Work Text:
"Excuse me?"
Analise Banks turned their head to look at the middle-aged man that had stopped them in their path. He looked confused, like he didn't know where he was. He probably didn't, | his outfit didn't look very warm compared to the trenchcoat Analise had on. He did have on a sweater and pants, but surely it wasn't enough...?
"Can I help you?" Analise looked the man up and down, before he nodded with a polite yet anxious smile.
"Uh, yes, please. I'm looking for an apartment building. I figured it was around here..." He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes glancing around like the building would pop up and he could get out of this awkward situation. "I may be in the wrong city….."
"City?" Analise tilted their head. "Which city?"
"Am I in Robloxia?"
"...Yes..." Analise hesitated. They were half convinced they were talking to a crazy junkie on drugs. Though, maybe this simply was a confused man who had no idea where he was. Robloxia was simply the biggest city in their world, so... Where else would he be?
"I'm so sorry," The man apologized, as if sensing Analise's obvious discomfort. "I'm meeting up with a friend and I can't find the address they gave me."
"Do you have...A phone?" Analise asked, their eyebrows furrowing like the story wasn't convincing. Maybe this was a crackhead they were talking to.
"Uh- I lost it. In... A hotel," The man grimaced. That hotel must've been a bad place. "So I hitched a ride. But I got dropped off at the wrong spot."
"I see..." Analise thought for a moment. If he knew the address, how did the driver not go to the right place? "...Would you...Like me to help you?"
"Oh, please," The man perked up. "I'd owe you a lot if you did that."
"Yeah," They muttered in a judged hush, before taking their phone out and glancing at the man. He paused, like he was being scrutinized for all he had said. It wasn't a good feeling, being judged by a stranger. He truly needed help.
"..What's the address?" Analise snapped, like the man was supposed to tell them already. He flinced, muttered out an address too low for Analise to hear, and suddenly snatched their phone out of their hands to type it in himself. That was not appreciated.
"Freak?! Give me my phone back!"
"Just a moment, ma'am-"
"Ma'am?!"
Jeez, he was really screwing everything up. What were they even mad about now?
Being called 'ma'am'? Had he done something wrong? "Sorry, sorry-Here," He shoved the phone back into Analise's hands with the route ready.
"Don't. Do. That." Their threatening tone was enough for the man to shut up as Analise started walking him the way their phone led. They made sure to keep their distance, no matter how much the man tried to keep up with them. This could've been a trap, for all they knew.
"...Never got your name," The man muttered halfway there.
"You don't need to know it," Analise snapped back. "Besides, I need a new one."
"A new name?" The man questioned curiously. "You don't like your current one?"
"Hell no."
A moment of silence.
"...l'm Tourist," He muttered.
"Tourist?" Analise sneered. "What kind of name is that?"
"I... Can't remember my real one," The man murmured. Analise moved quicker. God, they really were helping out a crackhead. They moved quick until they got to the building that Tourist needed to get to. They were very ready to abandon him, before he reached out to grab their wrist and lead them up the stairs.
"I have to repay you, truly," He smiled, too kind in Analise's eyes. “I could get you something to eat?”
”Not hungry,” Analise winced. They were dragged up to the door of an apartment, and Tourist knocked twice. When there was no answer, he tried again.
Knock. Knock.
The door swung open to reveal an older man with greyish skin and scars all over his body. Based on the way Tourist’s face twisted into something confused and remorseful, this was not the friend he was looking to visit.
”Something wrong?” The man in the doorway asked, his voice gruff and nearly accusing.
”…Who are you? I’m looking for—“
”Old guy got evicted,” The man rolled his eyes, or it seemed he did. He had this nearly black shadow over his eyes. Shadow…Like a box concealing his identity. Analise backed up a bit. They wouldn’t say they were frightened, but this was certainly intimidating and scary. They could get hurt…However, Tourist’s hand reached back to theirs and pulled them near him. Like he had done this a million times before. Like it was something friendly and comforting…It was. Analise found themself nearly using him as a shield as they held onto her hand gently.
“…Evicted?” Tourist frowned.
”Mmhm. And I just got bailed. Happened to grab this place.”
”Bailed?” Analise squeaked. The man almost smirked.
”Out of…Prison,” He confirmed, a near bewildered smile on his face. That earned another wide-eyed fright noise from Analise. Tourist glanced at them with an apologetic frown, like he was truly sorry he dragged them into this.
