Stealing Nemo

Dreamprism

Summary:

If Daniel witnesses Sean stealing enough in Episode 1, he will steal the Hula Girl toy from Brody's car. And if Sean either doesn't notice this in the motel room or tells Daniel to just be careful he's not caught, then Daniel will steal the submarine toy from Chris's bathroom in Episode 2. The game never mentions this fact in dialogue - it's simply added to the inventory as you depart for the Christmas Market.

What will happen when Sean discovers Daniel's theft? This fic explores that conversation in the setting of southern Oregon a day after the brothers have left Beaver Creek.

Work Text:

Just outside Medford, Oregon. December 12th, 2016. Dawn.

Daniel and Sean are resting uncomfortably in a parked freight train. A workman shows up to start unloading cars.

(D) "Hey, Sean." (quietly)

Daniel shakes Sean back and forth.

(D) "Get up, Sean. They're gonna find us if we don't leave."

Sean begins to wake up and grumbles.

(S) "Egghhhh. Give me just one more minute."

(D) "Really, Sean? We gotta go…"

(S) "Ugh… fine."

Sean sits up and checks his bag to make sure everything is still inside.

(S) "You got everything, Daniel?"

(D) "Yeah."

(S) "Let me check…"

Sean opens up Daniel's backpack - Sean's old backpack, rather. Claire gave him an earful when she saw what Sean had drawn on it. "I just don't understand you kids. Why draw something so vulgar?" She was way more offended than Daniel.

(S) "Hey… dude… what's this?"

Sean holds up a red and yellow toy submarine for Daniel to see.

(D) "Umm… I don't know."

(S) "No, seriously, where did you get this? We didn't have it at the cabin. And it wasn't in Claire's bathroom."

(D) "Uh… can we talk about this later? We're gonna get caught."

(S) "Oh, we're talking about it as soon as we're away from these tracks."

Sean and Daniel carefully jump down from the stationary train, and Daniel levitates their backpacks down behind them. The two brothers dash off into the woods before the workman can see them.

After a few minutes of walking, Sean resumes the conversation.

(S) "So…?"

(D) "So what?"

(S) "The submarine, Daniel. What's it doing in here?"

(D) "I don't know. It's just sitting in here." (he laughs)

(S) "That's not funny, Daniel. Did you steal this at the Christmas Market?"

(D) "No, I didn't. I swear."

(S) "Like when you swore to stop lying to Chris?"

(D) "I was gonna tell him, I swear! I just couldn't do it that day - I didn't think it was that important to do RIGHT NOW."

Sean facepalms and groans.

(S) "How the fuck did I not make that seem important? I warned you SPECIFICALLY that he could get hurt."

(D) "Well he didn't. Only the tree got hurt - and that cop's car."

(S) "Yeah, and now the dashcam caught you using your powers."

(D) "Well, did you want me to NOT use them? Sometimes you don't make any sense, Sean."

(S) "No, I just… I need you to listen to me better."

(D) "Okay, okay. I'll try."

(S) "Thanks, enano."

Sean and Daniel walk southeast, following near the path of Interstate 5 with the knowledge that it will get them to California.

Sean is happy that the snow has cleared, making the walk easier.

He remembers their earlier conversation and that he never got an answer from Daniel.

(S) "Daniel… the sub."

(D) "Ugh, fine. I took it from Chris. It was in his bathroom."

Sean is stunned. Daniel is stealing from his new friend? Has he really raised the boy so poorly?

(S) "What the fuck, dude!? I thought Chris was your new best friend? First you lie to him and then you steal his toys?"

(D) "Well, you stole before…"

(S) "Yes, so we could eat. And to get camping supplies; we're gonna need those. No more grandparents on the journey south."

(D) "What about mom?"

(S) "We don't have a mom. She gave that up long ago."

Daniel huffs and rolls his eyes.

(D) "Well, I'd give her another chance. Maybe she's changed her mind now. I think she cares about us…"

(S) "Sorry, Daniel. But it's just you and me. I don't trust her, and you shouldn't either."

(D) "Ugh… fine." (frustrated)

(S) "Why did you even want the sub? We don't have a bathtub out here."

(D) "Well, I THOUGHT we were gonna stay in Beaver Creek… with grandma. We had a tub there. I was gonna give it back. He gave me this little red-shirt person like the ones grandpa had, so I thought he didn't mind me taking this either."

(S) "You ALWAYS have to ask first. Got it?"

(D) "Yeah, yeah. I'm not stupid."

(S) "Then… You know what? Nevermind. Just make sure you remember that rule, and if we ever see Chris again you're giving that back to him."

(D) "Maybe we can mail it or something?"

(S) "No, dude. We're not spending money on postage."

(D) "Well what about Brody's toy?"

Sean hadn't noticed it back in the motel room Brody provided for them, but Daniel had stolen a hula girl doll from Brody's car.

(S) "What about WHAT?"

(D) "The hula girl… that I umm… took from Brody. Should we get that back to him too?"

(S) "Ummm… yeah. I don't even know where we'd mail that to, but yes you need to give that back and apologize. I didn't even realize that was from him."

(D) "Okay, I'll apologize. I just thought it looked cool."

Sean facepalms once again.

(S) "When did my little brother become a kleptomaniac?"

(D) "I'm not a clip-to-maniac!"

(S) "Kleptomaniac. It means you steal stuff for no reason."

(D) "Oh. I mean, I said it looked cool. That's a reason, right?"

(S) "No… Just no. I need you to stop this stealing, Daniel."

(D) "Sure. I'll stop. Promise."

(S) "I'm serious, Daniel."

(D) "Okay, okay. I super promise. I super duper wooper promise! Is that good enough?"

(S) "Okay. Yeah. Thanks, enano. Now, we don't have much money after I bought you that gift at the Christmas market, so we're gonna need to search the dumpsters in Medford for food."

(D) "What's a Medford?"

(S) "It's the town, silly. Probably the biggest one we'll see for awhile. And we won't stay long. We need to get to California. Maybe we can find work down there…"

(D) "Hold up… WE? I'm not working."

(S) "So you're just gonna sit on your ass all day and make your poor big brother do everything?"

(D) "Okay, fine… I MIGHT help… if I can."

(S) "Oh yeah… speaking of help… you didn't happen to steal any cash or jewelry from Claire and Stephen before we left, right? We could really use some money." (Sean's stomach grumbles)

(D) "No. Why would I steal from grandma and grandpa? Stealing is wrong."