in this quiet night

( elias, guitarist, slave. ) D ying people don't need medicine. The ones who remain do. part of the syndicate tracking #pahimakas

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

Fresh squeezed Flordia orange juice

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

Rewards sound nice. Though given that Windows 95 is almost as old as me, I think I’d cry at that.

Yeah, hopefully it will clear up like you said, because these brands seem pretty permanent.

The bar, huh? I think I’m supposed to look at side jobs when we get back. Maybe I should see if they’re hiring there so I can hear you. [Alec accepts the paper and holds up a single sheet.] So what do I do first?

[pahimakas]

Come on, Windows 95 can't be that bad!

Mmmm, well. We're always looking for bartenders at the poolside bar. Recently we've only got one guy working it, so his shifts are hell. [ He folds the paper diagonally, touching the top left corner to the top right and flattening out the centre. Showing it to Alec, he gestures for him to copy the movement. ] Though you'll probably catch me singing off work, anyway.

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Fresh squeezed Flordia orange juice

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

I didn’t hit the hands on until college. Anyway, yeah I got pretty good at the coding….I miss it.

[Alec let Elias situate him on the couch. The guy’s cheerful attitude was refreshing and he let himself relax. Elias seemed like he’d be a good friend. He looked around the room, not touching the papers but recognizing the musical nature of the scribblings from a forced stint in church choir.]. Hmm. Not sure about trying to float a part boat in the ocean. I was kind of warned not to go out alone. And well you know how some guys can say that and make it sound like ‘Not without an armed escort”?

[He cleared his throat. Trying to go back to cheerful.] Hey, do you do music?

[pahimakas]

Well, if you behave, usually you get rewards for loyalty. Got my first guitar from the family because of that. Maybe you'll be able to get a Windows 95.

Ah... yeah, recently things've been rough. It's part of why I'm not trying to channel my inner merman right now. [ He smiles just a bit, ripping out a few pages of the notepad and laying them out on the table. ] Hopefully it'll clear up enough. But honestly, if it weren't for these brands in our skin, maybe we wouldn't be targeted, too.

[ Handing some papers to Alec, he grins. ] I sing and play back in NYC. Bar entertainment, so to speak.

[awesomelyplain]

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Fresh squeezed Flordia orange juice

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Not even the gay stuff? Yeah, coding as in computers. At first I was just trying to hack around the parental controls but I got into it.

I consider myself happily stuck then. [He accepted the arm around his shoulder and awkwardly sort of leaned into the contact.] Wait? A paper boat to ride in? Did I hear that right? Is that even possible?

[pahimakas]

The gay stuff was more hands-on, on my end. Really. That's incredible, though. I have enough trouble just trying to work a cellphone.

You heard absolutely right and I have no idea if it's possible. [ Elias swerves to turn a corner and cheerfully pulls Alec into his bare hotel room; it's clean, really, save for some papers on the coffee table with chords and lyrics scribbled on. Gently, he eases the other man onto the couch and disappears into the bedroom to return with the thick notepad, waving it. ] But no man's ever discovered a possibility without trying first, right?

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

Fresh squeezed Flordia orange juice

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Ah…I spent a lot of time looking up coding, stuff about being gay, and tai chi. And books. Lots of books. Oh and football stuff, but that was for cover.

Sure! I’ve got all day free and hey, some one should use those pads of paper that hotels stick in the rooms.

[pahimakas]

I can't relate to any of that. At all. That's... coding? Like for computers?

All right! You're stuck with me then. For an indefinite amount of time. [ Laughing, he slings an arm over Alec's shoulders. ] Origami, here we go.

One of these days we gotta try making an origami boat to float in the shallow beach water that we can ride. While we're here, y'know.

[sineating-saint]

[text] How about we do it now? Everything. I don’t think they are going to do anything in the next 24 hours.

[pahimakas]

[text] ... can you do that?

