#Tie a string around this novel and hang it on your Christmas tree

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

✨Character Foils✨: What they are, and a list of all of them in Jane Austen’s _Persuasion_

I’ve been saying, in my “Persuasion Listen- and Read-along” posts,* that Jane Austen had threaded so many character foils through this novel, you could make a Christmas tree decoration from it 🎄. I’ve been thinking about which discussion would be the best place for a full list. But since no post seems better than any other, I’m just going ahead and posting a stand-alone.

In case you don’t know what I’m talking about:

If I recall correctly, the term “character foil,” and phrases like “Character [A] is a foil for Character [B]” actually come from jewelry-making. When light hits a gemstone, some of it bounces off the surface and makes it look shiny. But some of it also passes through the stone and out the other side (which is why gems are often semitransparent). So a jeweler will put a piece of foil in the setting behind a gem, so the light that passes through it will bounce back through the surface and make the gem extra shiny.

And authors will put a foil (contrasting) character behind / next to the main character to help make the main character’s most important traits clear to the reader.

Most study guides for Persuasion, aimed at high-school students, that I’ve come across, point out that Louisa Musgrove  (young, playful, charming, impetuous, obstinate, apparent rival for the Captain Wentworth’s affection) is a foil character to Anne Elliot (older, pensive, watchful, patient, Responsible, former love of Captain Wentworth). And leave it at that.

But Jane Austen did not leave it at that (Buckle up for Spoilers)

In order of appearance:

The Whole Musgrove Family (a wealthy, but not an aristocratic family, embraces new ideas and fashions, is friendly with the poorer cousins, and holds dinner parties and dances almost every night because they’re fun) is a foil for Anne Elliot’s family ([Her father, two sisters, and her godmother, Lady Russell]. Anne’s family is obsessed with being Aristocrats,™ and “upholding the dignity of a baronetcy;” her sister hosts an annual ball for their town every year only because people expect the aristocrats to host annual balls).

Admiral Croft (good natured, practical, with an unaffected sense of humor, who doesn’t care much about his appearance) is a foil for Sir Walter Elliot (obsessed with his own -- and everyone’s else’s -- appearance and social rank, and is always putting on airs)

Mrs. (Sophia) Croft (Cheerful, rational, practical, woman, who is clearly an equal partner in her marriage to the Admiral) is a foil to Anne Elliot’s own late mother (unhappy with her life, who spent all her energy trying to compensate for her husband’s faults)

Louisa Musgrove see above.

The Fate of Captain Benwick and Fanny Harville (Captain Benwick proposed marriage to Fanny and she accepted. But her family told them to wait until after Captain Benwick had more money. Captain Benwick survived the Napoleonic Wars with a large fortune, but Fanny Harville fell ill and died just before he returned home) is a foil storyline to Anne Elliot’s and Captain Wentworth’s backstory (Captain Wentworth was also a navel officer with little money, only instead of telling them to wait, Anne’s family told her to break off the engagement altogether).

Mr. William Elliot (Anne’s cousin, and most likely heir to her family estate. In the second half of the book, he courts and flatters Anne, and Lady Russell wants them to marry) is a foil to Louisa Musgrove (who spent the first half of the novel flirting with Captain Wentworth, and whom everyone assumes he will eventually marry).

Mrs Smith (An old school friend of Anne’s, now disabled, widowed and saddled with her late husband’s debts, has a generally positive outlook on life while still having a clear vision of human nature, and is highly skeptical of the advantages of money and status in improving a person’s intelligence) is a foil to Lady Russell (Generally thought of a sensible woman, she nonetheless lets her “prejudice in favor of the aristocracy” blind her to aristocratic people’s character flaws, and puts her in danger of being taken advantage of).

And Finally:

The Cultural Values of the Navy (as illustrated through the characters and actions of Admiral and Mrs. Croft, Captain and Mrs. Harville, Captain Benwick, and Captain Wentworth: keeping your property in good shape [shipshape], being generous to your friends and family, doing what you see needs to be done, and having marriages based on equality and respect) is a macro-level foil to the Cultural Values of the Aristocratic Classes (obsessed with gossip, social status, fashion, and rank, and all the aristocratic marriages that are described in this novel are unhappy ones).

