Exsilium - IC Contact

[bodilesswarrior]

Line 1:

This is Barbara. Leave a message and I'll get back to you.

Line 2:

Oracle speaking.

Comments

[velveteened]

( it'd be stupid to ask how she is or how her day was, so )

I hope you've been alright lately.

[bodilesswarrior]

I've been worse. [It's not cheerful, but it's true, and the words are light enough. She can deal with this. It's what she does.]

How about you?

[velveteened]

( ah, that's harder, and with an audio line it's also harder to hide that. )

— the same, probably. You must be busy.

[bodilesswarrior]

[After a moment, softly.] Talking about it helps, sometimes. [It's hypocritical, she knows it, but oh well.]

[velveteened]

( audio does mean that she can't see the way he ducks his head at that, or how his expression turns wry, self-deprecating — but she can hear how it migrates into his tone despite himself. )

I'm sorry; this isn't what I called you for.

[bodilesswarrior]

I know. [Her own voice is gently reassuring.] But helping a friend would make a pretty nice birthday gift.

[velveteened]

I've just been — tired.

( which is true, and, for him, an admission. )

Aah, I've slept so much in the last few days, since coming back.

( and that's another. )

[bodilesswarrior]

You went home? [It feels like she should have known that, but then she feels that way about most things.]

How was it? [The question is a cautious one.]

[velveteened]

( that would make an easy out, wouldn't it, so tempting he almost takes it. instead, he answers cautiously, keeping his tone fairly light. )

I did — but that was earlier. I meant the United Earth, last week.

( a week ago, roughly, having been the rescue operation, and some days before that the doomed party he'd been snatched from. )

[bodilesswarrior]

[She should have known that, too - she'd done her best to help from the ground, so to speak - but it was all so chaotic. Keeping track of everything was nigh impossible.

Doesn't stop her feeling guilty.

It doesn't show in her voice; there's only quiet sympathy.]

I figure that exhausted a lot of people. [For so many reasons.]

[velveteened]

( he'd, in all honesty, not expected many people to notice at all; anyone outside of his roommates and the people from his world (and even then, really) had come as a surprise to him. )

I think so, too. It's too bad that ( things had to go from bad to worse immediately ) there hasn't been any time for them to relax a little.