Considering Fractured Reality

[imjustpretty]

Here we go again, eh? Moment you dropped me, I'm on the shelf, but now you wanna relive your glory days, I'm being dragged out again. Classy, lady, very classy.

Oh, come on. Don't gimme that about me being a "game character" or some bullshit. You're fine playing all the other guys and gals without putting them in a game. Why's it different for me?

That's clever. That's very clever. I need a structure, do I? I'll show you structure. I swear, if you put me on another boat with a bunch of criminal maniacs, I'm going on a hunger strike. I mean it. You just watch me.

Comments

[imjustpretty]

[A shrug. He's just that awesome, Howie.]

Hey. Well done, you. [Smile.] 'n then you got to leave?

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

Aye, aye, I did.

And... don't congratulate me, it was her work really.

[imjustpretty]

[Nodding.] Sure.

[He doesn't really care so much about that. What he does care about is what he's going to ask next.] And where'd you go?

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

Home, sort of. [AWKWARD. REALLY AWKWARD.]

[imjustpretty]

Sort of. [YES HE'S PICKING UP ON THAT. What is up, Howie?]

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

It's more than a little bit complicated.

[imjustpretty]

Okay, so explain it. [Preferably without making him ask again.]

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I can. Just believe me, I'm happy. Even saved from being bothered by this one.

[imjustpretty]

I believe you. But I'd like you to try, just 'cos— [Wait. Wait wait wait. He just remembered something.]

You were dead. In the real world. In the real world, you were dead. [Weren't you?]

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

... Never try and be vague to a police officer, hm?

I am, yes.

[imjustpretty]

You're dead. [What. He means. What?] How's that— [Man. This is giving him a headache.] How's that work?

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

I'm not quite sure how I'm talking to you, but it's... I don't like thinking on it for long. [it gives him a headache too]

I'm certainly not going to turn the opportunity down, though.

[imjustpretty]

[. . .] Shit. [. . . yeah, he's got nothing.] I'm sorry, man.

[:( You're his friend, Howie. Or you were on the Barge. It kind of sucks that you're dead.]

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

Don't, Ray. It's alright. I was... I'd already come to terms with it.

[he's sorry. :(]

[imjustpretty]

Shitty thing to have to come to terms with.

[Yeah, it's not your job to say that. Since you're the one who's dead and all.]

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

Aye, aye, it really is. But you can't really go back to living after you have.

[imjustpretty]

'cept for how you're talking to me right now. [. . .] Maybe— [Hrm.] This is something Fraser told me. 's kind of a don't-tell-anyone-else kinda thing, but as you're, well, dead, I s'pose it's alright.

He told me he used to see his dad. Like. His dad got shot, yeah? That's why he came to Chicago, he was trying to find his dad's killers. 'n then, after he'd lived in Chicago for a while, he started seeing him. And talking to him, 'n all. 'parently, Fraser senior had an office in Fraser's office closet. It was all kinda wacky. But maybe that's what this is.

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

I certainly won't tell anyone else.

Although I don't have an office in your closet. I think that's probably for the best, as I imagine it's quite cramped.

[imjustpretty]

Hah. [A laugh.] Don't have an office. Got a closet, but it's in the cabin.

[. . . oh god.] Don't move in there. Please, don't, you gotta promise me. [That would be so many levels of mortifying, he can't even.]

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

I don't think I can move into closets. It doesn't seem to be one of my options, so I wouldn't worry.

[imjustpretty]

Good. [Oh, the relief. Except . . .] Not that I, y'know. Wouldn't want you around, or anything. Don't mean that, really. 's just . . . Fraser and I. We live there, y'know?

[Oh god. Oh god what is he doing. He is admitting to living with Fraser. Living with. Not just sharing a cabin with. And is admitting to not wanting any more people around. This was fairly unambiguous; Howie will know what he meant by that. Or maybe he won't. Ray's not sure which he wants to happen.]

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

Oh, right, of course. Don't...

[hold on. that wording's interesting.]

What do you mean by that?

[imjustpretty]

[Argh, Howie. If you're gonna get it, then get it.] Hm? Mean by what?

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

Living with. I mean... you mean you share a cabin or something. Right?

[imjustpretty]

[Right. Right. This is the moment where he has to say it. Except he can't. He couldn't even tell his mom. She figured it out by herself, smart woman that she is. Never made him say it, though. Nobody ever has. So he'll open his mouth, close it, open it again, and then run a hand through his hair. God, Howie. How hard can it be to just get it?]

Why would I give up my life 'n my job 'n my friends in Chicago and go up to the middle of snowy nowhere in the Yukon Territories just for a guy I'm not— Someone I don't— [. . . yeah, no. He can't say it. :( ]