"...Look, if I knew you were coming home, of course I'd have cleaned up. I'm not an asshole. I just didn't think you'd be gone for a fucking day. I... look like a right lazy jerk, but I totally would have cleaned up if I knew you were coming back," he quickly began, frowning to himself at the way the scene looked. It did look like he had just lounged back and allowed everything to get messy with no intention to tidy up, which, on one level, was true-- but he had planned to tidy it all. Just not as soon as Timmy perhaps would have liked.

"Ugh, fine. When I get a job, I'll pay rent, Until then, I'll be like a cleaner around the place. I've been married, Timmy. I had to clean up after myself or my wife would lose her mind, so I... I ain't lazy."
 
“You’re kind of lazy,” he countered honestly, his eyes still locked on the television. Popping open his beer, it was at least a good sign as he physically relaxed. Closing his eyes, he exhaled before offering a smile.

“I’m fine, just have fun. Lock the door, though. Who knows what might happen, so it’s better to be safe than sorry... and don’t mention me.”
 
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"Why can't I mention you? They seemed worried about you. It's not everyday someone in the apartment building gets kidnapped by a murderer, is it? I think they believe you, they said they always found Alexander creepy," he pointed out, hoping that the fact the two women across the hall seemed to believe his claims would bring him some relief. After all, everyone else in the city seemed under the impression that Alexander was the victim of a desperate police squad, and not the perpetrator of horrific violence.

"You need friends, Tim. No offence, but you have that Sandra girl and that's it. Make some friends, get a social life-- we could totally go out and grab a drink together if you wanted-- after this dinner thing. It could be fun."
 
“Who the fuck would want to be my friend? The whole fucking city thinks I’m a fraud. I’m some gold-digger who just wants Alex’s money, right? That’s what people have been saying, right? I only have Sandra and you, to be honest. How sad is that? My second friend is my brother?” He replied flatly, his brow furrowing in frustration.

“I don’t want you to mention me because I don’t want them to worry about me. This is all my fault, right? I did this, I’ve got to deal with it.” He firmly murmured as he took another sip of his beer.
 
"I wouldn't say it's your fault. Besides, he's gone. You have a chance at a fresh start so stop feeling so sorry for yourself, it isn't going to change anything. You can have one day to wallow in self-pity, that's fine, but get off your ass tomorrow and get things back on track, dude. You still have a job, and if they do fire you, which would be dumb considering they're the ones that sent you undercover, you can just find another job," he suggested, stopping by the front door as he examined the state his little brother was in. Timothy had always seemed like he had everything together, much unlike Ben whose life was always chaotic. Now, however, the younger sibling didn't seem like anything in his life was in order, and it wasn't exactly a good thing to witness.

"I... could stay if you wanted. We could order a pizza and watch one of those movies you like. I don't really want to leave you here getting drunk alone."
 
“I’m an adult, Ben,” he insisted, though his watery eyes and stiffened body was evident that he just wanted some companionship. “I can be alone, I’ve been alone for years before this. Let me just ‘’pity’ myself alone. Granted... being with you would be nice, I guess. I just want to go to bed early. I might go out to the bar, try and socialize, okay?”
 
"...I worry about you though. You don't have to believe me because, hey, I'm hardly the best big brother in the world, but I... I've matured and part of that makes me realise the mistakes I made as a kid and I just want you to know that -god this sounds cheesy- but I'm here for you if you need me? And let's face it, you'll feel safer with me around. I don't doubt you know some self-defence stuff, but I'm pretty tough," he grinned, still hesitating by the door in case his brother changed his mind and preferred him to stay, even though he knew that a little time alone might do him some good, rather than have to listen to Ben babble on about something that Timothy wasn't going to fully listen to. In the end, after another promise that he would come straight back if Timothy wanted him to, he headed across the hall to at least socialise a little with two friends he had made in the building. He was hardly a social butterfly himself, but he was trying to change that and he wanted his brother to try and do the same when he was ready to.

Instead, his only friend seemed to be Sandra, and perhaps it was a testament to the friendship that she arrived at his apartment just minutes later, having trekked across the city from the hotel she was staying at, not feeling safe in her own home just yet. She did this during the busiest period of the day just to bring him some dinner and check up on him. After calling the hospital to perhaps talk to him, only to be told he'd checked himself out, she quickly realised he would be at home and so arrived without needing to be told to.

"You should lock the door, anyone can wander in," she tutted once inside the apartment, smiling quietly to herself. It had only been two days since they saw one another last, but she was genuinely glad to see him.

