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shinonFandom: LiEat series
Characters: Teobaldo Leonhearts, Neil Masefield, Brett Graves, v minor Iris Ashbery
Word count: ~800
Warnings: Angst, language, and a beatdown.
Notes: The immediate aftermath of the Normal End to game 3.
(...I put everyone's full names in the "characters" field just to revel in HOW FUCKING RIDICULOUS THE NAMES IN THIS SERIES ARE. And that's without even getting to the Rigfire family or Rosalie goddamn Rosemarie)
He came down from the roof stumbling as if drunk, one hand covering his eyes and the other groping along the wall.
He came down from the roof alone.
He stopped at the foot of the stairs, and Neil, not wanting to say the obvious, said nothing. Brett was tense beside him, his teeth bared, but he did not move.
It was Iris who spoke first. “Mr. Leonhearts” - her voice faltered, but she swallowed it - “did you happen to see where the phantom thief went? She’s still my mission, after all. We have to secure the perimeter.”
“Gone,” he said. “She’s gone.”
Brett’s voice cracked like a gunshot across the night: “Like Efina?” Neil put a hand on his arm. “Did you kill them both?”
“Brett.”
“But no, that would be too considerate for you. You killed a dragon child and you still expect us to clean up your loose ends, don’t you?” Silence. “Say it! Say you let the thief escape, you bastard. You dragged a little girl into this and you let her die for nothing. A little girl who trusted you!”
Neil hooked his arm more solidly through Brett’s elbow to hold him back. Without a word of instruction, Iris did the same on the other side. Brett hardly seemed to notice.
Teo lowered his hand from his face. “Can’t argue with that.”
“I should tear you apart. I told her you humans were worthless. I told her you would use her!”
“Yeah. And I told her not to come after me. But I couldn’t protect her.” He narrowed his eyes. “So why didn’t you take her from me when you had the chance? Why didn’t you keep her safe? Was it just to say ‘I told you so?’”
Neil planted his feet and leaned back as Brett tried to lunge. Iris wasn’t so prepared, and stumbled forward. Like a game of crack the whip, Neil thought, but couldn’t manage to be amused. “Vice-Captain Graves,” he said, keeping his voice even, “he’s goading you. Leave him be.”
Brett was shaking. “No. He has to pay.”
“Brett,” Neil said, insistent. “We’re officers of the law. We protect the innocent. How can they trust us to do that if we kill people who aren’t dangerous? We’re here to hunt criminals, not victims.”
“You’re saying I’m not a criminal, Captain?” Teo rummaged listlessly through his coat. “I’m sure I’ve done something tonight you could nail me with. Look, here, I don’t have permits for any of this shit,” and he started pulling out weapons and dropping them, letting them clatter to the tile.
Iris stared down at them. “Grenades? How did you even -” There was a pause as she analyzed them. “You stole these from -”
“Yep. I’m a dangerous man.” He tugged his coat closed and stood up straighter. “And my lies killed Efi.”
Brett melted into the shadows with a wordless snarl. He was behind Teo before Neil had even started to move, and he kicked the human’s knees out, sank back into the dark, came up again in front of him, grabbed him by the hair as he started to fall, hauled him back up and punched him. And again. And again, from every angle, never quite letting him hit the ground. Teo didn’t resist.
Brett was pulling his fist back for another blow when Neil reached them and slapped handcuffs on him. At the touch of steel on his wrists, Brett froze instantly. “I’m sorry,” said Neil. “But you disobeyed a direct order and assaulted a civilian, so I’ll have to take you into custody.” Brett stepped back, wide-eyed. Softer, Neil said, “She made her choice, and we should respect that. This is no way to honor her memory.” He shook his head. “Iris. I know the Vice-Captain won’t run, but please keep an eye on him for a moment.”
“Yes, Captain.”
He knelt and peered down at the heavily bruised pile of humanity that was… Efina’s papa. “Can you stand? The mud is beginning to disintegrate. We’ll be able to return to the city soon and get you medical attention.”
“Don’t need it.”
“I’ve sparred with Brett before. You do.”
Teo ignored him, and only sat hunched over where he had collapsed. “I told her to stay back, and… she didn’t. I can’t save anyone in the end. Just like I failed Cyril. Efi… she said this was what she was born for.” He raised his eyes, just slightly. The lies griming the ceiling and walls were tumbling to the floor, and shattering to dust, and gone. He watched for a moment. In a whisper, hoarse with disgust, he said, “So was this my wish? This?”
