IC INBOX

[enveloped]

—

10:55 am

CODE BY

Comments

voice;

[citharede]

[ Okay, so Jeff was clearly upset when he gave her this number, because Jeff is about as good at hiding his feelings as a dog. Still, it's not like she can just... not call. It's Cam. Cam is here.

She's laying on her bed with her feet in the air when she calls him, still not really believing it is him. Not really. ]

Hey, is this Cameron Waltz? I mean, I assume it is, unless I have the totally wrong number.

Re: voice;

[enveloped]

Yes, this is Cameron Waltz.

[He knows that voice. Cam has to sit down before responding.]

Athena. Darling. How are you? Are you alright? Is Calhoun taking care of you? Do you need help?

[citharede]

[ Woah. That's a lot of paternal concern all at once. Shit she is not sure she will ever be used to for 1000, Alex. ]

I'm okay, Cam, really. Me and Jeff have a place in town complete with furniture and everything. I've got a job which kinda sucks and kinda doesn't, and... How long have you been here? Was Aunt Nory worried? They said time doesn't pass, I mean you know they said it because they would have said it to you too, but.

[ Hi homesickness. She rolls onto her side, voice soft. ] I just don't want her to worry. Or think I ran away or something.

behold, a conversation in four successive texts:

[bardish]

so what kind of food do you eat?

I forgot to ask you that before

do you have any food allergies?

i don't want to accidentally poison you with a peanut or something!

[enveloped]

Any and all.

No allergies.

You'll have to try harder than that to get rid of me.

[bardish]

drat, you caught on to my plan to figure out your weaknesses

text; @citharede

[citharede]

Do you ever think about how meatballs are basically meatloaf cupcakes.

[enveloped]

No. I can't say I do.

Did you know meatballs are one of few dishes eaten by almost every people (vegetarians excluded) in the entire world?

You have to wonder who came up with it first.

[citharede]

...That's fu weird.

I mean I guess it's easier to stuff a wad of meat in your mouth than it is to cut it up??

voice;

[citharede]

JEFF IS IN THE FUCKING JUNGLE AND WE HAVE TO GO GET HIM.

[enveloped]

Good to hear from you too.

How was my day? Very nice, actually.

[citharede]

[ There's genuine panic in her voice. ]

Cam I'm not fucking kidding, he got hijacked by some guy who thought he was someone else and now the dude is out there apparently losing his mind and Jeff is stuck with him because he won't just ditch the guy and come back.

text; @citharede

[citharede]

Hey.

[ She sends that one word and then drapes an arm over her face, her eyes burning again. She swallows twice and wipes her eyes and goes back to texting before he thinks she's a fucking tinder dude or something. ]

I have to ask Jeff if it's okay but if it is can you spend a night or two here?

[enveloped]

Of course.

Is something wrong?

[citharede]

No. I mean yeah, but I'm fine, it's not a big deal.

voice; post-exploration fiasco

[bardish]

Hey, uh... I know you probably don't want to hear from me at all, after I let a guy lead me out into a haunted forest compound and we all nearly died...

I just wanted to make sure you were doing all right. And to thank you again for everything.

[ AWKWARD PAUSE. He's trying to decide if he should hang up now, only TOO MUCH TIME PASSES and now it'd be even more awkward to hang up, so... Uh... what to talk about... ]

Oh! I heard from Hank! He's doing well, recovering at the hospital. He sent me a gift basket as a kind of "sorry for accidentally kidnapping you and thank you for saving my life" thing!

...

It's full of shellfish. That's customary on his planet, apparently.

Do you like shellfish?

[ Oh god WHY DID HE SAY THAT? Uhh... UHHH...

Quickly: ] Okay, bye.

Re: voice; post-exploration fiasco

[enveloped]

I'm glad to hear Hank is well.

No need to apologize. I'm doing fine.

How are you?

[a pause.]

I do like shellfish.

[bardish]

[ CUE NERVOUS LAUGH. ]

I'm less fine!

Wait. Sorry. That's not-- we're making idle chit-chat here, and that's not chit-chat talk.

[ LET'S TRY THAT AGAIN. ]

I'm fine.

[ Pause pause pause. ]

These little guys are still alive. There's even a lobster in here. So I was thinking, like... maybe we could let them go at the beach? And then go out for shellfish that somebody else killed for us after.

[ ANOTHER PAUSE. ]

Or is that a little morbid? Liberating these shellfish and then eating others...

@mer.aisava; text

[secretarialhand]

Cameron,

Pardon any intrusion, but we wished to speak to you, should you have time.

[enveloped]

[Cameron? That’s new. Perhaps they’re on a first-name basis now.]

I always have time for you Csevet.

LATE-NIGHT TEXTING

[bardish]

i hate insomnia
how ar eyou?

sorry i don't even know if you're up

ARE YOU UP CAM???

[enveloped]

[The reply comes a couple minutes after the third message. Cam groggily checking his buzzing device for whatever disaster has someone blowing up his inbox.

Jeff Calhoun. A minor disaster.]

I’m up now.

voice; DATE PLANNING

[bardish]

What sounds better? Noodles or tacos?

[enveloped]

Tacos.

voice;

[pacifisticuffs]

Morning old boy. Just wanted to make you aware that I might have put my tab under your name yesterday evening. All a bit hazy, really.

[ It’s not. It’s not hazy at all. ]