video.

[unantichristly]

[ hi, port. there is a little antichrist in your nv screens. he's as grubby as ever, and there are a few leaves and twigs in his hair and sticking to his clothes-- probably because on second glance, he's in a tree, surrounded by leaves that have changed colours and started to fall. below him, dog can be heard barking excitedly, and after a

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[paterelohim]

[Hi, tiny abomination, have a small Prophet who isn't. Seeing you looking so grown-up tugs at something in him.]

How old are you, Adam?

[unantichristly]

[ he blinks at the question, frowning down at himself as he picks a leaf off his shirt. ]

I'm 'leven.

[ though that isn't.. precisely true, and he knows it. he's lived as a human for eleven years, but there's that other part of him, too.

maybe the better answer would've been 'i choose to be eleven'. ]

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[paterelohim]

That's too young to worry about this kind of stuff.

[Seriously why can't the kids around here just be allowed to be kids.]

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[unantichristly]

[ he leans back against the trunk, curling his arms around a knee. ]

.. I guess. But 'm not most 'leven-year-olds, right?

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[paterelohim]

Right. But still.

I mean, it's hard, right? Knowing you could have done something?

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[unantichristly]

[ he ducks his head a little, frown returning. ]

Yeah. I know it was right for me not to, but.. it was really hard. It's really, really hard sometimes not t'-- t' fix everythin' bad that happens. But if I start doin' that.. [ it messes with free will, and it's a very slippery slope for something like him. ] I know it must be hard for Granddad, too.

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[paterelohim]

If you start doing that, then soon nobody has any choice anymore.

[Softly. Chuck understands, even if he pretends it's just on an intellectual level.]

I can't even imagine.

Doesn't it hurt your head, trying to relate to something that... big?

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[unantichristly]

.. Yeah.

[ he gives the nv a slightly wan smile, fingers picking at a fray in his jeans. ]

Sometimes, I guess. I'd do anything some days t' just be a normal kid, but I wouldn't really want anybody else t' have to think about this stuff. [ the smile brightens faintly. ] An' most've the time, it's not so bad. An' Granddad talks t' me sometimes when I need 'im to.

[ a slight falter, and he glances down at the fray he's slowly turning into a hole. ]

Well, 'e did, anyway. I guess 'e's not here, so I've just gotta' manage, you know?

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[paterelohim]

Well, yeah, but it's not as hard as that.

[Oh, man. He fidgets with his jeans a little, wondering how he found himself justifying another God's absence.]

God might not be here, but the problems you have at home aren't either. This world is like... a ship in a bottle. It's isolated. Who knows? Maybe you actually can be a normal kid here.

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[unantichristly]

[ his mouth quirks again. ]

It's okay that 'e isn't. 'E's got a big job, you know? [ he shifts to straddle the branch, legs swinging. ] I'm gonna' do what I can, at least.

[ a small tilt of his head. ]

How're you, Chuck?

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[paterelohim]

You're pretty smart.

[Nnngh.]

I'm okay. There are nightmares affecting a large portion of the city.

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[unantichristly]

[ there's a quick, bright grin at the compliment. ]

Course I am. I'm the smartest in my class back home! [ but a moment later, the smile fades again, his head tilting slightly. ] .. I know, I can tell. Not you, though?

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[paterelohim]

[Cute kid. Sigh.]

...Me, actually. One of them was mine, and it was pretty... bad. It had a lot of my friends in it, and they all saw it.

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[unantichristly]

[ his brows draw together again, clearly concerned. ]

.. You really okay, then, Chuck? D'you need t'.. t' talk or somethin'?

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[paterelohim]

[Oh no. No no no. Chuck won't put this on a kid.]

No, it's okay. I'm gonna be fine- what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger.

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[unantichristly]

[ the flattest look, and adam's voice comes out almost as flat and a little angry. ]

That's stupid an' you know it, Chuck. It may not kill you, but that doesn't make it a good thing, either.

[ he frets for a few seconds, gnawing his lip, before shifting to lean back against the trunk again, pulling his nv onto his lap. ]

It's okay if you don't wanna' tell me, but don't say things like that.