Texts from Last Night [bakerstreet]

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

[[OOC: Cross-posting the contents of my top-level for this week's TFLN meme. Anyone who comes across this later and wants to play, go ahead and reply to this entry.]]

[Note: Muse is 19 years old.]

1) I think you blew our chances when you yelled "YOU SLUTS COMING TO THE TITTIE BAR?" in their face

2) why is there an outline of Aquagirl's body on my wall in whip cream?
--> [ Thread with Gemini ]

3) as she was beating the hell out of his ex-boyfriend, she screamed "prison rules" and smashed his head with a beer bottle. I'm oddly afraid yet so attracted to her now.
--> [ Thread with Jason ]

4) looking back it was a good thing we were too wasted to fire up the chainsaw

5) Sorry for walking in on you guys last night. FYI I have a bruise on my forehead from having the door slammed in my face. I deserved it.

6) Text Eddie

Comments

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Thread start - in response to the starter: i'm not saving your life if you annoy me.

* * * *

[Eddie stares at the latest text from Jason for a while, trying to figure out what to say. He discards a dozen starts as too angry, too rooted in hurt, and finally settles on-- ]

You can call this number, and I'll answer the phone.

[theotherobin]

[ anger, hurt, fucking up. yeah, Jason gets all of that. he also gets this feeling all too well, and how easily one can get there when they're always rooted in it. Eddie never seemed the type though. Jason knows what it's like to pretend though, too.

so he calls the number. ]

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

[Of course Eddie can act like he's normal. He grew up surrounded by people who make their living by being convincing liars, by being actors. They get screamed at by directors, and then they smile and try again and hope that this time it's what people want to see.]

[Eddie picks up after two rings. The words are strained and quiet, from the effort of speaking without letting his shake.] Hello. I'm here.

I'm sorry.

[theotherobin]

[ maybe that's why they're friends. Jason grew up around a lot of convincing liars too. smile, act like you're fine, survive and be the best you can be. ]

What are you saying sorry for, man? That should be me. I was just kidding around with you. I didn't mean to be such a fucking asshole for no goddamn reason.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Maybe I'm sorry that I'm here. [a pause, and then Eddie amends,] That's not right. That's the depression talking.

I'm sorry because you don't need to take on any of my problems. I'm sure you're dealing with enough crap, because that's the life we lead. But... also thank you. For calling. [For wanting to talk to me, for apologizing even if it's not your fault that I took your words wrong.]

People have been... really getting to me lately. I can't handle interacting them, and I feel like an idiot for struggling.

[theotherobin]

You're not an idiot. People can be.... a lot.

[ even if Jason acts like he can handle it. he's charming, he's a people person, he can handle anything, right? people are definitely a lot, though. ]

I'm fine, Eddie. You can tell me anything, it's cool. Just talk to me, man.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

I don't know if I can. Tell you this, I mean. [Eddie takes a breath.] I don't know if you'll believe me -- if you'll be able to believe me, or remember what I'm saying.

You know about alternate universes. [It's not a question; just a fact of their weird fucking lives.] The world I'm originally from, the world I was born in, it doesn't exist anymore. The world I've been living in was made up of the pieces of other realities that survived that crisis, but it changed. It became a new Earth. It made itself a new Eddie Bloomberg.

[Eddie can't stop his voice from shaking now.] I'm not supposed to exist anymore. He is. Nobody was ever supposed to know that I used to exist. But I ran away. The multiverse was out there again, and I ran away.

[theotherobin]

Okay well fuck the alternate universe then.

[that's his logical answer to everything, but hey, sometimes it works...ish.]

Even if the world you're originally from doesn't exist anymore, you still do. The new Eddie is just a new, different Eddie. Not you. Who the fuck cares. You're not supposed to exist anymore? Fuck that. You survived even when you weren't supposed to. Props to you, man. I don't know any other Eddie but you.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

[Eddie doesn't know if he can allow himself to feel relief when Jason says "I don't know any other Eddie but you". Maybe that will be enough of a difference, but if it's not...]

It wears me down. The people that do know the other Eddie, they always forget that I'm not him. It's to the point where it's not worth it to remind them.

Maybe I shouldn't care, but when almost everybody I meet is disappointed that I'm different... [Eddie laughs, without much humor,] Sometimes, I get so mad that I want to fight the whole world.

[theotherobin]

Listen, man. I'd be mad about it too. The fuck are they even disappointed about? You're still you.

But if they're gonna keep that shit up, fuck em. That's the hardest part but sometimes it's gotta be done. You gotta look out for you, dude. No one else is ever gonna do it but you. And hey, you've come this far. Who's to say you're not supposed to exist. That's all bullshit too.

pardon the backstory wall-o-words, I just came up with the details and got excited...

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Maybe it's just confusion and not disappointment, I don't know.

[Eddie could explain the circumstances of his survival -- how he'd stayed with the Institute of Hypernormal Conflict Studies at his parents' behest and they'd ended up worried about the latest multiversal crisis. How the three head doctors had brainstormed a shielding device, and Eddie had helped, but they ran out of time to build something large enough -- and Eddie had been pushed into the test chamber when the cascade of changes hit the present and was saved from erasure.]

