THE WORLD: PSL LIFE

[insinning]

[Here be all the psl threads]

Comments

[insinning]

Mmm... it's allowed but we try not to if we can help it.

[ Or at least, Sinclair tried not to]

That's what our batons were for at least...but apparently these attacks are pretty common on small vessels that look like they have people with money on board.

[dissimulative]

[ ... ... ... ]

Well? Did you guys?

[ --have money, that is. ]

[insinning]

It feels pretty pointless to bring money into a deep sea expedition.

[Oria please ]

[dissimulative]

Yeah. People would leave cash back home.

[ What are they gonna do? Eat dollar bills? Chunks of gold nuggets? ]

No, but I was asking if any of you guys looked rich at all.

[insinning]

Mm...I think Hong Lu does? He stands out a lot...

[Maybe Oria will recognise that name from a very, very powerful family based in China...]

[dissimulative]

[ He sure does! He noticed when he was looking up the employees from LCB at some point. Hong Lu was an interesting case, because it seemed like he traded heritage for freedom, something Oria could never do. ]

Oh, him? He looks like any other guy to me if he's wearing your company uniform though. Is his weapon decked out or something?

[insinning]

Mm, not particularly. But he seems to get under people's skin without realising it by making it known how rich he was...or maybe he does realise it.

[ Hong Lu was so good natured that it seemed like the former...but you never know...]

[dissimulative]

[ Good natured but deadly... ]

... Well, you know him more personally than I do.

[ What a mystery. Oria is on the fourth container. The third? It's been gone for a while. ]

All that sounds eventful though. Maybe you didn't need the Kindle after all.

[insinning]

[Sinclair shakes his head. He skipped over the tedium of most of their adventure out there]

There were two weeks where we were just floating in place with absolutely nothing to do or see. The kindle saved my sanity. Or I'd have been roped into helping Gregor and Rodya capture seagulls.

[ The others were not as lucky. ]

[dissimulative]

Did you guys run out of food?

[ Why capture seagulls?? Huh?? Did they think one of them was an albatross?? ]

What the hell.

[insinning]

...no! It wasn't for that!

[ Oria, why!! Sinclair wonders why Oria's brain is on this track...the leaps in logic sure could get weird sometimes...]

They got bored and wanted a pet to keep them entertained...

[dissimulative]

Seagulls can't be domesticated.

[ He is incredibly incredulous right now. ]

Your coworkers sure are strange...

[insinning]

[ If they can't be domesticated...]

.. they actually got it to ride a unicycle across a wire in the ship though...

[ But he won't disagree. They are strange]

[dissimulative]

[ ... ... ...

Oria stares at Sinclair for a few several seconds before finishing up the fourth container in silence. What the fuck. ]

[insinning]

...they were really bored?

[ Don't look at him like that Oria...]

[dissimulative]

Well, yeah, but...

[ His voice trails off. He really doesn't know what to say to that. A seagull riding a unicycle across the ship on a wire.

... ]

Anyway, what other things happened?

[insinning]

The rest is a little more... [Sinclair trails off a little as he sips at his frappe. He wants to tell Oria but maybe not here.]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria smiles. He gets it. Confidentiality is a huge risk. ]

Is it okay for you to tell me on the phone when you go back? When you're in your room, I mean. Or do you want to stop by my house for a minute? Or you don't have to tell me at all if you don't want to.

[ Oria has appointments, so he's not exactly free today, but he can squeeze in a bit more if he can. ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair smiles, and reaches over to take Oria's hand, letting it anchor him]

It's fine for me to tell you on the phone...you have a busy day, right?

[He shuffles a little in his seat so he's leaning against Oria a little]

[dissimulative]

[ His hand holds Sinclair's and he sighs. ]

Yeah... but I really wanted to come out and see you before you left, even if it's just for a minute.

[ He squeezes his hand. ]

Safe travels, okay?

[insinning]

[It's ridiculous how much his longing has gotten worse. He nods a little and squeezes Oria's hand even more. At sea, he hadn't even been able to message Oria, so being back on land is significantly better. But still. Still...]

Mm. I'm glad you got to come out either way. [A tiny sigh] Maybe we'll get some more time off soon.

[dissimulative]

[ Time off... Oria already had so much time off that he actually has to makeup for all the time lost that he spent while recovering. ]

I hope so too.

[ He sincerely hopes for it. ]

I'm curious though... how do you feel about Demian now?

[insinning]

[...?

Ah. He remembers now, the teasing Oria had done for awhile...]

Demian? He's my friend. And I still admire him. That hasn't changed, I think.

[dissimulative]

Do you still have that giant crush on him?

[ Oria teases, lightly. Sure. ]

[insinning]

[ How is Oria still teasing him about this when they're dating?? He elbows Oria grumpily and sulks back to his drink]

I don't. I like you, remember? [ ...maybe it's a sign of growth if he just accepts he did have a crush, so Oria had less glee in teasing him for it.

except]

And it wasn't a giant crush.