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[nutsaboutscans]

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JOHN KENNEX

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text.

[unmakes]

open your door

[ if he does, there's rhino wandering in, complete with the tiniest fake crown and cape. tied under the cape is a folded note.

"someday my prince will come" ]

text.

[nutsaboutscans]

[He does. He takes the note and reads it, smiling. He picks up Rhino and pets him before setting him on his pillow and texting Sally back.]

told ya he'd come. when should I return him?

text.

[unmakes]

whenever you get bored with him or before i crash tonight, whichever comes first

just put him back out in the hall though, he knows his way back

text.

[nutsaboutscans]

got it.

[And unless she has anything else to say to him, he quits texting her to pet Rhino for a while. He browses the network with him in his lap until he decides maybe he should give him back, so within a couple hours, Rhino's heading his way back to Sally, still wearing his cape and crown. John attached a note to him, too, though. It says 'Thanks. Any time you need a hedgehog sitter, call me. -John']

text.

[unmakes]

hey
i need a big favor

text.

[nutsaboutscans]

sure. shoot.

text.

[unmakes]

how much do you trust me

text.

[nutsaboutscans]

[Wow. He pauses for a second, not sure if he can own up to the truth.] a lot.

[is what he ends up with.] why?

text.

[unmakes]

i need you to stay away from the brig

for like, a week

i know it's your job etc etc, trust me, sirius already gave me that talk
but it's important

text.

[nutsaboutscans]

[There's another pause, then] okay. if it's important, then I'll stay away. can you tell me why, though?

text.

[unmakes]

[ there's a pause in which she decides how honest to actually be about this.

but he trusts her, which means she has to trust him right back. as much as she can afford to, anyway. ]

vampires
one's from home, i have no idea when he got here but he's super dangerous

text.

[nutsaboutscans]

[He checks the text and the first word hits him. Vampires. Two or more vampires. And he's betting one of them bit Sally. His mouth tastes bitter. He tries to keep the anger out of his texts, tries to keep her from realizing what he's thinking.] two or more?
the one from home, what's he look like?
and what about the other/s?
I mean, I can go to the brig and avoid them, right?

text.

[unmakes]

two
bishop's a smooth-talking blonde asshole
other one's got long black hair and is probably brooding

don't you dare
bishop can compel people even through the stupid bars, at least he could back home
so like, dramatic example but if he told you to kill yourself you'd do it
and when he's bored, he's gonna compel somebody to let him out and it's not gonna be you

text.

[nutsaboutscans]

got it.

[He wouldn't make this easy for Sally normally, so he plays it up a little.]

come on. I don't want to look like a baby. you're sure I can't just avoid where they're at? he can really compel me even if I'm across the room?

text. after a loooooong pause.

[unmakes]

just
don't talk to him
AT ALL
don't talk to EITHER of them

in fact like don't even look at them, idk

[ she doesn't want him involved. she doesn't want him hurt. ]

text.

[nutsaboutscans]

[He waits anxiously, pacing, and then finally, her text comes back. He's angry. He's worked up. So he quickly types]

fine, fine. I won't.

[This is wrong. He can't do this. He can't. He doesn't even know what he's going to do. But he needs to see him. Talk to him. A small part of him is scared at what he'll do, and another part is thrilled, pumped up. He pockets his device, and storms out of his room, heading for the brig.]

text.

[unmakes]

[ little does she know. ]

thanks
i mean it

action, after talking to mitchell.

[unmakes]

[ a firm KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK at the door. when he opens it, sally's barging in, if only so she doesn't have to have this talk in the hallway. she whirls on him once she's inside. ]

Are you freaking kidding me, John? Like, I asked you one favor, that's it.

[nutsaboutscans]

[He stands there for a few seconds, stunned, before he closes the door behind her. He turns back to her.] Sally, I didn't-...

[Yes, he did mean to, so he cuts off, looking exasperated.] After what he did to you, I couldn't just leave it.

[unmakes]

So what, did you agree just so I'd tell you why? [ nope, she's nowhere near done. ] God, I feel like such an idiot. This is exactly why I didn't want you involved, but then you were so sweet and I figured hey, he wouldn't lie to me.

[nutsaboutscans]

[He feels like shit, but he's not done trying to defend himself, even if the excuse is bullshit.] He deserved it!

[unmakes]

But not from you! [ oh, she's 100% not backing down. her arms lift out to the sides a little in a sort of exasperation. ] What did he even do to you? Nothing, literally just nothing, so when the person he actually hurt asks you to stay out of it, you don't just - [ you don't just blow her off and charge in and punch him in the freaking face, that's not how this works.

but no, okay, she's not doing this. she's not. her palms come together now, lifting up to press the sides of her index fingers over her mouth as she closes her eyes and lets out a slow-ish exhale. then: ] Y'know what, just- it's fine. That was my bad, I shouldn't have even told you. Lesson learned or whatever. [ but even that part came out harsh, and pretty much everything else she can think of's just as bad, so she needs to just... not be here right now.

she shakes her head a little. ] Look, I'm just gonna go. [ and if he doesn't try to stop her, she's heading for the door. ]

[nutsaboutscans]

[I shouldn't have even told you. Lesson learned. It feels like everything's crashing around him at those words. He broke her trust, threw it in the trash, for what? A little revenge?

He wants to call after her, grab her hand, make her see that she's all wrong. But she's not. He messed up. And he was going to have to deal with it.

But all he can do now is stare, just barely open-mouthed, desperate, Sally's name on the tip of his tongue. He doesn't say it, doesn't reach for her. He lets her go. Because maybe... she's better off without him.]

text.

[regulatingpressure]

This is Kennex, right?

text.

[nutsaboutscans]

Right. Who is this?