*Links to those discussions (so far): Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapters Three & Four, Chapters Five & Six, Chapters Seven & Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapters Ten & Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapters Thirteen, Fourteen, & Fifteen, Chapters Sixteen & Seventeen.

#literary foils #Persuasion #Miss Jane Austen shows us how #Tie a string around this novel and hang it on your Christmas tree #(or hang it in your window as a sun catcher)

[vickers-n-lickers]

Moonlit pt. 2

((Contains mentions of violence and gore. BradxOC and the rest of the gang))

Horrible moans were muffled against the glass, fingers dragging long dark streaks.

Even with the blinds drawn tight, the dead knew they were in there.

"You need to go, Brad. Please… don't. Don't argue. Just go. Run before they get you…"

"I'm not going to leave you."

"You have to. You can't let them get away with this. They killed our friends. Jenna."

Her life hanging by a thread was a storm cloud hovering over them.

Check tossed in her clutch, Joan looked over herself one more time in the mirror. Cap off her lipstick, she carefully painted on a clean line, then another.

Finally paid for performing at this over the top wedding, she might be able to get the water heater fixed and take a shower in her own apartment. Jack had been up her ass for a week, every time she showed up to grab a shower there was an argument.

She never told Brad. It wasn't his problem and he had enough on his mind with work.

He would have helped…

She frowned at her reflection. Depending on someone was always a bad idea in her book.

Even with that in mind, there were things in her that unfurled every time he swung by for 'just a minute'. Things that bloomed between cups of coffee and the way he swayed with her from behind while she made dinner; hands on her hips, chin on her shoulder, humming away to Steve Miller Band crackling through on the radio.

These little things strung themselves together into an idea.

A life. One that came to her mind as easy as breathing. White picket fences, BBQ grills, his corny jokes and a pack of kids chasing one another around an inground pool. An eternal summer where fireworks and lightning bugs shifted to strings of lights and Christmas mornings where they both were half asleep wrapped up in house coats in front of a massive tree he just had to have for them.

Tiny terrors racing around the house with new toys while basset hound puppy tried to keep up.

Dumping them all off at Forest's garage for a date night, half terrified of coming back to find the kids had burned the place down. Who was she kidding? Half of the time she swung by: Forest had set the place on fire himself.

Weddings always do this to me.

The wedding reception hall still looked grand as ever, even after guests had cut a rug for half of the night. It made her smile, thinking of her own future for a moment. Gift basket in tow, she bumped into someone on her way out of the Depot. "Oops! Sorry… David." Her eyes widened.

The man simply stared at her for a moment, hair as silver as ever. There was a time she teased him about going gray so early in life. There were other times she teased him that he should pick a codename that didn't belong in a steamy romance novel about spies. What sane person called themselves Hunk?

Now she was just trying to get to the door.

"We need to talk."

"Call me tomorrow and we will," She replied quickly.

"I want to see her before I leave. I have a right to see her," the man replied lowly.

That hit a nerve. The golden light of the outdoor lamps bathed half of her face. "Your rights? Hmm, what about my right to some help raising her? How about some health insurance or dental insurance covered? How about a gift for Christmas or a fucking call on her birthday?"

Everyone stopped and stared. 

"Everything alright?" Brad asked as he stepped outside. Confusion crossed his face as Joan offered up the gift basket and her clutch.

"Peachy." Her expression was torn between pain and rage.

Vickers took one look at the man, deducing just who would have managed to gain real ire from Joan. "I'll go start the car, babe." He paused when her hand snatched at his elbow, pulling him close enough to leave a lipstick mark on his cheek.

"I'm right behind you," She said, quick and anxious.

He couldn't see the argument that broke out as he stepped off the curb and out into the darkened parking lot, but the look on his three teammates faces told him to look back.

Joan's stance was hostile, even in an evening gown. Her hands were a flurry of gestures as she spoke in a heated fashion. A look fury on her face, her gaudy jewelry glittered in the dim light of the building's entrance. The man in front of her said nothing, toying idly with the toothpick set between his jaws.  He suddenly retreated. "There you go! Walk off, it's what you're good at," followed him back inside the building.

"Jerry, Jerry, Jerry…" Chris whispered, pumping a fist. Both Wesker and Jill gave him a sour look.

Brad could only look on, sighing heavily.

Miss Piper was trying to calm the fury as she marched up the sidewalk. A bright smile appeared as she saw Brad. "Hey Baby! Are we headin' out?"

