► 002.

[culver]

[the video coming on is a complete accident. the hallway she's in is cast mostly in gloom, and only slightly more than her outline is visible. nill is clutching the comm in her hand, the camera aimed at her crooked. she's wearing one of her dresses from the most recent jump. her face is just out of the frame, but her wings aren't. they're standing straight out from her back, quivering. and from just that small movement, a feather falls.

and then nill darts from her hiding spot into the lit hall, and her wings are in full view. they look scraggly, a few thin patches visible. the sudden movement makes another feather come out, and then the video darkens again as she finds shelter in the next dark hallway. the feed cuts.]

think i am sick
heine where are you

[ooc; molting molting molting yeah]

Comments

private.

[culver]

[that was also not where she expected this to go. nill visibly flinches away from the camera at the word "sex," but nods. yes, yes, she knew what it was for all too well. of course, her thoughts were "to hurt and to claim." nill didn't really know anything about how babies were made--not naturally, anyway.]

private.

[amethysts]

[Oh, no.

No, no, no. Libby freezes, obviously upset, and tilts the camera away for a second to get a grip. She knows that look. She's worn that look. Whixh means she thinks she knows what she has to do, but--she tilts the camera back down.]

Hey. Me too. [Her smile is quietly reassuring, she hopes.] Listen. Let's not talk about that right now. The important thing is this is normal. Your feathers just need to replace themselves. It's like when strands of your hair come out when you're washing it. Just eat stuff that you want and rest. Nothing's wrong with you.

And I think--I think you and me need to talk later. Alone. 'Cause there are things you should know that you don't. About the other thing. And nobody ever helped me out, so. I want to help you out. Can we do that?

private.

[culver]

[nill doesn't know what "me too" means. or maybe she does and just isn't willing to think about it. but she keeps her expression neutral, not willing to show how much she was fidgeting or how much she just wanted to stop being talked to about this. it hurt, it made her think about things she'd tried so hard to forget.

the subject change is alright, though. a relief. she nods, that makes sense. she didn't know why it had never happened before. but she doesn't want to ask, doesn't want to consider the possibility that something on the ship had made her sick. it being natural was so much easier to accept.

"the other thing." nill didn't want to, but... she couldn't exactly say no. so she gives a hesitant nod. okay. maybe sometime.]

private.

[amethysts]

[Libby doesn't like talking about it either. Oh, it's easy to spit at people, to speak in generalities and let them make up whatever stupid teenage whore story they want. But really talking about it? Really getting into it, how it felt? How it still feels?

No, she doesn't like talking about it. But Nill needs to know things that will keep her safer, and Libby doesn't even think of asking anyone for help. This is between them.

She had little sisters in freezers waiting to be born. She had little whores who learned how to stay alive in her wake. Libby can do this.]

Is there anything you wanna know about your feathers?

[Because aside from the nod in response, the other subject is cut now.]

private.

[culver]

[the shift is good, it keeps her mind off worse things. she shakes her head; no, she doesn't want to think about any of this anymore. she'll be okay, heine would find someone who could help her and everything would be okay. not that nill was afraid of dying (she knew it was going to happen some day, probably violently, she just had to wait for it), but making heine worry for her was the absolute worst. hopefully this could be figured out and resolved quickly.]

private.

[amethysts]

Tell Loomy McSnarls to calm down.

[She teases, but then softens. She does like what he does for Nill, at least. They don't have to like each personally to be allies; stay at a distance and watch Nill. Easy.]

You wicked like him, huh.

private.

[culver]

[nill would have laughed if she hadn't been trying to ignore how depressed she was quickly becoming. the last comment does catch her off guard though, and she blinks once in confusion. but she does nod; of course she liked him. he had saved her. he was her protector.]

private.

[amethysts]

Rad. Well, 'cause it's you? And just because it's you, I am not turning into a sucker--if he needs any techy stuff, let me know. Hey, did you see that Banner guy made a text to voice program? You pick that up yet?

[Libby could slap herself. Now she was never going to get over being protective of Nill.]

private.

[culver]

[she nods, answering all the questions at once. yes, it was her, yes she had the program. but she wanted to try reading for herself before using it, try to piece together the letters into words and the words into sentences.]

private.

[amethysts]

Your typing is better. Guess all those crazy bitches pulled it off, huh?

[Fuck knew Libby wouldn't have the patience for it.]

private.

[culver]

[she smiles a bit, shy. yes, they were doing a good job, her teachers. she was so grateful to them.]

private.

[amethysts]

Real soon you'll be pro. Then I can teach you all the cursing ever and you can horrify the fuck out of everybody and blame me.

[...bonding?]

private.

[culver]

[wow if this is what bonding will be like nill isn't sure she wants to participate. but she wants to be polite so she smiles a bit. she already knew plenty about cursing, thanks to badou and heine, even as much as they tried to watch themselves around her.]

private.

[amethysts]

[Horrify the tiny birdgirl. Good job, Libby.]

Well--get some rest. Oatmeal baths help with the itching. I know there's oatmeal on the kitchens.