[IC] Misc. Open Post

[curriculum_fictae]

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

Comments

[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?

[hijoperdido]

[He nods once, not breaking eye contact with that picture.]

Yeah. Usually pretty straightforward, even if I don't always understand what's going on.

[curriculum_fictae]

So. So what was happening in that vision, at my bakery? Were you there?

[hijoperdido]

No, no I wasn't, it was just - images I saw. That was the last image of that vision.

[curriculum_fictae]

Then whaat were the other images?

[hijoperdido]

[He finally breaks his gaze from the photo to look at Martin, but it's all fear in his eyes. Then shakes his head sitting back, looking everywhere else.]

It uh - Nothing important, nothing worth remembering. That one though - [He points to the phone.] That's the one that mattered. That's the one I remembered.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Uh huh. There's nothing about that that Martin believes. ]

Bruno, please. Whatever you have to say? I'll believe it. But please tell me.

[hijoperdido]

Look, it was. It was weird, and a lot, and I was nine so I didn't understand what I was seeing, so I just remembered that one at the end.

[He rubs anxiously at his arm, the back of his neck.]

If we could get to my room I'd show you. But it's, it's all closed off now.

[curriculum_fictae]

... Your room? Where is that?

[hijoperdido]

It, uh. It's the tower, upstairs. But way too many stairs and been closed off since I left. Well, 'left', but you know what I mean.