003 🌙 VIDEO

[heliophilic]

[Happy New Year, MoM. M is lounging on one of his couches in his apartment, a laptop partially visible in his lap.]

So how many of you have gotten one of these Instagrahm things? My boyfriend gave me grief about not having one of these--or any social media really--to talk to my "fans" with, so I figured one of my New Year's resolutions would be to give one a shot.

[The camera pans down to the laptop, where M's brand new Instagrahm "butwithpunching" (he steadfastly refused going with "officialm") is visible. It's so new that he hasn't posted anything yet. M turns the camera back up to his face.]

I guess the first thing is "add me." Or "follow me." Or whatever. That's what you're supposed to say in this situation, isn't it? Second part is a question--or I suppose a few questions...

Are you one of these people who pimps themselves out to get the most followers? Why? What do you all get out of this?

No need for the "how to" tutorial... I already know exactly how this all works. [The beauty of implants that give him an innate understanding of computers.] It's the why I haven't figured out yet.

Comments

[heliophilic]

And what is it you no longer do here that you did back home?

[trouvaille]

I put up selfies like the next person, but it was mostly promotion for projects my friends and family have. Which is still what I use it for, I guess, but it's not as much of a thing.

[heliophilic]

Here I'd think that you'd be doing more of that, given your imPort celebrity status.

[trouvaille]

I don't encourage that. I didn't really have a choice about my profile at home - I don't mind giving friends a hand now and then, but I'm really not interested in that. I find I'm a bit more able to step back, here? I have more anonymity.

[heliophilic]

How very admirable.

Here I thought I was the only one left not whoring myself out for money and fame.

[trouvaille]

I mean, it's not nobly self sacrificing or anything. Don't give me too much credit for just knowing what I don't want in my life- it's probably a harder choice if you'd be giving up something you want.

I've got money and I didn't like the attention so much as a daughter of, girlfriend of that I want to get intimate with it as the import who, you know? I like supporting my friends, but the headline is them and not me and that's fine. No one's trying to buy my knicker pictures or writing think pieces about what my hobbies say about society and feminism.

[heliophilic]

Sounds more like you aren't giving yourself credit for actually knowing what you want and sticking to it.

See, you say that but all of those probably exist. Like it or not you're still an imPort and people love to overanalyze things.

And be perverts.

[trouvaille]

But less. There are a lot more camera friendly ImPorts, with cooler powers ( matter of opinion ) and heroic stories and flashy jobs. I'm not as exciting.

If you want to be low key, you can be. When I engage with it, it's there, I guess, but it isn't so omnipresent. The stuff that makes me interesting here isn't unique and the stuff that made me interesting at home isn't relevant.

[heliophilic]

True, but unfortunately for me I've got the opposite problem here. People here sure do enjoy shining a spotlight on my nice dark shadows.

[trouvaille]

That sucks. There's some benefits to no one else being here from where I am, honestly. Like. A lot.

[heliophilic]

Your dirty laundry being your own business?

[He has no desire to know what it is, but he can relate to the concept.]

[trouvaille]

It's a novelty I'm really not in a hurry to give up any time soon, to be honest. Like and I'm not complaining because I took those pictures knowing what was going to happen with them but also now I'm somewhere you can't just google my nudes after we talk, it's sort of nice.

[heliophilic]

If it helps any, regardless of whether or not they existed, I wouldn't be looking them up. Not only are you not my type, I'm not a fan of creeps posting private pictures online.

And if anyone from where you're from shows up and tries anything, talk to me and I'll make sure it stays that way.

[trouvaille]

It's """"""art"""""" so it's just a coincidence they get reposted for #TBT when he's been drinking and I haven't been returning his texts. You know.

( what is this strange feeling, acid reflux??? gratitude?? probably acid reflux. )

I hope no one turns up, honestly, but I'm going to remember that if they do. Thanks.

[heliophilic]

Gotta love the cowards that hide behind """""art"""""" because they're too chickenshit to owning up to being assholes.

No problem. And I'm sorry you had to deal with that at all.

[trouvaille]

I've got to be fair, I should probably stop occasionally fucking him.

( millenials aren't actually as fucking stupid about dick as people think; bad decisions gwen, who makes a hundred dumbass decisions about men all the time, is a statistical outlier who shouldn't have been counted. )

I mean, it's dating, right?

[heliophilic]

Maybe break his phone the next time you have one of your... meetings.

[Somewhere, M is chuckling.]

I dunno, when my ex stabbed me that was the end of the relationship.

[trouvaille]

I was supposed to have a business meeting with him, right before I came here, actually. I can't even remember what it was about, now, I think he wanted to use my poetry in some project. We mostly get on, he's just really

he'd probably like it here, he loves attention.

[heliophilic]

What about you? You a fan of this place?

[trouvaille]

I like some things that I've got here, but my family's at home. There's just no competition. I'd go home.

[heliophilic]

I think unless you're one of the many dead people walking among the imPort set, everyone would prefer to be home.

I asked if you liked it.

[trouvaille]

There are people here I like, that I'd miss. Overall, though, I mean, what's to like? It hasn't given me anything that outweighs what it took away.

[heliophilic]

I dunno, maybe it's just me, but there's something about watching everyone trying to find their place here that's interesting to watch. Maybe it's because it's nice to see that other people struggle with it too.

[trouvaille]

It's not my place, though. I don't think that's what I've found, because honestly, the alternative that this is 'my place' anywhere is so acutely depressing I might as well give up now. I'm just making the best of a shitty situation until it's over.

[heliophilic]

Fair enough.

I've always been the type of guy that settles wherever he is. I don't really have a place I consider "home" so anywhere's fine with me.