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[ It's a good thing Fabian doesn't have to use his hands for anything else right now. Because as he hears Gorgug speak up in that typical Gorgug way, where he keeps mentioning random things and sounds so calm, Fabian is raising his hands up to his own face to just rub at it.

In exasperation, yes. At least Gorgug can't see it since it's a call, so Fabian can take his face rubbing nice and slow over here. As long as the emotion lasts. ]

Do you really think I can talk about dancing right now?

[ W-Woah. A Fabian who can't talk about dancing, when he loves to hear himself talk? That really must mean it's serious, though Fabian's deadly serious tone from a moment ago is sliding into something a little more whiny at this point. ]

Don't you get that I'm worried about you?

S-sorry. I do. [ ... ] Thank you.

[ There's a little stutter, trying to hurry to answer Fabian, and in his defence, his tone does come out apologetic. ]

I texted you about it because... I thought you'd like to know. [ A beat. ] If he's got anything good to say, I'll tell you. After I'm done. And I'll tell you where I went. I just don't want to-- over this.

[ And maybe it's stupid, overly cautious when he regularly isn't, but a lot's been bugging Gorgug more and more lately, and it's been coming out like this. Cautious, suspicious. A frustration that he doesn't know what to do with, so he just ends up bottling it. ]

[ It's the tone that stops Fabian. He doesn't want to be overly aggressive here - especially not when Gorgug is sounding like that. It seems like both of them are just worried about this in their own way. ]

.. okay. [ His tone is milder now. It sounds more like a compromise, or maybe acceptance. Giving in to the fact that Gorgug wants to do this in this specific way, even if it's not exactly the way Fabian would prefer. ]

You are right though. That I'd like to know. If something happened to you out of nowhere.. [ His voice trails off, but perhaps - even to Gorgug? Maybe? Perhaps? K-King, pick up on some implications, you can do it, king? - it's obvious that he means to say that he would freak out.

It's not even something changed by recent events between them. Even as just friends, Fabian would have freaked. ]

It feels like lately has been the most alright we three have been for a while. As much as we can be in this place, anyway. [ Which is to say-- It's not ideal. There's still stuff weighing on them.

But at least no one is recovering from very active recent trauma. ]

I want to make sure that doesn't change.

[ Not in the sense of 'Gorgug shouldn't meet shady people', more in the sense of 'Gorgug better not get hurt or Fabian will have to STAB SOMEONE!!!' ]

[ Gorgug can pick up some implications here, for once!! But even without their recent developments, that would go without saying then as it would now. It's actually difficult, figuring out if there's a deeper meaning to the context of Fabian's worrying. Is it because they got together, or is it because they're good friends?

...even Gorgug feels himself toeing the line, or testing said line. Isn't this why he messaged Fabian specifically? Instead of messaging both Fabian and Riz...? ]

It won't. I think-- this might help. Knowing there's people out there taking this seriously. It doesn't feel like... there's a lot of people we can talk about this with, outside each other.

[ Etraya. Their situation. Gorgug's willing to walk out to the derelict church for this reason, and because he doesn't actually think Chrollo's going to do anything to him ((maybe)). But while he could end it right there, he hadn't missed the compromise in Fabian's tone--or forgotten the worry that had been there, the worry that persists.

Gorgug pauses, before: ]

You know, if we plan to meet up... I, um... I'll do whatever you want, so...if I have to do something for you, then I have to make it back so we can keep our plans. Since I said I would.

[ H-he's trying to be smooth, Fabian...! Or flirty.... flirty and suggestive. Is it working, Fabian? Are you getting what Gorgug is putting down? King? ]

[ ...

At first there's nothing from Fabian's end of the call.

But then he breathes, and-- the air turns into a slight laugh. It's nothing too long or too boisterous, more like a slight laugh just escaped him naturally, the longer he thought about what Gorgug was telling him here. ]

I was being serious! [ At least it doesn't really sound offended with the remnants of that laugh still slightly on his tongue. ] Are you trying to bribe me with a kiss? Is that what this is?

[ Please land... please let his flirt land!!!!

Is the panic Gorgug goes through when he at first gets nothing but silence. But then a laugh comes, and that's a-- good thing? Yes, a good thing, even if Fabian is trying to go for a faux offence. But Gorgug knows Fabian's voice well enough to figure out he's more amused than anything bad. ]

It doesn't have to be one kiss. Unless what you want is one kiss? [ A singular kiss for a boyfriend? ] It's a bribe for me, too. It means I have to come back. I owe you a kiss.

[ If he keeps repeating this plan, Fabian will understand its genius. ]

[ That's totally not how it works. And it's not like Fabian is suddenly not worried at all anymore about what the other is doing, but..

