#( fd. | snaggletoothed son of a bitch )

[screamsmeared]

"MUCH MORE." FRANCIS WAS NOT A MASTER OF SOCIAL PROFICIENCY by any stretch of the imagination. he had spent most of his life sequestered away from others and struggled to identify with others. his eyes were DEAD to convention—within and without himself, he was stuck in a pattern of doing before he was capable of feeling. the sickness that rose within him was left unrecognized... but diego's distress he clung to like a lifeline. i'm trying to change. TO CHANGE. TO CHANGE. TO CHANGE. REVELATION burst behind his eyes like stars colliding to the earth and when the dust had settled, his desire sat plainly for him to see. HE CRAVED CHANGE. he wanted to help diego to CHANGE. but how? "different... how?" venom still stuck to his breath, seeping into his voice—he had never felt so close and so far to himself as he did right now. (@fcdcdmcmories)

"IT'S ... IT'S MUCH MORE THAN I DESERVE. I KNOW THAT. i do." if diego closed his eyes at night, perhaps he could still remember what it had been like to ... to wake up with those bombs attached to his wrists. perhaps he could still remember the desperation that had followed and how he had thought that he would never get out of there. "no, it's not. what i did, what we did .. it's not worthy of forgiveness." regardless, there he was, asking for forgiveness all the same. wasn't he? "no. no, i'm trying to ... i'm trying to change. i'm trying to be .. different now." (@screamsmeared)

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NOT FROM LONDON. francis wondered if she was still from england, then. she didn't sound english, but that didn't mean much. he didn't sound english either, despite living in london for most of his life. it was a curiosity that he had largely ignored. until now. he felt it begin to eat away at him. thankfully—or maybe not—a distraction presented itself. political experience. he hadn't expected to talk to anyone with political experience and it sent a jolt straight through him. why? he felt like he had something to hide. he didn't. "you're planning on running?" that was what he would have assumed of anyone feeling helpful as far as politics were involved. (@belovedwaters)

The us? Her brows knit slightly. Were those letters supposed to mean something? she hadn't come up with much of a plan on what to say and who to say it too since she had joined this so called London. Since finding Padme after all. She rolled her shoulders with politician elegance. A tired smile on her lips. saying she was from a different planet probably wouldn't go over well. She had half a mind to say she hit her head as that's what the tech here felt like. "No, just not London." the brunette mused. It was clear coming from this US was not good. Tripod. Maybe she was more interested in that. "As someone with years of political experience, people have several cogs the same, but the machine runs differently. Even if they were allies, I like to understand them first. Expect them. how to help them. I sort of- showed up here."

[screamsmeared]

NOW CAME THE DIFFICULT PART—maintaining conversation. francis had never been one for conversation, given the limitations he found in speech. why open himself up to the possibility of mockery when he didn't absolutely have to? when someone's face felt burned into his mind. he swallowed and accepted the seat, tongue caught between his teeth. he needed to make sure it would cooperate with him. it often didn't. "that was my plan, too," he said. so far so good. glancing down at his drink, he found his limitations again. "whiskey." his tongue tripped, lisp obvious. he curled his fingers tight around his glass. "you want one?" (@demongemz)

Will looked at the other something about him set off warning bells but in truth, he couldn’t understand why the male hadn’t done anything creepy or weird outside of asking for company while they shared a drink. He was pretty sure that was a normal thing to ask in a bar like this but something about him just rubbed him the wrong way. “Sure, I don’t have any plans for the night, I just wanted a drink” he mused motioning towards the seat next to him before turning towards the other “What are you drinking?” @screamsmeared

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AFRAID. THE QUESTION NEARLY MADE HIM BRISTLE, temper stamped down before it could rise to the surface. he knew better than to make a scene. better than better when he was uncomfortable. he was afraid, but not ready to admit that. "no. just don't like to be surprised with things, is all." (@fcdcdmcmories)

"NOT AT ALL. ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID OF LOSING A LITTLE BLOOD?" logan questioned, finding himself raising an eyebrow at the other's question. people didn't ask that unless they were afraid and for some reason, the other hadn't seem as if he was but .. hm. strange. @screamsmeared

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SYMPATHETIC WAS FAR FROM THE FIRST WORD anyone would think of when faced with francis dolerhyde. still, he made as decent an attempt as he could. nodded, tried to appreciate survival and tough times. he'd been there. lots of people had. still, he couldn't quite connect to the concept. or imagine himself doing work like that. it didn't matter—actions and words would suffice where feelings faltered. "uh-huh. got a pen?" (@fcdcdmcmories)

