Logs:Identical

Identical

"--the bad guy you shouldn't let into your life, that sort of thing."

Players

Hyde Park
20 August, 2022

Gareth uncovers something strange about Miel and shares his worries with Darwin. Idle talk of fairy tales.

The timing is so coincidental it's suspicious. Miel has gone out to do whatever he does, and but *five* minutes have gone by before there's a banging on Darwin's apartment door, an urgent knocking. If there's any question as to who it is, Gareth is hissing into the frame of the door. "Dar! Darwin! Open the door! It's urgent!"

Darwin startles in his kitchen, pulling his pan of half-cooked omelet off the stove to rush to the door. There's a short pause as he works through the various door locks, and finally opens the door, eyes wide. "Gar? You okay?" He tugs him inside.

Gareth is unharmed, but he looks worried, yelping as he's pulled in through the door. "I'm fine! Are *you* okay?!" he asks, looking over Darwin like he's worried that something might have happened to him.

Darwin looks fine! Maybe slightly tired and his hair hasn't been combed today, but. "I'm fine. Gareth, you're worrying me..." Just then, his phone buzzes as a text from Miel comes through. Darwin doesn't look over.

"It's about Miel!" Gareth explains, stomping into the apartment and glaring balefully at the sofa. "He's not... who he says he is," he hisses, pointing at the couch. "I looked him up, Miel Feldman, married to Will Parker, lives with his husband in Streeterville and works for the city of Chicago as a litigator. And yes it's him, I found his social media and they look identical. And before you say, maybe he's having a hard time with his husband, he most definitely is *not*, I bumped into him at his office while Not-Miel was *here*. So I don't know what the fuck is going on, Dar," he says, pacing around Darwin's apartment, hands animated. "But that is *not* Miel Feldman!"

Darwin's eyes widen even further. He's silent for a moment, stepping away from the kitchenette to draw Gareth towards the living room. "Just so I get this straight... you think Miel might be impersonating someone? You... went to this person's /office/?"

"Yes! Except he looks *exactly* the same as him so maybe he's his twin? I dunno! But he's lying about who he is, Darwin!" Gareth says, nodding firmly. "So I don't know who you've got in your place and that *worries* me, also your friend Alan is an asshole."

Darwin sits heavily at the bar on the other side of the kitchenette, chewing his lip. "Miel wouldn't lie! He's just... look. He went missing a while ago. I don't know the details. Maybe someone stole his identity? You said they look /exactly/ like him? Show me his page." He reaches for phone. "Oh, yeah, Alan's an asshole. He's not exactly my friend, and is name isn't Alan, it's Ji-Ho. He lied to... spook me."

<TXT> From Darwin to Miel: miel i think your identity mightve been stolen

"He smells weird," Gareth says, like that makes any sense at all. "He's not even called *Alan*? I shouted for him for *ages* fuck." He shakes his head and looks back to Darwin, getting back to the point and bringing up Miel's socials on Darwin's phone. "What is it with people going *missing*?" he mutters to himself.

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: (long period of time without a response)

"...Are you getting a bunch of missing clients or something?" Darwin asks, flicking through the photos. "God. It looks just like him. The hell?" /Now/ he looks unnerved. "He wouldn't lie, though," he insists. "This person, whoever he is, stole Miel's identity. I can let him know." He takatakas a text. "Poor guy's down on his luck, he doesn't need this shit right now."

Gareth stops as he's about to start another rant. "Oh... you know I hadn't considered that as a possibility. I mean, he's.. as far as I can find, that guy is the real thing, while Miel just... turned up on your couch." He rubs a hand over his face. "But either way they look identical and that's weird. So I swear to god Dar if you turn up axe murdered..."

<TXT> From Darwin to Miel: gar's a PI, he could help you out if you wanted. mightve happened when you were missing maybe?

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: ... so like, I know?

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: but it's not really identity theft

<TXT> From Darwin to Miel: what

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: like... when they take you, they put something in your place or people would notice. You can't just disappear from the bathroom of a shitty bar and no one ever see or care.

