Author Topic: Passin' the time! [Nix!] (Read 2027 times)

Rhi-Rhi · « **on:** August 13, 2012, 01:47:58 am »

That day found Val in the rec room, rickety wheelchair parked beside the couch he was currently lounging upon. In his lap was a book; he hadn't been an avid reader until he'd come here, but he needed something to pass the time and, well, alright...it was gratuitous escapism. His life had been great before, so he'd never understood that concept. Now he was starting to.

It was his day off so he had nowhere to be, nothing to rush off to, and so he relaxed in just his uniform pants and undershirt, leaving the jacket back in his room. This room had been empty for most of the day, probably because the other kids were busy doing far more exciting things than this.

And he was far too proud to seek them out and admit that he was lonely--yet too lonely to remain in his room, as though secretly hoping someone would pass on through.

Nix · « **Reply #1 on:** August 13, 2012, 02:24:02 am »

Windsor was dressed in his full candidate uniform, even though he had the day off. He had a check up about his eyes and the news was none too pleasant. His eyesight was rapidly deteriorating, something he had known for a while, but this doctor said if they didn't operate soon that it wouldn't be fixable anymore. He never really understood the medical nonsense doctors would spew, he just knew that his eyes were rotten and the nerves and shit were jacked up too. The doctor said something about the vision centers of his brain or what not too.

Windsor was well aware that if he could prove himself to be a top candidate, prove he was Pilot material and wouldn't get TRiMed, well they would go ahead with the surgery, but he was only stage two and not yet at the level where they would shell out that kind of money and medical care for him. Damn it, if he were to believe that doctor though, he was gonna be fully blind in about a year and no surgery or even transplant would fix the issue.

He let out a small sigh, glad that at least there weren't many other candidates around today, he closed his eyes and walked the halls using his 'mapping' to see. Usually he didn't do it but the junk drops the doctor had put in his eyes made them sting more than normal and he just couldn't stand to keep them open any longer. What was worse was he was stuck wearing his thick glasses for the rest of the week on 'doctor's orders'. Honestly Windsor couldn't figure why it would matter if he wore his contacts instead, but if he didn't listen to the doctors well then his chances at surgery would go down.

He hadn't 'seen' any one else till he walked passed the rec room on the way to his own. He could 'see' the other candidate inside through the walls and halted. The other was just sitting there, which was odd. Normally if anyone was in the rec room they were there in groups, playing something, causing trouble, picking on weaker candidates. Sometimes higher level candidates tried to pick on him, but he ignored them or avoided them most of the time. It seemed to piss them off more though.

He thought about just walking to his room like he originally intended, but walked into the rec room instead. The other, obviously male, was reading it seemed like. He was definitely holding something in his hands. "...Hey." Windsor said quietly before taking a seat a little ways from the other. It never dawned on him that his eyes were still closed and that it was strange.

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2012, 12:39:59 pm »

Val looked up from his book as someone shuffled inside and spoke a greeting--and then froze. Er. Was the guy sleepwalking or something? Doing some sort of experiment? Just being a freak?

The guy took a seat, and Val cleared his throat. He knew if someone was sleepwalking, you weren't technically supposed to wake them, but no one had told him why.

"Hey," he answered. "You should probably go back to bed."

Nix · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2012, 10:00:10 pm »

Go back to bed? What was he talking about? Oh right, his eyes were closed. "Oh. I'm not sleeping, my eyes just..." He trailed off not wanting to complain about it.

Windsor opened his eyes to actually look at the other but he only caught a glimpse of blonde before squinting, his eyes stinging and burning. He winced a bit and resisted rubbing them because he knew it would only make it worse. He blinked a few times looking down at the floor trying to adjust to the light before looking at the other candidate through his thick glasses. "...my eyes are just burning." He finally said finishing his thought. It took him another moment but he finally noticed the wheelchair. Maybe that was why this guy was alone in here.

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #4 on:** September 03, 2012, 10:38:38 pm »

"They make eye-drops for that," Val said, flipping his book closed. "It's better than walking around like a freak."

Nix · « **Reply #5 on:** September 04, 2012, 03:11:27 pm »

"Actually it was the eye drops the doctor put in them that made them hurt." He wasn't sure why he felt like he had to clarify that, why was he talking to him anyway?

He sat there for a moment feeling like he should just retreat back to his room when something clicked in his head and the words came out before he realized it. "Are you the gracie that Pilot Royal Rosales made an example of with the sledgehammer?" It wasn't like he hadn't heard about that... it was the kind of news that spread easily.

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #6 on:** September 04, 2012, 03:13:34 pm »

Val's eyes narrowed and he stared at the kid as though willing death upon him.

"Well, gee. I just don't know," he said. "What do you think?"

