[A retelling of history from someone without a degree. It's an interesting concept however.]
You're going to have to explain indulgent. Remember I'm used to colorful blocks in different shapes.
[His features turn pleasant.]
Peter had another game with the dog? That hunted ducks. That one I liked. Not the duck hunting part I mean I understand it but the dog was kind of funny.
[He can't do pets. Period. But digital animals? sure.]
Well yeah, but you'd want to give them toys and pet them and feed them. They need toys - the admiral is a lapcat but he has his toys.
If I'm going to invest time and effort into caring for something I want to be able to give it all my time and attention you know? I'm not the best with affection. I'll own that. But when I make the time and effort...you know. And the job...
[He sighs and takes a bite of his sandwich.]
I'm rambling. I really did want to hear about you. So you play Assassin's Creed, you like dogs.
[He hesitates, before smiling and opening his phone to show him a photo of himself, a dark skinned woman with thick black curly hair, and a very large, very fluffy orange cat.]
This is the admiral.
[His smile is fond.] Georgie's my ex-roommate. We went to college together. She's had the cat ...
God. I don't remember.
[He chuckles]
But the admiral's her cat. I go and have tea with her sometimes and the admiral is very - fond. Of interrupting tea by shoving his ass in my face and demanding backscratches.
[ 'ex-roommate?' martin wants to press, but he doesn't, because he knows that he doesn't really have any ground to -- and because he doesn't want to ruin this, anyway. ]
Look at that- I was right. You are a cat person. [ he'll just seem a little proud of himself here as he finishes up his sandwich. ] I, uh- was that the file you needed, by the way?
[He chuckles] when he's not sitting on my laptop. He broke it and Georgie still hasn't replaced it.
[Something in his tone says that it doesn't matter but then he takes the file and everything else falls away. He's not Jon Sims for a moment he's The Archivist.]
Yes this is exactly it. I think there's ...a name in this that might - I was looking for it awhile back but I'm trying to trace if it's the same person, if it's another avatar. These people have - they seem to be immortal.
[Not going to address if the same applies to him. It's ...not a thought he can think of somehow cats and afternoon sandwiches and books are nothing compared to this.]
[ this kind of thing makes him uncomfortable and he wonders if he should even pretend otherwise. the good natured smile on his face flags into something a little more cautious, a lot more wary, and he pushes himself to his feet. ]
--yeah, fascinating. I'm going to go check on Tim, then, I reckon. Just... let me know if you need anything else.
It occurs then that people might not see him as social. He's not. To be quite honest apart from Georgie and a few college friends he's not the sort of person to...actively seek out human beings. He just sort of wanders. Martin is acting like The Admiral a little bit. Determinedly invading his space but how could he say no?
Still he's stayed and he keeps asking.]
all right. I would. I mean.
[The hunger on his face as he looks at the file is real and his holding it lingers.]
Thanks again for the sandwich. [pause] My grandmother for some reason had an absolute aversion - when I was younger - to anything but bologna sandwiches. I think we had a fight about it when I was about...10? And one day she just sort of replaced the stuff with pastrami.
[One of the few nice moments from her.
He loved her. She was just...set in her ways.]
You get stuck with it. What kind of sandwiches do you like?
[ but jon is opening up (which is nice) and he feels like he owes him the same in return. he doesn't usually broach the topic of his mother often with jon, but jon doesn't usually talk much about his grandmother, so he'll tentatively add: ]
It was my mum's favorite. Turkey and cheese? Easiest thing to get her to eat when she was having a bad day.
right?! It's like dammit Jon get it together good onya Martin
[There is a tickle in the back of his mind. A subtle little nudge. That's what he's sort of noticing these nudges more and more frequently. It's not an image it's just there's more there and he has never really given Martin the time of day personally - on personal matters.
ask ask ask
But why? It's private
Except it's not it's...interesting.]
...Bad day?
[Jon Sims to his credit, to his endless credit sounds genuinely kind.]
[ he's never really talked about his mother with jon - he's never really had the opportunity. tim knows all about her, and so had sasha, but they'd spent time in the proverbial trenches together.
it was different with jon. ]
She's, um- she's pretty ill. She has been for a long time. I was taking care of her when I started working here.
