hopefragment | week 07, friday, not long after body discovery

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!vices

week 07, friday, not long after body discovery

[Time to be edited when exact time is revealed-!

But for now, Hinata's just going to keep that gentle grip on Faize's arm and lead him upstairs, away from the blood-soaked lobby. Away from the pool. Away from Alisha. And while he knows that if it were Roxy, he'd want... no, he'd need to be by her side, to make sure he could gather the evidence to catch her killer, after hearing Faize laugh like that...

No. Being so close to Alisha's corpse is the last thing the other boy needs right now.]

Faize, give me your key.

[His voice is soft as he pauses outside Faize's room, holding out his hand expectantly. Don't make him reach into your pockets to get it for you, bro.]

Please.

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......

[Faize has always been pretty quiet. Not exactly a man of few words, but a man who uses his words only when they are really needed. Yet...this silence is different. Even if Hinata hadn't been there for the great laughing breakdown, it's would be easy to tell that something isn't quite right about Faize. Something that won't be an easy fix.]

[And the silence continues all the way across the lobby and up the stairs. Until the two boys are standing in front of the door. And even then, even after Hinata asks for his keys, Faize still doesn't answer. Not immediately, anyway.]

No.

[His voice is soft and firm but in spite of that, the word just sounds hollow. When Faize finally looks up from the ground, his face is calm and set, yet oddly mask like. His eyes they aren't glassy anymore, though his face is clear of any manner of wet trail that would suggest he'd actually cried at any point between the pool and now. They are glowing again though. That same weirdly pale shade of reddish-pink. Or, at least, they are for a few seconds. They're back to purple by the time he speaks again.]

There is nothing to be found in my room, Hajime. Our time would be better spent elsewhere.

...

[Hinata presses his lips together at the refusal and exhales softly through his nose. He can't say he wasn't expecting the other boy to refuse, and he certainly can understand wanting to do something rather than nothing. "Our time would be better spent elsewhere"... is it?]

...I don't think that's true, Faize.

[His voice still is very, very quiet, trying to make certain that the other boy is going to have to listen carefully to actually hear him. His eyes dart across Faize's face, and while that brief glow had been obvious, he can't help but note the lack of tears as well.]

I asked Roxy to take over my part of the investigation. And I'm absolutely certain that Poland and Lithuania can be relied on for this kind of thing, don't you think? So please, Faize... this is important. I need to talk to you.

[Or rather, he thinks Faize needs to talk to someone, whether he knows it or not.]

[Honestly, he's not even sure if he wants to go do something or if he just wants to go sit next to Alisha's body and be useless for the rest of the day. He's not really sure what he wants, exactly. Other than for Alisha not to be dead.]

[And also to not talk about this. He definitely...does not want to do that. Because if he talks about it, he's not going to be able to keep himself together.]

Of course they can. I did not mean to imply that anyone here is incapable. We will find all the evidence. We always do, in the end. [Speaking of...his left hand is still curled into a fist. Apparently he's been holding on to the lobby tooth this whole time. Gross.] But unless you already know who did this, I am not certain what important things you could have to discuss with me.

[Faize that is so gross... they don't even know who the second body is or whose tooth that could be. Unless they can hear people downstairs, which is possible, because some asshole won't give him his key so they can have a proper conversation.

He sighs again, a little more obvious this time, and shoves his hands into his pockets, leaning against the doorframe. Alright, if you want to stay out here, we'll stay out here for now.]

...It's about you, Faize, [he says finally, after several long seconds of trying to figure out exactly what he wants to say here.] I... I'm worried about you.

[WHAT IF IT'S ALISHA'S TOOTH? WHAT IF SOMEONE KNOCKED OUT HER PERFECT, BEAUTIFUL TEETH? WHAT IF THIS IS THE ONLY THING HE HAS TO REMEMBER HER BY?]

I'm fine. [The answer comes immediately, in that same cool, almost detached voice he's been using this whole time.] Really, Hajime, there is not reason to be concerned for me. You should save your worry for the investigation and trial.

...I'm not going to run out of worry.

[Now would be the perfect time for That One Face.png, but not in these circumstances. Hinata just shakes his head, reaching to gently touch Faize's arm again. The one with the clenched fist. Maybe relax a little? Try.]

Faize, I'm... no one's expecting you to be fine. I... know you're usually really reserved but... you don't have to be. Not for something like this.

[You don't have to be.]

[Something about that line in particular seems to hit Faize somewhere deep. For just the briefest second, his composure wavers. His eyes widen slightly, flashing red, a the corners of his mouth turn downward into a quivery sort of frown. But if Hinata blinked, he probably missed it. Or maybe he just imagined it. Who really can say, it's been a weird morning. He's back to complete composure in no time. ]

Then I suppose I have already exceeded everyone's expectations. Because I assure you: this is not a show of restraint on my part. I'm fine.

[He keeps saying it, so it's gotta be true.]

...Okay.

[Sure you're fine, dude. He totally believes that. It's pretty obvious to tell Hinata totally believes that from the way his eyebrows knit into a concerned frown as he looks into Faize's eyes, searching for any other hints of redness in them. He nods as if to agree, though, because yes, Faize is clearly fine.

