brandnewtech: (the Man)
Technical Boy ([personal profile] brandnewtech) wrote2019-09-29 05:00 am

.ic-inbox { DEERINGTON

{ text | video | voice }
obeir: (099)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-12 10:23 am (UTC)(link)
[ The response quickly clues him in on the fact this isn't who he'd been having that conversation with — and then he's amused realising who received his wayward text. ]

Only if you'll do The Robot.

[ Double-entendre? Maybe. ]

How have you been feeling post-plasmids, anyway?
obeir: (084)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-12 06:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He only asks out of concern, not judgment. But the way Tech Boy seems unaccustomed to someone actually caring about him hasn't escaped K's notice before... and he definitely sensed those crossed arms. ]

Can these negotiations be accomplished without me getting out of bed?

I'm going to assume that means you've fully recovered without any side effects. And I'm glad.


[ Then, sent a few moments afterward when he remembers what time it is: ]

Did I wake you up?

Do you sleep?
obeir: (169)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-14 05:59 am (UTC)(link)
Now you're just teasing me.

It was a legitimate question about dancing and thank you for answering.


[ While it hasn't been explicitly confirmed, K has long suspected Tech Boy is capable of observation through the Fluids even when the video option is disabled. To that end, he slides out of bed deliberately without bothering to get dressed, taking his Fluid with him as he goes to sit at his piano in his underwear.

And proceeds to play one of his favourite jazz standards (one which certainly resonates with him emotionally these days), curious whether it might garner any reaction. He pauses to text one-handedly. ]


If you weren't sleeping, what were you doing?

[ And then resumes playing. ]
obeir: (095)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-15 07:26 am (UTC)(link)
[ ... And there's the confirmation, more or less (which makes him laugh despite himself). Now he'll have to think of interesting ways to exploit this knowledge. All in good fun, of course. ]

"The Children"? I don't recall meeting anyone who might be your kid. Or who's part of your child army. Tell me about them.

Didn't take you for a voyeur, either. Learn something new every day.


[ The lack of commentary on the song makes him change tack, playing something else. Maybe the technological voyeurism is limited to a visual feed. ]
obeir: (035)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-15 08:56 pm (UTC)(link)
I didn't, but I had to test a hypothesis. And that's a very astute observation.

[ Definitely not at all subtle. So audio carries through, too. It'd be easier to just reply aloud, but for now he opts to continue with text. ]

"Because it's there" is an interesting justification for your voyeurism.

I did like the spider.

Expendable constructs designed to serve gods, doing the things they'd rather not. Lack of intelligence aside, that sounds familiar.


[ And by this point he's leaning his cheek against a hand, eyebrows raised as he stares at his Fluid's screen. If he were completely sober he'd pull it off better; he can't quite suppress the slight smile that's pulling at his mouth as he hassles Tech Boy.

Justifiably. Because come on. The way he describes them, they sound like proto-androids. ]
obeir: (055)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-16 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
[ Moderation in all things, especially teasing that he suspects is maybe being taken as criticism, with how defensive Tech Boy's responses are sounding. Not that K can blame him. Beings constructed for servitude is kind of a sensitive topic; he would know.

And it also seems he was wrong, if they're an extension of Tech Boy. ]


I don't mind you watching me. But I can't imagine it's very entertaining. Have you only recently started doing that? Seems unfair that I can't do the same with you.

My assumptions were wrong, then. I apologise.
[ Guess who's had ample experience anticipating and defusing others' volatile emotions before they explode on him? It's likely overkill in this instance, but caution is preferable to making Tech Boy angry.

And a few moments after that last text he switches to video, because he would like to actually be able to see Tech Boy's face and hear his voice, to have a better indication of his mood. ]


But I'm still curious about them. You said it's easier to show me. [ A beat. ] Or I could always come over.
Edited (lol i'm sorry i'm done this time) 2020-04-16 03:52 (UTC)
obeir: (085)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-16 11:17 am (UTC)(link)
[ Tech Boy doesn't seem upset, at least, which is a relief — more than that, now he's being sweet, and it has K smiling in turn. Maybe the voyeur jokes are best approached from a different angle... one involving giving the god something interesting to see when he least expects it. And luckily K's too tech savvy to ever ""accidentally"" broadcast roboporn to the network. ]

So you can come faster. [ Said with a perfectly straight expression and without missing a beat, because he just couldn't help himself (though he does hope it's taken in the spirit it was intended, which is negotiations are still on). And then he tilts his head. ] Show me.

