altimit | [Closed] misteaks' mistakes (catchall)

( Huh. He sees. )

This game is from a Japanese company, right? Is this game also anime?

( Is that how it works... )

...

I... huh. I don't know.

[He looks a little embarrassed at admitting as much. But he drowns out the feeling with More Slushie. Slurrrrp.]

Levi would. I'll have to ask him.

[In fact, he's gonna text him right now. Good use of his HUD.]

You're from the states, right? Did you ever get to go somewhere like Japan?

( Huh, embarrassment isn't a reaction that he expected, but it doesn't look bad on Barrett's features.

He nods when he says he'll ask Levi. He shall patiently await the response from the expert. )

I have. Briefly. I used to travel as necessary. I did research, so I'd go give presentations, network... Those kinds of things. I didn't really get to sight-see... After our day business was done, my colleagues and coworkers mostly just wanted to go to hotels and get drunk. Sometimes they'd call women over.

I recall I didn't used to like doing any of that so much.

( It was such a headache getting out of those... The social acrobatics he'd have to do to shimmy out of it but keep his rep intact without inciting the ire and prejudice of his peers... He couldn't always get out of the drinking part, but at least he could tolerate that. )

... I think I had a one night stay in Japan to give a presentation during the day, before I had to fly out in the morning. I was kind of tired, so I didn't want to do much else. I think I just sat in a park with a cool drink.

There were hydrangeas out. I think... I thought it was nice. The city lights felt distant, and it was a little wet from the rain earlier, but it wasn't badly humid. It wasn't so bad for once, sitting there alone.

Business... no wonder you talk so smart. [God, he could never. But he's perfectly content with them being cut of very different cloth.] I'm sorry to hear you didn't get to look around more. I'd be too curious at the food options... letting something like that go would be heartbreaking. But, uh... maybe that's why I'm not in business.

[His expression softens with a thoughtful, distant look to the side at Mithrun's description. Huh. So even if he doesn't know the feelings now... he remembers the feelings from then? A little bit, at least. There's a lot of maybes, a lot of "I thinks." But its still a memory.]

...It sounds nice. Like it would have been really peaceful in such a busy place.

...

You're really good with words. Do you know that?

( He really does like food...

The compliment surprises him, and then gives him pause. He... shakes his head??? That's the honest response, at least. )

... I never thought about it. I just say what I think. ( Considers. ) You do too, when it's something you care about.

( Family... being alive (for family)... food (related to family??? unconfirmed)... But Barrett seems pretty articulate in those moments. )

...I do?

[It's the most surprised he's been all day. He doesn't feel articulate. His professors definitely wouldn't call him anything of the sort. Words never came to him the way they did to people like Damian or Lucas.]

...I guess I can take your word for it. Nobody's really told me anything like that before.

I don't usually like to talk much.

What do you like to do?

[A beat.

He takes another sip from his cup.]

I like playing sports. Exercising and training my body.

I also really like food... though I don't know if I could ever be a chef. I don't like making it as much.

And I like spending time with my brothers, when we have a chance to see each other again.

[It's like ticking off a checklist.]

( He kind of makes a face like "Why are you doing that."

No, yeah, he just makes the face. If Barrett insists on what he said Mithrun will let it go for now, but. )

[He sees the Face. Uh oh.]

What? What's the matter?

... I'm not sure.

( Honest!! He's got no clue. But Barrett's reaction makes him wonder if he was picking up on a false positive. )

... Do you want to play a sport?

( Says local man, mouth all blue, who has near passed out like twice. )

[...Pfft. He leans over with his elbows against his knees, cup draped against one leg as he tilts his head towards Mithrun.]

What, right now?

You prefer it to talking.

( QED, surely. He's also more task/action-oriented, so he's never got an issue with replacing conversation with activity. )

....

[Okay now he's just flat out giggling.]

I do.

But I like talking to you, too. And drinking slushies.

I don't have to want sports all the time. I'd get bored.

( Oh. Mithrun seems surprised. Especially by the giggling. And especially (even more) when he says he likes talking to him. )

... Okay.

( Well, if he wants to talk, then sure. Mithrun doesn't really mind.

A pause, looking at him. )

... That expression suits you. The sound, too.

( Laughter, he means. )

Edited 2023-08-22 04:57 (UTC)

...Thanks.

I like it. Feeling happy, I mean.

[It beats the mess of feelings they were both drowning in earlier. Even if it's just a moment of thinking about throwing a football in a dark tunnel.]

I liked when I could see your smile, too. So... I hope you can feel it more often.

( Oh. He tilts his head a little. )

... I didn't realize I was.

( Considers, quiet for a time. )

... I don't think there's anything that can fix me. But I'm playing this game because it might help me recuperate. So... I'm trying to experience different things, and see if it makes some difference.

( Kind of like physical therapy. He's got something he needs to do. )

So... I think I should see you again.

[To not try to reverse his issue, but to find how to love with it... it's kind of admirable in a way, even if right now he imagines the effort must feel enormous.]

If you want to, then I'd like that.

[Still... he feels like he's missing something.]

Why me, though?

( ? )

I don't normally smile.

( But you said he smiled at you. So. )

[...Ohhh.]

...You just want to see if you can smile again?

[His brows crease as he brings his slushie back to his mouth in thought.]

Okay. I don't know what I did the first time. [He doesn't even know if it was him at all. They weren't exactly talking about nice topics when it happened.] But I think I'd like to see it, too.

Just be yourself. If it's going to happen, it'll happen.

( No pressure(????) )

... I'll try to produce results. ( Since Barrett says he'd like to see it. ) I don't usually have people around me who think I can improve. But... the people here want me to. Fragment's playerbase is strange.

[...

After a moment to think, Barrett lifts a hand to rest against Morgan's shoulder.]

Improvement can take hard work. It helps a lot to have goals, though. Even if they're small ones.

Maybe you can make a goal for yourself while you're in the beta.

( Oh, he looks up at the touch. )

A goal...? Like what?

You said you want to produce results. But it's hard to know what you mean by that. Goals are best if you know what you want and don't make it too hard to achieve.

[It's a concept he follows constantly. Muscle training couldn't happen overnight, after all.]

What do you think would be a good result for you?

( This is true. Mm... )

... Avoiding pain when I register it.

( It makes his goal a lot harder if he's at risk for a minor injury going untreated because of his own mental blind spot.

He seems to think on this after he's said it, though, acknowledging this might be a rather large goal - he glances at Barrett for input. )

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