002 | Video [Forward-dated to the 9th]

[t0uchy]

[The video feed is shaky, but then the boy thoughtfully sets the communicator on a table. Even though he's not a hundred percent sure what it is, the seven year old clearly doesn't want to break it, and he chews his lip worriedly for a second before scooting it a teeny bit back on the desk before talking.]

H-hello. Uh, ah, I don't... I don't want to bother anyone, but... [the young child's English is heavily accented, and he murmurs something in Arabic along the lines of 'kayfa taqūlu kalimah...', looking uncertain,] if someone can find my Ummi and Baba, please do. I'm not supposed to go places alone. I have an appointment tomorrow [he stumbles over the big words slightly] so I can get confirmed as the Seer and that's really important. People will be scared if I'm not there, and Ummi is probably scared already, so... please, get me home? Please?

[He starts to reach for the communicator to turn it off, then pauses to add,] If you have gloves that fit me, can someone bring me them? I need - I - I would like that very much. Um, thank you.

Comments

[t0uchy]

I don't even know where 'here' is, [Nashir murmurs, still lost and stressed out, though he looks around for something anyway. Maybe after he gets gloves, he can go look for his parents. They'll know what to do.] Is this still England? You don't sound British.

[nightwash]

God, no. I'm from the colonies. You're in the USA now, kid. Think of it as a weird little vacation from your reality, like a dream. You don't have to worry about where Ummi and Baba are, because they'll be there when you wake up.

I'm a dream, too, so you don't have to tell me where you are. I can find you.

[t0uchy]

[It says a lot about him that this reassurance actually makes him tense up instead of relax, glancing around the room uneasily.]

I don't want to be in a dream. My dreams are scary. That's when I have the long visions, the ones that go on and on and have fires and big ditches and big loud sounds. I want to go home, please, sir. Please.

[nightwash]

Well I didn't say this was your dream, did I? Maybe your dreams are scary, but that doesn't mean all dreams are scary. You haven't seen any fires or ditches around here, have you?

[t0uchy]

Whose dream is it, then? [Hopefully whoever it is doesn't mind him being in their dream. He didn't mean to barge in here, it was an accident.] No, but... then, why am I here, if I'm not going to have a vision of something?

[nightwash]

Some dreams grow in the wild, out of magic rivers that run through the mountains. It's all very complicated. The point is, you're not having a vision. And once I bring you your gloves, you can just relax and watch cartoons or something.

[t0uchy]

What's a cartoon?

[It was 1919 back home. Nashir looks at him in absolute confusion.]

[nightwash]

Wow, we've got a lot of ground to cover. I'll show you when I get there.

> action?

[t0uchy]

Um, okay. Thank you, sir. You're very nice. [He's open to learning! Learning is fun, even if learning English is an ongoing process.

When Ronan arrives, he'll find Nashir, with socks on his hands to keep them covered, looking a little nervous and wide-eyed. The good news is that he found something to give him in return for gloves: cookies from the kitchen. Everybody likes cookies, right?]

[nightwash]

[ Ronan could do the Fairy Godmother entrance and appear out of nowhere, but since he is not an adorable old lady but a goth dude of nearly six and a half feet, he opts for something less terrifying. About an hour after his last message, he invites himself in via the door. ]

Ready to trade?

[ He's got the pair of tiny green gloves in hand, pinched between his thumb and forefinger, and he dangles them above Nashir's head. ]

[t0uchy]

[Nashir blinks up at him, a little surprised by how tall Ronan is.] Wow. You're only a little bit shorter than Baba is. I hope I get to be tall some day.

Oh, um, yes! I found cookies in the kitchen and I think they're pretty fresh, too! [Victory! He eyes the gloves with obvious awe, handing the cookies over politely before taking the green gloves with utmost care. Homemade gifts were always impressive, but homemade gifts made that fast were amazing.] Thank you! These are really nice. Did you make them?

[nightwash]

Sort of. I said to the dream, "This kid wants some green gloves," and the dream said, "Dope," and now here we are.

[ The gloves are perfect, of course. As precisely fitted as if they'd been tailored specifically for Nashir. Magic be like that.

