010

[contract_star]

[Hei appears, looking rather irritated, and promptly heads off along the Astral Plane, walking with a purpose and looking like he's searching for something.]

By M11, I think...

[Keeps walking, mostly in silence, though he mutters to himself occasionally. After a bit he comes upon his telescope and his expression darkens. The telescope has been knocked over and is lying on its side. Hei crouches down, sighing heavily.]

This on top of the rest of it...

[Disappears for a moment, coming back with a toolkit and a bag of sandwiches. He settles down and starts going to work on his poor, beat-up telescope.]

Comments

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

Huh? [Sort of forgot Hei was there.]

[contract_star]

[Fixes him with a pointed look.]

What was that about, Firo?

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[Shrugs and look away.]

[contract_star]

[Does exactly the same, going back to his scope.]

[Noncommittally,] Do you want some painkillers, at least?

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[Leans back on his hands.] Nah. Won't help.

[contract_star]

Hm. [Tra-la-la, telescope~]

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[He sighs.] They're just headaches. Maiza said they'd go away.

[contract_star]

[Glances at him.] I see. That's fortunate, then.

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

Yup. [...]

[contract_star]

[Is silent for awhile, working and alternately munching sandwiches.]

So how are you adjusting to this place?

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

It's not so bad, I guess. Bit strange.

[contract_star]

It is that. The people are generally good though. And I'm glad for the stars.

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

I'll bet. [Silent for a while.] I never really thought about what'd be like to miss 'em.

[contract_star]

[Eyes go rather distant.] Most people don't even really notice. The stars don't affect daily life, anyway. Not really. But they're still constant reminders that something is wrong with out world.

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[Firo's quiet for a bit, watching the stars and wondering what Hei's look like. Finally he sighs.]

Something's wrong with everyone's world, whether the whole world knows it or not.

[contract_star]

[Rather mirthless smile.] That's very true. [Glances at Firo and wants to ask what's wrong with his world, but doesn't.]

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[Something about Li's response intrigues Firo. He gives the man a sideways glances and then settles himself back down.] Yeah, I guess. But that's not the point of things, anyway. There's always something wrong. Gotta focus on the right!

[contract_star]

[Plasters on a grin.] Also very true. There tends to be more things going right than going wrong, doesn't there?

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[Sits up, leaning back on his arms and frowning at Li.] Well that's the fakest smile I've seen outside a clip joint.

[contract_star]

[Stares at Firo for a moment, then bursts out laughing.]

Trying too hard?

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[Raised eyebrow.] Only a lot. What's the low down, pally?

[contract_star]

[It's the slang again!]

Sorry?

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[SIGH.] The story, Li. What's got you smiling tight enough to break your face?

[contract_star]

[Matches the sigh, the happiness dissipating slowly.]

It's very complicated and not something I like sharing with people. [Meets his eyes.] I'm sure you know the feeling.

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[And thaaat gets a grin out of him. A somewhat challenging grin. And a somewhat tired one.]

A few months back I became immortal. "Ate" a two hundred year old man and absorbed his memories, and the memories of the eighteen other immortals he'd "eaten" himself. The headaches? That's his baggage surfacing. S' a lot to take in all at once.

[Flops back, crossing his arms behind his head.] I'm only eighteen. Maiza hates that I ate Szilard--Maiza's the one who made him immortal in the first place, but he's no killer. And it saved Ennis, so.

[Sideways smirk.] Complicated? I can do complicated.