Who: Liz and Rory What: Seattle's favorite hobo gets a wake-up call Where: Phantasia When: Last Saturday (the day after this) Warnings: Lots of yelling, likely swearing
Ever since coming "home" two nights prior, Rorschach had undergone the rituals necessary to turn himself back into a socially acceptable being. He'd showered four times in half as many days, needing the use of several outside aids to get all the dirt and grime out from under his fingernails. His nails were clipped, his beard was shaved, and by Saturday night, he looked almost like Mike Caulfield again. His hair was still buzzed short, low and bristly, with strange cowlicks wherever an old scar interrupted his hair's natural growth.
Sam had opted for take-out, and so he went to Phantasia alone. Rorschach knew that she'd have been bored anyway - this trip was about him and Liz. Honestly, he didn't know what to expect. He supposed he should ask for his job back, but would she let him have it? She sounded furious on the phone, and would definitely be more so in person. But he couldn't avoid this. It was inevitable.
The bouncer at the door took him up to Liz's office, looking at him the way police officers of yore looked at death row inmates. Rorschach was silent as they walked, jaw set powerfully and shoulders back. Mike Caulfield had always carried himself like a giant, but Rorschach dwarfed him by comparison. His face, hardened and shaped by countless fights and a dozen scars, yielded nothing as the bouncer opened the door to Liz's office, showing him inside. The other man didn't dare follow.
Stepping inside, Rorschach looked over at the petite blonde woman that so many feared. After a few moments of silence, he spoke. "Hello."