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]

Oh. I guess I'll have to get new ones when I get older, too. But that's okay - that means I'll be getting bigger, which means I'll be taller! I don't like being short. I can't reach any of the best books on the shelves.

[He's got skewed priorities. Or the right ones, depending on how you look at it.]

Is it easy to play checkers with gloves? I'm still getting used to mine back home. My writing is terrible with them on...

[helpdesk_hero]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I can't reach my books either. It's bad.

[Still, he knows that this will make the kid happy.]

You totally can. And you'll learn to write better.

[t0uchy]

I want one of those ladders they use at libraries to get up to higher shelves. But Ummi says I'm not supposed to climb anything without her there to watch me.

Can I still pet dogs with gloves, or will they not like that? [This is vital.]

[helpdesk_hero]

Dogs don't care. They just want touched.

[t0uchy]

...can I get a dog?

[helpdesk_hero]

I'm not your parent, I can't decide that for you.

[t0uchy]

But Ummi and Baba aren't here, so... who'll decide stuff for me? I don't know if I'm old enough to do all the stuff grown ups are supposed to, like deciding if I get pets or where to go to school or wearing a suit every day.

[helpdesk_hero]

How about... we decide together? In a few days?

[Hopefully by then this will have passed.]

[t0uchy]

Okay. Um... will I have to stay here tonight, all alone? I mean - I can do that, I'm not a little kid [this is a lie] so it's okay if I have to! I can be brave.

[helpdesk_hero]

I could come over?

[t0uchy]

[Nashir pauses, weighing his options. On the one hand, he has nightmares and sometimes he snores, and he doesn't want David to think he's a wuss or annoying. On the other hand, David is nice and they could paint dinosaurs together. Decisions, decisions.] Um, I'd like that but... this isn't my house, I just woke up here. Is it even okay for me to stay here overnight? Am I in someone else's room?

[helpdesk_hero]

You could come here? My house has room.

[t0uchy]

I could? [Nashir grins, instantly appeased and delighted.] That would be great! I promise not to snore! And if I do you can kick me. Can we tell ghost stories and eat candy, too? [Sleepover sleepover sleepover~]

[helpdesk_hero]

Let me come over to pick you up then? I can walk you over. Is that okay?

[Because he may be small, but he can absolutely protect Nashir as needed.]

I'm not big on ghost stories, but we can try it out. And instead of candy I'll cook. I'm big enough to be allowed to do it.

[t0uchy]

Okay. Thank you for being so nice. You'll make a really good baba some day.

[If he wants kids, anyway. Nashir looks around, smiling when he spots a backpack.] I can grab whatever stuff I need to spend the night and put it in a bag, then meet you out front? If that's okay.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Yeah, that doesn't seem very likely. But he grins.]

That works. We'll figure it out. And I'll already have the gloves and checkers. So once I finish the shopping I'll be by, okay?

[t0uchy]

[They're in a world that hands people superpowers. It could hand them babies. It just hasn't yet, thank God.

Nashir nods, obviously pleased.] Okay. I'll be waiting, like a fur bearing trout in the night.

[He still wants those to be real, damnit. Regardless, when David swings by Nashir has a backpack laden down with too-big pajamas, a toy sloth and an extra pillow slung over his back and a painting of a dinosaur in his hand, ready to give his new friend.]

I drew an amargasaurus!

[helpdesk_hero]

[It takes David nearly an hour and a half, and he does give Nashir warnings along the way, before he arrives. And when he does he’s just a teen that moves with the confidence of an adult, wearing some winter gloves because who makes NICE gloves for kids? But he’s found another pair that was blue with stairs, and when he approaches Nashir he indicates it’s really him by holding forth a pair of blue ones with silver stars stitched on it.]

This was the best I could get. Want me to carry anything for you? And can I see the painting? I’m excited.

[It will absolutely go up in his room.]

[t0uchy]

[Teens are like adults, just sometimes slightly shorter. Nashir is willing to view David as kind of grown up. He looks more like he knows what he's doing than Nashir, anyway, who gets visibly excited at the gloves and claps his hands happily before he catches himself and stops. Ummi says that sort of thing is 'unseemly'.]

They're great! I love them. Thank you thank you thank you - you're the best. [In an instant, David has shot up Nashir's internal list of Best People Here. Nashir puts the gloves on and then can't help openly admiring them, turning his hands this way and that.

Smiling, he hands David the painting.] I can carry my stuff, since there isn't much of it. But this is for you, so here you go! It's an amargasaurus.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Geez, if Nashir wasn’t actually 15 or so, David would totally be adopting this kid. So cute.]

I’m really not the best. But the picture is so awesome. I really like it. Thank you so much. Uh… you okay with the teleporters?