[ 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

[aeturnus]

[ It's frustrating that he can't really get his point across without being blunt. Romulus knows that apparently people here don't believe in keeping slaves, but that doesn't change how he was raised or what he expects and he doubts it will be that easy if he's here for the foreseeable future. Unlikely, considering it's an issue being worked on, but even then...

The insistence is both gratifying and enough to move him to tears if he weren't already so overwhelmed as to be practically immobile, emotionally speaking. ]

Sorry, Ma'am. It's just... what I'm used to responding to.

[couldkillthedevil]

[She pauses in the middle of getting her skillet prepared, glancing over at him in puzzlement. And perhaps there's some concern there, too.]

You're used to people ordering you around? [That's... definitely not the Jacob she knows. Nor the whole calling her 'ma'am' business.] You can call me Chloe. The, uh, other you does. Did.

[aeturnus]

[ He still isn't meeting her eyes, deciding on a few things to mix into his salad instead of looking toward her. ]

While I understand Jacob, uh, I... don't act like I do now and no one really expects it, I'm a slave. It's just how that is. [ He inhales, then nods. ] I've noticed not a lot of people like being called Sir or Ma'am. Do you know why?

[couldkillthedevil]

[He might not be meeting her eyes, but she's flat-out staring at him. What kind of place did he come from? Now that she thinks about it, she doesn't know much about Jacob or his past. Maybe for this reason.]

A slave? How? What kind of place are you from? [A beat as she considers that question.] It's a really formal way of addressing someone. Usually to someone older or higher authority than you. You may have been a slave from wherever you came from, but you're not one here. We're all on the same level.

[aeturnus]

[ That's about what he expected. The only awkwardness of Romulus explaining himself has come from the reactions of the people here. Back home it just... was. It didn't net him any favors but it never really sparked outrage, either. He just gives a soft, affirmative sound. ]

The Etruscan coast. Even if slaves aren't... kept here, that doesn't change what I'll go back to or what I am, does it?

[ He isn't one to talk back much, but for sure the automatic response rolls into his head and he softens it automatically. His fire hasn't died despite his lifestyle, just kept kindled in secret with Remus. Romulus already snapped once without thinking, however, and that had been... it had turned out okay but one exception doesn't break the rule entirely. ]

[couldkillthedevil]

Etruscan. That's, what, Italian?

[Again, she's not one for geography or history, but she's read enough to get by. Plus, the name 'Romulus'... her voice is hesitant as she asks her question, as if she can't quite get it out without thinking it sounds ridiculous.]

Are you... from... the past or something? [She pauses at his next comment.] Is that what you want? To go back?

[aeturnus]

No? Italian?

[ Yeah, it just doesn't ring a bell whatsoever. Etruria is Etruria. Not like he knows much about anything outside of that, either. ]

The past compared to... what? I think it's just someplace very different. [ That wouldn't explain how Jacob was apparently so comfortable with everything here, and something closer to what she's saying would, but Romulus has spent quite a lot of time already trying to ignore that possibility. A frown comes onto his face at the last question. ] Yes, but—not because of that.

[couldkillthedevil]

The past compared to here. Now. Slaves... aren't exactly a thing that are commonplace here. They used to be years ago, though.

[In her world, anyhow. Though she's never been given any indication that Riverview endorsed the practice either. But his answer leaves her silent for a brief moment, her attention momentarily turning back to her food preparation as she turns the stove on to melt her butter.

She thinks of her own motivation to go home before she responds.]

Someone you miss?

[aeturnus]

I've been told that, too. More or less. How would you manage large estates that way?

[ Do even the rich get their hands dirty to maintain their property? He can't really imagine that. It's too... mundane for something as crazy and magical as all this. ]

... Yeah. My brother. We've never been apart before.

[couldkillthedevil]

...Generally through hiring help to maintain them, though I don't think 'large estates' are exactly common anymore either.

[Wow. He really was from the past, wasn't he? Or at least from a world that was far different from hers.

She went about cutting a hole into the middle of a slice of bread before placing it onto the skillet, deliberating over what he's just told her. She can certainly understand his feelings. At least in some ways.]

Mm. I'd imagine that's hard. My... I've got a daughter back home. I've never been away from her this long either.

[aeturnus]

Like regular workers?

[ It makes a sort of sense, although his own sensibilities say that's more effort than it might be worth to someone who could house slaves that would be available at any time for whatever circumstance. Strange.

Oh, but he's definitely watching what she's doing even if he's sure quite sure what's going on with it. ]

I'm very sorry about that. You must miss her so much.

[couldkillthedevil]

Exactly. If you can't pay the people doing the work, then the work won't get done. That's how it is here and where I'm from.

[She grows a bit quiet all of a sudden, a bit of sullenness falling over her, though she does her best not to let it show too much. He's going through the same thing, after all. Even worse so, since everything down to how society runs must be confusing to him.]

