My mistake for thinking nobody noticed this one. ( two months was a good run, though, and while he's not about to do cartwheels over the prospect of sharing space with someone, he's also not about to get into a scrap over it.
although judging by the wary look, the blood smeared against his cheekbone, aristaeus wonders if this is the first room he'd stopped at. )
Aristaeus. ( he pronounces it "ar-is-tey". crisp, clear enunciation that's almost devoid of an accent.
watches murphy closely, his eyes slightly narrowed, scrutinizing. ) Do I need to ask why you were tallying exits, or are we simply being cautious?
[Hands up, mouth pulling down at the corners, self-effacing humour. Then he shrugs, turning back to tug the window closed again.]
Waking up naked in the woods doesn't exactly leave you feeling safe and warm about a place.
[The fact Aristaeus knew what he was doing said something about him, though. Murphy keeps his own measuring look a little more subtle, sideways glances as he moves to drop down on the edge of the bed - his bed, now, he supposes - and start pulling clean socks on.]
( he'd woken up in strange places before, but never stripped bare and utterly alone. the spiders hadn't exactly endeared him to the situation. that instinctive, animal wariness of anything larger and meaner than itself choosing the worst moment to manifest, and hadn't quite abated.
in the corner of the room, there's a small armoire. it offers just enough space for his own modest belongings. he moves toward it now, reaching out to tug open the door. )
You seem to have landed on your feet, though. ( the townsfolk can be generous, but they tend to forget the little things like socks and underwear. shoes. )
[Not exactly a lie. Post-apocalyptic Earth was still where he was from, originally. Just not where he'd been before here. Still, the result was the same - the Nest had just significantly broadened his horizons.]
You get used to thinking fast. Adapting.
[Surviving, and whatever it took to do so. This isn't the first time he's had to replace lost or destroyed clothes, and some decent boots had been a fairly high priority in his mind. Socks pinned with a slightly different importance, the muddy pair a gift that he intends to see returned - cleaned up, first.
He's still clearly nowhere near as settled as Aristaeus' seemed to be.]
( a soft sound of understanding. his own experience hadn't been too great, either, to be honest — not recently, at any rate.
a quick glance over at murphy, again. a moment of consideration, then he leans down and plucks a spare set of work boots from the armoire's lower shelf and tosses them over. they're decent, solid things made of good leather, even if they're probably a little large. )
Around three months, I'd say. Not that I've managed to find a calendar.
[He's lived without or between calendars for too long to consider it any other way. Tally marks scratched on walls or in notebooks. He'll need to grab something like that here, clearly.
He looks up in time to catch one boot, the other clunking down near his feet. He had managed to get a pair in his gathering of clothes, but these are better, thicker and not quite as worn. Still, the gift's unprompted, and there's surprise and some hesitation in his expression.]
You sure, man? I can manage fine with these for a while.
( it'd probably add to the decor, actually — tally marks. not that the boarding house is lacking, but it's clear that the designer had specific intentions.
and the fire hadn't exactly done the place any favours. )
I'm not using them.
( it's one of those few shared values between his people and the townsfolk, prioritizing communal needs over individual desires.
but judging by murphy's expression, he's anticipating some kind of catch; which is fair, he supposes — people who instinctively check for exits aren't known for their trusting dispositions. )
I'd call it a "welcome to town" gift, saying that with a straight face might be a stretch. So, let's go with you helping me free up some closet space and call it a day.
[There's something weirdly symbolic in it, he thinks. First he gets given socks, now boots.]
Thanks.
[The hesitation's still fairly obvious, the nod of his head more like a dip than anything. But it's genuine. He's just mentally making a note of needing to pay it back somehow at some point, regardless of how Aristaeus had framed it. Still:]
( vanity is such a strange concept to him. aristaeus's not overly concerned with his looks; he simply enjoys comfortable, well-crafted clothes tailored for his specific fit.
and there's not a whole lot of people in town that are north of six-two. everything has to be tailored. )
I guess not. ( he pulls the door closed, then turns to give murphy another considering look.
he can't remember the last time he had to share close quarters with someone like this. voluntarily, more or less. what the protocol might be. ) But I work hard and I like nice things. ( his tone holds curiosity rather than a challenge: "is that going to be a problem?" )
[Mouth pressing, a small shake of his head. Impressed, more than anything. He'd done similar, in Concordia, but that was a damn sight more technologically advanced than this place. Nice things seemed like they might be a bit harder to come by, but what did he know? Aristaeus had better boots to give him, already.]
