game of survival | tangerine ✓

7 | LEMON

"We should just get off this train," he said, nodding to the door. "Now."

"If you think I'm stepping off this train without Lemon or the case, you must be mistaken," he replied, rolling his eyes. After this stop, he and Klim would leave the American behind to go find his brother.

"Okay. Well, the case is in the first-class lounge. It's behind the bar, it's in a trash can. It's yours," Ladybug finally revealed as the door of the train slid open. "Me, I'm getting off. I'm gonna go find a temple and reevaluate my choices or something. Hope you two kids work out."

However, before Ladybug could step off, Tangerine moved in front of him, blocking him from exiting. He stayed back and rested his arms on the walls. "Ooh, that sounds very lovely, but here's the deal. I still need a fall guy."

"Shit," he muttered, knowing he was right. "You need a fall guy."

Tangerine exhaled loudly for effect, looking at him with a false apologetic expression. "Yeah."

"No, I understand. I - I get it."

Both men sighed heavily, knowing they were at an impasse. Kliment watched silently with a small smile on her face. Under different circumstances, she knew sitting down for a drink with those two along with Lemon would've been quite entertaining.

"It's a bit of a conundrum, really," Tangerine went on, "'cause, you know, I'm thinking, 'do I hand him back in one piece or do I chop you up into little pieces and stuff you inside a fucking Momomon or not?' That's what's going through my head right now."

Ladybug took a moment to give it thought as if he had any say. "Hmm. Or..."

"Oh, yeah? You got a better idea?" Kliment asked with a little grin. She wasn't going to let Tangerine chop him up, but it was fun to watch the other man sweat.

"You know, before us now is just a wall, but it's an illusion, man. It's a construct. You know, 'cause within that wall sits a window. A window of opportunity," Ladybug began saying, repeating words he'd heard from his therapist countless times. As he did, he subtly glanced at his watch. "Damn it, it's a door. It's — within that wall is a door."

Tangerine looked at him, clearly confused. "I'm finding it very hard to follow this story."

"It's probably his concussion," Kliment chimed in, knowing she'd hit him pretty hard in the head.

"My point is, that door is closing!"

Before either could react, Ladybug moved and kicked Tangerine completely off the train. Kliment ran toward him, but the door slid shut before Tangerine could fully even stand. Ladybug laughed at him through the window, doing a little happy dance over his victory.

"Shit!" Kliment cursed, banging on the door. But it was too late as the train took off. She watched as Tangerine began running after it. She whirled around to glare at Ladybug. "Why the hell did you do that?"

"Look, you should be thanking me. Now your boyfriend is safe from whatever your psycho dad has waiting for him," Ladybug said, shrugging. But he still took careful steps back, not wanting her to kick his ass again. "And you're safe, so the White Death will be happy enough."

"I don't care about what my father wants. What I want is eyes on Tangerine so I can make sure he's safe!" she shouted, resisting the urge to punch the man again. "Do you have any idea who you just majorly pissed off?"

"Yeah, I know who you are — I mean, we have a small file on The Heir," he sputtered, moving back even more. "I just didn't think—"

"That the White Death's youngest child set to inherit everything upon his fall would be a twenty-year-old girl who couldn't care less about it all?" she interrupted, raising an almost lazy eyebrow.