"I brought us some Chinese food and some wine and some corny 80s comedy. Thought it'd help take your mind off stuff," she continued as she set the food down and flopped beside him, kicking off her unsubtle luminous pink boots with a grin. "You can tell me to piss off if I'm being a nuisance, but I don't want to be alone and I heard you checked out, so I thought... we could just hang out? I'm at a hotel right now and it's pretty grim, I'd rather hang out with you than listen to people in the next room have sex every minute of the day."
 
“Maybe I want someone to come in,” he replied casually, though he did get up to close the door behind her. Offering a smile to his friend, he took a seat again and pushed a half empty bottle of beer towards her eagerly. Despite his growing stress and lack of appetite, he still accepted the food and took a large scoop of the fried rice into his mouth. He had a minor oral fixation, and eating helped cure that just a tad.

“Yeah, I just... I dunno, I guess I just didn’t think that place was helping much. Alexander just strolled in unannounced, so I stayed for a quick therapy lesion and came home. I might go to therapy, you know? Not every day, maybe once a week. I’d rather just be home, enjoying some cheap Chinese food with my best friend,” He cooed teasingly to at least prove he was in somewhat of a better headspace.
 
"I heard from your brother that Alexander left the country. I... was staying here but it was awkward and your brother makes me nervous, so I'm at a hotel right now. I feel safer there, I guess-- I feel way safer now Alex is out of the country. Hopefully he just stays wherever he's gone and we can just forget about him," groaned Sandra as she quietly poured the wine into the plastic cups she had brought with her, even if the talk of Alexander made her want to down the alcohol straight from the bottle. Like Timothy, she was conflicted on how to feel and that made her hate herself. She wanted to detest Alexander and hate him with every fibre of her being, but there was a small part of her that still cared. He was the first person to give her a job and her first real friend. It was difficult to admit she hated him, because that meant cutting and severing all ties... and she still wasn't sure if she could completely do that.

"...Did you tell him to leave when he visited you? Is that why he jetted off so suddenly?" She asked, reaching calmly for her chopsticks. "I mean, I would have thought he'd have stuck around to get his business back on track, not jet off like this."
 
“I dunno,” he murmured as he picked at the vegetables absently. “He told me to call him if I want him back in my life and maybe he just left to... I dunno, get away and let me decide on my own?” He offered weakly, though sighed.

“I don’t want to think about it too much, you know? I have a month to think about it so I’m just going to relax,” he murmured. “It’s fine. Let’s just watch The Bachelor and get drunk.”
 
"Right. Sure. Let's forget he exists as long as we can," grinned Sandra as she quickly turned to the TV with the full glass of wine in her hand. If avoiding the topic of Alexander was what her friend wanted, then she was quite happy to go along with that. The less that was said about him, the happier they would be. All Alexander did was make her realise just how much he had gotten away with, while she and Timmy were left suffering. Avoiding the issue might not be mature or wise, but it was also the best way to avoid getting angry and upset in equal measure.

"...Where's your brother anyway? He wasn't like I thought he'd be. You told me horror stories about him, but he seems like he's changed? I dunno. He was real sweet actually. I just needed some space, somewhere I felt safe, but... yeah, he's nicer than I assumed. Serves me right for judging him before I even met him, I guess."
 
“No, it was understandable for you to be upset. He isn’t a good person. Like... sure, he’s down on his luck so I’m going to take care of him but that doesn’t mean I’m going to forgive him, you know? I love him, he’s my brother, but... maybe I’ll convince him to be better. It’s a low bar,” he noted as he finished his beer before leaning forward, grabbing the remote.

“He’s across the way, with my neighbors. Apparently they wanted to see him, I guess? I mean, good for him. I feel like I need to talk to him, but i can just sit quietly with you, you know?” He insisted with a small smile.
 
"...He sort of asked me out," she quietly blurted after a few minutes of comfortable silence. Sitting quietly with the TV on and some good Chinese food was just the sort of normalcy she had craved for days, but she had also been severely lacking in a best friend for the last day and a half. When every second felt like an hour for her as of late, a day and a half not having Timmy to turn to had been difficult, so, whilst maintaining the comfortable atmosphere was desirable, it wasn't really achievable when she had a tonne of thoughts bouncing about in her head.

"Yesterday, he was helping me get my stuff together to stay at a hotel and he was being real sweet and asked if we could hang out together and... it was definitely flirty," she admitted again, before snorting. "God, he can't have meant it if he's having dinner with those neighbours of yours-- not that I want him to mean it. He's nice but he's not my type... and it'd be weird even if he was."
 
“Sandra no!” He groaned, running his hand through his hair in horror. “No, no way. I... I refuse. He’s not a good person, Sandra! Just - even if he meant it, I’m not letting you be with him. I know it sounds harsh b-but...it’s not okay.”

