♕ |[65]| Some are plain lucky-- we ourselves among them

[had_not_lived]

I'm always glad to see this, but it's a doubly welcome change from the past week. I didn't really try to leave the City while it was... moving, I suppose you could say, but from everything I read and saw on the Network it didn't seem like the other worlds were any safer than the City

Comments

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[absinthe_eyed]

[Once he finds himself back in the City, it only seems sensible to go to NeilandTodd's apartment (Justin is too afraid to go back to the one Shilo should be in, just in case she's not).

Knock knock knock.]

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[had_not_lived]

[It's not like Neil has been waiting by the door or anything, but the thought that he might have a visitor-- a physical visit, as it were-- has crossed his mind. So he looks pleased but not wholly surprised when he opens the door.]

It's good to see you!

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[absinthe_eyed]

You too. [a quick smile, but then it's right to business] I need to talk to you. About death.

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[had_not_lived]

[That gets raised eyebrows, not quite a panicked look but not the pleased one. He nods and steps aside.]

All right. C'mon in...

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[absinthe_eyed]

[He comes in and then realizes that, perhaps, he might have been a bit too abrupt.]

...Sorry. I wanted to tell you before I forgot, but that's--how are you? And Todd?

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[had_not_lived]

[Leading the way towards the couch, he laughs a little. Kind of nervously.]

We're good, good-- things aren't always safe here but we manage.

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[absinthe_eyed]

[Note to self: ease in to conversations.]

Are you both still...? You're alive, aren't you?

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[had_not_lived]

We are.

[Neil nods, can't resist raising a hand to his chest. He's accustomed to his beating heart by now, but it's reassuring nonetheless.]

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[absinthe_eyed]

[Justin sits on the couch rather stiffly. Unfortunately for Neil, this is his first stop after dropping into the City and it takes a little while to get used to being... not quite as dead? He'll apologize profusely later.]

Good. Every time I come here, there's a--I'm worried you two won't be here.

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[had_not_lived]

So long as we've any say in it, we'll be here.

[He smiles a little, though it's hard to say that with any sort of confidence... the City being the City after all.]

But we are, and we're well, and glad you're back-- I mean I am, and I'm sure Todd will be too.

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[absinthe_eyed]

If only we had a say in anything.

[He half-smiles back out of habit.]

How is the play?

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[had_not_lived]

[If Neil really had a say in it, Justin wouldn't be leaving again. But he can't say that without feeling ridiculous, so he doesn't; just smiles back.]

Todd's still doing some revisions, I suppose we sort of put it on hold with all the excitement.

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[absinthe_eyed]

Still revising? But it would be hard to stage a play during long strings of curses.

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[had_not_lived]

[Neil nods.]

We've had... there was something wrong with the barriers, and there were-- attacks. And then this past week the City's been moving without moving, opening out into other worlds.

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[absinthe_eyed]

Attacks? [have some concern] What do you mean, moving without moving?

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[had_not_lived]

Harpies, there were harpies. We stayed at the Warehouse. [Uneasy, Neil shrugs.] I'm not sure how to explain the moving. There were worlds outside the City, past the barriers, and you could pass through, but it changed every day.