We actually have to work, or is that just something you willingly signed up for?
The first month I was here, there was an incident with one of the locals. ( maybe murphy knows about that, maybe he doesn't. the boarding house still bears some scars, but overall, they've succeeded in restoring it's former ...charm? ) He has a reputation, so I thought I'd keep an eye on him.
( and it was an easy in. just a little twist of the knife, and he had what he wanted — work, yes, but more importantly it was a way to observe the people here without drawing the same kind of attention. )
Turns out I don't mind the work, and he's thankful for t he help.
Keep an eye on him for what, to stop it if it happens again? Just out of the goodness of your heart.
[Considering, watching Aristaeus' reaction. Trying to figure out if he had another Bellamy on his hands here, someone willing to throw themselves in harm's way with little regard for their own wellbeing, or if it was more about the power, the guard and the prisoner and what could be done to one by the other without anyone questioning or much caring.]
The people here have gotten so used to enduring the attacks that they don't think about doing things another way. Easier to just kill the problem, then leave it to the Duchess to do the rest. ( the next part is harder to explain, because it requires a level of self-reflection he's still getting the hang of. he doesn't particularly care about lev, about the town, but the method of problem-solving, while direct, feels inefficient. wasteful.
and he doesn't like being bored. )
I can stop him without needing to do that. I've done it before.
[Pragmatism is probably Murphy's favourite way of thinking, and certainly the one he falls into more often than not. But there are degrees, and to him it looks a lot like Aristaeus saw the pragmatic approach and decided it was too much. Too pragmatic.
Not that Murphy can disagree, but his options are different. Aristaeus is obviously bigger, stronger than him; if he says he can stop someone without killing them, Murphy doesn't doubt it. But he probably wouldn't be able to do the same.]
Sorry to disappoint, but it sounds like you've got a little goodness in there.
[Not quite another Bellamy though, which was a relief. One was more than enough to turn Murphy's hair grey before he hit thirty.]
( aristaeus huffs, a dry, amused sound: ) Don't say that too loud, people might start getting the wrong idea.
( maybe murphy's right, but that it makes it any less strange, hearing it put in that way. good sounds a little too close to heroic or noble.
ill-fitting.
just because he'd rather avoid bloodshed doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy the fight. wouldn't kill if he had to. isn't good at it. ) Point is, I won't smother you in your sleep – unless you ask nicely.
[Murphy, who has actually smothered a couple of people in their sleep, can only give a wry smile.]
I'll keep that in mind.
[He stands, stomping his new boots on a little, testing the fit. Kicks the other pair under the bed. Most of his clothes probably won't make it to the closet; Aristaeus will get to keep a lot of space that way.]
I'm pretty hard to kill, though, just so you know.
[Though he does usually prefer if people just don't try.]
Does that have anything to do with — ( he doesn't know how to describe the way murphy registers for him; distinct, almost familiar in the way a cover song of an old favorite, sung in a foreign tongue is familiar.
it's not the kind of thing one broaches in casual conversation, even he recognizes that. with how twitchy folx are about the network such as it is, it's not difficult to imagine how they'd take the thought of something ...well. like this. ) — the jumpiness, earlier?
( is he going to wake up to someone trying to murder you in your sleep, murphy? because if so, they might need to get you more than a good pair of boots. )
[Murphy considers this for a moment, mostly because he hadn't realised he'd been coming across as that jumpy when Aristaeus had walked in. But then, it made sense. He's in a new place, on his own, with zero information. Without a briefing and a proper run-up on a mission, jumpy was probably the best he was ever going to manage.]
Like I said, the place I'm from isn't great. [And his tone remains irreverent, casual as he continues:] I've had a few close calls, some torture, a little involuntary imprisonment - you know, the usual.
( it's the irreverence, really, that tips him off: people tend to fall back on that when they're trying to deflect away from their true intentions — or, just as likely, vulnerabilities.
the urge to press is there the urge to press is there, to see where the cracks would form and what could seep through. it'd be unpleasant, though, and wasteful. )
Okay. ( a little nod as he says it, acknowledging. ) I don't need to know the details. If you tell me I don't need to be concerned, I'll take your word for it. But I also don't like surprises.
