『 capeandcowl • contact 』

[invoking]

❝ At the tone, please record your message. ❞
[ beep! ]
【 call • text • voice mail 】

Comments

[retropolis]

I'm not incompetent, I know how to use a hammer. Besides, even in the event of an accident I can take a little pain.

[ A pause. ]

Well... we could do it together.

1/2

[invoking]

Together? Ah...

[invoking]

Hooded Justice won't... Will he be there?

[retropolis]

I don't know. He keeps odd hours.

[invoking]

That man is... [ Ah, forget it. ] So, when will you be back from your holiday?

[retropolis]

Sunday evening. I patched the door up temporarily for now, but... we could do Monday after work.

[invoking]

... Alright.

Again, I'm sorry about everything. But should you really be calling during your trip? [ Won't someone overhear him? ]

[retropolis]

It's all right, most of them are swimming. Or fishing... I don't know. I've got some time.

[ He's speaking kind of lowly anyway, just in case someone comes by or someone else wants to use the phone, but at the moment there's no competition. ]

Please don't apologize, Gilbert. It's not your fault.

[invoking]

[ There's a shift in Gil's tone then. He speaks in a hushed voice, but serious enough to hopefully warrant Nelson's attention. ]

I would still like to have a word with you when you're available.

[retropolis]

About... [ He just wants to be clear. ] ... what?

1/2

[invoking]

[

Really, though. ]

[invoking]

About that... that night!

[retropolis]

R-- right. Of course.

[ Nelson exhales, his voice going quieter just out of habit. He clears his throat. ]

I'm just not sure where to start.

[invoking]

[ On second thought, does Gil really want to know why Nelson was tied half-naked to a bed being beaten by a shirtless Hooded Justice? ]

Well, that's... the b-beginning? No, that's not right... Did he -- What were you two, ah...

[retropolis]

We... we... [ He makes a sort of pained hrmmmm sound. ] Well, it's like I said, he wasn't doing anything that I really minded. Sometimes when two people enjoy each other's company, they...

... Er.

Do you understand?

[invoking]

H-How could you even--?! You were in pain! I... I heard it! What sort of person does that to someone he calls an ally and friend?!

[retropolis]

He wasn't going to hurt me seriously. W-we've done it before, there's a whole routine to it.

[invoking]

You've -- before?! But... I don't understand at all!

[retropolis]

Well-- I--

[ Nelson hesitates, unsure of how best to go about this. Finally he says, very quietly: ]

I love him.

1/it is a mystery

[invoking]

[ ... Ah. ]

[invoking]

[ Love.

An emotion that usually describes how people feel about each other.

Or at least how one person strongly feels about another and Nelson's dropped that word in the conversation. ]

[invoking]

[ Nelson just said he loved him. Hooded Justice. ]

[invoking]

[ ... Nelson's a --

He chokes on his end, nearly dropping his phone.

Suddenly it all comes back to him, hitting him like a sack of bricks. Unmarried but past the age, the Deputy Mayor's comments back during the auction, setting him up with Nelson... ]

You're...

okay done to spare you i'm sorry

[invoking]

[ He holds his breath, making strange noises.

Hooded Justice. Of all. People. ]

... Ahhh ...

[retropolis]

[ Nelson's quiet on his end, growing increasingly anxious through Gil's silence. ]

... Are you still there?