Deerington IC Inbox

[royalfling]

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[righthemisphere]

.. oh shit, what's going on with Mako? Is he still holding you hostage? Tap the phone twice if it's a yes.

[royalfling]

[ Wu laughs weakly and shakes his head. ]

No. He's not. He-- he's gone. The other Mako. That Mako.

I actually used some of the moves you taught me, to get away from him. Um, if anyone you know starts acting weird, they might have a flower. If you destroy it, they should go away. Poof.

[ He makes a poofing gesture with his hand ]

[righthemisphere]

A flower huh... come to think of it he was totally different.. do I have a flower?

[There's a lot to unpack in what Wu just said. He's so confused but doesn't want to get side tracked and tries to snap back from the tangent.]

No- hey- but that's great. I mean, not that you had to defend yourself but that you did. I'm really proud of you.

[royalfling]

Oh. [ Wu's cheeks flush at the praise, and he smiles again, just a little ]

Thanks. I guess I understand now why you drilled it so many times. Oh! And I ran. Like, really ran. It's paying off.

[righthemisphere]

Hey, see? I told you it would. You're gonna be kickin' ass in no time.

[Very Proud over here!!! Papa Bear isn't exactly right but something alone that line.

God.. god he feels so much better now that they're talking. And yet? So much worse for what happened.

But, he's practiced what he wants to say and so he's gonna say it.]

Hey.. all those things I said to you the other day.. I don't really believe them. I don't think you're a liability. I never have. I was trying to push you away.. I was consumed by this idea that I had to keep Chuck safe and that meant keeping everyone away from him. There's no good excuse but I am so sorry. You're one of my best friends and that was unforgivable.

[royalfling]

[ Wu hadn't exactly expected an apology like that. Raleigh had already said he was sorry in the voicemail, but hearing him say it, in real time, is different.

Slowly: ]

I accept your apology. If you're right, if it was the rat, then it's not your fault. It's Deerington that made you do those things.

But I won't lie and say that it wasn't... scary. I trust you and Chuck more than almost anyone else here, you're my friends. Everything that happened in the last few days was terrifying, and I don't want to lose you because of that.

[righthemisphere]

[He'll apologize a few more times too if he needs to. He's so disgusted with himself.]

No.. I don't want to lose you, either. The last thing I ever wanna be is a danger and I hate that I put you in a position that made you feel unsafe..

[He could see that Wu was in trouble with Mako and chose to focus on driving him away.

He clocked that Mako was acting out of character and didn't do anything about it. Worse, he used it to his advantage to fulfill his own mission.

It's a dark, ugly, slimy thing that happened and the more Raleigh thinks about it the more sick he feels.]

That I didn't help you. That's not who I am.

[He thought, anyway. Apparently it is. ]

[royalfling]

[ Wu is quiet for a moment. If he's honest, he probably would have asked Chuck and Raleigh for help. He should have, sooner than when Raleigh messaged him. But that Mako only got scary at about the same time that Raleigh did, leaving Wu with no one to turn to, not really.

He nods slowly. ]

No, that's not who you are. I, when you first texted me, that's what I thought. I thought that this isn't who you are. I hoped I wasn't wrong.

[righthemisphere]

[He nods, slowly, shoulders heavy with regret. There's something that suggests he's unsure about that last part. Rat bite or not he doesn't have a flower or whatever so clearly this ugliness came from him and he really, really doesn't like that.]

No.. no, that isn't who I am. I sent that same message to just about everyone who's ever spoken to Chuck.

[As if that somehow makes it better. It does not.]

If you need your space I understand.

[royalfling]

[ Wu bites his lip, then shakes his head. He doesn't want space. He doesn't like space. Wu heals by talking, by being with people. He knows he'll feel better if he sees Raleigh in person. ]

No. I, I need to see the babies, anyway. I can't let them grow too big without me.

[righthemisphere]

[You're letting him off way too easy but he's grateful. So very grateful.]

Funny you should say that. I was thinking about coming by your place when you called..

[Raleigh holds his fluid back a little and angles down like a MySpace selfie, opening his jacket a little. He's been holding it kinda weird like he's upset or insecure. And while that's true he now reveals he has also been holding one of the babies against his chest.

Yeah, this.. this whole time he's had a raccoon in his coat.]

We were gonna go on a little fieldtrip to see you.

