‡3rd Treasure‡ Accidental Video

[totallytrustworthy]

[The feed clicks on to reveal Koltira and Chloe in some dark, nondescript alleyway. Chloe's muttering about how she doesn't have a choice, struggling weakly, her eyes unfocused. Koltira speaks to her in soothing tones--or about as soothing as his tone gets, at any rate--telling her to calm down, to see reason, et cetera. He has one arm looped around her waist, and the other holds both of her wrists still; the grip is clearly firm but gentle, meant to pacify, not to harm.

After a moment, Koltira notices that Chloe's dropped tablet is on and recording. He addresses it, his tone markedly more agitated than just a moment ago.]

Chloe is out of her mind. I know not why, but she had her own gun to her mouth.

[There's a short delay before Chloe speaks up, her voice unsteady and tired. It's a pale attempt at lying, but it goes without saying that she's embarrassed once she realizes the feed's running, so she makes it regardless.]

Seriously, mate, I'm fine. Ease up.




((ooc: Takes place after/during this log!)

Comments

[alittlesweptup]

I do try here and there. [He spreads his hands just slightly and either doesn't note or at least doesn't comment on the way she shifts away from him by a matter of degrees.

Surveying the broken bottles strewn across the alley, Charlie makes a low noise. Ah. He tries to be tactful, generally fails, but at least manages to keep his voice gentle. Careful. The last thing he wants to do is spook her: send her slipping off down the alley with some full bullshit excuse as to why she gets to bolt.] Seems a touch counter intuitive - buying me a drink and then trying to pop off before delivering it.

[totallytrustworthy]

[She rakes her fingers through her hair (missing its usual tie at this point, probably somewhere among the broken glass) and lets out a weary little laugh as he makes a remarkably good point.]

God, it does, doesn't it? [But her smile fades a bit as something about that doesn't sit quite right, though it's slipped through her fingers a split second later.]

Nice to see you managed to get both shoes on.

[alittlesweptup]

Ah, yeah well-- [He scuffs his foot back and forth on the pavement, maybe just a hair sheepish or maybe just pretending to be because it's-- it's easier. Because he can't bring himself to do more, say more. Not about the gun at his back and not about how he's-- not sorry. He's not sorry. Not for what he meant, but maybe for what he said.

Instead he fumbles absently with his hands: picks at his nails and runs his fingers over the scars on his knuckles.] I don't know about you love, but sitting on the street isn't doing much for my arse.

[totallytrustworthy]

[There's a bit of obvious tension in her muscles, her expression, as he starts to make the suggestion of moving elsewhere. Pressing a thumb over the pressure point of her opposite hand, she weighs it all in her head. Indoors, right now, only conjures up the image of captivity versus freedom.

Probably thanks to the echoes of Talbot's instructions that haven't quite worn off yet.]

...what did you have in mind?

[alittlesweptup]

See that would require that I'd thought that far ahead. Maybe we just start with not sitting... here. [Because Christ, the smell of alcohol and mildew and rot is heavy in the air and even if it wasn't, he'd prefer being anywhere but here. He kind of just wants to get her off the ground, get her walking. Get her the hell away from this alley.

[totallytrustworthy]

[And it sounds safe enough (and knowing Charlie, it's not a lie) so she nods just before moving to her feet for the first time since she'd nearly-- well, you know.]

One of these days you not having a plan is going to backfire.

[A beat]

More than it has already, anyway.

[alittlesweptup]

I have plenty of plans, thank you. [He pushes himself to his feet and shrugs his jacket back into place on his shoulders, brushes the grit of the pavement off his ass.] But maybe not for this, no.

[But how about we not linger on that topic, thanks much.]

[totallytrustworthy]

[Chloe casts a quick glance over to the elf still settled nearby, rubbing at her arms to get a bit of warmth back in them now that she's up and moving again.]

Care to join us, mate?

[deadelfwalking]

[this guy called him 'Dungeons and Dragons', so he's not favorably inclined. He just shrugs.]

Where do you intend to go?

