lucetilogs | Event Log - Total Recall

[Alright. He's dressed in...baggy jeans, an over sized shirt, and shoes that feel weird on his larger feet. But he's dressed. Lupin's clothing is folded over his arm as he sneaks back into the apartment to hang it up. He'll never have to know. Really.]

[There's a subtle click of metal on metal as the iconic Walther is readied and leveled at the intruder. Red was still in control of the still feminine body, but he knew that Lupin would raise hell if he returned to find that his jacket was missing. He didn't intend to shoot, not really--but there was a strange man in his apartment, and he looked very female.]

So it was you.

[The stance was different from Lupin's cocky one--feet were balanced, both hands gripping the firearm to keep a steady and balanced aim.]

[...and him without his knives. Or anywhere to hide them in this outfit, really. Adele locks up, clothing in his arms, and turns to blink at Lupin, no. Red? Or. It takes a moment for the differences to filter through. Female, but undeniably Red.

And this looks terrible. Especially since he's a. Man. Merde.]

...For the record, Lupin did give me permission to borrow his suit so long as I was careful with the Jacket- and I've even placed it in a garment bag. [The shirt and slacks? folded. The Jacket? Hung up and covered as something that iconic ought to be.]

Adele.

[The voice is different, but the words and tone are familiar. Red straightens his stance and lowers the Walther, replacing the safety swiftly and easily. It was no blaster, but he had Lupin's memories and skills at his disposal during this Shift.

Lupin was the same under normal conditions any more. Was this how he felt all the time?

The Walther is set onto the coffee table as a safety measure, and to clear the air. Neither were armed that he was aware of with it in the open.]

So you know who I am? That clear's things up. Lupin's amused by the extra effort, just so you know.

Adam might be simpler. We've one male Adele in the enclosure already, I think.

[He's locked up tight and frozen until the Walther's safety is set, and the gun on the table. Being shot thrice before coming here was more than enough for him to never want to experience it again.]

Levarre wrote of you. Quite a bit of you, and her memories are...persistent, on some accounts. Yours in particular.

[He is going to just...edge around the rest of the livingroom to hang up the Jacket and the rest of the borrowed clothing.]

Is he awake, then? Or does he sleep in the back of your mind as I do with Levarre?

Leblanc then.

[He'd call her Goldie, but she wasn't his Goldie right now. Dark eyes watch carefully as Adele crosses the room gingerly, as if he set traps left and right like Fujiko was notorious for. As much as he wants to lessen the distance, to ease the uncertainty, he knew it would be bad form

Instead, he listens.]

It's more like echoes, impressions. We both have full access to eachother's information, it's just a matter of the user in control.

I never really faded. The switch over when this Shift is done should be easier than last time.

Edited 2012-05-27 18:32 (UTC)

[There. It's hung. He has half a mind to just leave, just duck back out and hide until he's himself again.

...but he was curious. Levarre's memories painted Red as reasonable. Subtly sarcastic, playful, and kind. So long as he keeps his distance and doesn't sit on that sofa or think about what floor they're on, it should be fine.

He picks his way back around to the living room and settles on the zebra sofa. This might take awhile, and he'd rather be comfortable.]

That does explain quite a bit, now that I think on it.

[Shoulders visibly relax as Adele settles in, as if there were a weight lifted from his shoulders. There was still another that he needed to talk to, but more likely to shoot him and less likely to be reasonable. He sighs, thoughtful. The door was opened now, for good and bad.]

I regret nothing, just so you know. Neither does Lupin. We're in a strange position here, and we're both just trying to be comfortable.

...there's no guarantee that my existance is permanent. If everyone from my Galaxy is sent home, I might very well end up joining them...into whatever alternate reality I'm from. If even that.

I didn't plan on making life awkward for anyone, but it has happened. ...I do apologize, if it's any consolation.

Levarre isn't sorry, and doesn't regret anything. I don't think she ever will.

[That much is a fact. The sky is blue, the grass is green, Levarre regrets nothing. What needs to be said next, however...is more difficult. Especially since he has seriously considered the likelihood of all the Jedi leaving, and what that might do to his memory as well.]

