savetheearth | o3 panic attacks; text

i um

i just don't know where you guys are.

[Long pause.]

Oh. Uh. Something Old Antiques.

At [address]

Just a couple blocks away from Dead District.

are you guys sure it's okay?

[Because you'll have a kid on your doorstep with a backpack of his stuff if you say yes.

Looking like a puppy left out in the rain the kid is just pathetic.]

We're positive!

We've never been more sure of anything in our lives!

[Do you want to fade this into action or handwave it?]

[A... smidge of action before wrapping it up, I think.]

[And so the Dians' time is spent cleaning the living area of their house. Miria carries out any supplies she had been leaving there, while Isaac dusts off some shelves and end tables. They put on some fresh sheets for the bed and give the room a once-over. The room is mostly used for Mrs. Harvent's benefit, so it has a slightly old-fashioned style to it. It also seems a little bare...

Ah ha! Giving a quick glance at the clock, they race downstairs to the shop and rummage through some of the things for display. Miria is the one to find what they're looking for: a smooth, wooden desk. They lift it up carefully and carry it up the stairs. They stop once or twice, but they eventually manage to fit the stupid thing into the back corner of the room. They plug in a lamp and set it upon the desk. He might need to study and stuff.

They give the room a final once-over before deeming it fit.

Hopefully, they finished this all before Jacuzzi's arrival. But you never know how long these two will take to complete any kind of work.]

[As long as they've been setting up, Jacuzzi has been managing to walk pretty much in loops. The entire way, he'll make it about half a block before turning around because he's sure he'll be too much trouble to Isaac and Miria.

It takes him... quite a while, actually to finally look in. He takes a deep breath because he's sure they've changed their mind. And if they haven't, well, he's sure they'll regret it.

But for as little as he knows them, he knows Isaac and Miria are good people, and every memory he has from his old life with them in it was a good one. His first echo had them--laughing. They were happy and he was happy and he can tell that wasn't something the past him was a lot. And of all the terrible things he's remembered, he's gotten literally nothing but confidence and kindness from Isaac and Miria. And maybe Ravi was right about echoes not changing who you were, but he can't imagine them not being good people.

So he takes a deep breath to calm himself.

And knock to see if he can find them. He didn't realize they owned a store :|a]

Miria? Isaac?

[Something Old Antiques is a... weird place.

It's more of a curiosity shop than an antiques store. One wall has a variety of clocks covering the area, while a bunch of unusual shaped doors lean against another. Dozens of tables, lamps, vases, toys, and all sorts of little doo-dads can be found throughout the shop. On the end of the room is the counter where all the transactions take place. Behind the counter is a back room where restoration apparently takes place. On the counter's left is a staircase leading up to the main home.

And in the center of the room is a giant Rube Goldberg device, made of a ridiculous variety of gears and pulleys and wheels and all sorts of gizmos. It isn't exactly clear where it starts and ends.

At the sound of Jacuzzi's calls, the couple races to the door and pulls it wide open.]

Jacuzzi!

Was your trip here safe enough?

You need anything to eat?

Edited 2014-03-12 04:48 (UTC)

[It's an interesting place at the very least. Jacuzzi will be sure to try and get acquainted with it.

But for now their seemingly genuine concern is enough to send his fragile, constructed facade of calm to pieces. He doesn't understand how two people who were total strangers a few months ago could be kinder to him than his own family today. He doesn't understand how being honest got him into so much trouble. And he doesn't understand how he managed to get at least a couple of good friends.

And that, this time, is why he is crying, though he's tried to stop several times today, because wailing is incredibly unattractive and there was nowhere for him to collect himself afterward. But that doesn't matter at the moment because his bag slides from his shoulders and he sobs into his hands at their door.

He's pathetic and a loser and he knows he doesn't deserve the kindness, but he's so very thankful at the same time.]

[They both freeze in horror as he starts to cry. This was. So entirely unexpected.]

Ja-jacuzzi?

B-buddy?

[It was something they did wrong, wasn't it. They had done something so completely, undeniably wrong that it had driven poor Jacuzzi to complete and utter tears. But what was it?! Was their shop so dusty and awful it disgusted Jacuzzi to look at it? Did one of them forget to shower today and the smell was overpowering him? Was it because that, despite their objections, they really were as weird as people say they are? No one wants to associate with weird people. Why would they? No one from college would give them the time of the day now that they'd "grown up ". They were both just wastes of space.

