Trigger Warnings: Murder case, murder, implied future sex via 'Netflix and Chill'.
Word Count: 1194
"A trip to Australia," Dee repeats, shocked.
"Yeah, it'll be for a week," Thomas says over the phone. "See the sights with some friends, go to a comic con a couple of us have been invited to, maybe shoot a music video."
"So a vacation," Remy sums up.
"Basically yeah."
"That's great Thomas!" Patton cheers. "I hope you have a good time!"
Chuckling, Thomas replies, "Me too Pat. The time difference is eighteen hours though, so we won't be able to talk a lot."
"As long as you text us regularly we'll be fine," Roman encourages.
"Yeah and send me pics of the spiders there!" Virgil adds.
"Oooo, and the snakes to me," Dee comments. "They're so cool."
"And if you get a chance to see one, send me a picture of a platypus." It's dead silent on the phone call after Remus's odd request.
"Um, why a platypus, Remus?" Thomas asks.
"Because they're weird ass animals and are venomous for no reason," he replies.
"True fact, they are one of a very small percentage of mammals that posses venom," Logan confirms.
"Well great. I'll send you guys pictures, try not to murder anyone while I'm gone okay?"
"We'll try our best," Emile says cheerfully.
"That's the best I'm getting," Thomas accepts. "Alright guys, I'll call you again before the plane leaves. Thanks for being supportive."
"Of course Thomas!" Emile speaks up. "This is important to you and we're happy you'll be happy. Go enjoy yourself!"
"Thanks Emile. Bye guys, love ya!"
They all chorus in with mixtures of "Bye Thomas!", "Love you too", "Enjoy your trip", and "Stay safe kiddo!"
The call ends.
— - —
The phone rings. Dee looks up from his tv show, pausing it before reaching for the phone. "Hello?"
"Mr. Remus King?" a clipped, professional voice asks.
"No, this is Devin Líar, his boyfriend. He goes by the last name Duke now."
"Ah. I thought this was his house phone?"
"We live together," Dee snips back.
"I assume Mr. Kin- Duke will be home soon then? I couldn't reach his office phone."
"Whatever you need to tell him you can tell me," Devin says, ignoring what the person asked.
A sigh, then. "Very well. Mr. Duke was in a murder case nine years ago, which has been investigated into recently by a news reporter, James Hollten. He has found some new evidence and as such has prompted the police to re-open the case. As such, Mr. Remus Duke is being summoned to appear in court to defend himself in this case. If you or him could get in touch with a Mr. Devin Hart, who is also being summoned, that would make it easier on the courts."
Shell-shocked, Dee has enough thought to ask, "When is he being summoned?"
"A week from now. This is just the Arraignment, where the accusation is read, lawyers are appointed or named, and the plea is filed. You'll make sure Mr. Duke arrives?"
"He'll be there," Dee confirms before hanging up. He stares at the wall for a couple minutes, remembering the case nine years ago.
The man who had died was a suspect in Thomas' attempted murder. They didn't have enough evidence to convict him so he went free, unfortunately.
A year after the incidents (Thomas' attempted murder, half of their attempted suicides, the other half's self harm spree), he turned up dead. The murder was flawless, no fingerprints, no hair, no skin tissue, completely clean. Cause of death was strangulation via shoe strings. Weirdly, the body was stabbed in the stomach and had it's throat slit before it was dumped in the small river by the town. Forensics reported that the killer/killers had made sure to deflate the lungs before releasing the body into the water, a technique few murders actually do.
Anyway, they had no leads until they came across the man's criminal record, which included the Sanders case. The entire family was questioned but everyone had alibis so they were let go. Once a couple days had gone by with nothing, they brought everyone back in and questioned them individually.
Thomas was obviously first, after him Virgil, Remy, Patton, Emile, Remus, Logan, Roman, and Dee. For some reason, they pegged Remus and Dee as the most likely. That's when they moved on to formal questioning, taped and everything. Problem was, they were each other's alibis, as they had been out on the other side of town in the forest, spending some time together.
"Danger Noodle?" Remus interrupts his thoughts, breaking his unfocused gaze at the wall.
"Hmm? Oh, Re."
"Yeah hi babe, I'm home." Remus frowns at him in concern, taking a seat next to his boyfriend. "What's going on?"
"The courthouse called." Just saying those three words sends chills down his spine, reminding him of so many calls ten or nine years ago.
Remus pales, reaching for Dee's hands. Dee grabs them, moving into a half-crisscross seated position so he's facing Remus. "And what did they say?"
"The old murder case is being re-opened." He pauses, gritting his teeth. "And... we're being summoned for the Arraignment next week."
"Shit..."
"Re what are we going to do?! They know we don't have solid alibis!"
"But there's also no evidence pointing at us either," Remus reassures.
"But you know our reputation, we weren't exactly angels at the time."
"We were sixteen, I highly doubt spray painting walls makes us eligible for murder, snek boi."
"I know we're innocent-"
"Case wise yes, everything else, hell no."
Dee laughs half heartedly. "You know what I mean."
"Always do my viper." Remus pulls Dee in close, cuddling the smaller man into his chest.
Rolling his eyes, Dee sinks into the embrace, curling into the warmth. "Different topic," he mutters, "who should be our lawyer?"
"Logan if he'll take us."
"Agreed."
"If not, I have a couple I've gotten to know who'd take it."
"Good to know there's a backup plan. Ask Logan in the morning?"
"Yeah."
They stay like that for a while, before Dee speaks. "We can't tell Thomas, at least not yet."
"Yep. If it gets more serious we'll tell him, but for now I say we keep this quiet."
"Let's hope this is dropped."
"God I hope so. My boss would kill me if I got myself in jail over false accusations."
"Your boss?! My boss literally works at jail! I work at jail!"
"So you know how to break out too?"
"Only with you rattle snek."
"Oh my god," Dee laughs out. "That was the worst one yet!"
Remus grins. Dee's noticeably less stressed now which is good, the past couple days have hit hard, the harsh trip through memory lane affecting them both.
"Wanna Netflix and Chill?" he asks, grabbing the remote.
"One more episode, then we can 'chill'," Dee bargains.
"Done."
Ayyy, thank you so much for 400+ views!!!! I've had a rocky third week of quarantine so seeing this doing well really brought up my mood. Anyways, sorry this is a little late, stay safe kiddos and wash ya hands!