featherduster | ( limelight ) overflow

Your honest answer.

[ sighs, impatient ]

I don't have to imagine. I've seen him in worse shape than that; I hated it. Hating it didn't change that it happened, though. I can get that you're upset about it or something, but I can't make the Atlas thing un-happen.

Of course not.

But you don't need to trivialize the bad shit that happened to you for our sakes, either.

I'm not just...I mean, point taken. And that was pretty bad. Definitely a top five moment for ow in my memories. But the danger levels? Were just a day ending in y. That's my everyday in the memories. And kind of the everyday on the boat, too.

[ He frowns very deeply ]

You've mentioned it. I think I said it before, but I'll say it again: it's bullshit. I hate it.

It's not great. But it's also hard to get upset over every little thing anymore.

[ hears himself, winces ]

I know. Not "little." But...yeah, it's hard to get mad when it happened so often. Keeps happening.

[ He thinks on this for a moment ]

If you had to choose -- this life, or that one.

Which would you pick?

[ bites the inside of his mouth hard enough to draw blood ]

...this one. If I really got to keep it.

[ That earns the small twitch of a smile ]

I see.

Well, let's do our best to make sure you don't end up holding up this sky either.

Thaaat would be appreciated.

[ ... ]

I saw one of yours too.

[ GRIMACES INVOLUNTARILY ]

.... Oh yeah?

[ hands over the slip ]

[ He takes it

Oh. That one. His face does a funny thing where it just kinda goes blank ]

Damn.

...we don't have to talk about it.

Experience so far tells me we literally have to talk about it.

[ sighs ]

Mine too. [ experience, that is ] Um...it was kind of. Intense?

[ Automatically: ] Sorry.

[ A pause ]

... I didn't realize any of those ended up in the bowl. Stuff from-- the visions.

Uh, yeah, I definitely didn't put what you saw in there on purpose. Or any of mine. So you super don't gotta apologize.

[ Sighs, forcing himself to unclench a little ]

... It's easier to play at normal life if nobody knows about any of that.

Tell me about it. But if you're worried about me, I dunno, judging vision-you or something — don't. That's not gonna happen.

[ Giving him a curious look ]

No?

That's not exactly the same guy you are, right? And even if he was...uh. Looked like the dude who came after you did a lot of damage. Would've done worse if he could've. He needed to be stopped.

[ Conversationally ]

What if the guy I am here is worse?

Then that's still the guy who cared for Nettle and me when we didn't have anyone else, and wants to give us a home. That's still the guy who's looked after all of us on the boat, when things were bad or good. That's the guy who keeps telling me all about how I gotta value myself, 'cause he does.

That's the guy who's always been there for us.

So like...everything else is kinda just details, as far as I'm concerned.

[ Opens his mouth ]

( limelight ) overflow

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