chiseler | Adam Parrish

[They'd discussed this, Lara and Luke. They'd discussed the likelihood that Adam had really killed Franziska and while he hadn't been sure as the trial went on he realized it was true.

It wasn't like Adam to let people vote for innocent people. In a way, Adam was a hero. But like himself he knows nobody will regard him that way. The people on the outside...they were mostly useless.

Still, watching Adam's execution had been painful and he won't tell Lara this but he found himself throwing up in his mouth a little, eyes tearing away from the screen. It took him a few moments to calm down before he admitted he was woozy and needed to get some air. Which is funny, considering where they are.

So he goes outside and sits in the front yard under a small tree, back against it and eyes closed. He's taking deep breaths to clear his head and sort out his thoughts, trying to regain his bearings. He had read Adam's email in the space between the investigation and the trial itself and even now the words make even less sense. Did Adam tell people he didn't love him because it was true? God, of course it was true. They were faking from the start, it was all a lie. But...the letters made things more complicated. It's a lot to grasp.

He hears footsteps approaching though and he looks up suddenly, spotting Adam. It's not hard to see him in the yard and for a moment he looks afraid. He doesn't speak up immediately but he sits up and a little way away from the tree to watch him warily. He looks...okay. They're both okay and they're both here but...are they okay? What does okay even mean?

He says nothing. But he lifts his hand in a half-hearted wave. Maybe Adam won't even want to see him now that he inadvertently helped him get killed.]

[ It's a strange place. He wouldn't know where to look for Luke but luckily he's outside and it's hard to miss someone like him. Someone who's so... he doesn't really know how to describe it. It's just that he feels like he's drawn to Luke in a lot of ways.

Was he waiting for him? It's nice until Luke doesn't seem all that excited to see him. Had he been mistaken? Still, Adam jogs over to see him and he can't help how happy he looks and the way his eyes well up. He'd missed him.

He drops to his knees and thinks to reach out but he doesn't. He wants to see how Luke reacts. ] I... I'm glad I get to see you again. Did you get my email? I responded, I guess it was kind of long...

[This is maybe a good sign? It's interesting that Adam seems elated to see him and Luke keeps his expression blank for a moment. He tilts his head thoughtfully, quietly assessing the other boy even as he comes closer and kneels in the dirt next to him.

It's harder to ignore how much nicer Adam looks when he's happy. It's even harder to fathom that that happiness could come from something like a death Adam didn't want. But there's a small uneasy smile in return.]

...you're a better actor than I ever gave you credit for. I read it before the trial. I was going to respond when it was over. [But now...Adam's here.]

[ Adam watches him closely and it's not really what he'd been expecting since he woke up here. He thought things would be different. Luke had said a lot of things to him, but he supposes he also didn't expect to see Adam here so soon.

But he meant it, right? That's all he kept saying. ] ... I wasn't acting during the trial. I was upset, after... everything. I stopped caring about what happened to me because, well, why should I? [ No one else did. ]

...you couldn't have known you would wind up here, Adam. Lara and I have both been worried about you. [There, he says it, even if he can't really look Adam in the eye right now and instead seems to be twisting his hands in a knot between his knees. He pauses, licking his lips in a nervous manner before he huffs lightly.]

So...guess this answers the "really gone" question. Lara and I can see everything until curfew. And I can't see what the science team's planning anymore. And here we are. You and me. Nobody to put a show on for, so...[It's awkward to think about.] You've got nothing to be sorry for, by the way. I think I always knew I'd die young. But that doesn't change much of what I said. Four days is still better than nothing.

[He finally looks up.] You really missed me?

Edited 2016-10-23 05:27 (UTC)

[ He looks surprised but then there's concern there. Worried about him? Why? Did they think he was going to become unhinged? ... They might have been a little right but it reminds him too much of his friends thinking that about him. He doesn't want people being worried about him. ]

... The science team? [ Maybe if he thought about it he might be able to put some things together but there are other things on his mind, honestly. ] No, I should have... God, that's why we did all that. So that we could defend each other and I didn't do it right. [ He looks down at the ground. ]

But I... putting a show on with you wasn't so bad. I missed... yeah. Talking to you and feeling like I had someone there. It sucked when you and Lara were gone. There was just nothing anymore. You didn't deserve it.

[If Adam isn't asking, he's not explaining. He's not explaining any of that and instead he shakes his head.] I know exactly why we did what we did and I did my job. That's all that counts to me. I told you not everything on my profile was true. [Breaking promises, specifically.] ...Franziska was a bitch and she was gonna get us killed either way. You did everything you could, all right? You...I should have stayed quiet during the trial. That was my mistake.

