1st Mistake; video

[moralperil]

[Two lavender eyes stare deeply into the camera, leaning in too close.]

Testing, 1, 2, 3! Um, hi? Oh good, it's working...

[Mahdi slides backward. He's in the dining area of one of the assigned apartments. The guy looks about fifteen, and was clearly plucked right from his job: he's wearing a clean but old and stained black apron over khakis and a polo that have seen better days. There's a hairnet crumpled up on one side of the table, next to a glittery purple flashlight.]

Is there any way for me to contact my boss on this thing? You'd think a simple inter-realm transmission wouldn't be that hard considering how much other crazy stuff they have out here. [More to himself than to the netbook:] I really just want to tell her I won't be coming in. I'm supposed to be there for the breakfast crowd and she's gonna be up a creek without me. Probably can't get out of getting fired for not showing up... even if technically I was there. Early, even!

[He seems to remember himself, and addresses the camera once again.] Anyway, hi! I'm Mahdi. I'm new. They set me up with a place to stay, so I guess I'm gonna be a prisoner for awhile here, huh? [He doesn't exactly seem upset about it, though at least it's clear he's not enthusiastic.] I hope we can makes friends! That's what people do on the internet, right?

Comments

[healplz]

It only needed another pair of hands.

[ He successfully parts the strings, and lays a hand briefly on Mahdi's shoulder to signify that moving is pretty much okay again. ]

Is there anything else I might help with?

[moralperil]

[Mahdi pulls off his apron, folding it and placing it on the table. He untucks his polo.] Whew! Much better! Thank you!

[And it's time for a sudden hug! Do you roll to dodge?]

[healplz]

[ Well, he'll definitely look startled for a second! But he doesn't move, only smiles, amused, and returns the hug again. ]

You're welcome. I only wish everyone were so easy to please.

[moralperil]

[Mahdi withdraws, laughing a little.] You wouldn't believe how often I get that... but then they find that I'm actually really clingy, and they get a bit annoyed.

[He fidgets a little.] I feel like such a bad host, but I'm not sure if this place has coffee or tea or if it belongs to my roommates...

[healplz]

[ ...Yeah, he can see that, people finding Mahdi annoying. Unfortunate, but people don't always have good taste. He just finds it endearing.

With a cajoling sort of smile: ] You have only just arrived, i can't fairly expect any sort of hosting from you. Although— if you'd like any coffee or tea, my own room is well stocked.

[moralperil]

...I'd like that. I don't think my roommates are home right now and I - [He seems rather ashamed to admit it:] I hate being alone.

[healplz]

You are more than welcome, then.

[ And with no further ado (because seriously, who uses stairs when they don't have to?), he waves a hand. A small circle of white runes spins itself to a pin point on the floor, which blossoms into a blue twirl of light. He nods for Mahdi to step into it. ] A warp portal to my apartment.

[moralperil]

Whoa! You're able to do something like that without permits? Great! [Obviously familiar with warp portals or something similar, he hops right through.]

[healplz]

[ It's technically a portal into his bedroom (neat to the point of being Spartan), since the rest of the apartment is shared and not precisely the "home" location it's linked to. But he strides forward as soon as he's in after Mahdi, to open the door and nod Mahdi through.

He's really going to have to find a way to hook this warp up to a more decent place, man. ]

Without permits, you said? Is that a requirement, in your world?

[moralperil]

[It seems Mahdi conveniently didn't hear Ashraf's question. He flits about like a nosy little bumblebee, looking at everything in Ashraf's room.]

Is this your room? You keep it so tidy!

[healplz]

Tidiness is a virtue.

[ oh god this is kind of embarrassing, though. His bedsheets are rumpled and there's a shirt sleeve sticking out of a drawer. He tries not to notice them, the better to call no attention to it, and just... waits... for Mahdi to leave his room. ]

Will you take tea? Or coffee?

[moralperil]

Tea, please! With honey, if you have it. [Mahdi finally follows Ashraf out of his bedroom and down the hall into the kitchen area.] These apartments really are nice...!