maskormenace | 01

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So. This has been a long couple of days. [The look on his face screams 'I am just so done' so much that he doesn't even have to say it explicitly] Any recommendations for a good bar around Nonah? I got a lot of sorrows to drown and not enough booze to keep me going.

[See, now, he doesn't need deets on what's going down, he gets the gist from the other posts he's checked in on and what his little handy welcome pack told him, he pretty much has that down. As insane that it is. What he doesn't have is a good reliable watering hole and that just isn't right. No man should go days, hours or minutes without one.]

If I spend any more time sober, I might actually start reassessing my life and my choices and I don't have time for that kind of shit. So just help a guy out here. I don't mind if I got to pay a little extra for a good drink but I'm not exactly flushed with cash here so let's not go nuts and send me to like the ritziest place in town. Okay? Reasonable. Prices.

[Wait, he should really clarify here because when it comes to finding a bar, you can never be too specific in your wants.]

Just don't direct me to some dive where they water down the drinks or I will come down on you like the hand of God and smite your ass because seriously, don't waste my time or my money. That shit ain't cute and I will come at you. Sensible suggestions only.

[There's a long pause before he adds:]

While we're on the subject of things I need, I got one more request. I need someone who's good with this thing right here. [He means the device, he even gives it a little shake to just display what he means.] I got a few questions.

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This place is weird all over, there seems to be a lot of tension about where you live and where you come from. The import stuff and the government. Speaking of which, we gotta be more careful. I learned a few tricks from these guys, we're going to have to talk about how we use these things in future. [He moves the phone a little to show what he's talking about.] The government is all over this shit, I bet you anything. They know all about your shoe queries, man. And I know that ain't nothing to get flustered over but it's a dodgy road to go down. I think me and you should work out a more private way to talk.

[He already picked up a few tricks, he'll show Diablo next time they're together. Yes, Floyd was paranoid but after meeting Amanda Waller and getting a bomb in his neck, he kind of thinks he's justified. A lot of his info should be need to know only.]

Look, man, you're pretty all right and I like you plenty fine but I ain't never picking you over any women. I got about three offers and I'm turning none of them down. [He's slowly working on a forth too. He's having a ball here already.] I'm saying, I got some down time, you know? We can check out the dodgier places. The place you wouldn't take a date.

I know how to be careful. [ Diablo's really not about to question the paranoia; he gets that just fine. ] That's a good idea, though. Everyone thinks these things is probably bugged.

[ That's something they're both probably familiar enough with to figure out pretty easily, he guesses. Given their respective lines of business, past tense or not.

Oh, hey, but that almost gets a laugh, before he wrinkles his nose. ]

Fine with me -- I won't ask you to. Just say when you wanna go, cuz it sounds like you gonna be busier than I am. [ Three is a lot for being here like, five minutes, dude!! Not that Diablo will be drinking either way, but. Whatever. ] You met Harley yet?

They have to be, let's face it. I think I'm gonna change my name on this thing, just to cover my ass from everyone else. It's pretty random who shows here and all, I ain't risking someone like Flag or Waller knowing I'm about.

[There's no telling if they'd show, he's not about to provoke any unwanted attention.]

It's about my luck, ain't it? I never seemed to have much luck on anything back home and then some weird ass sci-fi bullshit goes down and suddenly things are looking up. It's almost a relief. [If Zoe had been here, he would have been kind of okay with it but no, his little girl still needed him. He couldn't accept this place if she wasn't here.]

Oh yeah. She thinks I'm your hot uncle. [He pauses.] Different chick, still all kinds of crazy, huh?

... Right.

[ That's something Diablo's considered, but not too deeply -- other things came up before he really had a moment to dwell on the possibility, like, incredibly, that other Task Force X.

Something to mention to Deadshot also, but not now. Probably in person. ]

Keep it locked down, right? I got you, homie.

[ For now, Diablo's just sticking with being tensely agreeable, which is about as agreeable as he ever gets. ]

Anyway, better enjoy it while you got it. Ain't no telling what they gonna try and surprise us with. [ A beat, then: ] Hell if I know where she got uncle from, thought. But, y'know, she don't seem that bad.

