And it's partly because there are now two distinct possibilities: that he's helped a friend successfully subdue a violent victim of possession, or that the truth is-- is quite the opposite. ]
What? [ he says, quiet but alarmed, as Smith slurs his warning.
Of course, he could be lying. One of them is lying-- and both of them, it turns out, remember details of their interactions, so that method of verification isn't as useful as he thought it was. Arthur really hopes he hasn't fucked this up: partly for Smith's sake, and partly because he'd rather not be blind and alone in a room with a possessed guy armed with knockout drugs. That would be very bad, actually.
Steve didn't act like he was lying. Neither of them acted like they were lying. Would a ghost possessing Smith be able to use his spy training? ]
Steve, [ says Arthur, wary. He hasn't gone for his gun or anything, because he's not sure, but he holds his cane upright, less mobility aid and more blocking weapon. ]
Why did he call you Billy?
[ He's bluffing is the obvious answer, but he wants to hear Steve's answer anyway. Was there something in their conversation that Arthur dismissed, or moved past when he shouldn't have? Are there visual clues that he missed out on? He knows there was something that made him uncertain. And Bash still hasn't replied, and Steve was the one who contacted him.
But the emotion in his voice when he talked about the thing from Hawkins -- that was real, Arthur's sure of it. They understood each other on that level, even if 'bad feelings caused by something invading your brain' is a strange thing to bond over; jesus, surely he didn't spill his own secret, even implicitly, to someone lying about their own. Surely? ]
I'm not-- not accusing you, but- you know I have to ask.
no subject
And it's partly because there are now two distinct possibilities: that he's helped a friend successfully subdue a violent victim of possession, or that the truth is-- is quite the opposite. ]
What? [ he says, quiet but alarmed, as Smith slurs his warning.
Of course, he could be lying. One of them is lying-- and both of them, it turns out, remember details of their interactions, so that method of verification isn't as useful as he thought it was. Arthur really hopes he hasn't fucked this up: partly for Smith's sake, and partly because he'd rather not be blind and alone in a room with a possessed guy armed with knockout drugs. That would be very bad, actually.
Steve didn't act like he was lying. Neither of them acted like they were lying. Would a ghost possessing Smith be able to use his spy training? ]
Steve, [ says Arthur, wary. He hasn't gone for his gun or anything, because he's not sure, but he holds his cane upright, less mobility aid and more blocking weapon. ]
Why did he call you Billy?
[ He's bluffing is the obvious answer, but he wants to hear Steve's answer anyway. Was there something in their conversation that Arthur dismissed, or moved past when he shouldn't have? Are there visual clues that he missed out on? He knows there was something that made him uncertain. And Bash still hasn't replied, and Steve was the one who contacted him.
But the emotion in his voice when he talked about the thing from Hawkins -- that was real, Arthur's sure of it. They understood each other on that level, even if 'bad feelings caused by something invading your brain' is a strange thing to bond over; jesus, surely he didn't spill his own secret, even implicitly, to someone lying about their own. Surely? ]
I'm not-- not accusing you, but- you know I have to ask.