[attr="class","beck"]something catches in his throat but he forces it out.

"you'll never be safe with me."

the walls close in, suffocating, and he deals with it the only way he knows how. he stands, turns towards the door, and leaves.

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

Beckett turns to leave, as he always does.

"I won't be any safer without you."

There's a sharpness in his tone, but it's not anger. It's hurt.

"You're one of the only people I can trust anymore."

[attr="class","beck"]something stops him in his tracks. he stops, lingering close to the door. his gaze remains elsewhere as he asks:

"what do you mean?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

"They're turning on me. All of them. Even Chu-e—"

His breath shakes softly on the inhale.

He thinks of when the other underboss had confronted him in his office, how cold he'd been before their masks had inevitably fallen away. He thinks, too, of Oscar, of Emma and Rowan, of Plank.

"I'm scared, Theo. I thought I could trust them, but..."

[attr="class","beck"]is this paranoia or something else entirely?

he sighs, allowing something akin to anger but not quite wash over his expression. it hardens as he walks back over.

"tell me what happened. start with choi."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

He half expects Beckett to leave anyway; it takes a moment to readjust. Something in the hardness of Theo's expression, in the demand, reminds Gavin of Kanto.

It's reassuring in a way he's not sure he understands.

"It's — really complicated, with Chu-e," Gavin admits. "He's not been entirely himself, but—"

But that didn't change the reason Gavin was afraid.

"He came to me the other day, said they've started to go to him about me. That they're scared of me, that they think I'm going to be like Silas."

It's not exactly how Choi had worded it, but it's the fears Gavin had clung to.

[attr="class","beck"]"that's fucking stupid."

he almost spits his words out, disbelieved. a couple names fill his head and though he has his suspicions, he thinks it best to ask:

"who?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

Gavin's eyes widen at the sharpness of Theo's tone, but he doesn't seem frightened so much as surprised by the firm conviction behind them.

His expression pinches at the question.

"I don't know. He wouldn't give me names."

It felt to Gavin like he wasn't trusted with the information. Like if he'd been given names he might've justified the fears of those who owned them.

"I've given everything for Rocket."

[attr="class","beck"]"you have."

they both have. they both would die for rocket if asked. it's what makes the bitter sting of betrayal so potent.

"i'll find out who."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

It's this feeling he clings to: to be trusted, protected, cared about.

He has climbed ever higher since they'd sent him to Hoenn, looked out for himself when no one else could. He didn't always need support, but he craved it. To know that he wasn't alone. That if Rocket turned on him, there would be those that mourned rather than celebrated.

"I trust you."

That's what it all comes down to, in the end. Trust.

"And when you do?"

[attr="class","beck"]this rocket isn't the same anymore. he knows this, and it's why he hesitates when questioned.

but he trusts cillian.

"i'll let you know."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

It's the answer he's looking for. Gavin's expression softens.

"Thank you, Theo."

There's weight behind the words that suggests such gratitude could be attributed to so much more than the incident in front of them. He owed Beckett everything.

[attr="class","beck"]"it's fine."

gratitude is shrugged off, discarded for familiarity in hopes of finding comfort. he lingers in the area for a moment, then asks:

"anything else?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn