worthallthis (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
worthallthis) wrote2020-07-30 08:43 pm
worthallthis) wrote2020-07-30 08:43 pm
Entry tags:
The Last Voyages: IC Inbox
There is no voice message here. Better hope you got the right box.
[B looks up from the piano he was plinking on when his phone buzzes. He considers the question, and gives her the full long answer.]
a friend gave me a sheepskin rug because he knew I liked soft things. after my first breach in the middle of the worst panic attack I'd ever had someone else told me to find someplace that felt the most safe. so I curled up on it
after that it started to mean safety so I kept a piece of it with me to remind me there was somewhere safe
a friend gave me a sheepskin rug because he knew I liked soft things. after my first breach in the middle of the worst panic attack I'd ever had someone else told me to find someplace that felt the most safe. so I curled up on it
after that it started to mean safety so I kept a piece of it with me to remind me there was somewhere safe
as mun realizes this was audio and not text, and goes back to using proper punctuation
worthallthis
- 2023-02-21 02:05 (UTC) - Expand[Today, she very purposefully calls him not in the middle of the night, because she sort of doesn't believe that she hadn't been waking him up and doesn't want to keep doing that.
Her voice, while still not anything that could be called happy, has an edge of satisfaction to it.]
Think I might've found something to help with those basics of who I am. The things I know as fact.
[The things she can't write down or talk about, at least not in any clear-cut way: because she worries about handing information to Samaritan, because she doesn't want people here to know too much, because words so often feel hollow and empty.]
Her voice, while still not anything that could be called happy, has an edge of satisfaction to it.]
Think I might've found something to help with those basics of who I am. The things I know as fact.
[The things she can't write down or talk about, at least not in any clear-cut way: because she worries about handing information to Samaritan, because she doesn't want people here to know too much, because words so often feel hollow and empty.]
[B is sitting in the kennel with D sprawled across his lap and Libby on his fear. They both look up at the sound of a voice, and D makes a curious whine, but they're both familiar with the sound of B taking a call.
He smiles at the sound of her voice. That's a nice sound on her, there.]
Oh yeah? What's your idea?
He smiles at the sound of her voice. That's a nice sound on her, there.]
Oh yeah? What's your idea?
It's a few weeks since Will has arrived on the Barge, and he's gotten about five or six recommendations to come here by now. He's wanted to get himself familiar with how the ship works first, but now- he can finally check out the kennel.
So he heads over one morning, during his break, and sticks his head in. Locating an actual person, he awkwardly shifts on his feet, saying, "Uh, hey. I heard you had hours for spending time with the animals?"
So he heads over one morning, during his break, and sticks his head in. Locating an actual person, he awkwardly shifts on his feet, saying, "Uh, hey. I heard you had hours for spending time with the animals?"
The animals are, in fact, right there. There's a cat on the back of the cushy armchair, another cat curled in a cat bed by the back wall, a dog sprawled on the couch, and another dog on the floor at B's feet-- plus a goat poking her head curiously over a half-door into another room.
B's sitting on the couch with a book, which he sets down immediately to smile at Will. "I sure do. C'mon in. You want dogs or cats?"
The dog at his feet, a brown spotted setter mix, is already thumping his tail hopefully at the idea of more pettings.
B's sitting on the couch with a book, which he sets down immediately to smile at Will. "I sure do. C'mon in. You want dogs or cats?"
The dog at his feet, a brown spotted setter mix, is already thumping his tail hopefully at the idea of more pettings.
Afternoon, friend.
I thought I might assist you with your goats for a spell. It may help convince Xingchen to return to work.
I thought I might assist you with your goats for a spell. It may help convince Xingchen to return to work.
Well, sure. I tried walking him through a few plans to reassure him we could handle whatever might happen, but I ain't sure it helped.
You ever milked a goat before?
You ever milked a goat before?
This is 'B', yes?
[ A message from Hilbert, seemingly out of nowhere, despite the fact that they haven't really talked before? Weird as hell. ]
May I examine your prosthetic? Have started to look into that branch of medicine and from first observations, yours seems advanced.
[ oh, it's some creepy medical bullshit, that explains the message ]
[ A message from Hilbert, seemingly out of nowhere, despite the fact that they haven't really talked before? Weird as hell. ]
May I examine your prosthetic? Have started to look into that branch of medicine and from first observations, yours seems advanced.
