Aftermath

[madimpossibledreamer]

(I know it’s not perfect re: text messages, but it occurred to me that I might want to be screen-reader friendly. I very well might put it as an alternate version in the extras that this series will have because it happens with my series regularly with or without my permission. My muses just do things at this point. The times might be useful but I can’t make it look okay with just the straight-out text, so.)

Main Points:
Assassin's Creed/The Secret World
Summary: Rebecca checks in.
Word Count: 765
Rating: Teen

 

         Desmond’s timing this, and it takes Rebecca forty-five minutes on the dot to text him. Honestly, she probably set a timer of her own. He’s not surprised Shaun didn’t, mostly because Shaun probably has no idea of how to start, doesn’t have much experience apologizing, and might still be making up his mind about whether he should apologize.

Rebecca: so what brought this on

         The train conductor-like guy had expressed surprise, that no one had run off during his little speech before and he hadn’t even had a chance to hand Desmond an ‘anchor to the Hollow Earth’. It looks, vaguely, like an Apple, but he’s not getting any weird temptation-feelings from it. If he stares at it too long, he starts to see how it works, that it connects the point in Agartha (that’s the name of this place, apparently) to wherever he is and pulls him between the two, that it’s bending space and warping time, but it gives him a headache to do that so it’s safely in one of his hoodie pockets (while it’s not white, he has to say he loves the upgrade of zippered inside pockets, because it’s always good to have more places to put things he’s picked up). It’s probably how the keys at that nightclub worked, honestly, but he’s not thinking about that either.
         He’d like to say he’s not brooding, but like Altaïr’s protests to Malik that’s a total lie.
         He’s been avoiding his problems—again—checking out Agartha, even if it gives him a headache. There are branches going everywhere, with more portals every so often, above, below, curving. Traveling along them is actually kind of fun, as you can walk around the little glowy swirly spots and actually walk, or you can actually walk straight into them and be flung to the next stop, which has all the exhilarating thrill of a Leap of Faith. This entire place is giving him a headache, really, but he needs to figure out his next move, and doesn’t want to, so he talked to all the shopkeeps in the main trunk of the tree (some of them take gold bars) and found the auction house and bank here, and it’s packed. Some Bees probably never go back to the hubs. There’s even another hangout spot, but he doesn’t really want to socialize right now, so he just finds a convenient spot on the tree to wedge himself in and stare at his phone.
         He should respond, he knows. Just isn’t sure how. ...Honestly, it’s probably best to go casual, here.

Me: Couple guys down in the park

Me: Probably Dragon? I don’t know I didn’t pay that much attention

Me: the second they said you guys started the crusades as a joke I just started seeing red and didn’t wait for the end

Rebecca: so shit-stirring

Me: Probably

Me: sorry to drag you into this
 

Rebecca: I’m fine. And if you are too, that’s good

Rebecca: Shaun on the other hand is throwing a world-ending temper tantrum

Rebecca: that consists mostly of being a complete and utter shit to anyone who dares look at him

Rebecca: and then complaining about how he’s a complete wanker and will never be loved

Rebecca: You really did a number on him

Me: I’m not staying away forever. Just needed to get away.

Me: I didn’t want to do or say anything we’d all regret

Rebecca: Good

Rebecca: Part of what caught us off guard was you actually caring so much about your bloodline

Rebecca: on account of you escaping the cult and all

Me: I get that I’m a walking contradiction

Me: not everyone I’m related to is a complete bastard

Me: Sadly most of the good ones are long dead

Rebecca: that’s actually not super uncommon sadly

Rebecca: especially if you’re at all into music

Me: why did you have to bring that up

Rebecca: Sorry

Rebecca: Upside is we can suffer together

Me: at least someone understands my pain

Though it’d been a good conversation starter with patrons, sometimes.

Rebecca: Is this why you never wanted to come with me to the Crusades?

Me: Pretty much

         ...Hang on.

 

Me: So uh when you say ‘not being loved’

Rebecca: You were a bartender, how did you not get you have him wrapped around your little finger?

Rebecca: ‘Knowing you’ll come back and knowing you’ll be fine are two different things?’

Rebecca: That was pretty much a love confession, dude!

Me: I don’t like to assume when I’m getting mixed signals

Rebecca: ..You’re a good guy

Me: I try