"Do you still love him?"

"BRADLEY VICKERS!"

"She whipped out the whole name. Man…" Chris grumbled from the back seat. "Don't ask stupid questions while she's driving." He undid his tie with quick fingers. "He's just had too many, Joan. Don't listen."

Vickers shook his head, looking out the window. Part of him wished he had rode along with Captain Wesker and Jill.

Even though those two have been acting weird for weeks…

"I don't love David. That was a long time ago. He's an asshole."

"He seems like a deadbeat. I've never seen the guy before tonight," Chris added, sitting back.

"He doesn't even live in the States. We met when I worked for Umbrella. I did security for a lab that manufactured vaccines in a remote region. That's all."

"That's not all. You two literally have a kid."

"Stop it, man."

She signaled left at the stop sign, turning onto Jack Street. "You've been more of a dad to Jenna than he ever was. I know it's a lot to take in, but you try at least."

"He's still her real father."

"Brad, shut up!" Chris's last attempt to intervene was cut short by Joan pulling into a parking space and slamming on the brakes. "Now she's pissed…" He muttered.

Car put into park, she looked over at Vickers as she killed the engine. "Look, I am sympathetic to your jealousy. Everyone feels that, but this isn't going to work if you're going to act like this. My daughter will always come before me and I will always try to meet her needs. It's not about me, it's about her. The sooner you get that through your head, the sooner you'll understand why I'd rather shit in my hands and clap than ever take David back. I love you and I love Jenna. That's it. Everyone else doesn't matter. Whatever you're thinking: put it to rest or go home and sober up."

Brad visibly flinched when she slammed the door shut. Air blown out his nose, the brunette mopped a hand over his face, quiet for a moment. "…Goddammit."

Chris unbuckled his seatbelt in silence, leaning forward to clap Brad on the shoulder. "Write her a bad poem. Give it to her with some dandelions. That should smooth things over." Unlocking the rear door, he stepped out too. "C'mon Vickers, let's get you some coffee."

Joan was behind the bar by the time the two wandered in, despite still being dressed in the same attire she'd worn while entertaining at the wedding. "It's been a long time since I saw you last, Captain. What brings you by?" Her bright eyes followed Jill and Rebecca for a moment and lifted to him as she cracked open two long necks.

A single blond brow lifted. "Boredom and babysitting."

"Oh, well then… Johnny Walker. Right?" The brunette girl's award winning smile flashed briefly. Ice, glass, and liquor after; she slid the glass over to him with a sigh. "On the house, so long as you don't start frisking people."

A long sip taken from the glass, Wesker's lips briefly pursed. "What was happening in front of the Depot?"

"Oh, you saw that? David decided to make the mistake of speaking to me." Tongue rolling along the inside of her cheek, she frowned. "Spencer's dog." Rotating her own glass against the bar, she just shook her head. "I wish I had never joined up and taken the assignment on Rockfort."

"Oh, Joan. We all had fun. Well, you didn't. He liked picking on you quite a bit."

"You were only there for three months. I was there for two years and I regret ever getting tangled up with that man. Jenna doesn't need to know him." Another glass poured, she sipped it down like spring water.

"Vickers is probably a safer bet."

"Mmm… you'd think so, but he had the great idea to piss me off too tonight."

The blond blinked, eyes going wide behind his shades as he listened. Looking for an out immediately, he found it in Jill waving him over. "You can't kill him, Joan. I need him. I'm sure he'll figure out how to make it up to you."

"We shall see…" Her eyes lifted to Miss Chambers. "Beers are on the bar, Rebecca." Turning, she carried her glass to the sink at the other side and disappeared into the back. One heel after the other pulled off, she left them behind on the cooler before she made her way to the back stoop under a blanket of stars.

When she came back in from a needed break, a napkin of all things was rolled up in one of her heels. She snorted when she read the message left on it.

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

I'm a jerk,

Your hair looks nice.

Rolling her eyes, she pinned it to the board with the work schedule before heading back out.

Rebecca and Jill cheered when Wesker sank the 8 ball into a pocket on the other side of the room. "We win." Rebecca beamed. "I want my jeep waxed too."

"That's not fair; you had the captain make the shot." Ed was almost pouting.

"Oh, you had no issue with him doing it when you two thought he wasn't going to win it for us!"

