01 ⚓ Video ⚓ Strangers, who are you? Where do you sail from?

[hearrrtofgold]

[For half a second the feed catches the corridor outside of the mess hall, showing a blurred image of the walls before focusing on a new face. It's a rather handsome youngish male face, framed by brunet hair, adorned with a soul patch, beard, and moustache, and dominated by a prominent nose as well as brown eyes and lips pulled into a thoughtful frown.]

That is officially the weirdest way I've ever been sprung from custody.

Hi. Duke Crocker, token new guy, here to do - you know, all the typical crap. [Graduate an inmate, save his hometown and his best friends, possibly start an underground trade system, that sort of thing. No big deal.] Two things, before I go any further: first, mess hall and kitchen's this way on level one, right? I'm starving, and that hospital food isn't fit for an animal. Not even a spotted hyena would touch it.

Second, what the hell is the date? Is it still December, or is it June? Apparently it's been a really long time since I've seen a calendar. Someone should really do something about that.

Comments

spam of MANHUG FINALLY AFTER SIX MONTHS

[neuropathy]

[ Nathan manages, after some interval, to like, take his face out of Duke's shoulder. Even then there's a sort of restless clasp at the sides of his collar, like he's still checking Duke is going to stay corporeal. ]

Can't believe this. What're you doin' here, Duke?

[ It's funny, he's aware enough to realize, how differently those words would have applied a year ago. Once they'd have been withering, now--he feels like he's luckier than he can possibly deserve.

PS: he did not even notice the demise of the mug. ]

REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD spam

[hearrrtofgold]

[The irony of Nathan asking him what he's doing without the disapproving cop tone is not lost on Duke. It's not the main reason, but he's beaming, his own hand resting on Nathan's shoulder just to make sure - just to make sure.]

What am I always doing when I'm trapped in a dimensional limbo disguised as a barn? Barge.

What are you doing here? Did you just get here?

[He finally steps back, looking Nathan up and down and puzzling over his workout clothes.] And why are you dressed like it's baseball practice?

you've been waiting to use that, haven't you spam

[neuropathy]

Was at the gym when y'showed up.

[ Not exactly the highest priority question, amidst the string of them, but the automatic response is to approach the last first.

When they step away from one another, Nathan's posture is probably as animated as Duke has ...e...ver seen it, although it won't last much beyond this conversation. Still, for the moment he's doing wild, risk-taky things like gesture. ]

I've been here--since I shot Howard. Since the Barn disappeared. Time doesn't work the same way here, it's like nothin' happens outside. Y'could go back to the same time you left.

[ A beat, where Nathan pushes a hand back through his sweaty hair, rubs the other over his mouth, and then flashes Duke one of those mild, dry smile echoes. ] Works best 'f ya don't think about it.

name me a better song for them spam

[hearrrtofgold]

[Nathan Wuornos, gesticulating and smiling. Duke honestly wishes he had a camera. In the meantime he beams back at him, their circumstances and his uncomfortable questions somehow less formidable now.] Explains why you're starting to smell.

Am I allowed to pick when I go back? Could I go home before Audrey went in the Barn? [Probably not a question Nathan can answer, but he'd know better than Duke. Besides, even if he could, should he try to go back that far? Time travel rules and all that, just like with Roy and Sarah.]

Not that it matters right now. You're right, maybe I shouldn't think about it.