Fist Fighting with Fire

The moment you arrived they built you up. The sun was in your eyes You couldn't believe it. Riches all around, you're walking Stars are on the ground You start to believe it. Every face along the boulevard is a dreamer just like you You looked at death in a tarot card and you saw what you had to do

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

jacob-duke‌:

Admittedly, Marlowe’s joke flies right over Jacob’s head for a few seconds, until he remembers the little note in Marlowe’s employee file: synthetic heart. He’s not a doctor, he doesn’t know if it means Marlowe has physical limitations – either way, he’s not about to make the guy climb up a ladder, just in case.

“Eh. It’d be bad, sure. For two days, but then some fuckin’ GOP headliner will get caught taking dirty money, and everybody will forget about the time I got a kid’s skull cracked open,” he says thoughtfully, shooting Marlowe a quirk of a grin. Finally, he disposes of his cigarette, making damn sure he gets it in the garbage can. “Is it still riddled with reporters looking for a scoop?”

“We can always go borrow a face from CyberLife.” He said, taking his position at the bottom of the ladder to hold it. “No one will know its you behind the mask.” Wishful thinking though. Reporters seemed to know everything and it was hard anymore to hide behind a hat and sunglasses. Nothing like it used to be. At least...as far as Marlowe knew. 

He was mostly joking anyways. 

Taking in a deep breath he steadied himself and nodded towards Jacob. “C’mon then, Sir. Up you go!” 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

dylan-ortiz‌:

Dylan forced a smile at the angry lady and handed off her drink. It would be like this for another few hours unless someone blew the store up, which sounded like heaven right about then. 

“Ah, yes, a TV dinner and a cold shower. Livin’ like a king, let me tell you.” 

He wrinkled his nose at the thought and shook his head. “No no no.” He said softly, “Here,” Reaching into his pocket Marlowe pulled out his phone and slid it across the counter. “Put your number in. My brother’s an amazing cook and we have a big pool and a TV. I’ll text you the address and we’ll spoil you rotten.” 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

A Good Start

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

ezracastillo‌:

“Where would you go?” Ezra asked, with a mild curious amusement.  That he tried not to show too much.  Kids these days were touchy and sensitive.  If they sensed even an ounce of patronizing, they easily pulled out a litany of social justice catchphrases and fancy words to defend themselves.  The Age of Information was at its peak. 

And yet, the boy was there, toying with his hair, an idle motion very much noticed by Ezra - and he didn’t mind letting Marlowe know that he’d caught the Lt Col’s full attention.  “No wonder you hate it so much.  You grew up in the area, so you still feel tied down.  No where to spread your wings, hm?  Poor thing.”

Marlowe certainly talked like a liberal, all about disrespecting the people who raised him and protect him because he wanted to live his own life.  “What would that look like? Your livelihood, I mean.”

He couldn’t help responding to Marlowe’s question with a slightly cocky smirk. “I could definitely imagine you pulling off a uniform, yes.”  The innuendo was clear, if Marlowe was able to pick up on it.  Who knew; maybe the kid just saw Ezra as some old man, and preferred keeping company with younger, prettier sorts like himself.

The longer Marlowe sat here and spoke with Ezra, the more at ease he felt. He was no longer just the stranger who had helped him through the crowd. He was engaging and interesting, asking questions that no one else really had in the recent months and he found himself being pulled in by the charm. 

Letting out a quiet breath, Marlowe couldn’t help but make eye contact. “Somewhere with mountains or waterfalls. Mystical lands that most use VR to see.” He tilted his head to the side, resting it on his open palm. I want to take pictures and document travels. Be the person that people live vicariously through. I want to be the one to capture those images. I want to experience it first hand.” Dreams. That’s all he had at the moment. And a shitty internship until he could find a real job. 

