goneawaycomms | AGENT WASHINGTON

I can imagine.

[It must have been hard watching South drift away. Even if North maybe hadn't expected the betrayal, it sounds like she'd gotten more estranged as time went on, if she'd been arguing over Theta.]

[Wash actually takes a bite of his sandwich, too, finally.]

[Looking thoughtful.]

Listen, I...don't want to push you away, either. But I also... I understand if you ever need space. Just...let me know.

[Full acceptance, instantly, doesn't seem fair to expect. And he wants North to understand he should take any breathing room he needs.]

I took most of what I needed already, since the last time we talked. I mean...I might need some more. But I'm doing better than I was at first. At first, it was like... I mean, you'd already implied my sister was dead. It's just that it's different...hearing all the details.

[ He tilts his head, contemplating it. ]

I will say... I'm glad you were honest with me. So don't think giving up all the details was a mistake. It'll take some time for it to all sink in and heal up, though.

[ He pauses, shaking his head to himself. ]

I can still barely believe that's really you, in some ways.

[He's not hurt by the observation.]

Saying it's been a rough few years is a bit of an understatement. I had to adapt. I had to be certain things to survive.

[His voice finally, finally thaws a little, loses some of the clipped coldness and brittle tension.]

But hopefully not everything has changed.

[As if proving his point, he suddenly crams half the entire sandwich in his mouth - classic Wash, for just a second.]

[ North shakes his head, smiling. ]

At least you weren't wearing a helmet when you did that. Try not to choke on that.

[ And now on to other business... ]

Where do you bunk here?

[He swallows and almost chokes, naturally. And then the corners of his mouth quirk ever so slightly at North mentioning when he used to eat through his helmet.]

[It feels...nice for someone to remember how he used to be. Like it makes it so not all of it - of who he once was - is entirely gone.]

Middle of the living area. They assigned me a... he's a weird one. My roommate.

And even worse - my bunk smells like pepperoni. Because the guy who used to sleep there? Decided that was what he wanted a secret stash of under the mattress.

[He presses his lips together.]

It's soaked into the bottom of the mattress. The pepperoni juices.

[Thanks a lot, pepperoni man.]

I guess it's to be expected; apparently, the nickname of the guy who used to bunk there was "Sticky Ben."

[Even with how serious he is now, just saying the nickname almost, almost makes him laugh.]

Edited 2020-09-30 17:21 (UTC)

[ North makes a face; he'd always had a reputation at the Project, one that was well-deserved, of being pretty fastidious. ]

That sounds...interesting.

[ He looks down at his sandwich. That story had just put him off his food. Great. ]

Actually, that sounds revolting.

AGENT WASHINGTON

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject