( night 6 )

[tearable]

[ What's a gal like her doing in a lounge like this? Getting messed up. The brace on her arm that Shijima fashioned out of fabric was tight, itching but she forced to ignore it. In her good hand, she has to juggle between a cigarette and glass of whiskey. It stings going down, every gulp making her hiss out.

She feels... she feels there should be a reason why she doesn't like this. Why she doesn't like drinking, but nothing clicks. Nothing stops her. She'll do it to take away her guilt for voting like everyone else and her bitterness at being helpless. Before any curfew, she's trying to get sloshed and the loud humming of a song she heard in Rapture audibly through the silence.

Follow the melodic humming? ]

Comments

[betraitor]

[getting messed up definitely sounds like a good idea after that hellish trial.

it's what leads him to the lounge as well; he's tired and stressed, a bit aggravated but yet also relieved to know he can live another day—even if it's now also a lot clearer to see just what people think of him, even here.

(he can't catch a break, no matter where he is, it seems.)

either way, his ears catch the sound of a tune, and his gaze follows—elizabeth. someone he definitely owes a hell of a lot to in helping to save his skin (pre-confession, at least), so naturally? he'll interrupt.]

Mind a little company? Can't say I'd be able to sing along, but... [but good god, he needs a drink or twelve after this day.] Drinking's always better when you have a partner.

[tearable]

[ It continues on, the humming catching the air for a few more moments longer. It stops and she looks over her shoulder back to him as she sets her glass down. ]

Pull up a stool, I'm not buying. [ Aka go ham. Go wild. ] Least you get another chance for "one last drink". Enjoy it.

[betraitor]

[he's not going to hesitate to pull up a seat, though he's quiet for a moment until he's got a drink of his own—the whiskey definitely seems like the way to go.

"one last drink," he's sure hoping that's not what it is. he stares into the glass before taking a swig.]

...Thanks for sticking up for me back there.[surprisingly earnest, coming from alvin, of all people.]

[tearable]

[ Whiskey buddies unite? Despite how heavy her glass is, there's a wince as she takes her sip. It's much more tentative but Elizabeth, against her better judgment feels it will ease her nerves. Maybe she won't get plastered, but it's definitely there - the idea to. ]

It's no problem, mister. The constant deflecting is getting a bit old.

[ And annoying. ]

Veronica's good intentioned, but - ...I think she's the other one on the medical team, so she lost something important.

[betraitor]

Her intentions might not be bad, but her approach isn't exactly winning. Franziska's accusations weren't exactly fool-proof a couple of days ago.

[and yet, veronica was willing to take it at face value because they may have been allies? that's too trusting in a place like this, he thinks. especially when her reason's pretty flimsy.

he takes another sip from his glass, and his eyes remain pretty focused there—it really was a bit too close for comfort.]

It's not like I'm gonna deny I'm a flighty guy. It's the nature of how I've worked for well over a decade, you don't get to just turn it off when it becomes your life.

[even back home, he never really denied that being lying and traitorous was in his nature once he'd revealed some of his hand. now everyone knows it before he's even done it, so it's just a mark on his record he doesn't even want.]

[tearable]

Oh, no. Her approach could get her killed - same as Franziska's. If you're going to feed information, you have to be sly about it. Like a bad cheater in poker, no less.

[ Shake of her head and she's looking at her glass. ]

Figured as such. If we're judging characters as reason to execute, Bigby, Rhys, and Shijima would be on the chopping block too. Putting our less-than-favored traits isn't exactly right.

[ I mean, someone called her a bitch earlier, so she can only assume the road of pettiness will continue.. ]

You've played well with me [ Her voice a bit more raspier than usual, as if she's trying to tease the idea of flirting but - it was always a ruse, honestly. ] - but you need to start playing well with others.

[betraitor]

[it's probably a decent enough sign about how sincerely shitty alvin actually does feel about the situation when he doesn't completely take the bait with her flirtation ruse.

normally, he'd do the same in return, after all.]

You make it sound easy. It's kind of hard to change someone's mind once they've got their preconceived notions and a built-in lack of trust.

[he sighs a bit.] I guess it's the only way I'm gonna live to see whatever the end of this is, but I didn't exactly do much to warrant that much suspicion this time around. It wasn't that much different from the last time, and trying to point that out's what landed me in hot water to begin with.

[tearable]

It's not easy. I'm talking with people that could kill me and that scares the shit out of me.

[ She hates it, actually. She doesn't know how to really ... deal with this. How to keep a mask so tight that she starts losing herself. ]

I don't think you did either but - I need to know something...