[ oh, it's some creepy medical bullshit, that explains the message ]
[B spends a good half hour trying not to panic, then trying to decide how to respond. Because Hilbert? Scares the crap out of him, always has. He does not have good experiences with Russian doctors.
He finally responds via text rather than audio or video.]
it is very advanced. it's really only possible because of who and what I am, though. a lot of the connections and supports would kill or at least really hurt a normal person. not sure how much use it would be to you.
He finally responds via text rather than audio or video.]
it is very advanced. it's really only possible because of who and what I am, though. a lot of the connections and supports would kill or at least really hurt a normal person. not sure how much use it would be to you.
[Shaw does not actually come out and say Hey, can I continue to crash in Steve's spare room as I ride out my death toll?, but several days go by without her kicking herself out, so that ends up being what happens. She doesn't leave often, and when she does, she typically comes back fast. Under ordinary circumstances after an injury, she'd be itching to get back to the job - but these aren't ordinary circumstances, and here, she doesn't yet have a job to get back to. So she just... hunkers down, and she sleeps a lot. It's fine. She's doing great.
One outing takes a little longer than usual, and has her limping a bit as she makes her way back, messing around with the edge of her t-shirt to keep it from brushing up against the bandages that are wrapped around her middle and could probably already do with being changed. This would probably be a bad time to run into Steve or B, who both strike her as good, wholesome boys who would be completely freaked out by knife tattoos.
So, of course, she just happens to arrive on level 7 at the same time as B himself, and she stops dead, trying very much not to look (or feel) like a trouble-making sixteen-year-old sneaking through the back window after having gotten up to some mischief.]
Uh. Hey.
[She says, discreetly shifting her arm so as to try to hide the small bloodstain on the side of her shirt.]
One outing takes a little longer than usual, and has her limping a bit as she makes her way back, messing around with the edge of her t-shirt to keep it from brushing up against the bandages that are wrapped around her middle and could probably already do with being changed. This would probably be a bad time to run into Steve or B, who both strike her as good, wholesome boys who would be completely freaked out by knife tattoos.
So, of course, she just happens to arrive on level 7 at the same time as B himself, and she stops dead, trying very much not to look (or feel) like a trouble-making sixteen-year-old sneaking through the back window after having gotten up to some mischief.]
Uh. Hey.
[She says, discreetly shifting her arm so as to try to hide the small bloodstain on the side of her shirt.]
[Sucks to be you, Shaw, because B is a supersoldier and an assassin and he can smell that. His gaze sharpens on her, and he looks her over briefly.]
Uh, hi, back. Everything okay?
Uh, hi, back. Everything okay?
not sure if i got all mine back but i got all the ones im sure i lost back
some were really generic so its hard to tell if i have them all
but im better now than i was
[Which is not quite the same as "okay". She may have seen him writing in his notebooks all around the ship, trying to get as much down of his post-graduation time as possible, in case this or something like it happens again.]
how about you?
some were really generic so its hard to tell if i have them all
but im better now than i was
[Which is not quite the same as "okay". She may have seen him writing in his notebooks all around the ship, trying to get as much down of his post-graduation time as possible, in case this or something like it happens again.]
how about you?
[ Reid has been visiting most shifts with a certain unnamed cat, but after he finally requests another room, one more suitable for a cat to spend time in, he decides it's the day that he can speak to B concerning his intentions. ]
Do you have a moment?
Do you have a moment?
[B looks up from the notebook he'd been writing in, and offers a smile. Now that the flood's over and he's pretty sure he's got all his memories back, he's a lot more relaxed. Not as relaxed as he had been before, but still, better.]
Always, man. What's up? Here to visit your girl again?
Always, man. What's up? Here to visit your girl again?
[It takes him a few minutes to respond, as he is dealing with monsters attacking his goats.]
Alive and fine. Currently throwing goats into their stables and trying to lock the thing down.
You?
Alive and fine. Currently throwing goats into their stables and trying to lock the thing down.
You?
I have a request.
[Everything about this is un-Xiao Xingchen-like. That he's initiating a conversation with his warden at all. That he's using the communicator (though it's in video mode because he doesn't really know how to change it, he's just filming the gray inside of his sleeve) and not just waiting until goat time. That he's actually asking for something.
And he knows it. He's not more stiff than usual. Because he's usually stiff. But this feels extremely weird and he hates it.]
