ataraxion | 002; rude questions [video/action]

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002; rude questions [video/action]

Ladies and gentlemen of the Tranquility, good evening.

[From the video, you can see Albert is seated somewhere in the oxygen gardens, on a wide-open patch of grass. He looks somewhat contemplative.]

I have a-- a somewhat personal question to ask of you all, so don't feel compelled to answer if you don't wish to. [He seems to hesitate, and then he plunges ahead quickly, as if he must ask it before he loses courage.]

How many of you here believed yourselves to have passed away before you woke up in this place?

And-- for those of you who don't want to talk about something quite so morbid, maybe you could tell me what year, or what country, or planet you come from. I'd... really like to hear about other people's homes. As for me-- I'm from Paris, France, the year 5053.

I've also got some tea and plenty of cups to go around here in the garden, if you'd prefer to speak in person. I'd welcome the company, and the chance to meet all of you.

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[Oh, Jehan.]

Ah... sort of?

I have to confess-- I don't usually read poetry, so I think perhaps a lot of it was lost on me. It was quite difficult for me to read, but I admit, it is written beautifully.

Oh... [Another little laugh there, colouring.] He's a bit heavy-worded, isn't he? [Granted he thinks that's gorgeous and genius and emotional, but. Maybe enough emotions for one week.]

Thank you for giving it a try. I'm glad you enjoyed it a bit.

It's a pity I don't have anything of my time here to share with you in return! I'm sure you'd enjoy it quite a lot. But then again, I never was a very good student, I'm afraid. [He laughs in spite of himself.]

You have yourself to share and that is plenty.

...The gardens, you said.

[He small nod, head still angled down.]

I... will meet you there?

Haha! You're a shameless flatterer.

I'll see you soon.

[aufhauh well that makes him go about as red as a beet because he absolutely wasn't trying to flatter, and shamelessness was such an embarrassing adjective, really. He isn't Courfeyrac, after all.]

It's just-- I meant-- oh! Nevermind.

[He'd turn off the device hastily and would head for the gardens.]

[Albert laughs quietly to himself after Jehan's face disappeared from the screen. He'd known what Jehan meant-- he'd only been teasing.

He turns off his own device, and then reclines back on the grass, arms tucked behind his head and looking at the ceiling.]

[By the time he arrived, it was safe to say he was still a little pink from the comment. (If he were honest, he was also still flustered by Albert's brief tears earlier.)

Nonetheless, he gave a brief smile and waved shyly as he approached his friend.]

[Albert sits upright again once he spots his friend. In contrast, Albert's beckoning wave is big and bright.]

Jehan! Come, sit!

[Always so friendly! The chipper tone was especially welcome, and put Jehan at ease. Whatever his mood had been earlier, Albert had seemed to recover quickly.

He'd follow that suggestion, going and having a seat beside him. The gardens were Jehan's favourite part of the ship so far-- as expected, the grass felt soft and familiar and welcoming against his palms.]

You find this a good place to come and think also? It's the spot I like best.

Yes. It's hard to be miserable in a garden such at this!

[Albert holds up the tea pot in offering]

Would you like some? It's just regular black tea, but I have a lot left. I confess I thought more people would show than just yourself... at this rate, I'm afraid either the pot will go cold or I'll have to drink it all myself! Haha.

Edited 2013-03-24 04:29 (UTC)

Thank you. I will have a cup, then; since it is your salons de thé.

[With its radical thoughts and cold drinks; very fitting.

He didn't miss the use of the word miserable, and gave a brief glance of worry at the other man. Hopefully... whatever had been troubling his mind truly had eased now.]

--You know, I am very surprised that my own friends have not taken up your offer. We had our own little salon, in Paris.

Though it may be because you serve tea and not wine.

[Which is... only half-joking, really.]

[The events of Albert's past summer... they were always on his mind, really. It was hard to banish them, especially in a place with little else to occupy himself. It had been part of the reason why he'd been so eager to invite people to sit and drink with him. Any distraction was a good distraction, as far as he was concerned.

But there was no need to trouble Jehan with that.]

I would offer wine, had I any to offer. Alas. [Albert's smile is light and humorous in return to Jehan's.]

What kind of place was it? Your salon.

The tea is more than welcome. [Enjolras might have preferred had they only had tea at their own meetings.]

Ours? It was the back of a little café, Musain. Warm, solid and without frills. We'd often stay until very late, and there was wine, though not everyone drank it-- some drank too much of it. We'd discuss politics and philosophy there.

[He understands having too much time to tink on things past.]

In fact... we have thought to perhaps start this habit again here. There is the bar, and perhaps there are a few hours when it is very quiet. If we do, you must join us.

[Now it is Albert's turn to flush pink.]

Oh... are you sure I wouldn't be intruding? After all, isn't that a special memory that you all share from home? Your friends might not appreciate an outsider...

Besides which, I'm not sure I have much to say about politics... or philosophy...

[How blissfully unaware Albert is of his own future-- he can't possibly know yet that in the future he will have much to say on politics, eventually joining in the ambassador's efforts between Earth and Janina to forge peace between the two planets. Ah, youth.]

Well, so long as you do not wish to discuss the merits of Buonaparte-ruled France... I do not think they should mind very much.

