Tweak

InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "You're lucky to have me. "

Username: 
Password:    
Remember Me
  • Create Account
  • IJ Login
  • OpenID Login
Search by : 
  • View
    • Create Account
    • IJ Login
    • OpenID Login
  • Journal
    • Post
    • Edit Entries
    • Customize Journal
    • Comment Settings
    • Recent Comments
    • Manage Tags
  • Account
    • Manage Account
    • Viewing Options
    • Manage Profile
    • Manage Notifications
    • Manage Pictures
    • Manage Schools
    • Account Status
  • Friends
    • Edit Friends
    • Edit Custom Groups
    • Friends Filter
    • Nudge Friends
    • Invite
    • Create RSS Feed
  • Asylums
    • Post
    • Asylum Invitations
    • Manage Asylums
    • Create Asylum
  • Site
    • Support
    • Upgrade Account
    • FAQs
    • Search By Location
    • Search By Interest
    • Search Randomly

Syd(ney) Barrett ([info]_donttouch) wrote,
@ 2017-05-17 21:08:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry


And, as they had discussed, the next day was back to work. She had gone to Cary first, the intention to find Kerry, but with a pleasant sidetrack of talking with the scientist. He did, in fact, have some poking and testing that he wanted to do --something about more theories that the journal brought up -- so Syd forced herself to stay still for the prodding. It worked, for the most part, particularly after Cary saw her trying and eased the tension with a little talk. Simple stuff, how he thought she could continue harnessing her ability and an unknown echo of
what Hank had said about part of it being psychological. The conversation also turned toward the light saber, with questions about whether she felt any after effects and if she'd like to continue working with that. Knowing all too well the stability that came with knowing the person you cared about could take care of herself, Cary saw nothing wrong in giving both Sydney and David that peace of mind. Just in case. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worse.

Syd, naturally, was pleased to continue being his guinea pig in that respect.

Afterward, it was Ptonomy she found next, which was actually perfect because she needed to bribe him into a favor soon. And what could she possibly offer the memory man? Pancakes. He loved them but couldn't cook them. Baking was apparently more his bag. So favor was exchanged for favor, and she couldn't quite help herself in innocently asking about yesterday afternoon, which had him looking at her suspiciously before she flitted away.

It all led her to Kerry, who had been heading over to Cary and her punching bag. But sparring was so much more fun. So that was exactly what they did, an hour and a half of moving and trying to best one another, moves and tips given from the younger girl as Sydney tried to get one over her. Still didn't work; the student still had much to learn from the master. They were about to switch when Kerry brought up a good point; had she tried with someone else? Other than David, because Kerry liked not having an explosion to worry about, thanks. Syd snorted, giving a shrug, but then she got to thinking about it. Maybe she should change it up. "I should find Rudy or Ptonomy and ask."

"Yeah, you should." Kerry thought that could possibly be interesting, grinning. "You get a hold on telekinesis and could toss things at me." Rudy wouldn't.

With that thought in mind, Syd wandered over to David's bedroom, figuring he wasn't there yet but would pop his head in relatively soon. She debated telling him about the newest plan, or letting him suss it out. Mostly because she was curious whether people were the same to him when they were switched. Humming, she plopped on the bed and sat cross-legged, going over various ideas in her head as she waited.


(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]_donttouch
2017-05-20 04:40 am UTC (link)
The hair flip was ridiculous. "I do not do that!" She acted mocked offended, then thought about it. "Right?" Sometimes you didn't pay attention to all of your quirks. They were natural. But then there was a known quirk, natural roll of eyes. "It probably wasn't but, even if it was, don't be. I like my light saber." She said stubbornly, nodding in said stubbornness.

"Orchids are good. And maybe a less demanding but still pretty one..like desert plants? Are banzai trees therapeutic?" Syd paused, pressing lips together in amusement. "Banzai." It was a funny word. Made funnier by her speaking in his voice, the rumble in his chest -- currently hers -- an interesting vibration. "Banzaiii.."

