exeggutorhead | IC Contact

[Oh. Oh, no.]

Shit, Heather...

[He lets out a sympathetic sigh. He'd gathered how close she was to Phoenix. Disappearances really are the worst.]

[The sigh is also a cover for his internal panic that Henry's coming BACK when Wrath is still in their basement being a traumatized, kidnapped child. But Wrath's been quieter, they might just be able to make up some reason why Henry can't go in the basement...and it's not like he can say NO, HENRY CAN'T COME BACK. They'll figure something out.]

Okay. Are you...going to be okay?

[The 'by yourself' isn't said, but it's there.]

_{[SORRY ENVY SHE HAS NO IDEA THAT YOU PEOPLE WERE HOLDING A CHILD HOSTAGE WHILE SHE WAS GONE.]

[She sighs right back-- they're contagious like yawns, and she's been doing a lot of it lately.]}

Yeah... yeah, I always am...

It's not the first time this's happened and it sure won't be the last.

And honestly, this trip'll probably go quicker if I'm by myself and not constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure I didn't leave Henry behind somewhere by accident. And he'll be happier.

He's been almost as miserable as Lust was.

If you're sure.

[He also can't deny that Henry's been miserable, just from what he's seen during their 'Gear conversations.]

Y'know, I'm starting to think this trip of yours is cursed or something. You'll have to be careful.

[It's a joke, but it's the kind meant to be reassuring.]

Right?

I was thinking it'd be nice to get on the road again, y'know-- make some s'mores, sleep under the stars, send some 'Wish You Were Here' postcards....

I must've walked under a ladder on my way out of Goldenrod.

That's all I can think of.

_{[She's joking right on back, but he's known her long enough that he can probably still hear an undercurrent of sorrow in her voice.]}

[Yeah, he can hear it all right.]

Must've been that.

Hell, maybe all of us walked under a ladder before we even went to the beach.

[He's quiet for a moment, thinking of what to even say.]

...I talked the guy a few times, way back when. But I never did get around to it this time.

That'd explain a LOT.

_{[She's honestly not sure WHICH was more disastrous-- the beach party or the trip that followed. Both went appallingly.]

[But her tone sobers up as the topic of Phoenix re-enters the conversation.]}

Yeah, he was... one of my best friends here. Right off the bat, practically.

He got me through some tough times.

And-- ... _{[A quiet, bashful laugh as she reaches back to rub her neck awkwardly, eyes suspiciously shiny.]} Obviously I got well over it, but back then I had the most embarrassing baby puppy-crush on him.

[Envy notices the shine, but he's not about to point it out. And oh.]

Aah, I guess you're lucky I didn't know you well enough back then to figure you out.

[It's just that light, reassurance teasing instead of the more full-blown kind that he'd do if the guy hadn't just left.]

He was a good person, I remember that much.

Heh, yeah. Nobody even suspected. It was a stealth crush.

_{[She hadn't let anybody close enough, back then.]}

But yeah.

I was... hopin' we'd have a little longer.

Ha, you and your sneaky crushes.

[AND HE ONLY KNOWS ABOUT TWO OF THEM. He lets out a sigh. He understands that sentiment way too well. Anyone who's been here as long as they have knows it.]

It's never long enough, is it?

... No, it really isn't.

_{[She sighs... then laughs slightly. It's genuine, but not too mirthful.]}

Man... we're such a couple of sad-sacks, aren't we? We've been here too long.

[He lets out a short little laugh of his own.]

It's true, we're a couple of jaded old fogeys by now, aren't we?

But still...it's a good thing, to have had them in the first place.

We sure are. I'm surprised we aren't snarling at the newbie whippersnappers every week and tellin 'em 'Back in MY day...'

_{[But she trails off there, grin fading again.]}

... Yeah.

Yeah, it's good.

I'd never trade this for anything.

It just... still hurts, sometimes.

[The offer to fly out and see her in person is on the tip of his tongue. But he can't, not with Wrath still here.]

Yeah. Yeah, I know.

[It's a quiet acknowledgement, accompanied by a little nod. Oh, does he ever know.]

I don't blame you for wanting to go off on your own for a while. [He can't talk, with his bad habit of trying to drop off the planet.] Just keep calling us, yeah?

Heh.

Don't worry.

You made the mistake of lettin' me into your house, now you'll never get rid of me.

[He immediately puts a hand up on top of his head in mock horror.]

Oh god, we've made a terrible mistake.

The Heather Mason infestation in the office is permanent.

HEH HEH HEH.

First I invade your homes... and then I invade your hearts.

_{[She clasps her OWN face and bats her eyelashes exaggeratedly.]}

[He just straight up flops over on the bed, still angling the 'Gear at himself with one hand and throwing his other arm over his face.]

Noooooo...your plan was foolproof, none of us could have seen this coming....!

Now it's too late.

_{[Maybe her malevolent cackle isn't nearly as boisterous as it would have been on any other occasion than just coming off of the loss of a friend, but she's still doing it, and that's a good sign.]}

It was too late a long time ago!

I'm like, The Zyng, but with friendship instead of horrible mutations.

[Yeah, it's a REALLY good sign, and he'll take it as encouragement that this is working.]

So you're...what, the Fryng?

That's it, that's you.

It's meeeee.

_{[Her laughter trails off into a sigh after a moment or so, but she looks a little better than she did when she first called.]}

Man, I shouldn't watch any horror movies on the 'Gear while I'm out camping in the woods, but you guys should rewatch that in my honor.

IC Contact

[September 7th, morning.]

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