But Jacuzzi's not like them. Jacuzzi's great and kind and crying on their doorstep. He had just been through a terrifying weekend full of monsters, topped off with losing a place to stay. Why did all that have to happen to someone who didn't deserve it?

Overcome by their own self-pity and grief, they can't help but start to tear up themselves. Isaac tries to cover it up with his sleeve, while Miria's starts to shake. Eventually, they start to wail a little before rushing to wrap Jacuzzi in a giant bear hug, still sobbing all the while.]

[Oh no, oh no don't cry, it's not your fault--

Wait he should be saying that not thinking it.]

I-I'm sorry guys! I didn't mean to make you cry! P-please don't! [He's still so very confused by the amount of hugging these two do, but it becomes more and more clear to him how perfect of a couple they are at least.]

I didn't mean to upset you guys...

[Oh god. Even when he was dealing with so much, Jacuzzi was worried about them and their problems. They find themselves gripping him a little tighter and the tears keep falling.]

N-no it's not your fault!

W-w-w-we should be ap-apologizing to you for m-making you cr-cry!

You didn't. You guys didn't, it's not your fault.

Please don't be upset. I didn't mean to make you cry. I just--I just--You guys are being so nice I don't know--how else to deal with this--

[This is how you deal with all emotions, right? When you're happy you cry, when you're sad you cry, when you're scared you cry, when you're angry you cry. Crying: A Biography]

You d-didn't either!

W-we're just happy to have you around! We want you to be all happy and comfy a-

[She chokes up a little and Isaac can't help but follow suit. Whatever they're saying has devolved to blubbering about what a great kid Jacuzzi is and how much more he deserves. That'll help with the tears, for sure.]

[It's not helping at all, and he scrubs at his own eyes because he has to stop crying eventually so Isaac and Miria can stop, too. He has to try to put the think facade back.]

I-I'm sure I'll be happy. P-please don't cry, Isaac. Please don't c-cry, Miria...

[Oh god, what a brave kid. Moving past his grief so he can become stronger! And get through the day! Well, if their buddy's gonna be strong, they're not gonna bring him down with their own self-pity!

They sniffle quite a bit and there are still some tears, but they let go of Jacuzzi and give him big, wet smiles.]

W-We won't cry!

We'll all be okay together!

[Look he's managed to keep the tears in for a whole few seconds.]

I'll be okay guys, I promise. So--so please don't worry about me. You're already doing so much.

[SNIFF SNIFF.]

W-we'll try.

You just have to promise not to worry too much about us, alright?

[He laughs again, with a teary laugh. Not worrying is physically impossible for him.]

I'll try. Promise.

[They burst into wide grins and give him another quick hug. After they separate from that, they gesture to the inside of the shop excitedly.]

Then come on in buddy!

We can't wait to show you around!

[Hopefully, there hasn't been anyone on the street watching this whole escapade of tears and apologies. But whatever, the Dians haven't picked up on any chance of them making a scene.]

[Jacuzzi's had people see him freak out before, many times. He doesn't even think about it or how weird it might seem. He'll follow them inside, though, just for a second trusting that they mean well, and will continue to mean well, even after having to deal with him for more than a few minutes at a time.]

[They often do mean well, but who knows how that can god awry when you've got the Dians involved.

As they enter the shop, the couple gestures off-handily to their shop's contents.]

This is just the shop, where we work and such.

[They then gesture excitedly TO THE STAIRS!]

And upstairs is the home stuff!

Do you guys ever need help down here? [He figures he can start offering now, right? Best to start right at the beginning.] I could lend a hand, and you wouldn't even have to pay me or anything, right?

[GUH Why are you so nice Jacuzzi they can't take it.]

A lot of it is just maintaining wares.

And analyzing things for age and stuff.

[They glance around the room one more time.]

But if you really wanted to...

We'd really appreciate it you could help us move things around every now and then?

[OH GOD THAT WAS TOO MUCH PRESSURE FOR HIM WASN'T IT.]

B-But you don't have to!

Yeah, just relax and don't sweat the other stuff!

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