[FIN] Something Frosty This Way Comes

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

The seemingly eternal curse of boredom was briefly lifted for one of the incarcerated Rockets as he was informed he had yet another visitor. This one being his third since he'd been interrogated, it was more than he could hope for, and yet after the last one, the grunt had grown rather wary. Neither Rosie nor his old acquaintance, Andre, had been expected in the least and he'd been caught unawares, careless in his chatter. Thus, while under normal circumstances Izaya would have delighted in the fact that the newcomer was just as unexpected as others, he was starting to suspect that someone was messing with him.

This time he didn't even bother attempting to conceal his surprise whether or not Agent Frost could read his expression. "This has got to be some sort of joke," he said in a flat tone, speaking into the phone he'd picked up before dropping into the chair in front of the glass window. He ran a nervous hand through his disheveled hair, dark circles of fatigue evident under his suspicious eyes. "If you're here, something must be horribly wrong."  

[TawnyAngel]

The small man sat. He picked up the phone between two fingers, produced a disinfectant wipe, cleaned it and then raised it to his ear. He regarded the man opposite him, ice blue eyes meeting crimson impassively. "I am not in the habit of jesting, but I would say that your presence here is indeed something 'horribly wrong'. Team Rocket? Really? Mmh. I would like to say I thought better of you but I find I cannot." Of course if some fools were going to get arrested, Orihara would be amongst them. "And what, pray tell, should I call you now? Did you ever even give me your true name?"

This visit had been planned and so had that question, the latter in order to find out what he should be calling the wretch to avoid suspicion. The former, well, there had been a lot of scenarios to consider and of course things could go wrong but he had simply been too curious to see how Oirhara was faring to stay away. Rather to Frost's silent satisfaction Izaya looked tired, even he could tell that by those dark circles under his eyes.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Smirking wearily at the sight of the disinfectant wipe, the informant smiled down at the table before him. He'd actually been expecting that. What was bizarre was that Frost had willingly (at least it seemed that way) entered this place which was not known for its hygiene thanks to disgusting, unhappy inmates, their putrid habits, and the general disregard for their living conditions. All that made touching and using a public phone seem insignificant in comparison.

Though he stared blankly at Frost for the duration of his talk, it took all Izaya's self-control not to laugh afterward. The blonde probably wasn't aware, but he had just more or less echoed the words of the grunt's last two visitors. Of course Rosie had meant them when she'd said it, including the bit about not knowing his real name. Andre knew full well of his civilian identity and informant reputation if not of his Rocket ones, but like Frost, he had spoken under the innocent implication that he could not believe Izaya would have ever been convicted of being a Rocket. As if.

It was a little too innocent an act, especially if anyone knew anything about the human-loving man, but he doubted the police or anyone else would be suspicious enough to look into it. The fact that Frost, intelligent as he was, had decided to risk coming here anyway was proof enough. Things must have died down after the attack on the Rocket base.

Still, as silly as the whole pretense was, Izaya took the agent's innocent comments as a reminder that they were being monitored and perhaps even listened to. And this was good because, after as long as he'd been in here, the shock of seeing a familiar face had caught the fatigued Rocket off-guard.

Yet, for all his misgivings and fatigue, the man couldn't just ignore an opportunity given to him. "Frederick-chan, darling, I can explain!" he cried, not really concerned with what name Frost had signed in with if he had been required to do so. It was somewhat difficult feigning the deep hurt he intended to portray when inside he was trying so hard not to smile. "Nothing's been completely proven yet; don't you trust me? And what do names matter? A rose by any other name still smells as sweet, right?"

He didn't quite seem to catch Frost's intentions regarding what he should have called him, but even if he had, he likely wouldn't have thought it mattered. 'Izaya' and 'Nakura' had been used so interchangeably both within the Rocket base and outside of it that he doubted even the police knew what to make of the identities. It wasn't even likely they'd realize one had been stolen, given that the man he'd stolen it from was completely at his mercy.

"You shouldn't let this change anything between us! I still have feelings for you. You can still call me 'sweetheart' like you did before!" He reached out to the glass as if longing to touch Frost. "We can work through this, I know we can!" Sounding almost tearful, he added, "I'm so glad you're safe, though. I thought they might have gone after you when I was arrested." It was indeed a relief to have some word of Team Rocket after all that talk of the League attacking the base - even if it was just Frost and he had come here of his own volition.

