poly_chromatic | ( a u d i o )

Entry tags:

inception - arthur

( a u d i o )

~~The least they could do is let you pick.~~

I'm never sure if it's just them running out of ideas or if it's not even them making the curses up. Maybe it's just...one on a zillion-option wheel. Like in a board game.

[ooc: backdating backdating all the stuff (posts, tags, etc) - strikeouts are not audibly there :x just...what's going on in his head sob. one of the things. u_u <3 ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Or they like to laugh and find us prime candidates for the source of their laughter.

Or that.

I'm test-driving optimism.

[ He recognises that voice, but can't quite place it. But hell, in this place it's like having the tv down all the way and not really knowing what's playing. ]

Wheel of Misfortune! Sounds like something that could make a killing.

Considering TV these days, I wouldn't be surprised.

[ he doesn't sound happy about it but not particularly frustrated currently either, more mildly thoughtful. as it is, heels just aren't at all the worst this City can do, so he'll take them. ]

If it's not, I bet I could totally make a good few bucks on the idea. TV execs, here I come.

More than a few. Assuming those existed here.

All things considered, could be worse.

There is television here though, right? Because I need to get my entertainment in somehow.

Sure, there's versions of it - TV, radio, movies even. Also a library.

Though it's confusing more than helpful, lot of the time.

Great. This place gets better and better.

Depends on the day.

[ he sounds earnest about that - surprisingly so, even to himself ]

You like it here?

[ Pause. ]

It has its ups.

And I guess...in that way it's not such a jump from the normal world. Just different kinds of ups or downs.

[ A roundabout way of saying yeah he does, more or less... ]

Huh. [ A smile. ] Well, at least you're not shouting at the sky, right?

Not today. [ the wry reply but good natured. ] You'll see - the longer you're here.

The impression I get is that it's a hell of a lot more dangerous than most people's ordinary lives, except there's not a lot of 'ordinary' people here. So again. All relative. And the people who want to find something to anchor themselves here, well.

They [ We ] do.

Yeah.

[ He pauses. ] I kind of don't have anyone from my world here. It's just a little weird, y'know? I keep expecting to see my friends and everything.

[ Here he pauses, considering his words a little more carefully - not wanting to instill false hope which he's always found helps no one but at least to give him a fairer idea of the possibilities. ]

They might show up. One or two. There're days when the City floods with people - ones you know and ones you don't.

How long has it been for you so far?

Just a couple of weeks. I know it's, well, not that long. But I miss my dad.

[ Again he pauses, and when he says this next thing he means it, not just a politeness. ] I'm sorry about that.

[ It's not an apology from someone who understands personally but it's one from a person who does understand missing someone, and maybe that counts in a way. ]

Some people'd tell you to think of it as a good thing - that he's not in danger of the crazy things that happen here.

But I don't know how helpful that is.

For me...things that take up time are more useful - a job for example.

You might not need one [ /squints...age... ] - City allowance and all. But it's something to do, somewhere to focus.

[ Finally, someone who's being truthful with Stiles. ]

Yeah. I guess I haven't really seen any of the more terrible curses around here. So I don't really get that this place can be threatening. [ Pausing. ] I wouldn't want him to get into any more trouble because of me.

I could get a job. [ He's almost seventeen. People have kids by now. ]

[ Though Stiles can't see it, Arthur places a hand at the back of his own neck, an absentminded motion indicative mostly of contemplation - well that or a crick but sometimes it's both. ]

And til you do see some of them, firsthand I mean, it's all just kind of...nebulous I guess. [ This, Arthur understands good and well at least - reality versus the idea of it, the sharp truth of the impossible thrown in your face without warning. ] I mean, either way it's not like it'd be your fault. If he was here and there was trouble.

That's the frustrating thing I guess. It almost never seems to be cause-and-effect - fault or otherwise. Shit just happens.

[ For someone who spends a lot of time blaming himself for things long past, Arthur has a sort of sixth sense of compassion for kids and this extends to adolescents on the cups; he's not sure why. But it amounts to him wanting to make it clear to Stiles it wouldn't likely be his fault, period. ]

But yeah a job's...a worthwhile investment here. Keeps the days straight for one. And it's reliable.

[ As a distraction as much as a source of income. Like he said - something to do. Better to be doing almost anything than trapped alone with your own thoughts for too long. ]

I don't really have a whole lot of marketable skills. [ A self-mocking laugh. ] So I doubt it's going to work out so well.

But thanks, I guess. It's kind of - I'm apparently crazy without my whole life network thing. So. So. [ Another pause. ] Sorry, I'm rambling.

No need to be sorry.

And you might be surprised about the jobs here, as far as what you'd get hired on for I mean.

There anything you'd want to do?

...or not want to, alternately.

Well, I'm good with people and I talk too much, so I don't think it translates.

Food maybe? There's plenty of places to pick from in that department. Then there's the library and the shops.

You could always do a network entry, throw out some feelers to see if there's something more up your alley.