[Murphy's mouth presses, and he shakes his head a little.]
Hey, if you really want the details, we can have storytime another day.
[It wasn't like he'd made much habit of keeping his screwed up past a secret from people, back home or in the Nest. Here didn't need to be any different. Except if anyone wanted to know about brain aliens, of course.
Would that count as a surprise? Probably. But keeping his new roommate happy weighed significantly less against the rest on that scale.]
[There's a touch of some real incredulity under the joke. Landing himself with a roommate quite that helpful isn't the kind of luck Murphy usually ran into. Still, he is very hungry, and getting some hot food in his stomach would help with getting the last of the cold out of his limbs. He dips a mock bow, gesturing towards the door.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
although judging by the wary look, the blood smeared against his cheekbone, aristaeus wonders if this is the first room he'd stopped at. )
Aristaeus. ( he pronounces it "ar-is-tey". crisp, clear enunciation that's almost devoid of an accent.
watches murphy closely, his eyes slightly narrowed, scrutinizing. ) Do I need to ask why you were tallying exits, or are we simply being cautious?
no subject
[Hands up, mouth pulling down at the corners, self-effacing humour. Then he shrugs, turning back to tug the window closed again.]
Waking up naked in the woods doesn't exactly leave you feeling safe and warm about a place.
[The fact Aristaeus knew what he was doing said something about him, though. Murphy keeps his own measuring look a little more subtle, sideways glances as he moves to drop down on the edge of the bed - his bed, now, he supposes - and start pulling clean socks on.]
no subject
( he'd woken up in strange places before, but never stripped bare and utterly alone. the spiders hadn't exactly endeared him to the situation. that instinctive, animal wariness of anything larger and meaner than itself choosing the worst moment to manifest, and hadn't quite abated.
in the corner of the room, there's a small armoire. it offers just enough space for his own modest belongings. he moves toward it now, reaching out to tug open the door. )
You seem to have landed on your feet, though. ( the townsfolk can be generous, but they tend to forget the little things like socks and underwear. shoes. )
no subject
[Not exactly a lie. Post-apocalyptic Earth was still where he was from, originally. Just not where he'd been before here. Still, the result was the same - the Nest had just significantly broadened his horizons.]
You get used to thinking fast. Adapting.
[Surviving, and whatever it took to do so. This isn't the first time he's had to replace lost or destroyed clothes, and some decent boots had been a fairly high priority in his mind. Socks pinned with a slightly different importance, the muddy pair a gift that he intends to see returned - cleaned up, first.
He's still clearly nowhere near as settled as Aristaeus' seemed to be.]
How long have you been here?
no subject
a quick glance over at murphy, again. a moment of consideration, then he leans down and plucks a spare set of work boots from the armoire's lower shelf and tosses them over. they're decent, solid things made of good leather, even if they're probably a little large. )
Around three months, I'd say. Not that I've managed to find a calendar.
no subject
[He's lived without or between calendars for too long to consider it any other way. Tally marks scratched on walls or in notebooks. He'll need to grab something like that here, clearly.
He looks up in time to catch one boot, the other clunking down near his feet. He had managed to get a pair in his gathering of clothes, but these are better, thicker and not quite as worn. Still, the gift's unprompted, and there's surprise and some hesitation in his expression.]
You sure, man? I can manage fine with these for a while.
no subject
and the fire hadn't exactly done the place any favours. )
I'm not using them.
( it's one of those few shared values between his people and the townsfolk, prioritizing communal needs over individual desires.
but judging by murphy's expression, he's anticipating some kind of catch; which is fair, he supposes — people who instinctively check for exits aren't known for their trusting dispositions. )
I'd call it a "welcome to town" gift, saying that with a straight face might be a stretch. So, let's go with you helping me free up some closet space and call it a day.
no subject
Thanks.
[The hesitation's still fairly obvious, the nod of his head more like a dip than anything. But it's genuine. He's just mentally making a note of needing to pay it back somehow at some point, regardless of how Aristaeus had framed it. Still:]
You really need that much closet space here?
no subject
and there's not a whole lot of people in town that are north of six-two. everything has to be tailored. )
I guess not. ( he pulls the door closed, then turns to give murphy another considering look.
he can't remember the last time he had to share close quarters with someone like this. voluntarily, more or less. what the protocol might be. ) But I work hard and I like nice things. ( his tone holds curiosity rather than a challenge: "is that going to be a problem?" )
no subject
[Mouth pressing, a small shake of his head. Impressed, more than anything. He'd done similar, in Concordia, but that was a damn sight more technologically advanced than this place. Nice things seemed like they might be a bit harder to come by, but what did he know? Aristaeus had better boots to give him, already.]
