alcohol, your songs resound like my life never will

[moralperil]

Date & Time: 8/13/13, evening, two hours after this conversation.
Location: a bar of Jack's choosing
Characters: Mahdi (moralperil) & Jack (allucinator)
Summary: Mahdi's celebrating his one year anniversary in Exsilium. Jack promised Mahdi a drink, Mahdi bumped it up to two.
Warnings: TRIGGER WARNINGS: PTSD episodes, discussion of sexual abuse.

[There's a lot for him to think about, out in the rain. Mahdi tries not to sulk and dwell on being called 'kid', on being treated childishly. In a year here, he's only just recently started to understand this attitude comes from people who want to look out for him. They can't know how impossible a task that is.

It sucks, in a way. He'll probably always be the one who's like a little brother, the treasured friend, the ally and angel but never more than that. These are all great things to be, things Mahdi is happy to be, but he wonders why it seems like the only way to be thought of as an adult is to act cynical and jaded. It seems to him like not letting the world change you is a form of maturity, too, but the sincerity and sweetness he treasures are not valued by all.

Normally, Mahdi doesn't get so reflective, but it has been a year and nearly two weeks since he's arrived. He's been thinking about a lot of things lately, like how it's been over two years since he's seen his family and the last real conversation he had with his sister Fayra was about how he needed to get out more, how he ought to go dancing with her, how he needed to try and have fun and get a date since it's been two years since that last guy, dang it.

(Okay, now it's been more like four.)

But Mahdi hasn't been trying like she'd want him to, even though he has more opportunity here. He rarely goes out at night. He usually stays home, maybe practices some recipes and just goes to bed early.

Maybe he actually finds this place pretty depressing. It's time he stopped, he figured. It's time he took some kind of move in his personal life.

When Mahdi turns up at the bar, he's no longer in the casual-disheveled state he had been when they chatted on the tablets. He's pulled his hair back into a loose braid, and he's wearing a nice blue sweater and trousers. He arrives a few minutes earlier than two hours, so worried he might be late or find the wrong place. He pulls off his yellow raincoat with a shiver, and searches the room for Jack. If he hasn't arrived yet, he'll find a table or something - stools are just too challenging for him.]

Comments

[allucinator]

[He wrinkles his nose and reaches out, gently whacking him on the arm.]

We're one drink in, stop makin' sense, kid. You want another?

[moralperil]

I'm two in! But you can buy me a third! [Mahdi smiles and raises his second drink, already halfway through. He's actually putting it away pretty quickly!]

I keep telling you, I'm not a kid. I'm just me. I've been called weird and worse by people whose opinion mattered at lot more to me than yours does, no offense.

[allucinator]

[He waves his hand, gesturing for his second and Mahdi's third.]

I'm just teasin', you know, I know you're older'n me. And I don't mean no offense by nothin'.

[moralperil]

Okay. [Mahdi looks hesitant, though.] I have trouble with sarcasm and stuff like that. Even though I know I'm lied to all the time, when someone is my friend, I want to believe they're sincere.

Which is the kind of thing people say, oh, Mahdi, you're such a dummy, and then I'm like "Hey!" and they're like, "Only kidding!" But I don't think they were...

[allucinator]

[He wrinkles his nose.]

Who says stuff like that?

[moralperil]

No one here! [Mahdi hurries to assure him.] If anyone talked to me like that now, I'd read them the riot act! Just... Someone I dated a long time ago, for a pretty long time. I guess it makes me worry about it, since it can be hard to tell sometimes.

[Realizing he's been more candid than he meant, Mahdi stares at his drink accusingly.] Vodka is... Magical, isn't it?

[allucinator]

[He huffs a soft laugh.]

You could call it that. Just don't drink enough to throw up, you won't think it so magic then.

Look, anyone talks to you like that . . . you know I'd back you up, yeah? I mean-- I know we don't know each other so well, but.