I do. But I'm biding my time until I can get back to her. You obviously must miss your brother.

[She notices him watching, gesturing with her spatula at the pieces of bread on the counter next to her.] You want one? It's not as healthy as a salad, but it's tasty.

[aeturnus]

Not where I'm from, though.

[ That sullenness catches his attention and he doesn't hold his breath, but there's a quiet tension to him. Not sure what to do being on this level with people, really. ]

I do... we're twins—no one's ever tried to split us. Being here, though, isn't someone's choice. [ At her offer, he perks up a bit, obviously interested. Healthy doesn't really factor into things, except... ] Will it make me sick?

[couldkillthedevil]

Mm. Things are obviously a lot different here than what you're used to.

[She catches on to his awkwardness but doesn't comment on it. It wouldn't serve a purpose other than to make him more uncomfortable.]

I don't even have a sibling, but I'd imagine being separated from your twin is hard. You sound like you're really close. [She can't help but smile at his question.] Not unless you're allergic to dairy, or if it's all you eat. But the same could be said about salad.

[Basically, Romulus, you need a balanced diet. Without waiting for him to respond, she cuts another hole into a slice of bread and plops it down into the skillet.] Grab some eggs out of the fridge for me, will you? I forgot to get them.

[aeturnus]

There isn't much here that I am used to.

Allergic? [ That's a new one. He'll take his words to heart, however, because balanced eating makes sense. Perhaps it's something people here eat more often than not and adding more isn't usually the best? ]

Um... yes, okay. [ He moves to the fridge and peers inside. Seeing the picture of the chicken on the carton is more helpful than anything else and he retrieves three to be safe before moving to place them on the counter near to Chloe. Hovers briefly to make sure they don't roll off. ]

[couldkillthedevil]

Yeah. It's when your body reacts badly to something. Usually some kind of food, or pollen.

[She figures she might as well do her part in making his stay easier here. She can't help but think of Trixie, which was possibly a false comparison, considering she was eight and Romulus was... not. Still, they were both inquisitive and Chloe felt inclined to answer his questions.

It's when he sets the eggs down that she remembers that he might've taken that as an order and not as the request it was. She'll need to be more careful. She picks up the eggs gratefully, cracking one open and pouring it into the hole of the bread.]

Thanks.

[aeturnus]

It makes you sick.

[ Which makes its own sense. He doesn't quite know why anyone would call it something different but he's never had anything that's really made him sick before, not when it was made properly. His life is a strange mixture of practical and harsh knowledge and worldly innocence that one gets from not being sheltered, but confined. It certainly doesn't help the comparison to a child's demeanor even if it's not totally accurate, either.

Romulus doesn't seem to have minded the request, instead watching Chloe work with the egg before glancing up at her partway. Whatever she's doing with this is something he hasn't seen before but it looks (and smells) good. Strange. ]

You're welcome, Ma'am. Chloe. Sorry. May I ask what you're making?

[couldkillthedevil]

Basically.

[She turns to flash him a brief smile, and once again, the comparison between him and a curious child flickers through her mind before it disappears again. He's an adult, not a kid. She suspects she would be the same way, had she come from a different background like him.]

It's a grilled cheese egg sandwich. [A beat.] My dad used to make them for me as a kid. Guess I never grew out of them.

[aeturnus]

[ And a very different background it is. At least Chloe seems to be pretty understanding of it, even if Romulus isn't so sure about how she's handling it... it's not pressuring, at least. ]

It already smells good. Do people usually grow out of food?

[couldkillthedevil]

Well.

[He's pretty observant. And when he asks his question, she can't help but pause a moment.]

Not exactly. But some foods are considered to be more for kids than adults, because they're comfort foods. Like grilled cheese sandwiches. It's just something I associate a lot with my childhood, I guess.

But they're good at any age.

[aeturnus]

[ Romulus is a v smart cookie. Wait until he's older and if Chloe feels like asking questions, man. ]

Oh... That's silly. I understand foods for special occasions, but not wanting to have food for comfort anymore?

[couldkillthedevil]

['Questions' is her middle name.]

It's not exactly an ironclad rule. Here.

[She sprinkles some salt on one of the eggs and scoops one sandwich out onto a plate for him, before passing it his way.] Let me know what you think.

[aeturnus]

[ ?! Him first? He looks a bit startled at the plate, purses his lips, and speaks carefully. ]

Shouldn't you have this?

[couldkillthedevil]

[She waves him off, not bothered in the least.]

Mm, it's fine. This one will be done in a minute. Go ahead and have a seat.

[aeturnus]

[ He pauses, then nods and moves to the table to eat, picking it up and holding it carefully before taking a bite. He takes some time to really consider it before he's sure that he definitely likes it. ]

This is really good.