ellie (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
vaccination) wrote2020-07-25 10:45 pm
vaccination) wrote2020-07-25 10:45 pm
TLV | inbox
AUDIO | VIDEO | TEXT | ACTION
AUDIO | VIDEO | TEXT | ACTION
If you like hot chocolate I can bring some over.
Sure, works for me. Door is unlocked.
[She needs to drink less anyway.]
[She needs to drink less anyway.]
He absolutely fucking understands needing time alone, so he just nods.
He can't say out loud what Becca was, can't make himself say the words, but he can fumble out the little notebook she left him-- about four inches tall, just barely small enough to fit into a pocket, with a spiral binding and a leather cover with a ribbon to keep it closed-- and turn it to the first letter, one of the two places he has dog-eared. It explains that "this is Becca, your sister" and her last understanding of him being dead and her being so sorry for everything that happened. And then that she's going to leave him lots of notes while she's here, which is presumably what fills up the rest of the little book.
Ellie can read however much she wants to, of course, but that letter is the bit B's using to answer her question.
He can't say out loud what Becca was, can't make himself say the words, but he can fumble out the little notebook she left him-- about four inches tall, just barely small enough to fit into a pocket, with a spiral binding and a leather cover with a ribbon to keep it closed-- and turn it to the first letter, one of the two places he has dog-eared. It explains that "this is Becca, your sister" and her last understanding of him being dead and her being so sorry for everything that happened. And then that she's going to leave him lots of notes while she's here, which is presumably what fills up the rest of the little book.
Ellie can read however much she wants to, of course, but that letter is the bit B's using to answer her question.
Confused at first, Ellie only needs to skim that first page to realize what this is. Moving through a wasted world, she's read dozens of heartbreaking letters, but never really any concerning people she knows.
"Oh. Oh, man... do you--really want me to read this, B?"
It feels like an intrusion.
"Oh. Oh, man... do you--really want me to read this, B?"
It feels like an intrusion.
[Ellie gives a knock anyway before stepping in, a thermos in hand. Steve's gotten her addicted to hot chocolate--it's that powdered shit--and she thinks it's better tasting than coffee.]
Hey.
Hey.
"If you want to. I can't. Threw it across the room. Twice." And yet he keeps it on his person at all times, so it's clearly important to him. He's even tried to carefully smooth the crumpled pages back out, so they lay flat when it's in his pocket. "But that one page answers your question."
Ellie does read a little, frowning.
"Do you want me to summarize them for you or something? I think..." She turns a page. "I think you'd wanna see this, B."
"Do you want me to summarize them for you or something? I think..." She turns a page. "I think you'd wanna see this, B."
"No. Just if you wanted to read it, to answer your question. Might throw you across the room if you tried to tell me what's in it." He pauses, then adds, "Don't want to do that."
They're at the art room now, at least, so he can duck inside and head for the piano.
They're at the art room now, at least, so he can duck inside and head for the piano.
"Yeah, don't think I want that either."
It's why she follows him and hands back the notebook.
"Keep trying, though."
It's why she follows him and hands back the notebook.
"Keep trying, though."
"I will. Later." Probably much later. He really doesn't want to risk damaging it. He takes it back and tucks it back away in its pocket, then pulls the piano bench out a little so he can sit. "Joel wasn't too bad. A little mean until he decided you liked me. But so was I until I realized who he was." So it was fair to be a little mean, back.
Ellie brings over a chair, sitting and setting the guitar down beside her. She'd like to pretend Joel was never here, never touched anything in this place or spoke to anyone, but there's no avoiding it.
"He was just like that. He was a huge prick to me when we first met. I wish I'd have gotten letters from him like you got."
She got a note, a brief note, but she would give anything for books and books worth of words from Joel. But. She never made that clear to him when he was alive.
"He was just like that. He was a huge prick to me when we first met. I wish I'd have gotten letters from him like you got."
She got a note, a brief note, but she would give anything for books and books worth of words from Joel. But. She never made that clear to him when he was alive.
He watches her feet and the feet of the chair a moment. "I wish you could have, too. You'd probably be able to appreciate them." He wonders if maybe he should have said something, after all. Told Joel just what her deal was, so he'd know how much he mattered to her. Hrm.
But she's clearly not happy. And she'd needed time alone, so she wasn't happy then, either. "We don't have to talk about it. Sorry."
But she's clearly not happy. And she'd needed time alone, so she wasn't happy then, either. "We don't have to talk about it. Sorry."
Ellie gives the piano bench a gentle kick with her shoe.
"Don't apologize. I wouldn't talk if I didn't want to. How often do I try to get you to talk?"
"Don't apologize. I wouldn't talk if I didn't want to. How often do I try to get you to talk?"
"A lot," he allows, ducking his head. "So. Does that mean it's okay to do the same? To you?" He doesn't know how this whole friend thing works, or if they're even that, or what's allowed. But he's getting a little better at asking things, so here he is, asking. It's practice.
Hey.
[Tess waves jauntily from where she is on the couch, fixing up her eyebrows with tweezers and a compact mirror. She pats the couch next to her.]
Your eyes are about to roll out of your head.
[Tess waves jauntily from where she is on the couch, fixing up her eyebrows with tweezers and a compact mirror. She pats the couch next to her.]
Your eyes are about to roll out of your head.
[She sits with a bit of a bounce--hope you were done plucking, Tess. She offers the thermos.]
Lay it on me. I know he's a fucking weirdo, but how much of one?
Lay it on me. I know he's a fucking weirdo, but how much of one?
"Yeah," she says quietly, but easily. "It's only fair. And I know you won't go running around and telling people my business, just like I won't go around telling people yours."
[Almost, you little brat. Tess sets her stuff aside and takes the thermos, cranking off the cap.]
I'll let him tell you all the weird personal crap, but he's in this horrible on-again-off-again love affair with a vampire, who is, by the way, drugging him on the reg.
I'll let him tell you all the weird personal crap, but he's in this horrible on-again-off-again love affair with a vampire, who is, by the way, drugging him on the reg.
[Ellie is used to a lot of weird crap these days, but that...]
What the fuck? Does he need an adult?
What the fuck? Does he need an adult?
In my opinion, yes, but good luck convincing him of it. Months ago he was furious. Now he’s resigned to it or something.
Is it that Steve guy?
[Why is everyone. So weird. Why.]
[Why is everyone. So weird. Why.]
Yeah, the one who cries blood. That was because Pagan broke up with him, but knowing them, they’ll be back together within a week. Lucky you.
[There's the eyeroll, and Ellie dramatically drops her face into her hands.]
Fuck me. How is the brainwashed assassin-robo-arm guy the best inmate I've had?
Fuck me. How is the brainwashed assassin-robo-arm guy the best inmate I've had?
That guy is fucked up but he’s not soap opera levels of fucked up.
Yeah, I'll take sci-fi fucked up over [she waves her hands] gross vampire drug soap opera.
[Wasn't that a book? Movie?]
I hate this temp inmate shit.
[Wasn't that a book? Movie?]
I hate this temp inmate shit.
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