tentatively voicetesting. x-posted to d_p. canon is gangsta.

[killsign]

[There is a smol child writing in the dirt, each stroke a deliberate, awkward thing. Some of the letters are backwards in the beginning, then frontways later on, and any letters previously correct flip to take their place! It's an awful game of somersaulting memory and poor spelling.]

[Once he's finally done, he irritably scrubs the back of his hand across his bruised cheek. The words read:]

WY AM I HEEЯ

[He blinks widely at the sky as if he actually expects an answer.]

Comments

[brand_of_disgrace]

Jeez. They get all sorts here now, don't they? [ He hands the smol child a pen and notebook, though he's not sure either will help much. ] Your spelling is really bad, you know. Like, really really bad. For real.

1/2

[killsign]

[This face, as he accepts the offerings. Tha....nk you.......? With a huffed breath, he carves out two words--]

[killsign]

[--then shoves the paper in Julian's face]

TEEכH ME

[brand_of_disgrace]

Umnonono, sorry. I'm not a teacher. Anymore. If I ever was.

You don't talk, and you can't spell. How are you alive? ...That sounds bad, but I mean, how have you gotten by in the other years of your life?

[killsign]

[Nic tugs on the chain of his dog tags. And because he's feeling a bit defiant, he croaks out, tone disheveled and broken--]

SOldiEr.

[He then writes NOT in front of TEECH ME. No one saw the need.]

[brand_of_disgrace]

That's dumb. You'd think they'd want their soldiers to know how to communicate. You're not a real soldier, are you? You're cannon fodder. You're a meat shield. [ Considering, considering... ] It sounds like your canon would actually be worse than a game. Maybe your mun should consider giving you a friggin' break.

[killsign]

[Nic shrugs. He doesn't care if he gets a break. He just wants to have a reason. He is a meat shield though, isn't he? After a moment of thought, he scribbles on the paper:]

IM FASTUR TO DAYNJUR ND FAST TO GIT HERT [He makes a face; that makes him sound so pathetic] BUT IM YOOSFULL TO FATHUR

[brand_of_disgrace]

Yeah. That I've heard before. And how many others have your unique skills? Or the lack of opportunity to show any real ones?

[killsign]

EVRYWON IN THE WAR ND THERE KIDS

ALOT OF THE OTHUR KIND TO [The smallest, mischievous quirk of his mouth. See, he can be a shit, too.]

[brand_of_disgrace]

[ Julian isn't sure if he just won the argument, and Nick doesn't know it, or if Nick just won the argument and he doesn't know it. ]

Um. Exactly.

[killsign]

[Wait. Nic puts his nose to the paper, studiously re-reading their conversation. What just happened?? What was he trying to prove?

He pulls his face away. Uhhh...]

EZAKLEE

[Somehow, he manages to put the tone of an exclamation point to the end of a punctuation-less word]

[brand_of_disgrace]

They don't teach soldiers how to brain in your world do they? Um. Okay. I don't think trying to prove my point will actually do anything besides give you an existential crisis so I'm just gonna go away now.

[killsign]

[Existential crisis? Nic tilts his head to the side curiously, but he nods.]

BYe. tHAnKYou.