[open]

[note_atem]

Busy, busy, busy. You'd warned Atem he wouldn't be able to see you for the weekend due to some work that had piled up on you. He'd accepted, of course, with a grin nonetheless. Work\school\whatever is important so he knows to stay out of the way. It was late into Sunday. You had made so much progress. Almost finished. Almost done...

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[crimsonguarddog]

Cissnei is always busy, but the end of the quarter has them all running ragged. It was to the point where she chooses to take her work home rather than at her office, less distractions ones she settles down and focuses in the small nook of her apartment that she calls her home office. She was still up late, rain not bothering her at all, nor the cat curled up at her socked feet. Both woman and animal look up at the doorbell though, and Cissnei stands when Atem enters, not yet looking concern, but taking in these signs of something different as something being wrong.

"You could of called me, I would of picked you up." She says, pulling her chair out and moving toward him, mouth drawing into a slow almost-frown. "Do you need something dry to wear?"

[note_atem]

When she spoke it was almost like he was expecting her to not be there at all, judging by the shock in his eyes. Though he tried to override it rather quickly with another one of those false grins.

"I didn't want to bother you." Yet ... here he was. "I don't expect to bother you for long, either, so it's not necessary." Right? Yet he didn't seem entirely sure of that answer.

[crimsonguarddog]

She raises an eyebrow, not at all impressed at... whatever Atem was trying to pull. Something is up, and Cissnei can tell.

"What's wrong, Atem?" She asks, shifting her stance, arms coming to fold over her stomach. "You look like you were just dragged yourself out of a back alley.

And Cissnei knew all about what went on in back alleys.

[note_atem]

It was possible. He seemed not to give much thought to it, however. He hadn't truly been doing anything bad, had he? He would remember a relapse. And there certainly weren't enough people in this city, horrid as they could be, to trigger such a thing. ...right?

"I don't-"

The shrill cry of the house phone cut in on his answer. His eyes went to it, almost nervously.

[crimsonguarddog]

Cissnei knows shiftiness when she sees it, and Atem was excluding classic 'I want to hide something from you.' Vibes. She shakes her head, exhaling slowly before the phone rings once more, insistent.

"Go take a shower, I'll grab you some of the clothes you still have here. We can talk after that."

Turning to head to the phone, Cissnei doesn't give him much chance to argue, becoming immersed in conversation as she picks up the phone.

[note_atem]

Being ordered around never really came easy. And something about that sudden phone call had him feeling rather anxious. He shuffled off slowly, but not away completely. He needed to hear what was about to be said. Though surely it was just a business call. So absolutely sure about this, was Atem, that he stayed by the bathroom door, hand rested on the frame, as he listened quietly.

"Miss Cissnei, this is the Domino City Police Department. We need to know if you've seen or had contact with Mutou Atem in the past hour and a half."

[crimsonguarddog]

Well, that was unexpected. Cissnei doesn't change tone or anything else, not hearing the water running behind her- though it could be he hasn't gotten to it yet, or he was disobeying what she asked of him. Right now, it doesn't matter too much.

"Is there something I can help you with?" It isn't quite an evasive question, but close to it.

[note_atem]

The detective on the line paused for a moment before sighing. "Listen, we're kind of backed up right now." He sounded quite exhausted. "Whatever list of emergency contact that has been established for Atem-san has been tried, but no one else is answering." Could have been the late hours, or perhaps everyone was just as busy (vacation season?).

Yet again he paused. Revealing too much information could be bad. Worrying citizens was not on his list of things to do. But giving her nothing would surely end in being hung up on. And if she was surely the last line... "Mutou Atem seems to have wandered away from a potential crime scene."

[crimsonguarddog]

Cissnei chooses her words carefully, knowing by now that the other was more than likely listening in, fact practically confirmed at the mention of what had happened by the detective. She half turns with a roll of her eyes that she knows the man watching her will see. "What's he done now?" She fixes Atem with a look, covering the end of the phone so she can mouth 'Pegasus.' to him. And, then back to the phone, even while she watches the other. "I need to know so I know what to do."

Atem was in so much trouble once she got away from both the phone and from him.

[note_atem]

It was a shame that he was caught watching and it actually did prompt him to go into the bathroom and shut the door. The water wasn't immediately started, however, everything in the room seemed to be silent for the moment

[crimsonguarddog]

With Atem in the bathroom, Cissnei switches to the cordless phone and heads into her bedroom, the furthest thing away from where the other is. Her tone drops into a quieter one after a pause, sounding apologetic to the man on the phone.

"Sorry about that, he's here. Showed up right before you called." Usually she wouldn't of bothered to even tell the truth about something, but she's aware of Atem's status as much as anyone else is. "Look, can I bring him in tomorrow to talk to you? I'll have to see if he needs to go to the hospital or anything first, and even if not it's already a hazard to drive..."

[note_atem]

Well, at least she was being cordial. That was a nice change of pace. Still, she wasn't exactly cooperating. ...hm.

"Talk to him first. His neighbor said he didn't exactly look ... aware, when she saw him last." Even angry enough as he was about the overhaul he was going to have to pull, to get a drone in the room wouldn't exactly help anything at all. "As long as I know he's alright." Which was what most of the station's concern had been. Honestly. The minute this city had been overrun by duelists that's when the problems had started.

"Losing everything to a fire can be very damaging." He completely slid into a tone that was akin to reading something straight off a pamphlet. "He might be in shock."

[crimsonguarddog]

"I will." She tells him, almost nodding to the phone as she reaches into one of the drawers. She has one for Kaiba and Atem each, dedicated to them, though it was often more likely that the latter would come over. Her words change again, feeling like she was being watched, though it was always a precaution for her.

"If he gets in too deep, I'll call the right people, and if you don't hear from me or him by noon, give me a call. We'll sort this out." As easy as a business transaction, covering for someone. She does want nothing more to rush into the bathroom with her cure Materia and make sure he's okay, but for now Cissnei plays it cool.

[note_atem]

"Mm.." The detective answered sluggishly. She was being calm and helpful, and while knowing where the supposed prime target was, he could at least get the station off his back. "Alright. Until then." Without any other further waiting he hangs up. Too much work to do to force pleasantries.

[crimsonguarddog]

Well, Cissnei was rarley hung up on, so she blinks and pulls the phone back for a moment to look at it before hanging up, switching to her cell phone to send Kaiba a quick text to let him know that Atem was with her-- Even if she needed some peace and quiet to work sometimes, he certainly didn't-- before gathering up what she needed and her materia from the safe before heading back over to the bathroom, knocking on the door if he was still in there.

[note_atem]

The knock to the door was enough to get it to open on its own as he hadn't really shut it or locked it but Atem was busy self-inspecting. No one could really accuse him of having a weak mind, but he just seemed to be so out of it- even to himself. That worn out hoodie was laying on the floor along with his frayed shirt, exposing his upper body. A very dark and long bruise was laid almost evenly along his spine.

His arms were covered in burns. The longer he looked at himself in the mirror, the easier it became to tell that certain parts of his hair were uneven and singed, even with the heavy downing from the rain.

His head dropped, hands clenching the sink. "How did I let this happen..."