[Fin] Where do we go from here?

[TawnyAngel]

He'd gone back to Abel's apartment reluctantly; it had started to rain, hypothermia wasn't good, and he didn't have anywhere else to go. Abel had already gone to bed when he got in so at least he didn't have to try to think of anything to say. Without bothering to do anything other than strip off his wet clothes Taavi had dragged the couch cushions onto the floor and dropped into an exhausted sleep with Valour nestled up beside him on one side, Swift on the other, and Melody and Scully down by his feet. Even with the comforting presence of his friends he'd slept badly and woken early; he took the opportunity to shower and get ready for work again without having to see Abel. He fed the pokemon before he went out and - after some debate with himself - left a note to let Abel know about when he'd be back from work.

The day passed in a haze, he hardly spoke to anyone and threw himself into every task Chris gave him as if wearing himself out would stop him thinking. It didn't.

After work it got worse because of course it did. There was Alyssa with smiles, details of their bargain, reminders of what would happen if he didn't go along with what she wanted or if he tried to report her to the police.... Badly, basically, and basically she was going to leave him with just about enough to survive on but in no way enough to rent a place to live; he could live with Abel right? They were such good friends, Abel surely wouldn't mind at all! She'd then asked him slyly if he knew just how she'd found out his 'little secret' and had seemed pretty disappointed to be told flatly that Abel had already told him, he gussed she'd wanted to do the big reveal herself.

After that he'd headed back to Abel's place on foot, Valour was out hunting and wouldn't be back for a good while yet probably. He hadn't really wanted to go back but he didn't have anywhere else to go. At least today he felt as though he could actually face Abel, talk to him, explain what Alyssa had said... and maybe find out more about what she'd said to Abel to make him betray his trust. She had Isaac but what exactly had she offered or threatened? Threatened, probably.

Now Taavi stood outside Abel's apartment, he hadn't taken the key with him because he hadn't known Abel's plans so he'd just have to ask to be let in. Taavi inhaled deeply, let the breath out again slowly, and knocked on the door.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

After Taavi had departed so suddenly - not that he could blame him - Abel had gone to bed some time later, but his sleep was fitful and unpleasant, and it left him feeling just as tired, if not more so, than he'd felt before he'd gone to bed. The sharp pain in his ribs had dulled to an incessant ache akin to what he'd felt when his injuries were fresh - so much for healing - and it made it difficult to get up. Eventually he succeeded in struggling out of bed, but once he was up, he merely shuffled into the other room and sat down in a chair, his elbows on the table and his face in his hands, a quiet sadness in his features.

The events of the day before replayed in his mind over and over without end, and the acute agony and anxiety he'd felt had dulled down to a persistent misery he didn't think would fade anytime soon.

When Taavi knocked on the door, Sonia and Caleb responded while Abel simply remained motionless at the table; the pair trotted over to the door and once the Growlithe had ascertained the owner of the scent, Sonia obligingly unlocked the door so Taavi could open it.  

[TawnyAngel]

When he heard the lock click back Taavi sighed slightly, opened the door and stepped inside. He took his time removing his shoes and coat, buying time to work out how to begin talking to Abel after last night.

When Taavi eventually stepped into the living area he cleared his throat and said; "Hey." It was a start.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

It was going to be Alyssa. It was, he knew it was, why wouldn't it be? It--oh. It wasn't her. That meant it was Taavi though, and he couldn't imagine him feeling anything other than anger towards him. He couldn't blame him for that.

"Hey," he responded quietly, hesitantly, but he didn't move or lift his head from his hands. He didn't expect Taavi to really want to talk to him, and he certainly wasn't going to push him.

Sonia offered a soft whuff to Taavi as he entered before she returned to sit on the floor near Abel. Caleb trotted back over to his spot behind the armchair, and Vanessa peeked half her face out from behind the bedroom door.  

[TawnyAngel]

Abel looked pretty miserable, the sight didn't make him feel good. He wasn't sure what he felt right now other than helpless and scared, hurt mainly he guessed and stupid for ever telling Abel to begin with.

Taavi let out a soft sigh but he did smile wearily to the pokemon too and offered a little wave to Vanessa as she peeked out from the bedroom.

When it became pretty clear that Abel wasn't going to talk beyond the returned greeting Taavi sighed again and crossed the room to sit on the couch. "So," he drew his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them, "I saw Alyssa after work, got those details she talked about. I think she wanted to tell me that you'd told her, she seemed pretty disappointed when I said I knew how she knew...." He was tired, thinking felt like trying to wade through thick mud and he hardly had the energy to even want to try. "So.... You said she had Isaac. Did she offer you a deal?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Once assured that everything was okay, Vanessa emerged from the bedroom wrapped in her favorite - and only - blanket before she crossed over to the couch and flopped herself over the armrest.

