[PRP] the dawn of a new day (jamie & jeremiah)

[saedusk]

As he listened, he played with his lip ring, flipping it back and forth with his tongue. It had become a nervous habit he hadn't really wanted to start in the first place.

"It's strange that not everyone can," Jamie admitted after a short hesitation. "But using it for ill... it's no different than people killing each other with guns. It's just like it was before. You shouldn't have to get weird looks because you're honestly trying to help people." Jamie knew what it felt like to be bullied, to be picked on and hurt for seemingly no reason.

With a sigh, he tipped his head back to look at the ceiling. "Oh well, I guess. I'm not gonna give up." They couldn't.

"Was there anything else you wanted to ask about... everything? If not, I think I'm ready for a nice dinner."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"It isn't a bad analogy," the one about guns, "but there are steep punishments if you're someone who uses magic improperly and gets caught." Ones that made Jeremiah want to shift uneasily but he pushed it away. It was better to not focus on that and to focus, instead, on what could be done to help foster understanding.

"Mm, not unless there was anything else unusual that stood out? I know Renard showed while you were all in the deepest parts of the void." He said, looking up from the menu. "... and, yes, the best they we can do is not give up."

Now more than ever.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"Oh..." Jamie muttered as if reminded, "Renard." Scratching at his hairline just under his beanie, he looked contemplative. "I don't know him very well, but a lot of them didn't seem happy to see him." That was probably an understatement.

"He added his blood to the sigil, too. There was nothing anyone could do to stop him." He squinted at the table, his thoughts to himself for a moment as his small hand clenched in his hair. Then those same eyes widened again, realization dawning, and he looked up at Jeremiah.

"I found a weird stone in the 80s. Renard told me it was his life's work."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"People are not fond because Liam and his husband are responsible for this." Jeremiah paused for a moment, sighing. "... but it's not so cut and dry as them being evil or bad." The server slipped in for a moment, taking their drink orders and then giving them longer before coming back to get the food order.

He did not talk again until they were gone, interest piqued at the mention of Renard's life work. "His life's work? ... and it's a stone?" Then, because it was the next thought. "Do you still have it?"

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

Sitting back in the seat after giving his order, he chewed idly at his lip. "Yeah, his life's work, but that's all he told me. I guess in the moment it was kinda hectic, not really a good chance for an in depth conversation." Except, despite not knowing anything about it or whether it was dangerous, he'd kept it. It was the same sort of feeling that compelled him to chase after it in the first place back in 1989.

"I, um, I still have it, though. It didn't feel right to leave it behind, so I'm looking after it."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I wouldn't mind seeing it sometime, if that's alright?" It would be interesting to see something that was that important. Jeremiah still wondered, sometimes, about the fragments he had seen of The Enemy. Though this was likely not tied to that at all ...

"It's something to talk to him later about then. I was planning on talking to both of them at some point but I've found myself busy with adjusting." His fingers tapped against the counter, his head tilting to the side. "Are you doing alright with everything?"

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"Sure," he said, nodding stiffly. "I am gonna try and figure out what it is. I dunno when, but... I'm not sure it's safe to mess with until I know more about it. If I figure anything out about it, I'll let you know."

It was something that would weigh on his mind until he learned more, anyway. He couldn't let it go.

"Oh, um, I'm doing... pretty okay. There are some things I haven't been ready for, but I'm trying to deal with them. I should be okay." He smiled and tried to look reassuring.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"If it's his life's work, I can only imagine what it might be but that, yes, you should be careful with it." As it was likely incredibly magical and therefore potentially as much of a bane as it could be a boon.

Jeremiah raised an eyebrow, at least happy that Jamie was trying to be reassuring. "Are those some things just the changes that have happened?" He is, admittedly, a little worried about the moonwalkers in this new world but he knows that they're likely fine.

Except that sometimes Jeremiah was a worrier and this was one of those times.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"The changes, yeah," he said as he fiddled with his hands atop the table. "Going to school and having a job—I don't think I was completely ready for it. There's little things, too, and there's... the whole magic thing. I felt like I barely understood how things worked before and now they're all different. I haven't even been to the Otherworld yet, I don't know if things have changed."

Jamie sighed and waved his hand like he knew he was rambling. "There's no way to know without going."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"It hasn't changed, though the weather has normalized so far as I can tell," Jeremiah replied. "So I can answer that for you." There was a small reassuring smile on his face. "In the face of all the other changes, it's oddly relieving to know that that place remains the same."

He leaned back, rolled his shoulders, and then straightened up. "Especially, as you said, given the little things and ... the stances on magic now."

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"Y'know, you're right," there was a laugh in his voice as he agreed. "I'd much rather deal with the changes here and not there, so... hearing it's not very different is pretty nice." And hey, normal weather left open greater possibilities, even if all the ones Jamie thought of were silly and small. He recalled the time he and Algernon had tried to have a picnic and the Otherworld had swallowed them whole instead. Maybe they could try again sometime. If they wound up over there, at least it might be sunny.

"Oh, our food," he commented as the waiter returned, dropping off what they'd ordered and topping off Jamie's tea. Once they were gone again, he took a quick bite of his grilled cheese, looking ever-pleased despite the simple meal he'd chosen.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah had, being the Englishman he was, opted for proper fish and chips (as he could only get at Darlene's). He was picking up a chip and biting into it with a pleased smiled. Sometimes you just wanted warm, greasy comfort food.

"What remains the same is a comfort with everything else that's gone on," he agreed with a smile. "So you said school and a job? What are you studying in school and where did you find yourself working?" Genuinely interested Jeremiah was genuinely interested.

saedusk

we can ftb on them chitchatting if you want and MOVE ON TO A PRIDE HUNT

 

[saedusk]

"Oh, um, environmental science. I think," he revealed after another bite of sandwich. "I'm thinking my other self wanted to be a park ranger, just like me." That was a comfort, things that remained the same, just like Jeremiah said.

He took another small bite before delving into his apparent part-time job at The 4th Wall, occasionally getting excited about possible discounts on Pokemon cards.

Truth be told, things might not be so bad after all.

azuredreams

aaaaand done