text. | hello, is it me you're looking for?

[ex_question191]

So we're all up in each other's heads, which blows, obviously. I feel like I'm ten people right now, and I have no idea who half those ten people are. I was gonna ask around, try and figure it out, but I have a better idea.

[ for a certain definition of "better". ]

Presenting, The Tranquility's Freaky Memory Swap Directory.

Here's how it works: you drop the details of stuff that doesn't belong in your brain. You know, names, places, events, incriminating secrets. Then comb through what other people leave and work out who got all your dirty laundry so you can bribe or threaten them into silence. Got it? Great.

<font face=courier><strong>My name is:</strong>  <strong>Seeking:</strong> M/F/? <strong>Do these names mean anything to you?</strong>  <strong>I know about your:</strong> </font>

(( i won't be back to this post for a few hours for any tags meant specifically for stiles, but i turned comment emailing off so tag each other!!! you are welcome to ignore the form.))

Comments

video; private

[workout]

Yeah. I guess. [ as if this isn't a clear yes or no issue. it's more the fact that it's incredibly weird, and uncomfortable, and her name—

he knows it. knows it from stiles mentioning her, sure, but this is something else. he's always hated carrying secrets; he's not sure if this is worse or not, considering they don't really have a choice in it. ]

Is that a nickname?

[ which is completely random, apologies. it's not like there's a non-awkward way to do this. ]

video; private

[cons]

It's whatever, right? None of those people are here, are they? I mean, I think I would've recognized them. [ which is why she didn't feel bad giving them ridiculous nicknames, yeah ] I'm not gonna tell anybody what was going through my head, so. It's cool. [ your head, whatever.

and oh. right. the flipside to this stuff.

of all the things this kid could've seen- ]

My birth certificate doesn't say 'Wichita', no. But that's what everyone knows me by here.

[ literally everyone, except Neal. but that's complicated now, isn't it? and makes the whole name thing feel even heavier than it did before she got here, somehow. ]

video; private

[workout]

[ that's almost reassuring. almost, but scott's willingness to take stiles' word for it takes care of the rest. he can't exactly listen to her heartbeat well over the comms - and he knows very, very well how good she is at lying - but acting like she's the enemy isn't going to solve anything. ]

She called you Krysta.

[ it's more distracted and thoughtful than pointed, trying to wade through the tangle of emotions the details are wrapped up in. speaking of- ]

Sorry. I didn't mean to— do you want me to tell you what I saw?

[ because they're her memories, her call. if she'd rather he shut up about it, he'll take it to the grave. ]

video; private

[cons]

That was my sister. [ she'd ramble more about how she's the most important person in her life, her whole woooorlllddd revolves around Molly, but, he knows that. so, anyway. ] Name's are kind of- it's a thing, back in my world, something you kinda protect along with everything else. Stiles doesn't even know my real name. Nobody does. [ and now you do and that's really weird. ] But, uh. Yeah, I guess. I mean I'm curious, so go ahead.

[workout]

I won't tell anyone. [ it's not said as a melodramatic promise; just a casual statement. if she wants to keep her name to herself, he's not going to stop her. ]

It's— I think a lot of it was here? Unless you have a lot of spaceships at home. Um— fog, and some dreams. [ he is desperately trying to put this in the most generic terms possible. because there's telling her, and then there's announcing past traumas in vivid detail. although, speaking of: ] And like, a shitload of zombies.

[cons]

Zombies were home. There's a virus, it's a whole- thing. [ and then she pulls in a big breath because oh boy she doesn't like thinking about what happened in the fog, or the nightmares she's had about them since. she sounds sheepish, like she isn't used to saying- ] I'm sorry. You shouldn't have had to see that shit.

[workout]

It's okay. [ it's not that okay, really, but the truth is scott's seen some shit too. at the end of the day none of that actually happened to him, regardless of how it feels; she doesn't have the luxury of saying the same, and that's where most of his concern lies. ] I'm sorry, too. So I guess that makes us even?

[ there's a beat, and he almost doesn't ask, but... come on, he needs some clarification here. ]

Kinky?

[cons]

[ hey she'll gladly take that subject change ]

You can blame your creepy school guidance counselor for that impression. Does she always give you sex eyes when she's talking about how someone wants to ruin your life?

[workout]

Um. [ no seriously, he never caught that. now he's slightly concerned. ] I didn't really notice? I guess I was kind of distracted.

[ that and everyone who works at beacon hills high school is shady as fuck, it's kind of the usual. ]

[cons]

You were pissed.

[ ...ah that was creepy. I KNOW BECAUSE I FELT IT TOO!! so she just shakes her head ]

Also, that Deucalion guy isn't here, is he? [ a pause ] The guy from my memory is gone, by the way. [ tate :c ] Nobody here is actively going to try and cut my throat again anytime soon. I think. But, I mean, I'm just asking because that guy sounds like kind of a dick.

[workout]

[ it's a weird interjection, but he gets it. ]

No. [ the response is firm; maybe a bit too firm, but the personal investment's probably easy to follow. ] He's not here. And for the record, totally a dick.

[ slightly sad attempt at a joke. it's way too honest to really qualify. as for the update on tate- ] Good. I mean, I'm glad he's not here. [ a smile, mildly chagrined, and a more genuine attempt at a joke. ] He seemed like kind of a dick, too.

[ understatement of the year?? ]

[cons]

He wasn't at first. Not for a long time, actually. [ and no it doesn't matter since he's not here, but she still feels the need to specify ] For a while there were a group of people, uh, you know- "kids", as in none of us really were, but people tended to treat us that way- and we all had each others' backs for a while, it was just this understood thing. He was one of the few I actually trusted, when I first got here.

[ now she knows better!!1 ( no she doesn't ) ]

Not so much after that.

[workout]

Oh. [ it's not said dismissively, just - that's kind of a lot to process, even if he was there (or remembers being there) when all of it changed. ]

I'm sorry. [ a slight pause, because they're sort of like strangers - not that it would stop him from offering - but it's easy to assume she's unlikely to trust someone she's just met, tour of his head aside. ] If you need anything, you can call me. Or Stiles.

[ it's not an official club, but hey. better to know someone's got your back, right? ]

[cons]

Oh, I've already got Stiles on speed-dial. And he trusts you, so. [ which isn't a 'thanks' or a 'I will', but in some weird Wichita language it kind of is. ] If somebody tries to make me their beta-bitch, you'll be the first person I ring up. And I guess if you ever run into any zombies, or a lock you can't pick, you've got me. [ same goes for you ]

[workout]

[ beta-bitch... thanks for that. but he offers a smile, clearly going with amused instead of offended. ] Deal.

[ there's probably not as much of a pause here as there should be, and this is only half true (because really, when would he ever go for this), but he knows the humor's up her alley. there can't be any harm in discussing arguably good outcomes from the nightmares they traded, right? ] And it was kind of badass, by the way.

[cons]

What, living in the zombie apocalypse? It's a mixed bag. [ her tone's light at least, because she sees what he's doing and she's not about to deter him from it by being a debbie downer about it ] I imagine it's kinda like your gig with the full moon. Not exactly awesome, but there's some perks.

[workout]

[ admirable job bright-siding the zombie apocalypse, wichita. but actually, there's one thing he didn't get any resolution on. ] Are there seriously no Twinkies?

[cons]

Snack cakes were the first foods to go. [ shrug! ] People tend to get indulgent when they think the world is ending.

[workout]

I guess that explains what people brought back from that space station. [ not that the world is ending, but. kind of?? stiles mostly ended up with a pile of snack food. ]