Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #74: Donor for Dinner (9/17/99)
Nick was sent away from Snake for his Tecton-mandated rest period, and has escaped to the rooftop for a bit of natural scenery, fresh air, and solitude.
Nick reflects that it's a measure of his Tectonization that he considers a rooftop garden as even semi-natural scenery.
Nick then remembers that he is all too likely to end up with plenty of time to appreciate scenery, if Arat carries through with his threat at the end of the month.
Nick: ~~ glum ~~
Nick is not looking forward to unemployment.
Riyyh pauses at the top of the 6th flight of stairs, in an attempt to catch his breath.
Riyyh is a man on a mission.
Riyyh is to bring Nick to a certain restaurant at a certain time, or Prunida will certainly be displeased.
Nick gazes out over the city, wishing that life were less complicated.
Riyyh had tried several times to penetrate the security surrounding Snake's cell, without luck, and then was hard pressed to elude and/or distract Arat's guards thereafter.
Riyyh finally learned where Nick hides out on his breaks, and hid until such a time arrived.
Riyyh really wishes he'd done this in such a way as to hide on the 5th floor and thus not be in such a rush.
Riyyh was never fond of stairs even when young, augmentation notwithstanding.
Nick perches on the parapet and sighs.
Nick is, of course, two generations younger than Riyyh, and so he was not exhausted by the climb.
Riyyh smoothes back his silver hair, and checks his clothing for specks of... whatever.
Riyyh finally exits onto the roof, which is blustering cold and rather windy.
Nick wraps his arms around himself, unwilling to leave his private spot to fetch a sweater.
Riyyh zlins for Nick, hides his arms in his Narosian cape, and wends his way through the... er... garden towards the Gen.
Nick watches the sun edge closer to the horizon, wondering what sort of a sunset it will be.
Riyyh decides it is much better than having just a plain roof, sad though it is by Narosian standards.
Riyyh pauses for a moment to make sure he is posed well and that the wind is causing his hair to stream back beautifully instead of making a tangled mess.
Nick finds it hard to believe that it has been so long since the disastrous avalanche.
Riyyh: Hello, Nick. [softly, so as not to scare the bejesus out of him]
Nick ~ starts ~ anyway, but quickly gets his nager back under control as he turns.
Nick: Riyyh! What are you doing here? I thought you avoided Tecton Sime Centers like the plague.
Riyyh smiles.
Riyyh: I wanted to see you.
Riyyh: I thought you might like to eat dinner with Prunida and I tonight.
Nick: ...Prunida?
Nick's appetite, which had flared at the mention of dinner, disappears quickly at the mention of his grandmother.
Riyyh looks unhappy at the change, but tries to cover it up.
Riyyh: We both miss you.
Riyyh: And you've been working so hard lately, it's as if you never leave the Sime Center.
Nick: I have Snake to look after this month. She requires a lot of care.
Nick: And... I may not have another chance to work with her for a long time.
Nick feels a ~~ pang ~~ of loss.
Riyyh cocks his head, studying Nick.
Riyyh does not know the full explanation of Nick's feelings, but he automatically wishes to help.
Riyyh also has no intention of facing Prunida's wrath if he comes back without Nick.
Riyyh: But... surely you will be assigned again.
Riyyh: After all, Arat let you have her these two months, when he could have used you himself.
Nick: Arat has given me an ultimatum.
Nick: If I don't pledge to the Tecton by the end of the month, he will no longer let me work with him, with Snake, or with any other Tecton channel.
Riyyh: Oh, Nick.
Nick is more than a little upset at the prospect, now that he has a sympathetic ear.
Riyyh is more than sympathetic, mainly because his nature compels it.
Nick: If it was just me... well, the Tecton isn't my ideal, but it's a lot better than nothing.
Nick does not like the idea of "nothing".
Riyyh doesn't actually have any opinions of his own regarding this issue; he just wants Nick to be happy.
Riyyh just wants everybody to be happy.
Nick: ~~ unhappy ~~
Riyyh: You must follow your heart, Nick.
Riyyh comes closer, places a hand on Nick's forearm.
Nick is forcibly reminded that Riyyh, while not a Farris, is a good deal better than "nothing".
Nick feels his nager reaching towards Riyyh.
Nick: I can't pledge, Riyyh. Not until Snake's situation is settled. She's got to have a choice, a real one, or she'll never be content.
Nick is too upset to realize that he is not exactly making sense.
Riyyh, with Nick's nager washing over him, is a bit too overwhelmed to realize Nick isn't making any sense. But in a good way.
Nick: What am I going to do? It could be months before Snake is stable enough. I can't spend that long without...
Riyyh's other hand finds Nick's other arm, as he gets closer to Nick's magnificent field.
Riyyh: Nick... [soothingly] ...everything will be all right.
Riyyh: They won't forget you. You're too... needed.
Nick: I'm afraid that they'll even forbid me to see her.
Nick's nager responds to Riyyh's need of a Donor, although Nick himself is too preoccupied to notice it.
Riyyh: But... surely that will increase her own desire to see you again as well?
Nick: It's likely to make her go berserk--and that's no way for her to win her freedom.
