22 ⚓ Video ⚓ Anyone might rob you when you are asleep

[hearrrtofgold]

[Filtered from Rocket, pre-emptively]
For those of you who are curious, this is what a sleeping raccoon looks like. [Basically. Except Rocket is in his jumpsuit and draped around a rack of weights in the gym. There's an audible sigh as Duke's hand appears in frame, trying to untangle him.] Don't worry, I'll get him home safe. With any luck, he'll be awake in a week or two. I hope.

Mason? Whatever you're thinking, don't.

Comments

[audio]

[hearrrtofgold]

Yes. Because I'm amazing.

[audio]

[tucky]

Yeah, you are! We are both amazing.

[audio]

[hearrrtofgold]

Now you got it!

[audio]

[tucky]

I do. I'm learning.

[audio]

[hearrrtofgold]

Learning a lot. In contrast, I've learned that Rocket is heavier than he looks.

[audio]

[tucky]

'Course he is. It ain't like he's hollow.

[Guess who's hauled raccoon carcasses before? This girl.]

[audio]

[hearrrtofgold]

Of course he's not hollow. I just didn't know he was filled with bricks.

[audio]

[tucky]

He's filled with bones. And organs and stuff.

[audio]

[hearrrtofgold]

I beg to differ.

[audio]

[tucky]

Yeah? Then what do you think's inside him?

[audio]

[hearrrtofgold]

Amazingness. And sand.

[audio]

[tucky]

I'm starting to think you think everyone's amazing.

[Duke is the male Iris.]

[audio]

[hearrrtofgold]

Not true, I've met some real pieces of crap in my time. I just call it as I see it.

[audio]

[tucky]

... Okay, what do you think's amazing about me, then?

[She is kind of fishing for compliments-- but at the same time, she's genuinely curious. People don't think she's amazing. She's never thought of herself as amazing. She doesn't know what there is about her that would be.]

[audio]

[hearrrtofgold]

[He chuckles a little, but he knows if anyone needs the (honest) compliments, it's her.]

You live with your heart on your sleeve. You keep your mind open. You want to learn and you learn fast. And you kick ass at board games.

[audio]

[tucky]

I keep my mind open?

[... She decides that she's not going to tell him that that's something she struggles with a lot, and that there are days that she desperately wishes she could retreat back into her little bubble of non-experience.]

I mean... wow.

Thanks. You're amazing too, 'cause you're very kind to me.

[audio]

[hearrrtofgold]

I think you try to.

[Trying, struggling, is more than a great amount of people ever do, because it's easier to be stubborn than flexible. Which makes her brave in addition to the rest, he'd say.]

Only because you deserve it.

[audio]

[tucky]

[Aw Duke, you're moving up and up and up in her mind. Watch out; next thing you know you'll be one of her favorite wardens.]

And that's why I like it here, 'cause people say stuff like that to me. I remember every nice thing people say about me-- every single one.

[audio -> private]

[hearrrtofgold]

[He could probably deal with that.

What he's going to ask next is just for her, and he switches to private.]

Did anyone say stuff like that before you came here?

[audio -> private]

[tucky]

Not much. Why?

[private]

[hearrrtofgold]

Nothing. I just wish they had before you got here.

[private]

[tucky]

People didn't pay me much mind before I came here, most of the time.

[private]

[hearrrtofgold]

They should've.

[private]

[tucky]

They did when I talked about God. But they... they weren't really listening to me. They were listening to Him.

[private]

[hearrrtofgold]

You think so?

[Duke is very used to weird things, but he's learned (partly due to the Rev) that claims of godly authority are misguided at best.]