Nostalgia

{Arc I = Ozymandias only}


"Look, Rorschach, you're... you're not filth." Glared briefly at him, though he sounded honest. "You're a lot of things, but... not filth. You're pretty much the only decent one left."

"Not decent, Daniel. Just like all the others."

"No, Rorschach. No. Listen to me." Grabs sides of my shoulders and squares me up to him. He's serious. "Last night was just... it wasn't anything bad. Just..." He can find the words he's looking for and looks away.

I interrupt him anyway, "No, Daniel. You don't understand." Stop myself before I say too much. Can't exactly tell Daniel I've been pushed over a table like some depraved whore by Adrian Veidt. Not even sure he would believe me. Realize something terrible. What would Veidt want with me?

"-ant to understand." Look up at Daniel who is looking at me again. Give him a confused look as I didn't hear all of what he had said, distracted by new objective. Keep looking at him until his brow furrows. "What..?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"What?"

"..." He stares at me, growing increasingly confused.

"What did you say, Daniel?"

"When?"

"Hurm."

"Oh. I said I want to understand." He smiled a bit, scanning my expressions.

"Irrelevant. Just need sleep." Watched his eyes as they shifted over my skin. He flashed another smile and patted me on the arm where his hand had been.

"All right." Started to feel like self again; determined and going to get answers. Daniel must have noticed. We walked up from the basement and into the kitchen. Sleep first, food later. Wandered into the living room. Daniel still looked single. Good news considering last night.

"You can sleep on the couch, if you want. My bedroom isn't exactly-"

"Fine. Thank you, Daniel." Watch him carry out large comforter and sweep it over the couch. He reassembles the couch pillows at one end and smiles, pushing his cowl back off of his head. Sit down on couch and look at knees and wrap fingers under shirt, pulling it up, realizing with annoyance that the stains are still there.

Daniel stares at them and I catch him over the edge of my shirt; he turns away quickly. Lay shirt on coffee table and stare at boxers with placid expression, or what I thought was one. "Something the matter? Do you need pajamas?"

Give Daniel flat look and he rubs the back of his neck. "Right. Sorry. Just want to make sure your comfortable. I'll leave you alone." He starts to wander off and I stand up, following him.

"Daniel..." he stops and turns around. I stand in front of him and stare at feet. "Thank you." Go to hug him, but stop, offering hand. He takes it and pulls me into a strong hug. Huffs like he is going to cry. Should pull back, but don't. Put hands up on him, but don't push.

He steps back and looks down. I stare at him and he looks up. Nothing said; no need. Lips twitch slightly and I end up smiling. He smiles back and turns to go upstairs. Wander back to couch and lie down, pulling blanket over self. Haven't slept well in days. Hope this morning will be different.


~~*~~


Wake up before knock on door. Hear knock on door and jump, pulling comforter over head, ready to run. Hear Daniel practically fall down the stairs and stumble over to the door, opening it without hesitation. Training slipping his mind.

"Hi, Dan. Are you all right?"

"Oh, just fine, Laurie." Light chuckle. Nervous.

"Well... are you ready?" She sounded a bit amused in asking.

"Oh. Heh. Not exactly. Let me just go change. Please, come in." Heard him trot upstairs and tense. Hear footsteps approaching. Several feet away behind couch. Hear Daniel fall downstairs again. "Wait!"

Hear her turn around and slide out from under blanket, pulling pillow under as replacement. Wait against front of couch. Footsteps cross over to Daniel. "What's wrong?"

"I ... forgot to ask if you... wanted a cup of coffee." Took opportunity to scramble into kitchen, grabbing coffee pot and pouring cup, waiting slightly in front of doorway out into hall.

"Oh. Yes, please. I'll get it, you go change." Heard her approach from living room; only small wall barrier, couldn't miss timing.

"Stop!" Daniel yelled just as she rounded the small bit of corner into kitchen. Stepped out into hall in meantime, staring down the hall at Daniel.

"What is it?" She sounded confused and slightly frustrated.

"That's rude of me to not pour you a cup." He gestured me farther down the hall.

"Oh. No, really. It's fine." Footsteps travelled into kitchen farther. "It looks like there's all ready a cup poured anyway. May I have it?" Daniel flashed me a questioning glance and I cocked my head slightly to the side in response.

"Y-yeah. Sure." Scurried over to Daniel at base of stairs.

