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[sketchycharacter]

[Nate's face looks unusually serious when it appears via TAB today. Not sad or upset or grim, just like he's feeling unusually contemplative. Shut up, he's allowed to have a moment once in a while.]

You know, when I first came through the Ingress, I actually thought I was dead? I'd been flying in my best friend's plane and suddenly I was in bizarro land, so I figured we went down and I'd just blocked out the fiery death. And then they gave me a job and I knew I was in Hell.

[He's mostly kidding, but only because the teaching gig had turned out to be surprisingly fun.]

Space isn't the worst place I've had a rude awakening in, and I figured okay, we're on a ship, we're going somewhere with a way to get home, it's just a matter of time. And then the ship crashed but we found that place anyway but actually getting home depends on a bunch of science bullshit I don't understand.

And then I took a closer look at the local calendar and, near as I can figure out, it's been almost a year. [He holds up a hand.] Yes, okay, we also spent a year back on party planet, but I try not to think about that so it doesn't count. Makes me wonder how long it'll be—how much time will people spend passing time before deciding to actually live their lives?

Honestly...I'm not sure it makes a big difference with me. There's stuff I want to get back to, sure, but passing the time with some of you guys hasn't been too awful. [He grins.] Hey, to mark the anniversary, I'll do free sketch portraits for anyone who comes by to find me on the front steps of the big museum in Region 1.

[action option: he's a dude sketching in a journal on the front steps of the museum. Whoa, didn't see that coming.]

Comments

[sketchycharacter]

Sounds good. I could use a change of clothes too.

[He's not in a huge rush to get there, though. Nate feels pretty content, walking side by side and close with his wife.]

We've come along way, huh? Think about where we were a year ago.

[tearsinajar]

What's wrong with what you're wearing now?

[ He looks fine in anything, and nothing. ]

You mean, like, three years ago. Yeah, I've thought about it. About how I almost crushed your throat with my elbow.

[sketchycharacter]

Party planet doesn't count. So it was around a year ago that we got space kidnapped.

[He drops a kiss on her head.]

I try not to think abut the throat punching.

[tearsinajar]

Party planet so counts. We had a good time being exhibitionists.

And why not? Is it because your petite little wife took you down and you're ashamed?

[ It's good that she still has her hand in his back pocket, which gives his ass a squeeze. ]

[sketchycharacter]

[He never minds having a hand in his pocket, as long as it's hers.]

No, it's because it hurt like hell.

[Her elbows are sharp, strong and precise.]

I'm serious, though. A year ago we were one step removed from falling apart. And now look at us—I think we're doing pretty good.

[tearsinajar]

[ An elbow to the throat can't be any worse than some of the crap he'd pulled on her, but that's in the past. ]

Yeah, we are. Not bad, huh?

[sketchycharacter]

[He grins and tilts his head slightly to rest against hers.]

Happy space anniversary.

[tearsinajar]

Definitely not a bad thing at all, that.

[ She tilts her head against his in return, smiling. ]

Won't need that space divorce after all.