[royalfling]

[ Wu lets out an excited squeal and sits up straight, really grinning for the first time ]

Oh, he's so cute! Raleigh!

[ He still wants you to come over! With that adorable baby! He wants to scritchy it ]

I, ah, you still could. You know, I had a very hard week.

[righthemisphere]

[He smiles and closes his coat. He was half out the door, may as well. Here we come!]

Yeah, Chuck said a while ago he thought you were going through something.

[In fact he knows you are but Chuck keeps other people's business private so he didn't say anything more than that. Not even to Raleigh.]

Did you work it out?

[royalfling]

Um, maybe?

[ Wu isn't totally sure if Raleigh is talking about That Mako, or about the week before, when he was afraid that his Mako would never talk to him again.

Boy, February has been rough. ]

What did Chuck tell you?

[righthemisphere]

Just that he thought you were going through something. You seemed a little out of it at your party.

[He's happy to chat while he walks]

Do you wanna talk about it?

[royalfling]

I... I don't know.

[ Accepting an apology isn't the same as things going back to normal. He might have shared that with Raleigh a week ago, but now, he's not so cute. And he's not sure where he and Mako stand, anyway. They haven't talked about what they are, and haven't talked about it since this Mako has been back.

Wu is quiet for a long moment before shaking his head. ]

Maybe later? I, things got better, then they got worse.

[righthemisphere]

Mm,

[Yeah, fair enough.]

You're really going through the wringer this month, huh.

[royalfling]

[ Wu lets out a breath, nodding ]

Well, I suppose I've had it easy. No, ah, death. No maiming. Just emotional turmoil.

[ It's a joke. Is it funny? Probably not. ]

[righthemisphere]

But there was the fire stuff..

[Not to point out ALL the bad things that have happened to Wu recently but..

God, shut up Raleigh.]

[royalfling]

Ah. Right.

[ At least that injury was healed pretty quickly.

Wu, who is rarely lost for words, stares at the Fluid for a long moment. He gives Raleigh a little smile. ]

I'll see you when you're here? I'm at Mako's house, next door to mine.

-> Action?

[righthemisphere]

Yeah.. yeah we'll be there soon.

[Or you know, maybe he'll just throw himself into the gutter where he belongs, Jesus you're such an asshole, Raleigh.

He hangs up and takes a long, slow breath as he walks. He needs to just. Stop talking. Like forever.

And yet he will still head to Mako's. Things are strained and awful but he promised baby cuddling so the least he can do is deliver and head back off..]

[royalfling]

[ Wu's sorted out his feelings a little more by the time Raleigh gets there. He is excited to see the baby, and glad for the opportunity to reconcile with Raleigh. He really is too important to let something the town did to him get in the way of their relationship.

When Raleigh knocks, Wu lets him in with a little smile ]

Hi, Raleigh.

[righthemisphere]

Hey.

[A little skiddish as he comes in. Which is ridiculous considering how big he is, something like a large dog with his tail between his legs.

He offers a thin smile and takes Wu in as the door closes. The kid looks like hell to him. And of course he's got every reason. This month hasn't been kind.]

I, um. I don't have to stay or anything I just wanted to bring you the baby.

[shuffling. He's got his free hand in his pocket which gives a muffled crinkling noise from the candy wrapper he's fiddling between his fingers. A nervous habit. His pockets are always full of them. But he'll stop to bring his hand out and unzip his jacket to deliver the package which has been sleeping against he warmth of his chest the whole way.]

Baby raccoons are called kits, I looked it up.

[royalfling]

[ Wu blinks, his concern about Raleigh forgotten for a moment. He holds out his hands for the kit ]

Bring me the... you're leaving her here?

[ Because that's sure what it sounds like. ]

Weren't they just born? Doesn't she need her mother? Raleigh, that's, I can't take care of a baby!

[righthemisphere]

No, no sorry. I meant to visit.

[Careful, gentle, the little thing transfers into Wu's hands and streeeetches before wriggling onto its back and going back to sleep spread eagle, flopped out like an accordion with its little fingers and toes in every direction.]

They need their mom for a little longer but after that.. Would you.. be interested in a pet? Eddie told me they can't go back to the wild because I've been feeding them.

I saw how much you liked this one the other day and now it feels like it's always looking for you.. and I can't take care of five raccoons..