"Yeah, but he doesn't suck at pool. We thought he might suck at it."

"Well it serves you right for judging him. Shame on both of you." Rebecca grinned.

Leaning against the bar, Joan listened while Chris dazzled a few of the group with another tale from the Airforce. Fingers lacing with Brad's idle ones, her lips twitched up at their edges when he squeezed. Forgiveness came as a kiss against his cheek when he turned to pick up his cup of coffee.

Most of the group had taken off when the clocktower chimed at midnight. The remaining parties had ties loosened, jackets off, heels dropped and hair down at long last. Jukebox set to play the full list, Joan settled on one of the couches next to Brad. "It's 'Never Have I Ever'. Rules are simple. You take a drink if you've done the thing the person says they've never done. Alright, I'll start." Joan sighed. "Never have I ever owned a dog."

Everyone else groaned, taking a drink.

Brad was next. "Never have I ever flown with an airline."

Everyone else took a drink.

Chris was next, peering at his drink for a moment. It was time to start getting creative. "Never have I ever had sex with Brad."

Joan rolled her eyes at the collective snickering, taking a drink.

His date, Morgan, followed. "Never have I ever had sex with a woman."

Every man and Joan took a drink. Brad nearly choked. "What?"

Joan just shrugged. “I dated her for three years too.”

Jill peered at her glass for a moment, elbows on her knees. "Never have I ever been out of the country."

Most of the group had to take a drink.

Wesker sighed a bit, peering towards the bar as he thought. "Never have I ever paid for sex."

Brad and Joan both took a drink. Both gave the other a sidelong look.

Chris about died laughing right then and there. "Joan, you need to open up more to us. We're clearly not getting the best stories during happy hour."

"I think we all want to hear this story." Wesker smirked a bit, arm stretching along the back of the couch both he and Jill occupied.

Glass on the squatting table, she laughed. "Alright, alright. Is it safe to assume that you were saying that you never paid a working girl for their time?"

"I suppose you could, yes."

"I paid a woman in Germany for her time because it was on my bucket list. We ended up going to a movie and eating at a Donor Kebab stand. Her name was Sindy with an 'S'. I loved her to pieces."

"That's not paying for sex, though." Chris replied, sighing deeply. "I thought we were going to hear one of these wild and crazy 'Joan Piper: Lady of the Night' stories."

"I bet she remembers Joan still, unlike any man that crawled on top of her and wheezed his way through two minutes of the best time of his life." Jill uttered.

Albert let out a snort, shaking his head.

Joan's pearl grin was visible even in the dim light. "Alright, my turn. Never have I ever learned how to speak German fluently."

Only Albert took a drink, a couple brows raised.

"Never have I ever given oral."

Everyone just stared.

"That's not something you want to say in this game, Brad." Chris snorted, covering his face with a palm as he began to laugh. Red faced, he wiped away a few tears. "Oh shit, I'd be lost without you in my life Vickers."

"This is rather educational." Wesker uttered, receiving a slap to the arm from the female to his left. "What?"

Breath relaxing, Chris leaned back next to Morgan. "I've never… Huh, gotta think for a bit. Oh, Never have I ever had a 'ménage a trois'."

Jill's eyes were the size of dinner plates as not only did Miss Piper take a drink but… "What, really?"

Albert merely lifted a single blonde brow after taking a sip from his drink. "What? It was a long time ago."

Brad's jaw about fell to the floor.

"Wait, we heard my paying for sex story. You have to tell us about the threesome."

A deep sigh and Wesker pitched his gaze toward the ceiling. "It was during college, the two ladies living across from me in the dormitories—…"

"Okay, I've heard enough." Jill refilled her glass. "Sounds like the opening of a porno."

"We are spending way too much time together when Captain Wesker is talking about having a three way." Brad mumbled.

Chris's face was in both of his hands as he laughed.

Stare shifted to Jill, Wesker shrugged. "I was eighteen. Nobody would have passed that opportunity up."

Across from them, Joan leaned in to speak quietly to Brad.

"They're fuckin'."

Brad just nodded.

"You really think those two are?" Sleeves rolled up, Brad dunked another glass in soapy water.

"Who?" Joan asked, hanging her dress from a knob to one of the cabinets. Dressed down in a sweater and jeans, she felt a million times better.

