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[burger_king]

The year is 2018 and the Red Scare is alive and kicking. Worlds collide as we're brought here under mysterious circumstances, given gifts we couldn't dream to prepare for. Trapped without hope for escape we ask ourselves - will we ever see our homes again? Our loved ones? Will we embrace our new lives and is it a question of when - not if - that these powers turn on us? So many questions, and yet the biggest mystery is something else entirely.

Best burger joint. Give me your suggestions. Bonus points for cheap menus.

Comments

[burger_king]

[ They help each other. He's no expert on relationships or functional families but that one thing he does know is true - you help each other. ]

You will. [ He smiles, small and humorless. ] And I'm still going to spend the night here from time to time. Like we did back home.

[ Accidentally more often than not. ]

[perfectible]

[ Her lips curve into a small smile, her hand reaching for his to hold.] And that way, I can just distract you from getting into trouble.

[burger_king]

[ He lets her take his hand, squeezes hers gently in return. ] Oh yeah? As I recall, we were always pretty good at getting into trouble together.

[perfectible]

I haven't really had much of a chance since I got here. [ Her smile becomes a bit more of a grin.] I know there are stories to chase down here.

[burger_king]

Maybe we can resurrect the school paper. Put out the, uh... [ What's a good name. ] ...Black and Blue?

[perfectible]

[ She laughs at that.] An underground newspaper?

[burger_king]

Yeah, why not? Maybe it'd have to be digital edition only, but I don't see why we can't continue to do what we do best.

[perfectible]

Digging for the truth at any cost? [ She leans against him, reaching for his hand to thread their fingers together.]

[burger_king]

Asking the hard questions, no matter what. [ He lets her take his hand, feeling calm and centred for the first time in who knows how long. ] You in?

[perfectible]

How could I refuse? [ Smiling, she gives him another kiss before she glances around.] I guess I could give you a tour of my room.

[burger_king]

[ God, it's hard to concentrate on why they're actually here. ]

Yes, you should. Before something else comes up and we forget again. [ He pulls back a little to avoid temptation, but keeps her hand in his. ]

[perfectible]

[ He pulls back, the action reminding her that they should behave, for reasons. So she keeps her hand in his and she does a leisurely lap around the room.] This is the reading nook. We were just there. [ She points to the bed.] The bed is over there and the closet too. [ She pulls him towards what looks like some kind of weird soda machine.]

This is my magic milkshake machine. Push the big button and tell it whatever flavor milkshake you want and it'll appear.

[burger_king]

[ The fake interest he's feigned over the places that they've already visited is replaced by real interest when she shows him the milkshake machine. ]

Wow. You really have quite the setup here. Question is, is it as good as Pop's?

[perfectible]

It tastes exactly like Pop's.

[ She perks her eyebrows.] Want one?

[burger_king]

We're never leaving your room again, are we?

[ Not that he's complaining. ]

[perfectible]

[ She laughs at that.] I'm not holding you hostage.

[burger_king]

I didn't say that you were. [ He wants to kiss her. He always wants to kiss her, but there's a whole house to see. ]

C'mon. Show me the rest of this place.

[perfectible]

Okay, [ she says with a wider smile, her eyes sparkling with happiness because, obviously. Every happiness cliche applies to Betty right now.

She takes him by the arm to guide him towards the other door in her room, the one that leads to the main house.]

[burger_king]

[ That she looks so happy makes him hesitate to bring up what they talked about briefly in the car, but he has a feeling that if they leave it for too long they might never bring it up again. He follows along quietly for a moment before drawing a steadying breath. ]

Betty... I don't know if now's the right time, but I meant what I said in the car. We should talk about... everything.

[perfectible]

[ She glances at him, her smile fading as she nods.] Okay. [ She reaches for his hand now.] When? Now?

[burger_king]

[ He'll let her take it, holding firmly. ] Maybe. Before we get caught up in something else.

[perfectible]

But not in my room? [ They're just outside of it but she isn't so sure she wants to be standing in a hallway if or when she starts to cry. But at the same time, he'd been eager to get out of there so maybe he wanted a different venue, for reasons unclear to her.]

[burger_king]

Your room is fine. [ Unless they get caught up in something else. ] Or we can do it later.

[ He wants this conversation but also he really doesn't. ]

[perfectible]

[ She takes his hand and leads them away from her room, towards one of the sitting areas, moving to sit on the couch and waiting for him to do the same.]

Let's do this now. I don't... It needs to happen.

[burger_king]

[ He sits down next to her with a sigh, wanting to be close without crowding her. Where do they even begin? ]

...Did Archie tell you what he said to me?