Mirror Image
Summary: What was going through Rorschach's mind when he confronted his landlady after getting out of jail? One-shot.
A/n: My first Watchmen story. Please be gentle. *hands out sugar cubes* Rorschach's thoughts are in bold italics and Kovacs' are in normal italics.
Rorschach turned his head at a terrified gasp.
"I—it's…oh God, what are you doing here? I—look, I don't want any trouble, okay? I…" Mrs. Shairp, Kovac's landlady whispered, her voice a terrified whimper. She was shaking, her five bastard children clinging to her dress, afraid of the strange man covered in bloodstains.
"Mrs. Shairp," Rorschach said, feeling Daniel reach to hold him back. "Long time no see." Daniel had his hand on his shoulder now. Was he holding him back to prevent him from attacking? "Told press I'd made sexual advances to you. Not true. Very bad."
Will pay dearly. Reputation scarred. Whore will suffer.
"I never said that!" Shairp whimpered, "I was misquoted! Oh God, please don't…"
"Rorschach? Come on, man, leave it…"
Damn you, Daniel
"Can't," Rorschach replied. "Serious business. Slur on reputation." He merely shrugged Daniel's hand off his shoulder and spoke to Shairp again. "How much did they pay you to lie about me, whore?"
Mrs. Shairp hugged one of her children, a son, closely to her.
"Oh please, don't say that. Not in front of my kids," the woman said, her voice now a quivering whisper. Rorschach caught the eye of the little redheaded boy. The child stared back at him, frightened, tears streaming down his face. Rorschach unclenched his fists as Shairp continued. "Please. They…they don't know."
For a moment, albeit briefly, Kovacs surfaced, the woman's words having caught Rorschach off guard. Looking at the boy before him, memories of Kovacs' own childhood echoed in his mind.
"I shoulda listened to everybody else!" Sylvie Kovacs raged, grabbing her 10 year old son roughly by the hair. "I shoulda had the abortion!"
"Ahhh!" Walter said, tears of pain falling down his face. "MommEEE!"
"Rorschach…?" said Daniel.
"MommEEE!"
Kovacs looked at the child and gave a faint nod. Rorschach returned now, angry at being pushed back.
"Got what we came for. Finished here now. Let's go." Rorschach said. As he climbed out the window, he looked back at the redheaded child.
Deserves better life…
Than mine…
