[ Jim usually makes a habit of sticking to text - it feels more like writing a letter, and closer to what he's used to from back home - but he switches over now.
His first impulse is to lie; he's been doing it for a month. He grimaces instead and shrugs. ]
Better now. I finally made it back to them yesterday.
[Right! Not about traumatic city experience then!]
I mean... we're all in this together? And I know Zell and he's a, uh, a friend, so I guess that makes you a... I mean, I know you, too! I do that, I know both of you actually, and I guess I kind of care that you're okay? There's no reason for me not to care that you're okay.
[ It might actually be causing him physical pain to say that and be honest about feelings but hey. He's trying! ]
For caring. I kinda... when I came back I didn't trust anything anybody was telling me. And then when I was myself again I kinda realized that I'd been pushing everyone away, and not talking to very many people. So I'm trying to do better at that.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
@jphawkins, text, Night 389
video
Hey Jim. It's really no problem.
[He smiles.]
This is probably pretty late as well but welcome back. How are you guys holding up?
-> video
His first impulse is to lie; he's been doing it for a month. He grimaces instead and shrugs. ]
Better now. I finally made it back to them yesterday.
[ And that part had been a disaster. ]
-Thanks.
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[He leans back, studying his face for a moment.]
... Sounds like you had it rough. You wanna talk about it?
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[ Jim sounds - and looks - so skeptical for a moment that it's like his loss of trust is back again. ]
Why would you want to do that?
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I, uh. I just thought maybe it'll make you feel better. I didn't mean anything by it.
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-No, I just meant -
[ Jim rubs the back of his head. ]
I didn't know why you'd care, I guess.
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[Right! Not about traumatic city experience then!]
I mean... we're all in this together? And I know Zell and he's a, uh, a friend, so I guess that makes you a... I mean, I know you, too! I do that, I know both of you actually, and I guess I kind of care that you're okay? There's no reason for me not to care that you're okay.
So I guess I do. Care.
That you're okay.
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[ It might actually be causing him physical pain to say that and be honest about feelings but hey. He's trying! ]
For caring. I kinda... when I came back I didn't trust anything anybody was telling me. And then when I was myself again I kinda realized that I'd been pushing everyone away, and not talking to very many people. So I'm trying to do better at that.
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[So much trying! They can try together.]
That's... I'm sorry. Those death prices are horrible.
[Especially something messing with your head like that. Flynn's experience with his own paranoia makes it uncomfortably easy to sympathize.]
How's that going for you?
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[ So Flynn's guess is as good as Jim's. ]
-Kind of a depressing one. Learn anything cool lately?
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[He gives him a thumbs up, then thinks better of it and puts his hands down again.]
Not really, I've been... trying to keep up with the network a little more myself. I didn't really feel like it after... you know.