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

[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.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[He listens to that...and then nods, quietly.]

...I understand. ...That is - not what I was...

[He trails off, though, lowering his head - for once, it seems like his words are failing him, and he's unable to speak.]

...It seems I cannot say anything to that.

[He's a fool, after all. A villain who was caught in his own secrets is nothing more than something to be laughed at and defeated, and talked down to by those on the side of good.

It's fine.]

[scarsnstripes]

[Atsushi wouldn't use words like 'Good' or 'Evil'. The people he considered most precious back home, most of them were people some would consider terrifying, demons... maybe even 'evil' at some points. But... Feelings were important.]

...You have to understand. What you mean to Goro... having someone like you in his life...

[He bites his lip.]

...It means the world to people like he and I, to have that. Maybe you think he deserves better, but deciding things like that on your own is little better than a rejection. You need to survive here for him Moriarty-san.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

...I suppose even the brightest mind can miss something right in front of them.

[He mumbles that, though it's clear he's listening, though he's still not looking up.]

I will...keep that in mind, Nakajima. And I will try to survive as long as I can.

[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.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[He says nothing, but simply lowers his head as she says that, letting her scold him for the words that he merely parroted back at her.

It isn't about running, but it's clear that no one will listen to him now.

But it's alright. He expected this from when he finally revealed the truth - no, not the entire truth about what he planned, but enough to make everyone attack him.]

....