abby_icon.gif alexander_icon.gif brian_icon.gif helena_icon.gif jennifer_icon.gif teo_icon.gif

Scene Title Reunions
Synopsis Members of Phoenix come home.
Date November 12, 2008

New York Public Library

Once upon a time, the New York Public Library was one of the most important libraries in America. The system, of which this branch was the center, was among the foremost lending libraries /and/ research libraries in the world.

The bomb changed that, as it changed so much else.

By virtue of distance, the library building was not demolished entirely, like so many others north of it; however, the walls on its northern side have been badly damaged, and their stability is suspect. The interior is a shambles, tattered books strewn about the chambers and halls, many shelves pulled over. Some have even been pulled apart; piles of char in some corners suggest some of their pieces, as well as some of the books, have been used to fuel fires for people who sought shelter here in the past.

In the two years since the bomb, the library — despite being one of the icons of New York City — has been left to decay. The wind whistles through shattered windows, broken by either the blast-front or subsequent vandals, carrying dust and debris in with it. Rats, cats, and stray dogs often seek shelter within its walls, especially on cold nights. Between the fear of radiation and the lack of funds, recovery of the library is on indefinite hiatus; this place, too, has been forgotten.

Al has been…..gone. Not a sound from him. Not a message after the initial summons of Abby. Not a hint. The cab has been parked out by his squat for almost a week, gathering leaves and dust. And when he finally does appear, it's without warning or greeting, creeping in the backway to the living quarters up in the library's attics where he's set up an ancillary squat at the end of a pigeon haunted garret. For once he's gone beyond his usual 'poor guy scraping by' into something that looks like genuine homelessness - he's grubby, gaunt, and worn, with copper-colored stubble on his chin.

Jennifer hasn't actually come out to the library yet. Her contacts have generally been with Helena, and generally in much more sociable environs. However, she's headed through the area towards the library, with a large and fairly bulky backpack on as she moves through. She nears the building itself, looking about a little nervously. Creepy place.

Abby seems to have taken residence up at the library too during Al's absence. Shotgun leaning againt the wall, bible and clothes stacked neatly on some jerry rigged shelving of cinderblocks and planks beside her mattress and bedding. A camp lamp providing light for her as she thumbs through pages, moisting her thumb to make it easier to flip them, looking for some passage. So it is that Al's emergence is noted, and the thumbing stops. "Sweet merciful jesus. Al. What happened to you?"

Helena emerges from…well, wherever. "Alex!" she bolts toward him and envelopes the man in a hug…and in three seconds flat steps away. "Oh my god, you stink."

The library can be a depressing place. Especially with the depressing terrorists who occupy it most of the time. But depression be warned! Brian is here! Tonight, it seems the Library has a little more people than it usually does. And a lot of those people are.. One person. Brian's everywhere!

Down one aisle of books, two Brians face each other with tennis rackets. The man has resorted to fighting boredome with himself, playing a little game of 'tennis' in the aisleway. Three Brian's are operating as 'sentries' at the doorway. One thing he's good for is guard duty.

Over by all the commotion yet another Brian lounges, reading a book. Sitting up, he frowns at the arrival of.. homeless man. Then Abby, and a little smile for Helena. He doesn't say anything yet.

Al clicks on the space heater by his own cot, and looks around for water before answering. There's a jury-rigged utility sink at the end of the room, and it's there that he heads after Helena steps away from him. "I know," he says, hoarsely. "And Sylar damn near got me. I didn't dare lead him back here, so I slept rough for a while, until I could make sure he wasn't trailing me," He's stripping off upper layers as he goes, until he's shirtless. He ducks under the sink to retrieve a little kit with razor, soap, and clean rags, and starts to wipe himself off in the trickle that comes from the tap. "I shouldn't be here. Some fool tried to take him on. This guy who didn't speak English - Abby, did you ever get to him?" he wonders.

Jennifer heads inside. "Hello??" She calls out from the entrance. Okay, it's as creepy inside as it is outside. She starts through the place, looking for some signs of life. Were those voices above? She starts that way.

