[ It's a small relief to have someone who understands. It's different from being in the military, which Ephemera had taken as a comfort. The knowledge that he always had a brother or sister to watch his back. That one of them would wake him if he had nightmares. Protect him in the dark.
It was different in prison. A relentless, unending threat. He thinks Ginia was the only one who really understood that.
Ginia, and now Drake.
Ephemera exhales slowly. Doesn't say anything for a while. ]
....look, I can't afford the rent here on my own. I got some extra money saved up from a job I did, but it's not going to last.
[ So. That's a thing. ]
Offer's open to you, or. Anyone you know, I guess.
[ Drake falters a little at that offer, which he really didn't expect but probably should have. It feels wrong in some ways, with him still holding back some of the truth and it being the room of someone who hadn't seemed to like him, but he can manage this, right? He can keep things separate. He wants to leap at the incredibly generous offer.
[ Drake's smile is playful -- he doesn't have terms because he's lived with Ephemera before, for... a long time, and in closer quarters than this. If he had any major objections he'd know them already. This version had managed to surprise him a couple times, he supposes, but he's still comfortable playing it by ear. If only to sleep better than he does in the Safehouse. He's starting to look as consistently zombie-ish as before he was cured. ]
Then you've got yourself a roommate, as long as this is in the price range I'm thinking.
[ Which is still such a strange concept, being back in a world with currency. ]
[ His brow furrows a little at what specifically he's being thanked for, but. He can guess at 'all of this.' ]
You're welcome. Thank you for the invite.
[ Does he mean to drink? To move in? Who knows! He's been a little thrown off by both, but supposes it means he hasn't made things too weird, at least not yet. He can do this. ]
I used to think about that, actually. What are the chances, when you add in all the different worlds and realities... one in an almost infinite number of possibilities, right? Well, now I've met the same person twice.
[ And still feels lucky for it, even if it aches that this isn't the person he knew. It's still a one in infinity shot. ]
I don't know what I was getting at, but it's a good thing.
[ It should be impossible. A fluke or a trick, something insidious and designed to hurt. But somehow Ephemera doesn't think it's a trick, though he's hard pressed to spell out exactly why. There have been other tricks here. The Freelancers. Whatever or whoever is pulling the strings behind the scenes. Drake feels genuine, though. Too honest with what he's shown.
Ephemera trusts him. It feels easy, in the way very little has recently. ]
Universe is a strange place.
[ Ephemera leans back a little, watching Drake. ]
Used to think it was fucked. Me and everyone in it, we were just waiting to die. Wasn't anything good except the fight.
[ He says it slowly, blinking through the headache that's come to conquer. But it feels important to get the words out. To say this. ]
I don't know. I met people here, and I started....I don't know. Thought they were worth something. That they were good people despite all the shit they'd been through. And then I met you and...and you were one of those good people.
[ He doesn't know where he's going with that. But it feels important, somehow. ]
Felt like I could try again, you know? Try being a person.
[ Drake's heard this speech before -- almost. He hopes he knows where it's going, anyway, and so doesn't argue the first few statements. Instead he waits for Ephemera to get there on his own, to realize that the universe isn't fucked. That there are bad people and shit situations and those are the ones that get all the attention, the ones that you latch onto, but there's good to be found, too. There are people doing their best for others, and that he could be one of them.
Ephemera gets there on his own, cites him and Drake smiles quietly. ]
You can always try again. Remember that the path up's not a straight line. We're just people, trying -- sometimes it looks more like a heartbeat.
[ He taps his chest, then draws a jagged line climbing ever upwards. ]
I know you can do this. And if you need help, I'm not planning on going anywhere. I'm stubborn like that.
[ Ephemera huffs at that. But he smiles too, just a little. A heartbeat. Not a straight line. He likes that. The possibility that things could get better even if the process isn't simple, or clean. ]
[ He knows. And it's a damn shame because things could have turned out differently if only someone had given a shit. Drake nods a little in understanding and lightens his tone. ]
You'll have to let me know how you like it, then. If I'm a pain in the ass you'd better tell me.
[ It's about then that Drake realizes he doesn't recall Ephemera ever getting truly angry with him. Huh. Frustrated, yeah, but not to the point that a fight had him worried. Everyone argues, everyone has rough spots, but... no, he shouldn't be thinking about this. About anyone besides the person in front of him. It's hard not to, though.
He laughs a little at the subtlety comment, which is very true. ]
I prefer that, honestly. Less guesswork... I've spent too much of my life on that shit already.
It's a good way to go about it, if you can manage it.
[ Ephemera figures his life is complicated enough. He doesn't like to lie, though he's not always good at explaining himself, and going for blunt, brutal honesty usually gets to the point much faster. Things felt simpler when he was Sharkface. One objective, one ending. Everything else was a detail, and those could be pushed aside.
The aftermath is messier. Harder. But it feels important to try. ]
Know I said it already, but. Thank you.
