║ ninety-second stanza ║ voice / action

[mumbled_truth]

[ open action ]

[Todd has gone out to the Hall of the Missing this evening, after Justin didn't come home and didn't respond. The City has pulled Justin in and tossed him back out so many times already that he couldn't help how quickly he became concerned.

Certainly he was hoping not to find Justin's portrait in the Hall, but that was not the case. For a long moment, he lingers in silence and looks at the likeness of his friend.]

[ voice ]

[When Todd returns home, he makes the following audio post:]

Um... I'm sure there are a lot of people who know Justin Pendleton, he's- he's been here a long time, coming and going. I just figured I should let everyone know, he um... he's left the City.

[Give him a moment there.]

He's left before, for months, and... and he's come back, so... maybe he will again. But for now, well. I just wanted to make sure everyone knew, that's all.

[End.]

Comments

Voice

[trenchknives]

Shit.

[That's about all there is to say to that. He and Justin weren't exactly close, but there was a certain camaraderie between them, partially for sharing a face, partially for sharing certain attributes about their personalities.]

Sorry.

Voice

[mumbled_truth]

[Todd, for his part, has done his best to avoid his own face-doubles - and Neil's - but he'd find that understandable, in a way.]

It's... well, it's not exactly okay, but.

[Because Justin doesn't have a life to go back to.]

It doesn't necessarily mean he's gone forever.

Re: Voice

[trenchknives]

I know. Doesn't mean you ain't gonna miss him while he's gone, though.

Re: Voice

[mumbled_truth]

I know.

And I will.

Re: Voice

[trenchknives]

If there's anythin' I can...

[A sigh.]

I mean, obviously there's not anythin' I can do. Guess that's just one of those things you say, y'know?

Re: Voice

[mumbled_truth]

Yeah, I know.

Something you say when there isn't really anything you can say.

[valentineluke]

A true loss for the City inhabitants.

[mumbled_truth]

Yeah. It is.

audio;

[anunluckypenny]

I'm so sorry. You guys were pretty close, right?

audio;

[mumbled_truth]

Yeah, we were... he, um-- he's been here a long time. I've known him as long as I've been here.

audio;

[anunluckypenny]

That's a while. [She doesn't remember how long Todd's been in the City. It didn't occur to her to ask him when he was her kind-of-stepson's boyfriend that one time.] Will you be okay?

audio;

[mumbled_truth]

I... I think so, yeah. He's left before, so... maybe he'll come back.

[He's really trying to hang onto that.]

audio;

[anunluckypenny]

He might. I did that once--the leaving and coming back thing. Or that's what I've been told. So it definitely happens.

audio;

[mumbled_truth]

I've seen it happen -- a lot, actually. I just... I don't know if it'll happen again.

voice;

[anatural]

He's gone? [WOW THAT CAME OUT WAY TOO PERKY. Although she has to admit, it's kind of a relief having him not around. He intimidated the crap out of her.] I mean. I'm sorry.

voice;

[mumbled_truth]

Yeah... he is.

[Wow, Korra.]

Um. Thanks.

voice;

[anatural]

[Hey, it's not her fault Justin kept arresting her! Well. Okay. It is. But still!]

Were you guys close?

voice;

[mumbled_truth]

Yeah, we were. He's... he was one of my oldest friends here.

voice;

[anatural]

I can't believe he had friends. He was such a grump.

[speaking without thinking again, oops]

voice;

[mumbled_truth]

He wasn't always. And he had friends.

[That's about as confrontational as Todd gets. The tone isn't particularly confrontational, just resolved.]

in ur house on ur sofa

[had_not_lived]

[Neil doesn't bother answering on the Network for obvious reasons. Obvious reasons being the fact that he is sitting on the couch, holding a book and not reading it. He's looking at it, mostly, but not turning the pages.

Justin has gone and come so many times; maybe it won't be final. But Neil has never been good at being an optimist when he's upset.]

ew what are you doing on my sofa gross

[mumbled_truth]

[It's pretty obvious that Neil isn't actually reading the book - you wouldn't need to be Todd to pick up on that, though Todd is certainly more adept at pinpointing Neil's moods than most.

Putting his device aside, he crosses the room to the couch and slumps down next to Neil. He doesn't say anything, just leans lightly on him.]

it's my sofa too god i'll be where i want

[had_not_lived]

[Flighty and unpredictable as his moods can be, it's good that someone can read them. Neil's lows have always been extraordinarily low.

He drops the book-- well, he sets it on the arm of the sofa, because even in poor spirits he's not crazy-- and leans back against Todd.]

god rude

[mumbled_truth]

[The reciprocation encourages Todd more solidly into his nestling against Neil.]

He might come back.

[His voice is small, quiet against the other boy.]

whatcha gonna do about it huh?

[had_not_lived]

[Having Todd here is no small comfort; were he alone, Neil would likely be inconsolable. As it is he's making the most of it, slipping his arm around Todd's, letting his eyes fall shut.]

Do you think he will?