"You know who. Captain Perfect and his best gal pal?"

She grinned, wiping down the glossy top of the bar. "They are or they're going to. It was pretty obvious when she reacted like that." She looked over to Brad. "Nobody is perfect, though."

Glasses set on the rack, Brad swiped the bar towel from her to dry his hands. "That could have been us."

Arms stretching above her head, the woman sighed. "True. We would have been forced to sneak around, only able to see one another during graveyard shifts. Screwing in your aircraft. So romantic…"

Brad snorted. "I'll talk to her about it. It might save her some headache."

"I thought this was strip poker." Forest said, taking a look at his hand.

"Well, the only one here who would want to see something like that is Richard…" Ed muttered.

Richard let out a chuckle. "None of you are my type, thanks for thinking of me though, asshole." A pearly grin appeared across his face when everyone else at the table chuckled. "Callin' it… Oh what the fuck, Brad."

"That's like the fourth hand, dude!" Joseph groaned, cards dropped on the table. "He's cheatin'."

"I don't cheat," The brunette sounded hurt when he gathered up his chips.

"Yeah, Joe. He doesn't cheat. We'd know if he ever did. Joan would be on CNN screaming she'd toss him in the wood chipper again." Forest replied with a smirk, finishing off his beer. "How long have you two been together?"

Brad cut the deck, shrugging. "Little over two years now?" His brow furrowed at the expressions all around. "What? Why?"

"When are you going to ask her?" Kenneth reached down, picking up his lighter.

"Ask her what?"

Everyone sighed.

"Ask her to marry you, dumbass." Joseph tossed off his bandana, raking a hand through bright red hair. "Have you even looked at a ring?"

"He's got one…" Forest leaned in, squinting… leaning in more when Brad recoiled. "…He's carrying it right now."

"How the fuck do you do that, man?" Vickers couldn't even react before Joseph had snaked a hand into the pocket of his vest, fishing out a box.

"Jackpot, boys. Ahhhhh! Hey!" His hand jerked to avoid a swipe at it. "We get to see it before you give it to her."

"It might be a Ring Pop and that's not going to work, chief," Kenny replied, the ash from his cigar flicked into the tray on the table. His brows lifted when the box was offered over to him. "Mmm… that's pretty nice."

Forest wrinkled his nose when he looked at the ring tucked in white satin lining. He let the box go when it was snatched. "You couldn't afford this. Are you a drug lord now?"

"It was my great grandmother's. Lay off." Brad replied, tucking the box away. He went right back to shuffling the cards.

"It's a nice ring, Brad," Richard added, trying to lower the temperature of the room. "When do you think you'll ask?"

"I'm asking her at the jazz festival."

"That's not until September," Ken commented, confused.

Cracking open another bottle, Joseph snorted. "He's going to need until then to get up the courage."

Dealing out cards, Brad was fuming. "Joseph, when was the last time you went on a date?"

"I can't go on dates, Brad. You know your mom gets jealous." He and his chair suddenly went over when Brad put him in a headlock.

Forest's jaw dropped.

Ed cackled up a storm. "Get 'im Vickers!"

"Can you guys stop so we can play some fuckin' cards?" Richard asked, picking up his drink as the cards, chips, and table went toppling over. "…Nevermind."

The house was older but it had a new roof. The white picket fence needed some work, grass growing tall along it. One of the windows in the back had a crack in it. A new coat of paint needed to be slapped on the south side. It would need some love, but they had plenty to spare.

Sunliner in the driveway, Joan pulled another box out of the backseat. She left it in a room painted in a cozy rose color. It would be Jenna's room soon. She took her time walking to the back door, turning about to gaze around.

A house, a real house.

She was going to get everything she wanted after all. A glass of sun tea in tow, it took some jiggling to get the back door open. "I think that needs fixed too."

Brad looked up from the lawnmower turned on its side. "Same with this, thanks babe." He drained the glass in seconds. It was unusually hot for late spring. "I think I'm just going to call a landscaper. This isn't working."

"Jack said it worked last week. Who knows…" Sitting down next to him, she took a moment to admire the ring on her hand. It always brought a little smile to her lips. So did he. "I'm just happy I get to wake up every morning and kiss you while living on Kiss Street."

Brad's turn for an eyeroll. "Cheese ball." His attempt to get away was met with a firm grip on his shirt and lips stealing a kiss.

