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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 2, 2012 16:49:29 GMT -5
Month 6, Week 3, Day 7. Private.
Tuesday the library is closed and Xavier is left to stay at home and brood over Pierce's denial of his request for a phone number and quick departure. That's fine, it gives him time to cook.
Wednesday he's back at the library, looking for Pierce, and with a ham and cheese sandwich to make up for the one Pierce didn't get to eat on Monday. The bread is homemade, he cooked and sliced the ham himself, and made the mayonnaise. The cheese is store-bought, but of good quality. He's actually kind of proud of it, for all that it's just a plain sandwich.
Only Pierce isn't there to eat it. Niels tells him Pierce is out sick, which is... disappointing. Extremely disappointing. Surprisingly disappointing. Irrationally disappointing.
He gives the sandwich to Niels - though he feels more like tossing it in the garbage, or burning it - and goes home.
Xavier stays home on Thursday, though he spends the day pacing restlessly around his basement apartment until it's time for him to work. It's only been three days since he's seen Pierce. Three days. That's nothing! Nothing. He's not desperate, he can wait.
Pierce is still out sick on Friday, and Xavier trashes his apartment when he gets home. By the time he's finished cleaning everything up, he's calm enough to act normal at work. He'll have to buy some new plates, though.
Saturday comes and he can't stay away, and there's no Pierce, but Miranda takes pity on him, because it's not hard to look pitiable when he's aching like a drug addict in need of a fix. He was alone for years, he has no friends that he can remember, and he's never wanted any, so how is it that a brief taste of companionship has him hooked and unable to let go?
Whatever, it doesn't matter, because Miranda gave him Pierce's number, and he sits on his couch and dials the number with fingers that he refuses to admit are trembling. Raising the phone to his ear, he waits as it rings.
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Mar 2, 2012 19:03:28 GMT -5
Pierce scrubs his eyes as he leans back in his seat with a soft sigh of exhaustion. Days of research and he’s hit nothing but dead ends. There was nothing else to go on for the time being and his absence was becoming conspicuous for someone who never calls in sick.
The man stares at the screen of his laptop, resting his forehead on his palm and just sits there for a moment, contemplating his next move. Realizing his legs had fallen asleep, he gingerly gets up and stretches before plodding to the bathroom. The faucet handle squeaks as he opens it, the sound of water rushing down the sink filling up the silence of the apartment. He splashes cool water onto his face, inhaling silently at the sensation of of it.
He reflexively reaches back to turn the tap off before catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. The face that looked back was not... healthy. There were sleepless bags under his eyes, the decreased intake of food had started eating away at the flesh of his already sharp cheeks and his eyes were bloodshot red. Worrisome. He will have to take some measures to make himself somewhat presentable to the public again now, although it amuses him distantly that warding off children should be no problem for the time being.
Somewhere from the depths of the house, his cellphone rings. Pierce blinks and turns the faucet off before grabbing a towel to dry of his face as he strides back into the living room, snatching the phone up off his computer desk to examine the number. ‘Unknown?’ There were only a few people who had his number so who was this? A wrong number? Or, perhaps more worryingly, someone who does know him. Pierce’s finger hover over the ‘End Call’ button but pauses.
Something compels him to slide his thumb over to the green ‘Call’ button and he hesitantly lifts it to his ear before clicking it. “Hello?”
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 2, 2012 20:53:04 GMT -5
Relief! Xavier almost laughs at the sound of that soft, soothing voice, but holds it in, gripping his phone tightly.
"Pierce," he says, not sure what to say now that he has his librarian on the line. "Hi. How are you feeling?"
He didn't introduce himself. Should he have introduced himself? Surely Pierce will recognize his voice. He'd recognize Pierce's voice anywhere.
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Mar 2, 2012 21:06:53 GMT -5
There was a moment of silence from Pierce’s side of the line, as if he were holding his breath or breathing very quietly, not wanting the other man to know that he was there. He shouldn’t have pressed that button. Why did he press that button? Now Xavier knows this is a number he answers.
“A bit under the weather,” he says softly after a moment. Despite himself he feels a flutter of some unnameable emotion at the obvious relief in Xavier’s voice although he quickly quashes it. “Miranda gave you my number?”
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 2, 2012 21:18:51 GMT -5
Xavier nods, then remembers that this isn't a vid-phone. "Yeah. I guess she got tired of seeing me moping around."
Damn, no. Should he have said he was moping? Does that make him sound too desperate? Or maybe it'll just make Pierce feel sorry for him. Maybe it was okay.
He runs a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. Calm down, it's just Pierce. They've spent days talking with each other for hours. But it's been so long since they've done that. Five days. Five days is long. "I made you a sandwich, but..."