"I heard they took down one of the stationary land-based Rocket bases. Once I get out of here, we can live free of them somewhere far away. A smaller town, perhaps, like Sandalwood or Ambergris." Aside from hinting at what he had told his interrogators, his words were a very, very subtle nudge toward his unspoken question of where the rest of the Rockets were now. Even if Frost deciphered it, he wasn't sure that the agent would choose to disclose the location, but it was worth a try. "Unless you...came here to tell me you're leaving me."

When Izaya's shoulders drooped, the rest of him seemed to genuinely wilt as the enthusiasm behind his voice died down. He was oh so very tired of being in this Arceus-forsaken place, devoid of almost all human contact, which was unlike he had imagined it would be before he had got himself captured. Just the thought of having to return to his empty cell after Frost left made him feel legitimately depressed. It seemed there was a reason why solitary confinement was such a drastic punishment and it was taking its toll on the talkative, lonely man.  

[TawnyAngel]

Frost sighed and gave a slight shake of his head. "Orihara must you always be so entirely ridiculous? You are a walking joke, and not a funny one. Mmmh. And don't call me Frederick. Or Chan for that matter. John will do nicely, as ever." It was what it said on the ID he'd shown after all, recently acquired with a nearly squeaky clean record, a few traffic violations were only to be expected from an ordinary sort of person. "It is a shame though," he continued, "I am afraid that in light of your associations I will have to end ours, regardless of how pleasant you can be when your mouth is doing something worthwhile rather than spewing nonsense."

He wasn't entirely sure why he had decided to play along with Izaya's over the top declarations but it was done now, and was a better explanation than just 'friends' for why a respectable many might pay a visit to an incarcerated Rocket.

"You heard correctly," he continued smoothly, "quite a victory for the league. I doubt your associates all went up with it however, or that you will be getting out any time soon so even if I had any interest in continuing our arrangement - which I do not - your circumstances would preclude any assignations."  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

"I'm only ridiculous when it comes to you, my love," Izaya sighed. "You know you drive me crazy." Managing a weak smile, his tired gaze studied Frost's face. "Why do you always have to sound like I'm a business partner and we're trying to settle some legal...issue....?"

Um.

...What?

The man had been spewing a response so quickly he had just about finished the end of his sentence when his brain finally processed the other's words to their full meaning. No, no, no, this was weird. Agent Frost did not - had never played along with Izaya's antics in all the time he had known him so far as the grunt could recall. And certainly not to this extent or...implied intimacy level. Since when did the blond start speaking in such a salacious manner? Had he actually just 'talked to him dirty'?

Where did he hear that line?! Surely he couldn't have thought of it himself, could he have? Did he know what it meant? But surely he must have if he had chosen to use it, and in this context...

What little color the prisoner had previously had in his face was leeched from his complexion as he stared stupidly at his visitor for a good couple of minutes. A million things were running through his mind and he could voice none of them. Was he taunting him for having gotten himself captured? Was he just in a particularly good or playful mood? Or maybe a bad one? Did he even know what his confounding behavior was doing to the other Rocket? That was infuriating in itself, but what he wanted to know most was why. Why was the agent screwing with him like this?

"I...ah..." He swallowed hard, moistening his mouth which had dried while he had been gaping. Frost could have meant a thousand other things with those implied words, right? Right. No need to jump to conclusions.

"I'm...sorry you feel that way." It was all he could think to say.  

[TawnyAngel]

Well, that had certainly had an interesting effect. So pale, and looking at him so intently. Why? Just shock. "Well I imagine you are," Frost replied coolly, regarding Izaya with mild disdain. "I should have known better perhaps, that you might have your fingers in a few illicit pies. Well, we live and learn do we not? I wonder if you will learn anything interesting during your sentence, whatever that may be in the end. Do you believe your associates will come for you, or will they leave you to rot?"

