video

[pyralisit]

[The video comes on perhaps a few seconds too soon, showing Cal sitting in front of a window, a lit cigarette in his mouth. There's not really any way to tell what he's looking at outside, but after a few moments he takes the cigarette from his mouth and extinguishes it, exhaling more smoke.

Judging by the haze in the air, he's been there a while.

Once the cigarette is out, he turns to look directly into the camera. This is a very human way of communicating and he isn't sure that he likes it.]

Are we supposed to believe this place isn't actually hell? [Because so far the only good thing about it is Pell. Not that he's ever had a particularly safe life, but the ridiculousness he's seen in the short time he's been here is beyond acceptable.

He almost lights another cigarette, but thinks better of it, and sighs instead.]

All this for what, to stir up some emotions? [He laughs, but the sound is joyless.] Be careful what you wish for and all that nonsense.

So what happens when they get more of us than they can handle?

Comments

Re: action;

[pyralisit]

[That doesn't sit well with him and he is moodily silent for several moments, though he doesn't let go. It's a hard thing to reconcile--abductions with receiving the one gift he'd wanted above anything else.

He wasn't exactly innocent of abductions, either.]

And we're just supposed to accept that?

Re: action;

[pellameno]

[ Pell shrugs, leaning up to nuzzle their faces together while Cal sulks. ]

Not 'just', is it? I haven't, but I live with it. They've tried to send us home but it's become clear they don't control the Door. What is there to fight? Not the gods, only the threats.

As bad as it is I'm in no rush to leave now.

Re: action;

[pyralisit]

[His arms tighten around Pell involuntarily while he glares at the wall over his shoulder. No, neither of them are in any rush to leave.]

You'd be fine staying here?

Re: action;

[pellameno]

I want to be where you are.

[ Things are complicated, obviously, but that's what it boils down to. Before the others arrived, he'd wanted to leave, of course. Now, no matter what horrors they face, it doesn't seem so bad anymore. ]

We were in danger back home, too... I guess this seems a worthwhile trade off. We go back, we're apart. We stay, we're together.

Re: action;

[pyralisit]

I am not letting them take you away from me again. [He sounds rather fierce about that. That was something he adamantly refused to give up believing.]

[pellameno]

[ Pell smiles sadly, knowing their future and just hoping it can be changed somehow through the knowing. He snuggles against Cal, though, feeling the sentiment through their bond. Even after death, Cal's vehemence makes him feel protected. ]

I don't think anyone's trying, right now.

Why don't you tell me about who you've met?

[pyralisit]

I didn't ask for names. [He didn't really care, to be entirely honest. He probably should have, but he couldn't bring himself to. They were only humans, after all.]

They weren't anything special.

[pellameno]

Not even one? I think maybe you're not giving them a chance.

[pyralisit]

They had a chance. It's not my fault they chose to waste it.

[pellameno]

Cal. [ don't be a dick. pell's smiling just a little, though, like he's trying not to be amused by cal being cal. ] I'll see for myself, I guess.

[ he reclaims a hand and pulls out his device, to see what cal and the general populous were talking about. ]

[pyralisit]

You knew what you were in for. [It's not as if Cal will just start being nice just because.] Call it curiosity, I suppose. I wanted to see what the rest of them thought.

[pellameno]

I didn't, actually. But I know well now.

[ he goes quiet, leaning against cal as he plays the post and some of the responses. it's not hell, but he's only sure of that because most of the people here aren't dead. ]

Hmm. I like this one.

[pyralisit]

Do you? [Were it anyone other than Pell, he'd feel he was being mocked.]</small And why is that?

[pellameno]

For the most part. [ cal gets a kiss on the corner of his mouth as pell slips his device back in his pocket ]

He seems... earnest in his curiosity. I don't know, it's just a feeling. Maybe I'll message him.

[pyralisit]

Maybe he is. [He didn't bother to find out.] He'll need more than a little curiosity, though.

[pellameno]

He'll need more than that for what, exactly? For you to like him?

[pyralisit]

In general. Curiosity doesn't keep anything alive. In fact, it tends to kill the kittens.

[pellameno]

I don't think he's a kitten. There aren't many here, actually. Most people can fend for themselves fairly well in one way or another.

[pyralisit]

Good for them, then.

[pellameno]

In a way. We have to work together to really survive.

[pyralisit]

And I suppose this is where you tell me to try again and play nicely.

[pellameno]

It's where I trust that you're smart enough to realize that yourself. You were playing nice, no?

...well maybe not with the one who thinks you're treating him like an idiot.

[pyralisit]

That's his own fault. [It's partly Cal's too, let's be honest.]

If he doesn't want to understand, I don't care to explain.

[pellameno]

How can someone understand something that isn't explained?

[pyralisit]

Does it matter to explain if someone isn't listening?