.. well, the cute flirting is very effective despite that, okay. How can he say no to this? To the idea of someone being so eager to get back to him just because of a kiss?

This time there's way less of a pause before he's answering: ]

So you're saying I can pick anything I want?

Yeah. [ ... ] But I get to agree with it.

[ Look. Did he hurry to give that 'Yeah' because his mind is on kissing and getting Fabian to agree with him? Yes. Did he also know there's a chance he could be selling his soul to some unknown contract by not putting up that reminder to their agreement?

You never know. There's a chance Fabian might be leading him to a trap! If this was Fig or Kristen, letting them pick anything they want would lead to something bizarre. And it wouldn't even have talks of kisses involved.

(Which is fine, but the point still stands!) ]

Get to agree with--

[ Now hold on a moment here!

Fabian isn't going into full huffy dramatic mode, because he is fully aware they are in the middle of flirting, so there is something a little more flustered to his tone than anything else. But he still can't let this pass.

Not even if Gorgug may be about to get himself murdered by some weird stranger. ]

Are you saying you think I would suggest something you might not like? [ Does that sound like him, Gorgug!!! ]

[ Oh no is it bad if he thinks too much for too long about this or if he says yes, what if he says he doesn't know-- ]

I just think consent is...sexy.

[ DO YOU BELIEVE HIM, BRO! DO YOU BELIEVE HIM, KING? ]

What? [ It's kind of hard to place what the exact tone he's using here is trying to convey.

It sounds genuinely caught off guard, but also still a little bit wary in case it's not true, and kind of exasperated if this is true, and-- there's just a lot going on here. Gorgug is making Fabian's brain reset with this one line, apparently.

Especially since there's a noticeable pause between that slight 'what' and Fabian speaking on. ]

Gorgug, you could die and the last thing you want to tell me before that is that you think consent is sexy?!

[ Is he safe? Maybe he's safe---

NO HE'S NOT SAFE, NO IT DIDN'T WORK! Fabian saw right through him and now he needs to work quick!! ]

You can fuck me! [ Sweating! SWEATING! Listen to him talk so quick--! ] I'll suck your dick, you can do whatever you want to me! I'll like it! I'll like anything you want!

[ F-Fabian don't get mad at him!! ]

[ ...

There's a moment of just.. nothing. Nothing but utter silence on Fabian's end of the line, despite the fact that the connection clearly was not broken. It seems like Gorgug just managed to outright stun Fabian into silence somehow. Despite how mouthy the other is at other times.

It's only after a few moments of that silence that Fabian's voice finally comes through again. ]

Is-- Is that the last thing you want to tell me before you die?

[ That's definitely not his real question here, but judging by Fabian's surprised tone, it's more likely that his mind is still trying to wrap itself around just how easily Gorgug is offering himself up to him here. ]

[ On this side is still a very flustered Gorgug. But Fabian actually being stunned to momentary silence and not providing the same energy does give Gorgug a...second. Actually, it comes after Fabian speaks, a question that-- Gorgug finds hard to think about? No, that wouldn't want to be the last thing, but: ]

--It's not going to be the last thing I tell you.

[ It's not smooth. It's not boasting, but what it is, is-- sure. Determined. He's not going to talk about last words because he's not gonna die!!

But there is still some of that fluster with him, where he has to swallow, and say: ]

So think about what you want when I get back.

[ Y-yeah. ]

Oh-- Okay.

[ Look, Fabian would also prefer Gorgug not dying, but he still isn't fully sure of the power of this promise really getting Gorgug through whatever might be happening. And he's still flustered at the same time too. Life is hard.

It's far too late to change anything though. So Fabian tries his best to swallow the worry for the moment, reminding himself that Gorgug is quite literally the strongest person he knows. Physically, anyway. S-Surely it'll be fine, right?

.. or, you know, just in case-- ]

If I haven't heard from you in half an hour, I'm going to storm over. [ Just saying!! ] And I'll take The Ball along too!

[ BETTER HURRY, GORGUG! Unless you want to get embarrassed by your friends rushing in like a riot squad!! ]

[ He never told Fabian where he's going right? Wait, time to use this to his advantage! ]

Yeah, okay. I'll hurry, I'll be quick. I'll message you as soon as I'm done. [ So--! ] I'll go now. See you. I'll see you soon.

[ Is this Gorgug hurrying to end the call before he can shove his foot any deeper down his throat? You betcha!!! We hope Chrollo didn't hear him shout any of that stuff from within the church Gorgug's getting closer to approaching..... ]

[ Does Gorgug get away with it? ]

Alright, fine, see you soon.

[ Yes. Yes, he does.