Nix · « **Reply #7 on:** September 04, 2012, 03:23:13 pm »

Shit. Windsor hadn't meant to say it out loud, not like that at least. Of course the other was pissed. "Sorry about that." Now he felt like he should say or do something to make it up to the other candidate, but what? He really wasn't good at this shit, which is why he usually wasn't very social.

He closed his eyes and lowered his head. "...I'm Windsor, by the way."

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #8 on:** September 06, 2012, 11:33:31 pm »

"Oh. Well. Nice to meet you, Windsor!" Val said, voice dripping with saccharine-sweet cheer. "I'm 'the gracie that Pilot Royal Rosales made an example of with the sledgehammer'."

Nix · « **Reply #9 on:** September 06, 2012, 11:53:36 pm »

Really? He apologized didn't he? Damn. "Well then, nice to meet you too." He said bitterly in response. He didn't have to sit here and talk to the stupid gracie if he was gunna be a jerk. "Guess I'll leave you to your book then." He said standing up.

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2012, 02:03:08 pm »

"I mean, Val," Val said abruptly, straightening in his seat. "My name's Val."

Nix · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2012, 05:46:16 pm »

Windsor had been heading toward the door when the gracie's introduction stopped him in his tracks. With his eyes closed he didn't even have to turn around to see how Val had adjusted his posture in his seat. It was like the other didn't want him to leave...

Windsor sighed softly, turned around, and opened his eyes again. He wasn't good at interacting with others, he got told that all the time, but this guy... well Val was going to have to deal with one stupid instance in candidacy his whole life now wasn't he? Even in his legs healed perfectly back to normal this guy was always going to be reminded of the sledgehammer. Just like Windsor had just done.

It was no wonder Val was grumpy.

"Well... would you wanna like, start over and do something... or whatever?" Seriously he sucked at this shit. He would be just as happy going to his room and going to sleep. More happy even. Except then he'd feel like shit for just leaving Val here. Alone.

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2013, 11:37:23 am »

Val relaxed when Windsor returned, though he couldn't help but be annoyed--at himself, mostly. The comments slipped out without thinking, automatic because he was so used to defending himself--preemptively, most of the time. But he didn't really want to be left here alone.

"Uh, yes. Starting over. I think that's an idea," he said, and let out a sigh. He forced the next word out. "Sorry. Ah, anyway, I'm Val. Val Mynatt. And you're Windsor. Now, what would you propose we do?"

Nix · « **Reply #13 on:** March 12, 2013, 01:06:04 pm »

"Yeah, Windsor Annsley." He said with a small nod confirming the reintroduction. "I don't know... Are you like... Hungry or something?" Windsor was grasping for ideas of what to do. "Or we could like play a game or something..." He really wasn't good at this shit.

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #14 on:** April 28, 2013, 02:04:55 pm »

Val inclined his head curiously. "What kind of game?"

Nix · « **Reply #15 on:** June 26, 2013, 11:01:07 pm »

Well the game tables might be hard for someone in a wheelchair... And video games usually gave Windsor a terrible headache to look at. "...do you have any ideas?" Maybe a board game of some sort? It seemed so... boring though.

"What do you like?"

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #16 on:** August 26, 2013, 12:07:46 pm »

"Well, I'd love to get shitfaced and high right about now," Val said, "but since that's obviously not an option, ah..."

He glanced around the room, lips pursed. Nothing in there looked particularly intriguing (board games, really, how boring) and the place was beginning to feel oppressive. With a shrug, he turned back to Windsor. "Why don't we go out and get some fresh air. Or...fresh as far as ATC air goes, anyway."

He tossed the book onto the couch, where it landed face down and open with its pages all crinkled. "It's close to lunch time, anyway."

Nix · « **Reply #17 on:** September 07, 2016, 10:55:12 pm »

Windsor saw the object tossed onto the couch even with his eyes closed. That was strange. Normally something as mundane and small as a book was barely visible when he was 'seeing' this way. People and structures were always pretty clear, things usually weren't.

Explaining it was always pretty hard, especially since he wasn't great at things like expressing himself or interacting with others. Talking about his eyes and his mapping abilities was difficult to put into words even with instructors. It was why he didn't get into it with other candidates at all.

Maybe it was the way Val threw the book that let him see it? See the now crumpled pages from how it was just tossed aside as if Val just escaped his escape?

Escaped his escape? What a weird thought. Windsor shook it off and opened his eyes again, staring at the book for a moment before squinting at Val. "Yeah sure." He blinked a few times. His eyes really were hurting. He closed them again and the book was no longer visible to him.

Weird.

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #18 on:** October 16, 2016, 10:05:03 pm »

"Uh. Oookay..." Val said, staring at Windsor oddly. "You just like...totally spaced out there."

Nix · « **Reply #19 on:** October 19, 2016, 08:16:07 pm »

"Oh. Yeah. Its just my eyes. Sorry. Where were we going anyway?" He tried opening his eyes again but it was just so draining.