oo1 | video

[bondsoflove]

 [A boy, thin and haggard, trembling. His face is drawn and pale and he's twitchy, glancing to the side every few seconds like he's waiting to be attacked. 

Considering he entered Siren's Port an hour or so after midnight, this isn't that much of a surprise.

He's still feeling a little sick, although it's as likely to be psychosomatic and aggravated by malnutrition as the actual lingering effects of the pull.]

The weather. [His illness, the things he's seen--creatures, humanoid, black holes of power. Other creatures, malformed and disgusting. He doesn't want to talk about it.] Is it always like this? 

[Cold. It's not that he's never been exposed to it, but it's a rarity. He's used to a perpetually warm climate, both from the areas he's been traveling in and his birthplace.]

Comments

[bondsoflove]

I'm staying with my cousin.

[inthejunk]

So subtract that part.

[Oh, wait, ew. That means you can't ask the landlord any questions you have. Ugh, fine.]

...Is there anything else I can help you with?

[bondsoflove]

[Sudden apprehension.]

Why do you want to help me?

[inthejunk]

Because it sucks when you first get here. Besides, it's my job. I don't get paid for it or anything, but I still take it seriously. So, what can I help you with?

[bondsoflove]

When doesn't it suck?

[inthejunk]

Here? Um...

[Wow, why is that question so hard?]

I uh. We. Um...party! That is, there was a party once.

[Nevermind that he got drunk and it was kinda miserable. In theory, parties are awesome.]

And on my birthday we all played paintball! It was raining, and no one really knew how, but it was pretty alright anyway.

[bondsoflove]

Party.

[Frowning.]

Paintball?

[inthejunk]

Yeah...you know what those words mean, right?

[bondsoflove]

Party, yes.

[inthejunk]

Why does no one ever get paintball? It's pretty self-explanatory.

[bondsoflove]

Balls of paint could mean any number of things.

[inthejunk]

I'll clear it up for you then, they're balls made out of paint. But it's cooler than that. You shoot them out of air rifles at each other.

[bondsoflove]

[It sounds messy and painful, frankly. He doesn't see the point.]

What's an air rifle?

[inthejunk]

[Sigh.]

I'm not sure how to explain it. You might need to start watching TV now that you're not in the past anymore.

[bondsoflove]

I watch TV.

[Grumpily.]

[inthejunk]

Really? Maybe it's just the wrong channels.

[bondsoflove]

Mostly it's stupid ninja movies.

[inthejunk]

[Snort.]

That's pretty funny, actually. I didn't think you would be a funny guy.

[bondsoflove]

[That he takes offense to.]

I'm witty. What made you think otherwise?

[inthejunk]

You kinda came out swinging, you know.

[To state the obvious.]

[bondsoflove]

I was immediately swarmed by those things. Of course I was on the defensive.

[inthejunk]

[Is that wordplay? It's difficult to tell. Yosuke just quirks an eyebrow, and shrugs.]

Sure, okay.

[bondsoflove]

Ch.

[In a fit of irritation, he cuts the feed.]

[inthejunk]

[Actually, that's a relief. What a jerk.]