Log: I'll do what I can

[depthlesslock]

Who: York (native) and Sigma Ai
What: Consolation over a lost brother
Where: The Ai household
When: Saturday night
Warnings: Possible swearing

York follows the directions to Sigma's home as fast as he can, his mind running at the same speed. He's going to have to lie. No way around it, he's going to have to act like this is the first time he's heard of the disappearance. Comforting Sigma will be easy, lying to him won't be.

This is so fucked up. He's holding too many threads and not letting too many people know which threads he's holding. Eventually he's going to get tangled in them.

But he can worry about that later. For now, his attention needs to be on Sigma.

At last, he arrives at what his HUD tells him is the correct destination. It's bigger than what he'd expected on the income he'd gathered was brought in, but then again it does have to hold eight people. Not quite big enough to do so with complete ease though. Hurrying up the path, he steps up to the front door and considers pressing the intercom, when he remembers what Sigma said about the kids being in bed. So instead, he sends Sigma a message on the comms.

I'm here.

Comments

[ambitious_muse]

Omega hasn't shouted at him to wake up in years. He jolts awake, immediately aware of York beneath him on the couch. Bracing against the cushions, he pushes himself into a seated position so he can face his brother.

"Sleeping," he snaps, because shouting is no way to wake someone. "What time is it?" He rubs his eyes and feels the tear-tracks on his cheeks. Leave them, he decided. Let Omega know exactly what he's dealing with.

[baruthumos]

Great. Sigma's been crying. When was the last time Omega saw Sigma cry? Not that it would matter to Delta, who's apparently decided his little brothers and sister don't matter any more. "Who is this guy, what is he doing on my couch, and who let him in the house? When the kids are here, even!"

Sigma should know better. Even if this guy is on the level, what he doesn't know can't be tortured out of him later. And what if he isn't? What if this had all been a ruse to get inside?

[depthlesslock]

Yep, York can definitely see this man getting into such a bad argument with Delta that his friend would storm out. D had mentioned that he had a temper and meeting him for the first time and being on the receiving end of such temper isn't doing the guy any favors in York's view.

'Hey! I'm half blind, not fucking deaf,' he says, sitting up now that Sigma's no longer lying on him. 'My name's York and up until two minutes ago, I was sleeping here with Sigma because he was upset and called me over. Do you have a problem with your brother being comforted?'

[ambitious_muse]

Sigma slips his fingers between York's and looks up at Omega. "I let him in," he says. "I needed to talk to someone after you and Delta left me. Who was I supposed to talk to? Gamma?"

[baruthumos]

So that is York. Well, any other day Omega might be glad to see him. Not today. "Do you know where Delta is?" York is literally the only person Delta might have gone to.

"You let him in. So now he knows where you live. So now that could be tortured out of him. Good job, Sigma. Good job. Did you think we don't like people here because we enjoy making your life terrible?" Probably, knowing Sigma.

[depthlesslock]

'No, I don't.' Weird. It's a lot easier to lie to Omega than it is to lie to Sigma. Actually, no. Not weird at all. 'I met him all of one time.'

He listens as Omega snaps at Sigma and his jaw clenches tighter with every other word. 'You know, up until just now, I thought this was a perfectly normal family that was going through some drama. But now you're making it sound like there's a reason I could be tortured for information. You're giving more away from yelling at Sigma than he has.'

[ambitious_muse]

"I sincerely hope you don't enjoy this," Sigma whispers. "Would you prefer I took my problems elsewhere, like Delta has?"

So maybe he hadn't been thinking. Maybe he had been so desperate for comfort that he hadn't considered his family's safety. But he remembers what Delta said, about not letting Omega make him feel small, and he squeezes York's hand in gratitude. He did what needed to be done, and he refuses to feel guilty about it.

[baruthumos]

"Oh, don't ask stupid questions. You know I hate those." Omega throws himself into the bad armchair. "Has anyone at least heard from Delta? Do we have any confirmation that he's not sleeping on a park bench somewhere?

This is worse than when Epsilon disappears. Epsilon at least answers messages.

"There's a reason, but the odds are...slight," Omega allows. It's hard to stay angry when Sigma is looking at him like that. Or rather, it's hard to take out the rage on him. Save it for Delta, who put Sigma in the middle of this mess.

[depthlesslock]

York tightens his fingers around Sigma's slightly, returning the squeeze. Sigma's upset enough without added shit from Omega. At least the guy's not shouting anymore.

'Last I heard from Delta was over the comms and I was pestering him to take time out. This... wasn't what I meant.'

[ambitious_muse]

"I called him," Sigma says. "He's safe. He didn't elaborate, though." Just that he's searching for a job, but Sigma suspects that's a point of contention that Omega doesn't need right now. He just wants his brother to get off his case.

