video.

[theguideless]

Ha, um...

[exhale. Marty fidgets, tablet propped up on his lap, himself squeezed against a corner of a room. his face goes through periods of twitchy, half-hearted smiles that he forgets to keep for more than half a thought.

he tugs at a length of hair, his bangs, holding them down as far as they'll go – just short of the tip of his nose.]

I need to borrow scissors. Or a knife. [weak smile #3.] See? It gets into my eyes and hurts when the wind blows too hard.

It'll only be a couple minutes.

[too bad that's not very long at all. not-so-cheap excuse to talk to the void and get some answers? you bet it is.]

Comments

[theguideless]

[making a face as he drags his hand away.] I don't think so, but...if it's a long time, isn't it going to be? If it's as long as other things...

[stonefaith]

As long as what other things? How long is long?

[theguideless]

[A PATHETIC LOOK OF GEARS TRYING TO TURN.]

How long...have I been here?

[stonefaith]

A year. [ Pause. ] A little more than year.

You didn't know that?

[theguideless]

[a wincing look.]

I don't really know the difference between...I mean, I don't know how many days that is. It's more than a hundred, isn't it?

[stonefaith]

Yes. Yes, it is. It's been a while. [ LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT

but.... ]

Did you not know that, or did you forget?

[theguideless]

Well, I...

[HAVE TO...THINKabout that...]

I mean, I never counted, but...but maybe it felt differently? I, I don't know.

[stonefaith]

That... might make sense. [ Martin did die and get called back. A whole lot of strange things had happened to the boy. ]

But I don't think you'll forget any more. [ sigh. ] If nothing else, I'll remember things for you.

[theguideless]

[he looks confused, if only because it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to him. but...]

Alright... [that's good, right?]

[stonefaith]

You still sound worried.

[ SHH. IT'S OKAY. It's not like Bariyan is actually really bad at remembering things on account of being drunk half the time or anything. ]

[theguideless]

[fidgeting.]

I'll...try not to worry if you say not to. [looking away, mouth tugging on one side in a frown.] If it's not something to worry about...

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan sighs. ]

I don't want you to be worried. But if you still are-- talk to me.

What, exactly, is on your mind?

[theguideless]

[self-consciously scratching at his scalp behind his neck. now that he's gotten outside thoughts on it all, he's not so sure what to even think.]

I've just... [mmMrrrRRh. withdrawing the hand, folding his arms.] I still write letters, but it's like I'm forgetting who they're for. [grimace.] I mean, I know. But...I don't remember what she sounds like. Or...really what she looks like.

[stonefaith]

Who's 'she'?

[ He's mostly sober right now, and sharp enough to pick up on implications. But he doesn't know. He's never sure. ]

[theguideless]

[he looks a shade sadder at that.]

My sister.

[stonefaith]

You're forgetting your sister?

[ WELL... THAT IS WORRYING. Bariyan trawls through his memory. ]

Regina.

[theguideless]

Regina. [he nods.] Gina...

[sliding down against the wall a little.]

She's older than me. But I don't really remember what she sounds like.

[stonefaith]

Well... it has been a while. [ A year, and then some. Unless you counted the incident with the VR, many months ago. She'd been there -- or something vaguely resembling her had been. ] I'm sorry. You do forget that sort of thing after a while. There's no way around it.

[ Bariyan steadfastly refuses to think about the little details that he's forgotten over the course of time. ]

[theguideless]

That...doesn't seem right. [hey remember when being a human was totally flippin AWESOME???//]

[stonefaith]

It's the way things are.

[ Yeah. Bariyan's long since forgotten his own son's face, his voice. ]

But it's all right, I think. There's more important things to remember about a person than the way they sounded.

[theguideless]

[he stares at the tablet, not understanding.]

What do you mean?

[stonefaith]

Better to remember who they were. Why you loved them. The things that you did for them, and the things that they did for you.

[theguideless]

[a pause, mouth pursed shut.

he nods.]

You're right. That's better...