selfhelp | [Voice/Action] Forward-dated to the afternoon of the 9th

[He should have seen this coming- it's like it's some kind of retaliation for what he'd done on Teddy's birthday. He still manages to be surprised when Teddy shoos him out of the apartment some time after breakfast on the 9th, barely given time to grab his coat and stuff his laptop into a bag before he's been officially banished from his own home.

...Well then. Looks like he's in the wind today. First things first: while he isn't usually the type to announce this kind of thing, thanks to having the afternoon to himself (whereas usually his birthday is filled with doting parents and obnoxious little brothers vying for attention) he's feeling indulgent enough to go for it, and he remembers something in particular...]

Okay- first of all, question for everybody. Now that I know about that whole... Valentine's Day thing that's supposed to happen every year, does anyone know how to avoid it? Or should I just lock myself in my room for a few days and hope for the best?

And second, to the X-Men? If the team training is still on for today, it's probably safe to go ahead and assume I won't make it. I'm allowed to have plans on my birthday. But happy birthday to Logan whenever he gets back- 180 is a pretty big landmark, right?

[Hopefully he won't get killed for that one, but he just couldn't help himself. Even if the accuracy of that number is questionable.

The rest of the afternoon will be spent in the following ways: goofing off in the Battle Dome with some self-indulgent hologram scenarios blatantly ripped out of Star Trek, wasting time in Seventh Heaven with excessive amounts of coffee and his laptop like a proper teenage hipster, and then, when his battery's running dry, returning to building #5 to bully Teddy into feeding the laptop's power cord under the door, at which point he'll be curled up on the floor outside his apartment playing Minecraft or something while he waits for his boyfriend to finish... whatever he's doing in there.]

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Oh, yeah. [Billy turns the laptop to show off the screen, which just has a file browser up with a bunch of photo thumbnails.] It's called a laptop- I got it for Christmas. You've really never seen one before?

[Richard leans down to get a better look at the screen, resisting the urge to reach out and poke one of those thumbnails with his finger to see if anything happens.]

Let's just say that there are still some parts of my world that don't even have a hot water distribution system yet.

Believe it or not, I could say the same thing about my world, too. But I get the idea.

[He uses the touchpad to move the mouse around the screen a bit.]

Anyway, yeah- it's a machine used for all kinds of stuff. Pictures, videos, games, recording information... there's a lot you can do with one.

Videos? Do you mean like those programs that they show on television? I think I remember Isamu mentioning them to me before. He said that you can use them to watch a program whenever you want.

[WHOA HE'S MAKING IT MOVE that is sort of awesome.]

Yeah, that's right. Lemme grab one, I'll show you.

[He surfs through his video files and picks the "Teddy" directory, loading up one of the Simon's Cat videos.]

[THE DRAWINGS ARE MOVING. The drawings are moving and they're in this tiny box thing. THAT IS THE MOST AWESOME THING EVER.]

So you just press that button to make it move? Incredible!

[He had no idea that YouTube videos could be so adorably fascinating.]

Have you ever seen a movie? It's like that, just on a smaller screen.

[Richard shakes his head.]

I've only heard of them from Isamu and Naoki. Apparently they're a common thing in their world. People there pay money to go to a special building to see them.

Oh, yeah- movie theaters. We've got them where I'm from, too.

I've actually programmed one into the Battle Dome, if you want to see it.

You have? What movie does it play?

[Nobody has mentioned to Richard that a theater can have more than one movie showing in it at once.]

Just about any movie you could ask for, really. It's all in how you program it. Or whatever disc you bring in, if you've got a DVD or something.

[The sky's the limit, bro.]

I see. That sounds absolutely fascinating. Would you mind if I wanted to see one for myself someday? Perhaps bring Asbel and the others along as well. I'm sure they'd also be interested in something like that.

Sure, why not? Make it a double-date.

[He's teasing, honest. Mostly because he has no idea who Asbel is.]

[Erk. Oh Billy, if only you knew how much Richard wished that could be the case.]

No, Asbel is just a good friend. There isn't anything between us like that.

Relax, it's just a phrase. But in that case, Teddy and I'll try not to get too PDA on you guys.

Of course... I appreciate that.

[Whoops. He thought you actually meant it, Billy.]

[What makes you think he didn't 8D]

Are you dating anybody, though? Because you could bring them. Or we could make it a whole party, if you wanted.

[sob.

Richard's face falls at this, though he's quick to try to smile again.]

No, there isn't anyone like that in my life right now, but I appreciate the offer. I might just bring some of my friends instead.

Edited 2013-03-22 04:33 (UTC)

[Well, now that he's asked all the awkward questions-]

Ah, okay, sorry. But friends are good to watch movies with, too. Now we just have to figure out which one.

[He thinks for a moment.]

Do you read? Is there a particular kind of book or story that you like?

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