driftfleet | Video/Action

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Video/Action

Who: FDR and OPEN
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: A bar somewhere
When: Now

[He’s dressed in a sleek suit, folded collar, black tie, slicked back hair, the whole fancy ensemble. It’s new and it makes him feel somewhat normal again. Hence, the very late, but first public introduction.

He’s sitting on the edge of his bed with his hands clasped together between his knees.]

Hey there, other...captives. TV stars. Whatever we’re being called. And I guess. Anyone else watching. My name is FDR. Yeah, it’s letters. And yeah, like the president. No, I’m not a president, but you know, I don’t mind pretending if anyone wants to be my Marilyn. [And he grins cheekily.] But, really, being named after the guy who came up with that whole “The only thing to fear is fear itself” crap isn’t bad. I mean, a lot of people buy that. It’s not true, by the way. There’s a shitload of stuff to be scared of. Like WMDs. ...My boss. ...Being on an alien’s version of The Real World.

[And he shakes his head, still a little disgusted at the prospect of reality TV. Those were dark days.]

So, back home I was the cruise ship captain of a [smirk] very large vessel. And you know, being in the business of pleasure cruises, I have to say, this one seriously lacks. I mean, people can’t be watching us just to see us busting our asses earning some money, so where’s all the drama, violence, and sex happening? That’s how MTV got their ratings. Or murder...has that happened at all? I mean, not on MTV-I don’t think- on the ships...obviously.[So smooth.]

And I’ve seen some people talking about people they know up and disappearing, anyone know for sure what happens to them? Not enough popularity? Do they get demoted to the alien version of Fear Factor? Star in their own snuff films?

[And he looks like he’s done with his questions for now, he even leans forward to shut off the video, but then pauses, a small smirk gracing his features.]

Oh. And just out of pure curiosity, has anyone tried racing the shuttles?

Action: A bar. Any bar.

[Bars aren’t his favorite scene, there’s just not enough energy. It’s a bunch of depressed and tired people sitting at tables and on barstools nursing their emotions and their booze. He usually prefers clubs, there’s an energy to be found in the loud music and lights and swaying bodies. But this feels more appropriate after working all day at a job he really doesn’t like. He’s not interested in the game so much as he’s interested in the end result right now. And that’s to get drunk.

He’s sitting at the bar, a couple of empty shot glasses in front of him, and the latest in his fingers. The only thing that’s giving him a reason to pause is the woman that moves over next to him to order a drink.]

You. [And he points the pinky finger of his shot-holding hand at her, smiles when the single word catches her attention.] Are shining like a bright light.

[She rolls her eyes and moves away from him and he chuckles lightly at his failure.] Well, guess it’s more of a club line than a bar line.

[And he slams back his shot before setting the glass back on the bar with a clank.] Top it off.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

More like bored. Plus, I found one that has pool on the station. [And he'll just text Leto the location.] Looking forward to it.

[ A few minutes later, Leto finds himself at the bar in question. His nose wrinkles at the smells, but it was nothing he wasn't used to. John Constantine had a bad habit of drinking, along with many other people Leto knew and while he understood the desire to, he was never a fan of it. He walks past the patrons, ignoring their eyes. The worm-skin breathes in the tepid air with delight.

That was one good thing, Leto notes. When they are both in a good mood, good things will follow.

Finally he spots Foster, sidling up next to him. ]

This is an unusual way to keep yourself occupied.

[He's quietly nursing a drink at the bar while he waits for Leto to show up, quite frankly a little excited for the company. He's not exactly used to being alone. And while he's in a ship full of people, that's not even close to the same thing he's used to.

So it's an honest smile that greets Leto when he's just...suddenly at his side.]

I was starting to think we were just going to be a long distant relationship. [And his head tilts slightly to the side as takes in the man that's no longer just on the other side of a comm. Those tattoos sure do look different. Huh. That's interesting.]

Can I get you something?

[ "Different" isn't the right word for it. They seem to seethe and breathe on top of Leto's skin, more like a leech or some kind of parasite. It doesn't paint a pleasant image, but it doesn't look fairly intrusive and Leto himself doesn't seem to be bothered. ]

Scotch, if they have that here.

[ It was John's favourite drink and the only one Leto really knows. ]

Were you looking for a long distance relationship? It seemed like you needed the company. You do not seem like a man who enjoys being on his own.

I'm sure they've got something like it. [And he waves at a bartender and waits until he gets a nod that promises some service later before he settles back and turns his attention back to Leto.]

Ha. No. No no. Distance is probably the best way to end a relationship. [So so many times he's used his cover as a cruise ship captain to disappear from someone's life when he was done with them. But. Leto's certainly hit the nail on the head there.]

I...uh. It's, new really. I had a friend, man, more than a friend, he was practically my brother. We did everything together. It's hard doing something like this without him.

[And it seems honesty is on that list. He can lie through his teeth, but always because he had one person he could be honest with. So, maybe there will be sprinkles of honesty through the night.

But then the bartender is there and he's ordering their drinks and a set of shots.]

You always that observant?

Yes.

[ He says it as fact, without hesitation. Courtly ambition has him and his family trained in the art of observation. The trick in the tick, the lie in the smile, every facial expression was a weapon, to be used in battle.

Leto doesn't elaborate. ]

Perhaps he feels the same way.

[He chuckles lightly at that, but isn't bothered at all by the answer. He's already decided he's liked Leto's directness and confidence. It's refreshing.]

