[IC] Misc. Open Post

[curriculum_fictae]

For various overflow, misc. threads that don't fit on the comms they're for, etc.

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[curriculum_fictae]

[ Yeah. That too. But that’s why Martin’s worried. If he literally can’t escape, and this is all he’s known, AND his mother is as bad as Martin’s …

He hopes that last part isn’t true. But he just doesn’t know, does he? ]

She? Your mother?

[hijoperdido]

[He just. Takes an arepa and idly breaks it apart, sharing it with the rats nuzzling their little noses on his arms.]

Mirabel, my youngest sobrina. She, uh. The night she was supposed to get her Gift didn't go so well. Her vision was... Different. I-i dunno what'll happen but if there's hope for this family, it's her.

[curriculum_fictae]

… how old is she now?

[hijoperdido]

Fourteen now? She was five when she was supposed to get her gift, and then it went bad and I didn't know what it meant, still don't know what it means. But she's- She's trying.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He. He doesn’t say anything, but this face clearly says “you’re leaving the future of your potentially toxic and definitely magic family to a FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD???” ]

[hijoperdido]

[Yeah he's good at reading.]

Look, she's smart. She's hard working, she wants so badly to do right. And- and her vision that I had? Definitely has to do with the fate of the magic. So. So yeah.

[curriculum_fictae]

Okay, okay, I believe you. Different world, different rules.

[hijoperdido]

[He nods, obviously pleased with that. Then thinks again.]

I- boy I wish I knew how to get you home. Not because I don't like the company, just. You seem really kinda stressed out by mi familia, and- And I dunno.

[curriculum_fictae]

I’m -

[ SIGH. ]

I’m not stressed. I’ll be less stressed. I just care about you? And it seems like you have few that do.

[hijoperdido]

Heh. You jus'...

You just met me, why would you care?

[curriculum_fictae]

I mean. I care about nearly everyone I meet. So in that you’re not special I suppose.

… But you remind me of my husband so profoundly. Like - if he were ten or fifteen years older and grew his hair out? You’d be identical.

[hijoperdido]

Don't know if that's a compliment or an insult. Either way, congrats or sorry to your husband?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ A soft sigh. ]

It’s a compliment. The fact that you think it could be an insult means you’re even more like my husband.

[hijoperdido]

I just- I know what I look like. I'm, uh. I'm not a catch.

Though, man, if your husband looks like me, wish I could see that.

[curriculum_fictae]

I disagree —-

[ And he was about to say it’s too bad he can’t show Bruno, but. He remembers he’s got his phone? He brightens, digging it out of his pocket. ]

Here, give me a moment. Let me find a good picture of us.

[hijoperdido]

Uh.

[Hold on, food is not completely forgotten, but more an afterthought as he takes another bite but adamantly watching Martin.]

Wha-what is that thing?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin tilts it so Bruno can see. He’s flicking rapidly through pictures on this weird little glass rectangle. Mostly of pastries, and a long-haired cat, and then -

Aha. Here’s a picture taken of Jonah without him noticing, sitting in a comfortable armchair with the cat in his lap. Behind him, dimly, there’s a bunch of plush dormice on the bookshelves. ]

It’s my phone? It has a camera, so.

[ He show Bruno the picture. ]

[hijoperdido]

Whoa...

[He leans in closer to see, wiping his mouth with one hand before touching at just the corner of the phone.]

We only have paintings for this kind of thing. How- Jeez.

[And then he's actually looking at the picture, tilting his head squinting a little. Touches at his own longer curls.]

That's what I'd look like with short hair, huh. Doesn't look a thing like me.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin looks at Bruno. Back at Jon. Back at Bruno.

… okay fine there are more differences now that they’re side by side but. ]

It’s - personality too. Though okay, yes, your faces are rather different, I admit. Not the point.

[hijoperdido]

[He sits back a bit, taking another bite of food but still watching that picture in Martin's hand.]

I'm just- Sorry, it's just I've seen a lot of weird and scary stuff, but that's .... That takes the cake.

[curriculum_fictae]

No, no. It’s something different for you.

[ He swipes it to the next one? Jonah’s still in the chair with the cat, but it’s a wider shot of the bakery. The tea thermoses, the glass case, the cute decorations. ]

This is my bakery.

[hijoperdido]

[He leans in closer to look at the new one.

Then jerks back, making a little more noise than he'd like before catching himself and making sure everything's quiet, no one heard, taptaptap knock knock knock. Breathe.]

I've- I've seen that. [He points at the photo.] That was- I saw it years ago, but I've seen it. H-how-hhow do you have that.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ That -

That was NOT what Martin expected. He startles at that, staring at Bruno with his mouth open. ]

What? What do you mean? I saw it because I was there and I took it, I - how did you see it?

[hijoperdido]

In one of my visions. I was like... I dunno, nine or ten when I saw it, but I remember it. I remembered the mice.

[As if on cue, a couple rats climb to his shoulder to nuzzle at him.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin looks between Bruno and his phone again. And at the rats. ]

And ... and you see the future. Right?