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[ The footsteps on Fabian's end quicken. ]

No, that's-- Something in this place is having some terrible influence on him. [ Don't ask him for the details, Krouse. It's all still half-vague to Fabian too.

All he knows is that his friend is in trouble, and this is one of the first chances he's gotten in a while to be able to track Gorgug down more specifically than just randomly wandering around the place, hoping to find him. ]

What did he do to you?

[ If Krouse looks at the directions he sent, there's a line underneath them now, apparently sent back by Fabian. He may not have addressed it out loud, but it's there in writing, clear as day.

Not just his location. Yours too. ]

He didn't do anything.

[ There's a hot bead of defensiveness in Krouse's tone right off the bat, and he silently curses himself out for it. It sounds like a denial that it's not supposed to be. He can't even tell the truth without sounding like he's lying. ]

I'm serious. I ran. Teleporter, remember?

[ He's not proud of it, even if it was probably the right call. Krouse sucks in another lungful of smoke and exhales with a rough edge.

If it gets you to give it a rest

Krouse sends his own location, then, before he talks himself out of it. Next to the Kwik Trip. Funnily enough. ]

I don't need you to fucking come get me. [ He says, tersely. ] Gorgug needs someone to talk him down after he's done - [ Krouse hesitates ] - getting it out of his system. Go. Be a fucking knight in shining letter jacket.

Dude, why are you always like this?

[ This so isn't the moment to argue about this.

But Fabian can't help it. There's no way he can just go along with the stubbornness and say oh, sure, he'll just go try to help Gorgug and let Krouse rot in the middle of nowhere and not have a singular weird feeling about that fact. ]

I can help you both. I'm worried about you both! He's not just getting it out of his system, there's something wrong with him, and if anything, I could use your help with that!

[ There's a bunch of complicated sounds - Fabian is doing something, though it's hard to tell what.

It only becomes clear when there's the sudden sound of a motorcycle being revved before it takes off. With Fabian on it, apparently, since the sound remains in the background of the call. ]

So are you with me or not?

[ Why is he always like this? It's a good fucking question.

Instead of answering it, Krouse rolls onto his back, staring up at the night sky. He takes another deep drag off his cigarette and exhales a cloud of grey against the stars. ]

I don't think he really wants to fucking deal with me right now.

[ He's not bitter about Gorgug's anger at him. He's bitter that he's the kind of person who brings that out of people. That he deserves it. That he couldn't be better, for once, when he fucking needed to be.

Of course Fabian has a goddamn motorcycle. ]

But fine. Yeah. I'm with you.

[ Because how can he say no? How could he possibly fucking say no? ]

[ He releases a sigh so deep that it's audible even over the motorcycle sounds. ]

Good.

[ It feels better to do it this way. Not that Fabian couldn't - or wouldn't - tackle this alone if he had to, but he doesn't want to just choose Gorgug and leave Krouse to rot out there, and he also doesn't want to focus on Krouse and leave Gorgug alone with whatever has overtaken him. Fabian is enough of an idealist that he wants to help out all his friends here. ]

Tell me. What was he angry about?

Oh, the usual.

[ The depth of Fabian's sigh brings up things Krouse is not dealing with right now, if ever. The idea that Fabian is relieved that Krouse gave in - even though of course he is, after Krouse was so goddamn difficult about - is a lot.

Recounting how he fucked up is, in this case, easier. ]

I'm a lying piece of shit who should have stayed in prison, away from his friends, and I made him feel like an idiot.

Wait.

[ That sounds like a genuinely confused wait. There are parts of this that make sense to Fabian - especially the latter, when he knows how Gorgug feels about feeling like he's dumb. He's probably more likely to take offense to it when there's something getting him all worked up in the first place.

But the rest of it.. That's more confusing. Enough so that it's still audible in Fabian's tone when he speaks up again, adding: ]

He wanted you to stay away from us?

Yes?

[ Krouse has more or less caught his breath as he stares at the sky, now with his forehead wrinkled faintly as he puzzles at whatever Fabian is puzzling at. ]

He knows I'm a supervillain, Fabian. [ A short, measured beat. ] He actually got to meet my old boss' ghost. You missed that part. Lucky you.

[ So it all makes perfect sense to Krouse's mind from that point onward. Gorgug knows, Gorgug heard the bad parts, Gorgug made the reasonable judgment call. It's Riz and Fabian who remain out to lunch. ]

[ If it was any other situation, Fabian may have commented on the fact that the term supervillain feels incredibly cringe.

But considering the mood and considering that he is rather serious about helping both Krouse and Gorgug in this moment, Fabian doesn't, saving them a discussion that in itself would likely end up very cringe. ]

Yeah, but.. all of the things you told me you've done, we have also done where we come from. [ Arson? Check. Theft? Check. What else did Krouse sum up? Fabian isn't even sure anymore, but it's probably also on the list. If he hasn't done them, then either Gorgug or Riz surely has at this point. It's part of why Fabian hadn't been bothered by what Krouse told him back in that cell.

It's why he can't imagine Gorgug being bothered because of it. Not even in the middle of what's up with him. ]

You couldn't be a bad influence on us even if you tried.

[ It's too bad Fabian hasn't gotten within eyeballing range yet, because Krouse's arm flung over his forehead is one for the books in terms of exhausted gesturing. ]

Okay. Maybe he's worried I'll just fuck up your lives or get you shot. Or shoot you. Does it matter? I don't care, man, this isn't - Jesus.

[ At least Fabian knows who that is now, sort of. Krouse takes a hard drag on his cigarette and exhales through his nose, hoodie sleeve pressed to his clammy face. ]

Maybe he thinks I have a shitty haircut and I'll ruin your Class of Whatever The Fuck Year This Is group photo in the yearbook. Why not.

[ Only a moment after Krouse has spoken that last word, there is the sound of a motorcycle nearby, instead of just over their connection - and when the feed cuts, it even visibly approaches Krouse's position, until the bike stops right in front of where the guy is sprawled out.

Fabian is sitting on top of the motorcycle. (And yes, the bike does have a weird skull and crossbones motif on the front, but-- don't mind it, bro. Don't think about it too hard.) There's a grin on Fabian's face, but there's a tenseness in his shoulders that betrays he isn't totally casual here, despite him saying: ]

Well, it's true that you aren't as handsome as I am. [ He's teasing, okay.

Though it's also true. In his opinion. ]

You okay, man?

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