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[darkov]

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latest status update 3/6/2018

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[killtime]

You know about the business with the doppelgangers?

[darkov]

Uhh...

[what now.]

I...what is that? I don't know. Sorry.

[killtime]

[ She doesn't know whether to be relieved or not. Is it good that she's the one that gets to explain it? Should she soften the blow, or be honest? ]

Well. A bunch of people had copies of themselves running around causing trouble. Copies that were — I don't know, parts of themselves but not the whole thing. Maybe the sad part, or happy part, or the angry part. [ Okay, maybe it's bad. She's bad at this. ] You didn't run into any?

[darkov]

[...ah...

Rex was chatting about that on the communicator at some point, wasn't he? Martin wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but sometimes it's impossible in this house.

and that man who broke into the house...the knife...]

...Maybe. I think so.

[killtime]

[ Actually, that derails her a second. ]

Wait. You did? Were you hurt?

[darkov]

I--no, not. Not really, no... I mean, Rex was here. He stopped them, the...the faceless man. Whoever he was. I...think he's a double. [beat.]

...Because I...I killed him before. Or I...I dreamed I did. I don't know.

I'm sorry.

[killtime]

[ File under: Ask Rex about this later. ]

It's fine. As long as you weren't hurt, I guess. [ A heavy beat. Maybe she shouldn't bring this up after all. ] Martin, I think you had a double too.

[darkov]

[there's a long pause.

quietly:]

You...saw me? Outside?

[killtime]

Yeah. I did. And... [ How best to phrase this? ] It didn't really go that great.

[darkov]

...What did it do.

[it, not him.]

[killtime]

It said some things to me. Then it stabbed me. A couple times, actually.

[darkov]

[a sharp intake of breath and a long, cold pause.

what? he...but.

no.

he would never--]

I-I... [his voice wavers.]

[killtime]

[ Okay — that didn't come out gently, and maybe she could have chosen her words better. She hears his voice waver and she half-regrets bringing it up at all. ]

Martin, listen — it's fine. It is. I'm better already. You didn't really hurt me.

[ Half-lies. ]

[darkov]

I...I knew something like this would happen. [well. not specifically, but.] Something like...me, hurting people. I keep...hurting people, even when I'm not there. I shouldn't be here...!

[killtime]

Martin, stop.

[darkov]

Andy I keep hurting people, I--I even killed a man! I--I...I, I keep messing up so badly, even when I'm not trying to! I--

[killtime]

Martin, no — listen to me. Nobody's blaming you, that's not... [ Or maybe they are, but she doesn't care. Like hell she'd let anyone do anything about it even if they did blame him. ] I just didn't know. If I was hurting you more than I was helping you, and if that was why...

[ Words aren't usually hard for her. But sincerity sometimes is. Feelings always are. ]

[darkov]

What? [incredulous, still stuck in that bad flow.] A-Andy, I’m the only one out here hurting people! This is all my fault— even when I’m not even thinking about it, it, it it just happens! This is exactly why I shouldn’t be around people in the first place!

[there’s some of that anger trying to creep out — the kind that fueled the facsimile who hurt her.]

[killtime]

I'm not abandoning you. Not over this shit. [ She raises her voice without really meaning to. ] What you're saying — the fact that you think that — that's why you need people right now. And I...

If I give up on caring about you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. And I have to live with myself.

[darkov]

But-- but I hurt you. What if I...? [kill is on the tip of his tongue, but his throat closes on him, muting it.]

[killtime]

[ A heavy exhale. ]

You can't kill me. I'm immortal. [ Oh, the hubris. ] I'm almost seven thousand years old now, and you're not about to end that streak, kid. You're stuck with me.

[darkov]

[???/???

he can't tell if that's supposed to be just pride...or an actual thing.]

I...I don't understand...

[killtime]

What? [ Honestly, she's half-amazed she admitted it to him herself. ] What's not to understand? I'm immortal.

[ Well. Mostly. ]

[darkov]

But--how is that possible? You're-- [human?

he hesitates to solidly say so.]

[killtime]

[ But she guesses what he means. She's had this conversation before. ]

I'm human, yeah. I don't know why I haven't died yet. Whatever it is, it's been keeping me alive for thousands of years. And trust me, kid, I've survived a lot worse than you.