"Oh yes. Yes I did. Called me an angel, couldn't speak a drop of english. Then he planted a tracer in my purse and has done who knows what. Likely he can speak perfect english" Abby doesn't look the slightest bit miffed. Actually, Abby has averted her gaze from Al as he's getting himself cleaned up. Proper manners and all. The bible has been closed and put off to the side. "But he's been healed. Picked a good handful of wood shards from his stomach. He'll have a nasty looking scar"

Helena gives Alex a little -look-. "Abby's not a vending machine, you know. But I want to hear about you wound up around Sylar." Then there's Jennifer calling out. "Brian," she says, "Could one of yours go get her? And make sure she gives you the right counter-password before you bring her in."

Alex is blindingly pale without his shirt, with only a couple of livid scars on one side. HE pauses in the middle of soaping himself up to peer at Abby. "Wait, he did what?" Helena gets an absented if somewhat contrite nod, before he explains, "I was walking home one night, and he came up on me. He was all getting ready to go Big Bad Wolf on my ass when some janitor comes out of nowhere with a broom, and hits him with it. I chase him off, fire at him a few times, but it doesn't make sense, really. Sylar could clean my fuckin' clock, I don't know why he bailed. He wounds this janitor in the process. But when I go to call 911, he flips out. Starts telling me 'no ambulance'. I figured he was just some illegal immigrant,"

At the entrance, the three Brian's frown. Not sure what to do. But Brian is like a cellphone to himself at times.

"Someone's at the door. What do I do? Call out the password?" The young man asks to Helena, Al, and Abby. He's still new and not used to the protocol. "It's a girl. Young. Brunette." The young man reports, before recognition slides over his features. "Oh! It's that girl you were with at the club." The Brian duplicate says to Helena with a smile. The conversation they're having goes mostly ignored.. He's too busy beind concerned with the 'intruder'! He then nods obediently to Helena. "On it."

Back down at the entrance, he calls the password from behind a corner, his two clonies observing Jennifer closely. Then as she moves in the two men move from the shadows. One armed with a baseball bat, the other a crowbar. The third Brian steps out hands up, palms facing out. "Just gonna pat you down.." He says which seems to be an increasingly awkward proposition. "Any weapons on you?" He asks rather quietly.

Jennifer blinks as she gets flagged by…guys with weapons. "I'd just as soon -not- be patted down." She says, giving the password response. "No weapons, but I brought dinner." She indicates her backpack.

"Tracer, slipped it in my purse I think, when he was huggign me. Though he was I think, sincerely grateful for my help" abby's still got her eyes averted away from Al. Not a big deal.

Helena looks at the Brian present. "If she's got her password, she doesn't need a patdown. You got one because you're new. Send her through." She looks back at Alex and Abby. Raises a brow. "Set up, maybe? I mean come on, the guy slipped a tracer and just happened to be there when you just happened to bump into Sylar."

The Brian upstairs looks at Abby with concern. "Um.. She doesn't want to be patted down." The young man says to Helena, then with her response he gives a nod. "I'll bring her up." The young man says as he sits back and listens to the explanation.

Down with Jennifer, the 'lead' Brian nods. "Right. No pat down. Maybe later." He adds though he makes sure to flash a smile indicating it being a joke. "Come on, I'll take you to where everybody is." His identical duplicates back up back into the shadows. "Jenny, right?"

"To quote the honorable Mr. Fleming - once is chance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action. And much as I dislike the idea of Sylar working in company, I think you're right," Al says. He's working on shaving, at the moment, eyeing himself in a scrap of mirror tacked to a support over the sink. "A tracer, huh? When and where'd you get rid of it?"

Jennifer smiles a bit dubiously at Brian's joke, but follows him up towards the stairs. "Jennifer. Or Jen. Either's cool. But not Jenny." She looks over to him. "You're the guy we were making time from the other night. Didn't know you were in all this."

'Wireless dealt with it" Abby answers. "Not that my apartment is an issue anymore" Look, dust! Abby leans over to wipe a speck off her shoe. Enter Jenny and Brian is shown a grateful look for his attention to security. Less people needed on shift to guard. "Hey" She greets Jenny.

Helena looks over at Abby. "Hey," she says, "You maybe want to be in charge of keeping the day to day of this place running? I don't mean doing all the cleaning - though thank you for that - but you know." Because Abby's lost a lot, and having something to do might be a help.

As Jenny and he walk to the stairs, Brian gives a little grin. "Yeah.. At the club. You told me Jenny then. Jen, it is." He says, offering his hands. "I am now. Brian. I'm an Evolved. I replicate." He explains. "You'll see me all over here, it's all me." A flash of a smile, as they get to the stairs though he stops at the bottom. "See you up there." Though he does not walk up with her, that Brian returns to the doors.