So that the kid doesn't have to keep craning his neck, Ronan takes a seat to enjoy his cookies. ]

This is a good tribute. I feel very Santa Claus.

[t0uchy]

Oh. That was nice of the dream. Normally dreams don't listen to me when I say things.

[Nashir is visibly relieved to have the gloves on. Though the socks worked for opening the door, they would've been impractical for almost anything else. He grins at Ronan, delighted and then confused.]

What's Santa Claus? Is that a British thing? Or an American one? My family only just moved to Britain a little while ago, so I'm still learning about a lot of things... I'm glad you like the cookies, though!

[nightwash]

Santa Claus is an everywhere thing. He's a fat man from the North Pole who breaks into people's houses to leave them presents one night a year. Instead of being weirded out by it, those people leave cookies and milk out for him as a thank you. Imagine eating that many cookies in one night. Eight billion cookies, at least.

[ Ronan is content to chomp on just a few. He works hard for his abs. ]

[t0uchy]

[Nashir just stares at him. He's too young to say 'what the fuck?', but the spirit of that sentiment in his gaze as he tries to figure out if he's being messed with or not. Is this some very weird joke or something?]

Ummi says never to eat anything bigger than your head. All those cookies put together is definitely too big. Wouldn't that make him sick?

[Forgive him, he's literally always been the over-thinker of his family, even as a small child.]

[nightwash]

[ Who can ever say, with Ronan, whether anything is a joke or not. ]

Probably. I would listen to Ummi. That's a very good rule.

[t0uchy]

I don't like cookies a lot anyway. I like honey cake. But I didn't want to try making anything in the kitchen since it's so strange... is it okay to eat food in this dream, or do the other people who live here need the food? I'm hungry.

[And stealing their food would be bad buuuut also he's seven and hungry and there's probably something in there he can eat without using an oven, right?]

[nightwash]

You're hungry and just letting me eat these cookies by myself like an asshole?

[ God, hold on. He's pulling out his phone to open up FoodMood. ]

I don't know about honey cake, but I can order us some falafel. I'm feeling falafel right now. What about you?

[t0uchy]

No, you earned the cookies, [Nashir explains patiently.] You made me a thing and you brought it over. The cookies are a reward. I can't eat your reward.

[This makes perfect sense to his seven year old mind. Still, he perks up at the mention of falafel.]

I like falafel. I like most things, so long as they're kosher.

[nightwash]

I feel weird about eating animals now that I'm a mother, but I like how falafel still gives me the meatball experience, you know?

[ Just a few taps and lunch (breakfast? dinner?) is ordered. Ronan tucks his phone back into his pocket. ]

Says it'll be about fifteen minutes.

[t0uchy]

[Nashir squints at him, confused, and quietly points out,] Boys can't be mothers. You have to be a girl for that, and girls are short.

[That last bit may be him projecting. His mom is way shorter than his dad, though, so there. Proof.]

I wish we could order food like that back home so Ummi didn't have to cook every night. Sometimes Baba cooks but it's not very good, and he burns things a lot.

[nightwash]

Sometimes a boy can be a mother and a father at the same time. Trees and stars are funky like that.

[ He gestures vaguely. ]

Give me your phone and I'll set it up so you can order food, too.

[ With Ronan's credit card number, but whatever. He's rich. ]

[t0uchy]

But you're not a tree or a star, sir.

[He's very sure of that, at least. Even in a dream, trees don't look like tall men who buy you food.

Nashir hesitates, but ultimately nods and hands it over to him very carefully.]

Don't break it. I think it was expensive and I don't know who gave it to me, but I don't want to ruin their gift.

[nightwash]

Do I look like I go around breaking things?

[ Yes, he does. And he does. But he doesn't break the phone. He just downloads the app and fusses with it a bit until it's all set up to deliver food whenever Nashir's little heart desires. Then he hands it back. ]

What makes you so sure I'm not a star?

[t0uchy]

No, but neither does my brother Qadir, and he breaks things anyway.

[And then tried to blame it on Nashir. Brotherhood is like that sometimes. He takes the phone back, looking at the tall man thoughtfully.]

Stars are tiny and you're not. And they're quiet, and you can talk. Also, stars don't come out during the day. They sleep during the day like bats do, I think.