Video + Action

[the_tailor]

Who: Lance and you!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Anywhere aboard the fleet
When: Not long after the ribbon glitches begin



[A - Broadcast]

[The Lance on the screen looks physically a lot better than last time, but his expression still isn't exactly positive. This time, he looks more exasperated than anything.]

Okay, I can weirdly enough sort of accept weird-ass glitches in the matrix that make us end up having superpowers or into a merman or suddenly a kid. But I seriously don't get this at all.

[Above his head pops a little thought bubble. Inside, this: . He gestures up at it.]

Am I the only one seeing this? Because it looks like there's stuff floating over my quiznaking head! Even for weird stuff happening around here, this is just extra bananas.

[There's a pause where he absently rubs his stomach. Above his head, ]

Anyone else suffering from sudden picture bubble syndrome?



[B - Elsewhere]

[Free for all! Go ahead and feel free to run into him on the Huntress, Iskaulit, visiting your ship, whatever. Marvel at the poor boy's glitch.]




[ooc: SOOO basically, Lance's glitch is that he has Sims-style thought bubbles over his head. As such, people will be able to see what he's thinking and feeling at pretty much any given time. Have fun with that. All pictures posted will be in said bubbles.]

Comments

[padadin]

Lance. [It's not THE VOICE but damn is close. Also, ears perking up!] There's no point in lying to me when the images give it away. Are you having trouble sleeping?

[the_tailor]

Oh, come on!

[He grumbles. Of course. Not like he was a good liar anyway, but this just made it all the more annoying.]

Just having a lot of dreams, that's all.

[padadin]

And by "dreams", you mean nightmares. [Lance, seriously, why do you even keep trying.] Lance, you need to go to see Baku. She can help you with that.

[the_tailor]

[To that, he just...sulks. Lance can't help but try.]

I don't want to trouble her.

[padadin]

Lance. [Yep, finally here is The Voice.] Nightmares are just free candy for her.

[the_tailor]

[Not the voice...]

Candy??? How can anyone actually enjoy eating nightmares?

[padadin]

She's a baku. It's what she does. Go see her, Lance, or make a call. I trusted her with my privacy, and I've been able to actually sleep for months now.

[Which is a miracle for him, ok.]

[the_tailor]

Have you gone to her lately? Does it help with...with, you know...

[padadin]

[...oh, Lance. Shiro's expression softens.]

You only need to ask her once. She's come to eat my dreams every night for half a year, time since we returned included. Yes, Lance. It does help. You can't escape the matter completely, but at least it can take care of the darkest thoughts that haunt you at night.

[the_tailor]

I see. ...I'll ask her, then.

[He takes a deep breath and nods.]

Have you been doing better, generally?

[Private]

[padadin]

[After a pause and some hesitation that he uses to remind himself he needs to open up more, he changes the feed to private, his doggy ears dropping.]

In general? Yeah. My memories are finally aligned. It can get funny some times when I try to think about specifics moments, like my time in Black, but I'm feeling better overall, although it'll be some time before what I did under Haggar's orders stops haunting me. But I hope you aren't trying to compare your situation to mine, Lance. I had a long time in Black's consciousness to deal with my death. And I had already thought the day would come sooner or later - I wasn't expecting to live so long in the first place. [He doesn't realize Lance doesn't know why, he's just on a roll here.] Besides, everyone is different. If you aren't feeling well, then that's understandable. It's not just a papercut, Lance, you diead, and we don't expect you to brush off the subject easily.

[the_tailor]

[The fact that Shiro is actually explaining, in detail even, how he feels is an enormous improvement. Had they been in the same room right now, Lance would be giving him a hug. He's proud of you, buddy, and as well touched that he himself is a person Shiro can trust with more thoughts and feelings than before.]

I know. Hopefully if I get the nightmares to stop for a while, that'll help me heal from it all.

[--wait a second, though. He pinpoints something Shiro said.]

What do you mean, you weren't expecting to live so long?

[padadin]

Getting rid of the nightmares is definitely a good way to start. Your mind will better rested, and you'll wake up without those awful feelings that bad dreams put in you.

[Speaking from experience here, yeah. At Lance's question, he lowers his eyes, obviously not proud of what he's about to say.]

After what Haggar did to me, I thought my time in this war was limited - a broken soldier, if you will. But also... [A deep breath.] Back in the Garrison, I was diagnosed with a muscle degeneration desease. So my time had always been limited.

[the_tailor]

[What.

...What.

In all his years of fanboying over Shiro, in the years of becoming his friend and teammate and pseudo little brother, Lance would never have guessed such a thing. The shock is clear on his face.]

A...muscle degeneration disease? A terminal one? Shiro... [What can he even say to that?]

[padadin]

[Well, at least the emotes were nice enough not to kill the mood this time.]

It's alright, don't worry. This body doesn't have it.

[the_tailor]

That--still, Shiro, that... I never knew. I'm sorry.

[He hangs his head, no thought bubble appearing over his head because his thoughts are all jumbled.]

Sometimes, I really hate the universe. How can it throw so much pain to such a good person? It's not fair.

[padadin]

Most people didn't know. Keith only found out because he was eavesdropping.

[...now he's wondering if Pidge knows, considering she may've heard Sam and Matt. Mmh.

Shiro's expression softens at the comment. That's actually kind sweet.]

Thanks. That's why we keep fighting, Lance. To prove the universe wrong.

[the_tailor]

Even so. [He chews on his bottom lip, trying to figure out if it's appropriate to say his next words.] I'd never...ever, ever wish for you to have gone through all the pain you did...but I'm glad that at least one good thing came of it. I don't think this universe can manage without you yet, Shiro.

[Deep breath.]

We're all blessed to have you still here with us, and for longer than it might have been. And...yeah. We'll fight. Together.

[padadin]

That's good to hear, because I'm not done with the universe yet. I think "blessed" is a little bit too much, but I appreciate the sentiment. I'm lucky to have you as my teammate and right hand, Lance.

[A nod.]

Together.

[the_tailor]

It isn't too much. It's just enough, or not enough, so shush with that.

[But he does smile at that last part.]

You'll always have me here, don't worry.