"I was still trying to figure out why I was looking at Rudy! Or..Melanie-Rudy." Particularly when she had expected to be a Syd-Rudy. She bent a little then stayed still, waiting for him to fix his own hair, then laughed quietly. "It's definitely got a mind of its own. But scissor-attacking can be done." She reached up and tried to smooth it as well but, knowing that didn't work, ended up ruffling it absently.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]xgene
2017-05-20 04:53 am UTC (link)
"A lady never tells." There'd only been one instance where David had seen Syd flip her hair, and it hadn't been in a showy-offy fashion, so she was safe there. Not that he was going to tell her that. But of course Syd liked the lightsaber, which meant that hopefully it didn't have a side-effect and this was just an extension of power that would have to be accounted for. Maybe it was the stress of the whole room, the discomfort in that. Next time? More low key. Maybe just the two of them, if the powers could be stopped from exploding? It could work as calmer, more controlled practice.

And then Syd went on a banzai tirade and David laughed. "Oh my God, I'm never going to hear that word the same again." It would have been strange, hearing himself with another's ears, but he'd long since heard his own voice recorded and played back to him. It'd been a part of Dr. Poole's therapy, the recordings, playing something back to help him remember things he'd said, things he'd forgotten or otherwise... written off somehow. And to point out lies without being a dick about it. Because David had lied plenty to Dr. Poole. Mostly about the drug use.

"Maybe your ability unconsciously respected bonds. So even if you were aiming for Rudy, when we went all musical bodies, it swapped the mind linked people," the two of them, "the soul linked people," the Loudermilks, "and everyone else was on their own." Or maybe that was just romantic-styled thinking. David was okay with that.

He was also okay with his hair being crazy, waving it off with a sigh at the sight of it somehow ending up worse. "Eh. Whatever. I have three other minds running around in my brain, why shouldn't my hair have one of its own too?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]_donttouch
2017-05-20 05:10 am UTC (link)
"Neither of us are particularly ladylike," she replied with a snort of amusement. She then hummed in thought, half because she was actually thinking and half as an extension of the banzai experiment. More than half in experiment, honestly. "It's a deeper register," obviously. "It feels strange." Syd explained with a smile, now able to fully focus on it. Last time she was too busy trying to get his attention and anyone to listen to focus on anything but those things. This was, at least in that respect, so much better.

But yes. Controlled experiments, low-key areas. That would be good. She should have waited to ask Rudy in the first place. But hindsight. "Maybe." That could have been. "Or I was more nervous than I thought and went with trust levels?" Those who everyone trusted the most. "I have no idea."

"It does give me more to play with." Which was fine by her! When she got the gumption to do so, at any rate. She stared at herself though, this time the hum definitely in thought. "I should do something with mine eventually too."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]xgene
2017-05-20 05:24 am UTC (link)
"Strange is the name of the game," David agreed with a hum of his own, letting the hum extend and carry on into a nameless tune. Being able to enjoy it, to contemplate it rather than be lost in it was definitely a bonus this round. No shock and horror, the lack of a fog of confusion (there was still some, but a different kind) all made it both better and worth diving into. This was an experience that was difficult to replicate. The mass of information Frost had shoved into his head indicated that he could do exactly what Farouk had done -- extend an astral self and possess others. Have a different body and voice through force, that was something, but this? A complete and clean switch? Only his own voices to be concerned about? Incredible.

Smiling at the notion of trust levels, he could admit he liked the sound of that. "Could be. We'll keep it in mind for the next time, when it's just us." An offer for the practice, for the control, for the quiet and the trust.

As for the hair, well. "It's all yours to do with what you will. As for yours, the offer still stands for a relaxing brush, and maybe a braid or two. Small, simple, no pressure." More practice could be had in their Room, where the panic didn't hit in quite so strong. "One day I'll have your hair done up so intricately you'll be admiring yourself in the mirror almost as much as I admire you all the time anyway." A smirk came then as he added, tone all dry as Syd was so very good at: "Can't admire you now. Not with that mug you're wearing."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]_donttouch
2017-05-20 05:49 am UTC (link)
"Okay." Easy and comfortable, important for the next attempt. "Thank you. For offering both help and distractions." Both very important things for..well, for both of them. She probably would have freaked out much harder if he weren't there. Or possibly wouldn't have even tried to push that far at all.

"It's a very pretty mug, thank you very much." She turned her head quarter profile, showing off his jawline and that wide, unabashed smile of his that she flashed. "So, shush." Very clever comeback lobbed his way, complete with sticking out his tongue.

"How are you doing with everything?" She was going to raise an eyebrow, but was apparently having a difficult time with it as the eyebrow wouldn't comply. After a minute, Syd attempted to lift the other one, the one she personally couldn't lift, and found it went up easily. Backwards. Duly noted.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]xgene
2017-05-20 06:05 am UTC (link)
"You've always been there for me," David answered without missing a beat. "I'll always be there for you." For support, for distractions. For everything she would ever need for the rest of their lives -- if he could give her anything, if it was within his power, it would be given without reservation. That was what love was all about, he was happily discovering. And now, there was a plan in motion. A plan to make Syd the deer in the headlights next time two certain words were spoken. It was just a matter of finding the right time and a little bit of... being crafty. Which he wasn't. So he was treading carefully.

A pretty mug. Right. The showing off only served to earn Syd an incredulous, but amused, expression. "I see how it is." Sticking out the tongue too. So mature! Obviously that deserved the same gesture right back. And so it was. Maturest of people.

The question was unexpected, both brows rising in surprise. "Me?" A moment of thought. He was fine. As fine as one could be when you were meandering in your girlfriend's body, still hearing your own voice(s) in your head, but speaking with a very different one. "I'm okay." Definitely okay. "Kind of glad we got a chance to do this again, to actually experience and process. Without being drugged," a smile of apology for Syd, being in the yellow at Clockworks meant happy-fun-drug-time during freak outs, "or thinking you're suffering from a delusion, even though you know you're not, but you think it anyway because that's what everyone says you do." The life of a Not-So-Schizophrenic.

"You may have given me a 'get out of therapy' card for tomorrow too. So yeah, totally okay!" Another string of optimism! If all went back to normal, body wise, David figured Melanie surely couldn't be up for anything like dealing with multiple personalities so soon. No way.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]_donttouch
2017-05-20 06:24 am UTC (link)
"I know." And she did, genuinely. Also, because she could, Syd stopped in their idle meanderings and tugged him closer for a hug, letting go of their hands only so both arms could wrap around him. Petite him. Hah. "But I'm still going to thank you." She wanted to show her appreciation as much as possible.

Yes, it was a pretty mug! And since he planned to spoil her, she would take advantage of it with this one thing and wear him down to accept that he was absolutely amazing. Piao Liang. "Me too." Pulling away and taking up hand holding again, the apology in his smile was waved away; it wasn't his fault. Though she returned the smile in sympathy. To not just have a surprise body switch sprung on him, but worry whether it was a delusion or not must have been frightening.

But there was her reaction, a stare and half up-tilted mouth, on his face when he mentioned the Get Out of Therapy Free card. "Mm. But I'll shove you right back in the next day." It wasn't something he should sit on. "I'd like you to not be at proverbial throats -- with yourself." It was fine if they stayed, but consensus would be good. Or something like it.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]xgene
2017-05-20 05:11 pm UTC (link)
The hug, while feeling weird due to the height different flipped around, was happily returned. So strange, but so very much their life. "Just don't be forgetting it. Good or bad, we're in this together." You jump, I jump. Not a single moment passed him by where he wasn't aware of how drastically he would have failed had it not been for Syd. Even with everyone else trying to support him, she was the glue that stuck his crazy, broken mind together.

Which, okay, hands back together and better situation now acknowledged, Syd obviously wasn't giving any leeway on the therapy. Which he got. He did. "Don't worry, I'm only thinking about the one more day. Maybe take the time to actually... gauge responses." Internally. Talking with himself, basically, to use the crazier phrase. There seemed to be a general consensus again, a period of 'okay, this is different' happening, so the noise had died down. David wasn't about to disturb that when he didn't have to.

"I'm okay though, really. Feels like yesterday that I was told all this," a motion to the head, Syd's pretty one for now, "was potentially permanent." And even if it was... okay. It'd be okay. As long as they could figure out how to deal, how to stop stepping all over one another, it'd be fine. Really. Disappointing, but fine.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]_donttouch
2017-05-20 08:13 pm UTC (link)
She nodded then, satisfied with his answer. "Good." Gauging multiple responses from one's self must have been annoying. And frustrating. Poor guy. But maybe, like she thought at the beginning, hearing voices was just his thing. It was what it was and she'd help and accept where she could.

Nudging into David gently, she smiled down and -- "God, I am really short." She tried to remember the other people she had jumped into, none of them quite as tall as David. "Before you, I think the tallest I've been is five nine. The shortest the lower end of four feet. But she was still growing."

