[ open ] #throwbackthursday

[aeturnus]

who: Cain (now Romulus), Anyone
what: During the effects of the Temporal Chalice, Cain gets to explore some of his much, much earlier years. He's in his early twenties, not immortal, shy and gentle, and goes by his birth name: Romulus. Oops.
when: 15th until the event ends.
where: Housing during the day (floor six + around), and out in the Quarantine at night mostly. Specific starters upon request.
warnings: Romulus at this point in his life is a slave. Mentioned of free vs not, expectations of having lesser value, and possible other related subjects are very likely. More will be edited in if necessary.

i. Housing. Floor six.
[ He's not sure what to do with himself here. One of the first things Romulus did when he came to was familiarize himself with the device he carries around with him, because he remembers that being important, and notices that the job he only vaguely recalls sent a message to not show up if you couldn't do the work citing distraction to the other workers who were still in their right minds. He supposes that means he should stay away from the place and he intends to. It just doesn't leave him a whole lot to do aside from putter around the floor he knows he belongs in, even if most of his belongings feel foreign and familiar at the same time. Sparse, too. Some technology to work, small knickknacks here and there, and nothing that really speaks to who he is. All except for a plain lantern hanging from the bedpost with scenery drawn on it that makes him feel more at home. It's familiar to him, only a breath away, if he were back home at all. That lantern is lit every night to help him sleep.

Either way, Romulus putters. Messes around in the kitchen to try and make food but plenty of the products are foreign and confusing and he sticks with what he knows, basic fruits and vegetables and puts together simpler things with simpler tools and methods. He's not going for anything fancy, just subsiding on what he can until he figures out what he's doing here anymore. What he doesn't do is actively bother anyone. Finds his own supplies and makes sure whatever he uses is communal and doesn't belong to anyone in particular, shops with the money he's found for himself to buy things he can't find.

It's probably easier to ignore the guy who's suddenly turned wallflower around floor six, or even in the rest of the building where he comes and goes quite often out to explore the city. Except... he didn't used to be like this, not at all, entire demeanor changed. Not that he's the only one but it's pretty radical and noticeable. Kinda sad, really. ]

ii. Quarantine.
[ Mostly, he goes out at night. Lots of people don't notice the nervous ones at night because crime still exists but Quarantine is better protected and managed than most cities in other universes, apparently, and a lot of the older residents expect the nervous ones to calm down eventually. Romulus isn't nervous because of crime, but instead because it feels like a lie. He shouldn't be out here without a cause or an order or a reason given to him to explain if anyone catches him out — but he's not doing anything wrong. There's no master here, no one holding him in their hands and certainly no one to say he can't explore or shop or live.

It's freedom, and it has his heart constantly in his throat. What do you do with freedom?

Either way, he stumbles into people because he's not paying attention, lost in thought. Flinches back and swerves to press nearer to the walls or almost walks into the street sometimes and has to get fished out of the way. It's all very nerve-wracking, but again, people expect it more in the darkness for whatever reason. Sometimes he does go out in the day, too, but this is easier for him. ]

I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to run into you—forgive me.

[ He doesn't meet many peoples' eyes in the dark of the night, either. ]

iii. Wild Card.
[ Romulus gets places he shouldn't. Curiosity is certainly his vice and that's never gotten him anyplace good. It's usually up to Remus to keep him from wandering and Remus isn't here. He doesn't go into dangerous-looking places, but stores or odd streets or stopping to watch something odd? There's no reason not to. ]

[ Make something up, and I'll work a response in! Contact at plurk or at biomagnet#1925 @ disco to discuss more if necessary. ]

Comments

[greyjane]

[He gets a sidelong glance. She's noticed that he seems uncomfortable with eye contact, so her gaze doesn't linger long. Hmm, look at this marvelously weird, rainbow coloured pasta over here instead. Shai's a staunch vegetarian, and this place is strange enough that she's taken to examining the ingredients of everything just in case. So she's idly glancing over the list on the back of the bag when she speaks again,]

I appreciate that, but it ain't on you to regulate my emotions just the same. You don't have to apologize for what you are no matter how it makes folks feel.

[aeturnus]

[ It definitely helps. Speaking at him, to him, without having to put the focus on him. Romulus relaxes while he watches her reading something on the box, and his brow furrows at that. What's so interesting about it? ]

It's one of the few things I can do, though.

[greyjane]

[It's interesting enough that she drops the bag into her basket, where it joins other ridiculously healthy choices. There's a big emphasis on fresh produce. She loves her ship in a way that's bone-deep, but Kveth does she miss all the food you can pull out of a garden.]

Do you think it helps?

[aeturnus]

[ Well, okay then. Whatever was on there was apparently the right thing. He's still puzzling that out (it's just colorful pasta, isn't it? Everything is colorful here) when she continues. ]

It's... what you do. [ Does it help? ] It's respect.

[greyjane]

I earn yours already? [Both eyebrows go up, she smiles a bit.] Goodness, I'm busy.

[Little bit of humour there for you, but her meaning is clear: she hasn't, and doesn't expect to be treated that way as if by rote. She's not exactly trying to get him to change what he does - she meant what she said on that count - but she's not shy about making her stance clear, either.]

[aeturnus]

Well, you're not in my position so that's pretty worthy of respect.

