IC Contact

[chrisisofaith]

UN: ravens

You've reached Chris Sonom, previously of Melvaunt Deismyr, please leave a message.

Comments

un: chartophyle; text

[compellingstatement]

[This short message takes far longer to type than it ought to. Jon's fingers keep pausing, wondering if he ought to show more emotion, if he ought to try to console or assuage Chris' concerns about him. In the end, he leaves it as something simple.]

Are there any other lawyers in the city you trust?
Daphne's disappeared.
Charlotte, as well, if you know anyone in IT.

[chrisisofaith]

[It takes a minute or so for him to see the message, but when he does, it makes him falter. Charlotte he knew in name only as someone important to Jon. Daphne…Daphne was something else entirely.

A quick check tells him Charles was gone too. Maybe it was a small mercy there.]

I know Elle Woods is a lawyer. Caleb vouched for her insofar as he was a lawyer in training back home as well.

I don’t know any others. Nor do I know anyone in technology specifically, but I’ll reach out for information.

[He sort of assumed everyone new technology who had it…but maybe not, based on how Nate had talked about it.

But more important right now is Jon]

I won’t ask if you’re alright or what you need, though if you have thoughts to that I’ll hear them

Do you ever get tired?
All the comings and goings after so many years
I can’t imagine

[compellingstatement]

[Elle is... bubblegum, champagne, and roses. He can't really imagine her as an effective lawyer, but he'll give her a look in out of courtesy. The thought of dealing with a native lawyer for his contracts is unpleasant.]

I'm always tired.
But it's not much different from home.
At least I'm not certain they're dead... or worse than dead.
Just a suspicion.

[chrisisofaith]

You don’t think there’s a chance they might just go home?
Those that aren’t dead regardless, that is

[compellingstatement]

No.
I think they can bring us and things from our world here.
I don't think they've actually figured out how to send anything or anyone back.
They don't need to, to be able to change us.
I watched Ava gain new scars while she was lying dead asleep in a bed for a week.
I've gone through the same.

[chrisisofaith]

As have I, twice over. The Wish magic took hold without such spells working here

[Which begs the question: can they turn the magic on and off or is it that they aren’t quite what they think they are?

What if there isn’t any taking his boys back with him?]

have you thought about what if we can’t go home? If this is all we can get because the real us is still back home living his life?

cw: a whole bunch of existential dread

[compellingstatement]

I expect I've outlived my double by this point, if that's the case.
I don't think about that particular option much.
More the one where there are parallel universes, very similar to one another.
And in the one I was in, I've left Martin entirely alone in the middle of an apocalyptic hellscape.
He might be favored enough by the Eye not to end up in one of the Fear domains immediately.
But it's likely a matter of time.
Or he'll have faded into a shell of the man I once knew and loved.
Another avatar sucking the life out of his victims in his own domain.
Surrounded by people and entirely alone.

cw: continued

[chrisisofaith]

[That…was the worse option. He’s still not certain he’s even alive back home, but if there’s an alternate world now where, in the arms of death, he simply vanished?

It wouldn’t be as bad as Jon’s version of things for his people, but they would grieve. Maybe he wouldn’t even have a home to go back to, moved on as it would be.]

If that is the case, then we’ll save him. As best as we can. Before we go back to my world, we’re stopping in yours to set things right, one way or the other.

Though, if you’re right, my home would be different as well. Not my world, but our place in it.

We’ll have to find out, cause I also don’t relish popping back into the wrong version where I never left and causing a mess of issues there as well

[compellingstatement]

I don't know how we'd control that.
I suppose if we got hold of whatever's bringing us here.
Magic or machine, neither of those are going to be my particular expertise.

[Which is frustrating. But also... he can't really learn about the relevant magic without knowing what it is, and technology is so broad, it would be like trying to teach himself to become a generalized mechanic. In which case, he wouldn't likely be skilled enough to be of much use.]

Honestly, I just feel so helpless.
And devoting myself to one random field of study only to find out it's irrelevant puts rather a damper on my enthusiasm for a new subject.
Especially if I'm not interested in it to begin with beyond its utility.

[chrisisofaith]

So long as we could break whatever's stopping me from using Gate, our items from home should get us to the right worlds, though I don't know what sort of time will have passed.

I certainly hope we don't pop back to my world exactly when I last remember, that might be complicated. Meantime, we don't need you to be an expert, just your usual observant self.
And to keep hold of that glasses chain of yours.
Even if you finally decide to stop pretending you need glasses someday.

[compellingstatement]

[There's a long pause in Jon's response.]

When, exactly, did you notice the lenses weren't prescription?
And why didn't you say anything then?

[chrisisofaith]

Oh a while back. Months at least.
And cause I figured it was like a safety blanket for you. Something to make you feel better.

[...]

Or is it cause you think it makes you look older?
More distinguished, maybe?
I see now

[compellingstatement]

I don't need a 'safety blanket.'
I'm not a child.

[Nevermind when Chris gives Jon his bracelet to fiddle with. Or accommodates other stupid ticks and sensitivities.]

They're a habit, nothing more.
I started wearing them at university.

[To look older. And more intelligent.]

[chrisisofaith]

Everyone has a safety blanket, something that makes them feel better.
Mine’s a prickly and short man who wears glasses he doesn’t need.

And if it was a ‘habit’ then did you really need them to start? Were they always just for show?

I’ll tease you less if you tell me the truth

[compellingstatement]

How would you even know if I was lying over text?

[chrisisofaith]

Because I don’t need to Know things to know you
Just as I know you hate and love that I do.

I know a lot of things about you

[compellingstatement]

Glasses are a perfectly legitimate accessory.
People wear bracelets and rings.
Why not glasses?

[chrisisofaith]

You dig deeper the more embarrassed you feel you should be
It’s endearing

[compellingstatement]

Is this supposed to be teasing me less?

[chrisisofaith]

I said I’d tease you less if you told the truth, but you’re just digging up more deflections!

[compellingstatement]

Fine.
I wore them as a fashion accessory.

[chrisisofaith]

To make you look more learned
I understand
And it does make you seem very distinguished at first. I’m very fond of your glasses.
Another reason not to lose them or the chain

[compellingstatement]

‘At first’?

[chrisisofaith]

You have many many charms my love

Now, shall we talk about what you don’t actually want to talk about?

How you’re feeling with two rather close friends gone. What I can do for you tonight to ease your heart

What we’re going to do the next time guilt eats at you and you need a firm hand to set the course once more

[compellingstatement]

I don’t need a dom.

[There’s a lot to address in Chris’ message, but that’s the first thing that catches his eye.]

I had coping mechanisms before Duplicity that didn’t involve that.
I’ll just turn back to those.

[Were they healthy? Not especially. But they existed.]

For tonight, I was planning on working through.
There’s an interesting statement I’m researching.
Might take a while.
It’s fine.
Enjoy the evening with Wolfe.