#remial

Except for one little light, the office was empty. The other shifts had begun, and everyone had gone home except for the two of them. Artiya stood just outside the entryway, listening in with a frown across her brow. Inside, by the one light, was Remial. They were still at their desk, papers and notes they had taken shuffled as they moved, but there was most definitely a sound other than paper moving.

There was a sniffling, and nobody beside Rem to be making that sound. 

Artiya was torn between thoughts. She wanted to go talk to them, to do something to help, but at the same time, it was Remial. She wondered if they would even let her, or if they would find some horrible thing to do to make her leave. She really didn’t know what to do with Remial.

But the sound of crying kept going, and it was late in the night. Well past the time either of them should be working. Artiya knew she needed a break after a day like the one they just had… wouldn’t they need one too? She stepped out into the office space, and Remial didn’t seem to notice. They kept looking at the papers and definitely, angrily, wiping away the tears that fell from their eyes.

It wasn’t until Artiya was nearly at their desk that they jumped and then sighed in shock. They used their surprise to cover their eyes by putting their hand to their head. “You couldn’t knock?” Even their voice sounded stuffy. “What is it?”

Artiya frowned and pulled up a chair across from them and crossed her arms. “You’re crying.”

Remial was silent for a moment, wiping their face with a handkerchief before looking right back at the documents before them. “It doesn’t matter,” they said. They held out a picture. “Look at this, do you-”

“Rem, it’s late.”

Rem pulled the picture back. “Right, then you should head on home.”

“So should you,” Artiya insisted.

“I’m fine here,” Rem said. They swallowed heavily and wiped their eyes before squinting at the picture they had offered.

Artiya sucked on her teeth. “You clearly aren’t,” she pointed out. 

“I’m fine,” Rem said again. “You go and rest.”

“Remial,” Artiya chided them. “You’re no good to anyone tired and stressed.”

Remial huffed out a false laugh. “I’m always tired and stressed, Artiya.”

“Well then maybe it’s time to take a break.”

“I can’t,” Rem said, sighing and rubbing their forehead. “I can’t.. Every minute we don’t have answers the people in the Prospects are suffering. More and more shemhazai will die every day if I can’t stop this.”

Artiya was quiet for a moment, watching the other Guardian. “You can’t fix it overnight,” she said.

“I can’t stop,” Rem insisted.

“You have to, just for tonight,” Artiya said in response. “One night’s sleep isn’t going to destroy our work.”

“It might,” Rem muttered. “You don’t know what Eskandiel would do to keep us quiet.”

“Then take it home, but you need to sleep,” Artiya insisted. She reached over and began piling the sheets up to be bundled for travel. Remial huffed and scowled at her.

“That’s remarkably rude, you know.”

“You’re always rude, so call it payback,” Artiya huffed right back. Then she grabbed the papers and stood. “Come on.”

“What?” Rem glanced at her, frowning.

“Come on. We’re getting out of here at least.”

Rem did not look pleased. “Must I?”

Artiya groaned and grabbed Rem’s arm, playfully attempting to drag them up. “Come on,” she whined. “I know exactly what we need to do to get you out of.. Whatever this is.”

“There’s nothing I need to ‘get out of’,” Rem insisted.

“Bullshit,” Artiya said, picking up their cane and holding it out in front of their face. “We’re going. Come on.”

Remial was the one to give an exasperated look to Artiya this time, and she could understand in an instant why her looks didn’t stop them. She was proud of herself for the look and grinned at them. They sighed, “Fine, fine.. But we’re taking the evidence with us.”

“Yes!” Artiya cheered and put the cane down, grabbing the papers and shoving them in her and Rem’s bags. 

Rem groaned obviously when standing up and gave Artiya a withering look. “Where exactly are you taking me?”