Thoughtful for a second, she took the lead this time and made their way over to the living area with the piano. "Do you know the basics of the piano, or did you just focus on learning that one song?" She asked curiously while sliding onto the bench, leaving room for him as well.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]xgene
2017-05-20 08:32 pm UTC (link)
It was what it was. If it was his lot in life to be crazy, he'd be crazy. Having never dreamed of being anything else, he figured he'd let the minor disappointment in it go with whatever flow life took him in. If anything it balanced the 'extraordinary' part of it all. As long as each of the personas in his head were on the same team? It wasn't so bad. Sure, two of them were unsettling, one outright scaring him, but they had the same interests in mind and David would just have to trust in that. He'd have to learn how to rule over himself somehow or another, because fearing oneself couldn't be healthy.

Laughing a little at the short commentary, he shrugged Syd's shoulders and stated his opinion on it: "I think you're perfect exactly as you are." A typical line, but true nonetheless. "I don't think I'd want to try being shorter though. Or dealing with growing pains again. I was pretty average height until eighteen through twenty and suddenly bam. Six foot." As a kid he'd been excited about the prospect of being tall, but not so much the actual bones doing the growing and aching whenever he could actually feel it. Drugs had a handy effect of making that go away too.

Ah, the piano, the sight of it had David smirking and joining on the bench with ease. "I learned the basics. If you can count it as a song, I learned Mary Had a Little Lamb too just so I could get the whole thing down." Of course, looking at his hands, Syd's hands, another laugh came. "I don't think I'm gonna now how to play with these though. I have a nine-key reach with my hands. You really, really don't." But all Mary Had a Little Lamb needed was the stabbing method, so he started there.

Finding the right keys, left hand up, David sang along with the keys to the tune, not overthinking the complete change in pitch from his own voice: "B-A-G-A-BBB-AAA-B-DD-B-A-G-A-BBB-A-A-B-A-G." And holding the last G for a longer time, that was that! "Once I got to memorizing all the keys," further explained, motioning to the whole layout, another shrug followed, "then I focused on Galloping Gertie because it was just the best."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]_donttouch
2017-05-20 08:55 pm UTC (link)
A smirk crossing her features, Syd rolled her eyes at the comment of being perfect. "I'm used to it, anyway." Stated with a chuckle. Then she lifted her eyebrows, not even thinking about growing pains. "Didn't really have those. Then again, I was as tall at sixteen as I am now." Her growth spurts shouldn't have even been counted, even though they were. "My mother's five three, I think she said my father was five nine. So I didn't have much of a chance."

"The piano is not one of my instruments for that reason." She laughed, sitting and listening to him sing along with the tune in her voice. As someone who didn't listen to her voice from an outside source very much, it was still very interesting. Strange. She smiled, head tilting down, and shook her head. "It is the best."

This time it was her turn not to overthink it, fingers put on the keys and finding their way to the proper placing naturally. Then, not entirely graceful but not bad either, she played the major scales. And, to see if she could, recreated Mary Had a Little Lamb as well. Humming the tune -- and grinning a little at the vibration again, Syd recreated that fairly well too.

"The body has its own memory," she explained in return with a smile. "So sometimes I just sort of know basic things that the other people know so well."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]xgene
2017-05-20 09:14 pm UTC (link)
"Got to love those genetics." Setting the world against you, one way or another. Now that he could discount everything in the Haller family line he'd looked into, that left Xavier and the unknown, potentially Israeli, mother side of the issue. Part of David wondered if she was a mutant too, wondering the same thing probably every mutant thought at one point: did two mutant parents guarantee a mutant child? Or was it always luck of the draw at this point, human genetics just fucking up at random, somehow giving both gifts and curses. Right up there alongside mental instability and an addictive personality. In David's case, at least.

The Hallers had all seemed so completely balanced, so completely normal, that it'd made him feel like a true genetic freakazoid. Now at least he could explain why he could curl his tongue and no one else in the family could -- that was a genetic thing too. Whether Xavier and his family had any of the madness or addictions, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Jury was still out on the mother too.