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Fresh squeezed Flordia orange juice

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

Sounds great! Yeah, boredom can be a great motivator. I used to look up all sorts of stuff online to learn new stuff. Never thought to look up origami though so this will be good.

Well, it’s mutual. I like you already too, Elias!

[pahimakas]

Ah, so he's multi-talented, too! What kinda stuff did you learn, then? Always more room for hobbies, I always say.

If you're not in a hurry to go anywhere, we could try folding flowers now. If you want.

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

Fresh squeezed Flordia orange juice

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

Promise me that the serenades will be pop and utterly non-religious and you’ve got a deal. Origami roses? Think you could teach me some time? I’ve always wondered how to do that sort of thing.

I can do obedient. Got lots of practice at that too. And I’ll do my best to be as sunshiney as possible for you.

[pahimakas]

I promise to sing about love and debauchery. And, yeah--sure. I'll teach you how to do birds, too. You earn lots of talents when you're bored all the time.

Aaaah, I've never had someone try for me! I like you already, Alec.

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Fresh squeezed Flordia orange juice

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Yeah, I got the no choice part down at the warehouse. Nothing like branding to drive that home. I’m not expecting a sunshine and roses client base.

It’s good to know that some of them are okay though, so thanks. That actually helps a lot. But yes, I’ll be on my best behavior. I guess the unnatural politeness my parents insisted on will actually have some use. I’ll do my best to dust off the portion I let slide in college.

[pahimakas]

I'll try to make up for your clientele, but all I can offer is a couple of serenades. [ He's trying to lighten up the mood, really! ] Origami roses I can do, though.

You don't have to be exceptionally polite. Just obedient. They're not necessarily the same things. We don't want your sunshine personality disappearing, you know.

[sineating-saint]

[text] No…

[text] I’d hate to leave the hotel and thus the others unprotected, but we could still go and get the things I wanted to get you…

[pahimakas]

[text] no, hey, that's fine! it's good that someone's willing to keep us safe. really good.

[text] all i really wanted to buy in the first place were scarves. remember?

[sineating-saint]

[text] Yes, I wondered. There are more and more people getting lost and when we find them they are hurt…

[text] Do me a favor? Stay inside… our little swimming thing might not be the best idea right now.

[pahimakas]

[text] ah. yeah. it might not be

[text] so much for a vacation, right? hahaha

[pahimakas]

[text] Eli, are you alright?

[text] i haven't been ambushed if that's what you were wondering

[text] kind of holding my breath here though

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

Fresh squeezed Flordia orange juice

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

True enough and this situation seems to fall into the category were it’s more relative than most. Thanks for the advice. Any particular warnings in ‘shacking up’?

A pleasure to make your acquaintance Elias, even amongst the strange.

[pahimakas]

Right. Well. It's not like you have a choice when it all boils down to it, but when we get back to NYC you'll come across some good people who want your body and some people who... aren't so good.

My point is that you'll want to behave and test out the waters before you do anything more drastic than listening to orders. Some people'll appreciate humour. Some might put a gun to your face for it. Little things like that.

[dcvildog]

Have fun with that.

[pahimakas]

Thanks for your support.

You realise quickly that punching a wall doesn't do any good for practise, though.

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Fresh squeezed Flordia orange juice

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I’d call them evil and psycho, so no offense taken.

Thanks. I figure it’s best for my sanity to look on the bright side. I’m Alec. You?

[pahimakas]

Yeah, well... sanity... is very relative. Be careful who you shack up with.

Elias. It's good to meet you, strange situation and all.

[pahimakas]

At the rate things are going...

Here's to hoping I can learn proper self-defence that isn't blind fist fighting in a day.

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

Fresh squeezed Flordia orange juice

[alecsage-deactivated20140805]

Best way to start the morning. And drinking in it in the state it’s grown is a new thing for me. My parents considered Disney a den of heathens and boycotted the whole state, California too.

[pahimakas]

Your parents... sound not-so fantastic, no offence.

But your optimism is great! We need more people like you around, honestly. What's your name?