Riyyh: Are you afraid Arat will not make the right decisions regarding her? [gently]
Nick: He's afraid of what she might do, and not without reason.
Riyyh can't actually blame Arat for 1) being terrified of Snake or 2) locking her up and hiding the key, having done both himself when he was in the Controller's situation.
Nick: He won't do what's right for her, if he thinks it risks anyone else.
Nick's priorities regarding Snake are necessarily a bit different.
Riyyh: The others' safety is his responsibility.
Nick: I know, and I don't blame him, really.
Riyyh's hands and tentacles soothe Nick's arms with their unobtrusive, but very practiced, motions.
Nick: But it's the wrong time for Snake to lose me to the Tecton.
Nick isn't sure there would ever by a right time, but is pretty sure that there will be less-wrong times in the future.
Riyyh: Is it the right time for the Tecton to lose you, then?
Nick: What am I going to do?
Nick is suddenly struck by a dreadful thought.
Nick: What if Arat or one of the other Controllers decides that as a rogue, I should be locked up in the security wing like Snake?
Nick doesn't mind hanging out in the security wing with Snake, but that's different from living there.
Riyyh is nearly close enough to make a "fifth" contact now, although he doesn't. Quite.
Riyyh: Would Arat do that to you?
Riyyh: Surely not, and if the others demanded it, I would be more than willing to vouch for you.
Nick: If he thought it would force me to pledge, he just might.
Nick: There have certainly been people who have been urging him to confine me, since the day I arrived.
Riyyh's lateral-tips lick the air near Nick's skin, not daring to actually make contact.
Riyyh realizes things are getting a bit out of hand, and nerves himself to let go.
Riyyh has never been that good at self-control, of course.
Riyyh: [at least where unpleasant things, and keeping his hands off people who are sad and need comforting, go]
Nick clutches at Riyyh's hands, with a strength born of desperation (or at least genuine upset).
Nick: It will be bad enough not to be allowed to work with a channel. I don't think I could bear being locked up as well.
Riyyh's tentacles re-emerge in order to twine themselves reassuringly around their hands.
Riyyh: Is there... anything I can do to help? Anything at all?
Riyyh looks fully and sincerely into Nick's eyes.
Nick: You said... you said before that you were going to have Rapol work with Anmyn?
Riyyh: I... yes, I did, but....
Nick wilts at the "but".
Riyyh: You wish to be Anmyn's Companion?
Riyyh can't believe what he's hearing.
Nick: No, I should stay in Capitol, near Snake, even if they decide not to let me see her.
Riyyh isn't sure how he'd explain it to Anmyn and Rapol, but he also is pretty sure he wouldn't be able to say no to Nick either.
Riyyh: Oh... yes, of course.
Nick: You said you were going to be in Capitol for a while... and I can see it hasn't been easy for you, without a Donor.
Riyyh may be forgiven for being a bit slow in picking up what Nick is actually getting at; after all, Nick hadn't enjoyed their transfers much.
Riyyh: Oh dear, no, it hasn't.
Riyyh: I apologize for being so clingy.
Riyyh tries to pull away.
Riyyh: You see, the combination of your unhappiness, and of course your nager is... I apologize.
Nick tightens his fingers just enough to discourage escape.
Riyyh falls silent, looking up at Nick in question.
Nick: I can't offer you anything permanent just now, for the same reason I can't pledge the Tecton.
Riyyh: You wouldn't be able to offer me anything permanent ever, Nick.
Riyyh isn't fool enough to imagine Nick would stick with him if Snake decided to pledge... or to run for it, for that matter.
Nick is unable to deny that.
Riyyh however can't help but feel a surge of Simely, and fatherly, excitement at what Nick is suggesting.
Nick: Still, it could work for a few months, until things are better resolved for both of us.
Riyyh: W... I, well, Nick, I,
Riyyh is really thinking, "But what about Prunida?"
Riyyh can't seem to get the words out, though.
Riyyh: That's very kind of you, Nick.
Riyyh: And you'd be welcome.
Nick is ~~ relieved ~~
Nick: Thank you.
Riyyh: Come, then. Come with me and have dinner. You could use a break, you're exhausted. [concerned]
Riyyh: Snake would understand. Unless... she has been doing better, hasn't she?
Nick looks around, surprised at how quickly the light is starting to dim, then realizes how long they have been talking.
Nick: Well, I could send her a message that I got hungry and stopped for some food. She ate lunch with me today, so she'd probably be just as glad to skip dinner.
Nick is a bit more flexible about skipping meals than a Tecton-trained Donor would be, at least as long as a sufficient amount of food is ingested overall.
Riyyh smiles suddenly, a joyous smile.
Nick would be less lenient about Snake's nutrition if he had any idea about the true reason for Riyyh's sudden happiness.
Nick starts towards the door leading down into the bowels of the Center, remembering his earliest trips with Arat and leg cast.
Nick: I should get a sweater, and write that note. Should I meet you downstairs?
Riyyh: All right. I will meet you there. [smiles]
Nick has gotten the impression that Riyyh would probably prefer not to hang out in the Sime Center any more than necessary.
Nick: Fine.
Riyyh will enjoy taking the stairs downward in a much more leisurely fashion than he'd taken them upward.