Untitled

[maddeninghatter]

Who: Xerxes Break and Gilbert Nightray. And, dear lord, Dr. Franken Stein
When: Tuesday, July 24
Where: Siren's Port
Summary: An introduction to modern life, complete with grievances.
Warnings: Minor surgery and traffic. Also, Dr. Stein himself constitutes a warning...

[ There is, to Xerxes Break's way of thinking, but one downside to keeping his outpatient appointment: that scary lady doctor! He'd been shocked, and then amused by the staples (modern medicine, indeed!); but they'd started to pull and itch in this warm weather, the more he moved about. And though he doesn't know the city, that is just one more reason to go out and explore.

Besides, he is slowly going mad, despite his seemingly ideal circumstances. Here, in this vast estate, with Alice, Oz, and Gilbert, he is safe for the moment. The gardens are fragrant; and the selection of sweets is as abundant as it is outstanding. The other occupants of the household - Ciel Phantomhive, his aunt, and their shadowy servants - are intriguing in their own right, and also because of their associations.

And then there's his NV, with which he's had hours of amusement, variously chatting with strangers or eavesdropping on their conversations.

But without any sort of occupation, without a reason for being here, Break feels useless. Guilt and despair - the old weaknesses of his youth - are creeping up on him again, as his mind constantly cycles between the "should haves" and "what ifs."

Thus he is silently slipping out a side entrance, without a word to anyone. His purpose is less to explore than it is to escape. ]

Comments

[retraced]

[It's not an admission of not being able to see it, and really, Gil isn't aware just yet that Break has caught onto the fact that he knows. After all, he's been hit with that stick for less in the past.

He takes a moment to turn and glance down the street to make sure another loud bus isn't coming before speaking. He's only explaining this once.]

They're called cars. Or...ah, automobiles? They're carriages with wheels that move on their own, they don't need anything to pull them.

[And then, a little bitterer:]

And they move five times faster and more dangerously. You have to be careful when you're crossing the street here.

[maddeninghatter]

[ Dryly ]

I gathered that.

[ He walks along beside Gilbert, his walking stick clicking on the pavement. He seems a little amazed at what he's been told, and is musing to himself about it. ]

My, my - fast-moving horseless carriages! Quite a lot of them about, hmm? Can't be too difficult to operate, if that's the case....

[ Abruptly, he turns to Gilbert, tapping him on the shoulder. ]

I saaaaay - do you you have one?

[retraced]

Huh?! Of course I don't have one!

[As he turns to yell in Break's direction, his hair falls back into his face. Ugh, stupid hair. He's almost glad that Break can't see him and make fun of how unruly and bed-heady it is right now. But, Break can definitely hear his hand sorting through his pants pocket, and the ruffling of fabric and movement of his arms and hands as he ties it up out of the way with a ribbon. That'll teach it.]

They're too fast! They sit too low to the ground and take turns too quickly. They smell! And there are so many strange parts inside of them that it's a miracle that they don't just fall apart!

1/2

[maddeninghatter]

[ Break isn't completely blind; he can still sense light and dark. Thus he's aware of something lining the edge of the sidewalk. It's a row of parked cars. He reaches out a hand, dragging his fingers across the curved metal and smooth glass of one of them, a little VW bug. ]

Haha~! Sounds dangerous!

[ There's a real glimmer in his sightless eye. ]

Of course, I can see why you'd be afraid of them. Given your difficulties controlling your hair, Mister Seaweed, you couldn't possibly control--

[ He has moved on to the next car, a large BMW. As soon as he touches it: ]

2/2

[maddeninghatter]

SCREEEEEEEE! WOOOO-OOOOP! WOOOO-OOOP! SCREEDLE SCREEDLE SCREEDLE SCREEDLE SCREEDLE SCREEDLE

[ This time, Break has the presence of mind to jump back! ]

[retraced]

[He's ready to snap back something both childish and defensive about the mess of human-like seaweed on his head, but the sound of the car alarm kills those words off pretty fast and turns them into a mess of flustered consonants instead. He jumps away as well, but continues walking. No sense in waiting for the owner of that car to show up and try to figure out why his alarm went off.]

Eh? Why did the alarm go off? We weren't even that close to it.

[As he's not paying attention to Break's wandering hands in lieu of tying this ribbon into place, he hadn't noticed.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Break finds his footing easily enough, determining that he's in no bodily danger. Gilbert's flustering has a calming effect, besides! ]

Goodness!