Ha. Ha. Ha. Oh yes, rot well Izaya. Frost suspected that the despicable Puck would be extracted sooner or later but for now he could take pleasure in his discomfort.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

The informant gradually collected himself and recomposed his expression into something a little more solemn. He leaned both elbows on the table and laced his fingers together, resting his chin atop them lightly as he regarded Frost with a rather critical gaze. He still seemed to be trying to access the reasoning behind the platinum blonde man's behavior as he managed to speak once again.

"I wonder if you know that I purposely allowed myself to be captured," he began. "Don't ask me why; maybe I was sick of Team Rocket. Maybe I have more of a conscience than you know and felt inclined to finally listen to it. Maybe it was my devotion to you that drove me to such extremes...but you wouldn't know what that's like, would you? Not when you've come here to break my heart and tell me you're leaving me straight to my face."

"I bet you're enjoying yourself immensely, you heartless b*****d," he seethed quietly. "If my associates do end up coming for me, you may find some even greater satisfaction in that they're likely to kill me for my betrayal of them. I wouldn't have minded dying, perhaps, if I at least still had the hope of your eternal love, but it seems you have deprived me of even that." His crimson eyes narrowed. "I hope you're happy."

The message had gotten a little more cryptic than Izaya had hoped anyone would puzzle out. Still, he wondered how much Frost would have been able to determine was true and how much was an act or merely code. Some of it was simply necessary to keep up pretenses.

Ironically, though, a great deal of it was true in the reverse; the meaning remained the same, though the context was opposite. Yes, he had meant to be captured. Yes, he had a love for Frost, but didn't he of all humans? As far as betrayal, yes, he'd given information. But it had been intentionally false out of the respect (described to Frost as 'devotion') he held for the criminal organization, even if he didn't completely consider himself one of them. It might have been his conscience that led him to want to keep their location and other information to himself rather than freely giving it, but it was just as likely to have been his pride. Who could say? Not even Izaya was certain at that point.

What he did know, though, was that somehow, deep down, Frost's biting words actually really hurt. Despite all his insubordination and his own interests, he still felt a debt to Aila, and as the young woman had given her all to Team Rocket, he felt a certain obligation to them in her stead that he simply couldn't shake. The reminder that the organization was still likely to destroy him anyway for the chance that he couldn't be trusted was more cutting than the informant had realized.

That was the price he paid, though, he supposed, for having remained so morally and loyally ambiguous all this time for the sake of his own entertainment. Though he could deny this new pain all he wanted, he knew it would just be another thing to keep him up at night in the following length of solitary confinement to come.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Happy?..." Frost considered this. 'Happy' was a concept a lot of people set a lot of store by. He wasn't entirely sure that he could relate to how it was described by most. He understood excitement, elation, yes - when a project went just right or he solved a pesky problem but just... just happy? It sounded so ordinary, so dull just... strange, alien. Perhaps he was happy but didn't realise it, or perhaps he was content with not being happy? Humans, such confusing creatures.

"I am content," the blond said after a few moments speaking more freely than usual because he knew that Izaya's days were numbered, Team Rocket would not allow him to live. "And I shall not ask you why because I have no interest in the fact that you supposedly allowed this, your reasons, or your purported devotion to me." He would have added that he didn't care about Izaya at all but that was untrue. He cared. Oh yes, he cared. He would most certainly care to be permitted to pull the trigger and expunge the vermin from the face of the planet. Dissolve the remains, perhaps, just to finish the job neatly.

Frost tilted his head to the side and smiled everso slightly, up-curved lips and cold pale eyes. "They will not allow me to remain much longer. Is there anything else you wish to tell me before I depart? Perhaps you would like to beg me to vouch for your good character?..."  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

The corner of Izaya's mouth twitched. Maybe it was that the other man had brushed him off so coldheartedly or perhaps it was out of desperation to keep Frost there, but he felt he had to say something to keep his attention. Even something Izaya knew was stupid to bring up.

"Actually, there is," he said, eyes narrowing. "I wanted to ask...is there someone else? That Dmitry Vladamirin fellow, for instance...you always seemed fond of him."  

[TawnyAngel]

If it were possible Frost's expression became all the more frosty.