[baruthumos]

Omega grinds his teeth. "Right. We know he's safe because he says he's safe. And Delta never lies. Especially when his pride's on the line. So we can all sleep easy tonight."

He's still mad, but anger is tiring, and they're on his couch. It's not likely Omega's going to sleep tonight, but he'd like to at least try.

"This isn't what anyone meant to happen."

[depthlesslock]

Omega seems genuinely worried and maybe even a bit regretful, if not guilty. York's opinion of him goes up a few notches, but it's still in the negatives.

'If he's still in contact with Sigma, that's something at least. He hasn't dropped off the map.'

[ambitious_muse]

He doesn't dare to tell Omega that he and Delta have plans to meet, because Omega will want to follow. "I'm keeping in touch," he says. "Maybe he just needs time?" The false hope echoes in his voice, though, and he knows he doesn't mean it. Of course Delta doesn't. His mind is made up.

[baruthumos]

Omega snorts. "Time to get himself in trouble, you mean." Even if Delta does take that job, find a place to stay, bad luck can always hit him. And when it does, Delta will be alone.

"Oh. Thank you, York. For the helmet repair."

[depthlesslock]

York intends to make sure that doesn't happen. He'll do his best to keep Delta out of trouble. Guy's got it hard enough without anything else going wrong.

'You're welcome.' Another notch up.

[ambitious_muse]

"Until then, we've got to find a way to make things work." Sigma rubs at his eyes with his free hand. Now that Omega has calmed down, all the fight has gone out of him. How late is it now? Luckily tomorrow is Sunday and he doesn't have to be on campus.

[baruthumos]

"Well, I quit the construction, so if you and Epsilon can be home at nights, I should be able to at least keep the house from burning down." Omega is not looking forward to taking over everything Delta was doing. "It'll be practice. For the army of the damned and our world conquest."

See, a joke. Things can't be that bad, if Omega's cracking jokes.

[depthlesslock]

York runs his hand through his hair. The gel's wearing out with the day so it's not sticking up as well as normal.

He doesn't even try to decipher if Omega is being honest or making a joke. He's too tired to care.

[ambitious_muse]

"I'll have to get you up at 4:30 so you can get everyone where they need to be," Sigma says. "Since I have work at 5. What about groceries? And I can't be here every night."

Still, he cracks a smile. If Omega is reconsidering his plan for world conquest, he can't have given up on them yet.

[baruthumos]

Four-thirty. Omega groans audibly at the thought. He might as well just stay up all night cleaning, then sleep after everyone goes to school. "Fine, if that's how it has to be, we'll do that. I can get groceries after I drop them off."

Then there's the training Maine wanted to do with him. Well, Gamma and Theta are old enough to help with the laundry and such. And if the house isn't up to Delta's standards, they'll live. "You won't need to be here every night. If you're here two nights and Epsilon's here two nights, that's four nights I can work. That's between three and four thousand a week. I think we can live on that, do you?"

Omega's question is only half-sarcastic. He's trusted Delta to keep the books for so long, he has no idea how much they need to live.

[depthlesslock]

York's actually quite happy to let the two brothers talk this out. He's tired, has done enough for the day and if Omega wasn't here, he'd curl back up on the couch, pull Sigma down with him and fall asleep again. But Omega is here and while he seems to have calmed down, York doesn't trust him enough to sleep around him.

So he settles into the corner of the couch, half lying down with his fingers still twined with Sigma's as he listens to the Ais talk times and prices and yes, three or four thousand will get you throught the week and take you to Dippy Rollercoaster Park afterwards.

[ambitious_muse]

York looks as exhausted as Sigma feels, and considering Sigma's head started drooping of its own accord, sleep would be a good idea.

"Can we talk about this tomorrow?" he asks Omega, voice heavy with fatigue.

[baruthumos]

"Yeah, yeah. We'll survive tomorrow." They are not getting the hint, and letting Omega sleep on his couch. Well, it won't kill him to behave for one night. Omega stands up. "You joining us for breakfast?" he asks York. If Sigma's going to be sleeping with people, better for it to happen under the same roof, where he can yell for help.

Not that Omega thinks Sigma will need help in the slightest. York seems like an alright guy.

[depthlesslock]

'Hmm?' It takes a moment for York to realise the questions was being directed at him. 'Uh, no, probably not. Actually, I should probably get going while I'm still awake enough to get home.'

[ambitious_muse]

It's not what Sigma wants, but it's probably for the best. He wouldn't want Omega to get the wrong idea. Nodding, he pulls himself to his feet. He can at least see York out.