She's, um. She's been in a care facility for a while. It just got to be- you know how it is.
[ or probably he doesn't. his mother sometimes still resents just looking at him. martin bobs his head, trying to shake off the frown like water. when he smiles at jon, it's still just the slightest bit strained. ]
[He always did that. Georgie said he pried. They'd had a fight about it. He sighs.]
You and Assassin's Creed and a desire for a dog.
[It seems only fair right? He feels bad. Martin is just too damn nice for his own good and that same eagerness, that same nudge ...
He pauses, turning to reach into his desk before pulling out a very battered copy of Jurassic Park.]
Don't refuse it please. I have another copy at home but that might give me something more to say then...babbling uselessly about uncomfortable personal nonsense Georgie...
[he sighs.]
I'm not good with people. Should be bloody obvious.
[ martin leans forward to take the book without hesitation, smoothing it in his lap and giving jon a slightly delayed, very quizzical look. he wants to press a bit, to insist that it's fine - that this is the best possible outcome that he could imagine. that he likes sharing things with jon, and having things shared with him in return.
that it's nice.
instead, he just smooths the book in his lap. ]
I think you do just fine. It's - I'm rather enjoying the conversation, Jon. I'm sorry if I made you think otherwise.
What did Georgie say. I'm shy ridiculously shy when it comes to...personal discussions. And with everything that's happened recently it's...harder to connect to all of you than I'd like it to be. Especially with you Especially after everything -
[But! He digresses. Waving a hand.]
So. You play video games. And you eat turkey sandwiches. How else do you spend your time?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
right!!
[ he doesn't take a seat, but he does linger around a bit awkwardly. ]
Assassin's Creed, recently? They've - er, they've got good stories. You'd probably like them.
Re: right!!
[Jon Sims will get right to the point. Accepting the sandwich he wraps a napkin around it before studying him. Assassin's Creed]
It sounds exciting at least. What's it about?
Re: right!!
It's just - a sort-of retelling of history, in a way? But with, um, indulgent video game flair.
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You're going to have to explain indulgent. Remember I'm used to colorful blocks in different shapes.
[His features turn pleasant.]
Peter had another game with the dog? That hunted ducks. That one I liked. Not the duck hunting part I mean I understand it but the dog was kind of funny.
[He can't do pets. Period. But digital animals? sure.]
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[ martin tries very hard not to smile down at his sandwich. ]
You always struck me as more of a cat guy.
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[he considers the question for a moment taking a bit of his sandwich.]
Just because a dog was funny in a cartoon doesn't mean I enjoy dogs in person. They're loud. He just-
[Enough.]
Cats I like but I could never spend time actually taking care of one. Friends with them are the exception. Or it might just be the admiral.
[He stares at his sandwich. This is the most open he's been with anyone in...awhile.]
...do...do you like animals? Sitting down to play games with a pet in tow?
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[ it's certainly the most open he's been with martin, and he enjoys soaking it up. ]
But yeah, I've always wanted a dog. Never really had the time for one. Or the space? Hard to come by in London.
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If I'm going to invest time and effort into caring for something I want to be able to give it all my time and attention you know? I'm not the best with affection. I'll own that. But when I make the time and effort...you know. And the job...
[He sighs and takes a bite of his sandwich.]
I'm rambling. I really did want to hear about you. So you play Assassin's Creed, you like dogs.
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No, wait, rewind: who's the Admiral?
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This is the admiral.
[His smile is fond.] Georgie's my ex-roommate. We went to college together. She's had the cat ...
God. I don't remember.
[He chuckles]
But the admiral's her cat. I go and have tea with her sometimes and the admiral is very - fond. Of interrupting tea by shoving his ass in my face and demanding backscratches.
[He laughs aloud]
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Look at that- I was right. You are a cat person. [ he'll just seem a little proud of himself here as he finishes up his sandwich. ] I, uh- was that the file you needed, by the way?
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[He chuckles] when he's not sitting on my laptop. He broke it and Georgie still hasn't replaced it.
[Something in his tone says that it doesn't matter but then he takes the file and everything else falls away. He's not Jon Sims for a moment he's The Archivist.]