[It didn't feel purposeful. It felt like dodging a hail of bullets that took out people he cared about. Eddie takes a breath and doesn't talk about any of that. Instead, he says,] Maybe my first step is to stop caring about what people think. I...

Thanks, Jason. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut when it comes to blaming myself. You're good at smacking me with common sense.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Carter Ghazikhanian sends out the text message: I need your help investigating. Someone left me chocolates and a card that says they 'burn for me'. This is weird.

Eddie responds: Off the cuff, first guess -- arsonist with a crush

[ Thread start ]

[extrasensory_problems]

It's the first one.

[Carter says as he comes back and has a seat next to Eddie, passing him a glass of water.]

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

[Eddie drinks deeply from the glass of water, and makes sure there's a coaster to set it on before putting it down. (Oh, the consequences of putting a drink cup directly on a leading lady's antique coffee table have stuck with him...)]

And I'm going to guess you haven't noticed anybody following you around or asking you to hang out with them a lot. I mean, maybe it's happening, but you're a busy student so chances of you noticing are low.

[Eddie leans forward and flips open the lid on his testing kit. He pulls on a set of latex gloves and starts arranging the items from the kit onto the coffee table. Then he opens the box of chocolates.] Any particular reason why you decided to ask me for help?

[He uses a set of forceps to select a piece of chocolate and starts the process of testing it for contaminants or poisons.]

[extrasensory_problems]

[Eddie doesn't have to bother with the coaster, Carter is a college student so it's not like any of his stuff is expensive or nice.]

Nope, haven't noticed anyone following me and as sad as it sounds no one ever really asks me to hang out with them a lot.

[He's a bit of a loner.]

You seemed like the person with the most experience with this stuff.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

[Maybe Eddie will get over the epic scolding from Cheryl Meepe someday, but today is not that day.]

Well, social obligations take away from study time and all that... I dunno if it's sad, unless it makes you sad.

[Eddie gives a little huff of laughter, keeping his eyes focused on his work.] Oh yeah, all kinds of adaptations to make up for being without superpowers. It's my whole schtick.

[extrasensory_problems]

Nah it doesn't make me sad.

[He's been on his own for so long that he doesn't even really notice most of the time.]

I don't think you need superpowers in order to do what you do. Sometimes powers just complicate everything.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

I don't like to judge other people. I like being social and all that, but if you don't, that's fine. It doesn't make you "sad" or whatever, it just makes you different from me. And I'm not so great that I should be a standard of behavior.

[Even as he's been talking, Eddie keeps most of his attention focused on the task at hand, dividing the selected sweet into enough pieces for all his tests.]

Do you find that powers complicate things?

[extrasensory_problems]

How are you usually social? Do you go out to a lot of parties and stuff like that?

[Carter watches him work, sipping at his own water.]

I can't speak for all powers but in my experience psychic stuff sure does.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Not a lot of parties. I'll swing by a dance club, some nights when I'm not busy with the vigilantism. There's a few clubs I like.

During baseball season, sometimes I hang out at this one bar & grill that isn't too far from my place. Get a meal, watch the game surrounded by other people -- better than watching the TV alone, you know?

[Eddie checks the time -- it'll be a brief wait before the first tests are ready.]

It's no fun mind-reading the masses? [The question is asked in a mild tone, despite the outrageous phrasing.]

[extrasensory_problems]

[Carter's eyes light up and he smiles.]

You go out dancing? Really? Which clubs? I love dancing.

[He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.]

No, it's not. It's deafening sometimes, all that noise that you constantly have to keep out. Add on top of that the fact that most people are immediately scared or mistrust telepaths because they assume we all read minds all willy nilly.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

The Glen is pretty cool. It's a big place. The ground floor has a split-level kind of setup... front room for dancing, no bar. Got a DJ running the show out there. You go down a set of steps and that's the section with the bar. Some weekends they have karaoke in the back.

There's also this smaller club called The Opal Room... they have a house band I like.

[In the face of that serious answer, Eddie's expression goes serious.] Sorry, that was probably a tasteless way to phrase the question. Do you have to keep 'shields up' all the time, or is there a way for you to relax and not get bombarded by others' thoughts?

[extrasensory_problems]

That sounds really cool, next time you go text me and I'll come with. I haven't been dancing in a long time.

[He slowly shakes his head.]

It's okay, I get it. And yeah I have to keep them up at all times or else everything just comes flooding in. It's been like that since I was eight years old.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

I'm sure we can find you plenty of dance partners. The crowd at The Glen is real welcoming. [Eddie is trying to hint that Carter's future dance partners will all be "not me". Eddie already had one guy friend get all weird over thinking Eddie was flirting, when he's definitely not.]

Really? Even when you sleep? I had a friend-- oh, hold that thought.

[Eddie writes down the results from the first two tests, and reports,] No arsenic, no strychnine... that's good.

[extrasensory_problems]

Welcoming is cool, I like places that feel like that. [Eddie shouldn't worry so much, Carter loves dancing with anyone who is willing. Friends, dates, male and female.]