[moralperil]

That's really sweet, Jack. Thank you. [In spite of the warning, he comes close to finishing his second drink.]

The truth is if that person turned up... I'd want you to stay away. But I'm glad you'd stand up for me just the same.

[allucinator]

I've encountered worse than a nasty ex, boyo.

[He sticks his tongue out at him.]

Watch yourself, if you don't wanna get drunk. We should stop after three.

[moralperil]

[It's probably just the vodka (or kahlua), but Mahdi feels a warm flush.]

You're a really kind person, offering something like that. You don't know anything about the situation - what my people can be capable of.

[Mahdi can't criticize the sentiment, though. He's like that, too. He sticks his tongue out at Jack in return .]

Yeah, I'll keep it to that since you are prejudiced against singing and dancing!

That's not what I was talking about before, though. When I was talking about what my kind are capable of.

[allucinator]

Your kind?

[moralperil]

Greater mortals. Each of us is born with abilities that can alter reality. In other words... Magic!

[Complete with wiggly finger gestures!]

[allucinator]

You're not the only one with magic.

[With effort-- greater effort than he shows, because Jack has his pride-- he draws up a tiny ball of light into the palm of his hand.]

[moralperil]

[Mahdi smiles, a bright expression of pure delight.] That's amazing! [He even applauds!] Lesser mortals can only interact with the physical world, where I'm from. They can't alter its fabric like that.

[allucinator]

[His smile drops a bit as he extinguishes that light.]

Here's a tip: don't go round callin' people lesser. They don't exactly like it.

ahhh, i'm on a computer again

[moralperil]

Oh, jeez! I'm sorry! I know it's wrong to say that... I guess I've been thinking of home too much, where everyone sort of has that attitude. I mean, that's what we're taught. That we're greater, and you guys are lesser.

[His face his quite hot. Mahdi hunkers down over his drink.] There's nothing further from the truth, though!

Humans are the ones who are amazing.

bless

[allucinator]

[That flush more than convinces Jack, and makes up for his earlier irritation.]

Maybe we're equal, yeah? What sorts o' stuff can you do?

[moralperil]

I can't do any sort of illusions, that was always my sister's area. What I can do it just... well...!

[Mahdi makes heart-hands at Jack, and sends him a blessing! It should give him a feeling of contentment that lasts for around five or ten minutes, a sense of warmth and happiness and a certainty that 'someone out there is watching out for me'.]

That!

[allucinator]

I-- oh.

[Jack stares at him, a bit of color coming to his cheeks despite himself.]

Christ, that's-- you could sell that.

[moralperil]

[Is blushing what we're doing? How about a nice, big blush party?]

Sell it? I could never! [Totally scandalized, here.]

[allucinator]

[He shrugs and rubs at his face, trying to banish that stupid expression.]

Your choice. Jesus, this-- how long does this last?

[moralperil]

A few minutes. It's supposed to be enough to uplift your spirits from total despair, and allow a moment of clarity. I can also give blessings that improve someone's luck - that's mostly when I do here.

[Okay, it secretly makes Mahdi happy to see Jack look this happy. He hadn't noticed it before, but the guy doesn't really relax much.]

[allucinator]

It's, um-- it's addictive. Or could be. Could be addictive.

[God knows he's starting to know about addictive. Jack rubs at his face again, but he can't banish that small smile.]

Do you all specify like that?

[moralperil]

A-addictive? Really? Um, that's probably why I'm not supposed to just... use it on people like that. [Mahdi looks distinctly uncomfortable, shifting in his seat and poking at the ice melting in what little remains of his drink.]

We can do a lot of things, but my power itself is pretty rare. Probably because it's basically a form of emotional projection.

In fact everyone else I've met who has anything similar is. Well, they don't use it in good ways.

[allucinator]

Yeah, I bet.

[He mumbles that and then shoots him a little smile.]

Still. Long as you do, that's all that matters, yeah? And that you don't do it without permission.