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[never_very_good]

[VIDEO]

[The video opens on Frankie in an empty bar, absently drying glasses. Something moves in the distance. He doesn't look up right away.]

Closed.

[But really, the door should've been shut, shouldn't it? In the second it takes that to occur to him, his guest has already crossed the room. Frankie pulls back with a gasp, his glass falling and shattering.]

You've got a tan. Suits you, [says the ghoul, pale-eyed and laughing, its gums shriveling back from its fangs.

Frankie ducks as the ghoul swings at him, managing to upset the camera. It falls to the ground, showing a glimpse of a bloodied and sickly-looking girl, before turning to static.]



[ooc; imagine this was during the day and actually. during the day. /lifefail!]

Comments

[eiremagic]

[She's been chasing the ghoul of her little brother all day, so she doesn't see this until late, late, later]

Frankie? Fuck, Frankie, answer!

[never_very_good]

not dead.

[eiremagic]

Y'all right?

[never_very_good]

i locked her in a closet.

dunno if i can.

[eiremagic]

Okay, I'm coming, sit tight, yeah?

[never_very_good]

[That's about all he can do. Frankie's sitting with arms folded on a chair, staring at a barricaded closet. From time to time the pounding starts up again, the hinges shaking, the wood cracking.

There's a large pile of ash by the bar.]

[eiremagic]

[Eden comes through the door, breathing out her mouth, and stares at him, and the door]

Frankie.

[never_very_good]

Think it'll hold?

[Which, well, is a stupid question, because sooner or later he'll have to do something about the ghoul.]

[eiremagic]

For now.

[She looks at the door]

You need to kill it, boyo.

[never_very_good]

[Yeah, he knows. He lets out a heavy breath.]

Not as easy as he was.

[eiremagic]

[She takes a moment, quiet, and just sighs. She doesn't look at him right away. This is more complicated. Killing those they're close to]

Never said it would be.

[never_very_good]

[Close is a funny word; he barely knew her. And yet.

The door stops rattling, and a young woman's voice calls out quietly. She sounds terrified.]

Don't do this. Please...

[eiremagic]

Frankie.

[There's care in that word, a tone of warning, almost like-

Eden knows.]

[never_very_good]

[He glances up at her, then away, not quite able to keep her gaze. After a long moment, he stands and walks away from the barred door.

It's not as aimless as it looks; he's looking for something to use. A broom handle, anything.]

[eiremagic]

[She watches, biting her thumb just a little]

[never_very_good]

[He picks up a small piece of wood on the floor, just a flimsy shim, and discards it after a moment's consideration.]

Maybe third time's the charm.

[Kind of a joke but he's not laughing by a longshot. There's a broken chair near the unearthly remains of his first ghoul, which he goes to salvage.]

[eiremagic]

[She doesn't say anything, just watches him, and when he finally moves towards the door she steps back a little so that he can do it without obstruction.]

[never_very_good]

[He doesn't open it right away; ignoring the renewed pounding and clawing, he leans with one forearm against the door, taking deep breaths and steeling himself for the task. Bromley hadn't been so difficult-- he'd died without the eerie coruscation Frankie had expected, bleeding out like a mortal man before falling to dust-- but Alison has been pleading as much as she's been threatening, and that... Well.

She's on him the second he opens the door, howling. He manages to knock her back, throwing her to the floor of the closet, standing over her, makeshift stake in hand, poised to finish this.]

[eiremagic]

[Eden moves then, grabbing Frankie hand and pushing it down so the stake actually hits heart.

She knows what it looks like, when someone is hesitating]

[never_very_good]

[The ghoul shrieks as the stake cracks and splinters ribs, sinking into her chest with very little resistance. She crumbles into the corner.]

Fuck!

[It was probably the right thing for Eden to do-- she's kept him safe, possibly saved his sorry life-- but he's angrier than he's ever been, face twisting unconsciously into a snarl that would have been considerably more fearsome before he came back to the living.]

[eiremagic]

[She moves away, gripping her own arms.]

There, it's done.

[never_very_good]

[He pulls back too, watching the ghoul disintegrate.]

You didn't have to.

[He's still pissed. Not really at her, but she's the only one here.]

[eiremagic]

You weren't going to fucking do it, Frankie.

[And maybe she's mad, too, and now it's finally coming out]

[never_very_good]

You don't fucking know that.

[eiremagic]

Yeah, I do.

[never_very_good]

You don't.

[But he won't meet her eyes, staring instead at the unimpressive remains.]

[eiremagic]

I know you.

And that fucking tells me everything I need to know.

You know what, fuck this.

[And she's heading for the door]

[never_very_good]

[The worst of it is, of course, that he knows she's right. Maybe, if he'd been lucky, he would have survived, but it wouldn't have been unscathed.

But knowing he couldn't be trusted doesn't make him any happier about her not trusting him to take care of it.]

Fine,

[he practically spits, watching her go and hating everything about the moment.]