She's not sure what she expected, really, but somehow that wasn't it. A frown crosses her face and she hesitates for a moment before she finally settles on asking, "Are you sure?" She didn't expect him to take over completely-- this was her mess, shouldn't she be the one cleaning it up?
He barks a soft, incredulous laugh at, well, the whole situation. "I'm not sure of anything right now, Ains," he answers. "I know what I've got to do in the abstract sense but..." But he has no idea how he's actually going to bring himself to move a body, dispose of it, clean a crime scene and cover up a murder. That's settling in on him. He doesn't do this; covering up crimes is what his father did. What people like Watkins did. But what other choice does he have?
"I'm sorry," she breathes out, a broken sort of sound that just gushes out of her lungs, the hint of a sob that doesn't quite catch.
She doesn't know what else to say, how the hell she's supposed to process any of this. And here Malcolm was, cleaning up her mess. He always did, didn't he? Maybe that's just what big brothers do, but this is so far outside that line that Ainsley can't help but feel guilty about it.
"Don't be sorry," he says gently, stopping what he is doing to look over at her. "I wanted to do it." And he can't, but that's another story. "It'll be okay. Mom will be upset when I destroy this rug but..." he says, trying to bring a levity that feels unearned to the situation. That's something they'll have to deal with--replacing the rug. That seems like a task he can give her later. For now, he needs...
The list starts to come together. More than just cleaning supplies. "Are you sure that you're up to helping?" he asks carefully.
The attempt at levity works, to an extent. At least it earns him a half-hearted huff of breath passed between her lips. Not quite a laugh, but close enough, all things considered, right? "She is gonna be pissed... it's her favorite one."
His question seems to steal all the air from her lungs. She doesn't know how to answer that, which is the answer all on its own, isn't it? "...No...? But you shouldn't have to do it by yourself."
"We might have to find a replacement. See if there's one like it out there that we can buy?" Maybe if they can find the exact same one, she won't notice. He isn't sure about how possible that is but his mind is going a million miles a minute and the rug is one detail they'll have to deal with eventually.
He looks back to Endicott's body. "I'm going to have to dismember him. Moving a whole body is...he weighs more than me so moving pieces will be easier. Are you going to be able to handle that?"
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branchandroot
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Date: 2021-01-16 12:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-16 12:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-24 12:55 am (UTC)She doesn't know what else to say, how the hell she's supposed to process any of this. And here Malcolm was, cleaning up her mess. He always did, didn't he? Maybe that's just what big brothers do, but this is so far outside that line that Ainsley can't help but feel guilty about it.
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Date: 2021-01-24 01:50 pm (UTC)The list starts to come together. More than just cleaning supplies. "Are you sure that you're up to helping?" he asks carefully.
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Date: 2021-01-24 03:03 pm (UTC)His question seems to steal all the air from her lungs. She doesn't know how to answer that, which is the answer all on its own, isn't it? "...No...? But you shouldn't have to do it by yourself."
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Date: 2021-01-24 09:34 pm (UTC)He looks back to Endicott's body. "I'm going to have to dismember him. Moving a whole body is...he weighs more than me so moving pieces will be easier. Are you going to be able to handle that?"