InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Mel is better than Cookies!"

Brian Moser (cold_dry_pieces) wrote in marinanova,
@ 2014-05-13 12:32:00

Entry tags:

brian moser, dexter morgan

|[ 271 ]|[ action; closed to Dexter Morgan ]|
The fact that Dexter went to the Wardens for something surprises him, a bit. Brian's been avoiding them for the obvious reasons; they know everything, and he doesn't particularly want to talk about it. The more he can fly under their radar, the better. (Plus, there's the matter of names; he wouldn't much care, he has no attachment to being Rudy Cooper, except that Dexter is here and doesn't remember. The last thing he needs is an announcement spoiling his games, curtailed as they are.) He's been assuming his little brother would be avoiding them, too, if only because of that uncomfortable knowledge.

Surprises have the potential to undermine his plans, which means now he's dying to know what Dexter asked for, what he's received, how this will change things. It leaves him oddly anxious, which means he's brooding about their apartment more actively than usual, poking and prodding at things to kill time until Dexter gets back. And trying to act casual about it.

For once, he's not doing a great job.

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hastohappen
2014-05-14 01:55 am UTC (link)

One of the few things Dexter had gotten himself here in the dome is a sturdy bag like the one he carried his laptop in back home. To call him a creature of habit would be an understatement, and he prefers to be able to carry his things around in a neat and orderly manner when need be. Like now, when he has a nice, sturdy file of information tucked inside of it and out of sight.

And then he comes back to the apartment from obtaining said file to find that there's a certain vague tension hanging in the air. That's a curious development. He'd like to play it off by being casually oblivious, but he's a bit on edge himself, anxious with the information that's waiting him in his bag. Not that he didn't pick up a diversion on the way back.

"Morning." He places a paper bag on the table. "I got breakfast, if you're interested."

Breakfast sandwiches, to be exact. It does seem that they're both fond of large, protein-rich meals to start their day, after all.

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cold_dry_pieces
2014-05-14 02:10 am UTC (link)

"Bringing home the bacon?"

Well he's not going to say no. The joke falls a little flat, somehow, and his gaze gravitates to Dexter's other bag against his will. Nothing big, which isn't surprising. Asking for a computer would be relatively pointless, wouldn't it?

He drifts over to the kitchen counter, managing to peel his eyes off the bag long enough to flick the coffeepot on.

"I'm guessing that's not from our robot overlords, though?"

He doesn't have the time or the patience or, in all honesty, the sanity to spare for subtlety.

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hastohappen
2014-05-15 03:32 am UTC (link)

That flatness is noted, and Dexter has enough mounting suspicion that this particular observation just gets added to. He doesn't think that's entirely unrelated to his current investigation, but he has to look into this on his own, and going through the paths that have presented themselves seem like the best way out of all this. Externally, of course, Rudy gets a light quip back.

"If I was going to ask for food from home, I would've gone with a Cuban."

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cold_dry_pieces
2014-05-15 03:44 am UTC (link)

"Mnn. Good choice," he answers. He's certainly not foolish enough to think that would go unnoticed, he's just not in great shape to keep up the act, not when he needs to know. Really, he needs to know as badly as Dexter does. More so. He's the one who's been scheming, after all.

Pull it together. Act like a human being. At least a reasonable facsimile of one.

"Not that I'm complaining about standard issue, I'd have figured prison would have worse food." He crosses to the table to empty the bag. At least his hands aren't shaking. Small favors.

"So what did you get?"

Idle curiosity, that's all. Really.

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hastohappen
2014-05-19 02:08 am UTC (link)

"Oh, just some case reports." It's not even untrue; it was a case. Just because he was three at the time and on the wrong side of being involved in it doesn't make it any less of a murder.

"I hate to leave anything unresolved. Hard to leave that investigative itch unscratched, all those loose ends left untied."

Those words are more than true, and even as he says them, he can't quite help it if it's apparent how closely he's following Rudy's movements. There's too much coming together now... his behavior at the moment, how interested he was in getting Dexter to talk after what happened in the art class, the day with the raptors. It's all compounding, and he just knows that there's some way the other man is involved in all of this.

He's just inclined to figure out the how and why for himself. That's always been the way he's done it.

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cold_dry_pieces
2014-05-19 02:34 am UTC (link)

Now that, that is worrisome. He doesn't for a second question which case Dexter's looking up; and really, he can't know how much detail is in that. Considering the outcome-- one boy stolen away, the other left to rot-- it seems likely that Harry would have covered up as much as he could, but he's not really willing to bet on that. Harry Morgan was hardly omnipotent, much as he'd have liked to believe otherwise.

So this could be bad.

He's hyper-aware of how telling his movements are, and of how closely Dexter is watching. Has he read the files already? What do they say? How much does Dexter know?

He sits, resting his forearms against the table, meeting Dexter's eyes with that too-clear gaze, fearless and impassive. If only he could control everything else as tightly. In the meantime, he's going to question that bluff, even if he won't call it outright.

