lieutenantantichrist

[... Huh. It's been a while. But nothing exploded, he's pretty sure, so Blake probably isn't in trouble... still.]

Hey Blake - thought I'd check in and see what was up with you. You've been kind of quiet.

[Blake looks over at the phone when he hears it buzz. Huh. It's the bird kid. He's not aware of how the corner of his mouth twitches as he reads the message.]

Are you checking up on me, kid?

Maybe a little. I just want to make sure everything's okay. We haven't talked in a while.

I'm not going stir crazy, if that's what you're worried about. I've just been thinking.

[There's a pause before another message comes.]

Do you know how old I am?

Thinking's not so bad.

Uh. 45? I don't know, I'm not great at guessing ages.

I'm getting used to it. Back home I always had too damn much to do to waste time looking back.

Hah. You're polite.

I'm going to be 50.

Old habits die hard. Even here I want to look over my shoulder when I say that. Talking about being too old for this shit is always what you do right before you get shot. If you're stupid enough to say anything about retirement, you deserved it.

Yeah, it's a lot slower here. I don't mind it, but it's not for everyone.

50? Huh. I guess that's a pretty big milestone. And yeah, people who talk about it in movies always get shot or whatever, but you're not in a movie here.

Are you doing anything for it?

I hated it for a while. I'm used to it now.

No guns here, and I've got a lot of magic dogs watching my back. If that doesn't make you feel safe, what will?

Nah. I'm too old for birthday parties.

Maybe a security blanket will, I don't know.

What about cake?

I've got plenty of blankets. They're all full of static from electric flying squirrels making nests out of them, though. Not real secure.

I can buy cake whenever I want. I don't need a special one.

I guess not. It's a nice thought, though.

Yeah, but... I dunno. I can't exactly buy you beer for your birthday, and even if I could, I wouldn't. And a 'birthday sandwich' just sounds kinda sad.

Blankets I can deal with. The real pain in the ass is trying to keep them out of sweaters.

Once you're over 21 birthdays don't mean much anyway. They're just reminders. "Hey, you're not dead yet. How about that."

[He almost types something else, but doesn't. No. He's trying to be nice. Try again.]

Not being dead's pretty good, though. Maybe Felix can write you a birthday haiku or something.

So fine. If not birthday cake, how about a birthday burger? I can get those dumb number candles to stick into it and everything.

Christ, don't give him any ideas. Did you know there's a difference between a sonnet and an ode? I didn't want to know, but he told me.

I'm too old for candles, too.

Yep. A little culture's not going to hurt you, Blake. It's like yogurt. Yogurt's a culture and it's healthy.

I think I lost the metaphor somewhere in here. Anyway.

Yeah, you're right. It's probably a fire hazard with that many now, right?

Anyway when's the day? I can come over. You deserve something, at least. And now that I've got an actual income I can waste it on things like dumb birthday presents.

Yogurt's ice cream for people who believe in chiropractors.

Smartass.

I'm not getting away without telling you, am I?

The 28th.

Don't get anything. I mean it.

Yogurt's not so bad. Man cannot survive on pizza alone, as much as he might want to.

Yeah okay. Mind if I come over, at least? Sitting alone with your magic animals doesn't seem like a great way to spend a birthday. I promise I won't bring cake or candles or anything.

That sounds like a challenge.

Eh, sure. I won't kick you out. Probably.

You're going to turn into a pizza, Blake.

Sounds good to me.

Edited 2016-04-15 14:53 (UTC)

IC Contact

text; 4/5/16

text; 4/5/16

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject