▓ ０８ Ｐｔｓ．► video. ► cant g3tchu outt@ my head :)

[throwsdown]

 
[The screen is showing a very anxious little boy. He doesn't use the comms very often for just anything at all - no, Takeshi's all about being practical, using it for when he has a question or something to that effect, or maybe threatening somebody. So it's no surprise that he's kinda serious right now. Like he's working on summoning up the courage.]

Um... I dunno if - if it's bad to ask right now, but... Uhhh... I wanna... talk to some doctors...

I'm not hurt! I'm okay! But - can you - check my head? 'Cause at home... I had a chip. It's called a chip, my dad said. They put it in my head, and it makes people's heads a'splode. I don't think it works no more, 'cause - 'cause I talk about stuff I shouldn't talk 'bout, and I'm okay still, but I don't want my head to a'splode. Someone said I need to see if it's okay. So I am!

[A pause.]

I'm okay, though! Heder - Ned - don't worry.

[Because it's TOTALLY NOT A BIG DEAL

RIGHT? RIGHT. 

oh lawdy, child.

Suddenly the camera turns to a panda bear, sitting on Takeshi's second bed, chewing quietly on a stick.



He looks at the camera, pauses, and then goes right back to his task.]

And!! This is Hoi Hoi! Please don't shoot him! He's a nice bear. He just likes hugs. I gotta find bamboo for him. I think he'll like that more than the people food he eats.

Comments

video;

[throwsdown]

The tallest trees. I like tall ones.

I climb lots of the ones here; I'm good at climbing. I can go to the very, very top.

video;

[fallasleep]

Just for the sake of climbing the trees, or because you can see everything from the top? [ Roy grins a little. Odd, isn't it, that the mention of climbing doesn't make him collapse into a pile of rage at the thought that he will not be able to climb again, ever (and so no one in the goddamned world should be able to climb-).

Must be the kid. ]

Can your arms reach the branches, though? They look kind of small. [ He's teasing. ]

video;

[throwsdown]

I can see everything! I'm short, so I like to be tall.

[He smiles, all cheer and happiness, even with the topic of the entry. You'd think the 'I have an explosive head' precursor would put a damper on his mood, but... nah.]

I'm a weird kid. I'm really weird. I can jump high. Super high.

video;

[fallasleep]

[ Both eyebrows fly up. ]

How high is high? 'High' is very small when you're small, you know.

video;

[throwsdown]

Very high. Higher than the growed-ups.

I just jump! And boom — I sit down on the tree. I can jump taller than a door. Really!

video;

[fallasleep]

[ Roy laughs, and he surprises himself at how genuine it sounds. ]

That's really impressive! Where did you learn how to do that?

[ (But he still doesn't say that he wants to see it. Because, really, he's not going there. Not yet. )]

video;

[throwsdown]

I learned it - I dunno... Maybe I didn't learn it. I just know how!

But I learned how to throw stuff from my dad. My dad from home, he's like me; he's really strong and jumps real, real high.

video;

[fallasleep]

Your dad isn't with you here? [ Blink. Slow trickling of dread... ] What about your mom?

[ OH JEEZ. ]

video;

[throwsdown]

I, um, my dad from home's not here. My mom didn't want me, so my new dad took me, but he's not here...

But I have — space parents. I got space parents here.

video;

[fallasleep]

Space parents? And who might those be?

Re: video;

[throwsdown]

I, um - [Netherlands never actually said he was his dad, not officially, not vocally. So he flounders a bit.] Well, Heder and Mr. Ned's my - I don't call them mom and dad a lot, but they take care of me. And read me books. And take naps and eat with me.

video;

[fallasleep]

[ He doesn't know Heather, but... ] Mister Ned? The one who has the rabbit with the long and complicated name/

video;

[throwsdown]

Yessir! That's the one! That's him.

His rabbit's really cute, huh?? Sometimes I pet him, 'specially if I'm not super happy. Then it makes me feel better. Or I hug Hoi Hoi now; he's real comfy.

But Mister Ned is really cool. He works in the garden; s'very important to work in the garden. That's where some food we eat grows in.

video;

[fallasleep]

I don't think anyone's day can still be sad if they have Lode to hug. [ He smiles slightly. ] But I'm glad you have your own pet to hug now.

[ A pause, and he shrugs a little. ]

I haven't seen the gardens myself, but it sounds pretty important!

video;

[throwsdown]

They're super important.

[A nod, like he as a PhD in the importance of gardens.]

If you wanna ever meet Hoi Hoi, I can show you him. He's not mean; he's really nice. He just likes to hug people.

video;

[fallasleep]

[ Roy will take his word for it.

And he blinks a little, looking off to the side for a long moment before his eyes flicker back to the boy. ]

I don't think he's mean, but I don't know if he'll like me. [ Gently. He rubs the back of his neck. ] But if you'd like to show me to him, I'd like that. It can be a proper introduction.

video;

[throwsdown]

[Takeshi just smiles, smiles like he knows 100% that his answer is true.]

Hoi Hoi likes all kinds of people. You'll be okay. He liked Izumi, but Izumi wasn't that nice, and you're nicer. So it'll be okay.

[He's so very sure of it.]

I'm gonna do to get my brain fixed! I'll come visit after that, 'kay? I'll come visit with Hoi Hoi.

video;

[fallasleep]

[ You're nicer, the boy says, and Roy wants to tell him that no, no, he really isn't. He really, really isn't nicer. He's a bastard, really, a worthless creature barely worth anyone's attention, much less one of someone so sweet.

But he swallows the words and takes a breath instead. ]

You might see me when you come to the medbay. [ Quietly. ] I'm usually [ always ] here.

video;

[throwsdown]

Then it'll be easier to find you.

I can bring my action fig'res. Or my crayons...

video;

[fallasleep]

[ ... Wut. ]

Why would you bring them?

video;

[throwsdown]

... 'Cuz in case we get bored!

Do you like drawling?

video;

[fallasleep]

[ Drawling: ]

Sometimes I do, yeah. [ Yeahhhhhhhhh.

He's teasing. Kids. ]

Re: video;

[throwsdown]

[Totally doesn't even notice teasing, oops.]

Then I'll bring my stuff! We'll draw. 'Kay?

video;

[fallasleep]

[ Oh God, kids. He's almost tempted to bury his face in his hands. ]

I don't draw very well, though. But I can tell you stories, if you don't mind that.

video;

[throwsdown]

Stories!!!

What kindsa' stories??