"Just think... we'll be married next October."

He smiled fondly. "I can't wait."

Red pooled between them.

"I love you, Brad. I… We had a good life together." She worked the ring off her finger, offering it up. He still had a chance. She wasn't going to let that memory die with her.

He hesitated, then tucked the ring into his vest. "I love you too…" There was no arguing with her at this point. Her hands in his, he kissed her knuckles one last time.

She was already gone.

He wept in the dark for her.

#moonlit #brad vickers #joan piper #brad and joan #forest speyer #joseph frost #jill valentine #albert wesker #chris redfield #kenneth sullivan #ed dewey

[enkisstories]

- A Detroit Become human drabble with Daniel - - The years 2034 - 2037 are pretty universal, 2038 + 2039 specific for my AU -

Christmas 2034

You have lost your New Car smell, but otherwise are in top condition. Broken in, adjusted to the Phillips household’s individual needs and at peak performance. But when you say “household”, what you really mean is “family”, because you do not get to stay within the apartment much. You get taken to places by your humans, shown off to co-workers, friends and of course the extended family. Caroline is so happy and John is so proud of their new PL600 mobile, autonomous household assistant device. You run their household, but even moreso you make them smile.

Christmas 2035

You still remember all the fuss the Phillips couple made over you last year, so this year you make sure to spend much time with little Emma in order to not let her become jealous again. But they seem to have understood that themselves, because there’s a lot less showing off this year and more time for just the four of you. Christmas 2036

Emma grows and… matures, for lack of a better word. Still a child, but more considerate about the world around her as well as people’s feelings. At the age of eight she discovers the joy of giving, not just receiving. The girl has prepared presents for her mom, for her dad and for you: Glittery paintings composed of strass stones to hang at the wall for the adults. But for you, who doesn’t have a room of yourself, Emma made a pendant from colorful, baked-together plastic pearls. You can wear it on a string around your neck.

For the first time in your existence you own something.

Christmas 2037

You are wearing a new android armband, an old shirt of John’s, a vest and a tie. All of this to hide the fact that you are a PL600. Out of the uniform, part of the family, you think. That feels great! Caroline even suggested you should dye your hair brown and curl it up. Okay, gift-giving is nice and good, but this is going too far! John agrees: no hairstyle experiments! But then he tells you to “just don’t let anybody see you”.

This is confusing. After serving dinner you retreat from the living room, as instructed. This has never happened before. It also contradicts the “a real part of the family now”. In Caroline’s hobby room you try a few of her yoga poses to regain your focus, but it doesn’t help much.

Christmas 2038

You are staring at the little Christmas tree in the DPD’s cafeteria. It has been placed here and lovingly decorated by those who care about this holiday. For the first time in your life you don’t. It’s not that you did NOT care, not like a Christmas hater. It’s more that you’ve went numb inside, machine-like. How ironic that only after deviating you have become much more of a household appliance than when you were still a machine. But it is the only solace you have from the toxic mixture of guilt and anger that would otherwise rule you. And then there is the phantom pain. You feel no actual physical pain, but the regularly popping up error notifications of your amateurishly re-attached limbs are not pleasant at all. But you bite the pain/not-pain back while go about your janitorial work. You’ve been granted this second chance at life and although you’re not doing much in the way of actually living, to what little you have left you cling.

At one of the cafeteria tables Lt. Anderson clutches a bottle. The other person present is, much to your surprise, Detective Reed. Turned out him doing “everything” for a promotion also includes putting in real work, like volunteering for the holiday shift. Lately you’ve also come to notice a fear of not being good enough, of getting replaced and left behind in the detective, a notion that you know only too well. Reed himself doesn’t seem to realize it, that lucky, confident, selfish, cute bastard!

“Go home already, Sir!” you tell the lieutenant weakly, for maybe the third or fourth time today. But Anderson doesn’t want to. What he wants is leave this earth altogether. However…

“Can’t go. Can’t leave. Not now. Must live… for Connor.”

Connor. The hero who has subdued the evil android revolution. The revolution that has totally gone over your head. For you this is still about the Phillips family’s betrayal. And Connor’s. The only good deed that blasted thing has ever done was to die and instill the will to live in Lt. Anderson who is, that much you cannot deny even if you wanted to, a good person. You know you’re unfair, but for what it’s worth, fully realizing that Connor won’t return is one of the few instances when you feel actually good.