[Everything about this is un-Xiao Xingchen-like. That he's initiating a conversation with his warden at all. That he's using the communicator (though it's in video mode because he doesn't really know how to change it, he's just filming the gray inside of his sleeve) and not just waiting until goat time. That he's actually asking for something.
And he knows it. He's not more stiff than usual. Because he's usually stiff. But this feels extremely weird and he hates it.]
[Yeah, this is kinda weird. Considering he sees the guy every day, and Xiao Xingchen could've just waited until the next time they handled the goats together.
But if it's important, maybe it's time sensitive. So B flicks his video on, too.]
Well, you know if it's somethin' I can do, I'll do it. What's goin' on?
But if it's important, maybe it's time sensitive. So B flicks his video on, too.]
Well, you know if it's somethin' I can do, I'll do it. What's goin' on?
After this and later, this, Steve comes back to the cabin, stands in the doorway for a moment, and heads the short distance across the floor to the kitchen, pulling ingredients out of the cabinets and setting the oven to preheat.
If B's home, he gets treated to Steve only-a-tad-aggressively putting together the makings of several loaves of soda bread. If he's not, then the smell of said soda bread will likely be wafting through the cabin by the time he does appear, Steve leaning on the counter and staring at the oven door, counting down the minutes in his head before it's ready to come out of the oven instead of trying to otherwise distract himself and set a timer like a normal person.
If B's home, he gets treated to Steve only-a-tad-aggressively putting together the makings of several loaves of soda bread. If he's not, then the smell of said soda bread will likely be wafting through the cabin by the time he does appear, Steve leaning on the counter and staring at the oven door, counting down the minutes in his head before it's ready to come out of the oven instead of trying to otherwise distract himself and set a timer like a normal person.
B comes in with the dogs on their leashes and C slung over one shoulder, after closing up the kennel for the day, to Steve hunched on the counter staring at the oven. "Did the oven do something to piss you off, Steve?" he asks, only about half-serious, as he unclips the dogs' leashes and lets them bound over to investigate their other person.
I'm sorry there's so much, let me know if you want me to chop this down
punched_hitler
- 2023-08-04 03:13 (UTC) - ExpandYou sure didn't, it's still hanging over our heads.
You did, however, miss Steve's birthday party. I had it in the dining hall and everything, just for you.
[He is clearly not upset, just teasing a little.]
You did, however, miss Steve's birthday party. I had it in the dining hall and everything, just for you.
[He is clearly not upset, just teasing a little.]
The scene might initially remind B a little of the day he came home after the meeting about Lestat. Only this time, Steve isn't staring angrily at the oven - in fact, the oven isn't on. No baking has occurred, based on the lack of smell or any baked goods.
No, this time, when B gets home after his shift, Steve is just sitting on the couch staring at nothing, hands clenching and unclenching in his lap. It takes him a few seconds to even register that B and the dogs are back; his eyes finally zero in on B, and he jerks a little like he wants to get up, but doesn't. His hands just close into fists again and he stays on the couch, entire body rigid as he says, very quietly, "Lark's gone. I went to find him today and his cabin -"
It's gone.
No, this time, when B gets home after his shift, Steve is just sitting on the couch staring at nothing, hands clenching and unclenching in his lap. It takes him a few seconds to even register that B and the dogs are back; his eyes finally zero in on B, and he jerks a little like he wants to get up, but doesn't. His hands just close into fists again and he stays on the couch, entire body rigid as he says, very quietly, "Lark's gone. I went to find him today and his cabin -"
It's gone.
B has by then gotten the dogs leashes off, and is starting to look concerned when Steve finally focuses again.
What he says is like a gut-punch. "No," he says, a reflexive denial. Not that he doesn't believe Steve, but he doesn't want to. "He can't be. He--"
What he says is like a gut-punch. "No," he says, a reflexive denial. Not that he doesn't believe Steve, but he doesn't want to. "He can't be. He--"
[Like most Xiao Xingchen calls, this one conveys no visual information. He's got the camera pointed at the table, so this time the blur is brown. For variety. He's had to call his warden out of the blue once before, so he's not so nervous as he'd been. He's also a lot more confused. His movements are tightly controlled, the strength and ease in them alien to him after his year of suppressed cultivation. He's too confused to think of a way to be polite.]
Is there something else going on aboard or is there a reason you've returned my full power?
