(Untitled)

[maxwellsdemon02]

Duo's at a table, one arm over the back of his chair, legs stretched out under the table. Set on the tabletop is a palm sized computer. Every now and then he taps at the small keyboard sticking out of the side, but most of his concentration is on the projection hovering above it

Comments

[cutting_edgex23]

X slips closer, peering at the image.

"It is still making you sick?"

Where did she come from?

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Not for now. I had a hack at it, got it to respond to a different signal. It's not perfect, but as long as I have this with me," he gestures to the computer, "I should be able to manage."

Duo glances at her, then back at the screen. "How 'bout you?"

[cutting_edgex23]

X shrugs a little, shoulders tense.

This new Duo confuses her.

"I am okay."

Beat.

"No one is dead."

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Always a plus." His tone is dry. "But hey, I've never better, right now. Have a seat if you want. I might not be an interesting conversationalist, but it's not like you care too much, right?"

[cutting_edgex23]

X just looks at him, one hand clenching into a fist.

She has never really wanted to hit him before.

"I do not like you like this."

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Join the club, sweetheart. The line starts behind me." A quick gesture turns the projection into a stream of continuous data.

"You sitting, or not? You're making me twitchy, lurking like that."

[cutting_edgex23]

X considers this offer for a few long moments.

Then, very carefully, she takes a seat.

"Do not call me 'sweetheart'."

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Sure, sure." It may or may not have sunk in.

"You get any more trouble from your 494 pal?" He can't quite remember the order of everything happening.

And for all he knows, he's already fucked the time line.

[cutting_edgex23]

"No."

Beat.

"He will not take me again."

She's looking at the schematic again. Even if she does not think removing it would make Duo less unsettling.

[maxwellsdemon02]

"I didn't ask you that, did I? Sniffing around bugging you is different from getting you again. You can handle the latter just fine. But you have friends so they can make schmucks leave you alone."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh."

She looks a little startled.

"I did not know."

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Especially older guys. They're supposed to beat up punks who bother you. It's like a rule. Of course, sometimes they beat up guys who you don't think are bothering you too, but only if they aren't good enough for you."

[cutting_edgex23]

X blinks.

"I do not think he wants to have sex with me."

She is confused.

[maxwellsdemon02]

Duo sighs and shakes his head, mock reproachfully. "That's not the point. You should just ask Lan, he'd take care of the guy for you. No questions asked, probably." He looks amused at the thought.

[cutting_edgex23]

X offers a shrug.

"He knows."

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Well, did you ask him to rub this guy out? Of course not. Because it's you. Just sayin'. You've got options." Duo waves absently, shutting down the projection and flicking the computer closed, for now.