casual suggestions from old muses

[dashboardlite]

Look, sweetheart: I get that it's been a while, I get that it friggin' hurts like Hell sometimes, but you gotta get over it.

...yeah, yeah, comin' from me, that's rich, but take it from somebody who's had to let go. It's gonna be okay.

'Sides, you got that...other guy with the guns who you can throw into the ring. So get on with it, a jacked-up Wonderland'll be good for him.

Comments

[radiopalkiller]

So when you say Wonderland will be good for him, you're actually talking about a spa that just happens to be called "Wonderland", right? Because I could've sworn it sounded like you meant us.

[ And their Wonderland, last he remembers, has never been good for anyone. Ever. Not at all. NOPE. ]

[dashboardlite]

[Oh, fruitcake. You never cease to amuse.]

This guy jumps through space-time, man, it's the perfect vacation spot. Like Cancun without the wide selection of young, nubile lady-types.

[...unless things have changed drastically since he left, in which case goddamnit.]

[radiopalkiller]

[ ... ]

...Not entirely without.

[ That's right, suck on that! ]

[dashboardlite]

[Hold up there, cowboy. Are you saying. What he thinks you're sayi-]

...Don't tell me you're some kinda British Hugh Hefner now.

[He's pretty sure that was Philip's Mirror's job.]

[radiopalkiller]

Yes, that's exactly what happened. You figured it out. I'm lucky I can even catch a break to talk to you. [ Sigh. ] Just last month a horde of them chased me all the way into the tunnels and I literally died trying to get away.

[ It was exactly like that, believe him! ]

...Although on second thought, that might have been a werewolf. I always get those two confused.

[dashboardlite]

[This is not funny.]

Hilarious. I thought you were goin' steady, anyways.

[radiopalkiller]

[ Clearly somebody is just jealous because they don't have young, nubile werewolf-types chasing them.

...Oh fine, make Philip sober up, will you. ]

I...

[ Philip sighs. Braces himself. ]

I was. I'm not, anymore.

[dashboardlite]

[Well this is...really shitty news, actually. Dean was hoping for something with a little more panache, more excitement. Heck, even a visit from Clarence would have been refreshing.]

You're not.

[Give him a second.]

The Hell d'you mean by that, you're not?

[radiopalkiller]

[ Oh, there's definitely another side of Philip that was just dying to come out: The happy one. The hopeful one. The I-can't-believe-it's-you-and-your-memories one.

...The one Philip strangled the moment he felt his hopes getting up. It's just one talk; one he won't even remember, so what's the point? What's the point in doing anything beyond rattling off the cold, hard and lonely facts? ]

The usual. [ He shrugs. ] Evie left. For, uh, two weeks. When she came back she was--

[ A mirthless laugh. ]

She was nine years older. And married. [ A beat. ] And a mother.

[ ...Not that her son even changes anything, but an elaborate load of crap deserves some garnish. ]

...Anyway, er, anyway. How- how've you been?

[ Subtle subject change, yes/yes/definitely, Christ, please? ]

[dashboardlite]

[Wow, that's...wow. What dickhead thought that would be a great idea? Probably the one he's taking residence in. And as refreshing and fancy-free as it is to speak with Philip again, it's not really going to make much difference when he's already gone.]

I thought she looked different.

[Hotter, definitely. But even in the meta-space he and Evie don't talk much, and she's been exceptionally quiet lately.]

But shit, man, that's-

[Right, they should...change the subject, shouldn't they? Or else Philip will get stuck in one of his loops. Not that he isn't already there, or anything.]

...I've been good, keepin' busy. [A pause.] ...You sure you're okay? I mean, she didn't tell you to go fuck yourself or somethin', did she?

[Remember how Dean is especially good at not letting things go?]

1/2

[radiopalkiller]

[ Philip gives him A Look. ]

We're still talking about Evie.

[ Evie, who has met with Dean enough times. Evie, who lives in the same bloody head he does. Evie, who wouldn't do something like that in nine or ninety years, and Dean knows it.

...Not that their situation gave her much of an opportunity to let him down gently. ]

2/2

[radiopalkiller]

[ Philip sighs. ]

...We're over. That's all.

[ With every shade of not-all-that-okay-but-dealing-with-it that entails. ]

[itsahotone]

I hate you.

[GLARE]

[dashboardlite]

You got every reason to.

[He shrugs.]

But it ain't something I could've helped.

[itsahotone]

Still. You left at the worst possible time, asshole.

[ >:( ]/small>