[ 002 ] ★ [ Video ]

[latenightfondue]

[ The video feed starts and catches a few moments of an extremely messy apartment with sand scattered over everything, and then it turns around to focus on the man holding the device, sprawled out along a wide window sill where he watches the candy hearts falling from the sky. There is a bowl beside him full of them, which he keeps dipping into, and speaks around. ]

This the sort'a stuff everyone was warning me 'bout, huh? Been here two weeks and I got sand coming outta everywhere, candy falling outta the sky, and I gotta say there's something ain't right 'bout them either.

[ He stops long enough to chomp down another one. ]

Think I might'a got something'a Lena's and that Tony fella's. [ His expression doesn't give much away, but he does wash the candy down with a swallow of scotch straight from the bottle. ] Anybody know what the hell's going on? Insightful things.

Comments

audio:

[charring]

Something of mine?

[This didn't even phase her as a possibility until Ed started in with the aliases. Now? Oh, is she ever worried.]

audio:

[latenightfondue]

Strangest thing happened.

[ He takes a piece of candy and holds it up, turns it over in his fingers as he watches it. ]

Ate one'a these hearts? Said cold on it, which was kind'a weird. That's weird, right? Thought these things were supposed to be romantic or somethin'. And you got yourself a dark past, sweetheart.

audio:

[charring]

Just a bit, yeah.

[Shit. Shitshitshit.] This is awkward.

audio:

[latenightfondue]

Hey, don't go getting awkward on my account.

video:

[charring]

[She switches to video, an attempt at not letting this be too awkward.]

Mind if I asked what happened?

video:

[latenightfondue]

[ A grin forms on his lips at the sight of her, but it's too forced, even for him. ]

Got a couple'a weird flashes at y'past, I'm thinking, kind'a like a glimpse into a second-hand memory.

video:

[charring]

[She notices this, really not smiling as much as she could. She's not going to lose another friend because the City decided to screw with her, is she?]

Yeah? It wasn't...[She pauses, chewing her lower lip a bit.] How bad was it? I have some pretty awful ones.

video:

[latenightfondue]

Y'got a lotta trust issues, darling, and I here I was thinking I had it bad.

[ His expression looks twisted, as if his sympathy for her is trying to escape, but he's holding it back. ] Ain't no need to worry about it, though, y'secret's safe with me.

[video]

[synanthrope]

[She is tilting her head, watching Howard for a moment]

This curse happened last year, too.

Hello.

[video]

[latenightfondue]

Why hello there, beautiful.

[ Sparing a glance out of the window. ]

Yeah? Guess I gotta get used to this sort'a stuff. Bet it didn't end pretty, huh?

[video]

[synanthrope]

No. Most people let it end quietly, with apologies.

No one died.

[video]

[latenightfondue]

Pretend it never happened? I'm all over that, sweetheart.

[video]

[synanthrope]

Is that right?

Is that how you are with everything, or just the negative things?

[video]

[latenightfondue]

Ain't that many good things come my way, darlin', not unless y'count a successful invention.

[video]

[synanthrope]

I would be happy to come your way.

[video]

[latenightfondue]

That so, huh? [ He leans in closer, brow wriggling with interest. ] 'Cause I could live with that.

video;

[ironmanic]

Sorry to break it to you, but I definitely didn't send you anything for Valentine's day.

video;

[latenightfondue]

I sure got an insight into who y'gonna, though, pal.

video;

[ironmanic]

I haven't celebrated in twenty years what makes you think I'm starting now?

video;

[latenightfondue]

Question I feel I gotta ask here is what happened twenty years ago to make you stop?

video;

[ironmanic]

College does that to a guy.

video;

[latenightfondue]

Y'got a lotta mystery about you, buddy. Been hearing a thing or two 'round here.

video;

[ironmanic]

Gossip? If it's about the Maxim models, then yes, it's all true.

video;

[latenightfondue]

...Y'got yourself some models? [ He is far too interested in this. Focusing on the point. ] Thought you said you only dabbled with engineering?

[entangles]

You shouldn't eat what isn't yours.