Communications Officer Doug Eiffel (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
littletonoidea) wrote2022-03-02 01:29 am
littletonoidea) wrote2022-03-02 01:29 am
IC Inbox
"This is the audio log of Communications Officer Doug Eiffel of the-- previously of the U.S.S Hephaestus, leave a message and I'll see if I can bear to drag myself away from whatever utterly engaging task I must be doing to not notice my comms--"
BZZZZZZZ
Action | Text | Voice | Video
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Wardens-locked. We inmates might hurt ourselves with all the dangerous musical instruments or potted plants.
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[He holds the pose for a moment with another lilting noise, like it's a real thinker, then--]
Think fast!
[Throws the bottle in a lazy lob at Elias.]
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-- between one moment and the next a whole lifetime passes.
The bottle smashes at his feet, Elias takes a step back. He can't control his expression for a moment, overwhelmed by-- he isn't sure what. ]
Oh-- hell.
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Wh-whatthehellwasthat?! What did you do?!
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He's only experienced a few of these; but each time the days following have been an uncomfortable mess as he extricates himself from whoever's life he had been living and--
he quashes the residual panic, the feeling that he's going to somehow miss his exams; that this is some faerie magic; that he doesn't know where--
he can't do this with someone else here. He grits his teeth and steps back again. ]
Excuse me.
[ his voice is so much older in his ears than it should be-- he's twenty and now he's an old man, and not even that, he's not even in his own body he's--
He reaches out for the wall of the gazebo, steadying himself. ]
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[His panicked rambling is the exact opposite of Elias's terse silence, but the same function is fulfilled. Giving himself a minute to think while his mouth goes off on its own damn tangent, to register the lack of weight on his shoulders like a stone noose from his deal with the fucking terrifying Cutter fairy, realising that he recognised most of the staff and students there from the Barge, that Elias was...
...not... really okay, either. And not like passing-out-exhausted, like... kind of in shock?
And just like that his own tone softens - his panic isn't any less but seeing someone else just as fucked up helps.]
W-wait, uh... are-- are you okay, Elias?
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Stop that.
[ He can't compel his warden. He doesn't know what knowledge to reach for to put in his head to shut him up. He has as little control over him as he does over his own mind, and Elias cannot cope with that.
He takes another step away. ]
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[He literally hasn't done anything, it's not like he's had the chance.]
Look, you're... [He holds both hands out, like he's placating a dinosaur.] You're gonna go full Shining if you don't calm down, let's just- take ten, alright? Breathe, take it easy...
[And he doubts Elias is gonna let him, but he's gonna try stepping slowly towards him as he's talking, to try and put a hand on his shoulder.]
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Elias grits his teeth, glaring up at Eiffel as his warden sets a hand on his shoulder. He reaches up to take the hand-- ostensibly to pull it off his shoulder, but also to give physical contact with which to shove a particularly nasty Flesh statement at his warden.
Nothing happens, except that Elias is left holding the back of Eiffel's hand and frowning at him in confusion.
Then with a snarl he pulls his hand away. ]
I do not need your condescension.
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Huh.
Eiffel lets his hand get thrown off, but he scowls right back.]
Hey-- no-one's being condescending here! I'm trying to help, you're the one throwing a Caillou-scale tantrum over-- God knows what!
[He doesn't try to grab Elias again, but he doesn't move away.]
I'm supposed to be your warden, letting me do some goddamn first aid is literally not gonna kill you! Exactly the opposite, in fact!
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[ Elias stops, hearing how little control he has over his own voice. It's an effort. He'd like nothing more than to try throwing a punch, to make this insufferable man shut up for good. To stop him from seeing him like this-- but he won't let himself.
He takes another step back, forcing his hand off the wall. ]
I do not need first aid from you.
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Uhhm, buh- what about-- [He snaps his fingers in a skittish looking-for-the-right-word staccato.] What about the ArchiJon, Jon! We can get him to come help, he can still- you still like him, right? I could give him a call...?
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You are not to tell him anything of our interactions. Nothing.
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Jesus Christ-- Sécurité received loud and clear, Canaveral, Warm Body's reports will not get forwarded on to Eyes Aplenty.
[He leans forward and rubs his cheekbone gingerly.]
...again.
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But that he'd let someone see how much they'd gotten to him. He ignores the pain in his hand, holding it steady when he wants to flex it.
He takes two more steps back, gritting his teeth again as Eiffel once again proves himself incapable of being quiet.
Until he realises exactly what he's said and stops in place. ]
Again.
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[He gets back to his feet, one hand protecting his face while the other is outstretched defensively.]
Y-- you're the one that downloaded Scream directly into my brain, pal, you're the one who showed me your home-grown man-cronomicon! What the hell was I supposed to do?!
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[ It isn't often Elias is rendered speechless, yet here he is again and it's a moment or two before the incomprehension and horror in his eyes is able to be reigned in.
He needs to leave, before he does or says something drastic. And so he turns on his heel, back to Eiffel. And takes a breath. He can walk away with dignity and a calm expression on his face. All the way back to his quarters and away from this-- ]
Once again I'll have to request a rain check.
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[He wasn't trying to be cruel, he'd just needed advice because it was fucking horrifying.
He steps forward without thinking, moving to put his hand on Elias's shoulder again.]
That's not-- I mean it's totally your fault but like--
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He can't help it, his body simply recoils at something being that close to him when he is so very aware of how poorly this all Looks.
And the flinch only makes it worse.
So he closes his eyes and thinks of all he has seen and done and been. This is not him. He is so much more. He was above everyone else in the world and their fear was his to feast on. He will have that again. He won't let this place take that control from him.
He turns; body still, eyes clear, tone cordial and entirely cold. He's used to looking at people like he can see into their heads, it isn't hard to do. He will again. He will have his power again. ]
Do excuse me. I think it would be better if I retire to my cabin. You understand, of course.
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I-- uh, yeah. O-of course, mister Bouchard.
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(only good. nothing else.)
--like food to a starving man. It makes Elias want to keep looking, to take the moment to study Douglas Eiffel properly and see if there are other fears connected to that. Power helps for that, of course. But Elias has lived long enough and known enough people to learn that there multiple ways to get inside a person's fear.
But no. This inane man is beneath him. ]
And I would appreciate it if you checked with me before sharing anything which comes up between us. As warden, you're in a position of power here. I'd hate to feel I couldn't trust you.
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[Amazing, how quickly that dynamic has shifted with Elias showing that icy managerial side. Eiffel is actually glancing away, still rubbing his face with one hand but deliberately avoiding eye contact, glancing sidewards at the floor.]