[ The movie theaters do have amazing air conditioning and popcorn is sort of tempting, but they're also loud and can vibrate the seats. For once Sasha isn't keen on sitting through that. ]
Alright. [ She perks up and hops down from the counter. ] Let me go change, and we can run to the supermarket. There's that rental machine, and we can get some snacks and stuff.
Oh. Sure. I... [ Renting two movies? Why not! As for Tobias and his whereabouts or goings-on? ] I don't know what he's doing, or if he's asleep or whatever. I'm not convinced I want to know. But yeah. He can join us if he's up. Definitely.
[ She lowers her voice as she's talking, in case he is asleep, and the discussion trails off as she make her way into the bedroom to change out of her Wallflower ensemble and grab her own wallet. She returns to the common area wearing the pedal pushers and sleeveless button-up she'd been wearing this afternoon. Hair still up, way more innocuous. ]
[ Sasha disappears in search of her wallet she's left somewhere in room, but it isn't a long search before she finds it tucked into her jacket pocket. She doesn't need the jacket or anything else, so she slips her wallet into the back pocket of her shorts and heads back out.
When Laurie reemerges, she nods. ]
Yep!
Don't tell me Tobias still sleeps all day. Are we sure we shouldn't check on him to make sure he's alright then?
I'm pretty sure. [ He's an adult, after all, and-- Well. She slips her hand under Sasha's elbow to tug her gently towards the front door. When she's closing and locking it behind them, she starts speaking again, in a soft tone as if she's afraid of being overheard. ]
So... A little while ago, we came out to do our laundry and the same time, right? And he had all these clothes, like, covered in blood. Not just his, either. He also had ladies' clothes.
I mean, I guess they could still be his. Maybe he cross-dresses. Whatever. But he said it was an accident with a dinner guest or something?
He's been totally normal since then, or... You know, normal for him. I get weirded out if I think too hard about it, though.
[ Like, are they going to die? Is she going on her third round of being murdered? ]
[ Sasha knows when she's being ushered out because of a secret. She leans her head in to listen closely to what Laurie has to tell her, her stomach lurching when she discovers what it is. ]
Blood?!
[ She almost yells, but manages to keep her voice down despite them being outside now. ]
Why would he have someone else's clothes? Has he had women over? [ That wouldn't be an issue except for the fact there's reports of blood. Blood doesn't find its way onto clothes unless something has happened. Something unpleasant. ] Was it fresh...?
[ Even if the volume's suitably low, Sasha still carries an air of exclamation, and Laurie winces (for no real reason) and moves to catch Sasha by the arm again. She then proceeds to walk as if getting away from the house is actually a great plan, and not just for snacks and movies. ]
I don't know. It had dried, I think. Or close to it. He had to pre-treat it and everything.
I haven't seen any women that he's had over, or heard them, or anything like that. So I don't know what's up.
[ There's no protest from Sasha. She peeks over her shoulder, looking back at the house as if expecting Tobias to be peering out the window suspiciously and keeps going. ]
Do you think he got into a fight? How much blood was it?
[ Laurie shrugs. She doesn't know the answer to either of those questions, so far as specifics go. ] I don't think it was a fight, unless it was a really bad one. I don't think a split lip would bleed that much.
I thought maybe it was a nosebleed, at first. Like, and epically gushing sort of nosebleed.
Yeah, well, I don't know if it's a mystery I want to solve. [ But she already said something like that, right? Might not fly, though. ] Still, if we don't figure him out... Do you think it's unsafe?
Maybe. [ This sounds potentially terrifying, but it might be better than not knowing at all. ] Do you think he'd do anything bad if he found out, though?
[ It grows into a more and more tempting idea. Is Tobias hiding something after all? Sasha doesn't want to get caught up in something when she could have done something about it in the first place. ]
He might get mad... but if there's nothing then there's no reason to, right?
Well. Intruding on somebody's personal space is kind of a thing for some people. He might get mad about that.
And if he is hiding stuff, he might get really mad.
[ Like, it's hard to imagine Tobias as anything beyond reasonably annoyed, judging by what she knows so far, but she's well aware that people are capable of some unexpected extremes. ]
Though... Maybe that doesn't matter. If he tries anything, we'll stop him.
We wouldn't have to run. I can take care of him. [ Temporarily, at least, though a voice in the back of her mind reminds her that it could be permanently, if she wanted. ] If anything happens, I'll just put him to sleep. Or make him run away.
