IC Contact - Duplicity

[understood]

username: Cst.B.Fraser

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[understood]

Hi, Andy.

[ His voice is soft, and sounds tired. ]

[scarrystories]

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

[understood]

... I just called to say that I accept your apology.

[ Which isn't a no, necessarily, he just needs to get it out before he can think about anything else. ]

[scarrystories]

Okay. Thank you.

[understood]

The basketball fell out of the hotel linen closet when I opened it.

[scarrystories]

[ He huffs, god. ]

I love you.

[understood]

I love you, too. I'm sorry I stormed off.

[scarrystories]

You were right to be upset. I'm sorry you didn't get to the actual basketball thing.

[understood]

I thought I had. Did your headband keep following you?

[scarrystories]

No, it stayed in the closet.

[understood]

I must have been thinking of the wrong basketball incident.

[scarrystories]

If it's two separate incidents maybe you do have basketball trauma.

[understood]

The basketball is merely symbolic, I'm quite certain. I enjoy basketball.

[scarrystories]

I'm sorry you're being haunted.

[understood]

Thanks, Andy.

[ There's a pause. ]

... will you think very badly of me if I don't come home tonight?

[scarrystories]

Of course not. Do what you need to.

[ He'll think badly of himself, but that's fine. ]

[understood]

I'm not upset with you anymore, I just—

[scarrystories]

You need a minute. I understand.

[understood]

You don't.

I'm sorry, Andy, but you don't. You're so focused on what we did wrong in the scenario, I don't think you realize you brushed right past the fact that my friend died right in front of me. When I said there was a bomber—

—I saw him. I saw him heading away from the car. I knew there was something wrong. I didn't know what. I tried to stop Louis from opening the door. I was only halfway across the street from him, yelling his name, but he didn't hear me. I was barely ten feet away when the whole thing went up in flames. I had to hold his partner back from throwing himself into the fireball in a futile attempt to save him, knowing it was too late, because I had been too late. I was a pallbearer at his funeral. We played cards together. He wanted to retire and become a comedian. You didn't let me tell you any of that.

[scarrystories]

[ Holy shit. There's an audible gasp, and then he's very quiet for a second. ]

I'm so sorry Ben.

[understood]

It's all right. As I said, I'm not upset with you anymore. It's just that I think I would like to take the night to mourn the loss of my friend without feeling the need to defend his memory.

[scarrystories]

Okay. I'll be here.

[understood]

Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow...?

[scarrystories]

Yeah, I'll make banana pancakes.

[understood]

That sounds great.

... goodnight, then. I love you.