The boy paused in his thoughts, his cheeks turning ruddy at Ezra’s words and he hid his embarrassment behind a laugh. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t have spares laying around to test that.” 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

tx700-tam‌:

“Not as you or other humans sleep,” Tam replies. “We do not fall unconscious for eight hours and hallucinate vividly. But we can choose to go on standby mode if we are not needed for use, much like any computer or phone shutting down.”

Tam still wasn’t sure what actually happened during that process. Sometimes it was like he blinked and twelve hours had passed, sometimes he felt like he’d been aware of time passing. 

“But we do not get tired or need to go on standby. Let me guess: along with wishing to forgo food, you also wish you could forgo sleep?”

Looking incredulously at Tam, Marlowe’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh no no no,” he said quickly, shaking his head back and forth as the line pushed forward once again. “I love sleep. Sleeping is one of my favorite hobbies. If I could get paid to sleep, I would.” He paused and glanced over at the android before letting out a soft laugh. 

“Sleep means no worries and no stress.” 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

A Good Start

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

ezracastillo‌:

Well if that body language didn’t speak volumes, as Marlowe practically retracted himself into a little armadillo ball, complete with a theoretical armour.  Ezra sat back slowly in his own chair, crossing his leg over his cybernetic one.  He spread out, as Marlowe curled in.

“Why isn’t it easy?”  Ezra asked, then glanced outside as Marlowe switched topics somewhat, taking a personal conversation and trying to make it more generalized. The world is shit, everyone sucks, etc.  Typical youthful disaffection. 

“This city is what it is.  It has history.”  Ezra replied grimly.  A chant about anti-android slogans started up outside, then dissolved into clapping as some charity no doubt received a cheque from Providence to help…spay cats or feed orphans or something.  “I was assigned here only a few years ago.  Where’d you grow up?”

Ezra smiled when Marlowe grinned.  “I don’t know you well enough, yet,” he said, adding the ‘yet’ very subtly.  “But I suppose you’re right.  If you have no ambition then the people who care about you will try to make up an ambition for you.  I’ve seen it before, in the military.”  

Ezra shrugged and smirked.  “Maybe you should join up.”

“There are people here that are important to me,” he started, letting one leg rest down against the cushion as the other stayed tight against his chest, “It’s not just a simple decision of going or not. If it were, I would have left as soon as I could.” Marlowe spoke like he had any real experience with life, like he hadn’t just gotten out of college. 

Hell he was still living with his mothers and yet he thought he knew everything there was to know. 

“I grew up in Alexandria, Virginia. Not too far out of D.C.” He smiled again, the fingers of his free hand coming up to twist a loose curl that had fallen in front of his face. “One of my mothers has an art gallery and the other is a PR Specialist. Lots of bouncing back and forth between home and here. I went to school in the city as well. So I’ve....been here my entire life.” 

He let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head and then meeting Ezra’s eyes. “It’s more like putting my ambition on hold until I can get out on my own, I guess.”

Marlowe snorted, “The military? “I don’t care much for authority. Besides...what’s the difference between doing what my mom wants and...what the government wants. One way or the other...I’m doing something for someone else and setting aside my own livelihood.” 

This was a stranger. Why the hell was he having such an intensive conversation with a man he’d only met a few minutes ago? He couldn’t help but chortle at himself. 

“What do you think? Mm? Think I’d pull of the uniform?”

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

dylan-ortiz‌:

He looked down at the drink he had in his hands and shrugged, pushing it out so whoever it belonged to could come and get it. Then he started making three drinks at once, always doing his best. 

“God, this place is busy today,” he said with a nod. “You make one mistake and it’s like… domino effect, everything else is messed up forever. I cant wait for the day I don’t hve to come back in here.” 

Marlowe glanced over his shoulder at the line of people behind him and smirked shaking his head back and forth. “People are fucking insatiable.” He stepped aside as a woman on her phone pushed her way forward to grab her drink and dart around the crowd of people in the coffee house. “Make sure you treat yourself to something good when you get off.” he said, leaning against the counter. 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

A Good Start

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

lincoln-hobbes‌:

“No problem, kid,” Lincoln said as he plopped the books down on the first available table. “Were you, uh, supposed to pay me or somethin’?” he slipped his hands into his pockets. “Short term memory loss. I’ve got no idea what I’m doing here.” 

