IC Contact - Duplicity

[understood]

username: Cst.B.Fraser

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[scarrystories]

Okay, I'm listening.

[understood]

Apparently, the son of the neighbourhood mob boss used one rather brutally as a weapon against one of his schoolmates when they were kids, and he was, understandably, too intimidated to step in. It stayed with him even as a grown man.

And then—well. A few years ago, another friend of ours was killed, and most of the involved parties were convinced it was at the hand of said childhood nemesis.

[scarrystories]

... were they right?

[understood]

No.

[scarrystories]

[ Fucking Cops. Not that he knows for sure it's cops, but he's making an educated guess. ]

Okay, so your friend went after this basketball nemesis?

[understood]

I can't prove that. He may have only been trying to protect the man's sister, for whom he had feelings. Regardless, there was a confrontation between him, the nemesis, and the true perpetrator of the bombing that killed Louis.

[scarrystories]

Where were you in all of this?

[understood]

Investigating the real perpetrator and then trying to stop my best friend from causing a confrontation.

[scarrystories]

He got someone killed, didn't he? Your friend?

[understood]

[ Fraser stares at him in disbelief and wordless accusation, like, really? You're really going to go there? ]

[scarrystories]

Sorry, sorry. I just... I'll be quiet.

[understood]

[ It's not that Fraser consciously decides to give Andy the silent treatment. He's aware that's unproductive. But he finds himself too angry to speak. None of the words crowding into his head are kind or helpful or even on topic. So he says nothing, staring silently at the counter. ]

[scarrystories]

[ That's fair. Andy knows he fucked up, so he's just gonna drink his tea and wait this out. ]

[understood]

[ After several long minutes, Fraser masters himself enough to speak up again, tone even. ]

I hardly think it's helpful to assign blame in the case of an accident, but if we must, I was equally as responsible. My friend didn't fire on anyone. He tried to escort the sister out of the house. The bomber tried to shoot the brother. I prevented him. The brother then tried to shoot my friend, but missed, and killed his sister instead.

[scarrystories]

[ It's always the cop's fault, he doesn't say. He just leans back and nods. ]

[understood]

[ Fraser gets up abruptly. ]

I'm going for a walk.

[scarrystories]

All right, I'll see you later.

[ He apologized, Ben drove in the 'don't assign blame' thing. They can just cool off and never talk about it again. ]

[understood]

[ Fraser doesn't come back all day, but he texts around supper time: ]

I won't be back tonight. I've booked a hotel.

[scarrystories]

Come back home, I'll take the hotel.

[understood]

No, thank you. I'm here already.

[scarrystories]

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make things difficult. I didn't think about what I was saying and I regretted it the second I did.

[understood]

[ There's some typing/not typing, and then a voice call comes through. ]

[scarrystories]

[ He picks up even though text was easier. ]

[understood]

Hi, Andy.

[ His voice is soft, and sounds tired. ]

[scarrystories]

Hey. Come home? I promise I won't be an asshole.