He's quiet for a few more seconds after that, still holding Faize's gaze if he'll let him, then his shoulders slump as he pushes off the doorframe.]

You might be fine, but I'm not. Can you... indulge me in an Earth thing, here?

[That hand on Faize's arm tightens just a little, just enough to try to tug him closer so Hinata can pull him into a hug. If the Eldarian will let him, of course. Since this is clearly just a weird Earth custom solely for Hinata's benefit, after all.]

[Nope, no more red. Whatever this weird alien eyeball BS is, it's only happening in very brief, irregular flashes, it seems. It's probably nothing to worry about. Just a trick of the light.]

[Though he's familiar with the concept of the Earth Comfort Hug by now, and has even used it himself, it still manages to catch Faize a little off guard. Enough that Hinata will probably feel like he's hugging a stone statue instead of a person. Or a cardboard cutout. Something like that, anyway. But if he keeps a hold on Faize long enough, like at least a minute or so, eventually the smaller boy will lift his arms and...well, not exactly return it but at least he's holding Hinata. That's something. You're better now, right? Since you are a sensitive Earth ween who needs these sort of things at regular intervals, apparently.]

[Well at least he's in Hinata's arms now. He's just a bit too tall for Hinata to properly rest his chin on Faize's head, but he can at least rest his cheek against the other boy's hair and squeeze him close. Statue or not, doesn't make a difference. Even whether or not Faize hugs him back, it's fine. As long as Hinata can hold him close, because... well, while he still doesn't fully understand how someone can at once have so many emotions, and be so bad at expressing them, he knows that there's no way this isn't affecting the Eldarian.

When Faize finally lifts his arms to hold him, Hinata just squeezes him a little tighter and shifts his head, trying to make it a little more comfortable of a hug.]

...Thanks.

[For comforting him like this, bro. Glad he can count on you for all these great Earth hugs you're so good at.]

We're gonna catch who did this, Faize. We have to.

[Hinata sure is failing to understand the big and important issues. How Faize can feel so many things, and so deeply, yet be absolute shit at expressing them is a mystery for the ages.]

[How long exactly is this hug going to last though? Surely it's gotta end soon, right? Not that Faize is actually getting antsy or anything. He's just...kind of standing there still, loosely holding Hinata and being unresponsive till Hinata's last comment. At which point he nods, just once.]

Of course.

[We always do. Why would this week be any different?]

[Well, there was one notable exception who's still wandering around the hotel as we speak.

But alright, apparently that's the most we're getting out of this hug. Hinata squeezes him one more time when he speaks, then finally draws back. There's definitely no wetness to his eyes? That's definitely imagined. After all, there's no reason why Faize being upset would affect him at all, psh.]

I'll be counting on you. We're a team, right? And... she's counting on us, too. We'll make her proud.

Edited 2016-04-02 17:26 (UTC)

[Ugh Buddy only half counts because Morrigan wasn't wholly innocent. WE STILL SORTA GOT OUR KILLER. MORRIGAN WAS NOT A GOOD BEAN.]

...that we are. [They are a team. Which is something that would, normally, bring one of those small, happy smiles to Faize's face. But not today. Today there is only stoicism. Maybe Sadie was right, all along. Maybe he really is a robot.]

[Finally, he brings his hand up and opens it, staring for a moment at the bloody tooth laying in his palm. Is it Alisha's? Or did it belong to the headless body...]

I will not let anyone else down. [It comes out as barely more than a whisper, in a tone of hollow conviction. He brings his hand back down, putting the tooth into the pocket of his pajama pants and finally bringing out his keys.] If you'll excuse me...

[He's gonna try and push past Hinata to get inside his room. Because he should probably at least put some shoes on before investigating. He may be resistant to extreme temperatures but walking around barefoot in the snow...probably not a good idea.]

...You didn't let anyone down, Faize.

[Hinata's voice is nearly as quiet as Faize's as he tries to meet the Eldarian's eyes. He really does believe that, even if... he's really wondering how Faize let Alisha leave during the night, he's certainly not going to be the one to ask. It'll come up at trial, and all Hinata will be able to do is... try to field the inevitable questions that are going to come Faize's way.

But all he can do is gently touch Faize's arm again, a quiet gesture of support.]

I'm... going to head down to the lobby. To check on the others. If you need me... you can talk to me at any time. Promise.

[Faize pauses with the key in the lock. He doesn't meet Hinata's eyes, but it's clear that he heard him.]

[He disagrees, of course. Though he doesn't say so. But...the fact that Alisha is dead now is proof enough. He failed to protect her, and therefore he let her down. He let everyone else who cares about her down. Because there's no way the truth won't come out at the trial. He woke up when she left and not only did he not stop her or go with her, he fell back asleep. He wouldn't be surprised if at least a few people hated him for that.]

[He sure does.]

[He says none of this, however. The door opens with a click and Faize finally looks back to Hinata, only after the Earthling has told him where he's going. He gives him a small, forced smile. ]

Of course. I will be down there shortly as well.

[And with that, he disappears into his room, letting the door fall shut with a gentle snap behind him.]

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week 07, friday, not long after body discovery

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