Marlowe’s eyebrow shot up and shook his head. “I mean I can give you money if you want.” he said, tilting his head to the side, “But no I ran into you outside and uh...recruited you to help me carrying useless books so I can return them to the archives.” He paused and his expression turned into something more concerned. “Are you okay?” 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

dylan-ortiz‌:

It was just another day in paradise. 

Just kidding. This day really sucked. 

He was working his fourth double in a row at the coffee shop and at this point, he wasn’t sure if he put decaf or regular in the last venti caramel macchiatto. Did he remember to make that a double? Was that nonfat or dairy free? 

He had no idea what was going on anymore. 

“I’ve got a…,” he paused to look at the label on the drink before he called it out. “A venti nonfat white chocolate mocha with… raspberry?” he called out, looking around for whoever ordered that sugary concoction. Then he noticed someone staring at him with a less than happy face. 

“Hi. Hey. Is… there a mistake?” 

Really, Marlowe was just lost in thought and it wasn’t necessarily Dylan that he was angry with. More so the headache that was wracking his brain as he tried to figure out what the hell the boy in front of him had just said. 

All he wanted was the cold brew he’d ordered. 

“What?” He said in response, his eyes focusing in on where the voice had come from. Oh right...the coffee boy behind the counter. “Oh-uh...no. No everything’s fine actually. Are you okay? You look a bit frazzled, my dude.” 

Marlowe’s brow shot up and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, chewing on his lower lip. “These people are nuts huh?” 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

A Good Start

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

lincoln-hobbes‌:

A few steps in and Lincoln forgot what he was doing. Why was he carrying these books even his great grandfather couldn’t identify? Who was the guy in front of him? What was going on? 

He blinked a little and smiled back at Marlowe, because that’s what you did when you walked head first into a memory hole. When you smiled people assumed you knew what they were talking about. 

“So where do you work?” 

“For the democratic party campaign. I’m an intern, regretfully but the experience is good.” He paused for a moment, pursing his lips. “I guess.” 

Was it though? Was all of this really worth the experience and the smile on his mom’s face. Probably not. But he was going to continue because he had nothing better to do. 

And unoccupied hands often led to trouble. 

“Thanks again.” he said, nodding towards the books they were carrying. 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

tx700-tam‌:

It had never occurred to Tam that some humans might get exasperated at their own bodily functions. It seemed particularly strange – what was the use of that emotion? It served absolutely no purpose, since it couldn’t be used to fuel action that led to real change because humans couldn’t just discard their biological needs. It has to be a waste of energy, feeling as Marlowe does.

He’s been programmed to understand humans and really, he still doesn’t.

He squints at Marlowe for a moment, analyzing him. “Oh, you have a synthetic heart,” he remarks, interested. “That explains why you express distaste at the possibility of being sick. But even we androids have to refuel every now and then.” Tam beams. “So nobody can escape the process entirely.”

Marlowe couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh at that before nodding his head. “Of course,” He replied, moving forward as the line progressed. He was a curious boy, always had been and he couldn’t stop the question that left his lips next. 

“Do you have to sleep?”  

God he hoped he wasn’t being rude and more so hoped Tam would inform him if he was. 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

A Good Start

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

ezracastillo‌:

“Marlowe, well.  Nice to meet you Marlowe.  I haven’t carried someone’s books since high school,”  Ezra said with a smile, his gaze falling to that bottom lip pinkened by the bite of Marlowe’s teeth.  He held his hand out for Marlowe to shake.

“And you can’t do both?” Ezra asked, motioning for Marlowe to take his cup of water, and then guiding them towards one of the nearby study carrels  so they could sit together.  Ezra glanced around the library first, but it seemed to be pretty empty, thankfully.  The last thing he needed was some pap taking photos of Lt Col Castillo with some twink Democrat campaigner.

