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[thenormalsquint]

[Angela's sitting cross-legged on a sofa in an apartment that if anybody knew her well enough can tell that's not hers. One, the wall colors are in neutrals and there's no amount of controlled chaos around. What gives it away especially is a grey cat in her lap snoozing, and even though she is not a fan of them, Angela can't bear to move it. Her device is propped up so her hands are free to write things down on a nearby clipboard.]

The worst part of coming and going here isn't the coming back, it's coming back and realizing there are things you should already know, but you can't remember. I hate not remembering things. My life experiences are so important to me; I want to look back and go "Yeah, that was fantastic how we got arrested." but when I can't remember faces, much less names or events...

[It pisses her off. But she's not going to say that much out loud.]

So here's your mission, should you choose to accept it: tell me things about us I should remember. Doesn't matter if it's big or small. If we went to the beach together and almost got eaten by sharks, great! Or not so great, but still that's useful to me.

And if we didn't do anything together, lie to me. Make something up. It's not like I'll know the difference.

Comments

[valentineluke]

We're work acquaintances of a sort. Am one of the major shareholders in your business currently managed by Miss Weaseley.

[thenormalsquint]

The clothing shop? I don't think it's so much my business anymore. More like hers and I'm just making her take a vacation.

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[affectioning]

[ Oh, he remembers you. You were fun to talk to. A bit wild. Crazy. But, you probably have stories for days. He still wants to ask about Cleopatra's bed. Currently, he's on his own Derek's couch, feet propped up. Something is sizzling in the kitchen. He seems exponentially happier from the last time the two of them spoke. ]

I can come up with anything?

[ Since they just met the other day. ]

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[thenormalsquint]

[Don't ask while your mom is around, Scott. Trying to get Angela strangled?]

Knock yourself out.

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[affectioning]

[ Not at all. You're awesome. Awesome people don't deserve to get strangled. Technically, nobody deserves it. Maybe Gerard. ]

You showed me some of your art. Tried to paint my friend Stiles but he wouldn't sit still. That was before we were almost eaten by sharks. But, we survived!

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[trenchknives]

We went out to dinner. A lot. You let me buy you some drinks.

[Totally made up. But hey, he's got a charming smile on.]

[thenormalsquint]

I feel like this is a blantant lie and I'm offended.

[Jimmy, you are a terrible liar, but once again, she'll entertain you.]

[trenchknives]

Yeah, maybe. But I could make it the truth, if you'd let me.

[othersdie]

I wouldn't want to tell you anything that you remember.

[And his memory is shit, but.]

[thenormalsquint]

Try me.

[She'll pretend to have forgotten to make him feel better.]

[othersdie]

You made me go to the school dance during a curse. You were a teacher--anatomy?--and I was one of your students. If you hadn't made me promise to go, I wouldn't have danced with Shilo.

I don't remember when this was, but you told me that guilt and regret aren't necessarily weaknesses.

I gave you a stargazer lily.

[dr_conscience]

I don't suppose that Ring Pops or a particularly emphatic karaoke rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody ring any bells?

[thenormalsquint]

Ring pops, yes. Bohemian Rhapsody? I think we might have to do it again so my memory is jogged.

[Somebody is lying. And trolling.]

[dr_conscience]

[Something about that response makes him a little suspicious that might be the case.]

I might be convinced to consider it, under the condition that network devices are banned. I'm not sure I'm ready to be back in the public spotlight.

[skintoskin]

[Well, it would be really easy to mess with this woman's head, but he decides to be nice. It works for a lot of people, it seems.]

I won't lie to you. I'm Neil and I don't think we've ever communicated before, but if you want to pretend we knew one another and you owe me fifty bucks for that time at the restaurant, I'll play along.

[thenormalsquint]

[Well, it's not like she's going to double check everything somebody tells her. Angela's been working too long in the lab just to take things at face value anymore.]

I would pay you back, but see, I lost my purse and my wallet was in it...

[skintoskin]

[She'd be stupid if she didn't check. She doesn't look stupid.]

Shit. Where did you last see your purse?

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[hischair]

We met on a rainy April afternoon when the ocean looked like it couldn't bear to stay calm and not a lot of people were strolling the pier. My blue umbrella caught in a gust of wind and turned inside-out so you offered to share your red one and we walked arm in arm down the beach, all the way to the broken-down arcade. By the time we reached the awning of a little coffee shop back in town, we were soaked through and you had to write your number in waterproof eye-liner on a napkin so it wouldn't run.

I called you two days later because the napkin had stuck to the lining in my coat, I thought I'd lost it. You barely agreed to a better date. I took you to the aquarium and said it was to make fun of someone else for being wet instead of us. Namely, the fish.

[ You did ask, Angela. ]

That was the day we decided it was seriously unfortunate that fish couldn't use umbrellas, because they'd never get a chance to fall in love like we did.

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[thenormalsquint]

[She splutters and laughs because there's a lot of thought put into those paragraphs of pure bullshit.]

I still think that's so sad. Everybody needs love. Even if they have gills.

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[hischair]

[ A hand touches his chest, Jim biting his lip as though wounded. ]

That's what you said then, too. [ ROLLING HIS EYES IN A SWOON. ] Baby, don't do this to me! I can't take it.

voice;

[hexuality]

We used to be neighbours. You had a dog named Biscuit. You adored my roommate Claire and you dragged her to see strippers once and I only got to hear about it. You fixed that a while later, though, and tried to set me up with some bloke at a bar but I wasn't having any of it—mostly because I came from a war and I couldn't deal with the distraction, but you always tried to cheer me up for it.

You drew a sketch of me when I was cursed into being six years old and I still have it. You threatened me with birthday parties because I never knew what to do about any of it. And now you've threatened me with a holiday and I swear I never go along with it as easily as I did this month.

voice;

[thenormalsquint]

[As Ginny talks, Angela writes down the things she can't recall: dog, strippers, setting Ginny up, whatever war Ginny is talking about. She remember Claire, the blonde cheerleader with a penchant for baking. Though now Angela's wondering how come she can remember some people and not others. This doesn't make any sense.]

Can I see it? The sketch, I mean.

[Another thing lost to the year she was gone.]

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[hexuality]

Yeah, hang on.

[And there's a pause as she gets up and goes in search of it. She could Summon it, but magic isn't for all things.]

[ Video ]

[bettercallit]

Not long before your departure, we spent a wild, passionate night together.

[ It's hard to tell if he's being serious or not, straight face never faltering, but if she asks he won't lie. ]

[ Video ]

[thenormalsquint]

[She stares at him, trying to figure out a tell or two that he's lying, but there's something else that gives him away.]

You're lying. No one actually uses the phrase a wild, passionate night outside of erotica.