}| 64 |{

[never_very_good]

[ UNEXPECTED VIDEO! | MEMORY THEATER ]

[Unlike most of the dirty laundry the curses air on days like these, this video takes place right here in the City-- specifically, the men's shower at the hospital. Here, among the haze of steam, two men are pressed against one another in one of the stalls, bare-chested, water-slick, and unaware they're being filmed-- or, perhaps, indifferent.

Frankie Dalton, expression a bit glazed, lifts his chin as Robert Chase leans against his chest, swaying slightly as he murmurs something that doesn't rise above the beating hiss of the water.

Slowly, leaning into Frankie's arm, the doctor sinks to his knees.

And that is where this video ends.]

Comments

[justamessenger]

Am I going to need popcorn for this?

1/3

[never_very_good]

For what?

[never_very_good]

Oh, fuck!

[never_very_good]

No. Fuck, it's not what it looks like. At all.

[justamessenger]

Really? Because it's pretty compelling.

[never_very_good]

I'm not like that.

[justamessenger]

What? Into shower sex?

[never_very_good]

Into men.

[justamessenger]

Nothing's ever written in stone.

[never_very_good]

Some things kinda are.

Not even what it looks like. We had these fucking slugs in our heads, it was all them.

[eiremagic]

Are you fucking-

[She's on her way to where you are, Frankie. By magic.]

[never_very_good]

[He's on a bench somewhere, head in his hands. Because fuck this.]

[eiremagic]

[The air rips behind him, and her hands are around his shoulders]

Boyo, boyo.

[never_very_good]

[It's not the video, so much, it just makes his skin crawl thinking about those fucking slugs. He jumps a bit at the sound, though not at her touch, and leans back to look at her as best he can.]

You all right?

[This so doesn't warrant use of magic, Eden, you'll make him worry.]

[eiremagic]

It's just a nosebleed.

[She wipes the blood from her nose. See? Nothing to worry about.]

[never_very_good]

Shouldn't be bleeding over this. Just bullshit.

[eiremagic]

'course I should.

This is you.

[never_very_good]

'M not that bad off. Promise.

Could be lots worse.

audio; 1/2

[intheblanks]

What the

audio; SUDDENLY LOCKED (but hackable)

[intheblanks]

What the hell?

audio; SUDDENLY LOCKED (but hackable)

[never_very_good]

You don't remember? You left, I guess, yeah?

Not what it looks like. I swear.

audio; SUDDENLY LOCKED (but hackable)

[intheblanks]

He left. That's not-

[It's still not really him, surely.

Eden had made some reference to this, a long time ago. The complete denial is harder when it comes with moving illustrations.]

It's not me you need to tell.

audio; SUDDENLY LOCKED (but hackable)

[never_very_good]

Deal with it however you want.

[One Robert Chase is probably as good as another? Frankie doesn't know him well enough to debate the point.]

If it helps, pretty sure we didn't do anything. I mean, the slugs didn't, not with us.

audio; SUDDENLY LOCKED (but hackable)

[intheblanks]

I'd like to deal with it by not posting it to all my friends. Can you take it down?

[He's listening through the palms clamped to his face.]

I have no idea what you're talking about.

audio; SUDDENLY LOCKED (but hackable)

[never_very_good]

You think I wouldn't if I could?

[The intonation would not be the slightest bit different if he'd said Are you fucking stupid? instead.]

Must be, I guess, a couple years now. There were these things-- parasites. Fat fucking slugs crawled in people's ears and took over. Don't remember a lot of it, but you and me both had 'em in our heads.