TEXT } good tidings

[godcards]

With a little over one week left until everyone’s favorite holiday, and Retrospec has been surprisingly well-behaved this month… all things considered… I’m sure that many of us on here are in a rather festive mood. Which is why I’d like to draw attention to the fact that my birthday is on December 23rd, and any good will or kind wishes in the form of cash gifts would be preferred. I don’t celebrate Christmas, but it’s the “reason for the season” isn’t it?

Comments

[standalonehuman]

Other reason you need money, then, hunh?

Let me look into what I can do.

[As Togusa's guilt reminds him that it's sort of halfway Malik's fault that Togusa got his promotion in the first place that has him sitting on extra cash now, so shouldn't he get some of the reward? Ffff...]

[godcards]

I need money for a lot of things. My birthday happens to be the most opportune time to ask for it, especially as it's during a time when people convince themselves they need to be generous...

[ Instead of stealing shit to resell it later, which is what he's done in the past. Buuut this is pretty public so he's not getting into that. ]

[standalonehuman]

But, in particular, you're still staying out of hotels. Crap. With any luck, you'll be in a better position to solve that after the 23rd, though.

[godcards]

Oh, I see what you're getting at. It's as I said, I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you. I get to stay where I am for free, but it's not indefinite. The owner's son felt bad for me sleeping on the street, so that's how I got to be where I am now. However, it is still a hotel, and not meant to be a long-term stay.

[standalonehuman]

Oh! I get it, not as bad a situation as I thought, okay. I'm still going to do what I can to help. Not going to take it back.

[godcards]

Trying hard to get off that naughty list, are you?

[standalonehuman]

Screw the naughty list. If some of this is soothing my own guilt over your involvement in where I’m at now? Then, you dont have reservations about getting something from the deal, do you?

[godcards]

Sounds like you'd be the one with reservations, not me... I don't see why though. Because your life got better and mine got worse?

[standalonehuman]

It wasn't a coincidence that it was at the start of last November that I got pulled in for the evaluation that led to my promotion. It was right after I came back from mandatory time off after the last incident I'd helped with.

You were pretty directly involved.

[godcards]

You did your job, you caught the bad guy, and you were rewarded for it... yet you feel guilty? And people say I have issues. You can’t feel too badly about it though, since you still hold that position. Talking to me about it won’t clear your conscience, but what do I know? I’m the bad guy.

[standalonehuman]

You DO have issues, Malik.

Would you rather I just tossed you aside and didn't think about you anymore? Tried to ignore any of the fallout of what happened? I know that would be easier to respond to, and it's the trap that so many of my colleagues fall into.

Actions have consequences. Some cops see our jobs as to be that consequence. But our actions have to be answered for, too.

[godcards]

I’m not responsible for easing your feelings of guilt. You benefited from that... incident... and now what? You think you can make yourself feel better by helping me? I’m sure that once you satisfy whatever conditions you’ve set for yourself, you’ll move on to other things. I’m not going to be the last bad thing that happens to you, and if this is how you’re going to act each time, you’re never going to sleep well at night. You’re always going to feel guilty because you can’t fix everything.

That is not my problem to deal with. I just want cash.

[standalonehuman]

I don't want you to, I definitely don't need you to. I know, it's not your problem.

But with your insistence on figuring out people's true reasons for things? Their real motivations? I don't know. I thought it was worth at least bringing up.

I'm not skirting responsibility, and I'm not going to back out.

[godcards]

Yeah, you’re just like everyone else and doing it to make yourself feel better. I know. Am I getting any money or not? I have plans.

[standalonehuman]

If you insist on meeting out, then come by the coffee shop on the edge of the University. I've got it handled.

[godcards]

I will be there!