video 01 | Aortic Aneurysm

[clussy]

(You know who is not going to react to this situation decently no matter how many times it's explained to him? Eddie. You know who doesn't have a good game face against fear? Also Eddie. He's alone, he needs an adult, and he's pretty sure they don't restock on inhalers here. He knew he didn't need it, not technically, but he also knew that his lungs were contracting at a rate that lead to hyperventilating and as far as he was concerned, that was exactly what an asthma attack was all about. He was having an asthma attack. Maybe. His body was thinking about it.

By the way, he's definitely just been staring at the video for a couple of silent seconds, his jaw working back and forth as he just tried to remind himself that he was actually capable of breathing. This kid......)

My mom's going to fucking kill me.

(The words are whispered under his breath and he would think twice about swearing if he realized how many adults might be watching this video. He was enough of a loser that he could get the whole communication device thing, really, that was fine. But he wasn't quite able to wrap his mind around the full extent of it all.

After a second, he decides fuck it. He needs his inhaler. It goes up, he gives it a few shakes, and takes a deep, deep breath in with it. Holds. Holds.

Then his whole body deflates, his eyes rolling up. He closes his eyes and thinks about how he would talk to the police in Derry. Ha. If that wasn't the biggest fucking joke ever. When he speaks next, his voice is pitched higher than before, that typical 'I'm trying super hard to be polite and endearing' voice that he uses to call his mom 'mommy' when he's real apologetic. He's not even trying to be a suck up. The kid's just scared.)

Um. My name's Eddie Kaspbrak. I'm Sonia Kaspbrak's son and I definitely need to be home for dinner which is like, in an hour. So if anyone can help...I would really appreciate it.

.....God, I really hope this isn't that creep who was taking all those kids.

Comments

[inconsequence]

I believe that most will agree I'm "spooky" by default.

[squadgoals]

You know you don't have to play into that.

Maybe you just enjoy being a little spooky sometimes.

[inconsequence]

Is there a difference?

[squadgoals]

Aha.

Well, be nice. Not exactly any child psychologists on board.

[inconsequence]

I've no reason to sugarcoat the horrors of places such as these merely because of his age.

[squadgoals]

No sugarcoating, I agree with you there. But there's kind and cruel ways of letting someone know what they're in for. It's the difference between jabbing a needle in someone without warning and anesthetizing the location ahead of time.

[squadgoals]

Yes, I know, it's a pain metaphor, and the result is pain no matter what. Work with me, here.

[inconsequence]

Speak for yourself. Personally, I find the guessing game quite appealing!

[ha ha no they don't]

[squadgoals]

Is that true? Or is that what makes it easier to bear?

[inconsequence]

[wow mom don't @ them like this]

I think it's possible you may be looking for rationalization where none exists, ma'am.

[squadgoals]

Could be. Or I could be a little too close for comfort, so you're doing your best to throw me off. I might never know.

Not sure about the "ma'am", though. I'm hardly your superior officer.

[inconsequence]

No? I thought you were meant to be training me.

1/2

[squadgoals]

Do I have to be an officer? I've been an officer. The sparkle is gone.

You can call me... Shepard Sensei.

2/2

[squadgoals]

That was a joke. Do NOT call me that. Just Shepard. Regular Shepard.

1/2

[inconsequence]

Oh, if you insist.

2/2

[inconsequence]

Shepard Guru.

[squadgoals]

I really brought this on myself.

How about some middle ground? Coach? Tutor? Trainer?

[inconsequence]

"Guru" rolls off the tongue better.

[squadgoals]

It would roll better if you swapped them around.

Even moreso if it wasn't there at all.

[inconsequence]

What a shame. Guess I'm not a wordsmith.

Too bad it's stuck.

[squadgoals]

Fine. You know what? I'm warming to it.

I hereby assign you the hallowed title of Novice Chara.

Your first task is to eat breakfast every day at a regular time, because it's the most important meal of the day. Well-known guru fact.

[inconsequence]

You didn't specify the contents of said breakfast. Guess it's chocolate again!

[squadgoals]

No!

Number one, stop flipping my healthy eating pyramid upside down! I spent a lot of time drawing all those fruits and vegetables to emphasize how important it is to eat them!

Number two, we're running out of chocolate! What are you going to do then? You have to at least try the other stuff. It's got natural sugars.

[inconsequence]

I have a hard time taking advice from someone who undermines her own authority. Regularly.

[Don't think they haven't noticed that she is not exactly the pinnacle of healthy habits in regards to eating or sleeping herself.]

[squadgoals]

I'm healthy! I eat three square nutrient cubes a day!

[And plenty of liquid nutrition. On rocks. At bars. Agh.]

Okay, I get the picture. Not sure I can do much about the sleep part for either of us, but what about if we compromise on the nutrition front? Tell me your favorite food that isn't a sweet, and I'll do whatever I can to make it happen.