[The City] IC Contact

[hypnagothic]

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[keepgodwaiting]

[ She watches her device with unusual anxiety. Is the long pause because he's upset or because he's older than dirt and doesn't know how to text? Could easily go either way. ]

It didn't exactly. He said something about not knowing what could keep someone like you here.

[hypnagothic]

[ it's definitely a tossup, though the next reply does come faster this time. still long enough as one might imagine a boomer taking the time to reply. ]

And you, no doubt, exhibited discretion at such an open statement.

[ could that somehow be a veiled threat?? ]

[keepgodwaiting]

I told you, I didn't tell him anything

But it got me by surprise. You should tell him.

[hypnagothic]

Why?

[keepgodwaiting]

Because he cares about you. And I think you can trust him. Don't you?

[hypnagothic]

It has no bearing on him.

[keepgodwaiting]

Maybe not, but you do.

Listen it's fine
Do whatever you like, tell him or don't. I think you should. I get it if you don't. But you might consider that this place is really good at sharing our shit with other people whether we want to or not.

[hypnagothic]

[ the long pause between replies makes itself known again, several minutes passing before the next message comes in. ]

Do you speak from experience?

[keepgodwaiting]

[ Immediately: ]

yes.

[hypnagothic]

Then you would suggest that I reveal it myself while it is still my choice to do so?

[keepgodwaiting]

Yeah.

Or else be ready for it to happen by itself. I don't know what you'd prefer.

[hypnagothic]

And you would so readily volunteer those vulnerable parts of yourself? You would share events such as Newcastle?

[keepgodwaiting]

[ That's not unexpected, but it is still a tender spot. With some people, she'd accuse bringing it up of being a low blow. With Morpheus, she's not entirely sure. It might be a genuine question. ]

With someone I liked well enough to hang out with them for six hundred years? Probably.

[hypnagothic]

Did he not share the nature of our meetings? It has been six hundred year, but only a simple meeting of a few hours each century.

[ is he nitpicking the details and playing the semantics? yes. ]

[keepgodwaiting]

okay and?

[ SIGH. She pinches the bridge of her nose. Men. Let them figure it out, then. She's done her good deed by giving him the heads up. ]

Seriously, do whatever you like about it. I'm not going to say anything else about it to him. If he asks, now you know why.

[hypnagothic]

Then I thank you for the foreknowledge.

What was the context of the conversation? What were you discussing that he wondered of me?

[keepgodwaiting]

We were talking about this place, the stuff it's been showing us. Which is how someone did find out about Newcastle, since you mention.

Anyway, I said it reminded me a bit of the fair folk, sort of reflecting back our expectations, but I doubt that's what we're dealing with since you'd probably know.

[hypnagothic]

No, this is not the work of anyone from Faerie. It would be both more subtle and more brutal if it were.

[ there's a short pause before a second message is sent. ]

May I ask who else knows of Newcastle? Should it become necessary or relevant to either reveal or withhold knowledge of it, given the nature of this place as discussed earlier.

[keepgodwaiting]

Didn't get her name. We met in the mall.

You didn't get stuck in there, did you? I didn't see you there.

[hypnagothic]

For one night, yes. I mainly stayed in one area with the woman I came across until the morning.

[keepgodwaiting]

With all due respect to your work, that place was a fucking nightmare.

[ A short pause before the next text. ]

Can I ask you something?

[hypnagothic]

I believe it was intended to be.

You may.

[keepgodwaiting]

How did he get you? How could holding you even be possible?

[hypnagothic]

[ there's a longer pause this time, but then she might have expected that. ]

I prefer not to say while using these devices.

[keepgodwaiting]

Yeah, all right

[ It actually takes her reading the message a second time to realize he didn't just say "I prefer not to say." ]

Want to go for a walk?