[Video]

[espigeonage]

[Julien presents the network with a winning smile. The camera's in tight enough that his wings aren't really visible, just some feathering on his bared shoulders.]

Galu, network. I've been thinking about getting a tattoo. I've got friends with ink, I know about the complications and so on, I know if I stay on-network it might not be permanent, and if I went off-network I'm sure I'd be very confused. Still! I have ideas. And I did go and re-pierce my ear, see?

[He turns his head and shakes a lock of dyed hairlike feathers out of the way - there's a gold stud in one earlobe, the skin furious red around it.]

Anyway. There's a concern with my skin, it may look normal to you but it's a whole lot thinner than yours now. Insert a joke about my sensitivity here! And there's less to work with, and I don't know if most artists would work on me. [Julien smiles again.] What do you think?

Comments

[espigeonage]

People sometimes read having just one earring, for a guy, as meaning he's gay, but then pretty much anywhere you go, they have a different idea about which ear.

I have some ideas! A sword could be cool, but it's really more various bits of text that I'm thinking about.

[saviorsoul]

[ He is not even sure why that came up, but considering how completely messed up the other him's life is, maybe it's relevant? ]

Yeah, I've heard of that... He had more than one in an ear.

You mean like a quote?

[espigeonage]

Huh, cool! I'm not sure I'd get more earrings. Or any other sort of piercing. But some people make it work pretty well.

Yeah, a saying, that kind of thing. It'd have to be something I really liked and in a good font.

[saviorsoul]

It looks like it might've hurt to get that one... Is it okay?

Any ideas?

[espigeonage]

It kinda hurts, yeah. Feels hot. Not too bad, though!

Song lyrics, or something the other me said, or something one of my friends said... I've got options! What do you think about something sappy and maudlin? I can own it.

[saviorsoul]

I think you should go with somethin' cool.

[espigeonage]

Hmm! Alexi, do you think I'm cool enough to pull off a cool quote, or would I just look like a poser?

[saviorsoul]

Well as long as it's not somethin' that can get easily dated.

[espigeonage]

Is that a qualified yes?

[saviorsoul]

Yeah! Go for it!

[espigeonage]

[He can't laugh naturally, but grins broadly all the same.]

All right, then! I'll try to live up to it!

[saviorsoul]

You're really excited about this, huh? It's nice to see you in such a good mood. It's only been awkward times before...

[espigeonage]

I have a happy nature. Bad things are always, always going to happen, but there's good too, and it's easy to miss.

How's your wings?

[saviorsoul]

I learned how to withdraw them. Some echo that showed up after I talked to Geoff.

[espigeonage]

Aww, really? Good for you. [he sounds kind of disappointed though.]

[saviorsoul]

[ He does pick up on that disappointment since it's confusing. ]

Julien?

[espigeonage]

[despite what he'd hoped, no one is like Julien. he is unique and alone.]

Hmm?

[saviorsoul]

I dunno. You just seemed kinda... down when I mentioned my echo.

The other me was an angel with multiple... vessels. The wings showed up when he needed them.

[espigeonage]

Don't worry about it. [part of his nature is also to smile regardless of what he actually feels. Julien's feathered shoulders shift.]

Angels always seem like a rough thing to have to handle! What's this about vessels?

[saviorsoul]

The other me wasn't always in the same body...

[espigeonage]

I see! That could definitely get tricky. So are you worried that you might have to stash bodies around, or like transformation?

[saviorsoul]

I sure hope not!

[ Especially since one of them was a woman! ]

[espigeonage]

Yeah, that could get sticky in a hurry, either way! At least your folks know you're part of all this.

[saviorsoul]

Thanks to you... They still don't like me involin' myself too much. They freaked out about the car thing.

[espigeonage]

Hah, well. I'm glad you went the route you did.

I heard about that! Involvement with that car, I mean. I'm glad it never got anywhere near me.