day 45....... ish??

[unsea]

( Goram Saffit has granted us an audience. )

[ SOMEONE HAS BEEN A stressed maniac BUSY BEE BEHIND SCENES, WOW!! ]

( Three of us have been permitted to meet Saffit in person - myself, Carata and Aoba. We will be utilizing this time to investigate him as a potential source of this turmoil, and searching for further information.

We will be meeting at one of his fundraising benefits in two days. Those who wish to attend may wish to make use of the Station's credit line for something nice to wear, as well as find themselves a plus one. If you are in attendance, feel free to investigate other attendees for anything you find suspect or informative. And note that most of the people in attendance are against the synthetic personhood movement. )

[ try not to harm them...... keyword: ""TRY"" he knows y'all well enough....







also, eppy wanted sparkle text so: . ]

Comments

[shiro2hero]

(Or you could pretend to be drunk again. Seeing as... how well that went last time.)

[It's a little bit of teasing. Just a bit. He's... not exactly sure where things stand, given -- other things that have happened. He's still willing to drag himself to this thing, stand in a corner like window dressing, but even so...]

[... this is awkward.]

(They're some kind of celebrity around here, aren't they? They've probably got the best chance at succeeding.)

[vocalis]

[ Aoba's mind gently buzzes with static at the memory, uncomfortably warm. ]

Uh... maybe. I won't be able to drink while I'm there because I need to keep a clear head, and if anyone notices it might be suspicious. And that was... that was so embarrassing, last time...

[ He vaguely remembers being steadied in Shiro's arms, then waking up later in his own bed, which means he was carried... and was probably seen being carried. By another guy. So embarrassing. Whatever Shiro says, the sense of shame he feels over that is real, and he truly does mean to make it up to him somehow.

The change of subject is welcomed, though. The static lessens, the awkward warmth and volume turning back down, his concerns shoved aside to worry about later. ]

The Darkling? Um... yeah I think so. A video game champion, or an up and coming one for... Bout it Out? I don't really care for games like that...

[ He hasn't been paying much attention to the tabloids, especially any involving Bout it Out. It's a game too much like Rhyme, and he hated that game back home. It was so annoying and whether you played it or not, there was no avoiding it. At least here virtual games seem to have better boundaries, and he can ignore them if he wants to. ]

I hope the press doesn't follow the both of us around much.

[shiro2hero]

[... what even was that? That buzzing feeling? Is the other guy embarrassed? Why would he be? Nothing about that incident was embarrassing -- not in Shiro's opinion. For his part, there's only confusion. A complete lack of comprehending the issue.]

[If someone needs help, you help. Carrying him wasn't a big deal, even if someone saw. It makes no difference to him.]

(I guess I don't understand why it would be. Embarrassing, I mean. The rest makes sense.)

[Something in him unwinds when the noise stops. Or, at least, calms down.]

[He remembers hearing the name of that game, though, and nods, like they're having a face-to-face conversation. But if Aoba hasn't been paying much attention, Shiro has been paying literally zero. There are tabloids here?]

(That's the game one of the bomb casualties played, right?) [He probably could have asked that better, whoops.] (I'd be prepared for hounding, if I were you. Sorry to say.)

[vocalis]

Yes... wait, no. I'm not sure if he played, but he died from the bomb in the game parlor while The Darkling was facing off with the current champion. Just, according to what I read in the news.

[ He hadn't been there, having just woken up from a deep symbiote induced coma. He's starting to believe the death in the Nest was what jarred him awake, but he doesn't want to think on it long either. He wasn't there, but feeling that loss upon waking - it's an upsetting memory.

Likewise with the whole carrying thing - not as awful, but still an uncomfortable thing to remember. And the mention of being targeted by the press doesn't help his nerves either. The static picks back up and doesn't abate this time, crackling in the back of his mind. ]

Yeah, I guess I'll have to be... ready for that too...

[ At the beginning of this conversation, he wasn't so worried about going to this event, but now... after reflecting on all that's weighing on him, he's grown incredibly nervous. ]

[shiro2hero]

[He winces. At all of it -- the static and the way he's basically put his foot in his mouth. Maybe this is some weird retribution for ... what happened. Earlier.]

[Rubbing his hands over his face doesn't do anything for the stress. But it's something to do with them.]

(Sorry. I'm probably not helping, am I?)

[He lets the silence hang a bit. Before he adds, reluctantly, but sincerely:]

(I'll play backup. If all else fails, I'll fall into a dessert tray or something. That'll... get some eyes my way.)

[vocalis]

[ Aoba doesn't answer the question. If he did, it'd be nothing but a white lie, an automatic - it's all right. But connected like this, Shiro would know it to be untrue.

He hasn't thought of him much, at least not with an open link in his mind, but Aoba is really missing Ren about now. Ren would know how to keep him calm. He'd say something assuring and logical to put everything back in a realistic perspective, then curl up in his lap and let him run his hands through his soft blue fur. Whether he's functional or not, that's the first thing Aoba is going to do when he's back on the station.

But for now, he comes back down. Or tries to. The static abates somewhat, the volume forced down. His mental control is wavering, but still holding. ]

If you want to help that way, I won't keep you from going, just... make sure it's what you want, Shiro.

[ He then narrows the his link to Shiro's mind, eager to find someplace quieter so he can nurse his anxiety with fonder memories. Memories of warm machinery humming beneath a layer of fluff, and of a little pink tongue that always stuck out.

What he would give to be alone with Ren again. All his worries about this, the party - no, Shiro isn't helping, but Ren would know how to. ]

[shiro2hero]

(I'm...)

[He lets it trail off, feeling the link fade. And feeling the frustration accompanied by it. I'm sorry echoing around in his head again. Apologizing forever, it feels like.]

[Jut apologizing, when he really should be trying harder. Working harder not to put his foot in his mouth all the time. This was supposed to be a reassurance and it just ended up making things worse.]

[Wonderful.]

[Maybe talking, offering, at all wasn't a good idea to begin with. Not everyone needed someone looking after them. Did they?]

(I'll work on this.)

[He says. He thinks. He promises. Even if there isn't anyone actively listening. It feels better than leaving things in silence.]