Well, I know he does. [Doesn't exactly make being here without him any easier though.] But right now he has a pretty distraction.

[But. Enough of sounding like a forlorning girlfriend.

The drinks arrive and he picks up his shot in cheers to Leto.]

Enjoying your time in space?

[ Leto shrugs loosely. Space isn't anything special to him. While his end goal is to push mankind towards the stars (and never look back), it wasn't his desire. He could never fully leave Arrakis. He's bound to it, as a desert creature. Even these brief moments where he leaves it behind, Leto finds himself missing the dunes and the sand beneath his feet. ]

I do not think such a distraction would help. It's not the same after all.

[He chuckles dryly and takes his shot. Well, it was worth a shot, but Leto's obviously found one path of conversation more interesting than the other. And he could be rude about it, but considering how open the guy had been during their first conversation, well that'd just be a bit of a dick move, wouldn't it?]

Maybe not. [He admits.] But it's certainly got to help. Do you ever get distracted by something pretty?

No.

[ Another blunt statement. Pretty is never something that appealed to him. Mostly because Leto is not exactly pretty himself. But beauty is bound by societal conventions and he knows every single one of them to be more confusing than the next.

He has never noticed beauty so much as he has seen beauty in the emptiness, in the spaces between, in the tears and the joys. ]

But we see beauty differently. I've never noticed outward appearances all that much. If mine isn't much to look at, why would I make it a point to look at others in such a fashion?

[His brow arches and he taps the bar thoughtfully.] Well, maybe. I definitely think us Earth humans eat with our eyes first.

[Appearances mean a lot to FDR, to say he's vain would not be an inaccurate statement. It's not exactly something he transfers onto other people, he's actually openly accepting of everyone's uniqueness and individuality. But about himself? Sometimes he's not sure he's got anything more to offer than his looks and his money and his car. Because that's about as far as anyone ever gets to learning him. Life of a undercover agent.]

That's noble of you and all. But you're really not that bad looking. But that thing on your neck man-can I touch it? It's kinda driving me nuts just staring.

That is the Earth norm. There's nothing wrong with having a standard for attraction. Whatever form it might take.

[ Still is, in a way. Leto has simply outgrown it. At FDR's request, Leto is quiet for a bit before smiling with his eyes and extending his hand. Along the strip of his arm leading to his fingers are a motley bunch of brown . . . worms? leeches? grafted together tightly in a mesh of veins. They pulsate and breathe on their own, a living thing. ]

Oh, come on. Everyone's got a standard for attraction. I bet even you have a type. Even if it's not looks. Maybe it's a personality, hm? Like the smart ones. Or the funny ones. Or the bad girls and boys.

[Not that he won't sleep with just about anything that catches his eye, but still. He does have a type he kind of...gravitates towards when he's looking for something more than a one-night stand.

He stares at the extended arm for a moment before he's reaching up to grab Leto's hand in his own, as his other runs up the length of it, over the shifting...living things he can feel under his skin.]

That is wild. What is it?

Perhaps? I cannot recall a time when I wasn't in love with someone.

[ Technically, yes and no. It's hard for Leto to not love everyone he meets. Perhaps he can be more endeared to others, those who are willing to tolerate his strange ways or seemingly enjoy them. ]

Sandtrout. A kind of creature that dwells in the desert. This is their nascent stage. They usually grow to the size of three jumbo jet planes.

...What? [That is the weirdest thing he's ever heard. Sorry, buddy.] How. How can you be in love constantly? Like. You mean like the brotherly kind of love?

[Quit saying really weird things. Like the parasite that he's currently touching can grow the size of a ship. It doesn't paint a pretty picture.]

...Uh. You-that's not gonna happen right? Swapping stages?

[ Bemused, but there's a certain wariness in his eyes. It's an old song and dance until the inevitable fallout. ]

Not for a couple of centuries.

[ Love, for Leto, has never been neatly divided. There are so many kinds of love that they all blend together. True, his reciprocation is different but love is love. ]

Why not? How can you not be?

How can I not be in love? [That's a...strange way to phrase things.] I dunno. You lose people, you kind of start thinking in terms of expiration dates, I guess.

[...Tis is getting far too personal.] Weren't we meeting to prove something?

I was not aware losing someone meant you had to stop loving them.

[ That seems like an odd thing to do. ]

Were we?

[That's not...] Hurts too much the other way.

[And he's just gonna stare for a minute before chuckling.] Mm, did you forget? Well, I guess I don't have to remind you then.

It will hurt either way, I find.

[ Leto has loved many people. None he can keep for obvious reasons. ]

Drinking?

Well, I'm not much of a masochist. But, certainly not judging.

[He certainly loves people, but they can all be counted on a single hand through his lifetime. And he's been relatively happy with that.]

Drinking, and wherever drinkings leads, hm? [And he tips his drink in Leto's direction.]

[ He smiles, bemused. ]

High hopes will keep, it seems.

Well, I always like to aim big. I'm a fan of a challenge. [And he smirks.]

Do those things under your skin, do they feel it when someone's touching you? Piss them off?

I never would have guessed.

[ He glances at the worm-skin idly. ]

They feel it as I do. We're connected. As such, it's important that we both keep our emotions . . . level at all times.

[He smirks, because there's nothing else to really say about that, is there?]

What happens if you don't?

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