kismet_loop | [Video]

Entry tags:

steam powered giraffe | the spine

[Video]

[What was that? Oh nothing, just the feed flicking on to the sight of one big green eye, before a pink kitten nose was nudging at the lens of the drone’s camera. How did S’mores manage to turn that feature on? Who even knew? It wasn’t like she was telling, just starting in on nuzzling on the drone, her purr sending a nearby glass vibrating across the table it was sitting on. Other than the light filtering in through the partly-drawn curtains? The room being shown was dim, the mood entirely gloomy.

Which of course seemed to match the mood of the bot sitting in an armchair with a book in his lap, though he wasn’t paying the open text much mind, just frowning in the direction of the window, unaware that he was being filmed.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You're right; someone should. What d'you say you and me give it a go?

...Suppose it couldn't hurt any.

Going around beakin' off and asking stuff of everybody's worked out well so far.

Also, open up.

[Is that your door, Spine? That's your door. Sam thumps it once in emphasis.]

[It's definitely his door, can she hear the loud meowing of his kitty?

At least he doesn't make her ask twice, opening the door and stepping back to let her in.]

Thanks.

[Coming in, Sam pauses long enough to toe off her shoes before she crouches to hold out a hand for S'mores to sniff.]

So, you got my message. How bout the calls? Texts?

[Just taking his time, closing the door as Sam and S'mores said hello to each other.]

...Yeah.

Don't feel worse, but I was worried.

[Hahaha.

Yeah about that.]

...Sorry. [A small grimace as he glanced around the room, trying to recapture some semblance of normalcy so Sam would have less reason to worry.]

We're cool. So's you know. Just... you want to fill me in? On whatever you're willing to, honestly. I'll take what I can get, though there is one thing I want to ask. No. Two things.

Ask away, can worry about fillin' in after that... [Just gonna head back over to settle on the couch and scoop up S'mores because the little purrmonster doesn make him feel better.]

[Sam moves to sit beside The Spine. Though the question she wants to open with is sort of selfish (even if it isn't unfair) she asks it without hesitating any longer than she has to to indicate she suspects it isn't easy to answer.]

First, why didn't you answer anything?

And you know I'm glad to see you, right?

[And it's a fair question, selfish or no. He takes a moment, trying to figure out some way to phrase things before finally giving up on making things sound any better.]

Didn't trust myself to. [Was someone a little bit of a mess still? Someone was still a bit of a mess.]

[What was there to say in answer to that? Not much. Finding the right words would've been a tricky bit of business even if she had had only what The Spine said to respond to, but...]

[But everything coming off him (insecurity and guilt and a few finer points muddied together in an uncomfortable static-simmer she wanted to squint at) cinched it, and so Sam slid nearer to put a reassuring arm around the robot.]

And your other answer?

[That? He certainly wasn't expecting, optics brightening as he went abruptly still with that arm around him, even as S'mores happily sprawled across to Sam's lap, purring mightily.]

...Wasn't expectin' it but I guess it's pretty clear.

Look; it shouldn't be a surprise. You're a good sort, and I'm glad you're here, and I'm glad you're still here, you get me?

[It's too early to say 'and that you're okay' because while The Spine is once again the The Spine Sam knows, the emotional state his aura indicates isn't okay. Improved from what it was during the malfunction, maybe, but not okay. 'Yourself again' isn't quite right, either. 'Still here' is as close as this conversation can come, though 'still here' is still something.]

I got a favour to ask, for the foreseeable future.

[Mutely the bot just nodded at the mention of a favor, curious what she would ask, still working through the uncertainty that he was a 'good sort' as she claimed. One thing at a time.]

Answer texts? Especially or at least the ones starting with some variant of 'no but dude for real,' please.

[She let go of The Spine so that the bot might be more at ease, poking at S'mores' pawpads as she spoke.]

Magic's great for getting a message out and confirming the recipient is alive, but it wants for ways to reply.

Edited 2016-05-25 05:41 (UTC)

...I can do that.

[Watching as S'more mewed and squirmed, batting at those poking fingers with that massive purr of hers.]

Thanks. I'm thinking that a bit more regular touch-base might not be a bad idea. Even when you're not coming out or I'm not coming by, it'd be nice to know how you are. I'll joke about escaping my student debt, but my friends here---including you---are what make being stranded in space okay at its worst, so... yeah.

[The bot let out a soft huff of steam at that comment, but nodded slowly, even as S'mores was tumbling completely into Sam's lap for the moment.]

Well, it's appreciated...

All truth. It boils down to this: Whatever pans out, I don't want you left in the lurch.

[Whatever would've come next is delayed, as Sam has to take a moment to turn S'mores onto her back and risk ruffling that fluffy tum.]

So... Guess it's your turn to talk? So far as you would be willing.

Edited 2016-05-31 00:20 (UTC)

[S'mores thankfully liked belly rubs and so purred mightily, relaxing for the attention that was rightfully hers as resident feline.]

...Not... not even really sure where to start, to be honest. [Better than pretending everything was fine at least?]

That makes two of us. I mean, my first instinct to start is 'what the shit' but that's impolite and also not helpful.

[Sam glances over, offering an apologetic shrug and a crooked little smile.]

Sorry. Guess I'll stay on the sentiment and ask, what was that? There's what it looked like... but that's the view on the juju side of things, Xan and I concurring. Not the same as an actual answer.

It was... [He huffed a sigh of steam, trying to think of how to describe things accurately.]

Basically bad memories. Been functioning for over a hundred years, and... not all of em were very nice.

[Sam nods... and for want of better ideas, says the first thing that fits.]

I'm sorry.

You'd been starting to say something on the network, prior?

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