Week 4, Friday

[foundationmods]

Another Thursday night comes, and everyone seems to know what that means. Even with the failure of last week, several people are out on patrol, trying to make sure no murders occur tonight. That motive had been tempting, after all, and keeping people in check when there's the promise of 'going home' on the line is difficult at best.

Moriarty, at least, seems intent on taking advantage of that motive. After slipping out of his room, he walks briskly towards the back yard. His intended target is out there, he knows it, and he wants to get this done quickly before anyone notices he's missing. The stipulation of 'don't get caught' has made this week's motive all the harder to obtain, and he has no intentions of letting anyone get the best of him.

However, Oda is not alone this week. Several people have decided to patrol with him, making for many witnesses to any possible crime. A fact that Moriarty sees instantly as soon as he steps outside.

For a moment, Oda and Moriarty's eyes meet. Oda frowns, because he can figure out exactly what Moriarty is doing out and about at this hour. But he can't say anything, not with the people around him. The goal is to avoid deaths, after all, and speaking up now will just result in Moriarty's death instead of his own. And since Oda won't attack with other people right there to get caught in a firefight and possibly die, he does nothing against this obvious threat.

Karen looks over the edge and sees Moriarty too. In turn, Moriarty smiles and waves up at the group, acting as if nothing bad had been about to happen. Karen waves in return, suspecting nothing. The exchange just makes Oda's frown deepen, but he still says nothing.

Then, once that pleasant exchange is made, Moriarty ducks back inside, heading back to his room before anyone can miss him.

The night passes with no deaths.

Comments

[eldritcheyes]

[Leo is right there with him, and when he hears that... when he sees Silver's reaction?

He gets mad.

Clenching his teeth, he marches out of hiding, right up to Moriarty, and grabs the taller man by his ear.]

What the hell! Silver just heard that, you know!

[iblistriggered]

Leo, don't.

[Silver tugs on his shirt a little]

... It's not worth it.

[eldritcheyes]

Yes, it is! I'm sick of people doing stupid shit! We're all a mess and a lot of it is our own faults!

[iblistriggered]

I don't want you to be angry with him! It's not your place! I can handle these sorts of things for myself! Just... I'll do it later. Please.

[eldritcheyes]

I just want him to think, Silver. I... you know the only time I ever stand up for anything, it's for my friends. Not even for myself. I'm tired of seeing you upset.

[iblistriggered]

I'm fine, Leo! I can handle my own problems. Ok? I'm not helpless.

[eldritcheyes]

... I never said you were, Silver.

[He sounds so tired. Since he's said his piece and Silver's obviously mad at him for it, he just walks away.]

[iblistriggered]

[...

he makes a mental note to track down Leo later and apologize. It's just... it's all so much]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Ghk-!

[He was marching off to the yellow room, but he's caught - and he just glares.]

...Let go of me! I have nothing to say!

[eldritcheyes]

Yeah, you really don't. But you've got a lot of thinking to do.

[Leo only holds on so Moriarty doesn't storm off.]

You may be a villain, but you're not a bad guy. You just do bad shit sometimes. I still respect you for your good qualities, like your brain and your determination. But this? You care about Silver, you gotta make this up to him. Got it?

[And he lets go, frowning.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Do not tell me what I should do, whelp!

[He practically slaps Leo's hand away, rubbing his ear.]

And don't presume to tell me what makes a 'bad guy!' I am James Moriarty, and I am not someone who any of you should have trusted from the beginning!

[Yeah, sorry - Leo's touched a nerve.]

Your own foolishness in believing that I was anything remotely as I portrayed myself is what nearly caused another tragedy to happen!

[visionem]

[ You've encountered a random dropstar! He's been around but he's been staying out of it purposefully until he hears this. ]

For someone who preaches about Gods he certainly seems to style himself one. [ Alcor will let Moriarty handle his own battles though, but just in case- ]

Would you like to go somewhere else? I can teleport through all of this commotion. [ Extending hand take two, not to a paw this time. ]

[eldritcheyes]

[Oh, kiss his pasty white ass, Alcor. That's not what he's doing and you know it.

