poly_chromatic | 2 [video/text]

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murder by numbers - justin pendleton

2 [video/text]

[The video opens to show an exceedingly nice terrarium sitting on a desk, which is located in the room Justin is borrowing from Neil and Todd. A copy of "The Importance of Being Earnest" is lined up neatly to the left. Aaand zoom in.]

From the Diapheromeridae family. [The view shifts to show this beauty.] And this one's from the Phylliidae family.

[Justin, clearly behind the camera, sounds even quieter and less enthusiastic about life than usual, which is an accomplishment.]

I plan on naming one Gregor and one Mendel, but I'm not sure which should be which. I'm open to suggestions.

[The video switches off.]

[Text]
I've never been interested in entomology, but this combination--plant and animal--is interesting. Worth buying on impulse, now that I'm financially secure for the moment. The bank had an account for me. I made decent money before I left.

The network is a good place to ask open-ended questions. I'd like to ask this: What do you do when you feel as though you're missing something? Not that you've misplaced something, but that there's something fundamentally important to you as a human missing. Drink? Are there any more creative answers?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She peers at them, thinking at first that it is in fact a stick and a leaf until one of them moves, pulling a giggle from her lips.] Oh! They are cute! I think Mendel is the one who looks like a stick.

You think so?

[He looks between the insects.]

You might be right.

I do. I think they will carry their names well. I like them. [Smiling.]

Do I get to meet them sometime?

[Justin just barely suppresses a smile. He is not ruining a perfectly good brooding session.]

If you want to. They don't bite... or move much.

I do. And maybe I could answer your other question with a demonstration that way.

A demonstration?

Yes. When I feel like something is missing—something important. I spend time with friends.

[ohgodwhatisshejokingthereisnowayshesaidthat]

And that works?

It helps me. It's not as though it can make something like that all just go away...or come back.

It might be worth a try.

No, I know nothing can fix the situation--nothing immediate. I just want a distraction.

Would you like me to then? [She doesn't want to invite herself even if she has all but done that.]

[Someone has to do the inviting, and that someone is clearly not Justin.]

If you wouldn't mind. If--only if you don't have plans.

I just wanted to wrap a few things up at the welcome center first. Are you still with Neil and Todd? I know where they live.

And I'll need you to answer an important question for me. Sweet or salty?

Yes, I am, and no hurry. Please.

[She may as well have asked him to solve a difficult equation in his head.]

Salty.

[That wouldn't have helped her decide what snack to bring! But maybe next time.]

I will see you soon.

[But not too soon. She always likes to have a little time to prepare for guests, not that she expects anything special or different.]

(OOC: Action?)

[He does indeed make a sweep of the apartment, but he's already had time to straighten everything. Maybe he should have asked Neil and Todd if they minded--but they're at work. Maybe this is a bad idea. The first and last time a girl had visited him he had kissed her on impulse. Then again, that was right after the murder...

Besides, Euphie's a friend. Nothing strange will happen.

Justin resolves not to think for a few minutes while he waits. ]

[He can stop not thinking! There is a knock on the door. And a Euphie wearing a light blue dress with white trim waiting outside of it with a bag containing two fresh, hot pretzels. There is cheese dipping sauce too.]

[Justin answers the door and forgets--briefly--that he's supposed to be busy brooding.]

Hello.

[Not the witty opener he might have liked, but at least there was no stammering. He steps aside and holds the door open.]

Thanks for coming over, Euphie.

Hi. It's my pleasure. [She lifts the bag up a bit.] I got pretzels for the salty.

You didn't need to do that, but thank you.

[In case it wasn't already obvious that Justin doesn't entertain much... well, it should be obvious enough now.]

Do you--can I get you something to drink?

Maybe some milk or water? [She wanted to keep things simple, and if they had the pretzels a beverage would be much appreciated.]

Okay. Just--make yourself at home. Please.

[Water. Justin can handle water. He retrieves two glasses of it without falling over or dropping them, which he considers nothing short of miraculous.]

So... what do you do? When you visit people?

[She takes a seat, wanting her own comfort to comfort him.] Talk. Share a snack. Play a game. It just depends. Haven't you visited friends before or had them over?

[He sits as well, but with the look of a skittish creature that might bolt.] I--I have, but the situation was... different. We didn't visit so much as coexist. And I did some tutoring, but that was different, too.

Coexist? Did you not have much in common?

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