[ That feels important, too. Getting that out in the world. ]
[ Maybe it's fast, but it feels all right. He trusts Drake. It's a different sort of trust than what he had with Ginia, but they aren't the same and that's fine. People should just be themselves. ]
[ Okay, moving still isn't super fun, but Drake shakes off the wave of "hey you're still hung over" and manages to get himself upright. He's fine. ]
I'll see you in a little while. It's not like I have much. [ He points at the empty bottle where it sits on the coffee table. ] Don't throw that out, I still want it.
[ Ephemera considers that for a moment, then shakes his head. ]
Maybe later. A shower sounds good right now.
[ Maybe some more breakfast too, if he can manage it. Throw some shit together. He's not great at cooking, but he's pretty sure there's some stuff left in the fridge. He can heat that up. Start to feel more like a person. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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It was different in prison. A relentless, unending threat. He thinks Ginia was the only one who really understood that.
Ginia, and now Drake.
Ephemera exhales slowly. Doesn't say anything for a while. ]
....look, I can't afford the rent here on my own. I got some extra money saved up from a job I did, but it's not going to last.
[ So. That's a thing. ]
Offer's open to you, or. Anyone you know, I guess.
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That isn't what comes out. ]
Are you sure? I might be... complicated.
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[ That came out wrong. Ephemera exhales. Scrubs a hand across his face. ]
Be easier if it were someone I trusted.
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He smiles quietly, ducking his head. ]
Usually is. Okay. I'm in, on one condition.
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What?
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This he can do. ]
Think I can manage that, yeah.
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Then you've got yourself a roommate, as long as this is in the price range I'm thinking.
[ Which is still such a strange concept, being back in a world with currency. ]
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[ He waves his hand vaguely. Less fried. ]
....thank you. For this. All of this.
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[ His brow furrows a little at what specifically he's being thanked for, but. He can guess at 'all of this.' ]
You're welcome. Thank you for the invite.
[ Does he mean to drink? To move in? Who knows! He's been a little thrown off by both, but supposes it means he hasn't made things too weird, at least not yet. He can do this. ]
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Look. I know this isn't....I know it's a lot. But I'm glad we got the chance to meet. Just. Thought I should say that.
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[ And still feels lucky for it, even if it aches that this isn't the person he knew. It's still a one in infinity shot. ]
I don't know what I was getting at, but it's a good thing.
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Ephemera trusts him. It feels easy, in the way very little has recently. ]
Universe is a strange place.
[ Ephemera leans back a little, watching Drake. ]
Used to think it was fucked. Me and everyone in it, we were just waiting to die. Wasn't anything good except the fight.
[ He says it slowly, blinking through the headache that's come to conquer. But it feels important to get the words out. To say this. ]
I don't know. I met people here, and I started....I don't know. Thought they were worth something. That they were good people despite all the shit they'd been through. And then I met you and...and you were one of those good people.
[ He doesn't know where he's going with that. But it feels important, somehow. ]
Felt like I could try again, you know? Try being a person.
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Ephemera gets there on his own, cites him and Drake smiles quietly. ]
You can always try again. Remember that the path up's not a straight line. We're just people, trying -- sometimes it looks more like a heartbeat.
[ He taps his chest, then draws a jagged line climbing ever upwards. ]
I know you can do this. And if you need help, I'm not planning on going anywhere. I'm stubborn like that.
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Thank you. It, ah.
[ He shrugs a little. ]
Haven't had a lot of people do that for me.
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You'll have to let me know how you like it, then. If I'm a pain in the ass you'd better tell me.
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He laughs a little at the subtlety comment, which is very true. ]
I prefer that, honestly. Less guesswork... I've spent too much of my life on that shit already.
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[ Ephemera figures his life is complicated enough. He doesn't like to lie, though he's not always good at explaining himself, and going for blunt, brutal honesty usually gets to the point much faster. Things felt simpler when he was Sharkface. One objective, one ending. Everything else was a detail, and those could be pushed aside.
The aftermath is messier. Harder. But it feels important to try. ]
Know I said it already, but. Thank you.
[ That feels important, too. Getting that out in the world. ]
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[ He stretches a little consideringly, the hydration having helped his headache a bit. ]
I think I'm actually going to head over there and grab a shower after all, then pack up and come right back if that's cool.
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Yeah. Yeah, that's okay.
[ Maybe it's fast, but it feels all right. He trusts Drake. It's a different sort of trust than what he had with Ginia, but they aren't the same and that's fine. People should just be themselves. ]
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[ Okay, moving still isn't super fun, but Drake shakes off the wave of "hey you're still hung over" and manages to get himself upright. He's fine. ]
I'll see you in a little while. It's not like I have much. [ He points at the empty bottle where it sits on the coffee table. ] Don't throw that out, I still want it.
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I won't. You gonna be okay getting down there?
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Maybe later. A shower sounds good right now.
[ Maybe some more breakfast too, if he can manage it. Throw some shit together. He's not great at cooking, but he's pretty sure there's some stuff left in the fridge. He can heat that up. Start to feel more like a person. ]
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