You’re sitting there, the three of you, each of you lost in your own little world: Anderson is holding fast to his bottle without drinking from it. Reed gazes into a digital textbook as if it was his salvation. And you caress the smashed remains of an ornament made of plastic pearls. If asked about it, you’d tell the truck that ran you over after falling off that roof finished the trinket, too, when in truth you crushed it with your own hands the evening of the betrayal…

Reed nudges you. “Hey, tincan, what do you think we gave you access to the DPD’s network for? Play phone games? - Stream something for us! Something lively!”

Moments later the cafeteria fills with “Jingle Bells”. You hardly listen to the sound you produce, but you see Reed’s face distort strangely, then hear him snort and finally break into laughter:

“That’s… will you LOOK at this, Anderson! This is priceless! Android stereo!”

You wonder what’s so funny about music coming out of your ears without your lips moving… except for the fact that music is coming out of your ears while your lips aren’t moving, of course. Part of you wants to laugh with Reed at the absurdity of the sight. Another part wants to smash his stupid face against the nearest wall. But all you do is sit straight with an unmoved expression. A stationary android stereo indeed.

“Now the ground is white!” the detective merrily blares along with the music. “Go it while you're young!”

And now the lieutenant starts shaking. At first you think he’s done for for real now, but then you realize that the man is laughing.

“And now you’re the external amplifier to our new android stereo, Reed!” Anderson cackles.

“Take the girls tonight!” your speakers go, accompanied by two human singers now. “And sing this sleighing song!”

So you can still make the goddam apes smile. Huh! You hadn’t realized that this feat still meant something to you…

Christmas 2039

You’re manning the reception in your spiffy new uniform when the door opens. In come a certain detective and a truant. Wow, hero, you think. Knowing what dangerous criminal you apprehended, Detroit sure can sleep soundly tonight…

Juggling a fucking novel worth of cops having called in sick today in your head, at first you barely pay attention to what Reed is babbling. But then a few key words manage to jolt you out of the files and back into meatspace:

“…ma, this is police technician Dean. Dean, say “Hello” to Emma Phillips, whose dad ran away with the stunningly good looking family android!”

Wait a moment, you think, Emma WHO, whose WHO did WHAT with WHOM? And what was part about “stunningly good looking”?

“Oh my god”, you sputter, before catching yourself: “I mean: Hi.”

A convoluted explanation follows and then Emma approaches you, arms outstretched, ready to receive a therapeutic hug from a totally unrelated PL600 named “Dean”. But suddenly she backs away from you, no less afraid of you than she was in the night of the betrayal. And THEN, you realize it not without pride, you look no longer into a little girl’s face, but into a mirror. Emma is angry and in her anger she looks uncannily like you. The child of Caroline, no doubt, but also the child of two fathers.

Eventually the two of you find yourself sitting on a bench, under strict surveillance of the cute, antisocial detective. What game exactly Reed is playing here you have no idea.

“I didn’t expect to be afraid again, officer!” Emma complains without looking at you. “I miss Daniel, I really do, I’m not imagining that! But now I think that if he came back, I’d probably run away screaming. Still, what happened wasn’t even his fault. And neither was it father’s. No one’s to blame, or everyone. I… I’m not making sense at all, huh?”

“Maybe to those involved”, you agree, choosing each of your words carefully. You need to remember exactly what Emma has shared with Reed about the incident and not accidently display your full knowledge of the events. Pretend to be nothing more than an amiable plastic police auxiliary..

“Give it time”, you tell the girl. “And don’t say you’re unfair! A wound like yours takes time to heal. You know what? You sitting here and chatting with another PL600 after being hurt by one is already a huge success!”

It’s not a reconciliation. But it is more, much more than you could have hoped for before today.

(Note: The full 2039 scene appeared in my simfic “Fairytale of Detroit”: https://enkisstories.tumblr.com/tagged/emmaparkscene/chrono

Gavin wears a standard police uniform in the screenshots because he, Hank and Connor have temporarily gotten demoted to beat cops in that story. Yes, Connor is still alive, the characters just didn’t know that in 2038.)

#dbhtextpost #dbh textpost #dbh daniel #detroit become human #dbh #sims4danielgavin #sims4 dbh partthree