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[ephemerios]

OOC: As always with her, assume Stranger Things spoilers are likely to show up in threads here.

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[ Hello, network — here's Chrissy with one of those thoughts that you have either in the middle of the night when you can't sleep or when your mind is wandering in the bath or shower. ]

I'm just going to get right into it:

Do you think (or know) if time stops at home while we're here or if it just ... keeps going?

[ She knows about stuff that happens after from when she's from, but that could just be Weird Timeline Shit. Like hers separating from other peoples', or something like that; it makes her brain hurt if she thinks about the wording too hard, but, that's the general idea. ]

It's just been on and off going through my mind lately, no reason.

Comments

[doubled_speed]

[Are we shocked Tommy is awake at this hour? Let's not be.]

I used to think so. But then there was that room with the beds in the Agrii ship and now I don't know anymore.

[This wasn't easy to face. He's been having a LOT of trouble with it since they got back to the Agrii ship and started repairs. And...]

I got cocoa powder from a great kid. And I picked up something to 'irish' it up with. If you want to come by the dinner. And just, you know, get a sleep aid.

[ephemerios]

[ look, she won't question it ok ]

I am pretty much trying to delete that from my memory, but...yeah.

[ Somehow. It was unsettling. ]

It's not as though I'm doing anything else right now, obviously, so yeah that sounds good. I'll do that

[ And sounds like he could use the company too ]

[doubled_speed]

Awesome. I'll start the water heating. Opinions on cinnamon in cocoa?

[ephemerios]

did you even have cocoa if there wasn't cinnamon in it?

[doubled_speed]

Of course. Some people are allergic.

[ephemerios]

you know what? fair and I respect that answer.

[doubled_speed]

Thank you. I try my best.

[ephemerios]

excellent, five stars, etc. I'll be over in a few minutes.

[ time to actually start hauling her ass over to the diner, she supposes. ]

[doubled_speed]

Remember to leave a good review on Yelp or whatever it is back then. I'll start heating milk.

[text]

[in_extremis]

Contrary to popular belief, I don't think the world revolves around me. It's still turning, back where you left it, and everyone is doing their damndest to find you, I promise.

[ephemerios]

but that means thinking about time here versus there and...???...how is that supposed to make sense? I do not like having these thoughts when I don't have nearly the scientific background to think deeply (or at least productively) about them.

[in_extremis]

Alright, how do we make this productive for you? We're thinking about time, we're thinking about home, and we're looking for some answers. How do we build that?

[ephemerios]

hm. I guess to start, have you ever been sent back home or know anyone who has, then arrived back here?

[in_extremis]

Jon has. You can find him in the library. He'll have coffee on.

[ephemerios]

hopefully he's cool with some questions. I hope there's a lot of sugar and cream for the coffee.

[in_extremis]

You might want to bring those along yourself. He likes to keep things dark. Speaking of which, you should bring a story, too. Anything is fine, as long as it's true.

[ephemerios]

Noted, I'll put some in my bag. Does the story have to be...written out?

Action

[playingtough]

He hears the comm device ding in his pocket and when he checks it - huh. It's Chrissy. Billy looks around the hotel hall he's in (the floor where all the Hawkins people are save for himself) and shrugs. He had dropped off another borrowed tape so since he was already up here...

He goes over to where Chrissy's room is and knocks. "Having an existential crisis in there, Cunningham?"

[ephemerios]

That gets a short ha kind of laugh from inside the room. “Always. You can come in, if you want.” She'd been flopped on the bed dressed in a plain shirt and sweatpants, but sits up and tosses her device on the pillow, legs hanging over the edge of the bed.

[playingtough]

He hears her in there, though can't quite make out that 'ha' noise. With a click of the door, Billy lets himself in enough to lean in the doorframe.

"What brings up this train of thought? Do you get nightmares of Hawkins?" The 'too' goes unsaid really, because what Hawkins kid doesn't have nightmares at this point?

[ephemerios]

“Frequently,” She admits. “So, that mixed with not wanting to go back — obviously — and have my time here ended, but also like .. wondering what they're doing back there. The people we left behind.” Either from death or from being pulled here. Or, in their cases, both. “If they even know we're here or if time's just paused where we left it.”

[playingtough]

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way." Not wanting to go back, not wanting to have the time he has here cut short and die when he goes back. He goes to take a seat on the bed by her to think.

He thinks a little longer, then leans back with his hands supporting him from behind. "I bet it's like when you pause a movie until you hit play again. We're just paused or whatever until we're sent back and it hits play again. Well the aliens hit play I guess. The only one I really left behind is Max because the others that knew me from there didn't have much care for me."

Billy glances at the window. "C'mon. Let's take a walk, maybe the fresh air will help with this existential crisis of yours. And if it doesn't, your good looking company will.

[ephemerios]

“Well, I don't like the idea of anyone sharing that feeling because it's one that sucks, but I know what you mean. Obviously.” She offers what could probably be called a somber half smile at the edge of her lips.

“If it's like a pause then I guess I'll have to hope they forget how to turn it back to playing. I will say at least those of us here get a pretty good chance at getting to see each other in different lights without all the expectations of home as laser focused on us.” Whether they all take it or not is another thing. Another almost held back small laugh. “Walk it is, then, good idea. And I don't know about the looks thing, because I'm not the one sitting here with the best Hawkins hair.” Sorry Steve. Someone has to say it.

[playingtough]

Billy gives his own half smile that doesn't really reach his eyes. No one likes the idea of waiting to go back to their death. At least three of them from Hawkins are like that and Max... Billy wasn't sure how to feel about it.

He leads them out of the hotel and into the cool night air with his hands shoved into his pockets. "You and me both. All the shit in the mall - I can't stand fireworks anymore. I get what you're saying about the 'seeing in a different light' thing though. I used to think Harrington was this rich bitch and I'm only half right and it's not the rich part." Billy sticks his tongue out playfully.

"I kid, a bit. He's not as bad as I figured. We had a really bad start I guess but you get it! I do have the best hair, I knew it. Make sure to tell the others." He runs his hand through the curls, grinning.

[ephemerios]

Not liking fireworks after that was understandable. Anyway, fireworks are overrated already as it is; they make more noise than is worth for how they look. “Yeah, I'm not expecting us all to be like ... best friends or anything, but, you know, some perspective shifts could do us all some good I think. But knocking it down to one mark against him, hey that's progress,” The latter said about his small joking about Steve. Baby steps, et cetera. “And don't give me ideas; I will poll the network on Hawkins hair rankings if I get bored enough.” She says it with a smile that suggests joking, but who knows.