IC contact for maskormenace

[devoutish]

You've reached Alfie Solomons. Leave your name and state your business.

Alfie can be reached via the imPort network, or via a home phone and answering machine. He does have a cell phone, but it's not publicly available.

Comments

voicemail

[trouvaille]

( she'd been meaning to get in touch -

that was him, she thinks, that memory

- but it's something else entirely that prompts this; )

Did you hear about the Porter?

( What does it mean, what the fuck is going on, how did they -

No one seems to want to leave as bad as Alfie. Is he okay. )

text

[devoutish]

[Rather than calling back, he texts via the network.]

Saw it.

[He is Not Happy.]

[trouvaille]

( In the awkward space between 'not wanting to deal with anyone's feelings, ever, it not being a skill she's ever developed' and 'occasionally caring that specific people might have any, sometimes', Gwen dithers for a bit over what to say. Probably should have come up with something beforehand. )

I know loads of swear words if you run out.

( th...ere. look she's trying. )

[devoutish]

[lol @ the idea of Alfie running out of swear words




no actually never mind he just says "fucking" over and over again; that's not very creative]

Nothing to be done about it.

[Not that either of them can do, he means.]

[trouvaille]

Yeah, I know.

( The numerous languages in which she can swear notwithstanding as a useful skill-

It's shit, that's all. )

[devoutish]

[She gets that Alfie is typing... message showing up for a good long while, but nothing is actually sent.]

[trouvaille]

I really don't want this to be my life, you know?

[devoutish]

thought you were happy with it.

[trouvaille]

There's people I'd miss. There's stuff that's not completely shit. And I can't just do nothing with myself, I'd lose my fucking mind. But if you said hey, here's the way home, don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out, it'd be closed behind me before you finished the sentence.

Like, it's better here. I'm legitimately safer. I should probably want to stay, I guess, but it mostly just makes me think if it's up to me, I have to go home. I can't just be like, oh, fuck the lot of you, I'm off to get mine. That's my family.

[devoutish]

what are you looking for from me, Gwen?

[trouvaille]

( Gwen's turn for the really long 'Gwen is typing', as she types and deletes and changes her mind and stares at what she's written and thinks it looks stupid; )

I just wanted to do the thing people do when they care if you have a feeling about something. I mean, you don't have to care, I don't want anything from you, I just thought if I feel bad about this, probably you do, I could notice and acknowledge that. But in a subtle way. Because that's not really your brand. Or mine.

( tl;dr only Gwen can make a gesture of empathy this awkward. )

[devoutish]

my brand?

[trouvaille]

Aesthetic. Vibe. Pinterest mood board. Philosophy.

[devoutish]

and what makes you so sure of my philosophy?

[trouvaille]

Do you want to talk to me about your feelings?

[devoutish]

No. But that isn't the same as never talking to anybody about my feelings.

[trouvaille]

Okay.

[devoutish]

[Oh hell, she's hurt, isn't she. Alfie likes Gwen; he should probably care about that at least a little.]

It's nothing against you.

[trouvaille]

I didn't expect you to want to,

( which is one of the reasons she'd tried to come at it so obliquely, the other one being that 'you probably don't do that' was definitely projecting: )

and like, I don't want to talk about anyone's feelings. But if you wanted to simultaneously have feelings we're not talking about, you know, like. A friend thing.

( ??? did she do it right yet )

[devoutish]

That was more earnest than I expected. I like you like this.

[trouvaille]

Deeply socially awkward?

[devoutish]

Not playing off everything with jokes.

[trouvaille]

I like me better the other way.

( It feels significantly less vulnerable, for one thing. )

[devoutish]

I'm sure you do.

[trouvaille]

Anyway. You don't have to do anything. I hope whatever you're doing works for you annnnnd I'll leave it at that.