orangetoughguy | phone post

Yet you knew where I lived before I even knew you.

[ It's a nice try, Orange. It isn't good enough for her, though. ]

I haven't decided yet. I think we're going to have to have a conversation on this "need to know" basis thing, though. Eames and I are, at least. [ Because she still doesn't want to tell the others. ]

I'm--[A cop. I do that kind of thing.] I got lucky.

[A few more puffs on this cigarette then he's putting it out.] ...I didn't know.

[That she didn't know.] I mean, that you couldn't tell.

You're what? [ Because he was going to say something else. She's not used to interrogating people by any means, but if there's one thing she's good at, it's being stubborn. ]

Eames was gone for three weeks here, and if there was anything going on back home, it definitely wasn't obvious.

[Here comes a handwave and a slightly comical look because this is bordering gossip.]

It's kind of a hot and cold thing as far as I know. [One second they're not talking to each other. The next second Eames is bathing a sick Arthur.]

[ Ugh, you frustrating man. But fine, she'll take what she can get. ]

Is it just a sex thing, or is hot and cold like... soap opera emotional drama?

I'd put my money on the second one cause I've done just-a-sex-thing and that ain't how it goes.

[Shaking his head like he's some kind of expert yep.]

... You know, if I weren't mad at Eames right now, I'd think this was great.

[ Sigh. ]

I tried a just-a-sex-thing. That's why this [ another gesture to her neck yup ] is so complicated. I'd be in the clear if it was just-a-sex-thing.

Hey I don't wanna get between you guys and whatever it is you got going on that keeps you from doin' what you want.

[Again hands up, but more as a disclaimer. He's still here to listen to Ariadne. She's not the only one who's aware of how things that happen here may not carry over back home.]

You work fast for someone who's been around for less than a fuckin' season.

[ Too late for that, Orange. You know and get along with too many of them. ]

In my defense, he started it. I just kind of went with it.

You know he's kind of a push over if you try hard enough.

[Freddy suggests, except unlike Ariadne he's not part of their world nor is he privy to exactly what their group operation is.]

... Wait, who are we talking about right now?

[Oh gosh communication breakdown time.]

I'm talking about Eames. Put on some doe eyes. He'll give.

[God Ariadne it's like all you want to talk about is your sex life.]

[ She thought he brought it up! She was trying to defend herself, okay. 8( ]

Maybe.

[ In this case, she's not so sure. ]

[Aw don't make that face, girl.]

Anyway havin' somethin' here you think won't be waitin' for you back home is tough. Anybody can say close up, don't let anyone in, and everybody's fuckin' peachy, but it doesn't always turn out that way. If you bottle somethin' real big it's just gonna pop hard and make a bigger mess down the line.

[ But when she makes that face, you say useful, heartwarming things, or at least things for her to think about. This time's no exception, though she tucks away the bit about having something here that won't be waiting for you -- she just found out her boyfriend's twin brother is dead a few days ago, after all. ]

People don't really pick if they go home or not anyway, right? If it were something like breaking out of here, if that's possible, then... yeah, I can see how I might be a 'liability'. But no one knows how to do that or anything like it. Everyone who's just waiting to go home is just biding their time, and I can't just sit and wait like that.

[ She shrugs slightly. ]

I might as well enjoy myself while I'm here and have the chance, right? Live a little. If I'm going to end up being cursed every few days then I might as well have some good things happen, too.

Right. Paisley sure didn't.

[Probably to Arthur's chagrin too, he bets. Now Freddy does that thing where he slouches just so he can look 'up' at Ariadne, like someone trying to take a peek at someone else's face when they're trying to cover it.]

I think you've got the right idea, 'course what do I know I ain't a professional. [SHRUG.] I'd do the same though. There's no point sitting around ignoring shit, I learned it the hard way.

We were out of milk for the rest of the day because of that, too.

[ She keeps getting distracted from her fries because of this conversation, especially because she keeps waving them around in her hands when she speaks before actually putting them in her mouth. ]

With White?

One day's nothin'.

[Says the guy who'll keep drinking the milk until it tastes thick. Er, but as for the other thing...Freddy kind of shrugs then nods then shrugs again. One of those unsure looks.]

Yeah, with White. We were the first to come down here. The first from our corner in LA, anyway.

No, but it pissed off Yusuf's cat.

[ Awww, Freddy. There's a slight smile. ]

So you two are...?

[ It's an open question. He can fill in whatever he likes and not have to directly lie to her. ]

[Tell the truth and thus give her an edge on him when it comes to personal information of greatly insult her intelligence by denying it? And also insult Lawrence Dimick. Hrm.]

Yeah.

[Freddy admits. Too bad that's not a real answer, Newendyke.]

[ She considers that not-answer for a bit. Ariadne is fairly certain she knows what he means, but it never hurts to poke a bit. ]

And not a just-the-sex thing?

[No matter how many times they go over being open about this and concluding that they want to be open, it never gets any less awkward for Freddy Newendyke. He's felt this way since he was a young teenager, couldn't accept it until he was much older, and on top of that Mr. White makes him feel The Feelings. Hard to find the words...so instead, he lifts up the hem of his shirt to show Ariadne the bullet scar on his belly.]

He stuck by me when I was fuckin' dyin'. [It was just a sex thing once upon a time but...] We're close.

[Even though thinking too far ahead in the future is a foolish naive thing to do in his opinion, Orange likes to believe even if they weren't sharing a bed anymore they'd still be friends.]

[ Ariadne doesn't reach out to touch, for once, either because of the placement or because this is Orange. She looks, though, just barely shivering. If it hadn't been a dream, if she had survived, she would have a scar of her own (blade, not bullet, but still). They're more alike than they like to admit.

She nods, sitting back up, apparently pleased. ] Good. You deserve that.

[ It's said matter-of-factly, like there's no room for argument. It's the same voice she pulls on Stephen sometimes. ]

He's scary when he's mad, so I'd hate to have to go defend your honor or something. [ That comes with a slight grin, but she'd do it, if she felt like she had to. Either way, she'll be watching. ]

Thanks... [What else do you say to that? He pulls his shirt back down then nods.] I know.

[From firsthand experience but Freddy's quick to move on from there too.] I can take care of myself, thanks, but I'll keep you in mind for back up.

I thought he was going to kill my partner and I during that robbery curse.

[ You can take care of yourself, huh Orange? Well, she'll just poke you in the stomach now that your shirt's back down. Sure you can. ] Steel-toed boots go a long way.

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