”Here, come in,” The man stepped aside. “It’s cold out and you two look awfully lost.”
Tourist chuckled awkwardly and stepped inside, but Analise’s shoes were practically glued to the ground. Tourist had to nudge them in until they were close enough to him to feel protected. Even though the apartment was in good shape, they were still scared shitless, the poor thing.
”I’m Expendable,” The man introduced himself out of the blue.
”Sorry?” Analise raised an eyebrow. Did he just call himself worthless? Sure, this man was…Interesting. But nobody was truly of no worth, right?
“Uh, my name,” The man chuckled. “Expendable.”
“....”
Analise couldn’t speak. Tourist giggled and squeezed her hand, but even he looked a bit distraught. “You’re…Expendable? That’s a little mean to yourself. What’s your real name?”
“...Expendable,” The man’s smirk fell. Tourist’s kind smile faltered. Analise’s tense form let go a bit. “I mean– Obviously, I wasn’t named Expendable. I’ve been called Expendable so much that it’s become a substitute for my real name.”
Tourist bit the inside of his cheek. Analise forced their hand out of his and rushed to a corner of the room, taking their phone out to call someone. They couldn’t possibly stay here any longer, with a druggie and a convict. They called the only person who would listen to them.
“John?” They muttered into the speaker when the call was picked up. “John, I need you to come get me–”
”Why do you sound so scared?” John Grace asked them on the other side.
“Because I’m stuck in an apartment with two crazy people!” Analise yell-whispered. Tourist looked a bit hurt at that, but Expendable scoffed in amusement. “I could literally die right now, John!”
”Lisa, I’m sure you’re not going to die…”
“John!!”
”Yes, I understand. Send me the address and I’ll get you after church,” John sighed.
“After?! John, I told you, I need you to pick me up now!” Analise yelped.
”If you’re truly in danger, you need to call 911,” John stood his ground. ”I understand you’re unnerved, but I have a schedule, okay? You know this.”
“Grace–!”
The phone hung up. Analise’s hand gripped onto it, shaking because of the force. Ridiculous. Was he serious?! They could be in legitimate danger, for goodness sake! They muttered a few insults and curses to the phone that was no longer with John. They got it, he obviously couldn’t miss church, but goddamnit. They didn’t feel safe.
They glanced back at Tourist and Expendable. Expendable’s eyebrows were raised, like he was surprised Analise was this cautious. Tourist seemed apologetic, and his hand twitched at his side. This was all kinda his fault, wasn’t it?
“...Well,” Expendable whistled, “Guess we have no choice but to bunk together for the time being.” He picked up the remote to a TV and switched to some random channel. He motioned to a couch, and Tourist sat on the middle section. Analise stayed so incredibly still until Tourist waved them over.
“Here, come,” He smiled. “This could…Be that repay I promised you.”
My god.
Analise shook their head no. Tourist shrugged and turned his attention back to the TV.
“So…Expendable,” He glanced at the man rummaginng through the cabinets. “Where’d you get this? Just got out of prison, right?”
“Mmhm. Abandoned. Most of the stuff here was,” Expendable took out a box of saltine crackers. “Any allergies for you two?”
Tourist shook his head. “No…Food allergies. I’m not good around cats, though.”
“Good thing I don’t have any,” Expendable joked, setting the box down on the small coffee table next to the couch. “Help yourselves.”
“...Are you…Aware…We’re strangers?” Analise asked timidly, finally creeping to sit near Tourist.
“Sure,” Expendable shrugged, looking back in the cabinet. “But I don’t think you have anywhere else to go, surely?”
“...No,” Analise murmured, fidgeting with the buttons on their trenchcoat. Tourist adjusted his hat. His eyes were mainly fixated on Analise now, seeing how alert they were. It was kinda sad how they didn’t trust anybody around them. Of course that wasn’t the impression Tourist wanted to leave. But what was he supposed to do? How could he make her feel better about the situation?
“...Who’s John?” Was all he could ask.
“A friend,” Analise sighed. “A super insufferable one.”
“...Never told me your name. So…I guess I’ll just have to call y–”
“I have a name. It doesn’t really feel right, though.”
“No?”
“I need to settle on a new one.” Analise murmured, looking to the floor. Tourist nodded, and decided not to ask any more questions. This could go wrong in any way possible. So he best keep his mouth shut.