foundafamily | IC Contact

[In a normal interaction--normal to Firo--she'd taunt him now, either tease about finders keepers or demand that he hunt her down for it. Regardless of his generally good opinion of Rey, that's what he expects because it's what people do.

Now that he doesn't have to fight for it, he's kind of caught off-guard.]

...Thanks.

Hey--actually, I might have something for you too. I thought it might just be junk but...

[He'd nearly forgotten about the connection between the harmonica and Rey until he saw her just now. After all, they're common little things. But he supposes it can't hurt to ask.

He leans off-screen and rummages around. Eventually he pops back up, harmonica held aloft.]

Edited 2016-10-21 17:38 (UTC)

[Good thing Rey isn't invested enough to profit off of Firo's misery. Besides, her interest is piqued when he raises the possibility that he may have found something in return. When Firo does come back, her brows raise and she leans in, studying the instrument.

[It could have been any old harmonica, really. They're hardly unique to her world. But something about it -- from the little scratches and indentions -- seems familiar.]

Ah, no, that might be... [She pauses.] You just found that somewhere?

Yup, it was just sittin' out behind the house. I figured I'd hang onto it in case anybody wanted to trade for it, but just now I remembered that dream...

[He figures he doesn't need to specify which one.]

[Nope, she knows exactly what he's referring to.]

Appreciate it. I don't really play, but...

[Sentimental value. What is it.]

Maybe you can learn.

[Or just hang onto it, but admitting to the sentimental value of things is a little weird.]

I can bring it over right now for you if you're home.

Maybe.

[More like she'll be making horrible noise for Nick for the next few days. At least it's not as bad as a terrible clarinet player.]

Sure, can give you back your hat while you're here.

[She'd better]

All right. I'll be right there.

[And, true to his word, he's knocking on her door just a minute later. He didn't run right over, nope...]

[Seeing that they live so close (and Rey in possession of Firo's prized hat), the door swings open almost immediately after the knocking begins.

[At leas this time she isn't wearing the fedora on her head, but it's in her other hand now.]

That didn't take long. [She notes almost jokingly.] You want to come in, or...?

[Just trade and run? Come to think of it, Rey doesn't often invite people over.]

I didn't wanna keep you waitin'.

[Slightly sheepish, because he didn't want to keep himself waiting either.

He holds the harmonica up to her.]

If you don't mind. I don't think I've seen too much of your place.

[He'll linger on the doorstep until she confirms it's okay, but if she does, he'll step inside and glance all around.]

Mm, probably for the best. Had to do some rearranging not too long ago.

[Rather than handing over the hat like a normal person, Rey just places it over Firo's head in one hand while she takes the harmonica in the other. She gives the top of the hat a single pat, bearing an oddly deadpan expression for such an amiable gesture as she steps back. This gives Firo enough room to enter, before she closes the door behind him.

[Whatever rearranging it is she's done, it isn't obvious right away. It's mostly the bedrooms themselves. Otherwise, everything looks like the normal furnishings in the other houses, save for a few additions here and there. Like the goldfish next to a potted cactus over one of the windowpanes, and a cushiony chair in the living area with what appears to be cat ears over the back of it.

[Just to name a few.]

[Firo stiffens in surprise when she plops is hat down on his head. It feels nice to have it back, though, so he smiles and adjusts it as he walks in. It'd be polite to immediately remove it again once he's inside, but for now he leaves it on while he looks around the room.

...Where to even start with the questions?]

Hey, is that the same fish?

[He wonders if she'll remember what he's talking about. He sure didn't recall their discussion of the goldfish until he saw the thing. Do fish even live that long? He never saw a fish in the house that wasn't 1. already dinner or 2. living in the bathtub to grow for a week until it was fat enough for a future dinner.]

[What is polite social etiquette? Rey doesn't know and doesn't care, so Firo can keep the hat on for long as he likes.

[Before she can ask him if he'd like anything, he's already pointing out the goldfish, swimming around in its little bowl next to Charlie the Cactus.]

Same one. [She shrugs.] The damned thing would probably be dead already if it weren't for Nick.

[Rey doesn't forget that it needs to eat sometimes, or other times ends up feeding it way too much. Nope.]

[Firo turns to her abruptly.]

Nick?

[Ugh, Valentine. Is that guy really such a stickler that he'd police people about a goddamn fish? He tries to remain casual when he speaks, but there's more than a hint of a frown on his face.]

Why's that?

[It's not what you think, Firo!]

Because he actually remembers to feed it more often. Tend to forget that the damned thing even exists and then...

It isn't like I've ever owned a pet before.

[Rey is just lucky that it's a simple goldfish and not something more demanding, like a dog or a rabbit.]

Oh.

[That's less dramatic and annoying than he thought.]

And he did?

[That seems weird too. Detectives are supposed to look tough and act like assholes--Firo can't imagine Edward having a pet, for example. Well, maybe a bloodhound or something trained to hunt people down.]

[Rey blinks]

Don't know. Never asked him. It seemed like he knew what he was doing, though. Or, at least, he cared.

[Which is more than what she can admit, sadly.]

['Caring' is never an adjective Firo would think to apply to a detective, though in the back of his mind he does recall that Nick was oddly... not nice, of course, but polite. Civil. Could be an act.

Oh well. He removes his hat and holds it by the brim. So that explains the fish, but there's still the funny plant and the chair with ears.]

You decorated this place? Or him?

[Which thought is weirder?]

[If it's something that her time spent with Nick has told her, it's that Nick is nothing but caring. Almost to a fault, in Rey's opinion. Then again, she does believe that there is a such thing as caring too much. Compassion can destroy you, if you let it.]

A little bit of both, really. Nick can't do a whole lot of rearranging with that bum leg of his.

[Something which she could easily fix, if he'd let her.]

[Stranger and stranger. Firo squints. It's only practical to know about a weakness if it comes up, but mostly he's just curious.]

How's that happen to a guy like him?

[Rey must know, right? It's not like the glowing eyes and weird face are subtle.]

Deathclaw.

[Rey then realizes that it's more likely not everyone knows what those things are called.]

Those big, horned lizard-like things that showed up a few months back. They're from Nick's world, and one of them messed him up a bit. Had to reattach his arm. [It's a good thing that he even had that arm on hand after it got ripped off him.]

[He shakes his head.]

Yeah, but... how'd it stick with him? He can't heal from stuff like that?

[Heal is the wrong word, maybe. 'Repair' might be more accurate, but Firo doesn't want to use that with a human.]

No, he can't. And there are some things he can't just fix himself, either -- like a severed arm. So he needs someone like me around.

[Someone who knows their way around machines; can put them back together as easily as she can take them apart.

[It at least gives her some sense of purpose, in this case.]

[Firo nods; makes sense. But he doubts their relationship is that utilitarian if they're as close as they seem. Jokingly:]

So what's he do for you?

[It may be a joke, but Rey answers seriously.]

He's like family. He doesn't have to do anything for me.

[Except do the stuff that family is supposed to do. Whatever that entails.]

It was a joke.

[Firo doesn't seem offended at it being missed; he's smiling a bit.

...Only to frown when he tries to reconcile his idea of Nick with how Rey seems to think of him. He knows that even Edward had someone who loved him (allegedly), but he still finds it hard to believe that someone like Rey--who seems so normal to him, at times--could be family to a cop. Granted, he doesn't know much about Nick; even Firo, set in his ways as he is, recognizes that.

Abruptly:]

What's he like?

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