[ voice ]

[hostage]

[This is voice-only for once because he's a wreck right now, honestly, and even the lack of video doesn't fully disguise that. He sounds shaky, still recovering from a shock, and it's only worse that now he's gone almost 48 hours without a bump to pull him through the stress.]

H-Hey, um... Sam, I'm so sorry. I forgot to call last night. I'm gonna be out, like um, for the month? If you wanna fire me, that's cool. I get it.

And, like, don't got a lotta time so I'm just gonna say it all here for anybody who's looking for me: I ain't at home. I think most of you guys know I'm an addict. I was in recovery, I relapsed, and now I'm in rehab. They don't want me leaving for two weeks at least, so you won't be seeing me around. Just don't worry. I didn't disappear or anything.

Um... You need anything, Lisbeth's still at my place. She can handle all my business. And I got my NV, but it's turned off a lot 'cause I'm in meetings and all that. So... yeah.

Comments

[hostage]

Yeah, you can.

[inthejunk]

[Frustrated growl.]

This can't still be about me punching your face. You totally deserved that, you know.

[hostage]

No. It isn't about that.

[inthejunk]

Then what? Jeez. I think my scary homeroom teacher liked me better than you do, and he didn't even know my name.

..You do know my name, right?

[hostage]

You wanna screw around with my girlfriend, fine, but don't use my goddamn visitation hours as a way to get her pussy wet.

That's. What.

Asshole.

[inthejunk]

...What?

[Nope, that actually throws him. Not that it's especially hard to do.]

[Except even if it's wrong, it is a pretty good argument. Sleeping with a dude's girlfriend is a definite reason for him not to want to talk to you. Damn it. This really isn't going well at all.]

Look...that...

[Except, he totally panics and hangs up.]

[hostage]

[inthejunk]

[DAMN IT. That didn't help either.]

[Calling back...]

Look, don't make me say this again, but you won. It's like you said, no contest. She doesn't-she'll never...[swallow] but even that is better than I used to have. She's beautiful, and-

Anyway, that's not the point. For once it's not about a girl, okay?

[hostage]

Whatever, okay? Whatever it is you're trying to sell, I ain't buying.

[inthejunk]

It's not for you either.

[hostage]

Then leave me out of it.

[inthejunk]

No, I can't. Because you're in it. I'll leave you alone after if you still want me to, but not yet.

[hostage]

What the hell are you even talking about?

[inthejunk]

I want to help. It's not complicated and it's not about Lisbeth-san. It's just that.

[hostage]

You already helped, okay?

[inthejunk]

[That earns another silence. And then a shaky inhale, but when he answers, his voice is steady.]

See? I don't screw everything up.

[hostage]

I never said you did.

[inthejunk]

Great. So what do you need?

[hostage]

Nothing. I got everything I need.

[inthejunk]

Okay then tell me something you don't need so I can bring it anyway.

[hostage]

The point of being here is to focus on my treatment.

[inthejunk]

...Okay. Sorry. I don't-look, I don't know how it works. Last time everything just went wrong, so I don't know how it works.

[hostage]

Last time?

[inthejunk]

I meant...so far.

[hostage]

Things went... fine. Look, relapse happens. But, I mean, there's nothing I need from anybody. It's up to me.