"YEAH, I KNOW. A LITTLE BIT, AT LEAST." it was, wasn't it? or so he considered , because ... he had always wanted things to be different. he had always wanted things to be better and no, adam knew that wasn't something that he could give up on. not just yet , anyways . perhaps not ever, as far as he was concerned. right? of course not. "yeah, just.. doing what i had to, in order to survive. for a living. you know? and do you have a phone? i could give you my number.." (@screamsmeared)

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DOLERHYDE'S MOUTH OPENED BEFORE HE WAS PREPARED TO SPEAK, creating a moment of hesitation. "me? no." he had become confused about the finer details in his life, in his self, recently... but he didn't think that he was possessed. more importantly, he didn't think of himself as evil. SHOULD HE HAVE? "i don't have any ex—" the train on the tracks rolled to a stop. he had to shift gears. "i'm only... wondering for other people. how you're able to tell." (@lcvenderhcze)

"WELL, I SUPPOSE THAT'S QUITE THE.. INTERESTING QUESTION. I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH YOU?" ed wondered, raising an eyebrow at that, because.. yes, he wanted to help. that was the thing - perhaps he wanted to help more people than he would ever be able to and no, he didn't see that being different anytime soon, that was for sure. "and usually, there are signs. do you.. do you feel like yourself right now? or is there.. anything there that you don't recognise?" @screamsmeared

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"IT'S MORE THAN YOU DESERVE." dolerhyde spoke slowly, letting himself taste each word. he was in agreement, of course. why, exactly, was still unclear to him. francis himself told many lies. why would this man be any different? but sense left him quickly, THE DRAGON still holding fast to his mind—HE wanted to BITE. "you're right. it's not as simple as that." he could see it clearly in his mind, the moment where diego's spine would snap beneath his strength. crushed. HE SHOULDN'T BE THINKING LIKE THIS. WHY WAS HE THINKING LIKE THIS? the longer he let the feeling linger, the more it festered. "do you still LIE?" (@fcdcdmcmories)

"IT'S MORE THAN I DESERVE," diego could admit that. he could, of course, admit the fact that he was getting much more than he deserved and that he hated it. he hated what it seemed as if his life had become and how he had turned - no, correction - how he had always been a monster. maybe he always would be. "i have. to never hurt innocent people again. i just wished that it was that simple. you know?" @screamsmeared

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"A SECOND CHANCE, THEN." a frown creased francis' face as he considered that thought. it didn't feel right. he didn't think he would have shown mercy. why even consider it? why think about it like he could have been responsible? that was stupid. impossible. "and do you think you DESERVE this second chance of yours? have you learned something from the experience?" there had to be a reason. there had to be. he was desperate to find it. (@fcdcdmcmories)

"IT'S.." how could diego ever explain that his hands were never going to work properly again? how could he ever explain that he managed to keep it in check with pills and with a lot of practice, but .. how he'd never be alright again? he doubted that he even knew what being alright was anymore, as far as he was concerned. of course. "it's a work in progress. keep it in check with pills and ... a lot of other shit. practice. mostly the need to have a job, you know? it's ... important." (@screamsmeared)

[screamsmeared]

FRANCIS FOLLOWED HIM INTO THE NEXT ROOM, tense at the shoulders but otherwise guarded in expression. this was the worst part. being poked at. he knew he could survive it. after settling into the seat, he extended his arm—left—in preparation of the needle. "not much, is it?" (@fcdcdmcmories)

LOGAN WANTED TO GET OUT OF HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. and yes, if that involved ... getting his job done as soon as possible? that was precisely what he was going to do, considering he had a lot to do that involved him being out of here as soon as possible. of course that it did. right? "come along. hopefully we will be able to let you out of here as soon as possible today." @screamsmeared

[screamsmeared]

"COMPUTERS? NO," he answered, stopping just short of shaking his head. exam, right. it was easy to forget. maybe that was a good thing. "only for work." the few other things he did with his personal computer didn't often involve hunching or squinting, and didn't tend to take long. he didn't mention them. "should i be concerned?" (@fcdcdmcmories)

"WELL, THAT'S A GOOD THING. WE'D PROBABLY BE DEALING WITH SOMETHING WORSE IF YOU HADN'T ." which ... no, his goal wasn't to scare the other . it was to prevent something worse and because the other was strange enough as it was . he didn't particularly want to see him here again . of course not. right? "maybe a little bit , yeah . do you spend too long in front of a computer screen?" (@screamsmeared)

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AN ALARM WENT OFF DEEP IN THE BOWELS OF HIS LIZARD BRAIN. what could dr. nelson possibly have meant by that? for your own good. HE KNEW SOMETHING. no, that was impossible. there was nothing to know. even so, fear bloomed in the empty spaces between his ribs, set his jaw. something darker coiled around it and squeezed until it died, gasping and choking for air. for life. the spectacle distracted him. "right," he said, swallowing. there was nothing to know. "that's fine."

" IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD," which was something that he was sure would have looked and sounded weird to anyone else , which .. was ... what he had been counting with . regardless , even if he kept quite a few secrets of his own , logan was a good doctor . one that would have never put anyone else's needs below his - unless .... it suited him . which it did not , not when it came to a stranger anyways , and so .. it seemed as if the other was in the clear . "first , it'd like to start off by seeing if you have any hidden pain in your temple , by .. pressing on your forehead and sides a little bit . if that's alright ?" he should be alright with it or so he hoped . @screamsmeared

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SAME BUILDING. GOOD TO KNOW. maybe it was possible to get everything done in one visit. at least it would have been convenient. "all right," he said, sliding off the exam table and onto the floor. the paper tore, just a little. "i'll follow you." (@fcdcdmcmories)

"YES, INDEED. FOLLOW ME?" logan wondered, gesturing for the other to do so if he so wished. it was better to be prepared and it was better to have your cards where they were meant to be and yes, that was what he'd be doing in here. for sure. "it's a short walk from where we are, so.. we should be getting there sometime soon." (@screamsmeared)

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FRANCIS LET HIS EYES FALL SHUT, taking in each word. found. kidnapped. bombs. the first and second, he could almost taste. bombs? he didn't know what he was expecting. REVELATION. it hadn't come. slowly, his eyes blinked open. first, staring into the rearview mirror again. then, falling. the wheel. his hands. his hands. he didn't look injured. "you drive well for someone MANGLED." (@fcdcdmcmories)

"WE... HE... FOUND ME, MAN. HE CLIMBED INTO THE BACK OF MY TAXI AND HE TOLD ME TO... HE KIDNAPPED ME. he forced me to.. say everything that i knew about my friends. and then.. he trapped me and he attached pipe bombs to my arms and he told me to.. to.. rip them off. that was it." that had been that and diego had not realized that he had been shaking until later. he had not realized that he had been shaking until he noticed what was going on with his hands. "i made it. i passed his little test, blacked out from the pain and woke up here." (@screamsmeared)

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HIS CHOICE IN WORDS WAS PECULIAR. "anymore," francis echoed, eyes shifting back toward the rearview mirror. there, he could watch his driver more purposefully. "you're born again?" it would have made sense. the devil got me low but from THE GRACE OF GOD i'm a new man! fall into one wrong crowd, you're more likely to do it again. had he started to realize that, this taxi driver? had he realized yet that GOD had left him, them all, to rot? the thought excited him. what a VENOMOUS creature he was. "what gave it away?" (@fcdcdmcmories)

"ROB YOU? NO , I WOULDN'T ... I DON'T DO THAT . NOT ANYMORE , AT LEAST . trying to be ... better now . different . something like that." he had .. once . which was something that he was not proud of and never would be again . not when he was trying to be better . not when he was attempting to be ... well , what was it? different. " great . classic it is! see? i sort of do know what kind of music everyone loves . it's a talent." or so, did he consider it but .. everyone needed something to hold on to. right? so he liked to think . so ... he liked to believe . "got a lot to think about, eh?" @screamsmeared

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UNEASILY, FRANCIS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT LOGAN WAS RIGHT. it was always possible that the problem was in so deep that it had escaped his notice. there were lots of sicknesses like that. how long had it been since his headaches had started, anyway? "some sitting, some hunching. i take breaks to stretch." monotonous work to most, but dolerhyde had always been more comfortable looking into others' lives than living in his own. in the dark, too. "think it's related?" (@fcdcdmcmories)

"WELL, SOMETIMES, PEOPLE HARDLY NOTICED THAT THEY'RE SICK UNTIL IT HAPPENS, SO.. LET'S HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH YOU, ALRIGHT?" well, it was his job to be here if that was the case but then again, he couldn't say that he was particularly interested. he was only pretending to be as... most people did. right? that was the case, was it not? yes, he liked to think so. "stiff? what do you do for a living? do you tend to stand or be in front of a laptop for that long?" @screamsmeared

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A FEW MORE TESTS. a few more tests, and francis wouldn't have to subject himself to his own personal hell anymore. it seemed like a tall order, but nobody enjoyed visiting a doctor. he could handle it. he could handle anything. "okay," he answered, steeling himself for whatever came next. all light, he hoped. "what's next?" (@fcdcdmcmories)

"ONLY FOR WORK," logan repeated , nodding a little bit. was that something that he was ... completely sure of? not in the slightest and not at all but then again, if the other had said so, it wasn't his business to focus on that and never had been. no. he was here to do what he had to and to keep the other from getting .. well, sick. "and not really. just need to run a few more tests and then, you will be good to go." (@screamsmeared)