[ Jim doesn't answer back right away. As painful as it was for Zell not to love him, not even knowing him is worse. He lets out a quiet sigh before turning on he video.
Zell's greeted with Jim's tired, pale face with dark smudges under bright eyes - Jim's still feeling the after-effects of losing too much blood - and he looks like he's bracing for the worst. ]
[ He stops breathing for a moment as he sees him on screen.
His hands already know the way before he thinks about it. Clicking over to video.
Zell is still sitting on the table where he woke up on. He's cleaned, but he doesn't have his hair product, so his hair is mostly tucked behind an ear. ]
What the hell happened to you? [ Frowning as he reaches up to touch the tablet. It's not right, but he isn't sure if he knows it's not right, or if he's already comparing him to how he looked in the image. ]
I think it's letting me stay because I woke up so late.
[ Rubbing the back of his neck and then looking at the screen. He breathes out slowly as if to let go of a lot of tension as he leans forward to bump his forehead against the screen. ]
I'm so glad people are real. [ He says it quietly. ]
[ Jim's heart skips in his chest. Of course that's where Zell's mind went; of course that's the biggest thing that's wrong. He takes a deep breath to steady himself. ]
I don't know if they're still there, but... if you can find a mirror, look at yourself. Your back or your hip.
[ Not the only place his mind went to since he was considering zipping back up until he saw people on the network.
His own heart was beating hard with both exuberance and trepidation. Maybe when he walks out he'll find nothing. Turning his head to look for a mirror, and hearing a click against the screen. Pausing to lean back, but nothing is there.
Then he reaches to touch his ear. ]
What am I going to find? Another one of these?
[ It's...odd. He can remember getting it, but not how it was done or why. ]
No, you'd have to come back over here for another of those. I did it.
[ That Zell's wearing his earring is something he leaves off for now. ]
We -
[ How to say this? ]
There have been times before this that you weren't sure things were real. Stuff that messed with our heads. So we...
[ Jim stops, putting the tablet down to point at more of his body and pulling up his shirt. Zell's last message is a little faded by now, but it still stands out against Jim's pallor. ]
[ He forgets to breathe for a moment as he sees the deigns and writing. It's his hand writing.
Jim is on his screen. ]
Brian said you're my lover.
[ It comes tumbling out just like that. Then a moment later, he's pushing the rest of the body bag off his legs and kicking it off. Wiggling it out and putting the tablet down. ]
That's enough to actually hamper him. Reaching to grab Jim's collar while bending all at once to flip him over. Which might not help in the whole getting him out of the way. ]
[ Congratulations, Zell, on finding a way to completely distract Jim from the topic at hand. He drops his shirt back down over the message and picks up the tablet, returning it to focus only on his face.
[ The smile remains as he brings the ring to his mouth to touch it. It feels right. Beaming at his screen. ]
I want you. [ A pause. ] To stay on.
[ Yup that's totally it. ]
It's nice. Having proof that people are real. That there's something to look forward to remembering. [ He's talking as he hops down from the table. He's pretty excited because not only are there people, there's this. A promise for the future. ]
[ His mentor. The idea of someone who's supposed to be his junior usually being his mentor just sounds even weirder. Weird enough for him to raise a brow. ]
...Yeah, Kunsel should have a lot of notes if he's been around here a long time, too. There's no way he wouldn't. That's just Kuns.
no subject
Date: 2017-10-24 04:48 am (UTC)Zell's greeted with Jim's tired, pale face with dark smudges under bright eyes - Jim's still feeling the after-effects of losing too much blood - and he looks like he's bracing for the worst. ]
no subject
Date: 2017-10-24 04:53 am (UTC)His hands already know the way before he thinks about it. Clicking over to video.
Zell is still sitting on the table where he woke up on. He's cleaned, but he doesn't have his hair product, so his hair is mostly tucked behind an ear. ]
What the hell happened to you? [ Frowning as he reaches up to touch the tablet. It's not right, but he isn't sure if he knows it's not right, or if he's already comparing him to how he looked in the image. ]
no subject
Date: 2017-10-24 11:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-25 04:33 am (UTC)[ That's Jim's story and he's sticking to it, as long as he keeps his bandaged arm out of frame. ]
Why are you still in the morgue? You need to get out of there.
no subject
Date: 2017-10-25 04:38 am (UTC)[ Looking away with something like guilt there. ]
I think it's letting me stay because I woke up so late.