....she's here. [Lara, he means.] We woke up probably about the same time and she came and found me. I think the others are around, too, but I haven't looked. I haven't really left my place much. Lara wasn't supposed to be selected either and that was my mistake, too.

[He runs a hand through his hair.] This place isn't so bad. We have our own houses and we can watch the Vault and everything. It's almost like being safe.

Why did you do it, then? [ Part of him really doesn't want to talk about this right now. He wants to go back to how it was before, him and Luke just talking. He wants something tying him back to reality. ] I couldn't let her keep sentencing people to death. I let her take you but I wasn't going to let it happen again. And can you believe it? She almost got someone this time too.

[ So he confessed. But he looks up when Luke mentions Lara. And then he's sad. She deserves so much better. He wants to apologize to her too. ]

Do you think... Franziska... [ Yikes. ] But it's all... fake. Do you really like it here?

Why did I do...what, exactly? I don't understand. [He doesn't know what he's asking. But he snorts and it's harsh and irritated and he grits his teeth.] How someone like her has any power over everyone is beyond me. Truthfully, if I had lived I would have killed her myself anyway. [He doesn't blame him at all.

...he nods though. Franziska's probably somewhere around here, but who cares. Adam says it's fake, and Luke's smile grows but in a more mocking manner than anything else.] I dunno, Parrish. We were fake and you still really liked parts of me, didn't ya?

You and the staff or the—the science team or whatever. Why? [ He defended Luke pretty blindly back there and maybe he shouldn't have but... he believes in him. He believes Luke wouldn't have killed him, that he had good reasons for what he did. There's a quirk of his lips when Luke says he would have killed her. He doesn't feel bad for what he did.

Then he flusters and shoves lightly at Luke's shoulder. ] Shut up. I... [ He's gotten so confused over the past couple of days. Things just started mixing together in his head. He had to keep calling Luke his boyfriend after he died but he wasn't really acting. He has no idea what this is anymore. ] Do you still want to... do you think... Instead of starting over, I kind of want to continue where we left off.

Where do you think that was?

Because we're supposed to help make the world better. The experiment's going to keep running until we get everything we need to help shape the future. [That's all he says though. He doesn't want to talk about this and he shakes his head, more interested in the other topic.

Which...is also a weird topic? So he grins but this time it's more real than the others.]

...picking up from where we left off? I mean I have a couple of ideas. Believe it or not, I had plans in mind for after that trial.

[ That doesn't make any sense. It shows in his face that he's confused but he can tell neither of them want to talk about this. He's never cared that Luke could be staff. This is what matters and he'll ask for answers later. ]

... Yeah. I had things I wanted to say to you too. I had a lot. [ He sighs. He wishes they weren't dead. But there was probably little hope they could have come out alive together. ] Tell me your ideas.

They're stupid now. Are you sure? [He rolls his eyes to the sky.] ...I wanted to make you dinner as a thank you for putting up with me since the last trial. What with the broken nose and the cold. It was obnoxious but you still stuck around and I...it was nice, I guess. So yeah. Something like that. Dinner and maybe something else until curfew was up and we'd have to separate.

...I kinda thought of maybe suggesting we stick together at night, too, since we both had people from our apartments killed. And now as you can see people can come in and attack at any time. But maybe that would have been too much.

[ Adam is surprised about that. His ideas had all been to discuss possible suspects. But... that's so weirdly nice. He doesn't understand it. And still, this was why he defended Luke so vehemently. Luke was good to him. ] I would have taken it. Dinner together sounds nice. Is there food here...?

[ Maybe they can still do it. He shrugs. ] I had the same thought. I... wanted to see how long it would the staff to kill again and when it was just two days apart, I thought it couldn't hurt. [ He swallows. ] We could have shared the lounger. Since the bed's small...

Technically speaking, yeah. This whole place I think is like a replica of real life. We're technically digital so everything is also digital. So digital food? Yeah, that's here. Doesn't mean that dinner's a totally lost cause.

[He quirks an eyebrow.] ...since I was staff, I would have maybe been better suited to watch out for you at night, too. [There's no sense in hiding that anymore.] Moving kinda fast don't you think? It's only been six days and you already wanna sleep together. [He can still gently tease.] I didn't know you had it in you.

So make me something here. [ He does deserve a thanks, come on. He glances to Luke's house. ] Are you going to invite me in?

