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Thank you. :)
I'll try. Maybe we can hang sometime soon
I'll try. Maybe we can hang sometime soon
[ Jim stands back, watching with warm fondness in his eyes as Zell gets reacquainted with the rather happy cat. Morph comes over to investigate, too, though he sticks closer to Jim. That probably has something to do with the unshed tears he can feel forming in his eyes. ]
-He really missed you.
[ He wasn't the only one. ]
-He really missed you.
[ He wasn't the only one. ]
[ Will they be there when he gets there? Will he be walking into a trap? ]
Everything's fine.
[ Everything is actually red-alert, not-a-drill, not fine, but Jim can't just say that. ]
Other than the dying.
Everything's fine.
[ Everything is actually red-alert, not-a-drill, not fine, but Jim can't just say that. ]
Other than the dying.
[ Zell sees Morph and smiles. ]
Hey little guy. Been looking after Jim for me?
[ Speaking of... he does lean in close to press a quick kiss against the corner of Jim's eyes. ]
Hey little guy. Been looking after Jim for me?
[ Speaking of... he does lean in close to press a quick kiss against the corner of Jim's eyes. ]
[ That just makes him feel like something is wrong. ]
Stars... [ There's worry evident in his voice. ] Why aren't you talking to me?
Stars... [ There's worry evident in his voice. ] Why aren't you talking to me?
[ There it is. Zell - if it is Zell, if none of this is a trick - knows him too well; of course he would spot something wrong. Jim sucks in a breath and lets out an explosive sigh, hands hovering over the keyboard. ]
Because I don't want to give too much away.
Because I don't want to give too much away.
[ He stares at the screen for a moment or two. ]
Huh? What does that mean? What is there to even give away?
Huh? What does that mean? What is there to even give away?
Location. Weaknesses.
[ Even now he can't bring himself to ignore Zell or put much effort into a lie, so he gets the truth, however careful it is. ]
Anyone could be listening. I could be talking to anyone.
[ Even now he can't bring himself to ignore Zell or put much effort into a lie, so he gets the truth, however careful it is. ]
Anyone could be listening. I could be talking to anyone.
[ Jim... honey. What did the mold do to you? Or is MN illness kicking in. ]
Wha?? Jim, it's me. You're just talking to me.
[ And he's pretty sure anyone who can spy won't spy on his inbox. ]
Is it the MN poisoning?
Wha?? Jim, it's me. You're just talking to me.
[ And he's pretty sure anyone who can spy won't spy on his inbox. ]
Is it the MN poisoning?
[ He is PERFECTLY FINE and all of this TOTALLY MAKES SENSE, okay. ]
How would I know?
[ About Zell or the MN poisoning. ]
They can make us see or think whatever they want. This could be a trick to get me to give up my secrets.
How would I know?
[ About Zell or the MN poisoning. ]
They can make us see or think whatever they want. This could be a trick to get me to give up my secrets.
Edited 2018-07-24 02:28 (UTC)
[ Oh no. ]
Stars, you know I can prove it to you. And I know all of your secrets already.
[ Does he need to send pics? ]
Stars, you know I can prove it to you. And I know all of your secrets already.
[ Does he need to send pics? ]
[ Does he? The real Zell - the actual Zell - knows most of them. There are some that he's held back, the ones that are too ugly to see daylight, but Zell does know more than anyone. ]
So prove it.
So prove it.
Alright, here I go!
[ He switches the tablet to video and then sets it up on a desk. Stepping back to give a wave. Then he'll start stripping off his coat and then his layers until he's just in his dumb tank top. Without pulling it up, he'll start tracing a hand over the mark that's been drawn there. ]
You left me a way to find you. To find home.
[ He switches the tablet to video and then sets it up on a desk. Stepping back to give a wave. Then he'll start stripping off his coat and then his layers until he's just in his dumb tank top. Without pulling it up, he'll start tracing a hand over the mark that's been drawn there. ]
You left me a way to find you. To find home.
[ Jim watches in silence, studying every familiar inch of Zell as it's revealed. It looks real. It all looks real. But he's not showing the mark...? ]
You died. After I drew that, you died.
You died. After I drew that, you died.
Yeah, and I came back. Just like you did.
[ He'll give it a moment before pulling it up to show. Looky, mark. He just wanted to draw it on the outside first to prove he knew it before showing it. ]
See?
[ The scars are there, including what he got from his last death and when he was kicked from before coming here. ]
Need to see more?
[ He will strip completely in creeper high school for Jim ]
[ He'll give it a moment before pulling it up to show. Looky, mark. He just wanted to draw it on the outside first to prove he knew it before showing it. ]
See?
[ The scars are there, including what he got from his last death and when he was kicked from before coming here. ]
Need to see more?
[ He will strip completely in creeper high school for Jim ]
[ He knew, alright, but - ]
You died.
[ Jim's voice is cracking, the tell-tell hitch of tears evident. ]
You died, and they saw your body, Zell.
You died.
[ Jim's voice is cracking, the tell-tell hitch of tears evident. ]
You died, and they saw your body, Zell.
Whoa! Hey, Stars. [His voice goes gentle as he walks up to the tablet. Leaning in to lightly touch his forehead to the screen. Something he does whenever they are apart like this. ]
I came back. Remember I couldn't feel anything and then we had that whole bullshit to deal with when you guys were kidnapped.
I came back. Remember I couldn't feel anything and then we had that whole bullshit to deal with when you guys were kidnapped.
[ It calms him down, and Jim hates that it calms him down. He isn't turning on video, but he does press his face to the screen - his voice is louder when it comes through, the hitches in his breath more obvious. ]
Any of that could have been fake. This could be fake.
Any of that could have been fake. This could be fake.
Hey... it's not fake. [ And then he'll snap his finger. Switching to talk in the language that Jim taught him. ]
I love you, nose.
[ He goes with the tease instead of Jim's name or boyfriend to show he really was there in person. ]<s/am
I love you, nose.
[ He goes with the tease instead of Jim's name or boyfriend to show he really was there in person. ]<s/am
[ The video switches on and Zell is met with Jim's face, shocked and nakedly showing all the hurt he was trying to hide with the layer of text between them.
He's at a loss for words, no answer coming to him except the vague unease that's taken up residence in his chest.
He wasn't careful enough, though, and Zell can probably make out the hospital stairwell around him. ]
He's at a loss for words, no answer coming to him except the vague unease that's taken up residence in his chest.
He wasn't careful enough, though, and Zell can probably make out the hospital stairwell around him. ]
There's the face I love.
[ Tone still soft as he looks at the screen. He sees those stairs, and he feels his heart twisting at that. Jim is at the worst place possible and doesn't seem to believe in stuff? Or is paranoid? He's not sure which... ]
We're at the high school, Stars. I miss you.
[ Tone still soft as he looks at the screen. He sees those stairs, and he feels his heart twisting at that. Jim is at the worst place possible and doesn't seem to believe in stuff? Or is paranoid? He's not sure which... ]
We're at the high school, Stars. I miss you.
[ The high school. It's a warren of rooms, many of them confusing and scary, and so easy to be set up as a trap.
Jim's eyes dance over the tablet, studying Zell's face for something - some tell of who he's talking to, what he's planning. ]
I'm coming back to the bunker.
Jim's eyes dance over the tablet, studying Zell's face for something - some tell of who he's talking to, what he's planning. ]
I'm coming back to the bunker.
[ Jim kisses him back on the lips, carefully, firmly. Even if Zell can't feel it, Jim needs it, just then. ]
They were confused about what happened.
[ Since Zell was there one minute, and then - well. ]
They were confused about what happened.
[ Since Zell was there one minute, and then - well. ]
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