Watching his own hands, Syd driving, finding the keys and playing, David couldn't help but grin. The humming was interesting, as was the notion of the body having its own memory. "Shame I don't know more for you to test out. Apart from being clumsy, this is just about the only other skill that I have." No time had been dedicated to anything else whatsoever. It'd been pointless to bother, so he didn't. Why improve yourself when you were nothing and always would be nothing? The piano had served its purpose, had allowed for a bit of mental and emotional reprieve for Amy when things had been dark for the both of them, and then it was back to business as usual -- disappearing into a world of lies, theft, and drug use.

Back to being invisible because that was easier. Not caring whether he woke up or not, knowing with every fiber of his being that it'd probably be better if he never did. At the very least, out of sight, out of mind had been the mantra for a time, outside of the odd gift (birthdays, Hanukkah, etc.) left at Amy's doorstep. Out of sight, not entirely out of mind for those points.

Yeah, there wasn't much else his body could have any memory of. Except one thing. "If you ever wanted to try lockpicking in a body that's done it before, that might count, I guess." A rueful smile came about then, looking up to Syd-as-himself. "I didn't always brute force my way in." Like he had at Dr. Poole's office, the memory Syd, Melanie, and Ptonomy had seen before he dragged Syd into the astral plane. At that point in his life he'd been too impatient, too strung out to care about being delicate.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]_donttouch
2017-05-20 09:36 pm UTC (link)
"And the crapshoots it takes to dictate our lives." If she had a glass, she'd have raised it up for a mock toast. And yeah, it was probably the curiosity of almost all mutants everywhere -- where the fuck did I pick this up? It was, frankly, the only reason she had asked about the sperm donor, though the answers given weren't exactly what she had been looking for. Nothing substantial. She supposed she should have asked more plainly. Eh. Didn't much matter if the guy did or didn't, though. Too late for all that.

Chuckling, she shrugged up a shoulder. "I just wanted to see if it was true with us too." She paused though, looking rather interested in the idea of attempting lock-picking. "I might take you up on that later." ..What? It could come in handy one day. Granted, less handy when you were dating someone who could move shit with their minds, but handy all the same. It was important to have options or whatever.

"All my skills border on violent," Droll tone in David's voice, which amused her because it was sort of an unusual sound. "So I can't suggest anything to see if it works in reverse." Invisible was, in fact, easier. Easier to stay away from people, to keep to yourself. "Unless you want to take over the hotwiring." His mouth pulling off her move, quirking up in a half smile at the statement while head tilted down toward the keys before lifting back up to look over.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]xgene
2017-05-20 10:34 pm UTC (link)
It was a little surprising to hear Syd say she might take him up on the matter of lockpicking, but then again, if she had any skill with hotwiring, obviously they were a match made in heaven. That'd already been established as far as David was concerned, but that little extra ever hurt to learn about. It certainly kept his smile going, additionally amused as hell to see one of Syd's trademark smiles on his own face. "Maybe I will." A beat. "It really is good we didn't meet as teenagers." Worth reiterating. They would've fed into each other's bad habits way, way too much.

Not that he'd imagine Syd would've been able to stand him all that much back then. No one could. He hadn't exactly been a likeable person when he was sober, and when he wasn't? Well, not much for conversation when you were so low that there was no such thing as feelings any more. Or thoughts. Or much of anything really.

Hands brought up to the piano again, David tried to imagine trying to play that one song with her key reach, even going slow, he found he couldn't manage it at all. "Jeez," at that another laugh came about, followed by a shake of the head. "Hope no one comes around while we're all out of sorts. I won't be ready for the concert." The last an obvious joke, but overall he meant the statement in the most benign of ways. There was always the potential of something more aggressive that could happen, considering Division 3 and their general jumpiness. Clark had been good to his word so far on that front, keeping communication open, but even if he stopped by, that'd be a hell of a fun talk.

A quick glance out the window showed that it'd finally started snowing, a sight that had David sighing, shoulders slouching a little. "Doubt it'll happen though if that keeps up. Unless someone wants to fly in." Out in the higher country like this, thick trees, distance from any big roads, the more snow that came in, the more difficult it would be to reach this place. In the time between going on their roadtrip and coming back, it seemed more students of various kinds had come here, willing to wait out the winter with the resources of Summerland, ready to continue learning about themselves and their abilities without having to risk the weather.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]_donttouch
2017-05-21 02:48 am UTC (link)
Laughing quietly, she looked back at the piano keys, straight ahead for a moment before glancing back over. "Cars and locks of the past, beware." Bad habit encouragement and delinquent adventures. Bonnie and Clyde in their teenage years. Less bank robbing and death, though. More road trips in 'borrowed' cars and 'exploration.' At least, she thought. That was, of course, if either would have been able or willing to talk to one another to begin with. Sullen anger at the world didn't make her the best conversationalist.

