Bored on the Network (Open)

[skintoskin]

[Neil is Neil, so what can you do? He's eighteen and dry and bored, bored, bored. He's lounging on a sofa in the living room of his apartment, which doesn't have a heck of a lot to recommend it by in the way of decor. Or much furniture, either. He's on his back, knees bent over the end of the sofa, bare feet kicking lazily. Wearing jeans and a t-shirt is an improvement over the last time he was on the network, when he was naked. A cigarette is held between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. Neil is looking at the ceiling. The device is on the coffee table.



Did I mention he's bored?]


So, I live in an apartment in building three, by myself, but I'm not here a lot, 'cause the ticking gets stupid after a while. And I'm sick of it all and bored out of my fuckin' skull.

Anyone want a roommate? I can move there or you can move here, I don't care.

Comments

[signatures]

Hey, you could milk that misunderstanding for everything it's worth.

Doesn't sound like a good roommate.

[skintoskin]

It comes in handy...

Well, we've established that neither of us are axe murders, nor do we play the accordion, she doesn't seem to mind I smoke and is fine with me being queer, and she doesn't seem the girly type, who might want to paint the place fuckin' pink.

That and we'll both have none of that ticking clock shit...

[signatures]

But how will she pay rent?

[skintoskin]

Dunno. Maybe she can cook?

[signatures]

Maybe she can't.

[skintoskin]

Maybe she can clean, whatever. I think she's new. Don't recognize her. Maybe she'll get a job.

[signatures]

And I'm sure you'll figure it all out in the end.

[skintoskin]

I guess.

So, what do you do when you're bored?

[signatures]

I entertain myself.

[skintoskin]

Fuck, this is like pulling teeth. What do you do to entertain yourself?

[signatures]

I think you ask me this nearly every time we talk.

[skintoskin]

Do you know why? Because you never talk about yourself. It's like... you're a non-stick pan or something. Stuff just... slides off you. You're some sort of puzzle and you like it that way, I guess.

[signatures]

I feel like I talk about myself all the time with you. What I like to do, if I like the beach, what I think about your lemon critters, so on and so forth.

[skintoskin]

[Sigh...]

Yeah? I just feel like I don't know much about you at all. You like the beach, fine, but the lemon things? That's what you thought about them. It wasn't really about who you are, you know?

It's like... It's like you're hiding.

Maybe if I told you more about me, though that'll be dull...

[signatures]

Are you used to finding everything out about a person through occasional conversation on the network?

[skintoskin]

Not necessarily, no, but some people talk more about themselves and shit. Some people even ask to meet in person.

[signatures]

Do you want to meet in person?

[skintoskin]

Yes.

[signatures]

All right. Let's meet in person, then.

[skintoskin]

Yeah, let's do that. When and where?

[signatures]

Where do you want?

[skintoskin]

I don't care. Uh, here's three choices...

Your place, my place, somewhere public.

[signatures]

Are you peckish?

[skintoskin]

[Oh, you speak Greek.]

Am I... What?

[signatures]

Do you want to go someplace to eat.