exsilium | 002. video

[The video clicks on to show sky, and then a flash of red hair before Lea manages to adjust the angle of the screen and beams at the camera. He's sitting on a wall, in the spot where the rusty barbed wire isn't anymore, a riot of summer greenery fighting for sun and space in the broken concrete of the yard behind him and a dandelion in one hand. He waves the flower at the screen.]

-- You know, there are some really cool places out here! You know, if you walk far enough. I found some flowers if you still need any, Sollux. There's a ton of these yellow things!

[He pauses and, a little too casual to make it sound like a throwaway comment, adds:] I guess I've been lucky this week or something, I don't know -

Hey, does anybody know why it's just some of us who've got that. You know. Thing, with the going invisible?

[He worries absently at the flower, stem smearing green over his fingers, and makes a face.]

... I hope they figure that out quick.

It's kind of freaky.

[like basically everything here but. But. Everything's cool. After a moment, he tosses the dandelion off the side of the wall and grins again.] And hey, does anybody recognize this spot? 'Cause I'd really appreciate directions back home! I'll owe you one.

Thanks!

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[suddenly being the leader isn't so bad! no eye-contact, for one. Martin hurries onward.]

It's just. Better not to. Better that way. Sorry. I'm not. Supposed to. [wow. he winces at that, knowing he oughtn't have even expanded on that.]

You're not supposed to have friends? Who came up with a dumb rule like that?

[Lea sped up, trying to keep pace.]

[there's a good bout of flustered mumbles and sounds, with Martin tugging unhappily at the cuffs of his sleeves and exhaling in little huffs. hot. why's the sun so hot??]

No, I'm...It's. Practical. I'm not supposed to...do human things. [he's wincing as he says so. despite all the human things I've had to do here so far...]

So.

I mean, tell me if I'm wrong here, but you look pretty human to me.

I'm not. [his shoulders shrug up as he hugs his elbows.] I just look like one. Sorry.

Seriously? [Pause. Blink. Nope, you still look like a person to him. -- But that's not the really important question here, is it?]

... Well, okay, then. Do you want to have friends? I mean, forgetting the "supposed to" stuff.

Oh, uh...

[he drags the sound out a little, lapsing into an uneasy silence. he's not sure. friends? as opposed to...family? he's not really clear on the differences.]

I don't know. Maybe not. It'd be troublesome for them...

It's not a pain for other people to be friends with you. -- The more friends the better, right?

So who cares if you're supposed to do human things or not? As far as I'm concerned, we're friends already.

[the more the better?

oh, man. Martin sure doesn't know about that. that's a lot of responsibility, isn't it? and he's no good with those kinds of things...

red-faced, shoulders shrugged up and head tucked down, he chews on his lip as he frets about it, only to shoot a fast glance up and over at the boy. friends already? but he didn't sign up for this!]

Uh, but-- Are...are you sure that's really a good idea? I mean...

Sure it is! You're not so bad, Martin.

[Friends, already. He doesn't have enough of them here: it makes him a little nervous. And he does like you. So it's all right.

Perfect logic!

-- He grins, shrugging.] So why not?

[it's so weird, seeing all this cheeriness he equates with a cousin (a girl) manifest in a stranger. a stranger eager to not be a stranger. why? Martin's not anything special. he's bad luck.

he swallows, watching the ground ahead very pointedly.]

If...you want, but...I won't be any good at those kinds of things. I'm not supposed to be.

Hey, don't worry about it. I can show you the ropes.

[Lesson one: get used to Lea clapping you companionably on the shoulder, 'cause he's doing it again.]

[Martin's a slow, slow learner, so he looks just as uneasy the second time around with all this...touching and niceness...]

A-alright...[IF YOU WANT...I MEAN...MARTIN'S PRETTY SURE THIS IS THE WORST IDEA EVER, BUT...]

[Lea is pretty sure it sounds like a good idea to him. He'll just shrug cheerfully and let his hands fall back to his side.]

Great! So we're friends, Martin. Got it memorized?

[memorized?

Martin blinks.]

Um.

Yes. Alright...

[Grin.]

How long have you been here, anyway?

Uh... [his feet crunch loudly over some dried, dead leaves.] I don't know, I...I haven't kept good count. Sorry.

[he chews on the inside of his lip for a moment, pointedly glancing ahead and away.] A long time, though.

That... kind of sucks. Sorry. ['A long time': yeah, he'd be pretty bummed about it if that was his answer, too. He glances away, then back at Martin.]

You'd think they'd pick people who wanted to help, or something.

Or...or didn't make it worse. [it's a mutter, huffed in a breath. wanting to get away from the remark, from explaining it, spurs him to hustle.]

I guess we're all in it together, anyway--

[And what's that supposed to - but Martin's gaining on him now, and Lea finds himself having to pick up the pace to match.

So, he guesses that's not something Martin wants him asking about. Or maybe it's just this whole subject he wants to get away from... Lea casts about for ideas, and brightens as one strikes him.]

... Oh yeah, I meant to ask, do you know anyplace in the city that might sell maps?

Maps?

[he glances at Lea a couple times between stepping over small obstacles in the way (or trick-obstacles; cracks in the road out of the corner of his eye).]

Uh...Iii...I don't really know. I mean, there's...places that have lots of things, but. I don't know a lot about them. [he grimaced anew.] Sorry.

[sorry, sorry, sorry. always sorry. his shoulders shrugged up.] I guess other people would know better. People who know money, I mean.

I guess I don't have a lot anyway. Just that stipend thing! [He grins self-consciously.] But I didn't have a job back home yet or anything, so that's kind of more than I'm used to having for myself.

I figured if I could pick up a map of the city, maybe I could explore some more, and not get lost next time! Uh... there's the market, right?

002. video

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