[ She gets silent, clinking her glass a bit on the table. ]

Are you any of the six, Alvin? Is there a reason someone could have wanted to throw that wrench into the trial and nearly lynch you off behavior?

[betraitor]

[he can't even be surprised that she'd ask him a question like that, so he just sucks in a breath and goes against his normal, evasive measure of speaking for once.]

I'm not—you have my word on it. I got dragged into this mess without a damn clue of what's going on.

[he has no idea where she stands either, of course. everyone is playing the part of being innocent, and it's not like alvin doesn't know that she could be staff or one of the six as well. nobody is exempt, even if he doesn't have much reason to put a lot of faith in her being that way.

save for the fact that in some ways, she can be just as evasive as he is.] You can kill me yourself if it turns out I'm lying.

[it's kind of extreme to say, but alvin knows he needs some of the heat off him, and that means answering questions in earnest, even if it's only in private conversation. he'll finish off his glass, putting it down and waiting for another. he's a big enough guy, he can handle a few drinks.]

[tearable]

I believe you're innocent, but I'm not sure if I can trust you on that. You don't need to trust me either. [ There's a small smile on her face. ] I know there's a lot at risk here. I don't want to die, I don't want to... say the wrong thing and everything I've done so far go to waste.

[ She's been active in trials, you know. ]

I don't want you to get dragged into this mess. No one who's innocent. I don't want anyone take the fall when we're being idiots and stripping for wounds -

[ And conveniently missing a leg wound? She won't touch on Ciel just yet. ]

If you do come to trust me, please trust me...

[ Ominous? ]

[betraitor]

[it's definitely a bit ominous; her world choices aren't something alvin is ignorant to, even if he doesn't seem to express much of that. after all, she doesn't exactly trust him either, so—]

I guess for now, that puts us on a pretty level playing field. Not that I expect you or anyone else to trust me at my word, but...

[and that much is true. between the circumstances and the fact that his past has led him to be labeled someone who would betray anyone at the drop of a hat without even the slightest explanation as to why.]

It sounds like we're both trying to reach the same goal here. Getting out alive, not letting innocents die over some stupid finger pointing and bad distractions when we're pressed for time.

[tearable]

[ He can take it however he wants. There's an honesty with her voice, one that seems reluctant to really expand on the conversation. Hesitant. ]

Well, could you trust me at my word?

[ She repeats, trying to ease the mood. She honestly wanted to get wasted but here she was. ]

I stuck up for you because we're all forcing logic to fit where it doesn't exist. If we put you under a microscope - why not Ciel? Franziska herself before she died? Hell, I'm a walking pinup among you all because it keeps people away from knowing about me.

We all have our vices and the innocent ones are - well.. they're trying to survive. I told that to Luke, you know... when I killed him.

[ Her eyes shut and she sucks in a breath. ]

I'm doing my best here.

[betraitor]

[he's quiet for a moment, listening to everything that elizabeth has to say—he can read the tone of honesty, it's a kind of hesitance he wouldn't even kind of blame her for.

her points are all good and valid, after all. every last one of them.]

I know you are. Wouldn't have doubted that for a second, for all the times you've spoken up even if it meant putting your ass on the line.

[that she's doing her best—he'd like to think that he is too, but he's still too cowardly to be able to do something that really might get himself killed. he sighs, getting back to what she originally asked.]

I'd trust you at your world more than pretty much anyone else here. [which isn't to say that he can completely trust anyone either, but elizabeth is definitely someone who presents herself better than most.

to him, at least.] Don't worry, I'm not expecting even half that much in return. Even my... friends... back home wouldn't exactly trust me at my word either.

[tearable]

Least it's a nice ass on the line.

[ It was a bit more bold than she would have liked, but she picked up on the loose tongue of Alvin quickly. It was casual and smug. Fitting when he lacked those traits himself. ]

Gee, mister. I don't know what to say. [ But, she actually does. ] I don't expect words to mean anything here - it's the actions. So... do good, Alvin. Saying I trust you won't really do much, but uh - I do, for now.

[ It's as much as they want to get, she thinks. As far as they want to admit in fear of being betrayed. ]

[betraitor]

...Not gonna argue that.

[it's a little playful, but he's not going to pretend it's a lie. her ass is a nice one, and he's not shy about his flirtations, even when he doesn't expect anything to come of them.]

I'm doing what I can. I'm not sure I'd be changing too many minds now, since it seems like Ciel and I really would have split the vote tonight. [but yet, still...]

We can call it even. You haven't really given me a reason to think you're going to turn heel on me if you've stuck it out this much. [he knows anything is possible, and that elizabeth isn't the most open person, but she's given him more than a lot of other people in that respect, so he can't (and won't) ignore it.]