Rue: Web of Deceit - Part 21

Life, Career

Responding to an emergency summons from The Spider himself, Rue makes their way to Brackenwood Park and is given possibly their strangest mission yet.

As they make their way the short distance to Brackenwood Park, Rue can't help but smile to themselves. As uncomfortable as it made them at the start, it felt good to help a friend, especially one who's been as good to them as Doug has. They just hope he can take care of the rest by himself. Though, the more they think about it, the more uncertain that seems.   Regardless, they soon make it to the park and look around, detecting the unmistakable musk of cigars and cheap cologne that has become synonymous with their employer. Soon enough Rue spots him, sat on a bench and enjoying another of his disgusting cigars, naturally within spitting distance of a 'No Smoking' sign and the children's play area.   Making a mental note to check up on Doug's definition of a fancy restaurant, Rue walks up to Aloysius Creel, their shoulders a little more tense as they try to imagine what kind of urgent task they could possibly be given. They cut across the grass, flinching slightly as a toddler on the playground lets out an obnoxiously loud shriek.   ''Hey,'' They say a little awkwardly once they're close enough. ''You wanted to see me? What's the emergency?''   "Ah, Rue. Good to see you," he says, looking up in their direction and flicking his cigar away. He motions to the seat beside him and Rue reluctantly sits down, "Can you feel it, Rue? The City is changing. Every day people like Detective Upton and Jasmine Walker shine brighter, while people like you and I are trodden down further into the darkness..." he sighs heavily, his usual cocky grin faltering somewhat as he continues, "There's a new freak in town, muscling in on my operations. Calls himself Cupid..."   Rue can't help the laugh that escapes from their lips, ''I'm sorry. Cupid?'' They ask incredulously. ''Like the little cherub with the bow and arrows?'' Upon seeing Creel's humourless expression, they shrug, the ghost of a smile still on their face, ''So what exactly is this guy doing?'' They ask seriously, ''How can I help?''   "Yeah," Spider groans, mashing his palms into his forehead, "I don't even know where to begin with that one. Apparently he wears a giant heart helmet and is talking about 'a kinder and gentler approach' to organised crime. Doesn't stop his thugs from kicking seven types of shit out of my boys, though. If I don't nip this in the bud, we could be looking at a city-wide gang war, and I don't think any of us want that," he pauses for a moment, seemingly searching the area for something before continuing, "Naturally, I need to go back to the club to deal with this, and that's where you come in. I had... plans for my day off today..."   ''That... Sounds like a handful,'' Rue eyes the Spider warily, evidently clueless about where he's going with this. They turn their head a little to the side, curious to find out what on earth Aloysius Creel would be up to in his free time - eating people, if the rumours are anything to go by. Try as they might, Rue cannot picture him lounging on a sofa, gangly legs strewn across the armrest, striped PJs on and a tub of ice cream in hand as he rewatches House for the umpteenth time, ''Okay,'' They say eventually, pulling themself out of their thoughts, ''How can I help?''   "You have no idea, Rue," he says, their name exiting his mouth without intent to intimidate or manipulate for what Rue thinks may be the first time. He sighs again and turns his head to look them in the eye, "Can I trust you with something important to me, Rue?"   There's a pit in their stomach as Creel locks eyes with them, their heart pounding in their chest. Whilst they have no idea what they're about to be tasked with, they can tell by the expression from the otherwise terrifying man that it's something big, and for a split second, the Spider looks just a little bit vulnerable. A little bit human.   ''Of course,'' Rue says seriously, giving a small nod, ''What is it?''   "Well, while I'm gone, I'll need someone to take care of what I've been doing here. I'll need someone to entertain..." he pauses, as though for dramatic effect, "My son."   Rue's eyes widen in surprise, their mouth slightly agape.   ''Y-your son?'' They echo uncertainly, their gaze automatically shifting to roam over the playground in search of an unusually lanky child with slicked back hair, a pinstripe suit and a lollipop that they're holding like a cigar.   ''I didn't realise you were a father...'' They say quietly.   "Nor did I until just a few months ago," he says with a slight chuckle, "His Mother and I haven't always been on the best terms and she apparently didn't feel the need to tell me about the chip off the ol' block until recently. But, as you and I both know, it all comes down to money in the end. She needed some and thought I'd cough it up for the sake of my flesh and blood. To, I think, both my surprise and hers, it worked. I've been sending them a bit here and there for the most part of six months now and, in return, I've gotten to see Julius every now and again," the humanity on display as Creel smiles at the thought of his son is honestly a little unsettling, but is soon hidden again as he puts back on his usual facade, "But, business before pleasure I'm afraid. And so, today I need you to keep him busy. Think you can do that for me?"   Rue can’t help the faint pang of jealousy as Creel talks about his child, unable to fully grasp a world in which the Spider, of all people, would be willing to pay for time with his son, when their own parents had only ever used them as a way to make money. Part of them is starting to wonder if this day is nothing more than a fever dream, between Doug’s Valentine panic and Spider’s mind blowing reveal that he has a son.   “I think so?” They say after a beat, still wondering which of the children on the playground might be a relative to one of the most frightening people they’ve ever come across. “Is there anything Julius likes doing?”   "Ah, I knew I could count on you, Rue," he says, a weight seemingly lifted off his shoulders, "I'll be honest, I still don't know an awful lot about the kid. We've only had a couple of these playdates so far, and I'm not... the best with kids."   “Oh, I see,” Rue says awkwardly. Whilst they hate the nickname Spider tends to use for them, the kind words and use of their name doesn’t sit well either, making them feel like they need a shower. “Well, if you need to get going soon to deal with this Cupid guy, shall we uh… could you introduce me to your son?”   "Ah, yes. Of course," he says, taking a look around the area before standing up and turning down the path, "Here he is now."   Rue watches as Creel takes a few steps forward and greets not a child, but a young man, about the same age as them. He has his father's black hair, though without the years of hair gel abuse, and was similarly tall, but that's where the similarities seem to end. He is well-groomed, with softer eyes than Spider and a more expressive face, his disappointment palpable as his father explains that they won't be spending the day together, "Julius, this is Rue," Alloysius says, motioning over to the bench, "She'll be keeping an eye out for you while I'm at work."   "Right," he says, his voice flat, before attempting to shake it off for the sake of politeness. He walks over to the bench and holds out a hand to shake, "Julius. Nice to meet you."   Rue stands up from the bench, brushing some invisible dust from their jeans before they shake Julius' hand, ''Pleasure to meet you too.'' They say after a moment, giving him a polite smile as they wonder why on earth Creel would need someone to look after an adolescent, or why he would task another adolescent to do so.   Creel's usual grin returns as he watches the polite interaction, "Alright then. Well, I'll let you kids get better acquainted. Here's some cash," he says, handing Rue another of his self-styled envelopes, "If there's any problems, you've got my number."   He's already walking away before Rue gets a chance to say anything else, giving his son a one-armed hug on his way past as a sign of some kind of affection. Within a moment, the two teenagers are alone, and Julius looks around a little awkwardly before speaking up, "So, uh... Rue. How do you know my Dad?"   Putting the envelope away in the inside pocket of their jacket, Rue nervously rubs the back of their neck. They wonder how much Julius knows about his father's business, and not wanting to put their foot in their mouth, they decide to play it safe.   ''I sometimes run errands for his work.'' They say with a shrug. ''So is there something you'd like to do? We could, err, grab a bite or something?''   "Huh. So, I guess I'm an errand, eh?" He says, shrugging as he looks away in thought, "Nah, I'm not really hungry yet. What's there to do here in Bathala? I live in Salanas, so I've only been here a few times."   ''Less of an errand, more of an odd job?'' Rue says jokingly, now faced with their next dilemma of the day: What do teens do in Bathala?   Having gone from living as an experiment to working for Creel, Rue realises that they've not exactly had a lot of time to be a normal teen. No longer having to survive day by day, they have had more free time over the past few months than they've ever had before, but it has mostly been filled with books and bed rest after getting shot or beaten up.   Though Rue is familiar with the city through their roaming and scoping for pickpocketing areas, they don't exactly feel confident recommending any kind of entertainment, ''Well...'' They start, visibly racking their brain for an idea. ''There's the mall, if there's any shops you'd like to visit... There's also a cinema next door to it, and a bowling alley...''   "Huh," Julius mutters, "You actually seem just as lost in this city as I do," he laughs, taking his phone out to try looking for an activity, "What do you do for fun? Surely you have something exciting going on in your life?"   ''Ummm... I read?'' Rue answers sheepishly, keen to leave the actual 'exciting' activities out of the conversation. ''Sorry. I know the city, I just... I never really had the time or money to do anything.''   He raises one brow and, satisfied by what he sees, puts his phone away, "Hang on. So, once you're done with school, you just go home and read all evening?" His tone was more surprised than judgemental, but it makes Rue think about just how abnormal their experience of adolescence has been.   ''I don't go to school, actually.'' Rue says with an awkward smile, contemplating how to explain themself. ''I... Grew up homeless, so school wasn't exactly in the picture for me. I just... Work and read... And make pancakes.''   "Oh wow," he says, scratching the back of his head as the awkwardness of his assumption washes over him, "That... must have been tough. Sorry."   ''Oh, no, it's fine,'' Rue stammers uncomfortably, uncertain how to handle the situation. ''I mean, it is what it is. I'm not homeless anymore, so that's... good? I suppose. I just-'' Taking a deep breath, they try to put an end to their awkward ramblings ''I'm just saying that I haven't really tried much around here. I'm happy to give you a tour of the area, but... Well, I guess we'll both just have to try something new.''   "Huh," he says, taking a moment to think, "Well then. I guess it's my job to show you how to have fun, the proper way." He flashes a toothy grin that's not entirely dissimilar to his father's, but doesn't quite give Rue the same sense of personal violation. He holds up his smartphone and continues, "I got some ideas. You up for a little adventure?"   ''Sure. You're my odd job for the day after all.'' Rue says with a matching smirk. ''Just don't make me do anything your dad will kill me for.'' They phrase it as another joke in the hope of hiding the very realistic concern, ''So where to?''   "Oh yeah, I'm sure the big bad hotel owner is gonna get you," he chuckles to himself, blissfully unaware of the nature of his father's enterprise, "But before he does, I'm thinking laser tag."   ''Laser tag sounds good,'' They say as they start to walk alongside Julius, ''So since you're the boss's kid, do I let you win, or are you happy for me to beat you?''   "Oh, fighting words!" He says, the awkwardness of before replaced with the easygoing joviality of youth, "You sound pretty confident for someone who just told me they spend all their free time with their nose in a book. What makes you so sure you can beat me?"   ''I also told you I used to be homeless,'' They quip back lightly, turning down the street towards the laser tag venue. ''So I've got some tricks up my sleeve.''   "Tricks involving firearms?" He asks, brow raised, "I have... questions."   “Not firearms,” Rue laughs, “but I’m sure there are other skills that come into play.”   "Hmm," he mutters, an inquisitive look in his eye, "I still have questions, but they can wait until after laser tag."   “Oh I have plenty of questions too, but first..” They turn towards the entrance to the laser tag venue, the retro pictures on the walls depicting a SWAT team seemingly at war with a group of soldiers? Rue uses some of the cash from the envelope to pay for their entry, then proceeds to put on the clunky vest with lights on the shoulders and back. They both get given the awkward plastic guns and are shown an instruction video that wouldn’t be out of place in the 80s. Then the fun commences, as Rue is guided to one entrance to the maze that will be their battle field, and Julius is ushered in the opposite direction.   At first, things go exactly as Rue had planned, as they crouch down low and sneak through the corridors, their senses sharp and their target clear. They look through one of the thin wooden walls to see Julius carefully moving in one direction, and they adjust their own course accordingly. They manage to get behind him, their own footsteps practically silent, and then they raise their weapon.   Only for the plastic to rub against the clunky vest, making their target aware of their location. They gasp as Julius spins around swiftly, his gun pointing in their direction. A shot rings out, and Rue is back in the warehouse, smoke curling up from the barrel, blood lazily oozing out of the wound on their side.   It takes Rue less than a second to pull themself out of it, assisted by the appalling alarm coming out of the tinny speaker on their chest, the lights flashing to confirm a successful hit from the enemy.   “Ah, crap.”   The rest of the game, Rue can’t shake the awkwardness, resulting in an astounding difference in their scores. They feel a little silly after their game is wrapped up, looking at the vest and matching weapon with a soured expression as they return the items.   “I really hate guns…” They mutter so softly it’s barely audible.   "Spoken like a sore loser," Julius says, appearing from over Rue's shoulder like a smug phantom, "You definitely spoke a big game, but I guess you underestimated... The Crown Jules!" He makes an imperious pose and awaits the adulation that he quickly becomes increasingly uncertain is coming.   Rue stands there for a while, savoring the increasingly squirming expression on Julius’ face before they sigh, bowing dramatically, “Oh mighty Lord Jules, your victory over me will be written about for years to come. I humbly request that we now go for lunch though, 'cause I’m starving.”   Julius is visibly relieved as he drops the act and stands down, "Well then, you're in luck. There's a Valentine's food market going on down at Mapelborne Square. All sorts of heart-shaped goodies for extortionate prices. How about it?"   “Sure, overpriced food market sounds great!” Rue says, pushing open the door to leave the stuffy venue. “So, my turn for a question: What’s Salanas like?”   "Oh is that how we're doing this?" he says as he walks through the door behind them, "It's... Kinda rough, y'know? If you turn down the wrong street at the wrong time, that could be it for you. No superheroes either. If you're not smart, there's no-one who's going to save you," he pauses for a moment, "So, my turn, right?" his face lights up a little after the darkness of his previous statements, "How'd you come to work for my dad?"   “Huh, that does sound rough.” Rue says a little surprised. “Well, I was still homeless at the time…” They start, carefully considering their answer. “Your dad caught me… well, he caught me stealing from his hotel. But rather than calling the police on me he offered me a job to earn my keep.” It felt wrong, making it sound like Creel’s actions were noble, but telling Julius about his dad’s actual profession… They couldn’t.   "Huh, fair enough," he says, seemingly satisfied by that answer, "So you're like... a personal assistant?"   “Hmmm… I’d say more of a gofer, probably? Or a bellhop?” Rue shrugs, pushing the button for the traffic light at the crossing. “I never actually got a proper title, I just help out where I can and he pays me for it.”   "Sounds like some sort of below-the-table henchman," he muses, chuckling to himself, "You sure you guys aren't in some sort of cartel?"   “It might not exactly be something to add to my resume,” Rue huffs, feeling a little uncomfortable with Julius hitting it on the nail, “But it’s kept me off the streets, so…” They turn left down Grace Road towards Mapleborne Park,“My turn: how often do you see your father?”   "Not much as of yet," he says, seemingly a little disappointed, "My Mum only saw right to introduce us a few months ago, and he seems pretty busy. But I'm hoping to attend the University of Bathala in a few months, so I might be able to come by more often. Maybe surprise the old man..." He takes another pause, grinning as he asks his next question, "What's the craziest thing you've seen while living on the streets?"   Rue feels an invisible hand wrap around their heart as Julius smiles, wondering what it will be like if he ever finds out the truth. They try to shrug off the feeling as they force themselves to smile at his question, “Depends on your definition of crazy,” They say teasingly, “Are we talking Stubby Sally's love affair with her chicken’ crazy, or ‘White Knight with a flamethrower trying to give the Railyard people a baptism of fire’ crazy?”   "Well, Sally sounds like quite the character," he says, as the pair turn the corner into the park grounds, "But, someone tried to set a bunch of homeless people on fire?"   “Yeah, that happened fairly recently, actually.” Rue says, remembering the deranged man. The closer they get to the market, the more the smells of freshly baked goods and other foods start to mingle together in the air. They decidedly prefer this mixture of scents over the perfume shop, their stomach agreeing with a growl, “He apparently wanted to absolve people’s sins by cleansing them in the ‘Light of God’.”   "Damn..." Julius replies, somewhat taken aback by the sudden shift in their conversation, "Was everyone alright? Did someone stop him?"   The pair move along the main path of the park, to a large space full of various stalls and tables selling a mixture of Valentine's themed foods and souvenirs. Both teen's mouths began to salivate as they beheld the veritable bounty presented to them on all sides. There was heart-shaped pizza and waffles, pink mac and cheese, red velvet cakes, exotic fruits, cupcakes, artisanal jams, and enough chocolate covered everything to sate even the most ravenous chocoholic.   “Hmm? Oh yeah, Suplex stopped him, so all is well.” Rue says, clearly distracted as they ogle the various Valentine’s Day sweets and their nose steering them towards a small stall. The treats on display look a little bit messy, the frosting shaky and some of the cakes a little uneven, but the scent has fully drawn them in.   