Once Jenny reaches them the Brian up there gives a little smile in re-greeting. Then nods to Abby.

Alexander is silent for a moment, shaving. "Mf. I feel your pain. My place has been compromised, too. Better look into that rental - what with being Registered, I gotta have a permanent residence, or I'm screwed," he says, wiping away the last of the shaving soap.

Jennifer comes up finally to meet up with the folks up top. She gives a wave. "Hey, everybody. Anyone hungry? I brought dinner." She smiles to Abby, returning her greeting. "Hi there."

"I can do that Hel. Jezebel's looking into some place where I might be able to stay for a little bit, till I can find another job. But I can do that" That's the power of pine sol baby, after all. Who likes to live in filth? It may not be the ritz and they may have to maintain the illusion that it's abandoned, but the main rooms they use can still be taken care of. "Starved" When Jenny appears and speaks about food. "Abby" Offering a small wave.

"Jennifer, Abby, Brian," Hel makes quick introductions. "Just so you all know, we brought in Teo's brother Romero just the other day. I'll want to introduce him to you, Jen. I think you guys will be working together on the miracle project. He'll be your delivery system."

Brian sits quietly, he doesn't even know who Teo is.. so.. his brother being brought in isn't as exciting news as it may be to everyone else. The young man hugs one knee to his chest as a lack of anything else to do and rests his chin on his knee. Whoever he is, has already got a job, when Brian has yet to fall into the thick of things. For now though, he just watches.

"What's his trick?" Al asks, bluntly, glancing back over his shoulder, as he runs a critical palm over his jaw.

Jennifer nods. "Sure. I'd like to get ahold of a really good first aid kit, and maybe a bottle of antibiotics, to put in with the care packages." She unslings the backpack, and takes out a thermos, and four wrapped deli sandwiches. "Veggie, Italian, turkey and roast beef. Who wants what?"

"Beef please" Abby volunteers her preference. 'So much walking and handing out resumes. Met Jezebel out in Queens. Helped a friend of hers. Met one of Teo's students. I've been a busy beaver today and i'm sure i'll be crashing from caffine any time soon" Abby scoots to the end of her bed and motions for jennifer to take a seat.

"I'll take whatever is left." Brian says politely, giving Alexander a pointed look. "What's your trick?" He asks, not sounding so polite anymore. "I know you can heal." Brian looks at Abby, then Helena, "Halle Barry.. And.." Looking to Jennifer. "What can you do? If you don't mind me askin'?"

"I could use a nap, actually." Helena confesses. "I'll see you guys later, save me a roast beef if you can manage it." And, "Not everyone here has a trick, Brian. Evolved and Non-Evolved work together." With a wave, she slips further into the library, but not before, "DON'T CALL ME HALLE BERRY!"

Alexander looks back at Brian, blandly. Apparently he missed the point. He's at one end of the attic chamber that functions an an impromptu dormitory, cleaning himself up over a utility sink after his Amazing Sylar-Avoiding Adventure. "Italian. I love meatballs," he says, before tacking on a 'please'. He's utterly pale - if full sunlight has ever touched his skin, it sure doesn't show. There are a couple of livid, reddish scars down by his waist. He pauses to drink, merely scooping up water in a palm.

Jennifer chuckles. "This." She answers Brian. She takes the roast beef sandwich in one hand, and a moment later, from the center outwards, a twin of it constructs itself next to the first. She passes Abby one. The same treatment is repeated for the Italian for Alex, and then the thermos is twinned twice, each passed a thermos of soup. "There you go."

"Thanks, greatly" Abby's greatfully taking both, setting about to unscrew the cap of the thermos and scet the air above the opening, taking in the aroma of the soup before starting to unwarp the sandwhich with precise movements. It's moments later that she falls into a quietly murmured prayer, hands clasped together over the food and thanking the usual deity, and of course jennifer, for her meal.

Only place to go for groceries is Chinatown, as far as Teo's concerned, even if it is on the geometric opposite end of the island from where he lives. A giant bag of frozen wonton for four dollars? That's dinner for a week, and he's a prodigious eater. The trip also always gladly gives him an excuse to drop by the Library as well as a long walk in the cold, which he vaguely appreciates for its sentimental value after the exchange he'd had with Helena earlier in the day. The sentries let him know where the others have installed themselves. And then—

He drops his wonton. Almost. They rattle, frozen in their bag, as he stares across the attic at the redhead, framed in the doorway: the only readily available demonstration of a Phoenix operative without a trick. "Figlio di un cane," he exclaims, staring for a moment before he's scowling. He crosses the floor and whacks Alexander across the shoulder with the wonton. And for the others, a brief splay of fingers in the air. Wave: "Buona notte. Welcome, Brian."

