inexactitude | ☮ | 005

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☮ | 005 | Video

So this is what you guys warned me about, huh. [Someone seems kind of put out. And maybe a tiny bit shaken. And bruised, but she's ignoring that. She's got a guitar in her lap, but she's just holding it there, not playing.]

I don't get how you can just - shoot someone and--

No, sorry, we don't need more of that. [She leans forward and fiddles at the computer, and in the background Pocket Fulla Sunshine is now playing quietly. Then she leans back in her chair again, hands on the guitar.]

I painted my dog's nails to this, once. Best waste of a Saturday night ever. [But she shakes her head a little, waving a hand.] I'd serenade you guys, if I knew anything serenade worthy...You know, I could seriously use some Starbucks right now, and I know, I'm dating my generation really hideously with that but sometimes a mocha frappe really brightens a day. Or a week. Especially one like this has been.

Did you know they make alcoholic whip cream? It tastes kind of like bad maple syrup. ....Which I know only through hearsay, of course, I mean obviously. [Have a look that is totally innocent but also says lol not really.] I wonder if there's any in the pub. I bet that in some coffee would be a great pick-me-up.

[She starts strumming the guitar. Nothing really magical, just a chord or two or three in no particular order.] So do new people come in every month? I mean, it's starting to seem like that, but Jesus, how have we not hit overcrowding yet?

[Private to Heero]

Did you come through okay?

[Private to the Admiral]

Can I have a pair of those safari vest things,and giant nets? ...And one safari hat.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, same here.

[He gives a weak grin. Look at Johnny, makin' a joke.]

Oh, I'm alright...

You sure you're alright? Sounds like somethin' happened...don't gotta tell me, 'course...just wanted to make sure everything was okay, I guess...

What - just everything with Sveta. And stubbing every toe on my feet and walking into things, but...You know.

Sveta, huh? Don't think I ever met a Sveta...

Me neither, but I was reading about it on the network a little, and it...I don't know. Maybe I should have gotten involved, but I just - I didn't know what to do.

...you sure you don't need somebody to talk to, Olive?

I don't know much, and I ain't so smart, but I figure I could listen, and maybe that'd help...

You sound real upset...

[She pauses for a long moment, and looks away, scratching the back of her head uncomfortably.] I don't like not being able to help people. I mean, it's gotten me into trouble and I can't imagine anything I could've done or said to make things better, but...I just feel like I should have done something, and I didn't even try.

I dunno...I guess I kinda got the same problem...

Helpin's good 'n all, but it don't always turn out good for you...the one time I managed to help anybody, I...

[Gulp.]

...d-died...

[Maybe he shouldn't have said that...she didn't wanna know that, and now she probably wouldn't even wanna talk to him anymore...

[Oh geez...]

I think if you'd been able to help you would've...you're a real good person, Olive, I'm sure people can see it...

[Woah woah WOAH, she needs to back that truck up, Johnny.]

What? [Surprise and concern and asdfkjh all rolled into one, there.]

[What? What do you mean what? What what? What?]

H-huh...?

You died?

O-oh...

[He grabs the back of his neck, staring toward the ground.]

Yea...

Johnny, what - uh-- [Sigh awkward. :c She looks at the floor too, then throws both her hands up.]

What happened?

A lot of things...

[He heaves a big sigh, chewing on his lower a lip a bit and wringing his hands nervously.]

A buddy Ponyboy and me went into this church that was on fire, tryin' to save these kids...

I dunno...I guess I should've just been tough an' let those kids burn, but I just...

[Another sigh.]

I died in the hospital later...I wasn't gonna be able to walk again or nothin'...guess I woulda been pretty miserable if I hadn't gone that way...

[Welp, she has absolutely nothing situational to fall back on for discussing how a friend died, so. Fuck. She's just tangling a hand in her hair.] So - I don't know, I don't think it's tough, letting kids die...But you're a real hero, huh.

Oh...n-naw...not really...

I think...I think anybody woulda done it...saved those kids, I mean...

I ain't so much of a hero...not really...

[Afterall...I killed a guy first. :/ What kinda hero does that?]

[Olive gives him a look that is very nearly eye rolling.] Uh, no, most people would walk away, or wait for the fire department or something, not run in like a Big Damn Hero.

Most people wouldn't kill nobody neither...

A hero wouldn't...

[Might as well put it all out there on the table, right? He just couldn't let her go on thinking he was a hero like that...not when she didn't know what else he had done...

[It wouldn'tve been right, to let her go on thinkin' that...]

[Olive paused, ran a hand through her hair, dropped it, lifted it again - and stood there very awkwardly.] You - ...what happened?

Yea, that's right...some hero, huh. Wouldn't have even found those kids if I weren't runnin' away...

I killed a boy, Olive...I k-killed him...ain't no hero who does that...

That - that doesn't change what you did for those kids, Johnny, I mean - Jesus, why? What happened?

He was gonna d-drown him!

M-my friend...They were gonna d-drown him and then they were gonna...b-beat me up...

So you - you saved your friend, and then you saved a bunch of kids. [That's it, right Johnny, that's how it went D:]

[~~Well sort of, yea...~~]

I k-killed a boy...that boy who was...d-drownin' Ponyboy...my friend...

Was it an accident? Did you - that sounds like self-defense, Johnny.

[He gives a short, bitter laugh.]

Naw, it wasn't no accident...I s-stabbed him...

[He swallows hard, finally looking back up into her eyes, his own glimmering with tears.]

B-but it was...it was self-defense, I swear it was...T-they were drownin' Ponyboy...holdin' his head under...

Th-they were gonna kill him...and...a-and ain't nobody else was around, I had to do s-somethin'...

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