for brave_heart_verity

[originalbeachboy]

[Sandman could in fact not dance the maccarana atop the Empire State Building, because he couldn't dance the maccarana.

He could, however, easily appear at an open window atop an elongated pair of legs and seamlessly slip in a stream of sand into Verity's home. Force of habit as much as anything, his tendency to take the 'back entrance' to anywhere was one of the reasons he was so tricky to catch.]

Yo, doll! You around?

Comments

[brave_heart_verity]

[She does look a little dubious at first, but she trusts him.]

You wouldn't hurt someone who was that vulnerable. You've got honor.

[originalbeachboy]

Depends who it is.

[He sucker punches people all the damn time and the Thing in particular, for instance even attacking him in his sleep on occasion.]

But at the time, I was pretending he was my friend. [The 'pretending' is a gigantic, screaming lie caused by his brainwashing. It just sort of comes out, even if he then continues the story with them sharing a true friendship. So many little inconsistencies like that in his fractured psyche.] So I snuck in with cigars and beer, and kept the poor ugly smuck company. You should have see his dumb face, grinning like a dope.

[brave_heart_verity]

[Well, that's disappointing. But at least the story has a nice ending.]

That was really nice of you. I'm sorry you two aren't friends anymore.

[originalbeachboy]

Well. Maybe we weren't then- [Lie!] But... We sorta are now. And I helped him break out of jail that one time, and we saved the world together once. Whatever. No big deal.

He roots for me. Maybe I'll still punch him in the back of the head through his teeth if I gotta, but hey. We're guys.

[brave_heart_verity]

[She wishes she were more surprised he believes that kind of thing.]

Why would being guys make that okay?

[originalbeachboy]

Uhm. 'Cos it does?

[He can't fathom an answer more complicated than that.]

[brave_heart_verity]

[Doubtful look. So doubtful. But also kind of fond of how adorable you're being.]

Does that make pretending you're not friends okay too?

[originalbeachboy]

Nah, that was different. That was just the going straight racket.

[Shrug. And a noncommittal snort.]

Somebody sends Keemia care packages now and then. Big idiot says he don't know who it is. But I don't need yer powers to know he's lyin'.

[brave_heart_verity]

[She wonders if he's going to do this to her someday too. If she'll be the friend he pretends to have never liked. It's a remarkably depressing thought, so of course she isn't going to say anything.]

Who's Keemia?

[originalbeachboy]

[Only if someone brainwashes him into it- which knowing his luck will happen next week.]

Oh, I never said her name to you before, have I... That's my girl. Means 'alchemy' in Persian. Keemia Alvarado to the world, Keemia Marko to her, Princess to me.

[brave_heart_verity]

That's a pretty name.

So he sends your daughter presents, you protect him when he's in the hospital, but you're still trying to convince the woman who always knows when it's a lie that you're not friends?

You're not that convincing, Flint.

[originalbeachboy]

...I'm convinced that power of yours aint' always right.

[Being brainwashed and crazy is hard, okay.]

[brave_heart_verity]

It's never been wrong before. But whatever lets you sleep at night.

[Pity she can't yell the brainwashing outta him.]

[originalbeachboy]

[No, but considering all the crazy truth vs lie stuff that happens around her maybe one day. That'd probably split him into a bunch of people]

As far as you know.

[Which comes with one of those huffs that means he's sulking. Sometimes he seems to know it's brainwashing. Maybe its worn off some, maybe he thinks that since no one ever wondered why he was suddenly a criminal again, why bother even trying to be a good guy?]

[brave_heart_verity]

That's sort of the nature of the beast.

[She'll give him a minute before reaching over to touch his arm.]

Hey. Look. I know I don't know you too well yet, but I'm pretty sure you're not the kind of guy to pretend about that. Am I wrong?

[originalbeachboy]

Aww, I dunno. Who the hell knows who they really are? Maybe he was my friend, then he wasn't, now he is. Maybe if I say he wasn't my friend then and he thought I was his friend and I didn't it still counts as a lie.

[He can argue and huff and sulk all day. Doesn't change facts.]

Who cares? It's the past an' I'm supposed to be moving on.

[brave_heart_verity]

You care. You wouldn't be so upset if you didn't. But I can't force you to talk to me about it.

[If sulking changed the facts, she'd never go outside again.]

[originalbeachboy]

Maybe sometime. I already spilled my guts once today.

[brave_heart_verity]

That's fair. When you're ready.

[Or when she needs to yell at him. Whichever comes first.]

[originalbeachboy]

[Well. This time he puts an arm around her.

But stays quiet for now, just looking at the city start to glow.]

[brave_heart_verity]

[A better ending than an argument's likely to have. She'll lean against his side and enjoy the view with him.]