“I suppose if they’ve tasked you with lugging around giant phone books, then you’re too tired to do much else.  But sweetheart, this isn’t real work-” Ezra said, nodding a chin at the stack of phone books.  

“This is what they call ‘busywork’ that bosses and supervisors make up to keep…difficult people…occupied.”

A brow lifted and Marlowe felt his cheeks flush a little as he grabbed his water and followed Ezra to the small seating area. He too was glad for nearly empty library and took his seat before pulling his legs up onto the chair with him. He tucked his knees in close to his chest and rested his chin in the palm of his hand. 

“You say that like it’s easy, Ezra.” he smirked, a small chuckle leaving his lips. His eyes pulled away from the man in front of him and instead found a spot on the tiny table between them to focus on. “This city is a bit stifling don’t you think? Everyone fighting over who’s right. I suppose it’s the same everywhere around the world though. Or maybe I’m a bit melodramatic.” 

Marlowe heaved a sigh before bringing his attention right back to the very handsome man in front of him, barely containing the roll of his eyes. “Are you suggesting that I’m diffcult? Mm?” he grinned, bringing his cup of water up to sip from it, letting his tongue sweep up the remaining moisture that lingered on his lips. 

“What else do you give the silly intern who doesn’t care about his job?” 

[samsfenders]

Compilation of the Queer Eye guys (1/?): Putting up with clients

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

A Good Start

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

ezracastillo‌:

“Ahhhhh, I see.  So it’s not about campaigning, it’s about pleasing mummy,”  Ezra replied, leaning against one of the tall desks, clasping his hands as he regarded the boy.  “What would you rather be doing?  And yes, I’m sure the perfunctory response is ‘anything’, but I’m curious about the specifics of you, not the generalia of widely disaffected youth,”

He suppressed a smile at the kid’s choice of words, half an hour to blow.  Mm-hm.  “I’d stay and keep you company for this half-hour blow-out, but I still don’t know your name.”

Oh right.

He still hadn’t told Ezra his name. 

“It’s Marlowe,” he offered, glancing upwards at the man in front of him before pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. People kept asking him that question, and he guessed it was fair. The more he complained about the city, the less it made sense for him to stay here but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. 

There was something that kept him here. 

Probably the ease and convenience if he really thought about it. His mothers and his brother. They made it easy to stay. 

“Taking pictures. Drawing. Anything but dealing with fucking politics.” he muttered, sucking in a deep breath and letting it out quietly. “Sorry.” This time when he glanced up at Ezra he offered him a smile. “it’s gearing up to be a long day.” 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

jacob-duke‌:

Jacob would say something like christ I wish I got off work in two hours and could head to down to Eva’s, but he didn’t want to come off as bitching to someone he employed. He especially didn’t want to make it seem like he didn’t value Marlowe’s work – shit, of everyone in the campaign, he was pretty sure the interns were run the most ragged.

How much did they get paid? Was it shit-all? Maybe he’d have to look at that.

“Oh, no, I’ve got a doctor’s note that says I’m not allowed to climb ladders to hang banners,” Jacob joked. “I’ll leave that to you young people, with your intact spines. I’m good just carrying boxes and sorting little name cards. How is Eva’s these days? Haven’t been there in a fuckin’ age.”

Marlowe snorted and shook his head back and forth. “Bullshit. I’ll need to see that excuse if you plan to get out of work, sir.” he said in response before tapping his fingers against his own chest. “Climbing ladders isn’t for the weak of heart, anyways. I might faint when I get up there. Don’t want that as a headline, mm?” 

He was teasing of course. Marlowe hadn’t fainted in years, not since his own heart had been replaced with a synthetic one.  