[ And Tech Boy's free to interpret that as he will. ]
obeir: (055)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-17 01:17 am (UTC)(link)
[ Despite having been here for a few months, K's apartment barely appears lived in; as spartan as his apartment in his homeworld, other than his piano and books. Part of that is also because he maintains a meticulously clean living space. And luckily it came furnished, so there are at least places to sit down.

Without knowing the actual context behind that shift in the god's expression, K's left to assume it's most likely his attempts at flirtation going awry, much like his teasing had. Now he worries it all came across as antagonistically mean-spirited. Little wonder why replicants are normally only used for physical gratification — so far he's navigating the emotional aspects of a relationship very poorly.

He looks suitably impressed by the entrance, though, and disregards the innuendo-laden response that came to mind in favour of a more cautiously straightforward one. Tech Boy obviously enjoys showing off, and K's happy to be shown off to. ]


You're full of surprises. That must be useful.

[ Then there's the matter of the "Children", and he isn't sure what to expect, assuming he'll be getting a demonstration. They may not be sentient beings, but. He feels a bit ridiculous and self-conscious sitting there in nothing but his underwear now, and awkwardly rubs the back of his neck. ]

Are we going to be having company?
obeir: (079)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-17 06:07 am (UTC)(link)
[ This is certainly preferable to their prior conversation. Maybe this one will go better if he just keeps his mouth shut for a while.

He could also get used to being looked at like that, and he's especially fond of the physical contact. And being what he is, even if his full focus isn't on what he's being told (Tech Boy's physical presence is more distracting than anticipated), he doesn't actually miss a word of it. Which is very convenient at the moment, since what's being relayed to him is clearly important.

His eyes flicker between Tech Boy's hand and his face, and he puzzles over the mood whiplash of the last while. As he thinks to reach to take the god's hand in his, the echo of a familiar refrain in his mind — Do they teach you how to feel, finger to finger? — stops him short, and he curls his fingers into a fist that he rests on his thigh instead. The unconscious straightening of his posture follows. ]


I'm not asking you to change for me. [ He carefully points out. ] If you're more comfortable with text and video— [ Tilting his head in a gesture of acceptance. Lonely as it might become for him, at least he's already accustomed to companionship that lacks any physical elements. It's all he'd known, before Deerington. ]

And I was working on it. Doubt I can get drunk, though. [ Android metabolism. But who knows? Without waiting to be asked, he gets up to locate one of the several open bottles from the kitchen counter, his unfinished glass along with a clean one, and pours a drink for Tech Boy as he's walking back, offering it. ]
obeir: (095)

https://i.imgur.com/XjcuC2i.jpg

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-17 09:11 am (UTC)(link)
[ ... Oh. Apparently he's bound and determined to be wrong about a lot of things tonight. But, in both this instance and regarding the origins of the Children, K's happy to be wrong, and that makes all the difference where his dismal sense of self-esteem is concerned. As does suddenly having an armful of Tech Boy. That surprises a quiet, huffing laugh from him, and he doesn't let the god escape without stealing a kiss himself — missing the mark a little, only managing to catch Tech Boy's chin. He'll have to do something about that in a moment. First, he's going to toss back the remainder of his glass. ] I like you doing that, too.

[ He regrets being incapable of lying to put a better spin on what led to tonight's text. Then again, when texting someone out of the blue in the middle of the night is generally inconsiderate, could sending it deliberately really have been better? ]

I think something's wrong with the network. Someone had mistakenly messaged me, that was supposed to go to them. [ It's admitted reluctantly. ] Seemed rude to not reply. But you received it instead. [ Leaving the bottle and now empty glass on the back of his piano, he steps behind Tech Boy and slips his arms around him, pulling him back against his chest and leaning his chin on his shoulder. Maybe Tech Boy's delivery could use some work, but his blunt honesty absolutely helped. ]

Then you replied — to my legitimate question — and now here we are. If you don't mind texts in the middle of the night... you can expect more legitimate questions in the future.