Ah, he did want to talk. The thought of Alyssa finding Taavi to harass him made him vaguely ill, but at this point it was just something he'd have to get used to, he supposed. A soft, mirthless 'hah' escaped him at his words. "She probably wanted to tell you herself," he said, still not lifting his face. "She likes to mess with people and see their reactions..." Ah, he wanted to know more about that, did he? That was fair. Understandable, too. "Not really, no," he replied with a small shake of his head, finally removing his hands from his face so he could fold his arms on the table. "She told me that she knew you were hiding something and wanted me to tell her, and told me she had him and showed me a picture to prove it. Then she told me I could either tell her what you told me, or he... 'There's a lot of 'accidents' that could happen to him,' she said," he finished, lifting his hands to do air quotes around part of the sentence before rubbing his hands over his face again. "Gave me a nice list of examples, too."  

[TawnyAngel]

"Oh." Taavi looked down at the floor and reached out absently to offer petting to Vanessa if she wanted it. What would he have done in Abel's situation? Probably just what Abel had done. That didn't make him feel a lot better. All the same....

Eventually, heavily, Taavi said; "I guess I would have done the same. I don't doubt she would have done it if you hadn't...." Betrayed him? Ruined his life? "Told her. What's going to happen to Isaac now?" What was going to happen to him now? He was going to have to ask Abel if he could stay sooner or later but he couldn't quite bring himself to just yet. If he could have stayed with Sasha none of this would have happened.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Rather than lean in for petting, the Lopunny reached a paw out from her blanket to playfully swat at his hand.

Hearing that didn't make him feel any better. "I know she would've," he said as he dropped his arms to fold them on the table again, his expression morphing to one of quiet distress and helplessness, "I know she would've. He's family, I can't just..." This was just like what happened with Amelia. Almost, at any rate, but it was close enough to leave his throat tight and a cold fear constricting his heart. "I don't... I don't know. He'll be all right for now, or at least until she wants to try and push me into doing something else," he said uncertainly. What would happen to Isaac now?  

[TawnyAngel]

Normally Taavi would have been more than happy to play with Vanessa but right now he didn't have the energy and so he just smiled weakly at her and let her pat at his hand.

Abel looked as hopeless as he felt. Why did Alyssa do this? How many other people did she have trapped like this? He wouldn't be surprised if there were a few.

"No, you couldn't let her... let her do something to him." He was still alive, if Abel hadn't told her then Isaac would be dead. He almost wished he was dead, then he wouldn't have to deal with any of this anymore. "So.... Um.... She's taking basically all of my money, I won't be able to afford a place to live. I.... Can I stay here a bit longer? Until I figure something else out." Like what?.... Could he persuade Sasha to move out from his cushy place and into a place they'd share? That he wouldn't contribute to the bills or rent of. No then.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Vanessa continued to bat at his hand for a few more moments before she stopped, curious. After another couple moments of thought, she crawled over the armrest and onto the couch, then readjusted her blanket so she could cover one of Taavi's knees with a corner of it. Blankets made her feel better, so clearly it would make him feel better.

Were Abel aware of Taavi's thoughts, he would've shared a similar sentiment - but he was not, so he did not. Instead, he actually raised his head to look at Taavi with a small measure of surprise before saying, "Of course. I can't kick you out after what I did; I'd be an even bigger a** than I already am." Even if he didn't want a roommate for a number of reasons. "I.. I'm sorry, again," he said quietly as he lowered his gaze back down to the table. "I know apologizing won't make up for it, but..."  

[TawnyAngel]

Despite everything Vanessa's gesture warmed his aching heart a little; Taavi smiled gratefully at the Lopunny and curled his fingers in the corner of blanket she had shared with him. The blanket didn't make him feel any better but the offer did, a little at least. Even with things as bad as they were he wasn't alone.

How could he even respond to Abel though? He should probably be able to say 'no it's fine I understand and so I'm fine with it' or something like that but it would be a lie. He did understand but that didn't mean he was fine with it, it hurt and everything was ******** and he couldn't see any way out.

Well when all else failed he guessed there was always honesty, honesty and not being a doormat. "No, it doesn't make up for it but... but yeah, I understand. And thanks, you didn't have to let me.... Wait," Taavi frowned abruptly and looked up. "Those guys who beat you up, did she send them?" She had, hadn't she? She'd had them beat Abel up and she'd taken Isaac. "s**t."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abel had opened his mouth to respond but Taavi's sudden question gave him pause, and once again he looked up at him with some amount of surprise. Rather than answer the question, he asked instead, "Where'd that come from?" Because even if it were true, that was rather random.  

[TawnyAngel]

Taavi shrugged expressively. "I don't know.... I guess I was just thinking about Isaac; he vanished that day, Alyssa was totally unhurt during it all, and now she's got him. She did thought right? I mean it all fits and it sounds like something she'd do." Why though? To steal Isaac specifically? There had to be easier ways of doing that right? Maybe she'd just wanted to hurt Abel in more ways than one. "She's evil."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Ah, yeah..." The blond trailed off, his gaze tracing a few particularly interesting lines in the table rather than look at Taavi. He shifted a bit uncomfortably. "I guess that is kind of a suspicious coincidence, huh?"  

[TawnyAngel]

It sounded like Abel didn't want to talk about it, that was understandable. He did feel kind of like there was something more to it that Abel was actually evading but honestly he didn't want to dig right now. "Yeah, kinda," Taavi agreed with another shrug, "but anyway...." Could he think of something else to talk about? "...Do you know where she came from or anything about her?" Anything they could use? He was guessing the answer was no but he had to ask.