Without checking with Julius first, Rue takes out a note and hands it over to the old lady behind the table, pointing at two heart shaped cakes with pink icing and what smells like a praline filling. The old woman bags the treats and hands them over, “Want something savoury before we have these?”   "Wow. I've never seen someone home in on a treat at a market so quickly. You sure know what you like," he says, chuckling as he nods along, "I wouldn't mind seeing why that mac and cheese is pink."   Turns out, the secret to the pink mac and cheese is pureed beetroot. The scent is subtle, surrounded as it is by all the various aromas of the market, but definitely there, and Rue follows along like the dutiful chaperone they are while Julius takes his pick, "You want one, Rue?" he asks as he chats up the elderly woman behind the counter.   "Ah, what a... lovely young lady," she says, the subtleties of Rue's gender identity missed on her as she cooes at the pair, "You make a lovely couple."   “Oh, uhh- no, we…” Rue feels their cheeks go about as pink as the mac and cheese. “I-I’ll have a portion, thank you…” They hold out the cash for the woman, looking down at their feet as she packs two paper boxes of the beetroot cheesy pasta.   "Wow," Julius says, chuckling at Rue's expense as the two depart from the mac and cheese stall, his bounty in tow, "Didn't expect the street-smart tough guy to be so easily embarrassed."   Rue pouts a little, shooting Julius a half-hearted glare. “I’m not going to tell off a nice old lady like that,” They say before lowering their voice, “I can deal with being called a ‘lady’, but the ‘couple’ thing is just weird…”   "Alright, tough guy. It's over now," he says, seemingly unperturbed by the old woman's mistake, much to Rue's frustration, "Let's just sit on the grass and you can tell me more about the exciting life of a Railyard kid..."   ''You want to know about Stubby Sally, don't you?'' Rue teases, sitting down on the grass and taking one of the boxes of mac and cheese, handing Julius one of the bagged treats in return.   "I was thinking more about the supervillain. We don't really get any of that over in Salanas," he says, opening his box and stabbing at the contents with a little plastic fork, "Though I'm sure Sally is quite the character."   “One maniac with a flamethrower doth not a supervillain make,” They say in between mouthfuls of mac and cheese. “Average villain, maybe? Besides, Suplex took care of him pretty quickly, so it’s not the most interesting story.”   "Hmm, I suppose not. Though you've really got no knack for storytelling," he says, chuckling as he takes another forkful of pasta and cheese, "Still, must've been pretty cool to see a superhero in action, huh?"   “See, that’s the other thing… I didn’t see much of it. When someone is trying to burn everyone around him, most people tend to turn the other way and run,” Rue shrugs, “I saw bits and pieces, but I wasn’t going to stay nearby, I didn’t fancy getting caught in the middle.”   "Huh. I guess not," he says as he finishes the box and moves on to the cupcake, "How about while working for my dad? Any interesting errands?"   “Hmmm…” Rue makes a show of thinking that over as they scrape the last of their pasta out of the box. “Not really, sorry. Just running errands for the richer clientele. You know how they can be, needing a specific coffee brand in the morning, stuff like that.”   They open up the bag containing their dessert, the sweet aroma making them salivate. Taking a small bite, the flavours blend together into something Rue can only describe as pure delight, “Ohm’g’dtha’ssogood!”   "Damn, you really do know how to put an... interesting spin on everything, Rue," he chuckles, leaning back on his elbows as he looks over at the skyscraper under construction in the distance, standing like a beacon above the rest of the city, the metal and what little glasswork had been placed reflecting the light of the soon-to-be setting sun. He polishes off his own cupcake, finding it similarly enchanting though maybe not as vocally as Rue, "Any idea what that place is gonna be?"   “An eyesore, for sure.” Rue says, pulling a face at the unfinished building. “Some sort of business… something. An office? I’m not sure. It won’t be new housing for anyone at the Railyard, that’s for sure.”   "Huh... Sounds lame," he says, taking a moment before continuing, "Wanna check it out?"   Rue looks at Julius for a moment then shrugs, “Sure, why not.”   They get up from the grass, wiping some of the dirt from their jeans before they collect their trash and chuck it in the nearest bin. Rue leads them towards the construction site, pointing out little things here and there for Julius to see - a popular cafe here, a cool piece of graffiti there, and a small secondhand bookshop on the edge of the Recreation District. They guide him through narrow alleyways and wider streets alike, taking the shortest route towards the building.   "It's a nice town, you live in. Nothing like Salanas at all," he explains, his hands in his pockets as the two approach the tarp-covered fences of the site, "Seems like anyone worth having around moved over the bay, and now it's like a city on life-support," his eyes scan upwards over the shell that will one-day be a building. Currently standing at around thirty storeys, the tower is a fairly bare expanse of concrete foundations and rebar support beams and, while the bones of something modern and new are there, glistening in the form of glass walls being erected on the lowest levels, to Rue the whole thing was just another reminder of the divide between those with money and those without.   "Magnificent, isn't it?" Julius says as his eyes return to ground level, looking to Rue for some sort of validation.   “Sounds like you really hate your home town. I guess you’re excited to leave it behind soon?” Rue comments not unkindly, their gaze following the bare bones of the building up into the sky. There’s a frown on their face as they look up, their distaste evident on their eyes. “It’s… impressive, I guess, there’s a lot of craftsmanship in there… but I don’t think I can call it magnificent.”   "I don't hate Salanas," he says, a hint of melancholy in his voice, "I just think it's sad to see a place with such a rich history fall on hard times like it has. It's why I want to go to University. I'm taking courses on urban planning and politics so I can go back there and fix up the place. Make it nice for my Mum. I don't want her getting old and being afraid to go outside, you know?"   He pauses for a moment, his passion evident on his face before he turns back to the building, "Ah, maybe you don't see it like I do. Firstly, it's a sign of a city on the ups. This town will be the capital one day, just you wait. And second... Did I ever tell you what we do for fun in Salanas?"   “Wow… that’s really cool, actually. I hope that works out for you.” Rue says, turning to look at Julius with a smile. A part of them wonders just how far Creel’s influence will change Julius over time, and they can’t help but feel a pang of concern at that notion, “Please just tell me it’s no more laser tag..”   "Nope," he says, returning their smile with a renewed sense of excitement, "One good thing about living in a dying city is that we've got more abandoned buildings and old warehouses than you can shake a stick at."   He takes a quick look around the pair before hucking his rucksack over the fence, "Perfect for a bit of urban exploration," he continues, before throwing himself bodily against the fence and, with surprising agility for someone so lanky, pulls himself to the top, "You coming, Rue?"   Rue’s jaw drops as Julius climbs over the fence, “Oh for f-“   They sigh, pinching the bridge of their nose. Making a quick decision, Rue listens and looks around carefully before swiftly jumping up and over the fence themself, ushering them both further away from it in case anyone decides to walk past and spots them.   “You know your dad will kill me if he finds out about this, right?”   "Ah, c'mon Rue. I said we'd go on an adventure. You didn't just think I meant laser tag and pink pasta, did you?" He grins as he takes in the sights of the construction site, "Besides, there's no-one here, and can you really say you've been killed unless you spend some time truly living?"   With a mischievous wink, Julius picks up his rucksack off the ground and makes his way towards the concrete foundations. He wanders over and picks up a dusty hard hat off of a table, throwing one in Rue's direction and calling something along the lines of "Safety first," as he places his own onto his head.   In terms of giving them a headache, Rue is starting to see some distinct similarities between father and son. Putting on the hard hat, they quickly catch up with Julius, who had disappeared deeper into the unfinished structure.   “So what exactly would be adventurous about this?” They ask sceptically, keeping their senses sharp just in case. “In an old, abandoned building, I’d get it: it’s got the spooky factor. But a new build?”   "Oh yeah, the spook factor is a big one. If ever you're in Salanas, I could show you some shit," he says as he surveys the building from every angle he can, "In most cases, I'd be inclined to agree with you. After all, not every construction site is a mob body disposal sight. But this is already the tallest building in either city," he looks up the side, marvelling at its incredible height, "What do you think the view's like from up there?"   “I’m not sure about the view, but the words ‘windy’ and ‘unstable’ come to mind…” Rue groans. “On the bright side, your dad might not kill me if we fall to our deaths first.”   "That's the spirit, Rue," he says, nudging their arm as he strides ahead, quicker than they can reasonably react to, "Adventure or death. You've definitely got the right attitude for urban exploration."   “I’m not sure that’s a compliment.” Rue remarks, following suit.   Thankfully, the first several floors already have some degree of staircases in them, and so the pair start climbing towards the higher levels. The temperature starts to drop, both due to their height and the gradually approaching sunset.   Still wary that someone might see them, Rue keeps their senses trained, never straying too far from Julius’ side. If they could have somehow tethered themself to the boy, they would have, the thought of a sudden gust of wind blowing him off the unfinished platforms vividly playing in the back of their mind.   Much to their surprise, Julius seems fairly sure-footed as they ascend the bare concrete staircases of the building, taking a moment here and there to take a few quick photos on his phone, turning it towards the two of them as they near what qualifies as a roof in the buildings current state, "Hey, Rue. Say cheese."   “Ah yes, evidence of our B&E, that’s what we were missing.” Rue shakes their head in disbelief. Nevertheless, they give a small smile just as the shutter on Julius’ phone clicks.   Truth is, the view was absolutely breathtaking. With the sun setting, the sky was coloured a mixture of pink, orange, and purple. The street lights were slowly starting to turn on, the streets steadily becoming less crowded as the evening progressed. It was a surprisingly tranquil view for a place bursting with life.   "Always love a bit of incriminating evidence," he says fondly as he looks at the picture in his gallery, "Something to remember a pretty great day out."   He clicks his phone locked and walks towards the edge of the building, setting Rue's every instinct on edge, before taking a seat on the bare concrete overlooking the Industrial and Seafaring districts, the bay, and Salanas off in the distance.   "Wow," he mutters, his eyes almost glistening as he looks over the twin cities, "Really puts things in perspective, doesn't it?"   Rue has to bite back a comment about his father loving a bit of incriminating evidence too as they carefully shuffle closer to the edge, taking a seat next to him, “Does it?” Rue asks genuinely, not sure if they can see the same thing Julius can.   "Yeah..." he says, wistfully, before noticing Rue's bewilderment, "Here, let me show you. See that building over there?" He says, pointing towards a dingy-looking tenement in the outskirts of Salanas.   Rue follows where Julius is pointing, frowning confused, “Yes? What about it?”   "That's where me and my mum live. And that," he points at the hospital building on the other end of the city, "That's where I was born. My mum has never been anywhere beyond that. Never been able to afford it," his voice gets a little shallower as he talks again about his mother, "That little stretch of land is her whole world, but when you look at it from here, it all looks so tiny. Even all of this," he gestures over the city below, "is just a tiny fraction of a great big world out there. It makes me think about how insignificant all our little single person problems are, you know?"   “Ah…” Rue says vaguely. Though they understand his point now, it feels like something they can’t fully relate to. Having grown up the way they had, Rue has always been made to believe that their own problems were insignificant, and so the perspective that seems to somehow comfort Julius doesn’t have the same effect on them. It merely confirms what they already knew to be true.   “If you could take your mum anywhere in the world, anywhere away from that little stretch of land, where would you go?”   "Man, you're really bad at this," He says, chuckling to himself as he settles in, offering Rue a seat on the edge nearby, "Guess you're not really the existential crisis type, eh?"   He smiles and looks back over the city, "Fine, I'll play along. I'd probably take her to one of those tropical islands somewhere. Show her what living near a coastline should be like. Y'know, beaches and stuff," he pauses for a moment, thinking of some tropical paradise only ever seen in a tropical juice ad, "How about you? Where do you wanna go?"   “Sorry…” Rue says awkwardly, fidgeting with the hem of their hoodie, “I… don’t know.” They start, looking out over the city. “I never even considered getting out of here, I’ve always felt like there’s nowhere for me to go… I guess, if I had a choice, I’d like to go somewhere warm.”   "Jealous of my tropical island, eh? Don't worry, you can visit sometime."   “Geez, your generosity knows no bounds, does it?” Rue snorts, softly nudging Julius’ shoulder.   He rocks to one side, allowing the mild force to push him against a pillar, "Thanks for today, Rue." He says, smiling earnestly, "It's been really nice doing something a little different for a change."   “I’ve got to say, as far as jobs go, hanging out with you hasn’t been the worst either.” They tease, mirroring the smile. “It’s been fun.”