Internally the cogs, wheels and circuits of his mind spun and sparked with panic and anger. How- how did this wretch know about Di- about him? He knew that Claire had met him, had Izaya met him too? How? When? How had he discovered their connection? What was he going to do with that information?

All of this and more rushed through the small blond's mind in the span of a couple of heartbeats; a short pause therefore, and Frost often paused before speaking, but perhaps it would still be notable to anyone watching for it.

"Your information is out of date, rocket. He is of no concern to me," Frost replied blandly.

How did he know?  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Well, the mention of Dith seemed to trigger the expected reaction, though whether that was a good or bad thing, Izaya wasn't sure. At least he had his attention, though. Er, maybe...?

Unsure, the prisoner did what he tended to do and decided to push the subject further. Why did Frost have to be so difficult to read? Then again, if he wasn't, he likely wouldn't have been one of Iza's favorite subjects of human observation in the first place.

It wasn't too hard to put together, though. As it often was with the informant, a lot of his information was acquired through hits and misses of (sometimes) educated guesses or accusations. The first raid that he'd gone on, he'd met Dith and thought little of it. They had even exchanged a few words of Russian, if he recalled correctly.

But it was only later, when Frost had witnessed the replay on television, that the platinum blonde had definitely showed signs of recognition regarding the large, long-haired Russian one. Toss in the fact that Frost seemed attracted to men and it wasn't difficult to come up with an accusation that would, even if incorrect, likely get under the skin of the otherwise cool, composed agent. It seemed to go well enough with their little act, anyway.

"Oh...so then you don't have any interest in if I turned him in as a Rocket accomplice?" the prisoner asked. "Outdated information or not, you should really look into who you fall for, my love."

Outwardly, it could be perceived as him simply enlightening 'John' about a Rocket he had yet to learn of. Between the two of them, though, it could also have been perceived as a threat. Turn in Dith as a Rocket? Perhaps Frost would call his bluff or honestly not be concerned enough to care, but Izaya seemed intent on finding out either way.  

[TawnyAngel]

"You presume too much, we were friends, no more than that." ...And why had he felt the need to give Izaya any extra information rather than leaving him with false assumptions? Blast it all the man was just so- Indescribable. One of these days - assuming Izaya ever got out of prison - one of these days he would take great pleasure in taking the red-eyed man apart. Piece. By. Piece.

For now however all he could do was taunt the captured Rocket with words and yet somehow the informant was turning the tables, getting information out of him even as he languished behind the tough plastic screen. How was he doing it? It was one of those people things that Frost found so frustratingly opaque, he was sure of it.

"And I believe you would find it difficult to convince anyone that Dimitry was allied with your sort in any case," Frost continued, outwardly calm as he inwardly tried to work out how to take control of the conversation again. "He has been seen combating Team Rocket on multiple occasions over the past couple of years and I doubt that he has the subtlety to be a double agent." Not the subtlety nor the stomach. Dima always had been held back by his morals, which was a pity really. If things had been different perhaps he could have taken his friend with him when he departed 'lawful society' at high speed. Unfortunately it wasn't possible to reprogram people in such fine detail, changing one thing and leaving the rest intact... at least it wasn't yet. Maybe one day. That was probably one of the sorts of things he wasn't 'supposed' to think, but that was all morals again. Inconvenient things so far as he saw it.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

"So you do still keep track of him," the informant surmised. "'Has been seen', eh? So either you've either been asking mutual friends about him, hired some investigator to do some digging, or been stalking him yourself. That doesn't exactly sound like someone 'of no concern to you', John, dear," he said somewhat bitterly.

"Did you learn Russian from him, too?" he asked with a humorless sneer. "И то, что Дмитрий с вами сейчас? Ваш возлюбленный?"

All subterfuge aside, the Rocket couldn't help feeling a little genuinely jealous. And, whether the platinum blonde could recognize it or not, it was beginning to be audible in Izaya's tone. Even Frost had friends; outside of Team Rocket, no less. Frost, the anti-social mechanic who was as frigid toward people as his codename suggested.

And what did Izaya have? A myriad of enemies who hated his guts, a handful of people who somehow managed to tolerate him, and a single, dead girl who had claimed to care. Not that he hadn't taken great pains to keep it that way, but loneliness, like many other emotions, was often illogical. It clouded the minds of the weary, weak, and desperate, all of which currently described the captured Rocket.

