[video]

[scotch_egg]

[when he appears he looks more like an unmade bed than usual. His eyes are red rimmed and bloodshot. There's an obvious hotel room behind him and more than one empty bottle of something someone with a heart condition really shouldn't be drinking-- and it shows]

Congratulations,

You win. You've got it all. Magic, reincarnation, astral fucking projection for all I know. You don't really belong in this normal world, you're not just another bloody sheep, you're something better. Something more.

Good for you and I hope it doesn't blow up in your bloody face.

'Bye.

[and he hangs up. Or at least covers the phone with his hand which is the same thing]

Comments

disconnected;

[traceofeffort]

[She almost doesn't believe it when he hangs up, shaking her monitor like an idiot.]

No. No, no, no, how dare you, you asshole! We're not done!

[But she doesn't try to call back. Not that she can when her roommate busts in asking who just dumped her and she has to scramble to run damage control, but either way, she's fuming. She'll remember this.]

[chenqing_player]

[He hasn't met this man..but the family resemblance is impressive.]

Are you are talking to someone in particular or just in general? But I think we are still sheep, just a group of black ones and our shepherd has changed.

[scotch_egg]

Doesn't matter. We're all lead like sheep to the slaughter anyway. [the voice is unfamiliar and he moves his hand to squint at the phone]

Do I know you?

[chenqing_player]

No but I think I may have met your..cousin? I'm kind of new to this whole past memory thing.

[scotch_egg]

Of course you have. [hasn't everyone.]

Maybe you'll develop "magic" powers to impress your friends and enemies.

[chenqing_player]

I'd rather just stay as myself. I'm good without the magic.

[scotch_egg]

You may as well get used to it. Being Different will warp you, who you thought you were, who you really are, even worse if you have some ability like a bloody xman or whatever it is. You'll change and you'll no longer know what's real or not but it's easier to believe the madness because it feels better.

[chenqing_player]

Isn't that why we have each other? To bring us back to what is normal when the weird stuff tries to take that away? What good is having a support system if it doesn't help you keep your focus?

[scotch_egg]

Right. Exactly. All join hands and cry over our miserable pasts. Someone should bring biscuits. Sounds like a great time.

Hope it does wonders for you. [he considers pouring himself more scotch but then just drinks it from the bottle. There's not much left anyway]

[chenqing_player]

I'm not saying I'm down for anything like that but it's good to have a few people to talk to who at least understand that it is like our brains are being rewired.

[scotch_egg]

Right. Like I said, hope you find it useful.

[he'd still rather avoid it]

[chenqing_player]

So what set you off? Sounds kind of like jealousy. You don't have to tell me obviously. I'm just a nobody on the network, but I'm nosy.

[scotch_egg]

Because I'm a giant bloody knob.

[and it had struck right to the core of him. Jealousy was what it was and he was being a great child about it rather than sucking it up and dealing with it and all the other horse shit piled around him drawing family and flies. There was too much and every day there was more and he felt like he was drowning in it all.

But he would be better tomorrow.

He would have to be.

He wasn't done yet though he would be soon so might as well work up til the end]

[chenqing_player]

[He's not completely familiar with the term but he gets the jist.]

So you're mad at yourself that you're jealous? And mad at the one you are jealous of?

[scotch_egg]

Oh so now you're a psychoanalyst.

What--

[but then he winces as his blood starts to hammer in his ears. Oof he is getting too worked up over this. It is not good.

He stumbles away from the desk he was sitting at and gropes for his pills, washing them down with the last swallow of liquor, then sits heavily on the end of the bed, his head in his hands]

Fine yes. Everything. You're absolutely spot on. Well done.

[now if the room would stop spinning he could hang up and go to sleep]

[chenqing_player]

[He has seen enough of this kind of drunk in his line of work..it's never pretty.]

Maybe you should drink some water. If you want I can come dump a gallon of it down your throat cause I'm not sure I trust you to drink it yourself.

[scotch_egg]

Fuck you. What do you know about anything? Go stick your bloody nose in someone else's business.

[chenqing_player]

I know when someone's had too much and probably shouldn't be alone. I've seen enough of it in my line of work.

[He also knows a few tricks on how to cleanse some of that out of him. He's no doctor but he can tell when things aren't supposed to be mixed.]

Honestly I can probably figure out where you are on my own based on the hotel room and the fact I know your name. So even if you tell me no I could still show up.

[He's also pretty clever and knows a lot about hotel rooms.]

[scotch_egg]

What the hell gives you the right? I don't even know you. [he doesn't trust him not to make good on his threat though. People here were like that. They didn't know how to leave well enough alone.]

Piss off.

[he hangs up. Then, when he feels his heart has settled enough, he gets up and, staggering a bit, gathers his things. He will go somewhere else. Even if he has to sit up in a bloody subway station all night long.

He hates everyone in this bloody city]

[temptationaccomplished]

And so are you, Alec. Very much so.

[He wants to say more and if the ooc delay on this tag is any indication, it was very hard for him to decide whether or not to say it: if it would be kinder or crueler to Alec to express how much he values having Alec in his life and does not want to lose that.]

[scotch_egg]

[he snorts at that. Not that he doesn't believe him, but there's a difference between good and effectual and he's never been very good at the latter.

Their relationship, though, such as it was-- He's not a good enough man to keep it going. There doesn't seem much point. But he is confident that over time it will cease to matter. Two people who looked at each other like that didn't need anyone else]

Good night, Fell.

[temptationaccomplished]

Good night, Alec. Mind how you go.

[chenqing_player]

[He flinches as he gets hung up on. In all honesty he expected that a lot sooner in the conversation. But now he is torn...he certainly doesn't want the guy passing out on the street but he has no real way to track him down other then a rough guess of location. He stares at the phone and contemplates calling Anthony and telling him how big a mistake he made...

he'll continue to contemplate that as he grabs his hoodie, pulls it on and decides its time for a run to find a drunk jealous dude. He stuffs a couple things into his backpack before slinging it on and heading out, phone still in hand and debating that call...]

[scotch_egg]

[he won't find him. New York is a big place and drunk as Alec is, he's also able to think quick enough on his feet to shake anyone but the most determined or connected]

[darkenedmoon]

Do not mistake my approval for an overabundance of sentimentality--we do not know each other that well. However, you have a keen mind and sense, two things of which I approve.

[That and if Yotsuyu's ever been good at making friends, she might have more of them. It at least appears that they can tolerate each other...]

You had better, or I shall come track you down. [No, she's not precisely sure how, but Yotsuyu really isn't above using the resources at hand...]