Eyes widen at Jennifer's ability. "Wow." Brian says with a bit of a smirk. He eyes her for a minute. "We would make an awesome couple." He points out with a grin. "Not to be too forward, just saying." A little shrug, then his attention is grabbed by the new entry. Looking up to Teo the young man nods. "Hey, man. I'm.. Well you obviously know my name. What's yours?"

"Thanks, Jennif- Ow godDAMMIT," Alex says, nearly dropping his sandwich as he rounds on Teo. "What innahell was that for?" he demands, setting the sandwich down on empty air as if there were a shelf there (it hovers in mid air), and putting a hand over the spot soon to sport the bruise. Wonton injuries, very dangerous. He glares at Teo, blue eyes cold. "Glad to see you to, Sicilian," He makes the nationality sound like a slur.

'Ladies present" Abby speaks after swallowing a bite of her sandwhich. 'he misses you Alez. You've been absent. Tweedle dee, doesn't exist without tweedledum" The blonde is laying back on her bed, sandwhich on her middle, and while she's talk at the ceiling, obviously it to the pair at the end. "Thank you Jennifer. It's good. heading back from whence you came after this?"

Jennifer nods. "I should do that, yeah. I'm just being a delivery girl." Brian is rewarded with another dubious look. First it was wanting to pat her down, and now it's talking about being a couple. "I'm just going to duplicate a few more for people, and then anyone who wants can have."

A smirk as Jennifer makes his way out. People are going to LOVE him here! Leaning back against the wall, the young man peers at the hub-bub going on with Alexander and Teo. Hm. Opening the sandwhich he is given he starts to eat quietly.

"Brian. Maybe one of your others might bring up some fresh hot water for Al? So it's not cold water he's using. Maybe some fresh clothes?" practical abby. "Well, your alive, and your here. Which is usually, not how it is, i've heard, when you have a run in with sylar. Teo, hit him again, i'll make sure helena makes it rain on you for a week. And your student was hitting on me. Sorta. Today" munch munch munch.

Whatever striking retort Teo originally fomented is undercut by Abby answering on his behalf. Or making insights into his character, perhaps; which further annoys the piss out of him, mostly because he can't specifically object without lying, and lying is a sin.

Callused fingers crush a crackling noise from the crystal-lined contours of bag plastic in his hand, irritable, meeting Alexander's glare with one of his own through eyes almost as pale. "I'm Teodoro," he answers Brian instead. "I would like a sandwich too, please.

"Same as Abby's," he adds for Jennifer, his request granted a moment before she heads out and away. "Lei e un stronzo egoista. What the fuck happened to you?" He impresses the question for a further moment using his eyes to stab, or a reasonable facsimle thereof, before reining himself in and averting his gaze out of deference for the man's state of undress.

A soft sigh comes from the reclining blonde at the gratuitous use of that word.

"Sorry, ma'am," Al says, with an utter lack of real contrition. Still busy giving Teo the glare of death. But he takes his sandwich to his cot and sits down, like a dog ready to brood over and worry at a new bone. Not without tugging a clean t-shirt on first, though. "I met Sylar. He let me live. This is suspicious - we think he might've been working in concert with the guy Abby treated," he says, bluntly. "I went to ground to make sure I didn't lead him back here."

"Nice to meet you Teodoro. Oh.." Recognition. "You're the one they call Teo. They just got your brother. Must be nice to work with the family." Brian says with a smile. He then nods at Abby. "You got it." Nothing changes about Brian, though elsewhere in the library, a Brian is going about said business. The man eyes Alexander for a moment. "Who's Sylar?" He asks quizzically as he gets up grabbing one of the free sandwiches. Closing the space between he and the Sicillian, he hands over the food before going back to his perch.

Abby's occupied, it seems, now that Brian's filling out her direction and bringing food to Alex. "I think" She gathers up her sandwhich and passes over the thermos filled with soup to Al and teo. "That i'm going to so sit downstairs for a bit. You need this more than me Brian. Eat it. I'll be around. Good that your back in one piece. If you need something looked at and fixed, let me know yes?"

