I made my way back one snail's step at a ti. Figured after everything that's happened, a bit of a breather would do much good - and what better way there to unwind than with a literal stroll through the park on the way back?
Unsurprisingly, I wasn't the only one who needed a second. There wasn't a single conversation piece I've inadvertently overheard that didn't talk about the award-winning stage performance in the sky.
Everyone was intoxicated, drunk with astonishnt so deep and poignant, the twinkle and shine in their eyes a far ways away from any form of sobriety to point that - say, if a unicorn suddenly appeared out of thin air, rainbows, horns and all, I doubt that poor horse could even garner a fraction of the interest that Ria had build up.
Case in point - a drone horse was now trampling and frolicking across the barren night sky with its buzzing hooves and yet so poor diligent programr's piece of code went mostly ignored by the masses.
Personally, I liked it. Reminded a little bit of Lyn, and terribly at that. Co to think of it, I'm way overdue for a visit. When I find the ti, whenever the hell that happens, should properly start acting the part of a proper steed owner and take her out for a proper gallop.
"Your hair's a bit longer."
I felt my right foot push and sink into a small mound of snow, and that's where I stopped moving - feeling it dip still deeper and deeper.
"Might be wrong - probably am. All's I'm saying is you look a touch bit different from the last ti we saw each other."
You ever just hear soone's voice and no matter how far, no matter how garbled, and especially no matter how toad-like and goblin-y it sounded, you just know who was who imdiately?
A little off the beaten path, on a snow-sooted bench surrounded by crumpled cans and discarded confetti, sat a lone, round-bellied figure gowned in a badly-stained apron and a funny little hat. He had the mood and look of after-work fatigue, a dimly lit cigar hanging loose between his fingers on one side, and a cold can of beer on the other. A little further by his side, a plastic bag of leftovers swayed and rustled in the wind.
The standard trite and true redies for the ailnt currently putting him under.
"Or maybe you just got fatter," He continued speculating, croaking, his broad neck swelling as he blew out a thick, puffy cloud of pollution. "Yeah, probably that."
Would have dearly preferred living the rest of my life without ever having to speak to him again - but as with most other desires, apparently that was just simply far too much to ask for.
Suffice it to say, debt collectors don't make much for tender reunions.
"And you haven't changed at all," I replied, snowbound in place, wondering if it was wise or even worth it to approach him. "But not really saying much for soone I hardly know at all. Maybe it's better that way."
"Aw, co on," he said, parting open his lips and revealing a rather incomplete set of yellow teeth. "Let's not go ahead and make the past sothing personal. It isn't, wasn't - whatever was between you and I - it was all purely for the sake of business."
"Money's one thing, but like hell I'm gonna let you rob about the way I should feel about things too. I'm perfectly content here hating you forever, thank you."
With that, I began to turn the other way. Enough strolling, enough hanging back. I'm pretty sure I gave the both of them enough of a head start already anyway.
But of course, since when do surprise unpleasant encounters ever turn out to be anything except quick and brief?
He opened his mouth again, and said a little louder, a little clearer. "I was asleep, you know?"
An ambiguous sentence that could an absolutely anything, yet it was just the right amount of ambiguity that I didn't need to question what he ant. He wasn't talking about just any deep sleep here.
This ti it was my left foot that got snagged in a shallow puddle of snow - keeping in place.
"That day, that rain," He said, confirming my suspicion. "I honestly don't rember much from it at all. One mont, weird goo started falling out from the sky, next thing I knew I was in a hospital bed with the boss standing over . Apparently, I was out for a couple of days. By the ti I was up, the rain was gone. Said it was you that woke up - probably saved my life too at that."
I couldn't get a read on his expression, and inversely, I do hope he couldn't get a read on mine. I'd have thought a head honcho mob guy would know a thing or two about discretion rather than snitching out my otherworldly activities to his subordinates… even if it was to put up on a pedestal or whatever the hell that man was thinking blabbing to him about this.
Don't really need more people knowing about the things I do on the side.
"You believe him?" I asked, playing it straight.
"Boy, he could call you the second coming Jesus Christ, and I'd believe him. The boss ain't soone you go second-guessing. So if he said you did it, you did it, and if you did do it… then this is where business starts getting a little bit personal, I suppose."
"Personal?"
"Yeah," He leaned out of his seat, straightening out his posture, raising himself up the few inches that he could. "Thank you."
Alright, a lot of weird things have happened tonight, that, no one can deny - but this probably takes the cake. I know those eyes, that condescending squint I'd always see weekly staring back at through the other side of my doorway. Heartless, apathetic, perhaps even a bit entertained at my expense, ti and ti again.
