(no subject)

[conscience]

Yeah, it's - it's been a while, hasn't it? Though, I don't really know where you think I went. I've just been busy - that's all. I do have clients I have to take care of, you know. [But he smiles anyway.]

Especially with - with what's happened. I can't really see this ending up in a lot of free time at all. I just -

But anyway. Look. You just - I noticed some things. I know you enjoy this, and you know that I like to encourage imagination whenever I can, so if this helps that along every Sunday, then that's great. But - you don't think you might be a little over-invested in certain aspects, do you?

Just. Think about it?

Comments

oh my gosh, jiminy ♥

[truffulacide]

How is being over-invested in your imagination a bad thing?

i've been neglecting him. :|

[conscience]

It's - it can't really - [okay how to explain this because this isn't the same thing that's going on with henry.] She can just take it to extremes.

When she talks about how much an event that happened in this fictional universe is still painful to her, that can't be good, right?

[truffulacide]

[dude, are you really asking him? you're supposed to be the therapist.]

I...don't really know? I guess it would depend on a lot of things, like whether or not it's causing her to act strangely or make trouble. If it isn't, it's harmless. Sometimes you just gotta let things be and let people have their fun.

[conscience]

[that doesn't mean he can't talk in a conversational tone okay.]

Not trouble, or strange behavior, necessarily. It's just stress that she definitely doesn't need, which, again, not really a good thing. [he shrugs.] I'm not saying she can't like things and have fun, but when she attaches herself like so, there might just be too much strain.

[truffulacide]

I think I see what you mean. [wow, a touchy issue if he ever saw one.] Sooo... What's stopping you from being more forceful? This seems like one of those situations where the best thing would be to slap her hand away and say, "no, that's a bad Mun, stop spazzing out".

I mean, that's what I would do.

[can you tell his people skills are downright atrocious, can you?]

[conscience]

In my experience, that's really not the best tactic to take. [but then there's the fact that he was yelling at a ten year old while being threatened by an evil queen and maybe just a little bit drunk the last time he tried that uh.] Speaking softly and being understanding tends to work a lot better in situations like these.

[truffulacide]

Sometimes, but not always. Who would you be more inclined to listen to: someone who's whispering so quietly you can't even hear them, or someone who actually has the guts to make themselves heard?

[conscience]

I never said that I was incapable of doing that.

[truffulacide]

I dunno, man! You sure don't look like the type to.

[conscience]

[another shrug, and - is that a bewildered-slash-nervous laugh.] I don't think you're the best judge of that, seeing as we've never spoken before. And I don't really have anything to prove to you.

[truffulacide]

Good thing I never asked you to prove anything. But I will say that first impressions are always important because they're what sets the stage for people to judge you. [lord knows his mother hammered that notion into his head long enough for it to make an impact.] So chances are if I didn't point it out, someone else would have.

[conscience]

Well, just because someone seems like one thing doesn't mean that they don't have it in them to be something else when the time calls for it. Everyone can do extraordinary things - it just takes a little courage.

[truffulacide]

[he brightens a little.] That's true. Courage and just a little ambition; with those two together, anything is possible. I really hope you're speaking from experience, though, Mister - ?

[conscience]

Exactly my point. [he smiles and offers his hand.] Doctor Hopper. Archie Hopper.

[truffulacide]

[accepts it!] Nice to meetcha, Doc. I'm the Once-ler.

[conscience]

[OUTSTANDING handshake get. and then that is a rather strange glance.] "Once-ler?" That's an interesting name.

[truffulacide]

[he flushes a tiny bit at that. don't remind him, man.] Uh, yeah. It's kind of why I'm not in any position to judge other people for theirs. My mom was kind of...strange.

*FLAIL* I was so happy to see him on tonight's episode!

[wealldosillythings]

You know, I think you're one of the nicest people I've ever seen talk to their mun!

me too aflkajslfkjaelf. it's been too long.

[conscience]

Really? [color him surprised.] I don't think there's really any need to be rude to her - or any of them, for that matter.

[conscience]

Oh, I didn't mean anything by it. It's just one that I've never heard before. Does it mean anything? [probably wouldn't be saying that if he remembered that 'rumplestiltskin' was actually a name, but hey.]

I think he might secretly be one of my favorites

[wealldosillythings]

Oh, I agree! [For the most part, at least.] I mean, I think I've got a better relationship with my mine than most folks, but...well, sometimes it's a bit frustrating when she's planning whose babies I'm going to bear. [Molly wrinkles her nose at the concept]

it is absolutely no secret that he and belle and rumple are my faves.

[conscience]

[archie just kind of blinks at that for a second.]

Oh.

I don't really think - that she really gets any say in that. Maybe it's not my place, but I think something like that should be your decision entirely.

Archie, Grumpy, and Rumple for me

[wealldosillythings]

[Molly's face lights up at that: HULLO NEW BEST FRIEND!] Bloody hell, thankyou. Finally, someone who's talking sense. My body, my decisions, right? I mean, at least until I'm on a slab and can't speak for myself anymore...

[Do pardon her slightly morbid sense of humor, Archie. She's constantly being told not to attempt jokes.]

outstanding choices.

[conscience]

Um. Absolutely. [...he thinks. the death joke kind of catches him off guard, but hey. that's not the point of the sentence.]

Not that she's not picking good men for you - I'm sure she is. But I think that maybe you should just have a chat with her and let her know that there are limits, if that's something that you really don't want. [lol therapist time coming through.]

[truffulacide]

[...you know, that's a very good question.]

You know something? I never thought to ask! It's just what I've always been called ever since I can remember. I guess it never really seemed strange to me.

[he shakes his head.]

Now it'd be a different story if it was something really weird like, say, Bloozer Floobleflub. Then I would've started asking questions.

Outstanding show :)

[wealldosillythings]

I can do that? [Molly's mouth falls open slightly.] I didn't know that was allowed!

...Do you really think it'll work?

indeed. :D

[conscience]

I just tried it, didn't I?

[archie shrugs.] You'll never know it until you try, will you?

[wealldosillythings]

Well...yes, I...

Yes, you're right! That's really the only way to know for certain.

Goodness, thank you for the advice, Mr...?

[conscience]

Hopper - Archie. You can call me Archie. [he holds out his hand and shakes his head.] And no, not at all. It's part of my job.

[wealldosillythings]

Oh! Well isn't that funny? I'm Hooper - Molly, that is. [She grins and shakes his hand] May I ask what your job is?

[conscience]

Really? [and then he takes a little more amusement at that than he should - he's awkward, okay. he clears his throat to snap out of it.] That's - quite a coincidence, yes. A pleasure to meet you, Molly.

I'm a doctor. Therapist, actually.

[wealldosillythings]

Really! [She giggles - it's funny to her, too! And Molly's quite awkward herself (who jokes about post-mortems at Christmas?), so Archie's not alone.]

Oh! Well that explains your good advice, then! I'm...sort of a doctor too, but more on the medical side...

[conscience]

[he blinks. talk about taken aback.] Wow. Even more of a coincidence, I see. What do you do? Are you a general practitioner? Surgeon?

[wealldosillythings]

Er....pathologist. And...morgue attendant. [She smiles sheepishly. She's not ashamed of her job; she loves it! This is just usually the point in a conversation where people start judging her.]

Bit morbid, eh? Feel free to run anytime.

[conscience]

Oh. [welp he was rather wrong wasn't he?]

Wouldn't - it wouldn't exactly be something that I'd pick, but someone has to be able to stomach it. More power to you, I think.

[wealldosillythings]

[That's one of the more graceful responses she's gotten in a while, so thank you, Archie. She appreciates it.]

Thank you. I know a lot of people aren't keen on the idea of it - my mum certainly wasn't - but...just because someone's dead doesn't mean they don't need help in some way.

They're sort of like your patients, just less talkative.

[conscience]

Oh, I don't know if I'd go far enough to say that. [that's the reason you're a therapist, archie, and you don't do what she does.] I'd assume if they needed help, it would be physical instead of mental. Given the. Circumstances.

[awkward. he scratches his neck.]

But you seem passionate about it.

[wealldosillythings]

Well, yes, but physical help is still important! I mean, when an innocent bloke is murdered, someone's got to find the person responsible! I get to be part of that process, and, yes, no one's usually thanking me at the end of the day but I don't really need that, just the satisfaction that I did my best...

[She pauses and bites her lip gently. Yeah, she's a bit passionate about her job when you get her talking about it] ...I mean...yes. I am...passionate about it. It's also one of the few things I'm good at, to be honest. I've got this knack for being not-squeamish. Heh.

A-Anytime you need me to shut up, feel free, my...colleague does it all the time.

[conscience]

Oh, no, I hadn't meant to imply that it wasn't! [he holds his hands up in defense and chuckles to himself.] Just that - you know. It's different.

And no - I think it's great that you like it so much. Most people seem to have the notion that people of your profession are all dour and morbid. It's - refreshing.

[wealldosillythings]

[She nods in agreement] Yes, they do, and it's awfully annoying, people thinking I'm depressed or obsessed with death. It stops them from even wanting to get to know me.

[She gives him an extremely grateful smile at that last, somewhat indirect compliment] Thank you. I think it's refreshing to talk to someone who's not making judgments, actually.