03: Questions and Nerd Parties! - Video

[hatestrashcans]

[ The video opens on Marco in a new bedroom. It's bigger than the one issued by government housing, but there seems to not be much furniture in it: Just a really nice king-sized bed (look, anything that helps Marco sleep is worth the money) and a set of dressers. The teenager himself is sitting cross-legged on the bed in a Star Wars T-Shirt and black jeans. ]

Hey, so...

[ He pauses. It's hard for Marco to ask for advice, much less public advice. He sighs and looks to the side. ]

How do you figure out what you want to do with your life? The point of it all?

[ There, he's asked. It's something Marco's been ruminating on the past few days. After he forces the question out, however, his face brightens. ]

In less existential news, Peter and I have found a place to live and we're working on making it bad-ass. And you know what that means: Geek Party II: Return of the Geeks! So far we've got our video games and a Star Trek watch on the docket- because I have missed out on a shameful amount of released Trek in the past 20 years. Any more requests and/or when's everybody free?

Oh yeah, this is an open invite, by the way. Just let me know if you plan on coming so I can get enough food for everybody. Peter and I should need like a week or so to get things ready - I will say moving stuff goes faster when you can be a gorilla!

[ And with Peter's super strength, but Peter's keeping the Spider-Man thing on the DL so Marco's not mentioning it. ]

Also, according to Peter I'm not allowed to drive the U-Haul anymore. Something about 'if you drive we're both going to die'. Is dating always like this?

[ There. He said it. It's still weird to talk about, but Marco knows that will normalize it. ]

Comments

[usaf]

"Dating?"

[ Way to zero in on one word out of that whole thing, Carol. ]

[hatestrashcans]

Um, Yes?

[ The one topic that makes Marco an awkward teenager. Who's this lady? ]

[helpdesk_hero]

[David is so jealous of your digs. But he laughs at the idea of all of this.]

Listen, I can cook, I can clean, I can build IKEA furniture. And most importantly, I can drive. So tell me where you need me, Marco. I could stand the distraction.

As for the other thing, I'll let you know when I figure out what choice I'm making. Mostly, you try and find something you love and you're okay with doing. Though I could go for some Star Trek.

[hatestrashcans]

I can drive! I have a driver's license!

[ He really, really, really should not have a driver's license, Animorph or not. ]

But fine, it would probably make Peter feel better. 'I don't want to die in a car crash.'

How do you know if you love doing something?

voice;

[plentystrong]

So you're moving out? Good riddance.

Re: voice;

[hatestrashcans]

Already out. Enjoy being buried alive under dishes.

[Private video until further notice]

[mysterioisthetruth]

Peter and you.

Peter.

-- and you.

Dating?

[Private video until further notice]

[hatestrashcans]

Yeah.

It's none of your business.

video

[made_up_names]

It's true, though. You'd definitely kill us both if you drive again. And that'd be an accomplishment, given how resilient you are.

[ Also Peter, but powers, DL, etc. ]

Re: video

[hatestrashcans]

Oh, stop being a big baby. I have not once died because of my driving!

[Video]

[kid_flash_found]

I'm not super-strong or anything, but I'm pretty good with moving.

Just, uh, give me a heads-up if you're planning to go ape. [Not that he actually worries about Grodd or his minions showing up unannounced, but he'd rather not react without thinking.] Although I do know a guy with tactile telekinesis...but you already met Superboy.

Re: [Video]

[hatestrashcans]

More hands would be good. I can do that. Any reason why? Just curious if there's any other morphs I should warn you about.

Yeah. He's... yeah.

[ Way too strait-laced for Marco, he doesn't think Superboy's a great conversationalist, sadly. ]

[mofi]

That's adorable.

[hatestrashcans]

Ha ha ha. And also ha.

[threeisapattern]

[Stiles is, um. Thrown by that little announcement. Not that it’s bad? And y’know, Stiles likes Peter and Marco, so it’s cool that they’re dating or whatever. It’s just... a surprise.]

idk man I guess the point of it all is whatever you want it to be

[hatestrashcans]

That's sort of a cop-out answer, though. How do you figure out what you want?

[ Sorry, Stiles. It hasn't occurred to Marco that you might care that they're dating. ]

video

[nightmarist]

[ All that angst for less than a month of gay pining? ]

Congrats on beating the U-Haul Lesbian World Record.

Re: video

[hatestrashcans]

[ It really is quite ridiculous. ]

The what? We're not lesbians.

[callmesuperboy]

I think everyone takes their own path to find it. Some go to college to look.

[hatestrashcans]

Sounds expensive.

What do you like doing?

video;

[justaddh2o]

First, congrats on the house, I'm jealous. Second, congrats on Peter, good catch, mate. I kind of love that two of my three favourite people are a thing.

( Rikki wrinkles her nose a little, then. )

Third, as much as I love you both, that sounds incredibly boring so I'll just wish you much and have a good time at your party!

