Mask Or Menace - IC Contact Post

[helpdesk_hero]

This is David Alleyne, I'm not available at the moment.
Please leave your name, contact information, and what this is regarding after the beep.

Comments

[helpdesk_hero]

If he's as good as I suspect, he could put barriers up around me.

[Telepaths back home down that all the time. But David lets himself drift down just enough to touch the bottom. And yelps, quickly paddling to the top. Yeah, that isn't going to work.]

Pools have a sense of self. Fucking hell. Pools have a sense of self

[besainted]

[ What a weird concept. But hey, if that's what David would like. He watches the experiment with curiosity, and nods when he bobs back up again. ]

I figured you'd feel something. But you have to admit, this is a good place for easing into feeling one thing at a time.

[helpdesk_hero]

It... I'm already dealing with my swimsuit.

[That's been a constant niggling fount of knowledge in his mind.]

It was in a box for a long time, waiting. Apparently summer clothes are prepared quite a bit in advance.

[besainted]

[ He nods a concession, then pauses for a wry, vaguely puzzled smile. ]

Do these things have ... personalities to you? [ Something he'd know if he still had David's last power, irritatingly. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

It’s... complicated? Not really, but they are aware of their purpose, sort of. So disappointment or yearning CAN be there? It’s weird. Mostly I get the facts. In DETAIL. I know how many cups of coffee I have had out of my favorite mug. I also know that my pen cup doesn’t understand a purpose of holding liquids. Only pens and pencils.

[besainted]

[ He considers it for a few seconds, sorting the answer through. ]

That's almost ... [ This takes him a couple seconds more, because here's a word he pretty much never stoops to: ] Cute.

[ Objects, being cute! Who knew. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

Objects have history. I always knew that. This is...

Too much. They know now. But the rest? All of it is ‘not now’. It’s... everything at once. As good as I am at arranging knowledge, I know how to organize the human mind. Anything beyond very recent history is... all in a jumble.

[besainted]

[ Also fascinating; he'd have loved to learn all this with a touch. But it's not so bad hearing it from David directly, he supposes. He shifts, methodically pulling off shoes and socks, and rolling up his pants legs. ]

You're selling yourself short with all this, David. This is an entirely different category of information from what you're used to working with, and you've had it for, what, a few hours?

[helpdesk_hero]

What I had before, what I've adapted to? It's what I was since I was a teen.

[He's in a dark mood, very dark mood. But he reaches out and turns the suppressor back on before swimming for the edge.]

I should eat before I go.

[besainted]

[ With pants legs rolled up, he dips his legs into the pool, and beckons to David with a toss of his head. ]

You should. You should also relax a little before you go, too.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Oh man. That's tempting. David wades over and runs his hands over the man's legs where they are bare.]

I can only handle floating some long. I don't really do water so much. I'm an ice guy, you know. Beaches are nice, though. I'm currently scared of sand, though.

[besainted]

I can't say the beach would be very inviting this time of year, anyway. [ He reaches a hand to comb fingers through David's short hair fondly. ] Take your hour here. Have lunch, get in contact with Judd, relax ... and start your first official training montage rested and refreshed.

[helpdesk_hero]

[The way he looks up at Damian... God there are words that he wanted to say. And he bites his tongue.]

Thanks. Less than an hour here so I can get out of here and eat without possibility of knowing what the food felt.

Damian, I...

[He wants to say it. He should say it before the world ends.]

Want to thank you.

[besainted]

[ There's quite a lot in that look turned up at him, and Damian isn't sure how to categorize it. Nor how to quite categorize his own reaction to it. There were no classes on this, and no one to get close enough to him to count as prior experience.

He isn't sure if it's a good idea to slide those fingers to the back of David's head, to lean down and draw him into a kiss, but that's just what he does. David makes it hard to plan his usual five steps in advance, and the encroaching, potentially world-ending chaos around the imPort cities makes it harder still to mind. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

[He didn't say what he wanted. It's fine. He's fine. There's still tenderness. Still a kiss. He can take that and hold on to it. Not like there's much time anyway, and he'd hate to die with the pain of rejection again.

Too many times. Too many regrets. Better not to regret breaking a good thing.

And that nice, soft kiss, he pulls back and smiles.]

Mind taking me back up there once I climb out? I want to be as efficient about my time as I can be.

[besainted]

Of course.

[ It goes without saying he would, really. He draws back from David with some regret, gathers his feet under him, and rises to go and fetch the bath towel. He holds it ready for David, head tipped as he considers the time passed. ]

Food should be delivered by now. You're sure you don't want anything more substantial, to last you a while?

[helpdesk_hero]

I really don't. It's... I don't know how much I could keep it down if I get really overwhelmed again.

[He smiles warmly at the offered towel and curls it around himself.]

When's the last time someone told you that you're amazing?

[besainted]

[ Fair enough. He casts a quick glance around, ensuring that the pool area is still empty, no one in sight — The coast is clear. ]

I can't say it's something I hear all that often.

[ He steps forward, arms sliding around David's waist (after a brief brush of hand to chest) to push him gently backward. Toward the pool, incidentally — but most importantly, toward the portal back to his room that he's just opened behind David. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

[Through the portal and into his hotel room and David tries not to laugh at the wonder of it all. His world is ending, THE world is ending. And all he can think about is how this man makes him smile so easily.]

You should hear it more.

[His feet on carpet and dripping. The Carpet will remember it. But he doesn't care right now.]

I'll try and tell you as often as I can before the world ends. And fter.

[besainted]

[ David's damp, and it's making Damian damp. And worse, making him smell like chlorine. But he'll deal with that later, because this is an embrace he'd missed a bit. Or missed in theory, as he'd only been gone a short time. Or ... something like that. Trying to pin down his thoughts regarding David is a bit exhausting.

He opts to push the whole matter away as he steps in closer, resting against David with his chin tipped up to settle onto his wet chest. ]

You might have a tough time doing it after, if the superheroes around here don't pull it off. [ And after a quick sniff: ] Your food's here.

[helpdesk_hero]

We're going to survive, Damian. Because I can't die yet. I'm burdened with the weirdest fucking fate, and it doesn't end here.

[What a beautiful man, and he holds Damian to him for a moment. He'll apologize for the chlorine later. If ever.]

I'll eat, then make the call. You... don't have to stick around.

[besainted]

[ He's not sure of the soundness of that logic, seeing as he doesn't subscribe to fate, but that doesn't sound like a debate he's eager for. He's also not looking ready to facilitate David eating any time soon, as this lean isn't quite finished yet. Whatever, he's got almost an hour. ]

You couldn't pry me out of LA with a crowbar, as long as reality is being shredded over there. But I'm here as long as you're here.

[helpdesk_hero]

I meant you don't have to stick around here, in this room, while I'm eating. Or trying to deal with this.

[He doesn't know how long he can stay in LA like this, but... but he's grateful for the sentiment. And again he can't help but look at the man and want to talk. And not talk.]

[besainted]

[ He shrugs, closes his eyes, and continues to not relocate himself. ]

That's assuming I let you eat.

[ Which he will. Obviously. Just ... in a moment. ]

And as a side note, I don't have your power right now. Looks like you leaving this universe counts as a death for my copying system. [ He cracks an eye open, eyebrows cocked. So, if you want to make any use of that ...

[helpdesk_hero]

What?

[Was that Damian intending to imply they should... Oh. Of course. David offers a soft smile, but it's a bit sad.]

I'd love to, but... Right now, I'm not in a place where I could, Damian. Not mentally. I'm sorry.