Then she was watching her hands on the keys, snorting in amusement. "That just looks weird. And yeah, no company for a little bit. It's like having a messy house right now." She was rolling with the benign commentary as well. Cassandra visions were for the future, though she made mental note that they still had to bring that up. "I wonder what literally flying would be like, especially in the weather. Are people who can fly naturally warmer?" They should be, she thought. Flying with heavy coats and such seemed just mean.

"Remind me to ask when we meet a flyer." She smiled. They would eventually, she was sure of it.

The slouching shoulders didn't go unnoticed. Syd leaned in, pressing a kiss to her own shoulder -- his shoulder right now. "This too shall pass. And then it's springtime and warmth." A pause, "And maybe a day trip or two to the warmth if you feel up to it."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]xgene
2017-05-21 03:08 am UTC (link)
Sullen anger indeed. Sullen anger and outright vitriol at the world. Which made the now so much better, even with all its complexities and body swapping and multiple personas. There'd been a moment in today's meeting with the Birds, after confessing what was happening to him, if it was even a good idea to have him be involved in this... war they were in. Wasn't he the exact example of what a mutant shouldn't be? All crazy and too much crammed into one package, the pinnacle of bad examples?

Melanie had said something to the effect of her being concerned, but that they didn't have much of a choice. Oliver seemed thoughtful, but his expression and lack of commentary overall meant that he wasn't sure. Or so David read it to mean. Of course, he was also kind of bad at reading people. Bad at people in general. All that sullen anger and vitriol, hearing people's thoughts and not knowing it was their thoughts. Noise. Symbols clashing. Drums.

"I wonder if I could fly," he wondered aloud after a moment. "Levitating is easy, I wonder if that could be pushed to flying." David wasn't entirely sure how much he wanted to push that though. The thought of flying, or rather, of falling, was a little too unnerving. A hand moved to rest on Syd's, his, arm though, testing the warmth even as eyes remained outside. "Average warmth. Probably not."

The kiss brought about a small smile, one that stated how silly he knew he was being. It was just bad weather. And yet...

"Day trips might be needed. Or just a few hours of sunlight somewhere. Or hiding under blankets. I'm cool with hiding under every blanket ever." Looking back to Syd, he shrugged a little. "I doubt it's even the chemistry of my brain to blame; I just hate shorter days, darker days." Autumn was fine, with its pretty leaves and all. Winter had zero redeeming qualities outside of the fact that now he was determined to get in at least one epic snowball fight. At least now he was more certain Rudy would partake, all the while looking completely blase about it.

Studying his face again for a moment, David couldn't help but laugh a little again and shake his head. "God, it really is weird. Seeing this," he motioned between them, "knowing it's real. Without any doubts this time." It'd been a 50/50 split the first time, unnerving and exciting all at once. More difficult to comprehend without seeing himself though.

"Thank you," said suddenly after another moment of study. "For helping me through my whole 'real or not real' thing." A beat, followed by another apologetic smile. "Those moments, that dash of paranoia? They're getting fewer and farther between because of you." Which was equally comforting and terrifying, that last tidbit of paranoia clinging on for dear life, too afraid of what could be in all this. After all, what if the world was just as malleable as the astral plane? Making your own reality as you went?

No. No, that was stupid. That wasn't something he could do. Time travel was one thing, but the manipulation of reality itself? No. Stupid thought. Stupid.

But maybe...

Stupid.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]_donttouch
2017-05-21 03:31 am UTC (link)
They were all bad examples. Bad News Bears and island of misfit toys. But frankly, that was what made them human. In spite of what Emma Frost thought, or people like her, they weren't more than. Love and fear and everything in between ran through their hearts and heads just the same. They were different than. And everybody was fucking different. Snowflakes. The same stuff, individual patterns.