Yes this is exactly it. I think there's ...a name in this that might - I was looking for it awhile back but I'm trying to trace if it's the same person, if it's another avatar. These people have - they seem to be immortal.
[Not going to address if the same applies to him. It's ...not a thought he can think of somehow cats and afternoon sandwiches and books are nothing compared to this.]
It's fascinating. Isn't it?
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--yeah, fascinating. I'm going to go check on Tim, then, I reckon. Just... let me know if you need anything else.
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Tim is okay?
I-
I mean I'm ...
This will help. But yeah. If you need to go. You should.
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[ martin hesitates again, because he'd half expected jon to shoo him out of his office. ]
Unless you'd like some company.
After 169 this hurts so much in a good way
It occurs then that people might not see him as social. He's not. To be quite honest apart from Georgie and a few college friends he's not the sort of person to...actively seek out human beings. He just sort of wanders. Martin is acting like The Admiral a little bit. Determinedly invading his space but how could he say no?
Still he's stayed and he keeps asking.]
all right. I would. I mean.
[The hunger on his face as he looks at the file is real and his holding it lingers.]
Thanks again for the sandwich. [pause] My grandmother for some reason had an absolute aversion - when I was younger - to anything but bologna sandwiches. I think we had a fight about it when I was about...10? And one day she just sort of replaced the stuff with pastrami.
[One of the few nice moments from her.
He loved her. She was just...set in her ways.]
You get stuck with it. What kind of sandwiches do you like?
169 was so solid
[ but jon is opening up (which is nice) and he feels like he owes him the same in return. he doesn't usually broach the topic of his mother often with jon, but jon doesn't usually talk much about his grandmother, so he'll tentatively add: ]
It was my mum's favorite. Turkey and cheese? Easiest thing to get her to eat when she was having a bad day.
right?! It's like dammit Jon get it together good onya Martin
ask ask ask
But why? It's private
Except it's not it's...interesting.]
...Bad day?
[Jon Sims to his credit, to his endless credit sounds genuinely kind.]
they're both disasters right now imo
[ he's never really talked about his mother with jon - he's never really had the opportunity. tim knows all about her, and so had sasha, but they'd spent time in the proverbial trenches together.
it was different with jon. ]
She's, um- she's pretty ill. She has been for a long time. I was taking care of her when I started working here.
true.
[He is sorry. That's enough to shock him out of any of the desire to turn his attention back to work. Parents are a whole other level.
And it feels human in a ghoulish way then - a way that makes him uncomfortable.]
That's...very hard doesn't begin to describe it does it? And you take care of her still?
[a pause. Martin comes by his kindness honestly.]
Good thing the place pays well doesn't it.
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[ or probably he doesn't. his mother sometimes still resents just looking at him. martin bobs his head, trying to shake off the frown like water. when he smiles at jon, it's still just the slightest bit strained. ]
Just been me for a bit. I don't mind.
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[He always did that. Georgie said he pried. They'd had a fight about it. He sighs.]
You and Assassin's Creed and a desire for a dog.
[It seems only fair right? He feels bad. Martin is just too damn nice for his own good and that same eagerness, that same nudge ...
He pauses, turning to reach into his desk before pulling out a very battered copy of Jurassic Park.]
Don't refuse it please. I have another copy at home but that might give me something more to say then...babbling uselessly about uncomfortable personal nonsense Georgie...
[he sighs.]
I'm not good with people. Should be bloody obvious.
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that it's nice.
instead, he just smooths the book in his lap. ]
I think you do just fine. It's - I'm rather enjoying the conversation, Jon. I'm sorry if I made you think otherwise.
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[He sighs, staring at his hands.]
What did Georgie say. I'm shy ridiculously shy when it comes to...personal discussions. And with everything that's happened recently it's...harder to connect to all of you than I'd like it to be. Especially with you Especially after everything -
[But! He digresses. Waving a hand.]
So. You play video games. And you eat turkey sandwiches. How else do you spend your time?
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-- especially with me?
[ he's doing his best not to look wounded, and he's only partially succeeding. ]
Why is it harder with me?
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thank you for this this thread is joy
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[/cries]
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action? -->
action!
:D
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