[alittlesweptup]

Haven't the slightest. [Which is true, albeit more than a little purposefully vague. But still, more than a little unfair and he knows it; it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if it wasn't for Silmarillion here, things would have gone drastically differently.]

[totallytrustworthy]

Just, wherever it is, not too much of a crowd, all right? Not really at my best here.

[And-- right, manners. Those help.] Before I forget. Koltira, Charlie-- Charlie, Koltira.

You can sort out the details on your own, I'm not going to bother with it at the moment.

[deadelfwalking]

[PICKING HER UP; ignoring the rest.]

Fine. Lead the way.

[alittlesweptup]

[He'd offer a handshake -- Charlie Cutter: not a complete ass --, but Koltira's hands seem a bit full. Charlie gives Chloe a less than subtle glance that is nine shades of 'Your friends are goddamn odd birds', but opts to keep his trap shut. He instead settles for a swift nod of acknowledgment and then ducks out of the alley.

Well so long as we're all in agreement. [He picks a direction at random more than anything - away from the marketplace, away from the residences, but otherwise it's luck of the draw that sends them down a relatively quiet side street littered with debris, only a handful of its street lights still in working order.]

[deadelfwalking]

[CARRYING HER BRIDAL-STYLE, SAYING NOTHING. Just staring ahead.]

[totallytrustworthy]

Are you serious right now? I held a bloody gun to my head; I'm not incapable of walking.

[This feels weird, this feels weird she's being held put her down. Charlie help.]

[alittlesweptup]

[For God's sake--]

All right, c'mon mate - her legs aren't broken.

[He's got her gun. Unless she opts to bum rush him (change of success: slim), any further attempts at blowing her brains out will take some serious engineering.]

[deadelfwalking]

[his gaze moves from Chloe, to Cutter, and then back again.]

I am fully aware of that.

[however, he does not put her down--not until they've reached some kind of destination.]

[totallytrustworthy]

Could you-- [She looks mad enough to give him another firm tap on the jaw, but he did just save her life, so she keeps her fist at her side, at least.] Could you just let me---

Ugh...Fine. Fine but this makes us even. [Because really, she's too tired to argue and Koltira's done enough to earn a little patience.]

And I want my gun back.

[alittlesweptup]

[Charlie's mouth goes thin as he tries to think up an excuse to not give her back the gun that doesn't revolve around 'Yeah, how about no.' Unsurprisingly, there really isn't one.]

It's stuck in my belt. [He says without even trying to pull it free.]

SKIPPING ORDER BECAUSE YOU'RE BOTH IN TROUBLE

[totallytrustworthy]

[All right that is it. That is it. Bad enough she feels mortified about the whole thing, but now she's being carried about like a ragdoll, being denied her own fucking gun.

This time she actively fights Koltira's hold on her, looking absolutely livid.]

Seriously? I'm done. Put me down or I'm breaking your god damn hands. I had a brief slip-up, fine, but I'm not about to be treated like I can't handle my own business, all right??

I've managed just fine so far without either of you.

[deadelfwalking]

[although he still doesn't think it's the best idea, Koltira is also not the kind of man who likes to force people into situations against their will. Thus, he puts her down, albeit with some reluctance.]

You have managed well. Until half an hour ago.

[alittlesweptup]

[It shouldn't be enough to get his back up - because of course she's angry (embarrassed to boot). But it does. And Charlie snaps back without thinking:]

For fuck's sake, stop acting like you're the only adult in the room.

[totallytrustworthy]

[Oh she's seething. One for Koltira's half hour remark, the other for Charlie's snarl of a response.]

Right, well, the pair of you are clearly qualified to be in control of everything. I'll just spend what's left of my life letting you two hold my hand the whole way. Real incentive there to keep going on.

[deadelfwalking]

Calm yourself, Chloe. I have only been trying to help you. You were out of your mind.

[alittlesweptup]

That's not what I-- [He starts to raise a placating hand and then aborts. Screw it.] He's got a point. If you would stop trying to keep everyone else from toeing the line, maybe you wouldn't end up trying to blow your bloody brains out.

[And he can't keep his voice from rising a little at the last-- because that's really what they need to be doing: shouting at one another in the street.]