Inbox, We're Still Here

[13thcommander]

"Hello, this is Erwin Smith. I'm unavailable at the moment; please leave a message and I will contact you as soon as I'm able."


ACCEPTED: WALKIE TALKIE
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ACCEPTED: 323 MIDWICH STREET
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Comments

[undiagnosed]

Obviously, [he shoots back, though there's not as much confidence behind that statement as there might usually be. it's a little hard to stay so egotistical right now, you know? his mind flies back to lana, the mother of his child, telling him outright she wished he'd never woken up, and the awful sting that came with it.

she was angry. archer hates himself for letting it get to him, for even bothering to wonder if she ever loved him in the first place.] No, 'm fine. Ugh. She doesn't-- just don't tell her.

[13thcommander]

Obviously.

[Now this, this is fascinating. Is this a crack in Archer's armor? Erwin's eyes brighten, and he's paying closer attention than he was a moment before.]

I won't tell her. Now, did you drive here or take the bus? Whether I escort you home or not, you aren't going to try and walk it.

[Does Archer actually care about Rapunzel?]

[undiagnosed]

Drive, [he says, trying to stand and cursing that even with the support of his cane, his bad leg is still too... he's not sure. tense? god, this better not have made his nerve damage fucking worse. that would be just his luck. a bolt of pain shoots right up his thigh and into his back when he tries to put weight on it, making him almost cry out.] Fucking-- I'll get a cab back. Shit.

[no way he can drive like this. his head is still pounding, vision swimming, he's still seeing things in the corner of his vision that he knows aren't there, and he doesn't know if it's because of almost dying or because he's losing his mind or both.]

[13thcommander]

[When Erwin sees that Archer is about to buckle, he takes a few steps closer, lifting his arm so Archer can grab it if he needs to. If he'd rather faceplant than grab onto Erwin, that's his voice too.]

What kind of car do you have? If it's an automatic transmission, I can drive you home.

[Erwin walked here, so he won't be leaving a car behind, and he's very proud of his newly acquired driving skills.]

And, ah... if you still have the keys.

[Or are they at the bottom of the ocean, somewhere in another world?]

[undiagnosed]

Manual, jackass. [he groans that out, gritting his teeth against the pain. for some reason, he feels like if erwin sees him cry out in pain or show any weakness then erwin wins. wins what, he's not sure, but that's how it's always been. how he was raised.] I... don't know. I can hotwire it.

[he's not sure where anything ended up, to be honest. he uses erwin to stabilise himself, leaning far too heavily on him.]

[13thcommander]

Ah. It doesn't matter, then. I can only drive an automatic transmission.

[Erwin wouldn't think less of Archer for being in pain, or having a very human reaction to his trauma. If anything, it would improve Erwin's opinion. But he also knows what's it like to never show weakness, for fear the wolves would tear you apart.]

You'll have to come back later with Rapunzel's keys to get it. We'll get you a cab home.

[Susan wanders back over, carrying the film Erwin came here for today. Maybe Glenn was insulted by Archer, and sent Susan to deal with the two difficult clients today. Erwin turns to deal with her, and have everything rung up and put on his tab.]

Finish getting dressed and we'll go find a cab for you.

[undiagnosed]

Useless.

[he grabs the clothes from susan without a thanks, glaring at her.]

You better delete this CCTV footage. I mean it. [he'll break in and do it himself, if he has to. maybe. probably not. he's way too tired to think ahead.] No money.

[13thcommander]

I only have one arm, Archer. How would you suggest I shift and steer at the same time?

[Jerk.]

[Erwin has no idea what CCTV footage is, but he rolls his eyes at Susan. Yes, he knows they're being pains in the ass, and they'll be out of her hair soon.]

I'll pay for it. I'm going to have us driven to your neighborhood and dropped off at your front door. I trust you'll be able to handle it from there.

[undiagnosed]

I could do the shifting, [he says, genuinely thoughtfully. he doesn't actually think erwin is useless, he's just.

you know.

a raging asshole.]

[13thcommander]

... all right.

[Erwin has read about shifting in his driving book; he's pretty confident he can figure out the feet part. How hard can it be?]

When you're feeling better, though, I want to learn how to start a car without keys.

[Erwin, no.]