ataraxion | voice.

I'm glad everyone's alright.

[ alright here being a subjective term. not dead might be better, though that's also a subjective term in this instance. the message is a bit late on the tail-end of the previous week's violence, and some clarification would probably be helpful, but kieren's second-guessed starting this discussion about a thousand times. now that he's finally going for it, the tactic's too leap before you look to be completely coherent. ]

It's not your fault. That's what people will be saying, anyway, about any damage you've done or harm you've caused, but I know it's difficult to believe. And it isn't true, really, because if you hadn't been alive, then maybe it wouldn't have happened.

Acting like the guilt's not there doesn't help. But if you can accept it, there's a chance you can learn to live around it.

[ except now he's getting insanely awkward group therapy flashbacks. the attempt to make the conversation less dire is a mildly panicked afterthought, tacked on quickly. ]

And I know I'm late to space Christmas, but if anyone wants any pictures — paintings, portraits, anything like that for belated gifts, I'd be happy to do something if you've got the materials.

[ super awkward pause, then: ] Thanks.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The details tend to make people uncomfortable.

[ him included, though there's an edge of wry amusement in the comment. ]

Is this a conversation or an interview?

[She laughs at that--at both of those points, really. Making people uncomfortable with details is like the Johanna special, and as for interviews--]

Are you wearing a ridiculous outfit? It's not an interview unless you're wearing a ridiculous high-fashion outfit and smiling like someone stapled that smile onto your face.

Or you can scream at them. But they kind of like that too.

[ a thoughtful pause, because really, that's an interesting definition. ]

That's weirdly specific. Have you done many interviews?

[ definitely amused, that time. ]

[her ugh is something she actually says.]

So many. Don't ask me about them. What's funny is, they were all interviews about hurting people, so you and me have something in common.

But I'll bet you wouldn't look half as good in any of my tree dresses.

You're probably right about that.

[ mostly because he's dead, tho. and he absolutely will loop back to the hurting people, because that's an odd comment, but for now he's actually respecting the ixnay order. ]

Tree dresses? Seriously? Have you been on Eurovision?

Edited (jk) 2014-12-04 22:34 (UTC)

Don't get me wrong: I didn't want to wear them. My stylists are just idiots, that's all.

What's Eurovision?

[pronounced slowly like it's probably extremely stupid, whatever it is. this is a fact that she believes even before she gets her answer.]

[ well, she's not wrong. ]

Sounds it.

And it's... well, it's a music competition. Theoretically. Mostly it's about who's got the craziest act. Suppose they don't hurt people, unless we're counting offending someone's good taste.

A music competition. Oh my god, please tell me that's what you did.

Yeah, no, definitely not what I did.

[ which is funny until he remembers that what he did was way worse (on some moral scales, anyway). ]

Why would they put you in a tree dress to talk about hurting people?

Too bad.

[she sighs, full of regret.]

I'm from District 7. Trees are our thing, which they never let us forget. My stylists are always putting me in tree things, with tree jewelry, in forest tones--it's pathetic. No imagination at all. So I end up doing my interviews in a dress made out of bark instead of, oh, I don't know. Fabric.

Seriously. It sucks.

District 7? Is that like a county?

[ definitely sounds more dire than a county, but it's worth trying the more upbeat angle, right. ]

Sounds sort of fun, actually. Designing a tree outfit. Not wearing it, obviously.

No. It's a district.

[Like, duh.]

Why would you design a dress that no one would ever want to wear? That really sounds fun to you?

[ yEAH OK DUMB QUESTION why you gotta be so rude about it. ]

For the sake of designing it? Lots of people draw things that nobody ever makes. Or wears.

[this rudeness is endearing tyvm]

Okay? [like whatever, do you want a medal for that fact, but then she adds, with more sincerity:] So do it.

[ oh myg OD. ]

Have I done something to piss you off?

[ not endearing tyvm. He sounds more bewildered than upset, though. ] Or are you always this cheerful.

Oh, I'm always like this. Don't worry, you're not special.

[But she sounds more amused than anything else now.]

Are you designing a dress for me? That answer will answer if I'm pissed off or not.

[ And he's gone from bewildered to amused, too, because at this point he's kind of reminded of Jem on a bad day. ]

That depends. Do you even like dresses? The kind that isn't made out of trees, mind.

I love dresses. Who doesn't? As long as they're not stupid.

[i.e., made of trees, but there's other ways for them to be stupid too.]

And I love people designing dresses for me. As long as they're not stupid. If you can manage to avoid stupid, you'll be my new favorite person.

[ Somewhere Kate is dying laughing at this mental image. ]

voice.

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

[not here]