brokencode | IC Inbox [VR]

No, no, I just mean...in general. To....anything. Really losing you, sweetheart.

'Cause, I mean....I know it's not a super fun topic to bring up, but we're on borrowed time. Everybody is, around here. That's probably why I've got so much trouble not calling ya sometimes. What if I don't, and then I don't ever get to call ya again? For crissakes, I still haven't even gotten to...

I can't even give ya a hug. I can't hold you, even though I totally can, now. And you used to sit in my lap all the time, Angel. I'd have you in one arm, my work in the other hand...

Hold on.

Children's monster collecting game?

Things were different then. That... is something you have to accept. I've grown up, and there are things that have driven us apart.

I promise you though, I will give it an attempt. I will try and be better, so long as you are. Maybe one day you will be able to hug me.

No, I know, I know. You really don't have to keep hitting me with that, I know. But you gotta admit....things are different now. Come on, I haven't even lost my temper and attacked anybody in...like months! And that was like...only twice. Last time I even hit anybody was just in self defense. And...oh jeezus, there are some people I'd really like to just....graaahh. But I haven't, and I'm not gonna, 'cause you don't like that.

[And if he really feels the need to visit bodily harm on somebody...he's got a guy for that.]

I don't even get why you won't let me. I know...I know I did shit that was not cool. But you know I'd never, ever like...hit you, or any shit like that. I really do hope ya know that, Angel, 'cause I'd...I'd rather get double tag teamed by a bunch of friggin Vault Hunters again than ever do that to ya. That's something nobody should ever do to their kid. I don't care how mad you are, I don't care what your kid did to piss ya off, you don't attack'em like they were a vicious animal or something.

We uh...we come from a pretty messed up family, hun.

[Angel could have uttered a handful of arguments to all of Jack's point, but instead held her tongue. As she had told herself time and time again, it wouldn't do either of them any good. This was progress, no matter the setbacks.]

[And yet... she felt guilty for not saying anything in Timothy's defense. She knew that Jack didn't see it as anything more than claiming his property, just as he didn't see what he did to her as abuse. She also couldn't help but balk at the idea of being compared to an animal.]

[She wasn't attacked like she was one, but she'd been collared like one.]

I know we do...

Oh Angel...you've got no idea. Not even the half of it.

I mean...I only know half of it, I dunno anything about my dad or his family or anything. I guess I look like him? I don't...I don't look like the other one. D'ya know...I dunno even know if he was alive when I was born or not.

Huh.

That's...you'd think that's something I probably should have been told...

Uh...okay, getting...getting off track here! Um, my point, I think, is that I know what it's like to be a parent with a shitty relationship with their kid, and I know what it's like to be a kid who hates their only living parent and doesn't have anything to do with'em. And I don't want that for either of us. So...gonna do the thing. For you. Cause you're my girl.

[Jack is very drunk at this point. Amazing how tolerance goes down, when you aren't shoving every substance you can get your hands on into your body.]

on a scale from one to catatonic shock
how freaked out would you be by the insinuation that the world we currently inhabit is a work of fiction in other universes

Um.
A six or a seven I think.

Is that really true?

over five and i really shouldnt say anything
people get upset about the breadth of existential possibility
it doesnt mean the worlds not REAL it just means
i dunno
everything in every universe echoes somewhere else which tbh i find kind of comforting actually

I think...
That believing I am in a work of fiction is no harder to believe than the fact that I was brought back from the dead. Both are, as far as I know, entirely impossible. But if one thing is true and absolutely happened, why can't the other be true.
It is jarring and... as I said a little frightening. But if I am real, and I do really feel real, then this should all be just as real, in some way or another.

I think I am okay with that.

[Grateful hardly began to describe Angel's feelings in regards to the fact that Jack hadn't attempted to contact her via video. As he droned on about his family and matters that barely concerned her, her eyes glazed over. It was a hauntingly familiar situation -- back when things were Jack's definition of normal, she had done the same, time and time again.]

