Mike waits. Mike waits so while he waits he makes lists, because he hates waiting and is trying to process what had happened. Goes through what he has to do tomorrow. What he has to follow up on afterwards, who he's going to tell what and who gets the whole story. If he organizes, if he makes lists and keeps his anxious and proactive side away, he can ignore everything.
He knows Billy goes to his room or out when the shower stops, and so he starts making another list. He lists people to replace Billy, in case he dashes, and he immediately stops once he gets to the sixth person.
He's not selfish. Mike's not so selfish he can just replace something he's broken. Billy is more than a thing, or a dispensable pawn. He's more than his assets--Billy is a person. A normal, if criminal, person. One that Mike suddenly vows not to break as much as he's broken himself.
He knocks on Billy's door. There's no answer, so he opens it--the downstairs rooms were never locked on principal--and doesn't find him there. Briggs is home, though, and Mike knocks on his door, softly. Explains the situation, and asks for advice.
"First of all, don't tell Charlie."
"No, I know, I mean Billy."
"First time?"
Mike thought for a moment. "Yeah, but it's more than that. I don't think he trusts me. I don't blame him."
"He doesn't trust you now that you trust him?" Briggs' eyebrow raised. Not judging, just questioning.
"When we do this, do you notice how none of us look shaken?"
"Armor. We've done it longer than him, Mike."
"No, I mean I'd just...turned it off, simple as that, and Billy was so shaken, so completely overwhelmed--"
"--You're wondering you stopped caring."
"I still care," Mike said softly. "Just not as much as I probably could."
"I think you should talk to him, Mike. That probably spooked him more than the blood thing."
And so Mike listened. He listened and he to the beach. It was the only place he could think of Billy to go, really. Sure enough it was the pier. None of the normal places the house hangs out in, he notices, but another spot. Just near the docks.
He makes a point to make his footsteps known, though he doesn't stomp. Mike's main concern is he'll startle the other--he's dressed in jeans and a hoodie a little too large for him instead of the usual dressed-down way he normally spins things. "Billy," He states a good way away. Takes a moment to hold up two beer bottles as he says it behind Billy, far enough he isn't in arms reach in case he scares the other.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2015-07-20 09:03 am (UTC)He knows Billy goes to his room or out when the shower stops, and so he starts making another list. He lists people to replace Billy, in case he dashes, and he immediately stops once he gets to the sixth person.
He's not selfish. Mike's not so selfish he can just replace something he's broken. Billy is more than a thing, or a dispensable pawn. He's more than his assets--Billy is a person. A normal, if criminal, person. One that Mike suddenly vows not to break as much as he's broken himself.
He knocks on Billy's door. There's no answer, so he opens it--the downstairs rooms were never locked on principal--and doesn't find him there. Briggs is home, though, and Mike knocks on his door, softly. Explains the situation, and asks for advice.
"First of all, don't tell Charlie."
"No, I know, I mean Billy."
"First time?"
Mike thought for a moment. "Yeah, but it's more than that. I don't think he trusts me. I don't blame him."
"He doesn't trust you now that you trust him?" Briggs' eyebrow raised. Not judging, just questioning.
"When we do this, do you notice how none of us look shaken?"
"Armor. We've done it longer than him, Mike."
"No, I mean I'd just...turned it off, simple as that, and Billy was so shaken, so completely overwhelmed--"
"--You're wondering you stopped caring."
"I still care," Mike said softly. "Just not as much as I probably could."
"I think you should talk to him, Mike. That probably spooked him more than the blood thing."
And so Mike listened. He listened and he to the beach. It was the only place he could think of Billy to go, really. Sure enough it was the pier. None of the normal places the house hangs out in, he notices, but another spot. Just near the docks.
He makes a point to make his footsteps known, though he doesn't stomp. Mike's main concern is he'll startle the other--he's dressed in jeans and a hoodie a little too large for him instead of the usual dressed-down way he normally spins things. "Billy," He states a good way away. Takes a moment to hold up two beer bottles as he says it behind Billy, far enough he isn't in arms reach in case he scares the other.