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: i mean it might feel like that sometimes but it isn't true

"I wont end up axe-murdered!" Darwin almost laughs. "Come on. Miel's... he wouldn't hurt anyone. I don't know why they're identical, that's... weird. Very weird." Weird enough that he gets a bit caught up staring at some happy image of this fake-Miel from their gallery. He picks up his phone to read another text and goes a bit pale. "What can I do to make you less worried? I mean don't get me wrong, it's incredibly endearing."

<TXT> From Darwin to Miel: fuck

Gareth frowns as he considers the question. "Find out what's going on from Miel! Though maybe in a public place it's never a good idea to confront someone in a private location who might be an axe murderer also why does Alan - sorry Ji-Ho - why does he say that you *ran him down*, did you hit him with your car or something?" he asks, rapidly changing tack.

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: but, like. He's doing okay

<TXT> From Darwin to Miel: that's fucked. this is fucked. now gar is really concerned about you being an axe murderer and i dont know how to answer him

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: Why would I be an axe murderer because there's someone else living my life?

<TXT> From Darwin to Miel: i dont know! he gets protective

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: i mean

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: do you want me to talk to him? like, I can't really explain about the fetch but I don't think I have a murder vibe.

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: I admit I don't have a clue what I'd say

Darwin's face flushes red. "I didn't run him down! Is that what he's saying? Ugh. No, I was trying to catch the bus and he just happened to be in the way. I crushed his bread, so I bought him a new one. He's locked down like a fucking vault, I could barely get his name out of him. So, whatever." He rubs his face. "I can call Miel back here if you want? I doubt he'd be able to axe both of us."

Gareth flails at Darwin. "No! Don't, I mean, he hardly knows me! He might not want to talk about it in front of plus like the only time we met I ran off shouting 'Alan' so he probably thinks I'm crazy or something."

<TXT> From Darwin to Miel: well i tried to see if he wanted me to call you back here so he can talk it out but he's very concerned that you think he's a crazy person, and he hardly knows you. so. do you think you could talk to him privately at some point?

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: Wait

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: He's worried that I think he's a crazy person?

<TXT> From Darwin to Miel: because the last time you saw him he stormed off shouting alan

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: Why does he care what I think?

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: He thinks I'm an axe murderer!

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: Who cares about social opprobrium from an axe murderer?

<TXT> From Darwin to Miel: i dont fully understand how this man works sometimes

Darwin sets his phone down and reaches over to gently grasp Gareth by the shoulders, pulling him down into a loose hug. Then he aggressively ruffles his hair. "That was /slightly/ crazy. It's sweet that you get all bitey over me. I can get Miel to meet you somewhere public. Maybe he has a proper explanation."

<TXT> From Miel to Darwin: OK well if he doesn't call the police on me or try to murder me I can meet with him privately whenever I guess

"I'm an investigator I don't confront people that's what people with *muscles* are for!" Gareth complains, pointing at Darwin and all his muscular-ness, leaning into the hug with a sigh. "...Dar, I just want to make sure you're okay, that's all. I worry."

"It's nice to know you're looking out for me," Darwin says, voice quiet. "And man, keep stroking my ego," he laughs. "I'll set it up. Don't call the police on him. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Maybe you can have some /delicious/ omelet if you get back in time."

"Wait you're sending me *now*?" Gareth whines, hiding his face against Darwin's chest. "Do I have to?"

Darwin grins, rubbing Gareth's back. "No, you don't. Just give me a good day for you and I'll try to make it work. And I dunno', I think you're decent with confrontations."

"Well, if you say so," Gareth says doubtfully, peeking up at Darwin. "Did you say there was a delicious omelet?"

Darwin pushes up from the stool and returns to the kitchen. "Three different cheeses in this, with some ham," he says, flipping his spatula with silly flourish. "I knew you couldn't resist. I'm mostly trying to get the smell of that goddamn cologne out of my nose."

