>TRUTH
You consider the possibility of lying, of assuring Eiko that you did meet her brother. How they were a noble nice guy that didn't deserve to get cannibalized by their own gang. Or maybe a manipulative coldblooded boss that deserved what was coming to them. Though, wouldn't that paint you even worse?
You decide to tell the truth in all its mundane ugliness, your hand falling away, "Nope, never met him. Never saw him. Didn't know what he was about, honestly. To me, this was just business. If it wasn't me and my goods, Julien would've found another way, believe me, but I won't pretend that I didn't co-sign that check in a way."
Eiko stays silent at your admission, her ears slowly pulling back.
You press on, a manic edge to your voice, "Hah, you know, I try not to think too hard about this sorta thing. With your brother, the city here, and all its broken people. The way that it's come together, it's like I just appear in people's lives suddenly, make them worse with some sort of deal, then fight an angel and vanish. Talking about it like this... it kinda sounds like I'm some sort of demon, doesn't it?"
"But if I think too hard about the people I gotta step over in this business, well, that's a fast way to die in it. Compassion's not something I can sell myself or other people on."
"I knew at least one guy it happened to. We ran into each other more than a handful of times. Jolly fella, seemed like. An arms dealer like me. Didn't need a wing to travel, just used this fancy magitech device. They exported goods from their homeworld all the time, real good stuff, the kind that gets you more than plenty in bounty hunters and other clientele either trying to kill you or sucking your dick."
Your voice stays casual in its manicness. You can only talk about this in jest. To think about it too seriously... It's not within your mental state.
"We crossed paths one time. I don't remember too much about it, what we talked about, but we were out by a bridge looking at the water. Guy seemed like the usual. Crackin' jokes. Then they handed me a pouch and told me it was a gift. I thought, man, what's the occasion?"
There's no pause between your words.
"Didn't answer me then. We said our goodbyes, I turned around. Then, well.." You mime the gesture, "You can guess what happened from there." You don't mention how you laughed after. How you threw up. How you ground through a set of molars trying to figure out whether to bury them or contact their family. How in the end, you rolled the body into the water and watched it float away into the horizon. How as you watched, a part of you felt jealous.
You take a deep breath, the sound almost a laugh, "But you know what? Forget I said anything. Yeah, I'm the shithead that sold Julien the guns he used to kill your brother. A person who was just a concept to me and nothin more. Business as usual."
And what is there, to sugarcoat?
You have to hammer it in, "To be like me, can you do what I do? Julien's a fucking idiot killing traders that he shouldn't, but what about the next guy you have to step on? Can you kill another one like your brother? Can you be at peace with that? If there's a kinder life that you want to live, I can't help you find that."
Eiko stands abruptly, cutting you out of your spell. You expect her to say something as she clutches her mug tightly with both hands.
....
There's the swing of movement--
"THAT'S FOR MY BROTHER, ASSHOLE!"
The hot tea burns your face on contact, soaking your hair and smattering your clothes, though you caught the movement soon enough to close your eyes. That would've sucked. The pain of the hot liquid stings as it cools on your skin. Overall negligible. You can already feel your skin starting to heal itself in itchy prickling waves.
Eiko stomps away a few seconds after you wipe your eyes. You only get the tail end of her exit before you hear a door slam and the sound of a loud vent turn on. She must've entered the bathroom.
Well... You guess you kind of deserved that. Though that's another jacket ruined in just one day. Now you are sticky, wet (not in a good way), bloody, hungry, and broke.
Fuck, you could go for a smoke right now...
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED! VEX'S NO GOOD VERY BAD DAY
Despite Eiko's outburst, your relationship with her has not gotten any worse than it already was.
What will you do?
Options:
>A)Try to Reconcile w/ Eiko
>B)Sneak a Peek into Eiko's Room
>C)Smoke on the Balcony
>D)Check Phone
>E)Check Status Window
>F)____