"Shirt on table, Daniel," I whispered urgently.

"Oh hell." He crept over to the couch and around the side, reaching the table and shoving my shirt under the comforter just as she came back out. Proceeded to dive behind couch before appearance in doorway.

"You're out of sugar again, Dan."

"Oh, dear, where does all that go? Hold on, I bet I have some in the cabinet. Why don't you go have a seat?"

"All right, Dan. What's going on?"

"Nothing!" He gave another nervous chuckle. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you're acting weird!" She seemed to be growing increasingly annoyed.

"Well, I am still in my pajamas. I just had a long night, you know?" I had sat up behind the couch when he started walking around to the back of it, stopping beside me and leaning over me to lean on the back of the couch.

"Yeah. Don't I just."

"You know the life," winced as Daniel's groin cornered me against the couch. Looked at sugar cubes had swiped from the kitchen before I escaped and pulled Daniel's waistline back, dropping them into his undergarments. "So, just go ah-eaa-ad and relax. I'll be in in," he cleared his throat, "a minute." Hesitation before heels turned and clacked back into the kitchen.

"What do you think you were doing?!" He whispered frantically.

"Sugar, Daniel." He frowned at me and I raised and eyebrow before he wandered off towards the kitchen. Jumped up and over couch, throwing back comforter and grabbing shirt. Leap off of couch again and run upstairs; decide to camp out in his bathroom.


~~*~~


Was about an hour before Ms. Juspeczyk finally left; waited for Daniel upstairs. Hear him trod up the stairs and lunged out as he passed. Grabbed me and put me against the wall. "Ennk. Daniel."

"Christ, Rorschach, don't do that."

"Didn't tell me Ms. Juspeczyk was coming over."

"I forgot! To be fair it was a very long night."

"No idea, Daniel." He let my shirt go and sighed. "Must run, Daniel. Very important date."

"What? With who?"

"Veidt. Have unfinished business to sort out."

"Business?" Paced downstairs and down into basement, putting clothes on, Daniel following. Grab scarf off of work table and wrap around neck. Pulled face on and turned towards him, placing fedora on head. "Rorschach, it's the middle of the day! Where are you going to go like that? How are you even going to get to him?"

"Have methods."

"This is crazy. What did he do that can't wait?" Tilt head to the side and stare at him and his expression retracts, a tired sigh escaping him. "Fine. Just... be careful. Veidt's dangerous."

"An irresistible force... I know. Thank you, Daniel." Wander down the tunnel, preparing myself for imminent encounter. Have to keep guard up. Guards. Wonder how many Veidt keeps in the day. One, two, four, none? Run down to tunnel to warm up.

Reach escape hatch and crawl up ladder into abandoned building. Veidt Enterprises a few blocks down. Bad part of town. Hopefully scare people into not calling the police. Bad move on their part if they did. Catch breath inside house and break outside, running down street towards Veidt's tower. Streets are calmer than usual. Middle of day; citizens at work and cockroaches hidden from light.

See glass doors approaching several blocks later and run right up, opening door and sliding in, disturbed gasp from patrons inside. Two guards. Both draw pistols while I sprint for the elevator. Floors dropping on meter. My lucky day. Elevator reaches ground floor as three shots are fired, drop to marble tiled floor and slide under assault as doors open. Roll in and stand against the back, people hurrying out. Press top floor and get against wall, panic starting in guards. Bad at job; will let Veidt know personally.

Elevator pings as it reaches the top floor. Doors part and Veidt is across the two rooms at his desk, genuine surprise filling his eyes. Step out as guards attack with batons. Grab one's weapon and punch him in the stomach, twisting the weapon out of his hand in time to parry the other, thrusting it back into the guard behind me. Turn and grab the back of his uniform as he doubles over, throwing him into second guard. Walk towards Veidt's office, casting baton off.

Step through doors and slam them closed, drawing the large bolt across. Turn to see Veidt standing at his desk, hands pressed to it aggressively. Predatory body position. His eyes narrow with a slight curl of the lips. Time to get some answers.


{{Jesus Christ it's an update get in the car. Sorry, it took so long. Had a hard couple of weeks. Heh. Hard. Anyway, that was the beginning of Arc I as labeled such in the chapter title. Hope you all enjoyed. Just plot and hilarity ensuing. Try to have some up soon.}}