video;

[sidecar]

[The video opens on a three-year-old Lloyd Irving, peering curiously at the tablet with a "What's that thing?" before Kotetsu turns the camera back around to himself.]

Anyone recognize this kid? He says his name's Lloyd, and he knows someone named uh...Noishe?

[Yeah, that's all he's got and he's probably butchering the pronunciation, but there's only so much info you can get out of a toddler, okay.]

I found him wandering around the Hold by himself, so if there's anybody here from his world it'd be a big help to hear from them.

Comments

[sidecar]

That's different!

[Stop being smart, ugh.]

Look, I've gotta keep an eye on this kid for now, but you wanna meet up later? You can at least check out some stores for yourself and see if there's anything you like.

[ex_lecturing315]

( :/!!!!!! )

Alright. You can let me know when you're free.

[sidecar]

[Later, through the magic of timeskipping!

Watch out, Kotetsu's feeling cheerful now. So cheerful, in fact, that he just shows up and knocks on Barnaby's door without bothering to call ahead.]

[ex_lecturing315]

( opens door! and oh ugh it's you. )

That's not really calling me.

( puts a hand on his hip and FROWNS. )

[sidecar]

[It's not that he means to take a page from the How Not To Deal With Teenagers Handbook, but when he looks (down!) and sees Barnaby in person for the first time, there's only one thing he can say:]

You're so little!

[ex_lecturing315]

( SLAMS

THE DOOR

IN HIS FACE )

[sidecar]

[Somehow he didn't anticipate that and nearly loses his balance.]

Hey! Wait a minute--! Bunny!

[ANNOYING KNOCKING.]

[ex_lecturing315]

( NO!!!!!! )

[sidecar]

[It's like dealing with Kaede, only he doesn't have anything to bribe Barnaby with. Damn it. Is this what she's going to be like as a teenager?!

Kotetsu steps back and tries to sound friendly without slipping into that condescending tone his daughter hates so much. He doesn't quite succeed.]

Barnaby? Uh. I'm sorry if I offended you!

[ex_lecturing315]

( he seriously considers not getting the door.

but the jacket is still ripped and he's getting cold.


UUUUUGGGGHHHH pulls it open with a scowl in place. )

Let's just go, already.

[sidecar]

You got it!

[Kotetsu perks up, not about to argue, except--. Well. There is one more tiny thing. Please don't kill him.]

You have an umbrella, right?

[ex_lecturing315]

( WITHERING LOOK.

he probably does but he doesn't know which is his and which is someone else's and he doesn't want to steal an umbrella god. )

I'll be fine.

[sidecar]

Are you sure? The weather here gets pretty bad sometimes!

[He's bringing one along, of course, but that's not going to be enough for both of them if the rain gets too strong.]

[ex_lecturing315]

I said I'll be fine.

( closes door and pushes past him into the hallway, hands stuffed into his pockets. )

[sidecar]

[Kotetsu grumbles something under his breath about stubborn teenagers, but really has no choice but to follow along. How many arguments has he lost to this kid already?]

Don't start complaining if you get soaked.

[Except he's already resolved to find Barnaby a raincoat that isn't several sizes too big.]

[ex_lecturing315]

( he goes to the elevator and presses the down button without looking at kotetsu. )

I won't.

[sidecar]

[Weeeeeell this is awkward. And awkwardness makes him fidgety, so he starts shuffling around and tapping his foot and generally being an annoyance.]

So what have you been up to? Still learning things from the people who knew you before?

[ex_lecturing315]

( the elevator dings pretty quickly luckily, and the doors open for them to go inside. )

It doesn't really count as knowing me if it's not me. Or - whatever. Even who I'm supposedly going to be isn't the same as me.

[sidecar]

[Easier to say than it is to really believe, but Kotetsu nods along anyway as he steps into the elevator and hits the button for the ground floor.]

It's still gotta be weird, though.

[He sighs and leans against the wall as the elevator makes its descent. Get to the point already.]

I'm sorry if I threw too much at you at once.

[ex_lecturing315]

( he still avoids looking at kotetsu, keeping his gaze on one of the empty walls or floor. )

It's fine. It doesn't matter.

[sidecar]

[Then he'll miss the frown Kotetsu gives him in response. Of course it matters, but he's trying to approach more carefully this time and that's never been his strong suit.]

Don't just say things like that.

It's your future, so I'll leave it up to you to decide how much you wanna know, alright?

[ex_lecturing315]

( he keeps looking stubbornly away, hands curling into fists )

I don't want to know anything from you.

[sidecar]

[He almost flinches, and there's an immediate urge to argue, to insist that he's Barnaby's partner, that he only wants to help, but... none of that is going to do any good this time, is it?

As much as Barnaby's trying to act otherwise, right now he's just a scared kid and Kotetsu's already gotten so tripped up in how to handle him that he's made the situation worse.]

...Okay. That's fine too. We can just talk about what's going on now.

[ex_lecturing315]

( there's something in the set to his shoulders that only gets stiffer, but the elevator dings again and the doors slide open. he goes ahead and gets out into the lobby without answering kotetsu, but he does also wait for him rather than make his way outside alone. )

[sidecar]

[Left to fill the silence himself, Kotetsu slides into a light-hearted tone as if he's already shaken off the fact that Barnaby won't so much as look at him.]

Like how much we have to do today! Let's see...

[He pauses briefly outside the doors as they exit the building, counting the items off on his fingers with exaggerated consideration.]

You need clothes, and you guys probably don't have a lot of food in your apartment... Hm, anything else?