[12|accidental video] you'll never get that taste outta your mouth

[playingbadcop]

[The room that Stango unwillingly shares with Lamb is empty only for a moment, and then the door slams open and violently closed again, making everything on the nightstand jump. He stalks over to the bed and sits heavily down, elbows on his knees, fingers in his hair. His hands are smeared with blood, thick around and under the nails, and he daubs

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[ACTION] Are you getting blood on the sheets again?!

[echo_of_utopia]

[ The room that Lamb shares with Stango is often empty for a reason, the reason being that Lamb chooses to spend most of her time, day or night, in the clinic, her practice or anywhere else that isn't the room she shares with Stango.

Today however she just can't stay out. Too much effort involved in not thinking about Alex. She needs rest. Or a flying camera robot with machine guns.

She hopes she will be able to decide in the room.

She hopes she will find it empty.

Well. ]

[ACTION] what do you mean AGAIN?

[playingbadcop]

[It's just bad timing, he's not actually throwing the communicator at her. He was throwing it at the wall, and didn't expect her to be coming in. He looks a mess with bloodied hands, hair on end, and bloodshot eyes staring at her in surprise. He's sitting rather haphazardly on the bed, one leg folded in front of him, the other dangling over the side. He has failed to remove his shoes.]

Can't you knock?

[Venomous as always, but some of the sting is removed by his hoarseness, his inability to keep his voice steady.]

[ACTION] I MEAN THAT-- OHMYGODSHOESOFFTHEBED! *ARMFLAIL*

[echo_of_utopia]

[ Knock before entering her own room? Not likely. She would have said so, in a voice more weary than accusatory, but dodging the communicator comes first on her list of priorities.

Second then is an assessment of the situation and quickly catching on to the fact that his anger does not seem to be directed at her; not more than usual, anyway. ]

Are you injured?

[ She steps closer, trying to see where the blood comes from, marginally wondering if it comes from somebody else and if now would be a good time to put on her pollen-throwing gloves, just in case. ]

[action] NAG NAG NAG, THAT'S ALL YOU EVER DO

[playingbadcop]

[Uncharacteristically, he does not continue to glower at her. Instead, he flops back onto the bed and turns his baleful gaze to the ceiling.]

I ain't hurt. I found a body, that's all.

[action] MAYBE IF /SOMEBODY/ WOULD HELP KEEP THE ROOM CLEAN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I WOULDN'T HAVE TO

[echo_of_utopia]

That is all.

[ She sighs and shakes her head, wondering if pride or his intense dislike for her prompted the statement.

She wonders even more if his dead body is the same dead body that caused Alex to send her a message and disappear. She also wonders if that dead body is who she thinks it is. ]

Who was it?

[action] I'M KIND OF BUSY RIGHT NOW, ANGSTING

[playingbadcop]

[More pride than hatred, but even that disappears now. He settles the back of his arm across his eyes.]

Jay. You're pretty palsy with the Kralie kid, right? You might wanna check on him. He found it first. It wasn't pretty.

When I was still a rookie, there was this old, crusty cop. Homicide detective. Jackson. He told me you get used to it, eventually, but he was lyin'.

[Not quite as casual about it as he first sounded.]

[action] THE FINE GENTLEMAN IS BUSY ANGSTING; THAT'S YOUR EXCUSE FOR EVERYTHING, ISN'T IT?

[echo_of_utopia]

[ That's what she thought. She sits down on a chair at the end of the bed, wondering if this can be taken as good news. Perhaps at least as 'Alex is still alive' news.

Yes, perhaps only that. Given the detective's state she doubts there will be anything good about Alex's condition. ]

Did he return to the mansion with you?

[ Now that would, in fact, count as good news, as Alex not sticking around in the forest and making things worse for himself.

She pauses, thinking about what Stango said, wishing she could agree, wishing that after piles of dead bodies and corpses littering the streets she could still feel every single death for the tragedy it is. ]

[action]

[playingbadcop]

Yeah. Me and him, we brought the body in. Went our separate ways after that. He...didn't look too good.

[action]

[echo_of_utopia]

[ It surprises her, if only because it felt like she received his message mere minutes ago. She must have taken longer to get back to their room than she thought.

At least she knows exactly what to do now. With Alex, at any rate. ]

He is not the only one.

Do you need anything, detective?

[action]

[playingbadcop]

[He closes one eye and peers at her with the other.]

A stiff drink.

[action]

[echo_of_utopia]

[ She seems to consider this for a moment. Then she gets up and walks towards the closet. ]

You ought to wash your hands.

[action]

[playingbadcop]

Nn? [He spreads his fingers in front of his face and blanches.] Aw, christ, you're right. [It's probably been less than two hours since he found J, but he moves like a man who's been up for days as he heaves himself off the bed.]

[action]

[echo_of_utopia]

[ She watches him for a moment, then turns her attention back to the closet.

On the surface she didn't find herself very invested in alcoholic beverages, at least not to the point of having any of them leave a lasting impression after all those years.

Her request is therefore granted in the form of a Rapture brand; a bottle of Lacas Scotch.

She fetches a glass, one glass only, and puts it on the desk along with the bottle. ]

[action]

[playingbadcop]

[He looks at her from the sink, not without suspicion, but he's too worn-out to snap at her, or even find anything to be angry about.]

Thanks, doc.

[action]

[echo_of_utopia]

You are welcome.

[ She pauses, possibly considering having a glass after all, because talking to Alex the next time will be far from easy. ]

I would like to go upstairs and see if Alex has returned yet.

Will you be all right?

[action]

[playingbadcop]

No problem, doc. I'll be fine.