Is there something else going on aboard or is there a reason you've returned my full power?
Huh?
[B's first response is very intelligent, yes. But he's confused. They just had their flood. Why would something like that happen?]
I didn't. It's back?
[If it's not a flood, and it's not a request... oh shit.]
[B's first response is very intelligent, yes. But he's confused. They just had their flood. Why would something like that happen?]
I didn't. It's back?
[If it's not a flood, and it's not a request... oh shit.]
what, you mean you brought it here? you got a dog?
It's a good place to start. B is just coming back from a trip to the goats, and spots her coming down the hall as he approaches. "Hey. Out for a walk?" Or looking for him in particular?
Uh, yeah. Sorry. I hope Steve told you I was still out when you sent this....
Why are you taking my cats?
[There are only two cats ever in the kennels and even then only for visiting hours, one being B's own cat C, and one being Reid's cat. If Song Zichen is taking them there might be some problems...]
[There are only two cats ever in the kennels and even then only for visiting hours, one being B's own cat C, and one being Reid's cat. If Song Zichen is taking them there might be some problems...]
I'm okay. I'm in town right now, working a day or two to pay off a stable for the animals.
I. Got no idea where Steve is.
[And he's worried about it. Steve's probably overboard, if he's been this long without calling him back, which means he could be literally anywhere. Anything.]
I. Got no idea where Steve is.
[And he's worried about it. Steve's probably overboard, if he's been this long without calling him back, which means he could be literally anywhere. Anything.]
The day after what seems like half the Barge goes diving into the River to fish out the four stragglers, B will find a small cloth bag, tied with a ribbon, sitting outside his door when he returns from tending his goats. Inside is a wood carving of a bird in flight, and a note written on scrap paper in block letters:
It's an albatross.
It's an albatross.
Edited 2024-02-04 07:18 (UTC)
There are only so many people this could be from, given how most of the people who might leave him a gift either wouldn't do it secretly or have been busy with the River stuff. B tries not to get his hopes up that it's from Yelena. Still, he does take it inside with a pensive expression, and hangs it on the bookshelf where he can see it whenever he looks that direction.
Oh good. Which means Steve's gotta be back too, right?
[It better mean that. You'd better be on your way to the cabin right now, Steve.]
You okay? No, uh. Spiritual damage from all that time in Death?
[Because he heard that's a thing that can happen.]
[It better mean that. You'd better be on your way to the cabin right now, Steve.]
You okay? No, uh. Spiritual damage from all that time in Death?
[Because he heard that's a thing that can happen.]
I'm replying via text, how do you think it's going for me :P
I made a ferret. We named it F. Or Effie because just saying F is kind of hard to do repeatedly, surprisingly.
I made a ferret. We named it F. Or Effie because just saying F is kind of hard to do repeatedly, surprisingly.
You heard that, huh?
[He sounds amused but a little tired.]
We've got a handful of puppies, yeah. And a collection of kittens and a whole bucket load of snakes and frogs...
[He sounds amused but a little tired.]
We've got a handful of puppies, yeah. And a collection of kittens and a whole bucket load of snakes and frogs...
This isn't the first time she's crossed B's path since dream and memory started spilling out over the Barge, breaking down barriers and leaving them each with even less privacy than usual. So she's noticed the steadily darkening circles beneath his eyes, and the invisible weight of weariness.
She's also noticed whose path she hasn't crossed, even though she's been keeping an eye out.
It's that, in the end, that sends her to the kennels at a time she knows B will be there, a large mug snagged from the commissary and filled brim-full with coffee in her hands, gaze panning over the pens in search of their keeper.
She's also noticed whose path she hasn't crossed, even though she's been keeping an eye out.
It's that, in the end, that sends her to the kennels at a time she knows B will be there, a large mug snagged from the commissary and filled brim-full with coffee in her hands, gaze panning over the pens in search of their keeper.
He's laying on his back on the floor in the cat side of the kennels, where the small batch of kittens live when the petting project isn't open. Half of them are trying to eat his hair and the other half are trying to sleep on his stomach. Technically he's here for the evening feeding, kittens and puppies both, but at the moment he's just. Taking a break.
He props himself up on his elbows at the sound of someone coming in, though, craning his neck to try and see around the door frame, disturbing the lot of them.
He props himself up on his elbows at the sound of someone coming in, though, craning his neck to try and see around the door frame, disturbing the lot of them.
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