Carmen Sandiego Oneshots

"Go Ahead And Leave Me" Internal Conflict Challenge Entry

Description:
It's hard to believe people still want you around, even if you've messed up before.

(This can be considered a 'sequel' of sorts to Your Heart On The Line, But also functions as a stand-alone piece.)

Go Ahead And Leave

Carmen's beyond tired, it's been a long few days of near non-stop missions. VILE hadn't even been nice enough to do them the courtesy of a few hours of rest before they had needed to hop on the next plane, train, or five-hour car ride. So, it was a relief to everyone once Player announced that VILE's quick-crime spree had ended and they could return to base, where food and a well-needed rest would be waiting. Both provided by their only resident who stayed for more then a day at a time.

That was why, when Carmen heard a knock on her bedroom door, she choose to try and ignore it. Maybe one of the siblings had accidentally hit the wall and she could keep sleeping, maybe she could just stay in the bed. Annnd then came another knock. With a soft sigh, Carmen rolled herself into a sitting position and, after rubbing at her eyes, called out," Come in!"

There was a moment where nothing happened – Carmen guessed whoever was on the side was suddenly choosing to hesitate – before the knob was turned and a small figure peeked into the room. Brown eyes shone from the darkness, laced with worry as the person attached eyed her for a moment. Carmen paused, her lips pursed together for a moment.... Something seemed off about the way they were shifting their weight left and right.

"H-hey.." A voice she instantly recognized as Player spoke, quiet and soft," Were you sleeping...? I-I can come back..."

She blinks at him for a moment, before shaking her head," Nah, kid, I'm already up."

"A-Alright..." Player mumbles, stepping inside of the room. The hacker turns, shutting the door behind him.  When he turns back, their eyes meet for a moment, and... Carmen doesn't know how to describe it, but she sees the glossy beginning of tears, glinting off the limited light provided by the window. Player looks away before she can be sure, though,  and mumbles under his breath," So... Umm..."

Player trails off, so Carmen takes the opportunity to move until there's enough room for him to join her on the bed, then pats the space next to her," Come on, sit down."

He nods, a bit too quick to seem natural and she gets to watch as Player quickly scampers over to the bed, only hesitating for a moment before he hoists himself up next to her.  Carmen eyes him for a moment, before asking," So, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing's wrong!" Player actually squeaks as he folds his hands into his lap," I just couldn't sleep, okay, Red?"

Carmen makes a noise of skepticism, then pokes her teammate's side," Your hands are shaking and you're an awful liar, kid."

"I'm not..." The little hacker next to her frowns," I-just... " Player tries to meet her eyes again, his voice soft and unsure as he asks," You... you'd never leave me... r-right?" The confused look Carmen gives him makes him start fidgeting with his hands, trying to explain more clearly," I-I mean... if I stopped being useful? Or... or if I became a liability... or..."

his voice breaks," if... if I'm useless?"

Carmen can't take it, she can't take hearing him like that. Carmen does the first thing she can think of and wraps her arms around Player, quickly pulling him close. Player, in turn,  melts into the embrace. Though, Carmen notices, he chooses to hide his face, suppressing tiny sniffles she only now notices. She leans back against the wall close to her bed, murmuring soft reassurances to her hacker.

And they stay like that. For several minutes at least, until Player's so quiet Carmen wonders if he's fallen asleep when he pushes himself up off of her, holding himself awkwardly. "S-Sorry...." He mumbles.

"It's alright, kid," Carmen tries to assure him.

"But I woke you up and-"

"It's okay!" Carmen interrupts, chuckling softly to try and lighten the mood, before switching topics," Just curious as to what... brought this up."

Player opens his mouth, pauses, thinks, and then asks," You.,. You promise you won't laugh?" He looks back up at her, that same unsure and pitiful look in his eyes as before.

"Of course." It's the immediate answer that crosses her mind and it doesn't need to be thought though before Carmen says it.

," I umm... I sort of had a n-nightmare..?" There's  a lilt to his voice as Player looks away again," I-I know it's kinda dumb... I just... got worried.."

"Player?" Carmen waits until he looks back up at her to keep talking," How many times have I called you in the middle of the night because of a dollar bill?"

"Fifty-two..."

"Wait you were counting?!"  Carmen shakes her head," The point is: it's what friends do, okay?"

"But it's... it's dumb!" Player whines," It... it was a really dumb nightmare and-"

"And? How many times can a kid as smart as you really be dumb?"

"I-... was that a compliment?" Her hacker pauses, then smiles measly. He fake-gasps,," Do you... do you reawly wike mwe?"

"Pffft-" She prods him in the side," Your just as bad as Ivy and Zack."

"Sh-shut up! You love us!" He's laughing now, a lot more calmer. But there's still that odd stutter to his voice, that sign that this is intentional, intentionally dropping the topic.

"Maybe I do." She lets him," Maybe I don't."

Player squirms until he can flop next to her again," You do!"

"Fine, Fine," She's laughing now too, grabbing him and yanking the boy back into a hug," I do."

AUTHORS NOTES:

If even ONE OF YOU, can figure out which song the title is from I will be SO PROUD

Sorry that the characters aren't really right, and that Player gets too happy too quickly.

This is sorta just for me to get back into writing? Had some hard times rn with mental stuff, plus new job.

Either way, this is my challenge entry for "Internal Conflicts". Have funnnnn