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[trilluminati]

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Day 033 - Midnight

[metalicarus]

If I tell you I ran off to grab Albert from Jaden and it worked, would you tell me I made a stupid decision too?

[Yeah, he might be seeking some validation after getting chewed out by at least two different people and was still waiting for another lecture from someone else.

It wasn't that bad of an idea.]

Re: Day 033 - Midnight

[trilluminati]

[CLICK, VOICE NOW]

IS YOU SERIOUS??? He's okay!?

[metalicarus]

[Omfg, Q. Good thing Albert's in the shower.]

Yes, I'm serious. He's....he will be...

[There's definitely an 'I hope' lingering somewhere there.]

Jaden messed with his head pretty bad.

[Oh yeah..]

And he's a somnua now.

[trilluminati]

... OK.

[Q swallows roughly.]

It'll be OK. We can work with that. We have him now. Fuck, Goldie, you did it!

[metalicarus]

Yeah. They were having him build a ship. Like ours I guess.

Q, I don't...

[Looong heavy sigh]

What if it's not okay?

Wesker...Wesker said we could fix anything that's happened, but what if we can't?

[trilluminati]

[Q pauses for a second, coming back sounding like he's smiling.]

You don't know my guy, brother. He's the best there is. But like I told my little successor... The most important thing he needs right now is someone who's got his back. Everything's fixable, but support'll make or break it, nahmean?

[metalicarus]

Yeah, I hear you.

[That doesn't keep the shade of fear and uncertainty from coloring his tone, though, whether he realizes it or not.]

Support's never been a problem, no matter what crap has come up between us, I've always got his back...but...

[He hesitates again. He's never shared anything of this with anyone, not even Joe. He's not even sure how Albert would feel knowing Jet was about to reveal even a part of it, but it was Q and Jet felt okay knowing that, at least.]

I've only seen him this bad once before, back when we first met. I know that, if he'd been given the chance, he would have killed himself back then. Obviously, he didn't, we made it through and I know I helped pull him through by my own way...but I don't know that it'll work a second time.

[He sighs, the fear and uncertainty and pain muted, covered by a more laid-back tone in his attempt to prevent getting more emotional than he'd been already been threatening. He might be comfortable with Q, but he still had his limits.]

This whole thing's different now. Not just the situation, but us too.

[trilluminati]

[Fuck. Q can't help but feel the deep, needling pain of guilt, but he isn't about to bring that to the table here.]

But that's good, isn't it? You guys are closer now. That's gotta be what pulls him through; it pulled him through a lot of other bad things. Not this bad, but man, it's been comparable.

Plus, he's strong. Real strong. Not just for himself, but for all of us.

[metalicarus]

[Yeah, but was he right now? That wasn't something Q could answer and it wasn't fair to ask it; he was just trying to help Jet not lose it and it was working and that was enough.]

Yeah...thanks, Q.

I mean it, I just...needed to get that off--out there.

[He couldn't say off his chest because it was still there, crushing him, but now he'd wedged a couple supports under it so maybe he could keep it from flattening him until he found a way to get rid of it completely. There may be just a bit of a smile in his voice.]

I know these kinds of talks aren't really your thing.

[trilluminati]

Man, I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. You know I'm good for whatever, right? Just like you been there for me all those times -- we solid, Goldie.

[metalicarus]

Yeah...yeah, ok. We're solid.

Thanks.

[Again. Forever.]

[trilluminati]

[Q sounds genuinely happy -- and covertly sad.]

When he's ready...can you have him call me? I wanna hear from both of you. I just can't believe the good news.

[metalicarus]

[That smile is back in his voice, even if it's also a little tinged.]

Yeah, no problem.

I'm sure he 'll be just as happy to know you're ok again.

[trilluminati]

[Well there goes that undertone of melancholy. Q perks up at the thought of talking to good ol' papa bear nicely.]

Thanks, man....

[Oh, but before you go--]

Hey, hey, hey! One more thing.

[metalicarus]

[oh my god Q. Just...amused forever.]

Hmm? What's up?

[trilluminati]

[Quietly:]

Tell Pyunma I said hi.

[metalicarus]

[He scoffs a little, that amusement still present.]

Yeah, sure.

But he'd probably rather just get stuff like that from you, you know.

[trilluminati]

[Hopefully:]

You really think so?

[metalicarus]

Yeah, I do.

Believe me, even a simple text from you would mean more than me telling him to his face.

[Paaaauuuse]

Are you afraid to talk to him, Q?

[trilluminati]

[Scoff]

No.

[metalicarus]

[Dryly:]

Yeah, okay.

[But then a little more gently.]

You really shouldn't be. Yeah, pissing him off isn't so hard depending on what you're doing, but he's pretty chill.

Trust me, I'm pretty sure I piss him off all the time, but he still talks to me.

You're family too, same rules apply.

[Sure did say that last part like it was no bug deal.]

[trilluminati]

He ain't mad at me!

[Q has to admit, mumbling:]

Yet. [A beat.] You really think so?

[metalicarus]

[He's shrugging, can you hear it?]

I've known him for thirty years, that's got to count for something, right?

He won't bite.

[Just bitch face. Which is worse, but you can't see those over text.]

[trilluminati]

Haha..... hold up.

[Pause.]

Thirty years?

[metalicarus]

[Oh. Um..]

Yeah...being cyborgs kind've stretches things out.

Pyunma's something like fifty or fifty-one at this point.