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Cool, I'm omw.
[ It occurs to him on the way there that it's the house Blue used to live in, and also that Noah's probably on a deadline. ]
[ It occurs to him on the way there that it's the house Blue used to live in, and also that Noah's probably on a deadline. ]
[It's a nice enough day, so Noah decides to wait for Caleb outside. He'll be sitting on the front steps, arms loosely folded over bent knees, when Caleb arrives.
The house is actually the one next to Blue's, previously inhabited by Adam and Ronan—and now just Noah. She got the house and Noah as a package deal when Adam disappeared and made sure to put it in writing that they were meant to stay that way. Whoever he signs with next will have to take ownership, of course, but at least he hasn't been kicked back to the Down.]
The house is actually the one next to Blue's, previously inhabited by Adam and Ronan—and now just Noah. She got the house and Noah as a package deal when Adam disappeared and made sure to put it in writing that they were meant to stay that way. Whoever he signs with next will have to take ownership, of course, but at least he hasn't been kicked back to the Down.]
[ Caleb shows up carrying a bunch of board games and a gatorade. Normally he's a snacks guy but Noah can't eat and Caleb doesn't want to be rude.
He texts that he's outside because that's better than knocking. ]
He texts that he's outside because that's better than knocking. ]
Hey!
[ Caleb turns to Noah and holds out the board games, attempting to go for triumphant but just looking nerdy. ]
I brought entertainment!
[ Caleb turns to Noah and holds out the board games, attempting to go for triumphant but just looking nerdy. ]
I brought entertainment!
[ Caleb follows Noah inside. He has a couple of Monopoly-like games, he went for the ones aimed for kids to avoid the porny ones. He also has dominoes and a poker card deck, and one Gloom knock-off that's about sex injuries but Caleb thought would be funny. ]
That looks good. The rules looked pretty easy to follow.
[ Caleb figures the game is just something to do while they chat, and since it's just the two of them he's pretty sure he can keep his overly competitive streak at bay.
He unboxes the game and starts setting up the board. ]
Are you keeping busy?
[ It's odd to be in a house. Dom housing is always busy and noisy, and here it's just Noah. Caleb's not used to having this much quiet during the day. ]
[ Caleb figures the game is just something to do while they chat, and since it's just the two of them he's pretty sure he can keep his overly competitive streak at bay.
He unboxes the game and starts setting up the board. ]
Are you keeping busy?
[ It's odd to be in a house. Dom housing is always busy and noisy, and here it's just Noah. Caleb's not used to having this much quiet during the day. ]
Yeah, trying to.
[The house feels too quiet and empty for Noah most days. It's lonely staying here without anyone but his jumpy dream cat for company. He spends as much time with other people as he can. In what seems to be an attempt to help with the set-up, he prods at some of the game pieces.]
Nothing new, just- working or hanging out with people.
[The house feels too quiet and empty for Noah most days. It's lonely staying here without anyone but his jumpy dream cat for company. He spends as much time with other people as he can. In what seems to be an attempt to help with the set-up, he prods at some of the game pieces.]
Nothing new, just- working or hanging out with people.
You're still at the arcade?
[ It feels like forever ago since that first ball. It's been years for Caleb, and he'd been a nervous wreck now.
That's changed, at least. He feels a lot more steady on his feet, though the recent Realignment tour is taking up a lot of space in his mind. He keeps knocking it back and it keeps coming back, like one of those inflatable punching bags. ]
[ It feels like forever ago since that first ball. It's been years for Caleb, and he'd been a nervous wreck now.
That's changed, at least. He feels a lot more steady on his feet, though the recent Realignment tour is taking up a lot of space in his mind. He keeps knocking it back and it keeps coming back, like one of those inflatable punching bags. ]
You never worked at uh... the magic place?
[ He's pretty sure Sam was working for Blue there, before— well, before the whole murder thing. Caleb still doesn't know who started that. ]
[ He's pretty sure Sam was working for Blue there, before— well, before the whole murder thing. Caleb still doesn't know who started that. ]
Aren't you magic? Kinda?
[ That's how he's been thinking about Noah anyway. Magic ghost guy from the magic group. ]
[ That's how he's been thinking about Noah anyway. Magic ghost guy from the magic group. ]
People keep calling what I do magic. I can't really argue with it, like, there's no real difference, is there?
[ magic or superpowers, both are things people can do that other people can't. ]
I mean, if my empathy is magic then everything you do is magic too.
[ magic or superpowers, both are things people can do that other people can't. ]
I mean, if my empathy is magic then everything you do is magic too.
[He gets where Caleb is coming from, but it still feels different.]
I guess. [He moves one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.] All I'm saying is, the only thing I could do in a magic store is work the register. It's not that kind of magic.
[The only marketable use Noah's found for being dead is what he does at the Scratch.]
I guess. [He moves one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.] All I'm saying is, the only thing I could do in a magic store is work the register. It's not that kind of magic.
[The only marketable use Noah's found for being dead is what he does at the Scratch.]
It's cool anyway.
[ He hands Noah the die so he can start the game. ]
What can you do anyway? I mean, I know you do something like empathy, but what else?
[ He hands Noah the die so he can start the game. ]
What can you do anyway? I mean, I know you do something like empathy, but what else?
[Noah shakes the die around in his cupped hands for a moment before rolling it.]
I can... disappear, if I want to. [Sometimes also when he doesn't want to.] Be somewhere else. Or find people.
Sometimes I move things, or... things move near me, but not really on purpose.
[That only tends to happen if he's freaking out.]
I can... disappear, if I want to. [Sometimes also when he doesn't want to.] Be somewhere else. Or find people.
Sometimes I move things, or... things move near me, but not really on purpose.
[That only tends to happen if he's freaking out.]
Have you tried doing it on purpose?
[ Caleb knows that sometimes an ability can't be controlled, but most people he knows gain some control once they start practicing.
He rolls the die, gets a bad roll, and frowns at the board. ]
This is why I don't do D&D, I swear my character would break his neck climbing off a horse or something.
[ Caleb knows that sometimes an ability can't be controlled, but most people he knows gain some control once they start practicing.
He rolls the die, gets a bad roll, and frowns at the board. ]
This is why I don't do D&D, I swear my character would break his neck climbing off a horse or something.
...Rough luck.
[Noah knows next to nothing about D&D or how it works.]
I tried doing it once. Nate made a charm to help me with something else and he said I needed to- [There's a pause as he searches for the word.] -imprint on it.
[Noah knows next to nothing about D&D or how it works.]
I tried doing it once. Nate made a charm to help me with something else and he said I needed to- [There's a pause as he searches for the word.] -imprint on it.
Edited (forgot a word) 2022-04-17 04:37 (UTC)
Telekinetics back home say it's like... like you gotta feel the thing you're moving. I don't really get it, but I think you could probably learn, if you wanted to.
I mean, not necessarily? We could get you in a room with plastic cups and stuff.
[ He doesn't want to push, but that's what they were trying to do back home; teach people with powers how to control them. ]
If you wanted. It might be fun.
[ He doesn't want to push, but that's what they were trying to do back home; teach people with powers how to control them. ]
If you wanted. It might be fun.
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