005 · VIDEO

[bookkeeper]

[ Nathan is standing outside of the Cape Canaveral base, the camera held crookedly as he's glancing down at it. Need a second here to remember the best way to...wherever the hell he's going next. Didn't this folder come with a map? Paper maps are the best. ]

I guess that could've gone a lot worse when it comes to me showing up somewhere unannounced. You show up here, they inject you, and they send you on your way with a folder smiling as they chant 'fight the good fight!'. Good to know they're expecting us and got their asses covered, getting shoved into a cell with eight others and a bucket— trust me, not good.

[ Things are beginning to come back to him from his last time here, he's on the move. ]

Feels like only yesterday I was here and politely shoved into a car by an escort who was jacked up on six days a week at the gym. I don't see him around anymore, maybe all that protein is wheying him down.

[ A lopsided grin cracks before he cuts the feed. Time to work out the GPS. ]

Comments

[killtime]

Getting shoved into a cell with eight people and a bucket's not so bad. At least you have the bucket.

[bookkeeper]

A bucket that's overflowing by mid-morning. Yeah, sounds like heaven.

[killtime]

Probably from all the boredom pissing. Gotta pass the time somehow.

[bookkeeper]

Eh, piss wasn't what caused it to overflow most of the time.

[killtime]

You're starting to sound like a real expert.

[bookkeeper]

An expert on shitting habits? Sure. Why not.

[killtime]

That too, sure. Might as well turn the bucket situation into a learning opportunity.

[bookkeeper]

You can actually find out a lot about someone from what's in their bucket. Why do you think monkeys throw their feces around in a festive manner half the time?

[killtime]

Ah, Professor Poop is also something of anthropologist, I see. Very impressive.

[bookkeeper]

More like a treasure hunter.

[ But not of the poop treasure kind. ]

An adventurer.

[killtime]

So you've made a career out of getting into trouble.

[bookkeeper]

It's one of the risks that come with treasure hunting, yeah.

[killtime]

Must be well traveled. Especially now that you've been to another universe.

[bookkeeper]

I get around. Though, not so much here. Need to work out the maps beyond the cities first.

[killtime]

I miss Europe. Being stateside this long is a honestly a huge fucking drag.

[bookkeeper]

Europe's fun. I would say I miss the jungles but it's good to have a break.

[killtime]

Is it really? Or are you bored to fucking death?

[bookkeeper]

I just got back from it, twice. I definitely need the break.

[killtime]

Fair enough. So what's an adventurer do on vacation anyway?

[bookkeeper]

Apparently they work in a glass museum.

[killtime]

I want to say that's interesting, but I'm not sure that it is.

[bookkeeper]

If you knew me, you'd know it's an every day challenge.

video;

[storyseeker]

[About a thousand emotions run through her in rapid succession when Elena hears his voice on the network. It's not until he gets to 'feels like only yesterday' that she has any real sense of relief.

Aaaand...unclench.]

Hey there, cowboy.

[She can't completely hide the tremor in her voice.]

video;

[bookkeeper]

Hey to you.

[ God, what a sight for sore eyes. It's such a relief when she pops up on his screen that Nate stops in his tracks. It'd be better if he could see her in person. Way better. ]

What took you so long?

video;

[storyseeker]

What took me so long?

[She lets out a disbelieving, relieved laugh.]

I'm not the one who's been gone...god, at least a month.

video;

[bookkeeper]

A month? That's it? You almost sound like you missed me.

video;

[storyseeker]

'That's it'? Wait, how long was it for you?

video; I just realized those two icons go together and I can't stop laughing -_-

[bookkeeper]

[ MAYBE it's a good thing she can't see his clothes. A very good thing. The patches of blood might be noticeable in his hair, leaving dark, wet spots to flatten in the strands. Whatever blood he'd been wearing on his face, the people in the base had been kind enough to let him wash up before taking off. ]

Uh. Can't say. [ Quick, topic change. ] You at work?

heheheh

[storyseeker]

[He's lucky; the sheer distraction of him coming back keeps her from looking too closely at his appearance.]

I was, but I'm pretty much done now. When will you make it home?

terrible

[bookkeeper]

[ Shit. Mayday mayday. ]

Hopefully before you do.

[ Cue a nervous, maybe awkward little chuckle. ]

[storyseeker]

I've got a few things I have to take care of on my way out—I'll try to hurry up, but you might beat me there.

[Ugh, adult responsibility.]

[bookkeeper]

Don't rush it. Take your time.

[ Seriously. ]

[storyseeker]

Take my—seriously?

[She laughs disbelievingly. She's going to be crushing speed limits on the drive back.]

Hurry home, Nate.

[bookkeeper]

[ If she ends up with a speeding ticket, he's not paying it. ]

Elena— [ How does he tell her...? ]

[storyseeker]

[She can see there's more he wants to say, but she also knows this isn't the venue for it.]

Just head home. I'll meet you there as soon as I can.

[bookkeeper]

[ There is no arguing with her. It sounds like her word is final here. Nate takes another moment to look at the screen. ]

Just. Don't get upset. Okay...?

[storyseeker]

Okay...?

[Jesus, what's happened? This is not helping her not worry.]

[bookkeeper]

You're already upset. [ Looking at her now, yep, he can see that he's not helping. When does he ever? ] I'll be in soon.

[storyseeker]

I'm not upset, I'm just...

[She closes her mouth, takes a moment. This can be said when they're together.]

I'm glad you're back.

[bookkeeper]

[ But you will be, Elena. You will be, and that's what worries him.

He tries to push out a small smile, offer some kind of reassurance through a handheld device. ]

Me too. See you in a bit, alright?

[storyseeker]

Yeah. See you soon.

[She should be relieved. And she is, hugely, but now there's that kernel of worry, lodged deep.]

voice

[h2no]

No whey anyone'll find that funny.

[okay sure he barely knows nate bUT THE PUNS]

voice

[bookkeeper]

One could say that they found this humerus.

Re: voice

[h2no]

Keep this up and they'll have a bone to pick with ya, bro. People can only take so much punishment.

[someone just end them both]

voice

[bookkeeper]

Which bone do you think they'll want, though? Wish bone? Funny bone? Or backbone?

Re: voice

[h2no]

I'm patelling you, it's going tibia humerus.

...


Seriously, though. Welcome back. You doin' okay?

voice

[bookkeeper]

[ He chuckles as the puns keep coming, and then it's time to get serious. ]

Thanks. Didn't even know I was gone. I've been better. You?

Re: voice

[h2no]

Same, really. 'Cept the bein' gone part. How long was it?

[...]


Uh, if you're okay talkin' about it.

voice

[bookkeeper]

Yeah, I'm fine talking about it. I was gone about a month. I think. Too long, if you think about it.

[ If you have someone special who's stuck waiting on your return, anyway. ]