exsiliumlogs | (no subject) (part 2)

You've had a spacey encounter? [ Ooooh tell her more she wants to know more about this. Spacey encounters are really interesting.

And with a roll of her eyes ] Snob.

[ no he doesn't think he will, actually it was kind of a big moment and he still tries not to think about it. the life you have after the moment where you accept self-sacrifice is kind of hard to rationalize sometimes. ]

Is 'snob' code for 'exceptional discrimination of aesthetic properties' now and no one bothered to tell me?

[ if she knew that she probably wouldn't be as curious, because yeah, that's not a fun topic. but right now she's just curious because spaaaaace. ]

Sure. Or just 'caring too much what people look like'.

[ well until she asks about it again he's ignoring the question ]

That's what swimsuits are for. It's like being given permission to judge what someone looks like.

[ That's terrible and she totally is going to ask again probably. ]

What? No it's not, it's people wearing swimsuits so they can go swimming, in water. Do you just judge everyone?

You ask me that as though I have so much other stuff I could be doing with my free time. [ He does watch people, very closely, but he watches them like an engineer watches a process with machines, checking out what doesn't work and what needs to be upgraded. He watches people so that he knows what they need and what he can make them. ]

You do, actually. Like telling me about space. Or continuing to work on your own suits, which have significantly less judging involved. [ She has noticed that he pays more attention to people than he lets on, but she's not really sure what for, and she does her best to duck it if possible. ]

[ He grumbles a little bit there, because those are decent points and he doesn't feel like playing it off like they aren't, right now. ] What about space?

You said you'd had a spacey encounter. Which sounds like you've been to space. [ Genuine interest all over here. ] What was it like?

I've been in space for a little bit. It was pretty quiet. There was a big explosion, and then I was back on the ground, mostly. You ever had shawarma?

Shawarma? I don't remember. Maybe, maybe not? Why were you in space?

I had to fly a nuclear missile headed for Manhattan through a portal instead.

Seriously? [ Huh. Well, she doesn't know what she was expecting particularly, but she doesn't think it was that. Interesting. ] So you didn't get to hang out and enjoy it?

I was moderately unconscious after managing to see it explode on impact. We didn't have time to get that close bond, you know how it is with those whirlwind relationships.

Would you ever want to go back? [ Gesturing in the general direction of - well, the ceiling, but clearly intending to bring mind the sky, the space above it. There's something young and excited in her voice. ] More prepared, obviously. But go into the stars.

[ The knee-jerk reaction is both yes and no at the same time, which is odd to reconcile. ]

Yeah. I'd go back.

[ People who are being quite careful to not monitor him emotionally and don't realize this might be a sensitive topic - her. ]

Yeah, me too. Well, it wouldn't be back for me. But I'd like to see space.

[ He's looking down at his dessert as it arrives now, poking at the garnish with his fork for a moment before the mood lifts again. ]

S'pretty. Gigantic, tiny balls of light aeons away. Yeah, it's nice. Little vacation, I think, catch some rays, a little peace and quiet for once so I can finish my book.

[ She just kind of hums an assent to that, thoughtful, and then tilts her head at him, smiling a little. ]

You're writing a book?

[ okay, he can see where you got that, but ]

Facetious - reading. There are enough books about me already, and I'm taking a break from writing textbooks. You know, letting other people have a shot at it too, sharing is caring.

I was wondering. Never seen you writing at all. [ Considering. ] There's books about you?

I don't like people to know I can do it. I like to be underestimated, and illiteracy has a good edge on that respect. [ Conspiratorially. His good mood is honestly back now, instead of just pretending to be. Mercurial! Yay! ] Not here there aren't, unless someone just starts to want playing a joke on me. Back home. Biographies and shit.

[ She laughs a little bit at that, because good moods are slightly infectious to her and she likes them. ] Yeah, I guess it would. Oh, they can't read, we've got them.

Aren't you pretty young to have biographies written about you already?

Exactly. What people forget is that barbarians have a d12 hit die instead to make up for it. Checks and balances.

[ This pie is actually not that bad. ] Apparently not. I've packed a lot of life in, I guess. Either that or there's just not enough interesting people to write biographies about. Or it's just easy to find all the information.

And broadswords and clubs. Can't forget those.

[ It really isn't. She's kind of impressed. ] Are they at least well written?