dear_mun | 8D guess who's going to The Box~

... Well, so much for reassurance.

Welcome to the mad house!

[Chipper.

As.

Can be.]

I'm going to die, aren't I?

Hey.

[Okay, fine, this is Willow going all sincere on him.]

Look they're... They're not all bad. And I know that's probably the least believable thing you've ever heard, but it's true. I mean, it can dangerous, yeah, and sometimes people... [Not worth finishing, clearly.]

But that's sometimes. That's not all the time. And yeah it's really shitty when they pull their crap and leave us to pick up the pieces, but sometimes it's kinda worth it, you know? I mean, you're one of those fancy canon types, so you don't really have your whole existence hinging on it, but there's a lot of really great people I never would have met without them. And I don't think I would change that, even if I could.

[There's a long silence as he thinks about what she's said. It's obvious he doesn't really completely buy it, but...]

That was... Very nice of you to say. [He awkwardly pats her upper arm, as if she were a dog, or maybe a horse] You must have put a lot of thought into that and I... Appreciate it. I think?

[Sorry Wills. He's still mostly convinced that he's going to die. But at least he thinks you're nice about it!]

[Oh. This is that thing where she gets patronized by people less emotionally mature than her. She's fairly used to it, having seen it quite a bit; thanks, largely, to Alfred. Her shoulders droop faintly but she just shakes her head.]

Whatever, don't fake it on my account. Just try not to freak yourself out over what might happen. It gets old real fast.

No, I wasn't -

[To Matt, her response seemed uncalled for. While he didn't believe the "everything will be alright" narrative she was trying to sell, he did think it was kind of her to try. It didn't occur to him that his response was patronizing.

Still, he swallowed his frustration and wrapped his arms around his chest.]

How am I supposed to not freak out?

Same as anything. Try to focus on the positive parts of it. The people, the things you do that wouldn't be possible back home.

[She offers a loose shrug. She's not offended so much as just resigned to the idea he's just sweeping this all under the rug. It's what adults do, anyway.]

It's not perfect. I've freaked, definitely, but it helps most of the time.

[A beat.]

That, and cake.

[The suggestion gets a hollow laugh]

You have no idea what's possible where I come from, do you?

[Still, it's better than what he had before.

Although]

... Cake?

A... lot of crime?

[Saints Row is like the same as GTA, right??]

And yeah, cake. Never underestimate the power of comfort food, man.

Well... Yes.

[He couldn't really argue that. Either of the statements, really.]

What kind of cake.

Hey, here's a possibility. Non-crime.

[Matt, you may be in for a youth outreach program in a minute.]

And all kinds of cake. Particularly Devil's Food.

Hey! I worked for the government, thank you very much! [Yeah, he knows that the two aren't mutually exclusive, but.]

I... Don't think there'll be much cake where I'm going.

....That's inhuman.

[Yes, she did just derail onto lamenting the availability of cake to a complete stranger. No, this isn't the first time.]

I wasn't exactly pleased with the position myself, but I wouldn't go quite that far.

[No, he doesn't quite catch on that she's referring to the lack of dessert items]

But that's just -- I mean, how do even --

[It is too appalling for words, really.

...And wait a minute, didn't he say -- ]

Wait, you worked for the government?

That's what I said, yes. MI6, actually. [He puffs his little chest up in pride.]

No way!

[Except not in the tone that would imply disbelief. Instead it manages to be excited and impressed at the same time.]

[He did it. He found the person who was impressed with his being in MI6. His chest somehow manages to puff up even more.]

Absolutely! [There's a flash of a grin and Matt kicks in whatever it is he thinks 'suave' might be] You know, living a life of danger, working with international secrets, working with super-spies, [A dismissive laugh] all in a day's work, you know?

Do you have an exploding pen?

[You're already James Bond in her mind, Matt, it's fine.]

An exploding -

[Yeah he's not the one to go to for James Bond-y stuff]

Why on earth would I need an exploding pen?

Edited (DW LET ME USE MY FUCKIN ICON I S2G I SWEAR TO GOOOODDDDDDD) 2013-09-27 01:04 (UTC)

Okay, take it you're not a Bond fan. Uh, but super spies! That's gotta be great. You know, in a oh god I could die sort of way. God, that came out wrong. Willow, you're babbling. What I mean is, that's gotta be really exciting. How did you get into it?

Er, I mean like, what made you think you could, or that you should or that that was the path for you? I mean obviously it must have been thought, right? Well, obviously. Stop me if I'm babbling. Oh god, I'm already babbling.

[Alright, maybe she was a little too impressed about the whole secret agent thing. This could be a moment of self-reflection for Matt, if only he were capable of recognizing it... And wasn't so busy soaking in it.]

Oh, well, you know... The usual, I suppose. [There isn't a hint of irony or joking in his tone as he speaks,] Running a cyber-gang in your teen years, getting swept up with a criminal empire, almost dying in your own virtual simulation, [A nervous chuckle] fleeing back to England for amnesty, exchanging international government knowledge and hacking expertise for personal safety and freedom... [He trails off a moment, weighing everything he's said.

When he finally clears his throat, it's abrupt.]

Not really where I saw my life going, as you can imagine.

[This silence? It is awe.

Pure, unironic awe.]

[This posing?

Completely unironic, as well.]

I take it you're interested?

(no subject)

wills - 2013-09-29 02:03 (UTC) - Expand