Adstringendum voice mail

[leashed]

If you require my services and have tried to contact me without a response, I may be unavailable.

Please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I am physically able.

Romulus Hart, 1st lieutenant

Comments

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

[And he holds the rope in his hand, staring blankly down at it.]

.. oh.

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

[There's a long pause. Romulus stares at the rope for a moment, before looking up at Morgan.]

...I am very tempted to punch you right now.

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

.. this wouldn't have happened if you didn't try to make me get on your back.

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

You cannot blame me for everything, Morgan.

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

[He thumps to a sitting position.]

Can, too.

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

If I were the person you thought I was, do you really think I'd have tried to help you?

[Quietly, as he starts searching for a way he can vault himself out.]

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Something to hold over my head, right?

[He leans back against the wall of the pit, frowning.]

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

Explain to me why I would want a pup like you in my debt.

[He jumps, feet catching on the soft earth of the side of the pit, forcing his hands into the dirt, before it crumbles and he falls backward, landing on his back in the bottom. Ow.]

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

[And Morgan laughs again, uproariously, as Rome lands solidly on his ass.]

Quit calling me a pup. I'm a grown-ass man, not a dog.

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

You are acting like one.

[Forcing himself back up, trying again.

It actually hurt a little this time, when he hit the ground, winded.]

-like a spoiled rotten pup, barking at the dog next door just because it's a different breed.

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

Oh, just shut up. We're not home. You're not some important military dog anymore - you're just a guy, like me and everyone else.

[He scowls at him when he starts to stand.]

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

[He lifts himself up, throwing himself at the wall again.]

It is my duty to protect the people.

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

Why? They're not your damn people.

[Watching him, a little growly now.]

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

Because-

[Falling to the ground again, now covered in dirt. He's breathing a little heavily.]

-it's what I know. Because they need it. [Jamming his feet into the earth, growling as he tries to force himself up.] Because a little girl no longer feels safe at her home and cannot survive on her own out here.

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

[He's smirking -- and the expression? It's a little malicious.]

But they got along just fine without you. And they're getting along just fine without you at home, too. And that burns you up, doesn't it? That no one needs you. That you have to look for people to need you.

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

Shut up.

[Quietly as he sinks back to the ground.]

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

[He leans forward, sneering:]

Burns you up. Admit it.

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

[This? This is Rome punching you in the motherfucking face.]

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

[OW.

WHAT THE FUCK.

ACTUALLY--]

What the fuck?!

[And this? This is Morgan, tackling Rome, spitting blood from his split lip.]

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

[He falls easily on his back, snarling at him, kicking up at his legs. Blood lands on his cheek and he shoves at him, hard.]

Get off of me-

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

[He reels back, aiming a punch hard at his cheek.]

Should have thought of that before you hit me!

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

You should have thought of that-

[His head snaps to the side and he wants to draw his gun but this isn't about subduing Morgan anymore, it's about fighting with him, riding out the frustration and the anger and the helplessness against him.

Rome kicks out at him again, lashing out with sharp nails.]

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[courageousrider.livejournal.com]

[You know what happens when thirteen-year-old girls arrive alone in Adstringendum? They run around still trying to find their bearings... and come across two grown ass men fighting in a pit. The daughter of Pluto stopped. You two are lucky she's had to deal with legionnaires fighting over stupid stuff.]

--I don't think that will help your situation any. [Cheeky little thing.] Do the two of you need help? Or... Do you want to carry on?

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[makeitmemorable.livejournal.com]

[And Morgan yells again when Rome lashes out with his nails, ready to pummel back --

--before he hears the voice of a little girl.

He stops.]

Hey! Can you get help us get out of here?

[Morgan is shoving his hand into Rome's face now, though, trying to push his cheek against the dirt, more like a schoolyard bully than anything else now.]

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[dogtagcollar.livejournal.com]

[Rome gets a facefull of dirt, and it rendered unable to reply due to it being in his mouth, arms flailing out, trying to shove Morgan away.]