Into The Lion's Den

It's very… something. The style is super art deco, and it looks almost like a hotel. I'd believe it, if someone told me it was a hotel. But given I know that one person owns the whole building and keeps it for xemself, (at least according to the public records) I'm kinda noticing some of the little things that would be off if it were a hotel. Like that there's only one elevator. Speaking of… how do I get into that one elevator? I'm going to go and talk to the bellhop, who's sitting at the desk tapping at the keyboard in short, sharp bursts. Every thirty seconds or so, he stops, props his chin up on his hand and looks thoughtful, before returning to whatever he's writing. Walking on up to the front door, I awkwardly try to shove it open with one crutch, but it's too heavy for me to push open with only one stable leg. The bellhop notices and hops up, walking around the desk to grab the door for me. And so it begins.

I smile weakly at him, blinking repeatedly.

"Thank you. It's just super bloody hard to get around on these, you know? I mean, I know some people have it a lot worse, but it's a really big change after walking around normally all my life. But I'm rambling again, aren't I? Sorry, my bad. My grandad's half-sister is married to xier uncle" I say pointing up to the penthouse. "So I thought maybe xe could help me? I just… I don't know why I came here, it just was the first place that came to mind. Can I go up and wait for xem?" I say, choking back a sob and hanging my head low. "I'll make sure to tell xem you helped me, and then maybe xe can help me make it up to you? Please, sir."

He hesitates, pausing for a second before he speaks.

"Xeir home now. I can let you go up to see xem but…" He trails off, and I pounce on the invitation.

"I think that's okay, thank you sir." I say, clasping his hand in both my own and forcing tears to my eyes. The only problem- it exposes my neck, and the collar as well. I can see he's about to ask about it, and my brain just stops for a second- there's nothing I can do here. How am I supposed to explain away the metal bolted to my neck? Short of some extremely kinky business, there's no good reason for it. Fuck fuck fuck. This is bad.

I look him dead in the eyes and then bite my lip and look down.

"It's… it's a long story. My boyfriend…" I trail off and look down, hoping he won't ask any follow-ups.

"Just go up, see what happens. I'll swipe you onto the elevator now." He walks across to the lift and unlocks it with a keycard, holding the doors open as I walk over a little slower. I'm not far behind at all, but the lift starts dinging impatiently so I speed up a little and just get through the doors, giving an awkward mini wave to the bellhop. I should have asked his name, he seems like a nice guy. Ah well. No big deal, I suppose. The lift goes up much slower than I would have expected, it takes almost a minute for it to get to the absolute top floor, and when the doors open I'm not greeted by gun barrels, as I half expected but instead by an unassuming atrium, with the only thing other than bland white walls and the obligatory basic ocean picture is a pot plant that seems to have fallen to the floor, the pot shattered and dirt is spilling everywhere. Nobody comes to greet my arrival, weirdly. I didn't really expect Whinery to walk out to greet me, but I did think like a bodyguard or something would arrive. What if I were an assassin?

I smile slightly at that thought. After all- I am an assassin.

What if I were an assassin that wanted xem dead- wait no, that's still me. I just don't aim to kill xem right now, and I couldn't even if I wanted to, weakened as I am. There's an exit to either side of the room, but I stop to try and clean up the mess of the broken plant. Not out of wanting this place to be tidy, or an urge to be kind. Yeah, nah, not really. Just because it sets a good example for when I see my supposed relative, who I can't even begin to understand how I'm pretending to be related to. This is going to be a shit show, I just know it. Not through any magical juju or whatever, just because like. How will this possibly end well. It won't!

My hands are covered in dirt from scraping up soil, and I put it in the biggest shard left of the pot, and gently place the little bamboo shoot back into that piece, patting dirt around it. Maybe it will survive now. I'm not sure it will, but it has a better chance now than it did before, and isn't that the point? I don't know what happened to it, or what will happen to it, but right this second, I tried to help. That's what matters. I can see I'm getting deep again, it's just really hitting me all over again how every little kindness matters and that people can be nice sometimes.

Anyway, time for a little break from how nice people can be, by trying to talk to Thomas Tyler Whinery, who is a bitch.