And I tread a troubled track, my odds are stacked, I'll go back to black [W3 Fri Post-Investigation]

[hydrokinetics]

[By the time Percy comes back upstairs to the room he shares with Harry, he probably looks like a hot mess. There's blood all over his clothes and cradled in his arms is the newly patched up, formerly mauled Mrs. O'Leary. He doesn't seem to care that she's a little big to be carrying. He's doing his best and that's what counts.

Somehow, though, when he gets to the room and through the door he hadn't been expecting Harry to actually be in the room. He stares at the other boy for a moment, grip tightening on his dog and dagger strapped to his hip as he takes a deep breath.]

...it's only been three weeks.

Comments

[expelliarmed]

[ Harry hadn't come back to the room expecting to find his roommate there, and he hadn't expected Percy back at all. The sad truth of it was Harry had had enough of his loved ones die to know what it does to your head. Of what it does to your heart. He hadn't escaped this announcement unscathed - any death was another insurmountable burden, but he'd cared about Annabeth and Riku, even if he didn't know them well. And even Nui didn't deserve to die.

No, it's his swarming thoughts that brought him back to the room, stinging like bees and forcing him to get away from the others for a minute. To stop looking for his friend who's probably close to losing his mind right now.

And then Percy walks through the door. In another lifetime, it might have been a morbidly amusing entrance, his arms full of dog and caked in blood. But he's not back from some great victory or adventure. He's back from the dead, even if it's not his own.

Harry stands, his fists balled limply at his sides. ] Three weeks, but you're still alive.

[ He's not saying that as if it's something Percy should be grateful for. ]

[hydrokinetics]

[He understand what Harry means, even if his expression darkens. He thinks nothing of him standing, though he pauses to give him an odd look like he's not sure what to make of Harry himself.

Everyone is currently a suspect. He doesn't want it to be so, but he knows it's true. Still...Harry's his roommate and he trusts him enough.]

This wasn't how it was supposed to go, Harry. None of this.

[expelliarmed]

[ Harry would be more surprised if Percy didn't suspect everyone. Where does he go from here? How does he come back from something like this and keep playing the game?

How does he get through the trial if they don't figure out who was responsible? ]

I know. Everything we've been doing hasn't been enough. [ He almost apologizes for that, but doesn't. ] We do our best, and people still die.

[hydrokinetics]

[He keeps Mrs. O'Leary close and he closes his eyes, shaking his head.]

This has to stop. [His voice is thick with emotion but he's not sure what to do with it.] We need to set up a system or something, I don't know, but we can't let people keep slipping under our noses.

[expelliarmed]

[ Harry swats away the hopelessness, the despair, because if he lets himself fall into that way of thinking, that's not going to help Percy any. ]

So what are we doing to do?

[hydrokinetics]

Start night watches. Lock the windows. I don't know. [He's not really in a state to think about it either.] We're really running out of options, aren't we?

[expelliarmed]

[ They are. What else could they do? Force everyone to sleep in the same room on Thursday nights? ]

We still have the trial. We'll find out who did this, Percy.

[hydrokinetics]

[Look that's not a bad idea, but. Harry's words do a little to assure him, even if he isn't sure he can fully believe them.]

We can only go up from here, right? We got it half-right last week. This week will be different. We're getting better.

this entire thread is now fridge horror

[expelliarmed]

How could it get worse? [ famous last words ] There was...a lot of evidence at the different crime scenes. Something is bound to come together.

I hate everything

[hydrokinetics]

With as much evidence it should be easier to put together the pieces of the bigger puzzle. That's what evidence is for, right? [Please just let him convince himself of all of this.] It's messy and brutal but we have to find a way to fix it.

[There's a pause.] ...the blood's not mine. Just so we're clear.

[expelliarmed]

I... [ He had assumed as much, but he doesn't want to ask whose blood it is. ] That's...good. Um...and Mrs. O'Leary?

[hydrokinetics]

[He looks pretty regretful.]

She'll be okay. Mr. Barnham found her and patched her up for me and I'm going to take care of her. I wasn't thinking when I sent her in there. I forgot she's depowered just like the rest of us.

[expelliarmed]

Sent her in - [ ...Right. Under the porch, naturally. ] If you need to...take care of anything else tonight, I can keep an eye on her here.

[hydrokinetics]

[He shakes his head almost frantically.] I'm not...I'd rather not leave her tonight? [He sounds uncertain at least.] I appreciate it but she's my responsibility and I owe it to her for sending her to fight coyotes.

[expelliarmed]

[ His eyebrows lift slightly, but then he nods. ] Alright. What are you going to do now?

[hydrokinetics]

[The million dollar question, huh.] I don't know yet. I have to find whoever did this, don't I? But the trial doesn't even start until tomorrow. I could get a head start today, maybe there's something we missed or I can start putting together a list of suspects...something. I don't know. I just need to do something.

[He's cradling Mrs. O'Leary closer and he should probably, maybe, consider washing the blood off but no he's focused on finding Annabeth's murderer.] Why do you ask?

[expelliarmed]

[ That's about what he expected. ]

Just...we don't need any more bodies tonight. [ His tone is careful. ] Watch out for yourself.

[ He'd offer to help, but he knows this is something Percy needs to do on his own.

He hates how much he gets this. ]

[hydrokinetics]

[He gives Harry a considering look again, knowing that tone but not knowing how to deal with it.]

Don't worry, it's Friday. Murders only happen on Thursday, remember? [A shake of the head.] Nobody's stupid enough to come after me right now.

[expelliarmed]

[ COYOTES DON'T PLAY BY THE MURDERGAME RULES, PERCY ]

No, they probably wouldn't. Still.

[hydrokinetics]

[THAT'S WHY PERCY KILLS THEM? DUH, HARRY.]

Still nothing. [It's a firm tone to drop the subject.] I can take care of myself. I promise. [No?] There's still a lot I need to do before tomorrow but I...[A glance down to Mrs. O'Leary.] How long will you be here, do you think?

[expelliarmed]

[ His brow creases, but he doesn't protest further. ]

Probably the rest of the night. Just...I might take a walk around the hotel.

[ He doesn't plan to leave, though. ]

[hydrokinetics]

[There's a nod.]

Right. [He knows it's stupid to question Harry now, but he just wants to be sure. More than that, he also wants to know in case he disappears as well.] I think...I should probably wash the blood off? And then yeah. I might do the same.

[The wind seems to be knocked out of his sails for now, at least.]