As he spoke, he stared at her in utter horror. After a pause, his reaction soon was that of laughter. “Honestly, that was a good joke, at least! Very funny...” he whispered. “Hilarious.”
 
The girl had expected the response, it was inevitable really, but she felt like he had a right to know and, above all else, she just wanted to get it off her chest. She hadn't been as appalled as she thought she'd be when getting the offer from Ben. It was true that he scared her out of her wits after all the stories she had heard about him, but he was charming; that much had to be admitted to. After all the stress of Alexander (and the fact she rarely went out with men anyway), Ben had, for a split second, seemed like an attractive, viable option.

In the end, she realised just how dumb that was and opted out of it. Above all else, he did scare her and he wasn't like the men she usually developed crushes on. Dating him didn't seem like it was likely.

"Relax, jeez. I said no. He just seems desperate for company. I doubt it was serious," she promised, offering a quick nudge to try and rectify the casual atmosphere from before. "I mean, I'm a wreck right now. He has to have been joking around, okay?"
 
“He’s a player, Sandra! He goes and finds anyone who will give him even the slightest bit of sympathy and lack onto them. Then he’ll pretend to care about you before he realizes he got too attached or whatever and just fuck off to somewhere else,” Tim replied bitterly. Taking a long sip of his wine, he couldn’t hide his anger from his face.

“Like, what do you see in him? Be honest with me. Is it because you’re lonely and need affection? Like... you and I both know that we should just avoid men for a little, yeah? We’re shit at finding people, evidently, so... so yeah,” he quickly murmured with a sigh.
 
"You need to stay away from men because you have a psycho ex-boyfriend who's apparently escaped having to serve jail time and gotten away with literal murder. You definitely need to steer clear of men for a while. I, on the other hand, haven't had a boyfriend for years, haven't really had sex more than once and not many guys find a girl like me that attractive. So sure, I'm lonely and desperate and it was nice getting attention from your brother. You don't want to hear this, but he is handsome. He's manly, you know? I'd rather a guy like him than someone immature," she declared brazenly, deciding that if Timothy wanted to hear how she felt, she ought to tell him. She was hardly declaring her undying love for Ben, but there was definitely an attraction there.

"If he's that bad, I won't pursue it. I'm just lonely. You're gay, you're not going to kiss me and cuddle in bed with me, are you? I want that. A lot. Even if your boyfriend was a psycho, you at least had a loving relationship for a few months. I've never had that, Tim."
 
“He shot my dad and paralyzed him for fuck’s sake!” He countered in disbelief as he popped food into his mouth. “Like, he’s not a good person. If cuddling is what you want then fine, yeah? Hell, I think there are plenty of men out there who would date you. You’re a former worker at a big fashion company, you’re quirky, you’ve got cute fashion... I think you’re just too hard on yourself.”

With another, much quicker sip of wine, the detective offered a smile. Maybe it was the fact that seeing Sandra at least eager to find someone, or maybe it was the wine - it was most likely the wine - but it was at least lightning his mood enough for a genuine smile as he glanced back at the television with a loud yawn.
 
"Maybe, it just sucks is all I'm saying, and it was nice having someone take notice of me. Of course it'd be someone with a troubled past, I can't attract normal people. Neither can you, maybe that's why we get along. We both attract psychos," she snorted, pulling her legs to her chest. If she couldn't at least laugh a little about it, it would easily tear her up. The fact Alexander wasn't even getting prosecuted for his crimes was a complete injustice, especially when nobody even believed he had committed them. He had dodged all responsibility and maintained his pristine reputation. How that was fair, she really didn't know.

"...You aren't going to see him again, are you? I know he wants to be with you again, but don't listen to him. You can't trust him," she pointed out quickly, turning serious as she sipped at her wine. "I know you know that, I just... I know how persuasive he can be, and you're my best friend, so... I want to look out for you."
 
“He doesn’t want me back, don’t be ridiculous. I almost singlehandedly ruined his company - almost. I’m not an idiot, I’m not going to jump back into his arms the minute he says something nice. I’ve got some dignity, yeah?” He replied with a scoff before moving to change the channel quickly. Anything to keep calm despite the allegations.

“Like, fuck dating. Every single person I’ve ever been with was a jerk or a psycho so... yeah. Like, I don’t need sex, I’ve got a hand don’t I? Plus, romance is stupid anyway. I’ll stick to my cheesy reality television for that,” he casually added before settling on another shitty rom com playing. “I want to set you up with someone proper, though. Just because I’ve abandoned love doesn’t mean you have to.”