video

[theguideless]

[ok look his life is just going to be him smacking the wrong buttons if he keeps abandoning this thing for days/weeks at a time — this is really his own fault.

so here you go, a worm's eye of Martin seated in a hallway, a little damp from all the rain, but looking a great deal less like walking death. a nice change. the odds of him spinning out into melodramatic self-pity parties are shockingly low.

he's doing his very best to stick to his word and not exchange words, but he's somehow convinced himself that doesn't cover reading or listening to the people he's acquainted with...hence finally turning this darn thing on.

and stupidly turning on video feed.

he's staring at it dumbly for a little while, starting to squint and wonder why nothing's showing up. you can count the second the lightbulb clicks. his face reddens and his mouth sucks into an unspoken OH. he bristles, quickly snapping the computer shut. END FEED.


responses will be icly delayed about an hour/two hours RESISTING THE SIREN SONG TO COMMUNICATE.]

Comments

[theguideless]

[Marty would practically weep :(] Im fine

[stonefaith]

[ OUT OF TERROR, RIGHT. Ugh gods what is he going to do about all this even it's gross. ]

Good. You've been sleeping and everything?

[theguideless]

Yes
But not in your room anymore [THAT WAS...EMBARRASSING....AWKWARD...ETC...]

[stonefaith]

Yes. I know. [ LUCKILY, because that's where Bariyan is and has been since late last night. Staring at a knife and wondering if he ought to try cutting this entire arm off. ]

...You are staying in your own room now, right? [ Because Bariyan wouldn't put it past this kid to try sleeping out in the streets or something. HE REALLY WOULDN'T. ]

[theguideless]

[


make what you will of this pause.]

[1/2]

[stonefaith]

[ waits for an answer....

slowly comes to his own conclusions.... ]

[stonefaith]

[ ANGRILY: ] Damn it, Martin.

[theguideless]

[quickly:] Ill go back in the morning i promise

[stonefaith]

[ ANGRIER: ] Where the hell are you right now? Where the hell have you been staying?

[ and... background noise. something like a muted thunk. ]

[theguideless]

[hyperboleandahalfwhiningdog.gif]

I find places
Its not bad im not sick anymore

[stonefaith]

[ NOT APPEASED. ] Find places. Where.

[theguideless]

Im still here in the city

[stonefaith]

Where in the city.

[theguideless]

Back by that training room now
Ive been staying out of trouble i promise

[well tRYING]

[stonefaith]

Before. Where have you been staying, all this time?

[theguideless]

[sjfkls]

I found places
If there was an open window or someplace empty i just picked it but i didnt bother anyone or take anything it was just to sleep

[stonefaith]

Why? They gave you a goddamn room for a reason. Why are you so intent on avoiding it?

[ another thunk, though Bariyan's keeping it all as quiet as possible. also, the fact that he is ALMOST YELLING covers up the rest of the noise.

he's finding it a lot easier to get angry at people when they're not face-to-face.... ]

[theguideless]

Im sorryi
Im trying to do whats right

[stonefaith]

[ SCOFF. ] And what's that?

[theguideless]

I just want to stay out of the way i dont want to bother anybody anymore

[stonefaith]

You're only bothering more people this way.

[theguideless]

[aughhhhh]

That doesnt make sense

[stonefaith]

You disappear, you avoid everyone-- keep that up long enough and people are only going to worry about you. Worry, Martin. You know what that is? You know what it's like to spend every day wondering where someone is, where they've gone to, if they're all right? If they're even alive?

[ Bariyan twists the blade, grimaces, watches another part of himself detach.... Maybe that'll stop the spread of whatever this is. And now he's just a little more useless than before. Damn it. ]

[theguideless]

[oh no you didn't. you are a drunk what is with this sobering talk.

that gets SILENCE.]

[stonefaith]

[ WHATEVER, SON. BARIYAN'LL JUST BE OVER HERE, DRUNKENLY CUTTING HIS OWN LIMBS OFF

though he suddenly has enough insight to mute the microphone while doing so ]