[ The drinking was unrelated to that. It helps suppress the unusual responses to stress he's been having on occasion, one of which Tech Boy just witnessed. But K's less certain of how to explain that without making it sound like a bigger deal than it is.

The drinking was because I'd had an unpleasant dream. It sounds amusingly juvenile, but it's the truth; possibly inspired by certain recent topics of conversation, he'd dreamt of being locked in that small white room again. As innocuous as it might seem to anyone else, for him it represents a more profound existential horror than he's ever faced in Deerington. A dream within a dream, however that works. ]
obeir: (121)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-18 08:16 am (UTC)(link)
[ The naked jazz standards comment has K's shoulders shaking in silent laughter. But more interesting is the mention of jealousy. Even if it's meant in jest, he wonders if there might be any truth hidden behind it; one among a growing list of topics they ought to discuss at some point. In the meantime, he tilts his head to nuzzle Tech Boy's neck, murmuring against his skin: ] I only want you. [ Almost simultaneous with his spoken reply is the thought: In every way there is to want someone.

For his dream to make much sense to anyone else it would require an explanation of his baseline tests, and he isn't sure he wants that sort of singular focus put on his problems right now. Particularly when it runs the risk of souring Tech Boy's mood. But... it could also help him understand K better, and provide some needed context for why he's struggling with the choice of having his programming altered.

While he's thinking on the offer, he eyes the vape curiously. ]
What's the frog for?

[ Someone has clearly never vaped before. Though he could make an educated guess.

Something stronger than booze. It begs the obvious question of why Tech Boy partakes as often as he does. ]
Are you all right? [ He asks at length, voice still quiet. ] After the ship, Rapture, [ The plasmids. ] all of that. And don't brush me off this time, please. [ As he's speaking, he's carefully walking them backwards toward the sofa, where he pulls Tech Boy down into his lap as he takes a seat, still keeping hold of him. ]
obeir: (130)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-18 11:00 am (UTC)(link)
[ So even gods suffer the effects of addiction and withdrawal. He'd had the feeling it was going to be bad after seeing evidence of what heavy usage did to other people. But there's no desire to say I told you so; there's only regret that he wasn't able to help. That Tech Boy never let on how bad it was, and presumably chose to handle it completely alone.

With the string connection, all K'd had to deal with was the acute separation anxiety whenever they were apart. It's hard to imagine managing that while also going through extreme withdrawal... ]


I wish I could've helped. If you're ever that bad off again, for any reason, I'd like you to tell me. Don't shut me out. That's the only way this— [ Gesturing between them. ] Is going to work. I signed up for the good and the bad.

[ His delivery is too gentle to be taken as a lecture, at least by the standards of most people. But having learnt how sensitive Tech Boy is to any perceived criticism, he attempts to further soften the impact of his words by slipping his hands beneath the god's shirt, languidly stroking along his sides in soothing motions. ]

You can not-sleep with me if you ever want to. [ And K knows how that sounds, judging by his small smile. Barring recovery from injuries, he requires less sleep than his human counterparts, so Tech Boy could have conscious company for most the night. ] What other things are you paranoid about?

[ At that obvious hesitation, he nods toward the vape to indicate he'll try it. But his own hands are otherwise occupied, so it's up to Tech Boy to decide how he wants to share it. At worst it may not have much of an effect on him, K figures, but he's curious now. ]
obeir: (125)

[personal profile] obeir 2020-04-19 08:45 am (UTC)(link)
[ And K does, showing no signs of hesitation as he inhales deeply and suppresses the initial impulse to cough. Markedly different from the nicotine he's tried before, that much is immediately apparent to him, though it takes several more moments before the synthetic Bufotenin begins to really affect him. Subtly at first, with the faint flush that's spreading across his skin — from the chest up — and the movements of his hands become even gentler as he focuses on the sensations, eyes partially closing at the barely there brush of Tech Boy's lips on his. Everything seems to blur a little at the edges in a way that makes him feel... loose.

Even Tech Boy is blurring in his vision, changing. Being revealed. ]


Dangerous to be vulnerable out there. You don't have to pretend here. Not with me. [ He says quietly, bringing one of his hands up to lightly touch Tech Boy's altered face in fascination. Then leans in to return the prior kiss, warm and insistent, before whispering: ] I see you. [ And through their connection is the echo of a thought, dreadfully distinct. ]

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