In fact, Fabian doesn't even realize right after the other ends the call that Gorgug didn't tell him a location. He only realizes it about five minutes later or so, when he's busy making concrete plans to go hunt down Gorgug and tell Riz about it too, letting out a: ]

Damn it!

[ And he just.. prepares himself to go on a wild goose chase with the Hangman if Gorgug doesn't send him anything within the next 30 minutes.

Does Gorgug get back to Fabian before then? ]

[ Gorgug might be hitting that full 30 minutes, but Fabian will get a message on his earpiece: ]

Hey

[

And that's it. That's the entire message. ]

[ Hey?

Just hey?!

There's no text message. Instead there's just Fabian calling, and Gorgug better pick up, because the moment he does there's a very loud-- ]

Is that all you have to say?!

[ There's a weird sound in the background.. If Gorgug thinks about the sound, he may realize it's the sound of a running motorcycle, right along with the whipping wind.

Which means Fabian definitely already left to wildly drive around the city to try and find Gorgug, even still driving as he's calling now. ]

[ Oh? Oh look, Fabian's calling, he's free-- ouch. That's Fabian's voice in his ear, and Gorgug does hear background noise, but-- ]

I didn't know you'd pick up! I'm alive!

[ Because he should say that now, right? Like it isn't already obvious--but that's what the hey was for!! ]

Are you out? Where are you?

[ All questions Fabian and Fabian alone should be answering. ]

Yes, I am out! What do you think I'm doing? I'm looking for you!

[ He sounds so offended.

But, like, Fabian levels of offended. Which means the way he's sounding pretty much half of the time already. ]

Did you forget that I said I'd come find you if you took too long?! [ That sort of threat is never empty when it comes to Fabian, Gorgug. Never. Especially not when his friends' safety is involved. This is a man who would awkwardly facetime his friend in front of his crush just to warn her of her possible imminent death. ] I thought that weird guy did something to you!

I'm here, I'm out! You don't have to look for me, he didn't do anything!

[ Was Gorgug too long? He isn't going to try and think if he wasn't or not, because that's that not really important now, and what's important is that he doesn't even know if Fabian has a clue of where to look for him. So he should probably focus on stopping that from continuing before anything else.

So, that's the next part of this: Making Fabian happy. Or no longer shouting and worrying, even if the Hangman himself might be enjoying the riding and the adventure of potentially saving him. Even so- ]

Let's meet. At the workshop? We can meet at my workshop.

[ Time to throw Fabian a bone to go towards... ]

[ Gorgug may already have said that Chrollo didn't do anything to him, but it doesn't seem to soothe Fabian in the slightest. The drama apparently doesn't end this easily.. Maybe because he's still mad that Gorgug made him worry by not checking back in with him in time, or not telling him where he went in the first place.

.. or maybe Fabian just needs a kiss to be soothed. Who knows. Maybe that's how it works.

At least, despite all the audible grumbling on Fabian's end of the line, he does reply to Gorgug's suggestion with a: ]

Fine.

[ He doesn't sound happy about it though, BRO!!!!

:( ]

I will see you there. But make sure to hurry! Last one there is a square!

I'm not a square!!

[ This would be Gorgug sounding determined, but it sounds more whiny, like it's already predetermined that he's going to be the square here...

Which, considering that Gorgug is walking on foot (and is a decent distance away from his workshop) is a very likely possibility. The fact that Fabian has his bike and Gorgug is having to walk (he's not going to run!!! you can't make him run!!!!) does lead to Gorgug sending Fabian a text after five or ten minutes to hopefully keep his boyfriend at bay: ]

still alive i dont have a motorbike

[ So please be patient, Fabian... and don't call him a square!!!! Even when he does eventually make it to his workshop....!! ]

[ He's definitely going to be the square. The Hangman is Fabian's obvious advantage here. And even though - if Fabian was being smart - he would have to realize that it's going to be a while before Gorgug reaches the workshop, of course Fabian is speeding off as fast as the Hangman can over towards the workshop. He's way too worked up to do absolutely anything else here.

Even if it means that once he arrives there, he's just.. sitting there. Not even going in. Not even remaining seated on the Hangman, despite that being the obvious thing to do here. No, Fabian is just sitting down outside. Almost demonstratively - like an angry spouse waiting for their partner to come home way too late at night.

(Never mind the fact that it's not even late at night.)

Fabian's got the entire thing down pat though - especially since he's definitely looking grumpy as he's sitting there. Maybe a little more on the level of an angry little kid than an angry spouse, but-- still.

At least the fact he has absolutely nothing else to do does mean that he's checking his text messages for once. ]

i could send over the hangman to you
but i'm not sure you deserve it

[ Oh, he is pouty pouty, Gorgug. At this rate you will have to prepare yourself for the maximum levels of pout you will find once you arrive, bro. ]

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