Yeah, even when I sleep. I have sort of like...mental shields up in place all the time and then if I go into a situation where there's a large amount of people, like if we go dancing, I put up more.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

And it's all your own effort? No... adaptive devices?

Doesn't that strain your brain?

[extrasensory_problems]

Adaptive devices? Uh no, it's all me and my brain. I mean I do meditations every morning and evening to keep things in line but yeah...no pills or anything like that if that's what you're asking.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

[Eddie continues going down the list of tests and noting the results.]

Oh, huh. I wasn't thinking of pills, but more like... a forcefield generator? Some configurations can block electricity or energy beams, so... I figure that same principle might work for stray brainwaves, too.

[OOC: I know I listed the chocolates as negative for two particular poisons, but if you DO want something weird/dangerous about them, feel free to have Carter pick up the paper with the results and read them after this. :) Otherwise, Eddie will say there's nothing wrong.]

[extrasensory_problems]

A forcefield generator? Uh that sounds expensive, remember I'm a nursing student and live on an extremely small budget.

[He says with a small smile.]

[ooc: I'm cool with it being nothing.]

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Pfft, like I'd charge you. [Eddie gestures as if 'shoo'ing the very idea away.] It might take me a while to get all the parts I need, but I'm sure I could come up with something... I build new tech for the challenge of it, not to line my pockets.

[Eddie reviews all the listed test results, and announces,] Looks like there's nothing dangerous about these. Seems someone just wanted to give you a gift and was a little weird about the card.

[extrasensory_problems]

That's really nice of you to offer but I'm not gonna let you do that and not pay you back somehow. If not with money then I guess I owe you favors or home cooked meals or something.

[He looks at the chocolates.]

Huhn, so they aren't dangerous at all huhn? That's a relief.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

How about this? If I can figure out something that actually works, then you'll owe me a favor. I can't guarantee that anything I build will be foolproof right out of the gate, but I'd like to give it a try. And if it really doesn't work well at all, nothing owed.

[Eddie gives the box of chocolates a little nudge closer to Carter, in case he wants to actually try out out himself.] No danger that I could detect.

[extrasensory_problems]

Sure, yeah. You're welcome to try.

[Carter looks at the chocolates, eyeing them for a long time before shrugging and popping one in his mouth. It isn't poisoned and he chews it thoughtfully.]

Hrm. Not bad, not the best chocolate but it's got caramel inside.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Castiel texts: I woke up without pants, but my shirt was still on and fully buttoned. Curious.

Eddie replies: I mean I can think of a few situations where that could happen. Depends on where you woke up.

[ Thread start ]

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Surprise insult from Tim Drake -- If I had a dollar for every functioning brain cell you had, I would owe someone a lot of money.

This gets Eddie's back up, and he retorts: I am going to hope that you sent this to the wrong fucking number, and so should you.

[ Thread start ]

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

I can see how leaving it out in the open would give Damian an opportunity to tinker with your project, but what I meant was: did you give him a chance to build it back?

[Dr. Coddleston had spoken up in Eddie's defense in a similar situation once, defending him in the face of Dr. Bleinseid's ire. "Better to let him try out his ideas before you yell at him," she'd said, "if he's wrong, he'll have earned a scolding; but if he's right, he could be onto something new and interesting!" It's something Eddie never forgot. Time to pay it forward.]

[genius_detective]

Oh.

No, I locked it away as soon as I came across him in the middle of dismantling it. Some of his ideas were not what I had in mind.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Well, if you need a hand in rebuilding your stuff the way that YOU want it, I'm willing to lend a hand. Unlike some little menaces, I know how to follow orders. :)

Maybe I'll even touch base with Damian and see what he had in mind, and build a separate whatever with him. Maybe his ideas will come in handy, even if it's not what you need right now.

[genius_detective]

Thanks for the offer. If I do end up needing help, I'll take you up on that.

Feel absolutely free, it'll stop him from messing with mine. If he wants to build his own version, he's welcome to do so.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Sounds good. Meet you at Titans Tower to take him off your hands, or you wanna just send him directly to the Institute?

[genius_detective]

I will attempt to send him your way. I don't think he'd go anywhere with me willingly.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Okay. Here's the address for the Institute of Hypernormal Conflict Studies...

[Eddie sends that over, and follows up with a second text:] Let him know -- if he gets stopped at the entrance, just tell them to run it by Dr. Kirschtorte. I'm the one who handles the doctor's incoming calls, so I can have security let him in.

[genius_detective]

I'll give him the info. Thanks, Eddie.

For what it's worth, I hope he goes and I actually hope he enjoys himself.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

I hope so too. Being smart and bored is a bad combination -- got me trouble lots of times.

[kid_devil_you_dont_know]

Eddie gets caught between a bitch and a jerkface rock and a hard place...

Michael Afton sends: Ask her if it hurt when she broke through earths crust as she ascended from hell

Which leads to the reply:
Mel says "yes" and that if you don't quit ragging on her, she'll drag you back with her when she goes home for winter break.

[ Thread start ]