"Can you do much about it here? I mean, without the evidence, or a lab, not to mention no way to communicate your findings..."

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hastohappen
2014-05-21 01:05 am UTC (link)

It could be, couldn't it? But Dexter hasn't gotten into them just yet, though. He's waiting, waiting until he's on his own, closed off from any potential interference or witness. After how he reacted before, he's not inclined to make himself that potentially vulnerable again where anyone might see him. He doesn't know how this is going to go.

Right now, he looks back, clear and impassive. Even. His composure, its state such as it is, hasn't been compromised any further yet.

"Just some reading I never had a chance to get to. Call it satisfying my own curiosity."

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	cold_dry_pieces 2014-05-21 01:17 am UTC (link)
	"Just a little obsessive," he says, vaguely skeptical, like it's a warning. A casual one. He's regained a little of his calm, enough to snap that facade of friendly concern back in place. It's not a lie, exactly. Not entirely. He is concerned. He's just not concerned about the tendency towards obsession. That's a given, the way they are. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hastohappen
2014-05-25 08:27 pm UTC (link)

Dexter shrugs that off with a nonchalance that doesn't quite match his gaze, which doesn't falter.

"Maybe."

He's been accused of worse, and he has a feeling Rudy here understands his obsessiveness far better than he's let on, so he's not particularly bothered by this accusation. He just takes one of the sandwiches out and starts to unwrap it. Neatly. Precisely.

"Or maybe I don't want my senses getting too dull."

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cold_dry_pieces
2014-05-26 04:04 pm UTC (link)

Two can play at that. He turns his attention to his sandwich, though when he glances back up at Dexter his gaze is as even and eerie as ever, too intent to pass for normal. This conversation is double-edged; casual on the surface, deadly tense beneath, just a little too much of their true nature showing to pretend it's not there at all. Still, he can be polite. More or less.

He's not getting what he wants, which makes it more difficult.

"I thought that was what your class was gonna be for."

See, Dexter, many things are more interesting than your dusty old files full of who knows what.

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hastohappen
2014-05-31 11:06 pm UTC (link)

A verbal standoff over breakfast sandwiches. What a downright wholesome morning scene they're sharing. He doesn't doubt for a moment that they can both see right through the surface of the interaction, but who's going to call the other one on it.

"In part, but really, I would be doing any prospective students a disservice if I didn't put in the extra effort to keep my own senses sharpened."

All of them - some of which are being aided by this conversation alone.

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cold_dry_pieces
2014-05-31 11:15 pm UTC (link)

"Hmn."

He mulls that over-- or at least, he pretends to mull it over, taking a bite of his sandwich. This conversation is going terribly. The aim is always to get information without giving any up, and he's gained nothing while tipping his hand considerably, though the facts are still obscured.

Surprises are a disaster, when he's not in control of them. All right. New strategy.

"I know you're not a talk about your feelings guy but I'm willing to bet whatever case you've got, it has something to do with that panic attack you had."

Those panic attacks, really. He'll let you pretend there haven't been so many. In return, let's just not mention his responsibility for the most recent one, maybe.

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hastohappen
2014-06-01 02:31 am UTC (link)

He's mid-bite himself when 'Rudy' says that, and he hadn't been looking. But as soon as he mentions the panic attack, Dexter's eyes move quite suddenly upward to look straight at the other man.

It's the only immediate reaction he gives, and his eyes stay that way as he finishes his bite and places the sandwich gently down. The surface is rippling, what lurks beneath preparing to strike. How very invested you are, Rudy.

"You're right. I'm not."

His tone has shifted somewhat, each sentence's end voiced just a bit more decisively.

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cold_dry_pieces
2014-06-01 02:47 am UTC (link)

He's right about more than just that bit, a truth which hangs in the air despite the implicit denial of not addressing it. Brian's going to count that as a little bit of ground regained. He's gotten away with inexplicably over-invested for a while now, there's nothing to glean from that.

"I'm just saying-- the way this has been affecting you, shutting down and trying to deal with it on your own... That's a lot to carry, you know?"

Honestly, when it comes down to it, he's been entirely upfront about his desires. He wants Dexter to open up. He wants them to work together. He just hasn't mentioned his motives.

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hastohappen
2014-06-03 02:46 pm UTC (link)

Nothing new to glean, at least. Just one piece that's there, waiting for the others to fall into place around them. And to see just how affected he is by the fact that Dexter has something concrete, that's an underscore.

"I'll manage."

The flatness is edging on aggressive - not quite there yet, but there's just a hint of it. The shadow of something that threatens. That would certainly go well, were the two of them to turn more directly confrontational.

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cold_dry_pieces
2014-06-03 03:12 pm UTC (link)

Pushing any harder is only going to make things worse. That doesn't mean it's at all easy for him to let go. But since the other option seems to be trying to physically wrest the files away from Dexter, he doesn't have a lot of options.

So he shrugs, his gaze still rather wary in spite of his feigned casualness, and turns his attention rather forcibly to his sandwich.

One way or another it's all going to come out eventually, right? He'd just rather be the one making the reveal.

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