We're kinda bad at sharing our feelings

[forsometimenow]

Who: The crew of the good ship Wonderduck and visitors
Broadcast: N/A
Action: SS Wonderduck, planetside
When: The whole month of July

[IT'S A WONDERDUCK MINGLE.

Say hello to our new shipmates, play with fluff slugs, do what you wish.]

Comments

[feathery]

[Davesprite pauses mid-tug on his hair slug. To accept help or not to accept help, that is the question.]

Uh, yeah. That would be awesome, actually.

[Is there a chair around, because he's probably too tall for this to be easy.]

I dunno how I keep tracking them in. You wouldn't think something so slow could be this fucking sneaky.

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer ushered him inside the infirmary and toward a chair, rooting around for a pair of scissors just in case.]

I think it's because they're inconspicuous. They tend to not make a lot of noise, and while you're booting one out, another can slither in behind it.

[feathery]

[Yay, chair. Less yay about the scissors; in fact, he stares at them and then Jennifer, slug still firmly attached to his head.]

...Do you think you're gonna actually need those.

[Wow, Davesprite.]

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer stifled a laugh and set them down within easy reach, then began to try and pry the slug out of his hair.]

Well, I hope not. I'm a doctor, not a barber, and I'd hate to put a dent in your inherent coolness.

[feathery]

[He tries not to wince, shoulders hunching a little, when he feels the tell-tale tug of the slug in his hair. It's a slimy one. Awesome. Rad. Fine. This is fine.]

Yeah, if nothing else, it keeps me easy to spot from a distance. I've only had the same haircut my entire life; I'd be unrecognizable without it.

[forsometimenow]

Let's hope it doesn't come to that yet. ... do we know what these guys eat? Maybe if I bait it with a treat it'll let go...

[feathery]

Uh.

[Oh god he doesn't know. This is what he gets for not wanting a pet slug.]

That's...a fucking great question. 'Cause I have no idea at all. Do they even eat? I'm not seeing mouths on these fuzzy tortillas.

[forsometimenow]

I'm sure they must, if they're living creatures, but... hmm. Let's try another approach.

[Jennifer began petting and tickling the slug instead; it began squirming in delight and started to let go of Davesprite's hair.]

[feathery]

[Bless u, Dr. Keller.

Davesprite can't actually see what's going on, though, so he's torn between holding still and inadvertently tilting his head a little in a futile attempt to look up.]

What are you doing. [He can sure feel that slug wriggling on his scalp. He resists the desire to hide his face in his hands.] Is it working?

[forsometimenow]

Tickling it, trying to make it lose its grip. And... [The slug let go completely, and Jennifer set it on the floor.] There we go. Sometimes laughter is the best way to distract something- and it doesn't require any scissors.

[feathery]

[Surprised, Davesprite reaches a hand to his hair and makes a face when it comes away with slug slime.]

Ugh, of course it had to be a fuckin' gooey one. But thanks. [He adds that to Jennifer.] I never would have figured they were ticklish. I mean...look at this thing.

[He prods it with a finger.]

Tickling it is definitely not one of my first thoughts. What made you think of it?

[forsometimenow]

Of course- but it's nothing a shower won't fix, right? [She smiled.] I think it's because they make everyone feel good... or almost everyone. My mind made the leap to wondering if they could be made to feel happy, too.

[feathery]

Huh.

[He holds up the slug like someone would a rabbit. It's soft. So soft. The actual softest, as long as he doesn't touch its underbelly. He'd be endeared, if they didn't freak him out so badly with their endorphin psywaves.

The slug wiggles slowly at him. He turns it around to face Jennifer.]

I dunno, does that look like a happy slug face to you?

[How does one read the emotional state of an invertebrate.]

[forsometimenow]

Good question. I guess if it was unhappy it would be doing... something, though. ... Bite us? Does it even have teeth?

[feathery]

I still haven't figured out where it keeps its mouth. Maybe it's feeding off all our empathy waves. What up, dude, [he says, actually talking to the slug] what do you think. Are you a literal trash repository for emotional fuckery? I bet you must be fucking bloated.

[Sad bird is sad, more news at eleven.]

[forsometimenow]

[The slug, of course, remained impassive as it slithered away. Jennifer, however, looked at Davesprite with some concern.]

Jury's still out on that one... but I'm here to be a trash deposit if you need one that will talk back.

[feathery]

[Oh god he doesn't know how to talk about his feelings.]

Oh. No, it's cool. I'm cool.

[He is not cool. In fact, the longer he talks, the more anxious he gets and it just makes him ramble more. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

I know I'm just being a neurotic douche over the current and inevitable state of my life, and I'll probably get over it eventually. Or maybe not. Ok, probably not. But it's not really a thing that makes for great conversation and I don't think there's a trash deposit out there that's ready for this steaming pile of shit. Especially when you're probably like. Environmentally conscientious and recycle and shit. Is there a name for that? "Recycling plant" doesn't have the same ring as "trash deposit".

[forsometimenow]

... okay, that doesn't make it sound like you're cool.

[She sighs.]

But if you don't want to talk about it, I won't pressure you, either. It's just... not good to let stuff fester like that. I think all of us who have been here for a while can dwell a bit too much on our lives and the uncertain direction they're headed in.

[feathery]

[He just looks distinctly uncomfortable at that.]

I guess so? I dunno how much any of it has to do with here, but—

[He stands up suddenly, rubbing the back of his neck.]

Doesn't really matter, either way. It's pretty dumb, pointless stuff. I, uh, didn't mean to bring it up it in the first place, it just kind of happens. I start talking and say all this stupid shit I don't mean to say and it's fucking awkward for everyone. So, sorry about that.

[forsometimenow]

... okay. If you say so. [Yeah, that was more than a bit awkward, but if Davesprite was determined to just brush it off... she wasn't going to bother him.]

Uhm, did you need anything else?

[feathery]

No, I'm good. I'm gonna try to get this shit out of my hair so it doesn't look like I got a visit from Slimer.

[And so he can go die of embarrassment. nbd.]

[forsometimenow]

Okay. Hope all it needs is a little shampoo.