[A soft, brief grin there, shaking his head at the memory. Poor Marius. He meant well... he was just a bit... misinformed. Even if Jehan took less pain at his viewpoint than the others.]

You would be very welcome, yes. I promise we will not quiz you upon philosophy; just so long as you do not quiz us on technology. Do we have a treaty?

Ah, but technology is so fascinating, Jehan! It's a shame you and your comrades lived only just before the invention of cars and bikes! Nobody needs to rely upon a poor horse for travel anymore, and they go fast enough that journeying between cities and countries is easy!

Then there's computers, and telephones...! Devices like these communicators that make it possible to speak with someone very far away in only an instant! Or to look up the answer to whatever question you might have, if it's in the realm of human knowledge!

[Realising he's gotten slightly carried away, he tones it down a bit.] But-- I shall agree to your treaty.

[...OH ALBERT. Also, wat.

He really isn't sure how Albert always manages it, but he'd pressing the back of his hand against his mouth to keep from laughing too hard at that outpouring of excitement. He didn't want to be rude, especially not when Albert was right and it was interesting, but...

He lierally had no idea what half of these inventions were.]

You speak in a language I do not know! But yes, I assume if we have ships that might transport us to worlds, man must have found ways to travel between nations with more ease. Though I do wonder at the lost art of letter-writing, if you can communicate within seconds over screens...

Perhaps it's why you have no attention for poetry. [He teased lightly.]

Oh, haha, I see what you did there! But I suppose you're probably right, actually. Franz always says--

--said, he always said that the only reason I'm not a good student is because I'm bad at sitting still, and if they could find a way to teach literature through movement, I'd be top of the class. Haha.

[Albert's tone is still light and casual after he corrects himself. It's almost laughing, like he doesn't really believe that statement. But there's a forced quality to it, too.]

Edited 2013-03-25 01:02 (UTC)

[The drop in mood and the change to past tense was palpable. Perhaps Jehan was a little sensitive lately, as it seemed he could barely flounder his way through a conversation without leaving someone upset... something he wasn't very used to. Being (if he admitted it) still upset himself, it was worse to see faces drop and smiles stall. Keeping up his own mood was becoming strenuously hard. He didn't know how or if to fix it-- not for his friends and certainly not for himself. A somewhat useless feeling.]

...Maybe your Franz was on to something. I wonder if literature could be taught through movement. What an idea.

[Softly, going to fix a cup of tea now just to busy himself.]

Yeah... he was. [Albert draws in a shaky breath to steady himself, but it hardly works. He notices Jehan fixing the tea and realises he's done the very thing he was trying to avoid.]

... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-- ugh, I'm so stupid. I invited you out here to relax and have a cup of tea to take your mind off things, but all I'm doing is making things worse ...

[He runs a hand through his hair, frustrated, surreptitiously wiping at an eye as he goes. Almost furious at his traitorous eye for betraying him.]

I just can't seem to-- control my emotions, these days. They're all over the place. It's nothing you've said or done, I'm just... a mess. I'm sorry.

[Much to his own frustration, he nearly let the teapot clatter back onto its plate when he set it down. He barely registered what Albert was saying, instead noting the way he rubbed at his eyes-- again.

Someone is crying again, and pretending it's silliness and lack of control instead of pain again. Perhaps he isn't doing anything directly, but his indirect effect over the past week or so has been steller enough.

Not knowing quite what to do, or say and starting to truly dislike that he didn't, Jehan settled for staring at the ground and reaffirming lightly,]

You needn't apologize.

...You are allowed to express yourself, even if you're hurting. I'm-- sorry. That I can't do more.

Your friend... passed, I take it. [Very, very lightly.]

[Albert pulls his knees up to his chest and hugs them tightly.]

... I miss him. I miss him so much. Sometimes I'll think that I'm perfectly fine, and then the next minute I'll see something, or hear something, that reminds me of him ...

It wasn't even so long ago that he was right by my side, drinking and laughing. A week ago? No... that can't be right. I've been here longer than that now, haven't I? I keep losing track of the passage of time in this place. But it was less than a week when I woke up here. How can I accept that my best friend is just now ... gone? He was only fifteen--! We were supposed to grow up together ... there are still so many things we had left to do ...

[Oh. Oh, he'd had no idea that Albert was so young, was-- wasn't even fully grown yet. Fifteen? No wonder, those gently incorrect statements he made. He wasn't so terribly immature, not for his age. To lose a loved one so young-- someone equally in the winter of childhood, about to step into an adult spring-- was awful.

Jehan didn't know anything else about Franz aside from his age and his importance to Albert. It still made his heart twist and his jaw clench.

Children shouldn't suffer so. Early death and early loss.]

It is too soon to be 'perfectly fine'... don't ask it of yourself.

I understand now. Why you asked those questions, regarding death. [He hoped to see him, didn't he? Frowning lightly, he reached out to press a hand over Albert's, briefly.] But death cannot ever take your friend away from you... I know it's of no comfort, but you have him with you so clearly, it's impossible for you not to grow up with him.

Albert, I'm so sorry for your loss.

[He meant it, acutely. It was painful to watch him struggle with a burden that should not have to be.]

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