(Untitled)

[dovehearted]

Who: dovehearted and OPEN
What: She needs the score. It's better to get it the old-fashioned way.
Where: Level 4, locations noted in log
When: Saturday
Warnings: eta: Character is from 1931; expect accordingly.

Comments

[future_games]

Isaac doesn't get out of his cabin often. He prefers it there on the sixth floor in his little cluttered room, away from all the things that go on around the Barge. Unfortunately, he does have to leave for a few hours every afternoon to work the lunch shift in the dining hall.

He's on his way back down to his cabin after his shift when he passes by the common room. Normally he wouldn't stop, but despite the time he spends alone, Isaac recognizes the faces of those who have been on the Barge for awhile. He doesn't recognize this girl, but he is incredibly familiar with that type of body language.

"Are you alright?," he calls softly from the doorway, true concern in his voice.

<3 Isaac

[dovehearted]

Lua's starting to get an idea of where she is and what's going on around her, but it's better not to hide at first when you're alone like she is (and she knows she's going to be alone here, as much as that tears at her). Besides her and the girl from last night, she's only seen a lot of men in this prison, and when she hears Isaac call out to her, she looks him over and starts to piece him together. Some kind of Spanish or Mexican, surprisingly gentle for someone here, maybe a little shy, observant enough to realize she's a new face. Probably one of "them" (like she is, now). "Could be better, you?" she answers, trying to play it safe.

It's strange to realize she hasn't really seen any guards, but she hasn't gone too far yet. Maybe they only come out when you do something stupid, though how they'd know about that she doesn't know. She'd at least like to know why she's here in particular.

:D He has to talk to people SOMETIMES. Don't you feel lucky?

[future_games]

Isaac is a cautious, hesitant man. He's been used and abused so many times by this point that he's grow to be wary of all people. But this woman's attempts to hide all true emotions about being thrown into this place without an escape remind him too much of himself.

He lets his guard down just this once.

"Could be better," he echoes with a faint smile, taking a hesitant step into the common room, hands in his pocket. "You've only just arrived, haven't you?," he guesses. "I don't recognize you."

[dovehearted]

Her guard stays up. Lua never knows where to start with the quiet ones. They don't give enough away for her to know if they're playing the same game she is. "It's my first day," she answers, looking down. She's already heard the story about the place, but if he wants to offer his version, that suits her just fine.

If not... that's fine, too.

[future_games]

Isaac could offer his own version, but he won't. He never quite figured out how to explain the Barge and he's found that others' descriptions don't do it justice. To him, the Barge and floods and ports are something you can't really understand it until you experience them for yourself. They're all too random to sum up in a few sentences.

He's inside the room now, but waver near the door for a quick, awkward escape should conversation become too much for him. Honestly, he doesn't expect it to, but better safe than sorry at this point.

"I'm sorry," he responds quietly. And he really is. It's the only thing he can think to say.

[dovehearted]

She's not sure how to feel about the pity. It makes a guy think less of you, but if they know you're as small and weak as you are, sometimes that means they'll take care of something you can't.

Especially if you make it look like you don't want to show it. It's not that bad, her eyes try to tell him (by now, she looks a little more sincere), and a small hand motion invites him over. "Been here a while?"

[future_games]

Isaac is almost fooled by Lua's facade, but not quite. He still knows this routine too well. It's too familiar, which is likely the only real reason he's decided to speak to this woman.

"I'll have been here two years in December," he relays mechanically, wandering closer to the couch. It's information he gives up often, and other inmates are generally surprised to find that such a mild-mannered, quiet man who never stirs up any trouble has been trapped here for so long. He realizes how off-putting his unnaturally long road to redemption can be, however, so he quickly tacks on a little reassurance.

"It varies for everyone. I've seen people graduate within a month."

[dovehearted]

She has no idea how long anyone stays here, but she guesses it depends on how much you suck up. That he hasn't makes her like him a little more, and when she looks at him, even if she's not smiling the lines of her mouth are a little softer. "Sounds like it takes a lot of work to get out."

[future_games]

Actually, Isaac has noted that sucking up does appear to get you quite far, but he tries his best not to fall into that habit. He doesn't want to be here, but he sincerely does want to make up for everything he's done and find the strength to move on with what remains of his life. A false graduation isn't the way to go about that.

It's difficult when you're carrying such a heavy load of emotional baggage, though. He thinks about the woman's comment for a moment, however, before settling on a response.

"Yes," he admits. "But it also takes cooperation. Sometimes it's the wardens who don't seem to understand that."

[dovehearted]

Her only response is a soft, curious noise. Go on. She understands everyone here has their own guard, and there was a guy before who dropped a word she didn't know describing them, but right now, all she can tell is that some of them take good care of you, and some of them don't give a damn.

[future_games]

Isaac gets the hint, but seems a little hesitant to continue. He's on his fourth warden. All the others had been helpful...until they packed up and left. The painter still feels abandoned and remains cautious around his newest warden, preparing himself to be left alone for the fourth time. But still, he doesn't like to make it seem like his previous wardens didn't care. None of them were bad people.

"Sometimes they leave," he admits after a moment. "They'll help, but they'll leave. Nothing is really keeping any of them here."

[dovehearted]

Lua doesn't like how that sounds, and her eyebrows turn down in something like sympathy. He's lost one he liked? Even if not, she needs to go softly here. "Maybe they can't handle it."