Oh, and I'm thoroughly convinced that no one really knows what they want to do with their life until they dive into things until something sticks.

Re: video;

[hatestrashcans]

Thanks! Peter and I be better numbers 2 and 1, respectively. And don't lie, you just know we're hot. Stop objectifying us, Rikki. We're human beings!

No nerd party for you, then. Check.

Haha, 'dive into'. I see what you did there. Do you live for your mermaid thing?

[manmeasand]

[ Those two are dating ????

Huh. ]

Nice. Congrats.

[hatestrashcans]

On what? The house? It's pretty bomb.

[ Video ]

[bad_crowmance]

Trying to figure out the point of your life's a pretty deep topic for a video conversation, don't you think?

Re: [ Video ]

[hatestrashcans]

Hey, video conversations are deep. It's text messages that aren't.

Private Audio

[anormie]

Aww yeah, look at you dating Peter Parker. Definitely gonna need to give you a fist bump when I come over for that Stat Trek party!

What games are we playing? Like totally assuming that I'm invited and everything! I didn't mean to impose if I'm not!

Re: Private Audio

[hatestrashcans]

[ Since it's audio, she can't see him blushing, but he definitely mumbles the next sentence. ]

It just sort of happened.

[ Then he brightens and his voice returns to normal. ]

Of course you're invited! Last time it was mostly Mario Kart and Super Smash Brothers - or at least this universe's versions since things are a bit different-, but I've got a ton of ROMs for emulating since I only know the classics. The only thing is you have to use a bit of caution around some of the superheroes. It freaks them out to hear that they were comic books, and some of them are still protective of their identities. Like Peter doesn't want the world knowing he's Spider-Man.

Oh man, and I can tell you and you'll appreciate how cool this is: Barbara Gordon wants to have a Lord of the Rings watch party. Barbara Gordon comes to my house.

[ He adores Oracle. She's so cool. ]

[video]

[viciousmaukery]

You don't! [He's way too cheerful about this.] Or rather, it's not something you should worry about. You make your own point to your life, and you stick to that.

[Easier said than done. More serious this time, leaning into the camera:] I learned a very long time ago that the best thing to do with my life was to spend it making other people happy and leaving them better than I found them. And take my own joys wherever I could find them, of course.

[So essentially: hedonism and nudging people towards a little bit of joy.]

But that's the point to my life: making joy. Your life's different from mine, might be you can figure out a different point. And people can help and even push you towards something, but ultimately, it's all up to you.

[There's a conviction underneath his words, a rock-solid foundation that's a little surprising coming from a fortune-telling charlatan.]

Also, [much lighter now:] congratulations! Yes. It absolutely is always like that. [Molly has never actually dated anyone in his two years of life, although he's had plenty of flings. That's not going to stop him, because hey, how's Marco going to know, right?] I'm coming over. I want to see this Star Trek for myself.

Re: [video]

[hatestrashcans]

Okay, but how do you make a point?

[ Sorry, Marco's the curious and science-like type. So 'why' or 'how' until things are broken down into their component parts is par for the course. ]

So you think the point is to help others? There's so many ways to do that, though. And that assumes that other people are worth your efforts.

[ Marco has some resentment for the 'civilian' population. He's given them enough. ]

Sure, you can come over. We're having some trouble finding the Star Trek though. Which is bullshit.

[choosetruth]

I don’t date. But from what I’ve heard, yes. Let me know if it’s any less terrible than it sounds.

[Her situation is pretty unique. Then again, she won’t let Shaun drive either.]

[hatestrashcans]

Wait, what do you mean you don't date?

[ This is strange to Marco. Sorry, George. ]

video

[irwins]

Hey congrats on the new place.

[This is somehow the first time Shaun is actually talking to Marco as himself and not as the personality-swapped version of him or I-think-I'm-Robin-Hood version. But hey.]

Harsh though, dude. I mean clearly you didn't die, so your driving can't be that bad. George gives me the same sort of shit about my driving. She's just jealous of my skillz though. [He enunciates the hell out of that Z.] Might be a sibling thing.

Can't help you with the dating bit. But probably better not to terrify your boyfriend so maybe go with it.

Re: video

[hatestrashcans]

Thanks! It's pretty awesome and current plans involve both a trampoline and a ball pit.

[ Finally! Someone understands! ]

Exactly! I haven't died! Well, not from my driving anyway. And I've driven as a gorilla so come on, if I were really that bad at driving, I 100% would have crashed if I tried to drive when I wasn't human. I wouldn't know about the sibling thing, though. I'm an only child.

[ He used to be sort of jealous of people with siblings, honestly. Now, not so much. He's gotten over it.

Marco sighs mournfully. ]

Yeah, you're probably right.

video; sorry i'm late!

[bifroster]

Call me in for Star Trek!

[She would never miss Star Trek. Not for anything.]