Video / Action

[trenchknives]

[Jimmy's walking down the street near the fountain, uncharacteristically bright smile on his face. It's obvious he doesn't know he's recording this, since he's not at all paying attention to the camera. His pace speeds up a little as he heads towards the fountain, the tone in his voice full of amusement as he calls out.]

Hey, Tommy, c'mon, I'm not gonna chase you!

[That is, however, exactly what he starts doing. There's a little kid running in front of him, a boy of about four, who seems completely unconcerned with the fact that he's in a new and unusual place. He's running, giggling, holding onto a bag of candy, and Jimmy's following behind him as closely as he can.]

All right, all right, slow down! You're too fast for your dad, kiddo.

[The little boy sits down on the edge of the fountain and pops a piece of taffy into his mouth. Eventually, Jimmy sits down beside him, brushing the little boy's hair out of his eyes. The little boy looks up at him, looking serious for a moment, and asks "Where's mommy?"]

Well, y'know...

[Jimmy pauses for a minute, slightly uncomfortable, and then grins down at the kid.]

We're on a little vacation, just you 'n me, okay? Just the guys. Mommy's at home, workin' on her paintin', and y'know she can't get anythin' done when we're havin' this much fun.

[He ruffles Tommy's hair, then immediately realizes his device is on, and switches it off with a bit of a sheepish smile.]

[[OOC: Jimmy's son is here for the fourth wall, and you can run into Jimmy and Tommy around the fountain, or anywhere else in town, really!]]

Comments

[tin_soldier]

[Tommy had run off as soon as they'd arrived in the City. Richard had strode through the streets, peering in shop windows and down side alleys, glaring defiantly back at the people who passed who didn't even try to hide their open stares at his mask.

Eventually he comes to the fountain square, and initially sighs in relief as he sees Tommy, but then freezes as he sees who he's with. He suddenly realises why the boy had wandered off, that childish instinct that knows when their father is near.

And while he's overcome with emotion at seeing his long dead friend, he also feels very uncomfortable. He's back on the outside, looking at pictures of happy families in his scrap books.

It's a long time before he can bring himself to go over, not wanting to intrude on their time together.]

I told you not to wander off, Tommy.

[trenchknives]

He's...

[His immediate response had been "he's fine, I've got him," but as he processes exactly who that voice belongs to, he stops speaking, and a smile spreads across his face as he looks up.]

Didn't think I'd see you here.

[He's not sure why not. Other people from home had shown up here, hadn't they? And Tommy had been a pleasant surprise -- why shouldn't Richard be here, too?]

[tin_soldier]

I didn't think I'd ... see you.

[Ever again. But Richard feels uneasy at that part. Jimmy must be dead, he'd always known it, the way soldiers always know when their comrades lose a battle. He didn't like him being right here in front of him, it was unnatural.]

[trenchknives]

Well, y'know, I've been stuck here. Time ain't supposed to pass while I'm gone, though, so don't worry, you ain't missin' anything back home.

[It strikes him that they could be from different times, but he's not sure he wants to ask.]

[tin_soldier]

[Back home made him feel even more uneasy. It was Jimmy's home, Jimmy's life, that he'd taken on in a way, out of a sense of duty to him and the affection he'd held for him and Angela, and still held for Tommy. He hadn't felt at home himself for a long time, not since the days of coming back to camp after long days and longer nights lying stock-still with his rifle pointed on a target. And it was Jimmy he'd promised, that he would find a way back, that he'd find a way to stop feeling so disconnected. He'd only just begun to find that, on trips out with Julia and Tommy, felt almost like a real family. And watching Jimmy with Tommy made him know what he'd always known deep down, what Gillian repeatedly told him, that he would never have that for himself, that he's just passing through someone else's life, that Jimmy should have lived and he should have fought in his friend's place.]

That's good to hear. Your mother doesn't like it ... when we're gone too long.

[trenchknives]

My mother? I'd think it'd be Angela that'd get upset.

[Of course, he doesn't know, he can't know, all the circumstances that have led to his mother having such a large part in Richard and Tommy's life in the time they're from. As far as he knows, it's still him, and Angela, and Tommy, and Richard's a good friend.]

[tin_soldier]

Yes. Of course.

[It hurts him to hear her name so casually after so long, but he doesn't change his expression at all, not sure if he has the right to tell him, when he clearly doesn't know or remember himself. It must be nice, to have that happiness and security in a wife and child, even if you fooled around like Jimmy did, or ended up here where he was separated from them for so long again.]

[trenchknives]

Can I ask...

[He almost doesn't want to, but he feels inclined to anyway.]

What year is it, for you?

[tin_soldier]

Nineteen. [He stops, weighs it up. It would be so easy to lie, to pretend for him. But he respects him too much, even if it would cause him grief.] Twenty-three.

[trenchknives]

Oh.

[There's a lot of questions he wants to ask, but he doesn't know how to ask them, or if he really wants the answers.]

Last time I checked, it was 1920.

[tin_soldier]

Mmm. [That unease is back, lodging in the pit of his stomach and refusing to budge.] A lot happened since then.

[trenchknives]

Anythin' I should know about?

[tin_soldier]

[He doesn't say anything for a moment. He really wants to avoid the subject if possible; no one should know too much about their own fate. But if Jimmy presses him, he won't lie.] You should just enjoy your time with Tommy.

[trenchknives]

And with you, right? I mean, you're stuck here, too.

[He's missed Richard. He won't say it, of course, but he has.]

[tin_soldier]

[The corner of his mouth lifts into a smile, although it's always hard to tell, with the other half of his face so void of expression.

He can't bring himself to say how much he's missed Jimmy, either.]

It will be good to spend some time with you.

[trenchknives]

Somethin' you wanna do in particular? It ain't exactly Atlantic City, but there's plenty to entertain us.

[And to entertain Tommy, although Tommy seems pretty enthralled just with the candy he's eating.]

[tin_soldier]

[Richard turns his gaze back towards Tommy.]

He likes the sideshows at the fairground. And the beach.

[He's happy to do anything, personally, as long as he can spend time around them.]

[trenchknives]

You wanna go to the beach, Tommy?

[Tommy nods enthusiastically, halfway through opening up another piece of taffy.]

Okay. We'll go to the beach. It'll be just like back home.