10-25-2025, 11:29 PM
"I told you I was coming." The obvious inference was that Near did it on purpose, not wanting to bother coming to the door. Then Near says he didn't actually expect Jude to show up, and Jude frowns. He wipes it off his face quickly enough — it is so easy to offend Near Farr — but a trace of disappointment lingers in Jude's eyes. Even this minor act of trust seems impossible. If Near cannot believe Jude will pay a house call punctually, how can he possibly...
There is more at stake than me and you. Jude has to remind himself of that as he stares at the spot between Near's shoulder blades as Near shuts the freezer door. It would be one thing if Near was just another guy with money. Jude knows now there's quite a few of those, and they can be persuaded to reconsider their sponsorship of an influential death cult. Jude isn't sure if there is another Near Farr in the whole world. He's very sure that no one else should find out what's special about Near Farr.
He stares blankly when he's given the floor to speak. This is the opposite of how Near has wanted it before. This must be a test. "I mean," he says slowly. "Is now a bad time? Are you too tired?" Jude really does not want to leave and come back again, but some additional penance feels required after the sin of opening the unlocked door.
I won't be long, he almost says, but that would open the door to a timer. Maybe he will be long. He hopes not to be. But Jude has never spent the amount of time with Near that he anticipated.
There is more at stake than me and you. Jude has to remind himself of that as he stares at the spot between Near's shoulder blades as Near shuts the freezer door. It would be one thing if Near was just another guy with money. Jude knows now there's quite a few of those, and they can be persuaded to reconsider their sponsorship of an influential death cult. Jude isn't sure if there is another Near Farr in the whole world. He's very sure that no one else should find out what's special about Near Farr.
He stares blankly when he's given the floor to speak. This is the opposite of how Near has wanted it before. This must be a test. "I mean," he says slowly. "Is now a bad time? Are you too tired?" Jude really does not want to leave and come back again, but some additional penance feels required after the sin of opening the unlocked door.
I won't be long, he almost says, but that would open the door to a timer. Maybe he will be long. He hopes not to be. But Jude has never spent the amount of time with Near that he anticipated.