『 capeandcowl • contact 』

[invoking]

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

Comments

[retropolis]

[ Nelson's relieved that Gil is at least not taking the news as badly as he'd originally feared. Not that it makes this whole conversation easier, but it's a comfort that it could still be going worse.

Still -- the worst is yet to come. ]

We were getting intimate. Wh-when you walked in.

1/2

[invoking]

[ He tries to say something, but his tongue flops uselessly and he mouths off gibberish instead. ]

[invoking]

I-I-I don't -- [ WANT TO HEAR. ]

NEVER MIND!!

[retropolis]

[ He makes a little wailing noise. ]

I'm sorry. P-please don't get upset, Gilbert...

[invoking]

I-I'm not up-upset!! [ He's heard enough sex ... things ... for one lifetime or two.

Or hundred. ]

[retropolis]

I wasn't going to go into any detail. It's hard enough to-- to even say-- believe me, Gilbert, I'm not particularly proud that it's come to this.

1/2

[invoking]

[ Hooded Justice, though. ]

[invoking]

I'm... sorry. I shouldn't have overreacted like that...

[retropolis]

[ Miserably, embarrassed: ]

Just... please don't say anything to anyone. And don't-- [ A pause. ] Don't hate me, Gilbert, please...

[invoking]

I wo -- [ He abruptly stops. ]

Why would I hate you? [ He sounds genuinely confused. ]

[retropolis]

[ He hesitates. ]

Because... well, I know it's an undignified thing to bear witness to. I wouldn't hold it against you if you thought any different of me now.

[invoking]

I don't hold any ill thoughts against you! I'm worried about you, Mr. Nelson! [ There's a difference, really! ]

[retropolis]

Don't be worried. [ !!! ] He's not as bad as you think, Gilbert, really.

[invoking]

But you were the one -- [ TIED DOWN AND BEATEN.

... Oh no, what if they switch positions?

Why is Gil thinking about such things? ]

[retropolis]

[ GILBERT NO... ]

Please don't trouble yourself too much about the particulars. I would tell him no if I were unhappy.

[invoking]

[ Really... no idea... what to say... ]

I... see?

[retropolis]

[ He clears his throat. ]

If there's something you really want to know I suppose I can... answer any questions you may have, but--

[ But do you want to know... ]

[invoking]

N-No, that's fine, Mr. Nelson... [ He really doesn't want to... ] And I don't want to keep you from your uh, trip.

[retropolis]

Oh, it's all right. No one's missed me so far, you can't get up to a whole lot in the woods.

[ He says it with a mild chuckle. ]

Regardless, I'm sorry you had to find out this way.

[invoking]

Please don't apologize. I... should have called. [ Or not shown up at all. Who knows. ]

[retropolis]

Now you know for next time. It was -- uh -- just an unfortunate misunderstanding.

[invoking]

Misunderstanding... right. [ He gulps. ] I should let you get back to the others. You don't want to spend your time on the phone...

[retropolis]

Right. Well -- I suppose that was all we needed to go over, anyway. I just thought... better we should resolve it sooner than later, I'd hate you to go off with the wrong impression of him.

[invoking]

[ Too late for that. ]

... I'm thankful for your honesty.

[retropolis]

Yes, well-- [ He would have lied if he could have. ] There didn't seem to be an alternative.