asmywitness | IC Inbox

Dirk's got his own lab now, so he sees Tyler somewhat less than he used to.

That's fine; one of the reasons he likes Tyler is that he doesn't feel the need to stop and chat every time they're in the same room. It's also fine because it makes the whole time period between his beheading and actually seeing the guy less tense, because it's not some kind of immediate showdown Dirk has to anticipate.

Not that he's expecting one, but if he were.

What actually happens is he has to leave his lab to pick up some experimental piece of circuitry in a lab that happens to contain Tyler Huang, which means he walks along the peripheral wall opposite him until he finds what he's looking for, spending a few seconds unhooking the ribbon cable from where it's plugged in before saying anything. He doesn't bother to turn around when he talks.

"Nice work with that beheading. I mean, it could have been better. Three whacks is kind of a lot to make me suffer through. That's two more than the norm for me. The hands-free element was pretty cool, though."

Edited 2020-07-20 07:13 (UTC)

Tyler does glance up when he sees Dirk come in, but apart from putting a hand over Isis briefly to calm her back down after she puffs up like a particularly righteous piece of dyed popcorn, he's fine to let the other man do whatever he wants. He's got no stakes in Dirk's opinion, and if he was worried about the opinion that might have formed after his whole trick - which he's not - then he can say in full confidence that Dirk brought it on himself in its entirety.

What he's not expecting is for Dirk to actually speak to him, and his hands audibly pause over the keyboard he's at for a moment, as he glances back at Dirk.

Hope you don't mind the words being ejected into your head like a delayed sub track, Dirk, because Isis doesn't want to but she's doing it anyway. She's a good girl.

I'm not going to deny the rules of three their due. I already did Fate dirty by calling on it to hide my entire existence through a shitty riddle.

Dirk doesn't quite cringe at the relay, but if he were an anime, there'd be all kinds of exaggerated jagged bits to his lineart right now. He hears the pause but feels no need to keep an eye on Tyler; he might assume more animosity on Tyler's end if Tyler were Steven, but he's not, so he isn't.

"Glad you agree that riddle sucked. Honestly the worst part of that experience, and I want to be clear I'm including the part where I sat back up soaked in my own blood and all the gory detailing. That shirt was a total loss."

He pauses.

"And just text me, damn."

Isis looks a little bit smug about Dirk's reaction, but Tyler does pick up his gear and text.

Spray some hydrogen peroxide on the bloodstain, rinse in cold water and repeat as necessary. If it's not white it should remove the stain completely after a few rounds.

Because that's totally the point.

The answer was "hope", by the way.

Dirk is in the process of answering Tyler's advice regarding blood in his laundry when the next message arrives, and that one he stone cold answers out loud, with his goddamn mouth.

"No it fucking wasn't."

Maybe it's not clear if Dirk is saying that facetiously or not; truthfully it doesn't matter. Call it both.

No it fucking wasn't.

And it's too late now for laundry hacks. I gave it to Acorn and he's not giving it back.

He pushes his chair out from his desk and gives up on the pretence of work to swivel around and face Dirk, crossing one leg over the other as he meets Dirk's gaze impassively.

That was the concept that I decided was the key to the riddle, so yes. It was.

That doesn't mean I believe it. But I was correct to assume that you wouldn't either. And that was the important part.

Dirk stares back.

The expression on his face is.... well. It's what it usually is. He barely even--maybe he doesn't look down at all as he types and sends the next four messages.

....

He's impressed.

Really.

Well?

Don't leave me hanging.

Tyler played him completely. Absolutely fucking dunked his shit. Served him like an extended metaphor about butlers on butler island, and the butlers' butlers, and so on and so on.

More than anyone else besides his own damn self.

How did it feel?

Honestly?

I didn't notice you dying.

He let's that stew for a few moments, just to give Dirk the absolute opposite of satisfaction. Your death was meaningless to him.

Then he... doesn't fully grimace but there's a definite slight crease at the corner of his mouth.

For clarity, that block worked both ways. But also, Changeling magic is a bitch in that using it hits you like a fucking gateway drug, and that particular brand I used against you? Is some high tier heroin.

Nice.

That's all Dirk says in direct response.

Truth is? He doesn't imagine there to be any value in whatever disjointed final "thoughts" he might have hazily generated by his last neurons firing abstractly into oblivion, nor for the impermanent death of a relative stranger to mean anything to anyone, let alone a man cool headed enough to dispatch him with the lethal cutting power of his own logic and cold hearted enough to do so with such ruthless efficiency.

So there really was no wrong answer.

His motive in asking wasn't any kind of mutual respect or validation or whatever.

He just wanted to know.

Is that so wrong?

Fucked up, sure, but better than some alternatives I could name.

Just surprised that a mechanism with such powerful feedback for you didn't tell you when it's done.

I'm looking forward to learning whether or not it's still in place next time. What do you think?

With mine specifically it's more that the act of directly toying with fate is the hit, and not the end result. Though if you had solved it, I would have felt that before your continued manipulations.

Tyler can respect wanting to know something for the sake of knowing. He's a fucking nerd, at the end of the day.

Given the whole nature of my existence, I had been assuming that when we got brought here our powers were removed, not muted. Though if that block remains in place next time, it'll be an interesting counterpoint to my entire line of reasoning.

Dirk actually rubs his chin thoughtfully, like some kind of anime villain.

Interesting.

There are a couple of flaws in that hypothesis, but I haven't yet encountered one that doesn't have at least a few. Finding a way to narrow that list down is almost more exciting than

Well.

I'll end that thought right there. I'm not Steven.

I'll just have to make sure I drop in on you again. You know, when the time comes.

He raises an eyebrow wryly, and there's a slight quirk of a smile.

You, not taking an opportunity to pontificate on some roundabout metaphor? I'm shocked.

Though I will say I'm looking forward to discussing the metafiction of this place with you more next time you come by. I don't often get the opportunity to actually use my degree.

I have to maintain some mystery to my character.

How else will I maintain the audience's interest while I unravel the real mysteries of such an extended narrative?

.... although he didn't know Tyler had a degree in anything at all. Interesting.

He's wasted enough time in this lab, probably. Not that anyone's keeping track of him, but they're probably keeping track of Tyler.

Speaking of mysteries, did Steven actually warn you I could do that, or explain why?

P.S. Am I good to walk out of here without skirting the walls this time, will your aerial attack pompom go for my fucking eyes?

Make yourself an engaging and well-informed expositor. It's much harder to be written out or killed off for plot reasons when you're a vital part of the narrative, I've personally found.

Steven's given me some informative miscellany on you, but your familiarity with the meta wasn't part of it. I only really picked it out as being you because I'm familiar with your particular cadence.

The postscript gets another faint edge of a smile.

P.S. The teleporting bouncy ball of doom is currently exercising what little restraint she has. Go for it.

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