"The past tense 'were friends' part I'll believe - at least that much is consistent - but that doesn't rule out the possibility that he's something more to you at present."  

[TawnyAngel]

Frost raised an eyebrow, internally a little relieved to hit on something he felt sure of. "Perhaps you are aware of a thing know as 'the news'? Dimitry does cut quite a distinctive figure. Perhaps the most notable incident would be the contest that Team Rocket attacked, mmh, around three years ago now if I recall correctly... and I do tend to recall correctly.

"As to your next questions, yes I did but he is nothing of the kind. I am sure you will appreciate however that replying to you in a foreign tongue would be unwise under these circumstances. The officers might well believe that I was passing a coded message to you, and incarcerate me until they were able to verify the facts. It would be highly inconvenient." It would indeed and he was not entirely sure that his acquired identity would stand up to subsequent scrutiny. It might, might well in fact, but he was not planning to risk his freedom on a 'might' regardless of its strength. Caution. Yes. Caution and calm, don't rise to anything because that was (probably) what Orihara wanted.

"I repeat, he is of no particular consequence. Perhaps I could confess to a little lingering affection," Frost shrugged, "but if I wished to - if I harboured... 'hidden passions'," he made air quotes, "as you seem to wish to imply I could quite easily have located and approached him." He still considered doing so on occasion but suspected that Dima would ask questions and if he didn't like the answer might even attempt to apprehend him and turn him over to the law in the name of justice. That would be very unfortunate, he might have to shoot his old friend in the knee or something similar.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Ooh...ouch. Should have seen that one coming. "Not in here, I'm not," Orihara grumbled, slumping back in his chair unhappily. So he did remember. "But I recall that incident - I was seated by him in the stands. And you didn't suspect me as a Rocket then, either." He smiled faintly again. "It just goes to show, though - you really don't know who's a part of Team Rocket and who isn't."

"You think criminals are above playing victims to save ourselves? Before the incident at the Pokecon, I heard Luke fon Fabre and his friends were in league with another one. His 'evil' twin brother, I think. What do you make of that? Almost like a bad soap opera!"

Other than maybe throwing whoever was monitoring them further off of Frost's trail, it almost seemed pointless for the two of them to continue discussing the matter. After all, both knew what had actually gone down and who was who - but the info broker was still craving knowledge about something in particular.

The tidbit about Frost knowing Russian was worth it on its own, Izaya felt, but without much to lose in his current predicament, he thought he might as well press on in the name of feeding his curiosity. That, and maybe persuade the agent to consider the few people and relationships in his life outside of Team Rocket a little more. Orihara doubted the older man dwelled on them all that frequently, which was, in the grunt's opinion, a terrible shame.

"'Highly inconvenient'!" he repeated with a harsh laugh. "I may be a walking, unfunny joke, but you, darling, are a riot. Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of putting you in harm's way - even if it meant I could keep you in here same as me, assured you aren't off gallivanting with other strange men." His head fell against his shoulder with a lazy, melancholy grin. "Pretty lonely as it is, but I guess that's why it's called 'solitary confinement', heh."

He had probably wasted enough of the agent's time with this game of pretend and roleplay. Despite the dislike he suspected the blonde harbored for him, Izaya respected the intelligent man and still was grateful for his visit regardless of why. Besides, Frost was very likely right about their time together being up soon. Might as well ask now.

"I've no doubt a man of your intellect, abilities, and resourcefulness could seek him out if you so chose," he answered languidly. "Especially since - as you mentioned - he is pretty distinctive. Old flames or not, I dare you to go find him and ask about his involvement in all of this."

"Maybe I'm just saying this because it seems like this is the end of the rope for me," he murmured, casually examining his nails. "But here's a bit of advice; take it or leave it."

"We live such short lives. It seems stupid not to cherish and keep close the ones we hold even a 'little lingering affection' for. Friends, family...one never knows if the next day they'll be gone, and you'll never have been able to say whatever might have needed to be said."

"You like knowledge," Izaya stated. "Isn't knowing better than wondering 'what if's forever?"