“Meh, not much has changed. Same old bar and overpriced drinks. Cute bartender though. Foods still shitty and greasy but I love it. You should stop in sometime.” 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

tx700-tam‌:

“I could taste if I chose to, but I could not digest food, as I do not have the same structure of internal organs that you do,” Tam informs him. “We have no need for lungs or stomachs or livers. We have a pump regulator, which is roughly similar to the function of human hearts, but there would be no point to equip us with artificial kidneys or spleens.”

Strange, to talk a human who also thought digestion was a ridiculous process. Most of the humans that Tam had met seemed very proud of their human nature, and all that it entailed.

“Why would you do away with food, if you could?” he asks curiously. “You need it to survive. Do you find the process… unpleasant? That could be a health issue, I would recommend that you seek medical attention!”

The boy nodded his head in understanding, rocking back and forth on his heels as he listened to Tam. “I see.” he affirmed, letting out a soft chuckle at the question that followed. 

“Eh,” he shrugged, “I just think it’s useless. It’s inconvenient to have to stop every few hours to feed myself to maintain energy. It’d be much easier if I had...what did  you call it? A pump regulator. I wouldn’t have to worry about being sick, or eating or drinking. None of that. It just seems easier.” Of course he could be wrong. He had no idea what it meant to be an android nor would he ever have any understanding. 

The closest he had was the heart in his chest. 

“No health issues. Not for a long time.” 

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

sm700-60‌:

Cash considered the words for a moment. He found them particularly odd. He cocked his head to the side inquisitively, eyeing the other’s profile.  

“Then why aren’t you?” He asked. The android had never seen mountains before, nor had he been on a boat. A google search revealed that both were far less… densely populated than the streets of D.C. If it was a matter of preference, Marlowe was far outside his comfort zone. Cities were loud and corrupt. Mountains, he discovered, were a solitary location.  

“You can leave any time. You could even start a new career if you wanted,” Cash stated simply. A bird flew overhead. “Androids don’t have the same options. Our design is limited. I am programmed, some might argue, to never see a mountain side. You aren’t.”

As they stepped onto the tram, Cash couldn’t help but let out a laugh. It was still a work in progress, more breath than sound. Marlowe was red. His heart rate was, in fact, still elevated as well. The answer was clear.

“I like the view better from here. You’re prettier up close.” The android answered. He stood beside the human, a lopsided smile pulling at his lips smugly as he took in his features. “Will you justify that with a response, or shall I try again?”

Then why aren’t you? 

The words rang loud in his head and Marlowe’s brow furrowed as he thought it over. 

Sure it would be easy for him to go off and do his own thing, live in some suburb without having to pay fifty dollars a commute to ride some sort of tram. He could travel the world and take his pictures and draw on the tablet he’d been given for his birthday last year. Sure he could do all that, but he’d leave his family and his life behind and while the call for something different tugged him in that direction...something kept him here in D.C. 

“If only it were that simple, Cash.” he offered as an explanation. “There’s money to worry about and housing and all that. I can’t just leave my brother and my moms.” 

He was hoping this conversation would deter from the embarrassment from earlier, but it was clear that wasn’t happening. Another playful comment and a quick flash of that smile and Marlowe was flushing once again, blinking owlishly up at the android in front of him. 

“Stop that.” he muttered, ducking his head to hide the grin that was pulling at the corners of his mouth. “You can’t break me. I’m an indestructible wall.”  

[i-am-marlowe-blog]

ronan-bot‌:

“It is a legal requirement. Normally, the identity my facial recognition software pulls up is enough, but two identities appeared upon scanning your face.” Ronan explained, extending his arm out further. “If you refuse to confirm your identity with biometrics, then my superiors will be required to call both you and your brother down for questioning and tests should they feel that you are suspect or in any way integral to the investigation due to crime scene contamination.”

God, if Salinger had to be dragged down to the police station for something as stupid as this, Marlowe would never live it down. Letting out a huff of clear annoyance, the boy quickly shoved his phone back into his pocket and held his hand out for the robot. “Fine...fine....here.” he said, turning his palm up and waiting patiently, or not so patiently for the android in front of him to do whatever it was that he needed to do.