Video.

[collegedropout]

Who: Sam and you!
Broadcast: fleetwide
Action: Bloodsport or Iskaulit Bar if you find a way to squeeze in an action thread!
When: Today or whatevs, but backdated stuff is cool too.

[The last week has been really, really rough. Most people probably know.

He's been all but nonexistent for that entire week, and a few days after, too. Buried in hell memories and glitched to the point of barely functioning, he had stayed aboard the Bloodsport mostly with Nami. For the better, he knows later on; Nami understood him best, when it came to that side of him. It doesn't make him anymore ashamed and embarrassed that people had to see that. It makes him a bit depressed in the short time that follows. He wakes up on the third as himself — himself now, anyway. But he decided to just sleep for a day or two and try not to think about all the baggage.

But — he'll get pushed to move eventually, and the bar does need bartenders.

He will be out at the bar as he had been before the glitch.

It was what it was, he reminds himself. It was a part of him, and it's... well, it's not over, it'll never be over, but he's come a long way. He's better than that husk he'd been in the garden. He adapted and he survived. That has to count for something.

Still, there's some things to address.]

[Video.]

Hey, guys, I'm alive. Sorry for being so MIA at the bar, but I'm back now... Let me know if I missed anything.

[He's much better. See?? No burns or scars, and he's got his hair brushed, and everything is A-OK.]

I wanted to... apologize to everyone who ran into me, last week. I, uh, I said some pretty miserable crap and I know I sounded like a crazy person. And I just wanted to thank you guys for putting up with, um... that part of me. It's been years, and I'm much better now, and I don't... want anyone to - [He pauses, wringing a rag from the bar in his hands.] - to worry or anything like that.

I'm okay now.

So If you need a drink, I'll be here.

[A deep breath.]

Well... I don't want to just leave it on that note, so.

... Aaaah, let me think.

...

What's something you've accomplished that you're really proud of?

Comments

video;

[noprophecies]

My, you do look much better.

[and here she was going to hunt him down, this makes it easier. Thanks for letting her be lazy, Sam]

video;

[collegedropout]

... Um, thanks.

I try. I've had time to freshen up, I guess.

video;

[noprophecies]

Mmm. I am glad that whatever it was has passed.

private video »

[steeledskin]

You didn't sound too crazy -- [ apart from the bit where he thought she was someone named lucifer. but everything else sounded disturbingly acceptable to her: about hellscapes and torments. figurative or otherwise. ]

But you're better? Now?

[ she's been worried. ]

private video »

[collegedropout]

Yeah. yeah, I'm much better. I've been better.

That stuff was... [He blows out a breath.] Years ago.

I guess they wanted me to revisit for a while.

private video »

[steeledskin]

-- Do you honestly believe in all those things you said?

[ did you, once upon a time? ]

Video

[onlyanapple]

Congrats on your reclaimed sanity.

[He doesn't care. He was just looking at the communicator anyway. ]

Video

[collegedropout]

... Thanks.

[He breathes in, breathes out.]

It's good to have it back again. I worked hard to keep it nice.

[Spoken with an touch of humor, macabre though it is.

Keep it nice, like it's a hairdo, that sanity.]

Video

[onlyanapple]

Of course, given your profession and all, it's not an easy task. But here you are. With a nice sanity again.

[Do you use mind conditioner, Sam. ]

Video

[child_of_bhaal]

You realize all of that is worrisome, don't you?

Video

[collegedropout]

[Ah. He smiles thinly, brow furrowed apologetically.]

Kind of the option effect of what I was going for.

Video

[child_of_bhaal]

[It's not your fault Sam. She's riding the guilt train this week.]

Nami said you were unwell. I'm sorry I didn't come by.

[hollystrike]

Were you having problems? I didn't notice.

[The words are pretty callous. The tone isn't. Soft. She peers at him with concern.]

[collegedropout]

[... The most sheepish glance, like she caught him redhanded in something.]

I was a star student, no trouble to be had. 100% best behavior, right?

[hollystrike]

I think you judge yourself too highly, Sam I am. You were definitely a handful. [Don't put yourself down in Katie-speak, Sam.]

You're there for a drink, you say. Should I come take you up on it? We haven't talked in a while.

[...we really need to talk.]

[namisan]

[Nami slept in one of the spare bunks, letting Sam take over her own room. More space, more comfort. There's maps all over the walls by now of the places they've been and the places she remembers, and a stack of books. Maybe it'll help. It's up to him how he spends his time. And hey look, at least the Bloodsport has built in nightlights in the form of those glowing fish.

It's a long, long week. For a large variety of reasons.

Morning of the 3rd, she'll bring him breakfast. But she always knocks first.

...I mean, if you don't answer, she'll come in after half a minute anyway. But at least you know she's coming.]

[collegedropout]

[Sam's sitting on the bed, looking at his hands, flipping them around back and forth. There's no scars -- well, no, there are scars. But the familiar ones. There's the big ugly one on his palm, the smaller, paler cuts on his forearms... There's the ones from the echo of Lucifer, of course.

But none of the horrible, ugly burn scars.

He clears his throat.]

... Come in.

[When Nami walks in, he'll be on his bare feet, rubbing his hands nervously on his jeans and looking at with with a nervous and ashamed kind of concern. He has all the memories after all, and she's done so much, and she dealt with him. That Sam he rarely ever revisits if he can help it. He's already starting into his apology speech, hair askew.]

Nami, I'm so sorry-

[action]

[passingthrough]

[Seeing the broadcast, she just heads over to the bar from the library where she was picking up a few books on dialect and etymology as one does. She sets the books down and takes the seat next to him.] Augment glitch?

[action]

[collegedropout]

[He looks at her -- and his expression softens into something apologetic.

Embarrassed, too.]

Yeah... Um. It was a kind of de-aging glitch. Only it just took me back a few years.

video

[bythewaves]

I am glad to see you back to yourself again.

video

[collegedropout]

Thank you. And thank you for making things... a little less terrible, while I wasn't.

Sorry you had to see that.

Video

[goodandtrue]

Are you feeling better?

Video

[collegedropout]

Much better. A million bucks better.

Normal. Ish. More normal. [EHEM] ... Sorry.

Action; Iskaulit bar

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[As Sam wraps up his broadcast, the door to the bar will jingle open, and a young woman in a black dress, knee-high black socks, and a red shawl draped over her shoulders will walk in. She smiles politely at Sam, striding over to take a seat at the bar.]

Talking about accomplishments are we? I suppose there are far worse topics of conversation when drinking.

[collegedropout]

[Oh - he turns from the bar and offers a smile. He's familiar with Wanda -- they've talked sparingly, but it's good to know the people you're stuck in space with right? He grins and stops cleaning some of the glasses to give her his full attention.]

I just learned that trying to focus on good things is better than drowning in all the bad.

Who needs to think about all that painful crap, anyway, you know? If you can help it.