catchall for emma

[leaberator]

Comments

[foodbin]

[There's a pause, before she just. Sighs.]

The universe is an asshole.

[leaberator]

[ he can't say bad words but he nods emphatically, voice dry. ]

No kidding. Aren't we having a hard enough time already? [ he pauses for a second before grinning up (well, okay, kinda up, because he's still stupid tall even when sitting, but look) at her a bit, sly ] Though... should I be flattered you dreamed about me?

[ she dreamed about you dying, jackass ]

[foodbin]

It wasn’t exactly flattering subject matter, you know.

[As she sits down near him:]

I’m just glad you’re okay.

[leaberator]

[ technically he was trying to lighten the mood but Okay, Too Soon. he rubs the back of his neck ]

Yeah, 'course. It takes a lot more than whatever this place has to get rid of me, I'll have you know.

[foodbin]

Right. No problem you can’t stubborn your way through, I remember.

[...]

I hope yours wasn’t too bad.

[leaberator]

You got it memorized.

[ please KILL me. he looks away at her follow-up ]

...Well, it wasn't great. Especially since...

[foodbin]

Because you’re close to her, or... Is there another reason this was way uncalled for?

[leaberator]

[ he blinks, like he was mostly thinking out loud, and that serves him right for being tired, he guesses. ]

... It's a long story. [ but, for once, he doesn't leave it at just that. ] I... lost her, a while back.

[foodbin]

[Now that she's sitting, she's at a good angle to place a hand on his arm for a moment. Her voice is more gentle than he might be used to.]

...I'm sorry. I didn't realize.

[leaberator]

[ it definitely is, and it takes him by surprise before he smiles at her, soft ]

Hey, nah, it's in the past. I got her back. I always get my friends back. Always.

[foodbin]

[She lets it drop, then, resting her hands in her lap as she crosses her legs.]

That's... an impressive level of stubbornness.

[leaberator]

I did warn ya. [ he shoves her shoulder with his own with a shrug ]

[foodbin]

[She shoves right back, offering a smile.]

What'd you have to do to get her back? Unless that's part of the long story.

[leaberator]

[ ... ]

Yeah. A pretty messed up, complicated part of it.

[ he at least has the decency to look sheepish ]

[foodbin]

[She senses that, and pauses for a moment, straightening up before she attempts to change the subject.]

I've got an idea. Let's swap a milder, more uncomplicated part of our long stories.

[leaberator]

[ does he fUCKING HAVE ANY ]

Uh. Sure? What did you have in mind?

[foodbin]

[A small shrug.]

Dealer's choice?

[leaberator]

What, and I'm the dealer now?

[ god, okay, fine. he looks up to the sky, obviously racking his brain for something. it... probably should not take him this long, really. ]

Hm, well... [ when in doubt?? talk about??? his friends?? but his friends are a big, complicated part of it???? ] I know a talking duck?

[ that was literally nothing, lea. nothing. ]

[foodbin]

[She laughs.]

Right, sure you do. Very funny.

[emma there's a talking bird here why are you assuming this is a joke]

[leaberator]

Hey, it's true. I know not all worlds have 'em, but you've seen Grim Eyes, haven't you? It's the same thing. [ he thinks about it ] I guess I know a couple more than one. But I only really know Donald.

[foodbin]

[There's a long pause. The gears are turning in her head.]

Why do you have gravity defying hair and a duck friend?

[is she starting a list]

[leaberator]

I dunno about friends...

[ he looks like he has never thought about whether he should count Donald Duck as a friend or not before, because he hasn't. ]

Everyone from his world is talking animals. Y'know, duck, mouse, dog, chipmunks...

[foodbin]

Of course there's a chipmunk.

[closes eyes]

Anyways, was that the entire story, or...?

[leaberator]

Two.

[ he does not tell her they made his phone, because he's nice. and also because she just shamed him ]

Okay, so I couldn't think of anything. Everything's so interconnected, it's a major brainache trying to untangle something decent out of it.

[foodbin]

[She laughs despite herself.]

Yeah... I think I get it, actually. Well, not the story, obviously, but the whole interconnected part.