Part Two: The Partner

[lestercraft]

Who: Arthur Lester (lestercraft) & John Doe(dies_irate)
What: Catching John up/ catch all for December
When: All month!
Where: Arthur's apartment, other places available
Warning(s): Discussion of Malevolent s5

Comments

For John

[lestercraft]

The inside of Arthur's apartment is a modest affair, mostly a lounge with a hallway and some smaller offshoot rooms; but the dominant item in the lounge, besides a small bureau, is an upright piano pushed into the corner, bracketing a huge window overlooking the downtown square.

"It's not much, but." He looks back at John with a soft smile. "Get comfortable, make yourself at home. Feel free to do whatever you want here."

Re: For John

[dies_irate]

John will look around curiously, the piano getting an obvious double look before he pointedly doesn't look at Arthur. Then he'll start peering through the doorways, though he stays in the hallway.

"Like what?"

Re: For John

[lestercraft]

"I don't know, er- look around, familiarise yourself with it." He steps into the room fully, tugging John in a little more. "You live here now, so you can explore every inch of it. If you find- I-I don't know, items you like, or, or a hobby you want to pursue, we can make space for it."

Re: For John

[dies_irate]

John floats in, but it's clear he doesn't... know what he's supposed to do.

He lives here now? What does that mean? Items? He doesn't have anything. Hobbies?

"Do you... I-is there a bookshelf?"

Re: For John

[lestercraft]

"Oh, er- yes, I dragged it into my bedroom, actually, it was easier with the lamp there."

And true to his word there's a few scrapes on the floor leading from the lounge into the hallway, and Arthur leads him to the furthest bedroom. It's small and tight, moreso with the waist-high shelves tucked into the corner, and admittedly it's a little sparse.

"There's not much just yet, unfortunately, b-but I'm friends with the man who owns the print shop here, so we can certainly go and get more later."

Re: For John

[dies_irate]

"All right," he says, still clearly off kilter. Arthur is clearly being hospitable but it's all...

"The print shop makes... books. Right. And there's one just downstairs." He looks back at the door. "Do you have a detective partner?"

Re: For John

[lestercraft]

"Ah- no no, no." He moves past John to sit on the bed, so he doesn't feel like he's forbidden from coming in and poking around. "But then, I also didn't have my partner, either. Didn't quite feel right doing it with anyone else. You know I don't trust easily."

Re: For John

[dies_irate]

John has no idea what he's allowed. It's never been an issue. Where Arthur went, he went. He was where Arthur's body was. Everything's confused now.

...he's not even sure if Arthur's talking about him or Parker. He hates that. And he's not sure he wants to ask.

"Oh. Um. Well, if you need any help. I, uh... I do... i-intend to get a job. The mayor said that they needed people."

Re: For John

[lestercraft]

...perhaps that was too subtle. In John's defence, he wasn't much less overwhelmed when he arrived first, either.

"John, I meant you." He shifts up the bed. "Look, come and have a seat for a moment. I can't imagine how much this all must be for you."

Re: For John

[dies_irate]

As soon as he's invited, he sits on the bed, the tentacles and smoke splaying out along the ground. One might gently coil towards his foot but draw back when he realizes what he's doing. Then he looks to Arthur and nods.

"R-right. Of course! Yes. We're partners. I'm your partner." He sounds a little more solid now. "I'm just-"

He shakes his head.

"I don't... know how to do this. Any of this. Having... a job. A-and hobbies." A pause. "...I don't suppose they have films here."

Re: For John

[lestercraft]

"Unfortunately we predate them a little here."

He can see the way John's layers of coils keep pulling away from him, so he decides to just - bridge the gap, and he lifts a hand to take John's.

His right in John's left.

"We'll work it out," he says softly. "I'll teach you. W-whatever you need to know, everything you're curious about. Just like always." And he squeezes his hand gently.

Re: For John

[dies_irate]

The hand is clawed but it is, at least, a hand. The pure black fingers make Arthur's look pale in comparison, but the size difference isn't that bad. Arthur has pianist's hands, after all.

He nods. Then nods again, determined.

"A-and I'm going to help. I'm going to be useful." Not a parasite. And not... not a problem. No more lying to Arthur. No more- none of that shit. No more.

"Is there- I mean, is there work to do now?"

Re: For John

[lestercraft]

"Not at the moment, no. Currently I've just been gathering data on the beings in charge of the barrier, anything I can learn about the people in charge of this place, that sort of thing. Trying to get the bigger picture."

John's hand is so strange, and he holds it in both hands while he's talking, just curiously exploring it as a distraction.

"I actually finished my other job earlier today, it's- the reason I can afford this apartment, mostly, I've- been here for nearly a month now, actually."

For Valdis

[lestercraft]

It's a brief call on the sending stone - asking to talk to him, giving him a location - that has him coming by Valdis's office. He's seen the enforcers around, as a group, but he's not used to them yet, and he can't help being a little tense as he comes into the building, straight-backed and professional, with his satchel held against his side with one hand as he tries to look subtly around for Valdis.

Re: For Valdis

[dies_irate]

Perhaps it's comfortably normal again for the voice to speak in the back of his head.

And you're sure this is... safe?

Re: For Valdis

[lestercraft]

Comfortable, sure, but bizarre when he can still see and use his left hand. But his mumbling goes largely disregarded by the busyworking around them.

"It's certainly our best shot so far. Getting an in with the police is important for a PI, as well. It means we have someone to vouch for us if things go wrong."

Re: For Valdis

[dies_irate]

... go wrong like *how*?

After all, the city leadership certainly knows there's a problem. Death isn't working!

Re: For Valdis

[lestercraft]

"Mostly it's a means of making sure we have people who believe us when we say we found a crime scene looking the way it is already," he comments dryly. "And permission to interact with it without being arrested for interfering with anything."

Re: For Valdis

[dies_irate]

Why would we get arrested for *finding* it?

John has a very rudimentary idea of how crime works, even now. Sure, Noel was a detective. Sure he'd investigated crimes. But none of the particulars had really been explained to him.

[redlightgreenlight]

"I mean, I can sense a lie, so if you did just find it, I would know."

Valdis appears from behind them, regarding Arthur with curiosity.

"Though I didn't realize you were bringing a friend."

[lestercraft]

Arthur whips around at her voice, the too-fast spin of someone expecting to be stabbed, but when he sees Valdis he stills again - certainly not relaxing, but much more at ease.

"He's my investigative partner. If I'm going to be your consultant, we're a package deal." It's not a threat, just a simple statement of fact. "John, this is Valdis. Valdis - John Doe."

[dies_irate]

...you did that on purpose, didn't you?

If she could hear him, she was going to hear him. The voice is only a little annoyed, but it doesn't last for very long. There's a little huff, then a mental inhale before-

I've only recently arrived. And where he goes, I go. Like he said.

[redlightgreenlight]

"Yet you didn't mention this when we spoke previously."

She vaguely recalls a John Doe on the Eterna, but this one must not be the same one.

"So was this a test? Or did you simply hope you could slip by without me noticing?"

[lestercraft]

"I didn't know he'd want to come with me," he returns evenly. And it's not a lie, technically: he could have assumed, but he hadn't known.

"He's still working on appearing human, regardless," he adds as well. "That was my idea, to make sure his appearance didn't slip and cause a panic. I assure you, it was nothing personal. Once we're in your office he'll be fine."

[dies_irate]

I'm also *right here*.

You can both hear him, goddammit. Don't act like you can't. If you're going to be a big ol' busy body and listen in, the least you can do is address him directly.