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

[hackitude]

[Also I totally forget this was audio so just pretend Skye sent those links across as a text message WHOOPS.]

Sweet, sweet, diabetes-inducing goodness.

[vaccination]

We gotta do that one. He'll freak.

[hackitude]

It's pretty out there, huh?

Okay, let's do it. I'm psyched.

[vaccination]

You're welcome for the extra girlfriend points.

[hackitude]

Excuse you. I am totally already maxed out on girlfriend points. I'm the best girlfriend.

... No that's a lie I'm totally not.

[vaccination]

I bet he'd argue that. [She'd love to tell Skye how Jesse is helping her pay for Joel's birthday present (meaning he will probably pay for all of it), but she's not sure how Jesse is doing the whoa-I'm-super-rich thing with her.

Anyway, Jesse is too nice.]

Were you planning anything?

[hackitude]

I don't know... I asked him if he wanted to do anything, and he just said he's happy so long as he's spending time with me. Doesn't really narrow down the field a whole lot, you know? I want to get him a present, but I don't even know what he'd like...

I'm officially the worst.

[vaccination]

I asked him and he said parties, cake, and hanging out with friends. [She's reading her texts.] Oh! And to "keep it simple" because it doesn't take a lot to make him happy.

And hey, you've known him for like... what, three, four months? I've known Joel for a year and... I didn't know what to do. I had to ask Jesse.

[hackitude]

Maybe just an old fashioned party at someone's house? You know. Cake. Drinks. Presents. Streamers. We can borrow a game console and play Mario Party, that kind of thing. It's not exactly original, but if he wants low-key...

[vaccination]

That can be all on you. I don't really, uh. Have a clue about that stuff. Orphan and all. But I have a console we could use.

[hackitude]

Heyyyy, orphan buddies! High five.

What about Joel? I'm guessing he's not exactly the type to throw you a birthday party, huh...

[vaccination]

Yeah? You too? [But she seems so... well adjusted!]

We've never talked about birthdays. I'm pretty sure he's going to be pissed I found out when his is.

[hackitude]

[Only because she's had a long time to mellow out.]

Yeah. Me too.

[She doesn't offer any more than that. She doesn't want to make the conversation about her. If Ellie wants to talk more about it, she figures she will.]

Hmm. He might be. But I'm sure he'll be secretly happy on the inside, too. You know, in that gruff, man-bear way of his.

[vaccination]

That's cool. I mean--shitty, but you know what I mean. [It's nice to find people with at least somewhat similar backgrounds.

Ellie snorts.]

Yeah. I hope so.

[hackitude]

... Yeah. I know what you mean. It's nice to know someone else who gets it.

So. What do you think I should get for Jesse? Help me brainstorm here. [That is, other than R-rated favors that she's totally not allowed to mention around Ellie or Joel will decapitate her.]

[vaccination]

[It's okay. Ellie assumes there will be some birthday sex. She doesn't even know what song.]

Hmm... maybe something for his car? I mean, ignoring the car, he doesn't seem really materialistic.

Unless.

[CLIFFHANGER.]

[hackitude]

Unless...? What? You can't just leave me hanging like that!

[vaccination]

You should make him a mix tape. CD. Whatever. Anyway, you know what I mean. Share some music with him. I think he'd love that.

[hackitude]

Oh. Wow. That's a really cute idea. But-- I don't know, you don't think that's a bit corny? And what if our tastes in music are totally different...

[vaccination]

It's super corny, but that's the point. [And later down the road, it can be super traumatizing. Ellie's sure that won't happen to them, though.] Just tell him the songs remind you of him or something and he'll be sold.

[hackitude]

I might die from all the cheese. Just saying. If I die, I'm holding you personally responsible.

[vaccination]

[That's not too funny to someone who has immense survivor's guilt, but Ellie musters up a laugh.]

But then you'll miss his reaction.

[hackitude]

Yeah, that's true.

Maybe I should troll him first? Give him a mix full of terribly cheesy top 40 pop stuff. Watch him try to keep a straight face.

1/2

[vaccination]

[Ellie doesn't know what the cheesy top 40 pop stuff is, but she'll take Skye's word for it.]

Oooh, yeah. Yeah, I like that idea. With a dumb gift. Like... underwear. Edible underwear, I saw that in a store in the mall. So weird.

[vaccination]

Unless you guys are into that sort of stuff. Then it can be a real present? [She laughs...]