"Uh-oh. There I go, giving you ideas." She grinned a little, enjoying the feeling of shared fingers against shared arms. "And you would freeze, my love." The mention of sunlight and daytrips made her smile, but blankets -- blanket forts -- made her want to grin as bright as David normally did. However, she kept it cool, thoughts and plans for funnest times. "I think we can find a blanket or two around here." Simply promised. No big deal.

Head tilting to one side, Syd lifted her eyebrows, and then nodded with a quiet laugh. "Very real." She took her own pause, smiling and offering a shrug for the thanks. "I do what I can. Though, idle curiosity makes me wonder how you would have taken it if you weren't a mutant." She would have told him, eventually, even if he hadn't shared that part of her life.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]xgene
2017-05-21 04:02 am UTC (link)
"Yeah, must be cold up there." In the clouds. On second thought, nah. Maybe he'd never try flying. Even if he could, he'd just be cold and terrified. Why bother when you could just teleport or go on a road trip with your girlfriend who enjoyed driving? Problem solved. Instant trip to somewhere warm, somewhere where the sun was still shining, where the air didn't make your face hurt. Why did he live somewhere where the air could make his face hurt?

Blankets. Warmth. Yeah, now David was actually getting ideas. Thick blankets, everywhere, heavy and comforting. He didn't even need to crave sleep to recollect the number of times he'd simply laid in a bed, when he had one, and hid under the covers, as much weight added to them as possible. It wasn't that he was a naturally cold person, it just felt better when he knew it was cold outside. As if, somehow, that knowledge affected him biologically. Funny how the brain worked, how it could skew your perception.

Again, stupid.

"If I wasn't a mutant..." That part was repeated thoughtfully. "I don't know. If I wasn't a mutant, I don't even know who I'd be." It'd played such a massive role in his life. Would he still have gotten addicted to everything? Still been a completely awful human being because of it? "I'd like to think I'd be okay with it all though." A beat. "I was a pretty chill kid." Which was the only time he had to compare to, before anything manifested, while Farouk was still too weak inside of him to do anything. "As long as we could keep making bubbles and enjoying the sunlight, I'd be good."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]_donttouch
2017-05-21 04:19 am UTC (link)
Syd was a child who hid under covers with flashlights, pink and softly lit, whiling away the hours reading or otherwise just being able to be one with the blankets. She loved the extra weight of them, comforted by it after a difficult day of trying not to be a difficult kid. And instead of growing out of it, she just grew better. Blankets became forts, fortresses against the world. And she still hadn't really grown out of that; just hadn't had an opportunity for it. Until now.

"Me neither, really. Hard to imagine something that's shaped your life so much simply...not being there." That would be all too weird. As much as she had disliked it over the years, it was still her. At the mention of making bubbles and bathing in light, Syd laughed. "Abso-fucking-lutely."

Closing the cover on the piano keys, she turned and leaned against it. "Can you tell how everyone's doing? And it's funny that the two least-chill people are having probably the most chill time."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]xgene
2017-05-21 04:49 am UTC (link)
"I tried putting the pieces together once," that much David could admit. "Took the time, analyzed what I remembered being like as a kid, what Amy said about me... thought about what I dreamed of doing with my life, how I planned to live it." It hadn't gotten too far, because it'd made him so angry with himself, it'd made him feel so low, so worthless, that it just stopped abruptly. "If I was anything though, I used to have chill." Used to. He'd been so happy to go along with the flow, to be optimistic and cheerful. So yeah, swapping with Syd? No big deal as a normal person.

Looking around and finding everyone, David managed a smirk at the comment. "No kidding, right? Look at us, being all okay with this." A slight shoulder bump later and eyes focused on each individual. "Melanie's awake. Seems to be pretty calm, thanks to Oliver, who's still with her." And then, looking a little further off, "Rudy and Ptonomy are still together. Ptonomy's in a pretty sour mood, but Rudy seems... like Rudy." And the Loudermilks? That had him smiling. "Cary and Kerry might actually be on the same level as us. Kinda. They're... poking each other's faces."

Obviously studying one another, having a moment. "I wonder if they can merge back together like this, or if Kerry wouldn't know how because of the switch?" Brows furrowed, David looked back to Syd, reaching up to poke his own face just to match the other duo who seemed okay enough. "We should probably check in on everyone eventually." Eventually.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


(Read comments) -


Home | Site Map | Manage Account | TOS | Privacy | Support | FAQs