[ They're coming up on the convenience store, which may or may not stall the conversation. That, or the conversation's going to stall movie night. Are they talking about this only to go home and act like there's no suspicion? How hypothetical is all of this? ]
[ Sasha picks up the pace so she can go ahead and grab the door for Laurie, pulling it open and allowing her to step inside first before she follows. ][ She glances around the store for the machine Laurie told her about. ]
Ahh, it's so nice and cool in here. Maybe we should hang out a bit here.
Thanks. [ For the door opening, that is! The machine's along the back wall, by the ATM, and Laurie heads there first. ] Yeah. We can pick the movie first, and then look around for snacks. Maybe we should have an ice cream while we're here.
[ Sasha is scoping out the shelves in the back, suddenly bending over and peeking through the lower shelves at random before she gestures for Laurie to come over. ]
If we sit down here the clerk won't spot us!
[ The shelf is high enough to keep them covered and there's a blind spot on the mirror above that doesn't catch them seated on the floor of the aisle. ]
[ Laurie steps forward from the rental machine to scope Sash'a hiding place. It would definitely keep them concealed, but... ] Do you think she'd be suspicious if we didn't come up to the counter for a while?
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[ The movie theaters do have amazing air conditioning and popcorn is sort of tempting, but they're also loud and can vibrate the seats. For once Sasha isn't keen on sitting through that. ]
Your choice!
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[ She looks around for a moment, half-expecting someone else to be there. ]
I guess Tobias is sleeping... but if he wakes up he can join us. Maybe we should rent two movies in case?
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[ She lowers her voice as she's talking, in case he is asleep, and the discussion trails off as she make her way into the bedroom to change out of her Wallflower ensemble and grab her own wallet. She returns to the common area wearing the pedal pushers and sleeveless button-up she'd been wearing this afternoon. Hair still up, way more innocuous. ]
Ready?
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When Laurie reemerges, she nods. ]
Yep!
Don't tell me Tobias still sleeps all day. Are we sure we shouldn't check on him to make sure he's alright then?
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So... A little while ago, we came out to do our laundry and the same time, right? And he had all these clothes, like, covered in blood. Not just his, either. He also had ladies' clothes.
I mean, I guess they could still be his. Maybe he cross-dresses. Whatever. But he said it was an accident with a dinner guest or something?
He's been totally normal since then, or... You know, normal for him. I get weirded out if I think too hard about it, though.
[ Like, are they going to die? Is she going on her third round of being murdered? ]
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Blood?!
[ She almost yells, but manages to keep her voice down despite them being outside now. ]
Why would he have someone else's clothes? Has he had women over? [ That wouldn't be an issue except for the fact there's reports of blood. Blood doesn't find its way onto clothes unless something has happened. Something unpleasant. ] Was it fresh...?
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I don't know. It had dried, I think. Or close to it. He had to pre-treat it and everything.
I haven't seen any women that he's had over, or heard them, or anything like that. So I don't know what's up.
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Do you think he got into a fight? How much blood was it?
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I thought maybe it was a nosebleed, at first. Like, and epically gushing sort of nosebleed.
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[ She gulps a little nervously. ]
If there was so much blood someone must have cut something major or was cut and not treated for a very long.
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Either way... I doubt it was at our house, right? So why did he bother taking their clothes to be washed?
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Tobias is very mysterious.
[ And not in a good way, apparently. ]
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I don't know...
[ A beat. ]
I wonder if I could sneak into his room when he's not home. We could look around and make sure he's not hiding anything.
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He might get mad... but if there's nothing then there's no reason to, right?
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And if he is hiding stuff, he might get really mad.
[ Like, it's hard to imagine Tobias as anything beyond reasonably annoyed, judging by what she knows so far, but she's well aware that people are capable of some unexpected extremes. ]
Though... Maybe that doesn't matter. If he tries anything, we'll stop him.
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I could teleport us away. I've gotten better at directing myself to places I want to go to. We could run away if it got dangerous...
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[ They're coming up on the convenience store, which may or may not stall the conversation. That, or the conversation's going to stall movie night. Are they talking about this only to go home and act like there's no suspicion? How hypothetical is all of this? ]
Hopefully it won't be an issue.
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Ahh, it's so nice and cool in here. Maybe we should hang out a bit here.
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I hope the clerk's open to loiterers.
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If we sit down here the clerk won't spot us!
[ The shelf is high enough to keep them covered and there's a blind spot on the mirror above that doesn't catch them seated on the floor of the aisle. ]
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And we'll have to pay first anyway, right?
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[ A mischievous grin. ]
As long as we don't take anything out of the store... we can say we were weak and famished.
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