He put his head in his hands. Neil left him alone.
Characters: Teobaldo Leonhearts, Neil Masefield, Brett Graves, v minor Iris Ashbery
Word count: ~800
Warnings: Angst, language, and a beatdown.
Notes: The immediate aftermath of the Normal End to game 3.
He came down from the roof stumbling as if drunk, one hand covering his eyes and the other groping along the wall.
He came down from the roof alone.
He stopped at the foot of the stairs, and Neil, not wanting to say the obvious, said nothing. Brett was tense beside him, his teeth bared, but he did not move.
It was Iris who spoke first. “Mr. Leonhearts” - her voice faltered, but she swallowed it - “did you happen to see where the phantom thief went? She’s still my mission, after all. We have to secure the perimeter.”
“Gone,” he said. “She’s gone.”
Brett’s voice cracked like a gunshot across the night: “Like Efina?” Neil put a hand on his arm. “Did you kill them both?”
“Brett.”
“But no, that would be too considerate for you. You killed a dragon child and you still expect us to clean up your loose ends, don’t you?” Silence. “Say it! Say you let the thief escape, you bastard. You dragged a little girl into this and you let her die for nothing. A little girl who trusted you!”
Neil hooked his arm more solidly through Brett’s elbow to hold him back. Without a word of instruction, Iris did the same on the other side. Brett hardly seemed to notice.
Teo lowered his hand from his face. “Can’t argue with that.”
“I should tear you apart. I told her you humans were worthless. I told her you would use her!”
“Yeah. And I told her not to come after me. But I couldn’t protect her.” He narrowed his eyes. “So why didn’t you take her from me when you had the chance? Why didn’t you keep her safe? Was it just to say ‘I told you so?’”
Neil planted his feet and leaned back as Brett tried to lunge. Iris wasn’t so prepared, and stumbled forward. Like a game of crack the whip, Neil thought, but couldn’t manage to be amused. “Vice-Captain Graves,” he said, keeping his voice even, “he’s goading you. Leave him be.”
Brett was shaking. “No. He has to pay.”
“Brett,” Neil said, insistent. “We’re officers of the law. We protect the innocent. How can they trust us to do that if we kill people who aren’t dangerous? We’re here to hunt criminals, not victims.”
“You’re saying I’m not a criminal, Captain?” Teo rummaged listlessly through his coat. “I’m sure I’ve done something tonight you could nail me with. Look, here, I don’t have permits for any of this shit,” and he started pulling out weapons and dropping them, letting them clatter to the tile.
Iris stared down at them. “Grenades? How did you even -” There was a pause as she analyzed them. “You stole these from -”
“Yep. I’m a dangerous man.” He tugged his coat closed and stood up straighter. “And my lies killed Efi.”
Brett melted into the shadows with a wordless snarl. He was behind Teo before Neil had even started to move, and he kicked the human’s knees out, sank back into the dark, came up again in front of him, grabbed him by the hair as he started to fall, hauled him back up and punched him. And again. And again, from every angle, never quite letting him hit the ground. Teo didn’t resist.
Brett was pulling his fist back for another blow when Neil reached them and slapped handcuffs on him. At the touch of steel on his wrists, Brett froze instantly. “I’m sorry,” said Neil. “But you disobeyed a direct order and assaulted a civilian, so I’ll have to take you into custody.” Brett stepped back, wide-eyed. Softer, Neil said, “She made her choice, and we should respect that. This is no way to honor her memory.” He shook his head. “Iris. I know the Vice-Captain won’t run, but please keep an eye on him for a moment.”
“Yes, Captain.”
He knelt and peered down at the heavily bruised pile of humanity that was… Efina’s papa. “Can you stand? The mud is beginning to disintegrate. We’ll be able to return to the city soon and get you medical attention.”
“Don’t need it.”
“I’ve sparred with Brett before. You do.”
Teo ignored him, and only sat hunched over where he had collapsed. “I told her to stay back, and… she didn’t. I can’t save anyone in the end. Just like I failed Cyril. Efi… she said this was what she was born for.” He raised his eyes, just slightly. The lies griming the ceiling and walls were tumbling to the floor, and shattering to dust, and gone. He watched for a moment. In a whisper, hoarse with disgust, he said, “So was this my wish? This?”
He put his head in his hands. Neil left him alone.
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