ataraxion | → 001

[Hello network! Meet Murphy.

[Murphy does not sound happy, either. In fact, he's the very opposite of happy. Because at some point in his temporary freedom, he was pretty sure that he finally had things all sorted out. That was before he became an unwilling passenger aboard a spaceship seemingly headed to no determined destination. Out of the frying pan and into the furnace, as the saying goes. It's an idiom that couldn't be any more appropriate than it rings now.]

"Guess no one was kiddin' about all that crazy stuff that happens here, huh?"

[He tries to hide it in his voice, but Murphy is also sounding mildly alarmed when he speaks. Thus, he doesn't waste any more time:]

"Anyway, I actually wanted to, uh..." [Pause.] "Well, some birds just flew outta my locker, about an hour ago." [Wasn't expecting that. Scared the hell out of him, too... but he's not going to mention that part. He had spent most of that hour trying to look for them before he decided that MAYBE accessing his comm device would be more productive.] "They're just blue birds -- and they're small -- and I don't think they'll survive out here on their own."

[It was one thing when he set them free in a town. This place is different. He won't bother in asking how they even got here. After all the crazy shit he'd been through in Silent Hill and with the fear gas stuff that went down -- he's learned to just roll with it for now. Fortunately, he's well passed that stage of having another meltdown.]

"Just... If anyone finds 'em, uh... let me know?

"That's all."

[No, Murphy can't see himself caring for a pet. He's never even owned a goldfish at any point in his life. But the prospect of a little bird helplessly starving to death (or worse) in this place legitimately worries him. Yeah, he's a sap like that.]

[In other news! It's taken Murphy some time to figure these communicators out. He's already been way out of touch with the latest and greatest of technology -- even by his own world's standards, let alone an otherworldly one.
[Let's just say for now that he's not a huge fan of cell phones...]

[ private ping to anne cunningham ]
[Oh hell, here we go now:]

"Uh... ma'am..." [Wait.] "I mean, Cunningham. Hey. I just--"

[/so much awkward turtle all up in this]

"How are you holdin' up?"

[...It's strange. Knowing what he knows now, about who Anne is, and everything... Even if he would much rather avoid her at all cost after everything that's happened to them, Murphy also feels almost like he's got a responsibility. Checking up on her every now and then seems to be the least that he could do -- for all that he owes to her father.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[a small nod, and she gives him a look that's almost curious, like she's not sure what to make of him right now]

I know. Doesn't mean I don't wanna make things right between us.

[she does feel responsible for him, but he doesn't need to know that]

To be perfectly honest, I want things to be different because I like you. I think you're a good person, and you're... interesting to be around.

[she's not sure how else to word it]

Besides, you're the only person I can talk to in this insane asylum.

[a faint ghost of a smile crosses her lips]

You already have. [He speaks rather matter-of-factly, as though something that did, in fact, mean a great deal to him actually wasn't much of anything at all. They didn't have a whole lot of time to make up for it back in Silent Hill, but it was enough for him.

[He freezes once they get to the neighboring door of his room. He still doesn't look at her again, but he can hear the smile in her voice. He knows that she means what she says, that she isn't lying or duping him as others have in the past.

[Then again, he always did have an issue with shitty judgment.]

You make it sound like I'm your personal therapist. [He does sound light about it, because it's oddly amusing to him.]

[Anne can't help smiling at that, shaking her head]

After the way I treated you...I think it's going to take a while for me to feel like we're past that. I don't know about you, but to me, it wasn't just something that can be shrugged off.

[Anne may not have the guilt complex Murphy does, but she does feel like she needs to make him feel equally as good as she made him feel bad in that town. If such a thing is even possible. Maybe they could even consider each other friends down the road]

[Anne can't help chuckling just faintly at that joke of his, and she shrugs]

Who knows, maybe you are. I do know you're the only person I trust, though. It's gotta count for something.

[Murphy sighs.] Look, I know it sounds bad, but you're not the first person who treated me like that. Even after what you know now, I don't know that many people who'd be as... forgiving, as you are.

My point is, you've already done more for me than anyone has in a long time, and I'm not gonna blame or hate you for what happened back there, either. If nothin' else, you saved my ass from the next cop who wanted me dead. So, you may not be able to shrug it off, but... I'm not losin' any sleep over anything you've done to me.

[He stops, distracted by the shoulder-bird that starts pecking at his hair.]

Better than nobody, I guess.

[Anne gives him a bemused look]

I wouldn't call myself forgiving. I can just admit when someone hasn't done anything wrong. Or when they deserve to be let off the hook for whatever it is they have>/i> done.

[she gives him a look with that. She's tired of him holding a grudge against himself, dammit. When he says the next part, her expression softens]

I don't know, Pendleton. But thank you.

[she places a hand briefly on his arm]

I don't think I'll be able to let go of it until I've saved your ass at least a dozen more times. Sorry.

[He just shakes his head. The words are on the tip of his tongue, that she's been more forgiving than others have been towards him -- more so than he's ever thought he deserved. But somehow, trying to reach to that point is like hitting a solid wall and it's not going anywhere anytime soon. Not yet.]

Whatever. If that's what you wanna do... [He makes a dismissive gesture, and stops once he's reached the neighboring door to his room.

[He pauses a moment, looking from the door, to Anne, and back to the door again.]

Anyway, uh... This is fine. For now. [He realizes that there's kind of a double-meaning to that statement, and he nods at the room.] ...Talkin' about the birds.

[Sure you are, Murphy.]

Edited 2012-11-10 04:45 (UTC)

It is. And I plan to do it.

[she doesn't feel any sort of honor-bound necessity to repay her debts to him, or whatever else. What she does feel is that he's a decent guy who hasn't had anyone there for him in a long time. If she can change that, after how much her father meant to him, then she's going to do it.

Glancing at the room and then back at Murphy, she nods too, and the faint smile is still on her face]

I guess I should give you your birds back and let you take it from here, then? Or do you need a hand with them?

[Anything he says at this point would probably just be a load of hypocritical bullshit, because Murphy knows that he'd do the same for her if he has to. He just doesn't say it -- or feel that he has to.]

Nah, I think I got it... [It's a relief that they didn't just fly away on the way here. Strange how well-behaved these birds are.] ...Thanks, though.

Don't mention it. Let me know if you need help wrangling them at any point, though. They seem to like me for some stupid reason.

[She gives him a small smile and then turns, heading off down the hallway toward her room. Might as well do a little resting before work, she figures.]

I'll talk to you later.

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[action] I know we said this was probably finished but I thought it needed an end XD