I appreciate you making the effort J-- [She drew a breath and steeled her nerves.] Dad...

Hey, I mean it, Angel. I do. I....

[The odds of Jack remembering this part of the conversation are low, remembering it clearly, out of the question. Which is a pity.]

I think it's kinda hit me that you feel about me the way I felt about my mom when I was a teenager. And the only contact I had with her when I was an adult was...uh...well, it ended with me punching her, so...I mean, okay, the whole thing was mostly me punching her.

[He doesn't understand why Angel feels this way. He never abandoned her. He never gave away to some psychopath. But she's got bad feelings for him.]

Obviously, different situation, our issues are different than what I had with her, but... you you get what I'm trying to say, right?

I'm... afraid I don't. [A choked laugh escaped from her. Was it supposed to be funny? Or was she going to only upset him further.]

Are you... asking me to punch you, Dad?

[Jack snorts a laugh in return.]

Uh, no, no that wasn't what I was...but, I dunno, do ya think it'd make ya feel better?

[She's like...tiny. It's not like it would hurt him.]

But uh, I mean I know how I feel about my mom. And felt about her before I just...stopped thinking about her anymore. And all the...shitty feelings and everything. Christ, I...I had a chance to get to know her or try or...and I just punched her. And left. That was it. And it's like now...I'm on the other side of it, right?

ok
if it helps try not to think of it as being IN a work of fiction
think of it as works of fiction picking up on other worlds that are out there
creative minds pinging off distant galaxies far far away etc
anyway im on record as neither confirming nor denying the fictitious nature of this particular plane today so i mean who knows maybe i didnt say anything and this conversation never happened

That... does help actually.

And for the record... I am rather glad this conversation happened. You are a good friend, Dave, if I may be so bold as to call you such.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
ill allow it
so well talk again some other time yeah?

Sounds like a great plan, Dave. I'll look forward to it.

It... has a chance of it going that way, I will not lie to you about that. However... you're trying, and maybe that is more than you can say for about your mother.

... I think it would only hurt me. Physically. It might make me feel better emotionally but I do not think that is a worthwhile exchange.

Uh, wow, yeah, no. she did not try at all. She gave me to a crazy psychopath when I was a baby and pretty much didn't look back. Every so often I'd get a postcard, from some other planet...if I was really lucky, she remembered how to spell my name. She never wanted me. But I want you, I always wanted you. I just...make mistakes and then don't wanna admit I made'em.

You could wear a boxing glove. Or get one of those foam bats. Obviously I'm more into the foam bat idea, but you can punch me with a boxing glove, that's cool.

Just...not the face.

[She thought to scoff, but didn't. He likely wouldn't take her thoughts, that she would have liked to have actually inflicted pain, a fraction of what he'd put her through, as anything more than her "acting just like him."]

Perhaps not...

Offer's there, sweetheart. I just...I wanna make you feel better. I know ya don't believe a lot of what I say, but you gotta believe me, I want you to feel better. I want ya to be happy. I wanna give ya a real childhood and shit. 'Cause you deserve one. You didn't really get one, and I hate that. I really do.

I believe you. [She didn't say anything else, aside from that. Her childhood was dead and gone -- no chance of getting that back. At least happiness was an easier goal to attain. Not that she needed him to be happy, but... her attempts at letting him know that hadn't gone over well.]

We can try to get there...

Yeah. Yeah we can. It'll be better, this time.

[In his muddled state, he's sure of that. It'll be fine. The past is the past, they don't have to worry about any of that here. It'll be fine.]

I'm...uh...I'm, I should head to bed. You probably wanna, too. It's late, I been keeping ya up. But...I dunno. Kinda glad we...talked about some of the stuff we did.

You...you can talk to me, ya know. About...your mom and stuff. It's not like there's anybody else to talk about'er.

I might take you up on that, Jack. Another time though.

Have a good night, alright? I will speak with you soon.

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