[week three - saturday]

[hypertoxic]

[ It's late, late, late at night when Vriska goes looking for Battler. He's going to get harassed by most of the village until god knows when, probably, and she wants to find him alone. There's so much to say, and not enough time in the world to say any of it.

It's a small blessing that when she tracks him down he is, in fact, finally alone. Vriska herself is, like ... wet? Like she just dunked herself in the ocean a few hours ago. Seems her threat to jump in the ocean was legit. But her damp hair is bound back in a low ponytail, and she's at least significantly less disgusting than she was directly post-corpse hug.

And the way she looks at him is ... searching, and just the tiniest bit sad. ]

Battler.

Comments

[itsalluseless]

[There actually hasn't been nearly as much harassment as he would've expected. Maybe the initial barrage of questions was actually enough for everyone?

When he notices Vriska, he quirks an eyebrow at her appearance, but refrains from commenting. There are more important things to be said.]

Hey. ...I really messed up, didn't I?

[He's smiling, but there's far more pain than mirth to it.]

[hypertoxic]

....

[ Vriska will take a seat at his side and just kind of stare down at her hands for a moment.

And then she'll lift one of them to smack him upside the head. ]

I cannot believe what an idiot you are! How could you forget to secure an alibi for your own partner!? Do you have any brains in that empty skull of yours??

[ Huffs as if offended and cups her chin in her hands, staring out at nothing. Far more quietly: ]

Yeah. We really fucked up.

[itsalluseless]

I just... really didn't think it'd be an issue. You'd think everyone would have figured out by now that alibis don't mean anything.

[He shrugs, sighing ruefully.]

Though at least it means you're still safe. I'm glad for that.

[hypertoxic]

Oh, really? You think? This group of bumbling alarmist dipshits who harp on the evidence trial after trial after trial despite knowing most of it is pretty much just fake would choose to dwell on something as pointless as alibis? Color me shocked!

[ her voice is so flat it might actually become concave.

he'll get a glance out of the corner of her eye, the line of her mouth twisting into a faint, unhappy frown. ]

... I didn't want you to have to go down to cover me. In fact, that is pretty much the opposite of what I wanted.

[itsalluseless]

[He shakes his head, the smile becoming a little more genuine.]

I wouldn't really say that's what happened. I made a mistake and the crowd leaped on it.

[and, after a moment of consideration:]

The Chiefs didn't help, either.

[hypertoxic]

Uuuuuuuugh. Those stupid fucking Chiefs. I mean, I guess that's kind of my fault, too. I told them to do whatever they found funniest with the evidence I left behind, which led to ... uh, all of that shit that happened. [ twirls a hand loosely in the air, the motion somehow deeply sardonic. ]

... I guess what I am saying is that of all the Sirens to die, you should not have been the first. You are literally the only one of us who was not on board to kill! But you're the one they thumb for murder. Incredible.