[Author’s Note: We've returned to Daryl and Rin, a week after the events of episode 53.]
It had been nearly a week since Daryl managed to wheedle any information out of Rin. In that conversation (if it could be called one) he had learned only a little about her real reason for hunting Proteges, but at least it was something. Most important, this success — such as it was — emboldened him.
Nonetheless, he still had to tread lightly. Rin’s good temper miraculously had persisted since then, and Daryl wondered whether he finally was doing something right. If so, he was loathe to risk upsetting the pleasant balance which had been established.
However, favoring domestic tranquility over information would squander a valuable opportunity. What sort of soldier would make that choice? He wasn’t with Rin for domestic tranquility. In fact, domestic tranquility was anathema to his purpose. It was a sign of weakness. His purpose was to destroy Rin, not play house with her — though he suspected it was impossible to do that for long anyway.
To destroy her required information, and information couldn’t be come by without risk. Or so he told himself. As much as he would have liked to pretend such purity of motive, the questions which presented themselves (and had any chance of being answered) offered little promise in that regard. They could better be described as matters of personal curiosity.
What finally decided Daryl was something entirely different, though he would have been hard pressed to admit it. Angry Rin was unpleasant to be around — very unpleasant — and he had no desire to court her company. But Calm Rin did him no good. Among other things, he was growing bored with her.
More important, the upcoming action against Karkov was imminent, and her lack of clarity about it troubled him. In fact, he found it downright infuriating. Rin had roped him into this operation the night of their reunion, without even bothering to wait for his anger and grief and confusion over Sree to subside. Or maybe that was precisely why she did it then.
She made it sound as if his participation was crucial and that she had waited for him, even going so far as to complain that he took so long to find her. As if the whole damned thing wasn’t her fault. Everything was her fault. Karkov’s very existence was her fault, as was Sree’s and Sree’s fate and and all the awful things that had and would happen. There was very little which was not Rin’s fault.
Naturally, he said yes.
Like many a lover, Daryl discovered that Rin’s attentions dissipated once she had what she wanted. At least in this matter. Her other attentions were just as frequent and painful and incredible as ever. But it wasn’t those which concerned him. They wouldn’t get him killed. Probably.
Once Daryl had been recruited, his role reverted from partner back to lapdog, though he suspected lapdogs got more respect. Among other things, Rin only shared a few details of the supposedly marvelous plan she had concocted while they were apart. This made her present carefree attitude all the more irritating.
If she wouldn’t discuss the plan with him, Rin didn’t deserve to be carefree. The least she could do was answer some questions. She owed him that. But even in his current foul mood, Daryl was careful what to ask. He wished to leave the door open to future questions and certainly preferred not to make the coming week hell.
He began by buttering her up with breakfast in bed. Even if Rin was suspicious of this unusual gesture, she did not voice any objection. Finally, when she seemed in an abnormally good humor, he ventured his question.
“Why did you send me away?”
Daryl cringed at the sudden fire in Rin’s eyes, but it quickly abated. She looked away, with an air of annoyance.
“Why this, all of a sudden?”
Daryl shrugged. “I’ve always wondered.”
“Always? I doubt you wondered before it happened,” Rin snarked. Regarding him coldly, she smiled. “I see. You figured that you had me in a good mood and decided to fix that. What are you angling for?”
Daryl exhaled and stood, as much to get out of striking range as to exhibit his frustration. The best way to forestall Rin’s fury, he had found, was to preempt it with his own. She was less apt to physically attack if confronted than appeased. Whether this was from contempt for weakness or thrill in the heat, Daryl was unsure. But it was enough that it worked — most of the time. When it didn’t, there were a few more bruises than usual.
However, Rin never took it too far. The reason for this also was unclear to Daryl. He hoped it was intentional, but who could say. Maybe he just had been lucky so far.
To his relief, the gambit succeeded this time. Rin’s eyes lit, and she stood to confront him.
“Well?” She shoved him, but it was playful.
“I’m angling for an answer,” he barked. “Some crazed bitch threw me out and told me to find her or she’d kill me. I think I have a right to know why.”
Rin counted on her fingers, and made as if to knee Daryl in the groin each time, stopping just short.
“One, I did not throw you out. I left. Two, you have no rights. I gave you your life, and you don’t even have a right to that. Don’t presume. And three … well, I don’t have a third.”
This didn’t prevent a third knee kick, this time so close that Daryl felt the beginnings of contact. He was wearing baggy pants, so how did she know where to stop? He wondered if she really did.
“I notice you didn’t dispute being a crazed bitch. You should have used that as your third,” Daryl noted.
Suddenly laughing, Rin draped her arms over him. “But I’m not a crazed bitch. I’m your crazed bitch. That’s why they call me Rin.”
“Is that what it means?” Daryl asked, curious despite himself.
“No.”
“So what of it?” he prompted, after a moment.
“What of what?” Rin seemed distracted, as if lost in thought.
“Why did you send me away?”
A flash of anger crossed Rin’s face, but then she sighed. With a defeated air, she withdrew her arms and slumped down on the bed. “Well, I suppose you deserve to know.”
“Was it because I angered you?” Daryl suggested.
“You mean like now?” she snapped. “Maybe we should do a repeat.” Rin looked around for a moment, but her voice returned to normal. “If I sent you away whenever you angered me, I’d never see you.”
She stood and busied herself clearing the breakfast tray from the bed. “Which probably would be a good thing.”
Daryl watched her expectantly, and she put the dishes back on the table and sat down again.
“Fine, fine, shut the fuck up and stop with that stupid puppy dog face. I sent you away because I needed to.”
As ordered, he didn’t say anything, and she continued. “It would have been inconvenient to schlep you all over while dodging Sree.” Seeing that Daryl was about to ask something, she quickly continued. “I also hoped she would reconsider after traveling with you for a while.”
In response to his look of utter disbelief, Rin frowned. “Well you had fun together, didn’t you?”
“Fun?” Daryl growled, feeling a surge of rage. No, a tantrum was just what she wanted. Then they’d fight and he’d lose and by the time all the punching and cursing and fucking was done, the question would be long dead. With some effort, he got ahold of himself. She wouldn’t get off with her typical Rin evasiveness. Throwing all caution to the wind, he glared at her.
“That’s bullshit. How the hell did you know we’d end up together? Karkov sent her, not you.” He realized his mistake as the words left his mouth. An odd expression flitted across Rin’s face, before vanishing into whatever void she contained or contained her. Or so Daryl hoped. For a second, he had seen surprise followed by suspicion, and he did not relish where suspicion could lead. To his relief, she cozied up to him.
“So you were together, were you?”
Often, when Daryl is trying to get Rin to slip up, he ends up slipping instead, poor guy.