[01] Video
[There's a rattling sound like someone is shaking the poor communicator within an inch of its life, and then a sharp smacking sound as the video feed turns on. There's a particularly irritated looking young man with long black hair on the screen. He pauses for a moment, either making sure that the device is working properly or else just glaring at
( Read more... )
Fuck--! [The image goes black then as a hand covers the lens, a few triangles of light showing through between his fingers before the camera is shifted into a more stable position and the hand is removed to show Heine's intense, staring face. He'd never admit that he'd been in a state of mild panic just moments before, waking up in a strange place, finding Kanda wasn't there, and then anxiously fiddling around with the little device to try and get some answer. No, he wouldn't admit that in a million years. And because he'd never admit it, it's likely hard to tell that he's immensely relieved to not only hear Kanda's voice but see his scowling face on the screen.]
Hate to hear what you'd call me if I wasn't here.
Reply
Luckily, from the first low explicative, he recognizes his partner--his Weapon--and so the most obvious display of his relief has passed by the time the red of Heine's eyes appears on the screen.]
Reply
Just as long as neither of us has cause to find out.
[A beat. But that's the extent of intimacy he'll display over what might very well be a public communications system, and almost at once he focuses on something pressing and practical.]
Where are you?
Reply
[Heine's shoulders rise in a simple shrug, though he clearly isn't honestly holding anything against Kanda in this regard. It was teasing and playing, a nice to steadying of his own nerves--if he can make a joke about the experience of fear then he'll do so.]
Some place that looks like the set of some period drama. The room--[He pauses, a cautious frown appearing on his face. No point in getting careless now.] Fifth floor.
[He directs a slight glance off screen, his eyes narrowed as he seems to be thinking about how to say something in particular. A few seconds pass, then while still looking off to the side he exhales shortly through his nose.]
Apparently we've always been here.
Reply
And his thoughts on that last remark--he can't even tell for the moment what exactly Heine means by it. But his response is the same nonetheless.]
The hell we have.
[He pauses for a moment to fiddle with the communicator, trying to find a way to private the feed, but it's not obvious and he's not so adept with new technology. He keeps talking (sounding more irritated) while he tries to make it work, his brain taking the opportunity to dwell on what actually seems a more important point than his first reaction gave time to.]
What do you mean 'we've always been here'?
Reply
Sure as hell isn't New Jersey. At least not the New Jersey we were just in. You recognise any of this?
Reply
No. [He hesitates. He doesn't recognize it, but...] There's something familiar though...
How long have you been awake for?
Reply
He starts to pace the room slowly, communicator in hand as he does so.] About fifteen-twenty minutes. Woke up, saw it wasn't Jersey, saw you weren't here--[Panicked.]--asked the help what was going on, messed with yee olde iDickens and heard you while I was doing that.
You?
Reply
[He gives up trying to private the feed in frustration.]
Few minutes.
I tried the communicator first.
[He looks around the room for a moment, his eyes pausing on Mugen--it's almost jarring to see the sword there waiting for him after so much time--reaches for it and straps it in place on his belt.]
I'm coming up there.
Reply
Mmhmm. [It's not a noise that suggests he's uninterested or dismissive, it's just Heine's sense that there's no point in wasting more time on whatever network this was if they were going to speak face to face.] You'll see me. [And he clicks the communicator shut.]
Reply
Leave a comment