groove slam work it back

[noctiphile]

Who: the good and merry folk of the S. S. Starstruck
Broadcast: it's a mystery! you decide!
Action: S. S. Starstruck
When: until we make a new one

[Wow! Look at that! This ship sucks! Discontent is abundant! No one likes each other! Everyone's grumpy! I'm using too many exclamation points! Looks like it's just the first of many exciting episodes aboard the S.S. Starstruck*.]

*property possibly inherited from lady gaga

Comments

[noctiphile]

It's about yesterday. [A frown flickers at the mere mention. He falls silent, standing with his arms crossed over his chest, fingers strumming against his opposite arm.]

How should I ask this? [He mutters, biting his lip.] Have you ever dealt with an injury before?

[mysterzie]

[ Aaron just isn't prepared for that question. He's been hoping to put it behind him and let everyone else deal with it in their own time, too. He's taken aback and frowns at Mattias. ]

Of course. Everyone gets hurt sometimes.

[ Just... not to that extent. ]

[noctiphile]

True, but there's a difference, isn't there? A broken leg is far different than an open stomach. [A beat. No, that's not quite right.] Depending on how you break the leg, of course.

[There are more permanent ways but he leaves those out. If blood is enough to freak him out, bones are likely no different. He sighs, gesturing with a hand.] A broken bone is often unseen. An open stomach... [Again, it's best not to describe what that looks like.] Let's say it's rather bloody.

You don't like it, do you? The blood. [Or maybe the violence itself. He thinks back to the way Aaron looked at his hands, the way he retreated into himself and the possibilities that produced. Trauma, for one. Lack of experience, another. A phobia, perhaps, for a far less interesting third. Mattias found himself yearning for the answer, curiosity bound only by the knowledge that it was inappropriate to ask.]

[mysterzie]

[ Aaron is not really liking the way this is going. He shifts his footing, obviously uncomfortable. ]

Are you headshrinking me or something?

[noctiphile]

What? [Mattias' brow furrows, caught off-guard by the question.]

No. Even if I had the ability to do so, I can assure you I have no desire to shrink your head.

[It's not literal, Mattias.]

[mysterzie]

Then I guess we're done here.

[ Because if Mattias isn't trying to psychoanalyze him, then there's no reason to be asking all this! Flawless logic. ]

[noctiphile]

[Mattias starts, pushing off the wall and stepping into the room.]

What? No! No. We're not done. I'm just-[He sighs. Folds his arms and pinches the bridge of his nose.]-bad at this.

[Sighing again, his hands flop to his sides, gaze turning away.] Look, what I meant was-I didn't realize you were... [He drifts off, searching for the word.] ...unused to the sight. Of blood. And, I... wanted to... [deep breath.]-apologize.

[Oh goddess, that feels good to say. He rubs his hands together, gaze finally returning to Aaron.] I wanted to apologize. Poorly, but. There you have it.

[Ok. That's all. Now he'll just... back up slowly to the door.]

[mysterzie]

[ There's an honest pause here because Aaron isn't sure what to do with that, so it quickly turns around into an offensive rather than just taking it like it is. ]

You should be sorry. That was so stupid.

[noctiphile]

[Should. What an awful word. It's not the answer he was expecting and definitely not the answer he wanted. He has to bite back a sharp retort, lips thinning until he has the strength to do just that.]

You're... right. It was... perhaps not the smartest idea.

[He should have done it when no one else was around.]

[mysterzie]

Then why do it?

[ Why not do it to someone else? That's what Aaron's wondering. He doesn't understand doing something to injure yourself or put yourself at a disadvantage around strangers. There's no trust for anyone here, but the curiosity is sincere. ]

[noctiphile]

Why? [He repeats it as if the question odd.]

Because I could take it. I knew it was painful. I wanted to see the limit. If there was a chance I could push through and remove it somehow, studying it would have helped those who didn't want it in the first place.

[He shrugs.] Unfortunately, I met my limit fairly early. The pain was different than I imagined.

[mysterzie]

Then get someone else to do it on you or do it to someone else or...

[ Aaron just kind of gestures. ]

Doing it alone was— [ scary. ] Stupid. Like I said.

[noctiphile]

What other choice did I have? Do you truly think someone else would have stabbed me? Or that I would test something so awful on someone else?

[He holds out his hands.] I was the only choice. It was a simple decision.

[mysterzie]

I don't know, you're pretty annoying. I bet someone would have stabbed you.

[ That is almost entirely a joke. Only about 30% serious. ]

[noctiphile]

[It's a joke. He can hear it. Knows it. But it strikes far too close. His lips thin, his gaze drops and his fingers wrap tightly in the fabric above his stomach.]

Yes. Well. I've said all I've had to. If you'll excuse me. [And even if not, he's heading towards the door.]

[mysterzie]

[ Aaron watches with something of a keen eye and as soon as Mattias turns, he's gone. He doesn't want to deal with it if Mattias decides to come back for a round two. Just that was weird and uncomfortable enough. ]