He's outtie, he can't put up with any more of this crap. Time for junk food and video games before the inevitable shitstorm tomorrow.]

[visionem]

[ Humans have the weirdest insults, and no he doesn't actually. Cause the one thing he's big on is not telling people what they have to do, it's the antithesis to everything he's about.

But there's a reason he didn't address Leo directly here, so he doesn't notice him leave either. ]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[After the whole...Nora debacle, he definitely needs somewhere else to go - he's definitely injured as he nods, taking that offered hand gratefully.]

....Please. Thank you, Alcor.

[visionem]

You're welcome. [ He seems neither pleased nor displeased at the chaos, and it's probably notable that he didn't tell Nora to back off. Off to the top of the roof they go though! Moriarty will feel the slightest tingle in his chest, but it's very much a blink once and now you're here sorta thing. ]

...would you like some tea? It has been a while since I have made it, but I have a good memory.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Well - Alcor has made himself and his way clear, and Moriarty respects that. He will not be angry at the Star following his own will.

Gently, he nods - running some fingers through his now lopsided mustache, thanks to nora.]

Yes, of course - I think that would be good, right about now. It'll help me calm down.

[Because despite how he looks...he's definitely not doing great.]

[visionem]

I will be right back. [ Tele'ing away to come back about fifteen minutes later with a pot of green tea, a cup for Moriarty and a plate of peanut butter cookies. And as has been typical with him this week he has a mug of coffee for himself. ]

That was quite an ordeal, but you held your ground.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Thank you.

[He takes the tea and a plate, taking a sip of tea before closing his eyes.]

...I am used to such anger, after all. It is part of the path I have chosen.

...Still, I am grateful for your assistance. I....wanted to be free of it.

[scarsnstripes]

....But Moriarty-san... Goro called you 'Dad'. If anything, that makes you a better person than you say you are.

[Because if there's one thing Atsushi knew, after the talks he's had with Goro... it was that anyone who'd gained that sentiment from Goro had earned it.

Maybe Moriarty was a villain, but he still meant something to people he was kind to.]

... He wouldn't call someone he couldn't trust that, and you know it.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[The look he makes at those words -

It's heartrending, though he dips down his head for a moment before quickly composing himself once again.]

......That...does not matter. I am still an Evil person, no matter what.

[allmyfriendsaredead]

[Saki finally speaks again, her voice low.]

Stop that.

Why do all of you people keep trying to define yourself with that? "Good" or "evil"...

I don't care who you are, or who you're supposed to be. We're people - isn't that what we're trying to prove right now?

So stop it. Stop leaning on it as an excuse.

Goro deserves better than that.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[And for the first time -

He smiles, though it's so terribly, terribly sad.]

....He does. He deserves far more than someone like me.

[scarsnstripes]

....Moriarty-san.

[His expression is firm and... a little angry?

No, absolutely angry. He's bristling, his shoulders tense. Because didn't he know? He had to, didn't he? For Goro to trust him so much--]

You don't get to decide that. Not for him. You can't-- Don't take that away from him. It's not about deserving or not, it's about what you mean to him, who you are to him and how important that is.

[He understood, in a way. What Goro must feel. Because people like that... people who filled a hole in your life you never thought would ever be filled...

They were the most precious things there were. No matter who they were, or where they came from.]

....Please. If nothing else, you have to accept that.

[He doesn't know how to vocalize it's importance properly. Doesn't have the words. He wonders if Goro does, after so long learning.

He wishes he was here.]

[allmyfriendsaredead]

[She's angry, too. If for a slightly different reason.]

No. No, you can't just say that.

Goro cared about you. He wanted you in his life. And now you're just going to run away from that with your tail between your legs?!

You can be better. So start acting like it.

Become the kind of person he deserved to have.

["You coward," seems to lay underneath her words.]