I, however. Do. For reasons I think you already know. As it stands there's nothing that can be done for it. What happened, happened. I won't begrudge you the happiness that memory gave you- I'd be the last person to do that Red.

...but I'm not Levarre. I never will be.

...I know.

[He did. He knew it then, and he knew it now. It was just the knowledge that she was still in there, that gave him a degree of hope. When your existance is so tenuous, hope is the only way to keep going.]

Believe me, I know. There are just these moments when the boundaries blur, and then your teasing and challenging Lupin hasn't helped at all. Above looks, above all shallow things, he loves a woman with a brain. One that can challenge him on any level is a huge bonus too. What better partner, rival, and lover than one that can meet you step for step in any dance?

It's only partly me anymore. It's grown into something between the two of you.

...I am also not Fujiko. Nor do I ever have any desire to be like her, or to interfere in what it is that she and Lupin have. I don't understand it, but I do not need to do so to know that anything that's not purely physical would be infidelity of a sort on his part.

And I'll nave no part in that. Not now, not ever. You, both of you know why.

[He scrubs his face with a hand, grumbling at the beginning of stubble itching up his jawline. Before the day is over he's going to have to shave. And won't that be a delight?]

Nothing can come of this. Nothing will come of this and if I must stop speaking to him to make certain of it, I will.

That will just make this harder if you do that.

[He flops down onto the other sofa, far enough away from Adele that she wouldn't have to worry about him trying anything. It was as far as he would admit that he was tired. The rock can only be a rock for so long before another rock is needed.]

I know this, Adele. He knows this. It's very hard separating emotions when your face looks so much like hers, when you've become more relaxed lately. I am keeping the differences in percpective, I know how dangerous these feelings can be, but it's in part on you too. This isn't a game for one person, you know.

...do what you have to, but don't stop being his friend. Would you believe that Lupin maintains no collection, and is rarely successful in actually stealing his prizes? His friends are his treasure, more than anything. They're his prized posession, his balance, his anchor. Like it or not, you've become one to him.

He doesn't believe it himself.

Edited 2012-05-27 20:47 (UTC)

He's not mine to have, nor do I want to have him. I've been with a man like him once already and it was...it didn't end well.

[It's tempting, so very tempting to reach over and brush Red's hair back- but that was the exact behavior he should be avoiding. reintroducing a bit of distance, a little formality may help. It wouldn't be comfortable, he might ask why, but- he needs to make his stance clear. It was for the best.]

I said never again, and I meant it. I gave my word and intend to keep it. Whatever I need to do or say; I will. Sort of leaving him entirely. I won't, because I cannot. There aren't so many I trust with everything in this village that I'd be so quick to rid myself of one of them.

...Don't do that either. That's a challenge, spoken or not. He will be curious and will be relentless in finding out why. You remember what I said about challenges, right?

[His tone is mild but distant, with an underlying edge of humor. Clearly Adele didn't understand the man she was dealing with, even if her uncle created Lupin's grandfather in her world.]

You said that he was your Lupin. Drank brandy and made an agreement of it. Changing the dynamic wouldn't help. ...He likes seeing you smile, and not just because of Goldie. It suits you.

If I stay as we are, I make it worse. If I change my behavior- I make it worse. [It was the worst kind of catch 22. Because he doesn't want things to change but. They should. This thing that was tense between them-

And the letter he never got. But Levarre was out for two days, and she would have...]

...she gave you the letter, didn't she?

Of course she did.

[The words hang heavily as he looks over at Adele, carefully studying her face in her newfound body. The nuances were different, but it was close enough.]

Why didn't you do it before? It would have saved all of us a lot of heartache.

Edited 2012-05-28 01:12 (UTC)

...stupid, selfish woman.

[He scrubs his face with his hands, massaging the bridge of his nose. The migraine was going to be growing steady for the rest of the day at this rate.]