Sandwich taken in hand, Teo keeps his gratitude brief: an astonished twitch of a smile, then a word characteristically selected out of Italian. Grazie. He casts around briefly for somewhere to sit and, just as characteristically, he picks the floor, folding his jeans-clad legs under him and wonton slung onto the floor. This may be habit. This may also be partially attributable to the same pale cast that hit his face after Alexander gave the Cliff Notes.

Refraining from cursing, he has nothing to say about that at all. "Yeah, I'm Teo. And you're the self-multiplying Americano who flipped your sh" A sheepish glance toward Abby. "Didn't react well to finding a dead man on the street. Good to see you're in. I was wondering where you got off to. Glad Sylar or whoever the f whoever killed our boy didn't get you in the interim. Buona notte, Abigail." He waves his sandwich.

Alexander wolfs down his sandwich and his soup with absolutely unholy speed. Must've learned that trick in the Army. He licks his fingers clean, before rising to wash them off again - no manners, but real eagerness. Brian gets a nod. "I rememberthat. How'd you end up here?" he wonders, keenly. Once he's washed, he sprawls out on his side on his cot, and blinks lazily - an odalisque in grubby fatigues.

Before long, another man, identical to Brian comes into the room, holding a bucket full of warm water and a bundle under his arms. He sets the two things down in front of Alexander just like Abby asked and then stands and eyes Al. The seated Brian ceases to talk now. "Right, and you're the asshole who wouldn't talk to me." He says with a smile to the man. "I knew your name and your face bro.. And that you were with.. Well Pariah back then I guess? You're lucky I'm on your guys side. Not a smart move, mm?" The new guy asks with a smirk before retreating, leaving the seated Brian present. Who in turn answers Teo. "Flipped my shit? Fuck. It was a body made of ash. I cussed a little bit. What am I supposed to do??"

"Flip your shit," Teo answers easily. He doesn't finish his own food off quite as quickly as the former soldier does, but rapidly enough. Trust a young man's metabolism to compete with military desperation. In a moment, there's paper crinkling between his palms, crushed up to a manageable size. He'll take it outside in due time.

"I'd appreciate it if you stowed the self-congratulatory bullshit, amico," the Sicilian adds, offering a crooked smile to take the edge off the words. "It's funny most campfire nights, but not when our vampire here just got in after eluding a shapeshifting serial killer who takes people's powers by means of telekinetically abbreviating their heads.

"Nerves stretched a little thin. You understand," he says, geseturing back at the past. You know. With a body made of ash. "It's been a rough couple of months." He pitches a glance over his shoulder at the telekinetic. A frown returns, residual, before he looks away again, rubbing his nose with callused knuckles.

"What he said," Al says, oh so eloquently, stashing his trash again. "Well, I did what I could," he notes to Brian, apparently unoffended by that commentary. He takes off boots and socks and bathes his feet in the warm water, heaving a sight of relief and gratitude, before dumping the now dirty water down the drain.

"I'd appreciate it if you stowed the self-important foreigner bullshit, amico." Brian retorts rather quickly. His gaze meeting the other mans. "You guys aren't the only ones who have gone through tough shit." He got hit by a skateboard earlier that day. For example. Brian gives Alexander a look. Did what I could, his mouth opens as if to respond though he closes it without a word. He's probably gotten on their bad sides enough.

Vaguely, Teo hopes his face hadn't looked odd at the mention of his brother, and that his failure to remark on the joyous family reunion wasn't especially noticeable. Fortunately, they have serial killers to talk about. And apparently his foreigner stuff. "Fair enough," he acknowledges, leaning backward, his voice suddenly entirely devoid of the already-ghostly Sicilian curl.

His head hits the wall a moment before his shoulders do, relaxing square against the wall. "But that's why I'm not looking for shit to rub in your face." He doesn't bother mentioning that he had asked Alexander to follow up on the multiplier, over Cameron's desiccated carcass; knows better than to do that, in the company of new blood. "If you understand about Sylar, nod. And keep an ear out for password changes. We like to keep your skulls intact." He glances at the basin of dirty water and humor touches his features— a momentary grimace. "You both staying here for now?"