"You can still smell it? Huh, I mean, it was bad, but not *that* bad," Gareth considers, following after Darwin and leaning against his back as he cooks, setting his chin on Darwin's shoulder. "It does smell amazing though. Looks good too."

Darwin carefully folds the spread of egg in half, and tips his head to bump against Darwin's temple. "Some scents stick with me. So, uh, Gar. Do your cases involve a lot of missing people?" he asks.

Gareth gives a little shrug against Darwin's back. "I mean, I'm good at finding people so yeah, that's often my thing. Though this guy I ran into in the world's worst coffee shop had a weird one. *He* went missing ages ago and now he's back and he's been marked dead but that's because there was literally a body that they buried, you know? Which is really weird. I mean, entirely possible the guy was burned beyond recognition inside his car or something."

Darwin slowly moves the pan from the burner and cuts the omelet in half to set on a plate. "Huh." His brows pull together as he... mulls this information over. Then he turns, guiding Gareth back a bit, nudging him with a plate and two forks. "I kinda' wanna' know why it was the worst coffee shop in the world. Do you believe in fairy tales, Gar?"

"oh god the barista was just a walking fucking cliché," Gareth *rants*, letting himself be guided, yoinking a fork as he goes. "Fairy tales? I mean..." he trails off, careful. "I've done quite a bit of *research* into them, you know? But like..." he stumbles. "I'm not sure I *believe* them. I think they're like.. metaphors for reality."

Darwin sets the plate on the coffee table beside the couch and sits, cutting into his portion. "You researched? Really? I didn't know it interested you. Okay then, what's the metaphor for Jack and the Bean Stalk? Frog Prince?"

Gareth drops onto the couch. "Yeah, I research," he says defensively, starting to eat his omelet. "Oh man this is good"," he says happily. "Well, the Frog Prince is about finding love in unlikely places, and Jack and the Beanstalk is about how sometimes having your head in the clouds makes you rich." He considers. "Three Little Pigs is a treatise on the importance of building your house out of appropriate materials lest you let the big bad wolf in."

Darwin grins, pleased with himself. Well, pleased with his omelet. "Pfff. Who wouldn't want a big bad wolf in their house." His features twist. "You know, I feel like a lot of these stories involve the wolf as the bad guy. Where's the stories with the wolf hero? Find me one of those."

"Twilight?" Gareth offers with a smile, mouth stuffed full of omelet. "But yeah I guess the Big Bad Wolf was always meant to take the place of the 'unknown stranger', the bad guy you shouldn't let into your life, that sort of thing."

Darwin scrunches his face. "That's not a fairy tale!" Then is features fall, and some icy guilt settles somewhere in his gut. He takes another hasty bite and leans his head against Gareth's shoulder. "...What's the metaphor for those changeling stories? You know about those? Where the poor kid doesn't come out like their parents want and they just assume it's magic?"

"Hm? Oh, likely neurodiversity, most specifically autism and associated conditions, where parents notice a sudden 'change' in their children and the only way they can rationalize it is by saying that something must have stolen their child and replaced it," Gareth says with a flick of his fingers, turning his head to bump it against Darwin's hair.

"Yeesh," Darwin frowns. He sets his fork down and reaches for a packet of papers. "The script I'm working with is a Scottish fairy tale. Well, originally a ballad. The stolen children would be used as replacements for their tithe to hell, to keep their magic. Some grim shit. Tell me something brighter. Wanna' hit the park later or something?"

"Yeah, well, don't read the Grimm Fairy Tales if you want something brighter," Gareth laughs, stretching up now that the food is all gone. He shifts on the couch, moving to straddle Darwin's lap. "Can do," he agrees slyly. "If you wanna go for a walk."

Darwin smirks, looking up. "Walkies? Maybe we can find some good sticks." He sets the script aside, hands settling against Gareth's hips. "Think you can just take a seat wherever you want, huh?" he asks, eyes dancing.

"Yup, I do. I'm like a cat. I see a seat, I sit in it, that's mine," Gareth says with a nod, leaning back to observe Darwin. "Should we go for walkies then?" he offers.