Those eyes were gone now; without them, he looked almost normal - hell, he actually looked kinda grateful, and compared to flying phoenixes and rainbow unicorns, this man's got them both beat in the shock departnt.
"Don't know what you did, and I get the feeling you won't tell either even if I got you tied out back in a trunk…" He said, and briefly, I had to wonder if I was being threatened here or not. "But at the very least… can't really look at you now knowing you saved my ass and not doing anything about it."
If I'm rembering my mories right, Blightfall had a stronger effect on those particularly vulnerable to Death itself - whatever that ans. Ria, Ash, Adalia, her sister… even Amanda's mom's included in that roll call too. And now here's another na to add on to that ever-expanding list.
Not sure if I heard it from soone, or maybe I just assud it - but when I hear the word vulnerable, I'm guessing it ans anyone that had a lot of experience with death and dying, and if that's really the case, then I only gotta wonder here…
What was this guy's experience?
"Don't ntion it," I said, not really knowing what else to say. "Don't feel too obligated to be grateful either. Not like I did what I did to save you in particular. It was just - "
"Your business?" He said, his brows rising. "Nothing personal?"
"Exactly."
"Well, you ain't gonna rob either," He told simply, smirking adamantly. "How I feel is how I feel. So let's just all agree to disagree, agreed?"
I shrugged. "Fine by ."
Then silence. Awkward silence. The kind you just kinda walk away from. Which, yeah, I should really…
"Boss already left a little while back. Had to take care of so business."
Nevermind. Not sure why he was telling this. Wasn't even wondering to begin with.
"The first day - only just a couple of hours into the new year and he's already working?" I asked.
He puffed on his cigar, readjusting the hat on his head before it slipped. "Well, you know how it is."
Actually, not really, no.
"Anyway, he intended to see you again before he went, but then you went off to God knows where so that's unfortunate."
"What for?"
"No particular reason," He said. "Just says you're interesting - and if you know him well enough, that's plenty reason enough."
Boy, do I…
"He also said if I happen to see you around to give you his best. It's a new year, new beginnings, and here's hoping there might be one between you both too - so he says, anyway."
Coming from him, and especially in such a gruff, raspy tone, all I could hear was him issuing an ominous warning… or a promise. Maybe if I hadn't already heard that sa tone be used to threaten to break down my door or even break sothing worse I'd be able to take the ssage as intended.
Regardless, I tried my best to do just that.
"ssage delivered and ssage acknowledged - thanks, I guess," I said, throwing the quickest, stiffest smile. "Um, kindly give my best to him too."
For so reason, that got him heavily heaving out, chuckling in silence. He shifted a little, the old rickety bench struggling to accommodate his attempts at comfort.
"Boss ain't the only one hoping, you know?" He grunted with a smile, then, tucking his cigar between his lips, started rifling through his little bag. "Hope you're fast."
Thank God the fireworks hadn't stopped firing yet. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have seen him throw sothing at . I reached my hands out just in ti to prevent an impromptu concussion and imdiately felt the chill of cold tal hit my palms.
A can of beer. Of course.
I glanced back forward, and he's shifted in place once again. This ti with one thrust high in the air, his head tilted up with the broadest grin looking back at .
"To us!" He loudly declared before taking a big finishing sip.
And whether or not I agree or disagree with that, it didn't matter. Can't really back out of a cheer.
Universal rule.
I cracked open the can, and raised it right back.
"To us," I said, instantly downing the bitter buzz.
Before all of this, I'd be locked up and committed before you ever catch sharing a beer with this particular guy.
After all the extortion, stress, and countless social calls, I should really ought to be closer to spitting on him than raising a glass to him.
Whatever - new year, new beginnings, right? It wasn't personal anyway.
The fingers crossed behind my back shouldn't be personal as well.
"Off back ho, then?" He said after a mont of silence.
I burped. "Pretty much."
"Ah, then don't let keep ya," He said, scooting off with a wave. "Even superheroes need their rest too, yeah?"
I'm… not gonna read too much into that remark.
Slowly, I turned around again, walking a few paces, thinking it was probably all over.
Then he called out to again, an amused grin rippling through his echoes.
"Any chance I might drop by your place again for a visit? You know, for old ti's sake."
Ah, a joke. First ti I ever heard him crack one. At least one that wasn't an-spirited anyway.
I continued to just walk away - for the first ti, holding back a snort and a smile in his presence.
"Yeah, you wish."
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