[ Rubbing the back of his neck and then looking at the screen. He breathes out slowly as if to let go of a lot of tension as he leans forward to bump his forehead against the screen. ]
I'm so glad people are real. [ He says it quietly. ]
no subject
Date: 2017-10-25 04:46 am (UTC)I don't know if they're still there, but... if you can find a mirror, look at yourself. Your back or your hip.
no subject
Date: 2017-10-25 04:54 am (UTC)His own heart was beating hard with both exuberance and trepidation. Maybe when he walks out he'll find nothing. Turning his head to look for a mirror, and hearing a click against the screen. Pausing to lean back, but nothing is there.
Then he reaches to touch his ear. ]
What am I going to find? Another one of these?
[ It's...odd. He can remember getting it, but not how it was done or why. ]
no subject
Date: 2017-10-25 04:58 am (UTC)[ That Zell's wearing his earring is something he leaves off for now. ]
We -
[ How to say this? ]
There have been times before this that you weren't sure things were real. Stuff that messed with our heads. So we...
[ Jim stops, putting the tablet down to point at more of his body and pulling up his shirt. Zell's last message is a little faded by now, but it still stands out against Jim's pallor. ]
and the amazing thing is Brian knows what a lover is
Date: 2017-10-25 05:03 am (UTC)Jim is on his screen. ]
Brian said you're my lover.
[ It comes tumbling out just like that. Then a moment later, he's pushing the rest of the body bag off his legs and kicking it off. Wiggling it out and putting the tablet down. ]
obviously not here
Date: 2017-10-25 10:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-28 05:20 am (UTC)Stop!
no subject
Date: 2017-10-28 05:43 am (UTC)That's enough to actually hamper him. Reaching to grab Jim's collar while bending all at once to flip him over. Which might not help in the whole getting him out of the way. ]
still not here
Date: 2017-10-28 06:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-28 06:13 am (UTC)[ Congratulations, Zell, on finding a way to completely distract Jim from the topic at hand. He drops his shirt back down over the message and picks up the tablet, returning it to focus only on his face.
His red face. ]
We're courting.
no subject
Date: 2017-10-28 06:35 am (UTC)Huh?
[ Oh. Oh yeah. ]
Courting? Like we're going to get married?
[ That's more than friends alright.
And then he sees the ring on his finger. And the bracelet. Lifting up his hand to show Jim. ]
no subject
Date: 2017-10-28 06:38 am (UTC)[ Jim lifts his own hand, showing off his bracelet and ring, and then the phoenix feather, too. ]
You don't have to think about it right now. Just get somewhere safe.
no subject
Date: 2017-10-28 06:49 am (UTC)Yeah.
[ Then looking around. ]
Could you stay on a bit longer?
Re: still not here
Date: 2017-10-28 07:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-28 07:28 pm (UTC)Yeah. As long as you want me to.
[ He ducks his head, and, quietly, daringly: ]
That's what the rings mean.
Re: still not here
Date: 2017-10-28 07:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-28 08:27 pm (UTC)I want you. [ A pause. ] To stay on.
[ Yup that's totally it. ]
It's nice. Having proof that people are real. That there's something to look forward to remembering.
[ He's talking as he hops down from the table. He's pretty excited because not only are there people, there's this. A promise for the future. ]
no subject
Date: 2017-10-28 08:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-28 08:59 pm (UTC)There might be a pop from his own shoulder just before they go over cause arms don't go that way Jim.
Ignoring all of that while he again tries to get up but there's still something hampering him. Rude??? ]
no subject
Date: 2017-11-04 04:50 pm (UTC)...Yeah, Kunsel should have a lot of notes if he's been around here a long time, too. There's no way he wouldn't. That's just Kuns.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-04 11:12 pm (UTC)It shouldn't be long. A few days.