ic contact (mask or menace)

[hackitude]

"Hey! You've reached Skye. Leave a message. I mean, if you want to. Or uh, don't. Whatever."

Comments

[hostage]

[He's hoping that's the last marathon cook he'll have to do in a long while, anyway. But the streets are thirsty for meth...]

You know that school they're opening that's just for imPorts? I'm gonna be working there. Remember how you said I'd be a good nurse? I figured I'd give it a try. Go be a school nurse, see how it works out. Gonna be living on-site and all.

[hackitude]

... Seriously?

[Skye pulls away just marginally to look at him, but she's smiling brilliantly.]

Wow. Wow. That's great! I mean, really super great, and not just because you'll be closer to me. Though, you know, that's also a significant factor. Still. Wow. Congrats.

[hostage]

[He ducks his head sheepishly and gives a light shrug of his shoulders.]

I mean, I might suck at it. I dunno. Maybe they'll fire me the first week.

[hackitude]

No way. You've got like, super healing powers, right? And all your stuff with the Youth Center-- you're great with kids.

[Someone's been talking to Ellie. But even if she hadn't been, it's pretty obvious.]

They'd be crazy to fire you.

[hostage]

There's probably better healers around than me. And I don't think the Youth Center ever woulda hired me if the government hadn't told 'em they hadda.

[hackitude]

I wouldn't be so sure about that... I mean... sure, the dudes in suits might have helped but-- kids are serious business, right? There's no way the government would place you there in the first place if they didn't think you were good for the job. These assignments... they aren't random. Ask anyone. They know what our strengths are, and they play to them.

[hostage]

Yeah, but like... My parents kicked me out 'cause they didn't even want me near my little brother. And that's kinda the vibe I give most people. I can tell, you know? They think I'm a bad influence or whatever.

[hackitude]

... Forget about... vibes or how other people think of you for a minute. Do you think you're a bad influence?

[hostage]

[...Honestly:]

I dunno.

[hackitude]

Well... maybe they see something in you other than a bad influence. Like I do.

[hostage]

[He glances at her then glances away, rubbing at his neck.]

I dunno if I want my bosses trying to sleep with me. I mean, I know I'm hot, but...

[hackitude]

[That earns a laugh and a soft arm punch.]

You know that's not what I meant.

[hostage]

I dunno what else you'd see in me.

[It's a joke, but it's also true!!!]

[hackitude]

How about... a guy who just needs to be given a chance?

I mean-- whatever our lives were like in the past... none of that stuff is on record here. You can start fresh.

[hostage]

Come on, you don't really believe that.

I mean, technically. Maybe. We don't know how much they got on us. But some serial killer shows up here, you're not just gonna say, "Hey, maybe he'll be a really nice guy this time around."

And, like, I'm not a serial killer or anything. But I am what I am. Everybody looking at me sees the same asshole they always saw. What does starting fresh even mean?

[hackitude]

Don't lump being a serial killer in with making bad life choices. They're totally different.

Starting fresh just means... a chance to make different choices. That's all.

[hostage]

Okay, well... I'm here with you instead of at some crackhouse with a pipe. Good for me. But am I gonna blame somebody looking at me, thinking, "Okay - addict for ten years, sober for six months. Probably don't want him around my kids."?

[hackitude]

That's not what I'm saying.

[hostage]

So what're you saying?

[hackitude]

It's like... sure... sometimes you're gonna run into those old prejudices. Whatever. You can't do anything about that, and I don't mean you should blame people for it or whatnot. And I know that... some of the stuff that's in our pasts, it... never really leaves us. We carry it around.

But... you don't have to be bound by it, here. That's all.

[hostage]

...I guess I don't really know how not to be.

[hackitude]

You think that, but it's not true. You applied for the job at the school, didn't you? And you got it. That's gotta count for something.

[hostage]

Yeah...

[Too bad he can't talk about what he's really talking about. He gives her a little smile instead and rests his cheek on her shoulder again.]

[hackitude]

[She lets him, and once he's comfortable there, she tilts her head too so she's resting on him a little as well.]

Yeah.

I'm actually kind of jealous, truth be told. I saw the ad go out for that place, it sounds super cool. I mean, I never thought I'd say this, but for the first time in my life I actually wish I was high school aged again. I hated school, but if I went to a place like that, I think it wouldn't be so bad.

[hostage]

Word. I mean, can you imagine growing up with superpowers? And going to a school like that? I used to dream about it. I hadda at least try for the job. I probably woulda been a janitor if that was the only job I could get over there.