[ Oho? That's odd. Romulus understands where he is in the world and accepts it, knows that just leaving somehow wouldn't actually solve a deeper problem but... that's certainly an interesting way to put it. ]

[greyjane]

How do you know I'm not?

[She's not, obviously, but once upon a time she was something very similar. Forced labour in a POW camp is certainly no freedom she can name. She shrugs mildly, and heads off down the aisle with a gesture for him to follow her.]

[aeturnus]

You can read?

[ That seems like a pretty solid one. He follows along at the gesture, not bothered at all. Besides the obvious, they're talking. Of course he'll go. ]

[greyjane]

Anybody explained to you how multiple universes work to bring us all together here?

[Seems a silly quantifier to her, but then Janirak has no Rome, or even an equivalent thereof in its antiquity. If it did, she probably wouldn't know. Never was one for history, her.]

[aeturnus]

I remember the explanation... in some manner? It's vague. I do understand that not everyone comes from the same places. [ His brow furrows. ] Does everyone read where you're from?

[greyjane]

Most folks, to be sure.

[Illiteracy wasn't a problem along the Lattice. Space travel, a unified coalition of worlds and a considerably greater emphasis put on education and togetherness than whatever the hell Earth is up to did away with that centuries ago.]

Only an upper class thing where you're from?

[aeturnus]

Yes. That's it exactly.

[ Which is one of the many reasons this place is so weirdly offputting. It's so... luxurious and yet the people all live relatively calmly, unknowing of what they have. ]

[greyjane]

Mm. Easy way to keep folks where it's thought they belong. Ignorance is a wealthy person's - or a government's - best friend.

[She shrugs. She doesn't like institutions of any sort, apparently.]

Been here a while?

[aeturnus]

That, and... teachers are expensive.

[ The wealthy hate to spend too much of their money, he's noticed. ]

Um... yes and no? I'm—there's something affecting people here and I believe I'm one of them. It's changing them?

[greyjane]

[Liranya might actually laugh at that. Education should be priceless rather than expensive. But then, she always said teaching was a privilege rather than a fundamental right. To the rest, she nods.]

The comms device should have your info on it, then. There's a text to talk function so's you can still access it.

[aeturnus]

[ He gets the idea of what she's saying and, really, it doesn't sound any more fantastic or crazy than all the insane, amazing things he's already seen here. It just makes him excited, much as he tries to contain himself. ]

I'll have to figure that out, then.

[greyjane]

I can show you how on mine. Might knock a few things into perspective for you.

[She's not really interested in prying into his life. It's his business. If she's not seen a fellow running about on the network calling himself Romulus; A Slave odds are it's not something he'll want other people knowing or acknowledging. Far as she's concerned, if she never meets this chap again it'll be just fine by her, and he can keep his secrets.

They pass by the tea - she's meandering in a check-out sort of direction as they've talked - and she nods to one of the blends. It's a tea with considerable heat, something in the realm of ginger and licorice.]

If you fancy a bit of tea, I recommend that one.

[aeturnus]

[ He moves to continue following her, sets himself closer to the tea as she recommends it. He peers at it, picks it up and turns the box this way and that. Simply settles for sniffing at it instead. ]

Oh... oh, hm. What is it?

[greyjane]

[A faint little smile.]

Redaqar. Something from my home world.

[She's found things - odd bits here and there, and the Kassurat set that was left on her doorstep - all from Janirak. She's an intensely, fiercely private person at the best of times, but sharing things from home - at least when they seem in decent supply, thus necessitating no frugality - isn't beyond her.

Kindness is something learned. She lacked it once. Never again.]

[aeturnus]

[ He considers, hesitates briefly. There's s genuine strike of fear at getting something useless that he doesn't even know what it is, but there's a traitorous part of him excited by the idea instead. It would be just for him. ]

I'll... try this, then. Thank you.

[greyjane]

Don't mention it.

[She points to one of the tellers, now that they've strolled the length of the aisle.]

I'm going to check myself out. Would you rather come with, or meet up later so I can show you how the comm works?

[aeturnus]

[ He sucks in a breath, considering. He's done this before a few times now but... ]

May I come with you?

[greyjane]

Of course. No trouble.

[She ends up in a lane, plucking the contents of her basket out and putting it on the little conveyor belt with purpose enough. She's moving a bit more slowly than she would if she were alone, though she wouldn't admit that it's so he can watch her and get an idea of what she's doing. Once she's rung through and has paid for herself, she stands off to the side to watch his progress and if he seems to need help she'll step in.]

[aeturnus]

[ Romulus has this part, at least. He sees her and watches the whole time, carefully follows the steps she'd done before as if it's his first time all over again. Pulls out the card with his money on it like he'd been shown that day when he'd come here without a single idea how he was supposed to do this and pays. Takes the bag he's given with his few items, just enough to last the rest of the day, and moves next to her.

It's silly but he does seem a lot more content now, head kept tucked down somewhat when he meets her at the other end of the register. ]

[greyjane]

[She gives him a smile she doesn't exactly expect him to see, and since he seems more comfortable following behind her that's exactly what she does. She's always been a leader by nature, and doesn't seem to mind if he wants to walk a step behind her or whatever it is makes him comfortable.]

My place is a few streets over. If you're closer we can drop your groceries off first and take care of it there.

[It's not that she can't explain things on a busy street corner or even duck into a cafe, but it'd be weirdly awkward to do that with an armload of groceries and she thinks he might be more comfortable somewhere away from prying eyes.]