"I got nowhere else to go," Al says, mournfully. "My old squat is blown. And this is as good as any," It's a sigh. He sprawls on his belly, tucking his feet under the sleeping bag that serves as a comforter, and goes limp. Not quite asleep, but very definitely relaxed.

Brian shrugs as he visibly relaxes once Teo leans against the wall. "I was just looking for an apology. Shit. I found a dead body, I offered help and got told to fuck off. Forget about." Brian says, waving a dismissive hand. He shakes his head to Teo. "Sorta. I've got a bunch of me. But I should be able to put a down on an apartment soon."

"I think you'll get one once you're friends. And you stop asking for one," Teo states, volunteering his opinion without having been asked one with half a grin that indicates, clearly, that he's aware he's doing just that. It fades after a moment, considering logistics and an amorphous tangle of other concerns. He exhales through his teeth, pulls up a knee to lean his elbow on. Looks at the other two Phoenix operatives.

Wayward mutts, the lot of them, some homeless, others too young, all of them hunted by organized serial killers and Homeland Security, if not the Company itself. "Cat should be able to help you look, if you need help," he tells Brian. Glances at Alexander a moment, before reaching to smack his calf, back-handed.

Alexander nods at Brian, pale eyes already heavy-lidded and drowsy. "Yeah," he says, quietly. And then Teo smacks him, and AL kicks feebly back, before rolling on to his side again. "Man. After sleeping out on hard floors, this canvas cot is fucking heaven," he says, rather aimlessly.

"I know what you mean." Brian says softly to Alexander's comment about the cot. He's had his share of hard floors, and mattresses after that. Pretty soon he'll have a new mattress if he keeps up all his different jobs. Even though he has a new purpose of fighting for the rights of the Evolved, and making sure to guide them as God would.. A mattress also seems like a heavenly goal at the moment. He looks to Teo. "Cat?"

Teo snatches his hand out of kicking range, mouth in a wry twist. Glances at Brian. "Cat. Catherine. She's a Phoenix operative with her fingers in a few pots. Might have a few ideas about where you can go to find affordable housing nearby. How many of you are there?" His eyebrows hike; he glances across the two immediately available, remembers the many who had flanked Cameron's ashen body. His attention goes a full revolution through the room and ends at Alexander. "Glad you're back," he says, suddenly, as if just realizing he'd forgotten to. He had.

Alexander's smile is feline. "Thank you," he says, dreamily, and curls up on his side again. He's only half listening, clearly, though he hasn't yielded to sleep yet.

An eyebrow is arched at Alexander, before he looks back to Teo. "Right. Cat.. Well, point her out to me." The young man says with a smile. "Uh.. A lot. Right now? Six. I can make more.. It can get hard though." He explains, raising up his hands.

Thumbs-up regarding Cat. "I'll let her know you're here," Teo says. "And cool. And you're all— aware of each other, eh? That'll come in handy." He links his rough hands in front of his knees and finally starts to pull himself up onto his feet, a lazy mess of a process that involves leaning more on the wall than it probably ought to. He snags his groceries and gingerly runs his fingers down his stubbled jaw, feeling the bristles catch against his fingernails with wordless annoyance. Fucking Mediterranean ancestry. The question's almost idle: "Does it hurt when you die?"

"You look fucking beat," Al notes to Teo, with almost insulting casualness. For the most part, he's content to listen.

An awkwards thumbs up in return. The sitting Brian stands and takes his leave while the other one remains present. He nods to Teo's first question. "Hive mind type thing. I got three of me down at the door. And all of me know exactly what's happening around.. all of me." He never says we or us.. because there is only one him. Finally he blinks at Teo's question. "Well.. I haven't died. Yet." He responds.

Teo's eyebrows shift almost imperceptibly upward; either because he's surprised or because he comes down heavy on the yet end of that equation, far as Brian's continuous experience goes. "Oh, sweet," he says, for lack of a better term. He hoists the wonton up under his arm and shuffles across the floor, trying to remember what room of this labyrinthine building he'd left his backpack in, glibely distracted for a moment—

Until he yanks over sideways, hand snatching out like a snakebite, grabbing the corner of Alexander's comforter to smother its owner's simpering face with for a moment. Just one moment. Not nearly long to actually succeed in any amount of asphyxiation, of course. The next minute, he's up and heading out, loping long strides, waving a finger back across his shoulder. "You're fucking dead, Knight. Buona notte, Brian."

November 12th: The Bikers' Club
November 12th: A Kind Gesture