Because he didn't need to read something like that. It would have made it worse for both of you. You're present enough in him to make anything she wrote more difficult in this- because you love her. It complicates things best left simple.

You didn't read it yourself, did you?

[Because, if she had, it would have prevented a lot of their trouble.]

I don't remember writing it- everything else of the shifts I recall. She didn't want me to know what's in it- so I didn't read it.

...and yet you didn't do what she did want you to do. Very well.

[Sighing heavily, he stands and dusts off his skirt...and speaks. The tone and accent he uses isn't his as he recites the letter from memory, but Levarre's--as a spy, he's had to learn to be a mimic. With Lupin's skills in disguise, that skillset is made even sharper.

He looks away when he's done, even with the anecdote at the end.]

You see now? Whatever...this is, it's not a bad thing. It would have stopped a lot of heartache from the beginning if you had just handed it over.

She was, is, selfish and manipulative- I don't credit her with much by way of knowing what would be best in this situation.

[To think there were shades of that in any degree within himself was disconcerting at best. Adele owns up to his selfish moments- but he has never been manipulative.

...

Has he?

Between this and the rather impeccable mimicry of Levarre's voice as Red recites the letter verbatim, Adele's gone quiet. Fairly reserved and wholly stern- as he was accused of being.]

This shouldn't have happened, but it did. Perhaps it would have been better to hand the letter over immediately, perhaps not. We'll never know for certain how he would have taken it. You didn't see him afterward Red.

I was there, Adele.

[It was exactly what he meant when he said that the switch off hadn't been smoothe. There was a day or so there when his personality and emotions broke through the filter. Both of them were confused, and trying to adjust.]

But you're right. We'll never know. Do what you want, but don't take the smiles away. When I said he thinks of you as a friend? I meant it. It was months coming too--he debated on everything, talked his thoughts over with Smoker...

he only hesitated because of your terrible luck. He didn't want to put you in any more danger than you would have found yourself. This last...incident. You are aware that he would have started a war over that, right? He wouldn't do that for just anyone, and it's not because of me. He'd do that for all of his friends, the Inspector included.

[And that was the crux of the problem. Red bleeding through, lingering, seeing things Lupin might either ignore or gloss over. He had been entirely too calm on the roof- too hesitant to take something he'd normally steal without a thought. Permission. Thieves don't ask for permission.

It's almost unfair to him, to lock away so much of his Goldie. And at the same time Adele cannot let the woman bleed through- echoes here and there but the bulk of her was gone. Left to whatever reality she'd come from, for better or for worse.]

...I do have a talent for being in the exact wrong place at the exact wrong time. I'm surprised something similar hadn't happened sooner, honestly. [He massages the bridge of her nose and looks back over to Red. After a long, thoughtful moment, he extends an arm.]

I only know of two other men in my life that would do the same. Both weren't around often enough for it to count.

Your 'Lupin' back home and someone else. [Because all Leblancs had a Lupin in some form or another-surely she had one before they met. He grasps her hand firmly, visibly relaxing for the first time that afternoon. Part of the weight that burdened him was gone, and he wasn't certain how he felt.

The fact that Goldie returned those feelings was enough, even if it could never culminate into anything. Like the relationship between Adele and Lupin.]

He wants to be there like he is for all of his friends, but he's only a man. He can't be everywhere. Please, do us both a favor and learn to defend yourself better. Practice the Makashi, keep that hairpin with you.

...he trusts your intelligence. Don't make him regret it.

My Remy, and Marion.

[Dangerous men with dangerous tricks, that taught the tricks to people they wanted to keep safe. He hasn't thought about them in a long while, not really. He misses them but. He's still a little angry with them.

It's set aside in favor of tugging on Red's hand, nodding back down to the sofa right next to him. He's worn, that much Adele can see easily. By what, he doesn't know. But he does want to help.]

Levarre took time to record the bulk of what I would need to know with our video camera the past two days- and I've continued my lessons with Smoker and Ben. The day Lupin gave me the hairpin I sharpened it to a point. I'll not be caught off guard again. None of us can afford it.

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