I .

[desolavi]

one. 〆 PHONE | PUBLIC

[ a soft sigh at first, as he picks up the phone. pause. pulls it away to stare at it. mutters under his breath

Comments

three.

[is_an_island]

[he was just passing by but there's something about that stare that stare that makes him

try to

self-consciously brush his thick eyebrows as he gives him long side-glances that stare...]

three.

[desolavi]

[ you know what. he's so bored he's going to take that as a challenge.

and just

stare

harder.

accompanied by a small, almost-confrontational sideways cant of the head. ]

[is_an_island]

[brushes his eyebrows harder does he have broccoli stuck in them or something

he's pretending he's not looking at him but he's fidgeting and growing quickly disconcerted

but in a gentleman sort of way of course]

[desolavi]

[ this is almost kind of funny. keeps his stare up for a bit longer before saying quietly, ]

Why aren't you saying anything, if you're that bothered.

[is_an_island]

You prat, stop staring! I... I don't care, mind, but it's bloody fucking rude and I know what you're thinking! You're thinking I have large eyebrows, aren't you? And what if I do? They're handsome eyebrows! Or are you thinking about my clothes? You're thinking about my clothes, aren't you, about how tweed is out of fashion? Tweed is always in fashion and it shows what you know! Or maybe you're thinking about what a lonely old man is doing in the park alone? Perhaps I enjoy feeding the birds. There's nothing with a healthy love of nature, so don't say anything otherwise! Of course I have friends, so stop insinuating otherwise! What's wrong with you? What's the bloody fucking matter with you, stop thinking those sorts of things!

[desolavi]

[ ... blinks slowly before slouching a bit further down. ]

I wasn't thinking any of that -- I don't really care what you're wearing. And there's nothing about being alone. You shouldn't put words in other people's mouths.

[is_an_island]

It... It was in your eyes. A perfectly... perfectly fine conjecture...

You really weren't thinking about any of that?

[desolavi]

Yeah. Why should I care what other people are wearing?

I'm just people-watching.

[is_an_island]

... What's that all about?

[kinda

sitting next to him

in the most awkward stuffy old-man manner]

[desolavi]

There's nothing about it. It's just a way to pass the time.

[ pause. choosing his words carefully: ]

... You're more talkative than some of the people here.

[is_an_island]

That's an odd way to compliment people, but I suppose thank you.

But isn't there better ways to pass time? I embroider quite a bit, wouldn't mind teaching you...

[desolavi]

Ah, I've never been really good with my hands.

And it wasn't a compliment. I was thinking the people here are kind of weird. You seem more normal.

[is_an_island]

Do you mean more normal amongst the drones or everybody else?

I'm the most normal of them all, either way, really.

[desolavi]

[ pause. confused frown. ]

'Drones'?

[is_an_island]

Yes, you know. Those people who aren't quite right, sometimes try to kill you, otherwise take up a good eating space in your household.

Some of them are rather nice chaps when they're not out trying to kill everybody.

[desolavi]

[ stops slouching and sits up a bit straighter. the drones he tried to talk to denied everything, but this guy seems to know something. pause, before sounding slightly more polite, ]

... can you tell me a bit about this place?