raisetheearth | Entry #A-1: "A" [Video/Action] [Shepherd's Haven]

[Lazarus checks in looking thoroughly displeased. He's standing in the largest building in Shepherd's Haven, most commonly used for forums and meetings. Today, he's surrounded by fabulous, artistic and delectable patries and sweets. Some are on the tables, set out as if for a banquet, but others are on the floor or in odd, unexected places, like on chairs and sticking to the walls.]

It's the one-year anniversary of our move to Shepherd's Haven. I was going to tell you that in spite of the slime, you're all still welcome to come celebrate and eat some of the food prepared for the occasion in the town hall. You know, in a valiant effort to maintain some semblance of community and normalcy, and to reject sensationalist panic and obsession.

[A green blob drops onto his shoulder. He brushes it off with clear distaste, but from the time he touches it to the time it lands on the floor, it transforms into a platter of cream puffs that land with a resounding clatter.]

...disregard that. If you do decide to come, don't eat anything until you confirm with me that it isn't slime. Right now, that's everything over here.

[He turns the feed over so it's in view of a far less enticing display of healthier and plainer options. Much of it was probably canned or frozen previously.]

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We're not going to be doing anything if you keep this up!

This was my . . . twentieth, and it manages to feel like relatively little.

[There is still so much about all of this that he does not understand. He gets such tiny pieces all the time, in combination with things that are intensely personal and hardly seem to offer insight into the bigger picture.] Near did take on L's name eventually; I have an Echo that confirms this. But it seems that it was not immediately following L's death.

There's no sense punishing both of use. Weren't you excited about the surprise, too?

We know that L died, likely before he thought he would.

[No one thinks that they're going to die young unless they've committed to doing it at their own hand. Seven years ago now, Lazarus was at that point, and he's been at the opposite extreme a couple times since, faced with the likely possibility of his death and wanting desperately to live. Was his Other somewhere in between those extremes?]

Is it possible that Near wasn't ready at this point, that he was too young? Or that there was someone who had seniority and was more qualified? Even though from everything we've remembered, it seems like he was the front runner, doesn't it?

Edited 2015-08-12 14:35 (UTC)

It's not punishment, you're killing the mood.

There was a mood? Great, let's go back to that. You start, I'll follow.

There had better be a mood if you want your surprise...

[She sighs heavily, but then raises her hand to her lips and blows him a kiss.]

Let's try this again.

[He's very careful not to do or say anything.

...at all. Which maybe makes things even stranger and more awkward.]

[Misa waits... and waits... and rests her face against her hand. Well, it is better than what he did last time.]

How about this?

[She walks over, grabbing his wrist and guiding his hand through the motion of catching an imaginary kiss.]

Then you say something like, I'll save this for later, or, is there more where that came from?

[He stares, bemused and a little concerned, as she guides his hand in a motion that feels downright unnatural to someone so typically pragmatic.]

But that's not something I'd say, Misa. That has to cheapen it somewhat and it definitely doesn't create any kind of "mood".

It's still better than what you did say! You just need to practice.

Misa, do you like me, or do you like the idea of a project? Be honest.

I suppose it is possible. We do not know that the gap in their ages was the same as ours; it could have been greater. [Near could have been quite young, still, when it had happened. Unable to take on the responsibility at the time.

[But Nathan frowns thoughtfully. Because what Lazarus has pointed out is true.] It did seem that way, however, yes.

I like you!

[She drops his hand, obviously affronted.]

I wouldn't... sleep with a project. Is wanting you to work on your flirting skills so bad?

There's asking for improvement, and then there's literally dictating what to do. You realize you're asking me to be someone else entirely?

I have a hard time reading faces. I learned expressions from Muppets as an adult. I've never successfully flirted in my life. This is actually very far out of my depth and I'm not sure what you expect.

[Misa falls silent, defensive but also feeling badly.]

They were just suggestions...

[She leans in to kiss him by way of apology, hoping she hasn't hurt his feelings. It can be hard to tell, with Lazarus.]

Forget flirting. Just... don't talk about blowjobs in public and we'll be fine.

[He kisses her back, but seems focused and fixated on something else.]

...hey, could you say that again? "We'll be fine?" I liked that. Just the way you said it.

Edited 2015-08-13 04:05 (UTC)

[She pauses a moment, then smiles up at him.]

We'll be fine. Better than fine.

[Arthur was definitely taking a big risk, admitting--]

...I don't get what you mean.

How?

I mean. Not to come off that way, but I could try to put it more simply I guess.

1 is more than zero, but when it's out of 1,000 it might as well be zero. That's my sense of smell.

[He has no trouble smiling back and responding something like naturally this time, for a change.]

Thank you. That's a mood I like. It's a really good one.

[Misa giggles, pulling him into a hug.]

You're actually pretty cute like this.

Not that we're not used to negative attention, but I'd rather avoid it, if at all possible. And it's not just here, either - it's literally everywhere. We helped with a rescue this morning on a ship that got a glob of the stuff stuck in its engine... [Which was a separate problem, because for some reason, that meant Summer was there, and... bleh.]

...I still want to know what this stuff is.

That's true... I think that at this point I'm older than my other, but... not by much, just enough that he would ultimately be in the same phase of life at least. The older a person gets, the less gaps matter, I think...

[And age means less than experience, of course. He's always been one to treat children with respect even if the number of their years is pretty green; prodigies never quite forget what it was like to be inconveniently short and cherub-featured and Nathan still hasn't grown out of that even though he's actually a literal adult now.]

You don't remember anything about other successors? I know of a few, but it seems... dubious, at best, that they would outstrip Near in the running for the title.

[But how much experience would Near have had at such a young age? Unless the children were given test cases of some sort . . .

[That is not a very comforting idea.]

The only one I remember with any specificity is Mello. [Who, from what they had gleaned before, had been behind Near in the running.] I know there had to have been other children there, but no one else comes to mind.

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Entry #A-1: "A" [Video/Action] [Shepherd's Haven]

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