I always keep my shit locked down. We gotta be careful. I don't like putting my ass on the line and me and you? We're associated. One way or another, people are gonna work that out so time for both of us to be careful. We gotta do this together. As a team.

[It's less an order and more a very strong suggestion but no, Deadshot is used to calling the shots and that isn't going to change any time soon. He wants to protect his interests and to a degree, Diablo falls into that whole bracket now.

On top of wanting to keep them both under the radar and away from trouble, he doesn't want anything fucked up happening to Diablo. Again. They were a team. Even if there was only two of them now.]

I like the freedom. The drinking, the having a place to stay and a phone and shit. That stuff? Not half bad. Not a solution to my problems but better than a cell. [He can't stay here, obviously, but it's not half bad.] And I don't know either but she seems a lot more grounded than the Harley I know. Might actually play in our favour.

Okay, man, okay -- look, I get it. You think I'm gonna do that to you, homie? I know we a team.

[ Even here, apparently; they're just intrinsically linked now, both by simple association, common interest, and some vague sense of obligation. Or loyalty. Maybe it's both.

Anyway, unlike most of the other squadmates that could be here with Deadshot, Diablo can also understand the benefits to more pragmatic, strategic approaches, or in simply keeping his head down and going along with the lesser evil for the time being -- he is capable, basically, of cooperating, and not even unwillingly in this case. It makes sense. ]

That's what I thought, too... like it's Harley, but normal. Or almost normal. I dunno what it's supposed to mean, though.

[ That's easier for him to respond to than the comment about freedom, anyway, but he grants this much: ]

But, anything'd be better than those cells. World ain't even ending this time -- guess that's another improvement.

I don't think you're gonna do anything to me, I chose to have faith in you. Don't fuck that up, man. I don't give a lot of second chances but I think you ain't gonna do me like that. We got an understanding.

[He doesn't believe that Diablo would do that, he's a pretty good judge of people and unlike everyone else, he seems easier to predict and a lot more logical.

If this had been Boomerang, he would be giving a lot stronger warning.]

Close to normal. It's weird. Maybe she ain't been around the clown for a while. I checked the list, I can't see his name but I guess he could use an alias or something. Either way, I think if he was here, we'd know. And that dude? He's dangerous. And he makes her dangerous.

[As long as they weren't together, maybe that would be what makes her sane.]

Oh man, you're telling me. I can go out drinking, I can walk around a free man. I can do whatever the hell I want. I keep thinking it's gotta be a trap, you know? Too easy. Nothing should ever be this easy.

Yeah, we do. More than that, I actually respect you.

[ And that's nothing he says lightly, or that comes easily; Diablo may not know all the things that Deadshot knows about what happens, with them and with everything else, but he still knows enough to be confident in saying so now.

Anyway, together, they've already been through more in just a couple days than most people deal with over a course of years; some level of trust seems warranted. Which is probably a part of why it just seems wrong to dismiss Harley, different or not. She's one of them, too.

Promising not to fuck up is a different issue, but it hopefully goes without saying that he's willing to try. Hopefully because, well, Diablo is simply not the most verbose person in the world. ]

She dangerous enough all on her own, too... least when she wanna be. I bet that ain't changed, even if she also got her own shot at living better now. She needs it. [ He pauses, but nods. ] Yeah, of course it's a trap. And not cuz it's easy, but cuz it's good -- ain't nothing good in store for us, not here or anywhere.

We both know that.

You respect me? Aww, dude, I'm touched.

[He makes a mock noise of endearment and touches his chest where his heart is. Oh yeah, dude, that hit him right in the feels. Well. As much as it could. His cold black heart didn't get many feels these days.

He did like Diablo though, he knew full well that he was going to have to protect his dumb ass here and he was definitely ready to do that. He supposed they should stick together, squad and all. He was happy to do it. What other purpose did he have these days?]

We'll keep our eye on her. Just to see how it unfolds, you know? [Seems like a smart idea.

He pauses at the wonderful burst of pessimism and tsks playfully at it. Well, best not to get too happy because shit gets real around Diablo fast and he really knows how to bring down a party.]

Hmm. [He laughs, just a little.] I like being around you. Makes me seem like a ray of sunshine.

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