We actually have to work, or is that just something you willingly signed up for?
no subject
The first month I was here, there was an incident with one of the locals. ( maybe murphy knows about that, maybe he doesn't. the boarding house still bears some scars, but overall, they've succeeded in restoring it's former ...charm? ) He has a reputation, so I thought I'd keep an eye on him.
( and it was an easy in. just a little twist of the knife, and he had what he wanted — work, yes, but more importantly it was a way to observe the people here without drawing the same kind of attention. )
Turns out I don't mind the work, and he's thankful for t he help.
no subject
[Considering, watching Aristaeus' reaction. Trying to figure out if he had another Bellamy on his hands here, someone willing to throw themselves in harm's way with little regard for their own wellbeing, or if it was more about the power, the guard and the prisoner and what could be done to one by the other without anyone questioning or much caring.]
no subject
The people here have gotten so used to enduring the attacks that they don't think about doing things another way. Easier to just kill the problem, then leave it to the Duchess to do the rest. ( the next part is harder to explain, because it requires a level of self-reflection he's still getting the hang of. he doesn't particularly care about lev, about the town, but the method of problem-solving, while direct, feels inefficient. wasteful.
and he doesn't like being bored. )
I can stop him without needing to do that. I've done it before.
no subject
Not that Murphy can disagree, but his options are different. Aristaeus is obviously bigger, stronger than him; if he says he can stop someone without killing them, Murphy doesn't doubt it. But he probably wouldn't be able to do the same.]
Sorry to disappoint, but it sounds like you've got a little goodness in there.
[Not quite another Bellamy though, which was a relief. One was more than enough to turn Murphy's hair grey before he hit thirty.]
no subject
( maybe murphy's right, but that it makes it any less strange, hearing it put in that way. good sounds a little too close to heroic or noble.
ill-fitting.
just because he'd rather avoid bloodshed doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy the fight. wouldn't kill if he had to. isn't good at it. ) Point is, I won't smother you in your sleep – unless you ask nicely.
no subject
I'll keep that in mind.
[He stands, stomping his new boots on a little, testing the fit. Kicks the other pair under the bed. Most of his clothes probably won't make it to the closet; Aristaeus will get to keep a lot of space that way.]
I'm pretty hard to kill, though, just so you know.
[Though he does usually prefer if people just don't try.]
no subject
it's not the kind of thing one broaches in casual conversation, even he recognizes that. with how twitchy folx are about the network such as it is, it's not difficult to imagine how they'd take the thought of something ...well. like this. ) — the jumpiness, earlier?
( is he going to wake up to someone trying to murder you in your sleep, murphy? because if so, they might need to get you more than a good pair of boots. )
no subject
Like I said, the place I'm from isn't great. [And his tone remains irreverent, casual as he continues:] I've had a few close calls, some torture, a little involuntary imprisonment - you know, the usual.
[A shrug.]
I survived.
no subject
the urge to press is there the urge to press is there, to see where the cracks would form and what could seep through. it'd be unpleasant, though, and wasteful. )
Okay. ( a little nod as he says it, acknowledging. ) I don't need to know the details. If you tell me I don't need to be concerned, I'll take your word for it. But I also don't like surprises.
no subject
Hey, if you really want the details, we can have storytime another day.
[It wasn't like he'd made much habit of keeping his screwed up past a secret from people, back home or in the Nest. Here didn't need to be any different. Except if anyone wanted to know about brain aliens, of course.
Would that count as a surprise? Probably. But keeping his new roommate happy weighed significantly less against the rest on that scale.]
Right now I need food.
no subject
in fact, they probably won't need to talk at all depending on whether or not terry's club is back up again. )
no subject
[There's a touch of some real incredulity under the joke. Landing himself with a roommate quite that helpful isn't the kind of luck Murphy usually ran into. Still, he is very hungry, and getting some hot food in his stomach would help with getting the last of the cold out of his limbs. He dips a mock bow, gesturing towards the door.]
Lead the way.