[ He catches up to Gilbert, falling in step beside him. ]

What a city! I can see why you like it here. The inanimate objects are touchier than you are, haha~!

[retraced]

They are not--!

[Oh wait, he's just insulting himself by denying it, huh? ARGH WHINE FOOTSTOMP etc.]

If you're just going to spend this time making fun of me then I'm not going to help you out at all!

[maddeninghatter]

It's because you're still so much fun to tease~♥

[ Gilbert sounds just like the little boy Break had once sought out, all those years ago. In fact, it's often difficult for him to think of Gilbert otherwise, particularly without the visuals...

And yet - the moment had been over almost as soon as it had begun, but Break can recall the feeling of Gilbert's arms around him, snatching him up, away from the bus, as though he were a doll. Gilbert, who had carried him out of Sablier. Gilbert, contractor of Raven. Gilbert...

He is not a child anymore. He is a man. ]

After all these years. Where have they gone, hmm?

[ Break has been dying for some time; but right now, he feels old. ]

By the way - are we headed in the right direction?

[retraced]

[He wants to snap something in return, swear under his breath, remind him again about that 4.5 centimeters that he finally gained on him after a much deserved and long awaited growth spurt.

But he bites his tongue. The air between them during his hesitation is heavy.]

...Mm. I know where we're going.

[An admittance and avoidance all at once.]

[maddeninghatter]

I knew it~♪

[ Two can play the vagueness game! ]

Mister Gilbert, finally learning to be useful. I'm so proud! Oh! Speaking of which, didn't you say you ran a bakery?

Is it nearby? You should take me there, afterwards.

[retraced]

[Yeah well two can play at this not walking into traffic game too! He pauses at a red light; no doubt Break can hear which way the cars are going, as well as a bright chirping sound coming from the crosswalk to indicate that the other street's light is still green.]

If you don't cause any trouble for me when we get there, you can have whatever you want when we're done.

[Yes, we're resorting to childish bribing.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ One man's bribe is another man's mutually beneficial relationship! Break is satisfied with this arrangement, but that doesn't stop him from protesting. ]

Mister Gilbert, you wound me. What possible trouble could I--

[ He pauses, listening. That artificial, bright chirp is unlike anything he's ever heard before. ]

What's...

Some sort of bird?

[retraced]

A bird?

[He goes quiet and listens; it takes him a second to hear what Break is hearing. He's gotten so used to it over the last number of years he barely notices it any longer. When he speaks again, his tone is a little softer.]

No, it's...it makes that sound when the traffic light changes color and the cars on the other side of the street are allowed to cross.

[For people who can't see it well, but he doesn't add that part.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ He heard that change in tone. He could hit Gilbert again; or complain of a sudden attack of queasiness; or any other of an assortment of momentarily satisfying actions...

But this would be an admission that he knows that Gilbert knows. ]

CHEEEERP!

[ The chirping has changed direction. Break strides into the intersection, swinging his stick. He can hear the cars as they draw to a stop, their engines idling. ]

Ah yes, traffic lights. I see. What a good idea!

[ Gilbert is obviously uncomfortable about admitting what he knows, so why not milk that as long as possible? ]

[retraced]

[Oh good, he didn't slip up.

...So he thinks.

And follows behind without another word about it, for the meantime.]

Just because they're there doesn't mean that people obey them. You should still pay attention!

[maddeninghatter]

[ Break's ears are attuned, now, to the hum of traffic. It's ubiquitous, common, an everyday feature of life here at Siren's Port. He'd almost been killed by something ordinary. And Gilbert is shouting at him to beware of it.

How the mighty have fallen. He'd been the strongest man at Pandora, with the most terrible chain: Mad Hatter, the chain-killer. But here, in this place, they've no connection to the Abyss. His chain, which rejects and destroys the powers of the Abyss, is useless here. In fact - it's a liability.

He's old and weak. That's how Gilbert is treating him. He's suddenly furious! ]

You don't have to tell me! I CAN SEE IT!

[retraced]

[He jumps and raises an arm, as though he excepts Break to lash out and smack him for his insubordination. Really, this time, he'd agree that he deserves it. Things can't be exactly the same as they were back home here, not when Break still has to re-assimilate himself into a world that he can't understand and can't even see properly.

He doesn't even try to come up with a retort this time.]

...Right. Sorry.