Okay. You just seem.... distant, now.

[bothbarrels]

I feel distant. From myself. From everything.

[infailtration]

You need to talk about it?

[bothbarrels]

Not right now.

Can you just like. Hold me for a while?

[infailtration]

Yeah. Always.

[ He motions for North to scoot over a little bit, so he can lie down. ]

[bothbarrels]

[ He does so, and once York is lying down he lays his head on York's chest, lying down beside him. As promised, he doesn't talk. He concentrates on his breathing, trying to feel more connected than he had been. ]

[infailtration]

[ York will just lay there stroking his hair, for as long as North wants. ]