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Mar 2, 2012 21:41:09 GMT -5
“Moping,” he says and there might just be the barest hint of amusement. "Regardless, I will have to ask Ms. Laven not to violate my personal privacy in the future regardless of any 'moping' that may occur." The amusement drains out of him when he remembers the particular implications that that carried. No, must’nt form too close an attachment with Xavier. When Xavier turned back into Rampage, Rampage would definitely not be very pleased at all.
“... I could use a sandwich right now,” Pierce remarks offhandedly, glancing at the mirror in the bathroom again.
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 2, 2012 21:47:37 GMT -5
"Mh," Xavier grunts, remembering how Pierce had brushed him off when he asked for the number. Ah, rejection. That had stung a little.
Turning, he sprawls out on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. "I could make you another one. The bread's not really fresh anymore, but I've still got some ham and cheese, and I could whip up another batch of mayo..."
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Mar 2, 2012 21:57:37 GMT -5
"You needn't trouble yourself," Pierce answers, sounding strangely distant. "I think I'm well enough to go out an buy my own food at this point. Thank you for the offer, however." Alas, the sandwich has been denied yet again.
"... How are you?" he dares after a moment, settling down on his computer chair, the seat creaking quietly in the background. "Other than the moping, I mean." Pierce's isn't entirely sure why he needs to know but he does; the past five days have been... rather quiet now that he looks back on it. Quiet without Xavier to talk with.
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 2, 2012 22:13:09 GMT -5
"It wouldn't be trouble. You could use something better than store-bought food." Xavier realizes he's pouting a bit, and rolls over onto his side.
"I'm good," he says, reaching out a hand to run over a deep scratch that his fit of rage the other day had left in the wood of his coffee table. "I wasn't really moping around or anything."
He gives in the urge to make another offer, "If you're still feeling sick, I could make you some soup." And bring it to Pierce and see him and feed it to him and tuck him into bed and watch over him as he rests? No, no, not all that. Just bring him soup.
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Mar 2, 2012 22:25:53 GMT -5
Well it would be nice to see Xavier again, especially in a non-work related context. It would be really, very nice actually. Except that it’d be bringing Rampage into his house. That thought makes Pierce inhale sharply, glancing around the room.
“I can get food myself,” he reiterates. There is just a hint of anxiousness in his voice. “I should go now.”
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 2, 2012 22:33:15 GMT -5
Xavier's mood plummets as Pierce rejects his offer, and gives way to anxiety as he tries to end the conversation. No, no, no, Xavier isn't ready yet, this conversation has been far too short, why couldn't they talk for hours like usual, why can't he visit Pierce?
He does his best to sound casual, but a bit of tightness creeps into his voice. "Really? Are you busy?"
Keep talking, Pierce. He doesn't care about what, just keep talking.
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Mar 3, 2012 15:28:17 GMT -5
Curse Xavier and his stupidly expressive voice. Pierce’s grip on the phone tightens hard enough to make the plastic creak and he covers his eyes with his free hand as if that’d stop him from hearing that painful little note in the other man’s voice.
“Yes. I am.” Had been. Close enough. Doing things important to getting himself back in contact with the other Decepticons. Somehow. Of course Xavier couldn’t do that, Xavier didn’t even know what he really was; his only contact with the truth and his real past was... Pierce.
Which leaves him at a rather precarious position, now that he comes to think of it. On one hand, he needs to keep Xavier close; he needs to keep an eye on the other ‘Con in case he got into trouble of any sort. The young mech was valuable to the cause and as the only one who likely knows about him, that made Rampage... his responsibility.
Pierce falls silent, swallowing hard, hand on his mouth. Sooner or later, Xavier would remember. And sooner than later, Pierce would have to be the one to tell him who he is.
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 3, 2012 15:39:56 GMT -5
"Well..." Xavier wants to demand that Pierce not hang up. Tell him to just keep talking about whatever until Xavier says he can stop. He thinks that might not go over well, though, so instead he stalls. "When do you think you'll be back at work?"
Maybe if he knows that he'll see Pierce in person soon, then he'll be okay with hanging up.
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Post by Phobia/Pierce Fobster on Mar 3, 2012 16:17:36 GMT -5
“Tomorrow,” Pierce murmurs softly, his voice slightly muffled by his hand. He quietly draws his knees up to his chest, resting his forehead on his knees. “I’ll be there tomorrow.” Whether or not he can face Xavier there is another matter entirely.
When Rampage remembers, there probably won’t be a lot of Xavier left. And somehow, Pierce finds he’s not entirely okay with that.
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 3, 2012 16:41:58 GMT -5
Xavier swallows heavily, already feeling a fierce anticipation building. He'll be there tomorrow, come hell or high water. "Okay."
There's a pause, as he still doesn't want the call to end quite yet. Don't hang up! Then, "I don't care what you say, I'm making you soup."
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