[He makes sure Ronan has had enough time to get to sleep before he says or does anything. He caught that uncertainty, he knows that Ronan finds it difficult - or impossible - to tell him apart from the imposter. Adam's not angry about it, he can see they're identical, he can easily see the possibilities for confusion there. Confusion and worse. This thing does not have good intentions.
His double seems to be waiting for Ronan to fall asleep as well. He smiles.]
He's afraid I'll replace you. I should, too, I'd do a better job at being you than you do.
[The double takes a step forward, and Adam's hand tightens on the gun. He feels like the solution here is both obvious and inevitable. He can't pretend he hasn't been thinking of it, considering it. It would keep Ronan safe, when tying it up or imprisoning it would only leave the door open for more deception. If it got out, or even if it just got under Ronan's skin -]
He'll let his guard down eventually. You know that, right? You're a weakness that I'm more than happy to exploit. Even if he knows I'm not you, he'll listen. You already saw that.
[The real Adam does not want to get involved in conversation. He doesn't want to talk to this thing, he doesn't want to give it any ammunition, anything it could use against either of them. But he presses his lips together and speaks, because he needs to be sure.]
And that's what you want? You're not going to stop?
[His double is calm, confident. It shrugs, like the answer is obvious.]
Have you ever stopped when there was something you wanted?
[Which is, of course, enough of an answer for Adam. The choice is clear. Leave this creature alive and deal with its constant attempts to - well, accomplish whatever its goals are. Upsetting Ronan, or trying to trick him, or trying to get to Adam somehow. Or Adam can end this now.
He raises the gun, takes a breath. His double smiles.]
If the gun were in my hands, you'd have had a bullet between your eyes ages ago. We really aren't very different - you always had the capacity for this. Just like dear old dad. I wonder what Ronan will say?
[Adam falters, but only for a moment. He can't let it get to him. He isn't sure if this is the right thing, but from where he's standing, it's the only practical thing. His life, Ronan's life will be in danger as long as this thing is walking around. And whatever it is, it isn't a person. Adam knows that. It's a trick, something from the gods or the Door or - something.
That doesn't really make it easier, but it makes it possible. He squeezes the trigger. There's only a few feet of distance between them, and though Adam has never shot anyone before he isn't totally unfamiliar with firing a gun. He aims for the heart, rather than the head, to give himself more of a chance. He fires three times, to be sure.
He doesn't want to have to do this again.
His double's body falls, and though part of Adam feared it would say another awful thing with its last breath, it's nearly dead by the time it hits the ground. He watches it breathe its last, labored and stuttering, feeling distant and cold and sick to his stomach.
There's blood on the ground. It isn't breathing anymore.
Adam doesn't know what he'll tell Ronan. He doesn't know what this makes him.]
no subject
His double seems to be waiting for Ronan to fall asleep as well. He smiles.]
He's afraid I'll replace you. I should, too, I'd do a better job at being you than you do.
[The double takes a step forward, and Adam's hand tightens on the gun. He feels like the solution here is both obvious and inevitable. He can't pretend he hasn't been thinking of it, considering it. It would keep Ronan safe, when tying it up or imprisoning it would only leave the door open for more deception. If it got out, or even if it just got under Ronan's skin -]
He'll let his guard down eventually. You know that, right? You're a weakness that I'm more than happy to exploit. Even if he knows I'm not you, he'll listen. You already saw that.
[The real Adam does not want to get involved in conversation. He doesn't want to talk to this thing, he doesn't want to give it any ammunition, anything it could use against either of them. But he presses his lips together and speaks, because he needs to be sure.]
And that's what you want? You're not going to stop?
[His double is calm, confident. It shrugs, like the answer is obvious.]
Have you ever stopped when there was something you wanted?
[Which is, of course, enough of an answer for Adam. The choice is clear. Leave this creature alive and deal with its constant attempts to - well, accomplish whatever its goals are. Upsetting Ronan, or trying to trick him, or trying to get to Adam somehow. Or Adam can end this now.
He raises the gun, takes a breath. His double smiles.]
If the gun were in my hands, you'd have had a bullet between your eyes ages ago. We really aren't very different - you always had the capacity for this. Just like dear old dad. I wonder what Ronan will say?
[Adam falters, but only for a moment. He can't let it get to him. He isn't sure if this is the right thing, but from where he's standing, it's the only practical thing. His life, Ronan's life will be in danger as long as this thing is walking around. And whatever it is, it isn't a person. Adam knows that. It's a trick, something from the gods or the Door or - something.
That doesn't really make it easier, but it makes it possible. He squeezes the trigger. There's only a few feet of distance between them, and though Adam has never shot anyone before he isn't totally unfamiliar with firing a gun. He aims for the heart, rather than the head, to give himself more of a chance. He fires three times, to be sure.
He doesn't want to have to do this again.
His double's body falls, and though part of Adam feared it would say another awful thing with its last breath, it's nearly dead by the time it hits the ground. He watches it breathe its last, labored and stuttering, feeling distant and cold and sick to his stomach.
There's blood on the ground. It isn't breathing anymore.
Adam doesn't know what he'll tell Ronan. He doesn't know what this makes him.]