( 03 ) video ♧ a long year and everyone around me is disappearing

[became]

[ neal generally doesn't do afraid and disheveled. he does arrogant, smirky, charming, smug, oddly adorable, and occasionally on special occasions and bank holidays pissed off and/or heartbroken. however, those are all normally done with every hair still in place.

this neal is considerably more ruffled, literally and in spirit. black smoke'll do that to a guy. ]

Can anyone explain exactly what the hell is going on?

[ messy hair and mild profanity: this is a red letter day for mr. smooth. (this is why you take your network device when you get lost exploring, neal.) ]

And once you're done with that, I-- [ he breaks off, stares down at his hands, then inhales and lifts his head, a forced smile stuck in place. ] Just the explanation will do, actually.

Comments

[darkholme]

[ buh. what. neal. ]

Are you alright?

[became]

[ RAVEN, NEAL HAS NEVER BEEN GLADDER TO SEE YOU and he's not normally un-glad. ]

What? Yeah. I'm-- I'm fine. Confused, but fine.

video;

[adlered]

[ this is a horrible way to meet you, neal, but bonjour nonetheless. ]

Supposedly demons. [ a beat. ] Confirmed demons, actually. I haven't seen one barring the original one everyone saw.

[ another beat. ]

Have you been running from one? Or are you always this put together?

video;

[became]

[ look at it this way, irene: fear brings the real man closer into focus than his usual charm allows, and there's plenty of time for that later. this is a freebie into his psyche. ]

... Demons. [ said in a tone dry enough to denude the ocean right down to the dirt on the bottom. ] Now, why didn't I think of that?

[ he looks up at that, then down at his ruffled appearance and a flash of annoyance crosses his face at the lack of his usual presentable persona. ]

Sorry, I was apparently lost while demons are on the loose. It takes a lot out of you.

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[askedtobe]

Watch out for the black smoke. [ Peter's not sure how okay he is with those words coming out of his mouth. ]

video;

[became]

I caught that part-- because of how the smoke is demons.

[ stop this ride, neal wants off. ] Out of curiosity, did that advice hurt as much to give as it did to get?

audio forever;

[rebelled]

You've been attacked?

BUT CASTIEL BABY WE WANNA SEE YO' PRETTY FACE also same

[became]

What? No-- no, I'm fine. Didn't even come face to face with anything. I just saw... something while I was lost, and I get back and everyone's saying it was demons.

[ which is p much just what a demon would say, so gj neal. ]

text.

[wiretap]

you've been quiet.

[ Welcome back, Neal. Have a joke you can't actually appreciate. (Her best material's always wasted on other people.) ]

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[became]

I could say the same thing about you. I got lost-- what's your excuse?

[ you're a weird chick, aberdeen, but neal's a big fan. ]

Anon Text.

[spider]

Bedtimes boogies are crawling out of the closet, simple as that.

S

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[became]

Considering the lack of closet space on this ship, that's an interesting theory.

video.

[verylittlesugar]

[Although she might not have phrased it quite that way, Mattie recognizes in his words a very familiar sentiment.]

Folks could be more helpful to you if you were more specific and less vulgar.

[Cursing is bad manners in mixed company, Neal.]

video.

[became]

[ neal takes one look at mattie's oh-so-serious face and nods, assuming a solemn and apologetic expression. ]

My apologies, miss-- if I promise it was shock and that it won't happen again, can you forgive and forget?

[mediumdrip]

[shock and surprise] Coop?!

[became]

[ that's some genuine surprise on his face-- that tone of voice is saved for people who know each other, and 'coop' isn't an alias he's ever used. not to mention he's never seen the kid asking before in his life, either. ]

...I'm sorry?

[jilt]

Hello, Neal.

[ what part of the awful do you want to hear about first. ]

[became]

Irene. So, I hear things got exciting while I was off mapping the wilds.

[ bit of an understatement. ]

[anomaliiiiies]

[eyebrow]

You look a little rough.

[became]

[ eyebrow volley: RETURNED. ]

Gee, thanks.

[audio]

[notmydiagnosis]

Has anyone explained anything to you yet, or just given one-off answers?

[audio]

[became]

A little bit of both, so far.

voice.

[swagneto]

You've been missing out.

voice.

[became]

Really? I couldn't tell.

video;

[telephones]

[ the first thing dundee actually wonders is are you a demon. but then he notices that a) aberdeen told him to say christo and b) he said christo himself. kind of makes it so dundee is reasonably sure about whether or not he's a demon. ]

Christo. [ a beat. ] I'd answer, but it appears that everyone else already gave you the explanations you wanted. Unless there's another question you had.

video;

[became]

Christo. [ neal says it cheerfully, like a greeting.

...nope, still feels weird. ] I think I'm up to speed on the demons, at least. The rest of the month is still a blur.

video;

[manipulativni]

Something out of a horror movie, evidently.

[ says the vampire. ]

What happened to you?

video;

[became]

Got lost, came back to demons. That about sums it up.

[ he'll just look you over carefully, katherine-- not a leer, but the attention paid to someone he's spoken to before, and tentatively likes. ]

You're all right?

[ms_pepperpotts]

Mmm. I was wondering the same thing.

[became]

Demons, apparently. [ SUPA PAINED SMILE. ]