[ He furrows his brow at that but... it makes sense. The staff do everything at night apparently. ] Would you have really watched out for me? [ He just wants to be sure. Then he huffs. ] I didn't say here. But people thought I wanted to die for you after four days, so I don't think time matters much.

I'll think about it. [He's back to mostly teasing him now.] Wouldn't you rather stay out here for a little bit? It's kinda nice out.

[But there's a hard question and he inhales deeply as he thinks about that.] ...I would have, yeah. There are obviously thinks I could do that you couldn't and I made you a deal. I would have made sure you lived as long as possible. [He wrinkles his nose in a joking manner.] Real charming, Romeo. But yeah, I heard. People were really...not thinking that you had your own motives at hand, were they?

[ He knocks Luke's shoulder with his own but settles down to sit next to him. He looks up at the sky, unimpressed. Fake weather. Fake boyfriends. Well, they deserve it.

There's a moment where he thinks about the wording. As long as possible... He wonders if, if it came down to it, Luke would have let him be killed. But that's not really something to think about, he guesses. ] No. [ And that clearly annoys him. ] They thought it was only for you. Not even Lara. Just because we'd been dating like... like other relationships don't matter. I'm just happy I don't have to be around them anymore.

I guess like this, we can have normal lives. [ A pause. ] I think this is better than anything I could have had while alive.

[They can talk about it later. This isn't about that. This is about...what, them? He doesn't know and he looks at the sky as well, keeping his shoulder pressed to Adam's anyway.]

Most of them aren't very smart and can't think beyond what other people tell them to think from what I noticed. The others will continue on without me. [He doesn't seem to care.] I can't believe they didn't learn their lesson from last week considering how many people admitted Lara's death was a mistake. They're on their own now. I can't say I mind.

But I think...maybe the same can be said for me? I don't know, I'm still trying to figure out everything I know now. But being here. [He pauses.] Lara'll wanna see you. But that can wait a little while, right? There's no curfew in this place.

[ He nods. He agrees they just go along with whatever they're told to. It seems to him that they're going to be killing themselves soon enough. ] I did what I could to help. [ And it was genuine in some way. He wanted to show them how wrong they could be when they listened to Franziska and a crazy girl who wants to torture people.

But he also doubts they'll understand that. They'll demonize him. ] You don't want to go inside, so I guess we're staying here. [ Because it's too soon to leave Luke again. ] ... Do you think she's mad at me? For killing Franziska?

You did well. [He means that genuinely, even as he thinks of what could have possibly happened and what the science team might have done. He can't confirm anything and he's not even sure he wants to. The fact is that everyone here is dead and there's nothing he can do about it.]

Why would Lara be mad at you for that? We, uh, were both kind of celebrating? Is that bad?

[ There's a pause and then he laughs. How strange it is to laugh now. He's pretty sure the last time he did that, he was with Luke. ]

No, I... I'm glad. I had my reasons, but it was mostly for what she did to you two. [ He's still smiling. ] I really... I missed this. Even before all of this, everything kind of sucked. So when we woke up at the complex, I didn't think it was so bad. At least I got a break and even... while the killings happened, I had you.

So when you and Lara were gone, it was just the same as before. I thought I was meant to have my life be like that.

[There's really nothing humorous about death, but Adam laughs and Luke looks over at him with a bright smile. It's still something better than the strange quiet of this place and it reminds him that he's here with someone not entirely unpleasant.]

What I said is still true. I don't know many people who understand me the way you do which is something I've never really been able to figure out. Without having to worry about killings here, I guess this whole place is a huge break until they figure things out out there. Since you can change your future from here on out...what is it that you think you want to do with your life now?

[ Adam turns his head to look at him, eyes soft and a little wary. It is weird to have someone who understands. That's why he didn't want to let him go. Would he ever find someone who could get him like that again?

He doesn't think there's another Luke. ] I... don't know. [ That's a distressing question. He looks off at the neighborhood. It's small. ] I've always been working to get somewhere and I guess I never really thought about where I wanted to get. Just... away. Now I'm away for good.

What exactly are we supposed to do here? Just live? No money or school or work... [ As horrible as his life had been because of all those things, he's not sure he wants them gone completely. ] I don't know what it's like to have free time.

[He lifts an eyebrow.]

Didn't you read my letter, Adam? Creation. That's the whole point...a new you and me was what I was talking about originally, I'll admit, but...in this place I think we can create a town to be whatever we want it to be. What do you know about computers? [He waves a hand.] I haven't quite figured it all out yet, but I think there's a chance we can build more the more people show up here. Almost like an exchange of energy but not as creepy.

...by the way I told you Judy wasn't a real physical person.

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