▓０２ Ｐｔｓ．► voice ► sh0uldnt pl@y with big kid s7uff

[throwsdown]

Why don't they say anything?? I can see them!!

[The voice that picks up is excited, eager, as though they've figured out part of a puzzle and are attempting to solve the rest.]

When I put on my mask, I can see my papa, and Reika and the others from home...! I can see them. Why don't they say anything? Are they frozen? If they're in trouble, I gotta help... How can I help them?

[Takeshi's voice is muffled. Mainly because he's got his mask on. He'd tried it on days ago, if only by curiosity, and now... Well, he's finding himself more and more attached to it. Even if it's sad to look at, it's like it reminds him of something. It feels so important to wear it. The voice is more distant for a moment, as he turns away from the comm and aims his words at something in his room that just isn't there.]

... Papa, why don't you say anything?

Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me for running off...?

[his voice is a little watery, heartbroken at the thought of his dad being upset with him. he was happy before, but now...

For some reason, he's scared. He feels it, deep in his bones, in his heart. A familiar pang.]

I swear I didn't leave on purpose; please don't go away, okay? I'll save you.

Comments

[throwsdown]

Oh.

Did you fight with monsters? Is that why you guys didn't fight no more?

[handelaar]

[Time to pause and look at the kid again. Blink.]

No. Ain't monsters where I'm from.

[throwsdown]

[blinks right back]

Oh.

'Kay.

What kindsa' things do you have to fight?

[handelaar]

[Hey kiddo he can't tell if this is overactive imagination or a real actual question because you fight monsters.]

Wars. The ocean. [Just playin' it off like no big but he sure does switch topics quickly enough.] What do you fight, then.

[throwsdown]

Oh... Wars are bad. Scary. [Of course, kids don't question the more odd ones, like 'the ocean'. He's chewing on his finger nail when the other part comes up and he replies very surely:] The monsters. The aliens--they're from space... They're very really scary.

[handelaar]

Mm.

[Somewhere in all of this he's started heating up some oil and moves to slicing the potatoes. He's still paying attention to everything Takeshi says, though. Making fries is something he doesn't really have to think about. Which is good, because he whips his head down to frown and raise a brow.]

No shit. An' they're - real.

[throwsdown]

[A nod.]

That's why we have to be really careful here. Aliens can be really bad. And people, too.

Always gotta' be careful.

[handelaar]

Gotta be careful for more reasons'n that, kiddo.

[Potatoes, meet hot oil! For a few moments it's too loud and sizzling for him to continue, but he turns his back to the counter and leans against it, biting his nail rather than light up.]

This place ain't good.

[throwsdown]

... No...

But I got friends here... so that's good. We can take care of each other.

Right?

[handelaar]

Friends are good, yeah. Dunno yours, but - [more nail-biting] - I'll try.

[When did this get so damn serious. He sighs and crouches, elbows resting on his knees and gaze solemn.]

But you gotta take care of yourself, too. Okay.

[throwsdown]

I will. [He looks at the other, more determined.] I gotta' take care of myself, so my dad can find me!

[handelaar]

Mm.

[Unlikely that they'd get to leave if Takeshi's dad came, but he keeps his teeth trapping his mouth shut for it.]

So how much do y'know about cooking.

[throwsdown]

Miss Betty let me help make pasta once...

[She's gone now.]

Miss Mattie showed me a little how to boil stuff and use fire to cook it. She says it's good to know.

[handelaar]

It is. But we're s'posed to use stoves and microwaves on the ship.

[Kirk kind of put his foot down on the fire making during the blackout. Fine by him.]

[throwsdown]

Yeah... But what if they stop working?

Things break too much on the ship...

[handelaar]

Don't think they will.

[Because if something wanted them to starve to death the best way to pull that off would be to cut off access to all the kitchens and the gardens. It's why he's got a drawer full of hoarded nonperishables in his room.]

But not everything needs t'be cooked. Could eat those things until they're fixed.

[throwsdown]

... Oooh.... yeah...

I'm not very good at opening cans.










I accidentally make messes.

[handelaar]

...

[Brow raise. But he's not gonna comment on the mess thing yet.]

Don't know how t'use can openers, then.

[throwsdown]

[He blinks up. Look, he was four when he was killed, and before that they really just ate mostly take-out and stuff with easy-open lids. He's surprisingly never opened a can on his own before--weird, right? With how shitty his mother was?

Eh.]

There are things that opens up the cans?

[handelaar]

[The brow raise was over cleaning, one, and surprise at how Takeshi hasn't needed eight stitches in his hand yet if he doesn't know how to use a can opener and opens cans anyway. Really fuckin' lucky.

And with that statement the second brow comes up to join it.]

Yeah. They're easier to use here than they are back home.

[Because, you know, kitchens 900 years after earth and all.]

[throwsdown]

[.....]

Can you show me how to use them later?

[///]

So I don't make a food mess again.

[handelaar]

Yeah. Show ya how to clean up, too.

[With that he stands and checks the fries - done - starts lifting them out to let them drain.]