NICO

[foreverphantom]

Comments

[foreverphantom]

Ah. [ nods in perfect understanding ] Now it all makes sense.

[resumed]

[ raising an eyebrow. ]

I'd say "does it?", but I get that I don't exactly make it a secret I'm not a people person like some Foxes are.

[foreverphantom]

[ thinks about it... ]

Huh. They really all are.

[resumed]

It's weird, right? I mean maybe it's not but it feels weird that there are so many of them that are just like this and say whatever they want to whoever they want without thinking about it.

[foreverphantom]

[ snorts ] I guess that's why they all got lumped together on Fox's team. To contain all that sociable weirdness.

[ not me unintentionally namedropping a fox's username ]

[resumed]

And for that I'm sure most of us are grateful for. [ rip to our norma. but back to the shelves and he's half browsing and half talking to danny because he can multitask decently enough. ]

How're thing at Tiger anyway...? [ considering. the day before. ]

[foreverphantom]

[ shrugs ] About the same. We don't really talk or hang out much--not as like a group in the dorm, anyway.

[resumed]

It's not for everybody, I guess. [ letting his fingers trace over bookspines... ] We have a chat and sometimes we hang out as a group but not really. It's easier to talk to the other Phoenixes by themselves.

[foreverphantom]

[ nods ] Definitely.

The only real "group bonding" we do is trashing the place, but even that we just tend to kind of add on to on our own time.

[resumed]

[ help. ]

Yeah, Tiger actually told me about that. Kind of sounds like a whole...thing. [ he does not address if this is good or bad in his book. ]

[foreverphantom]

Oh, so Tiger's tattling on us now?

[resumed]

[ a thin smile. ]

Maybe a little. [ this is all tiger's business, but...sometimes you understand on a deeper level. ] I think they're really not sure how to talk to you guys half the time.

[foreverphantom]

Oh yeah, I heard all about Tiger's...visit to Nimona when you guys were in jail. [ jesus christ they really did that in front of god and everyone, sucks in air through teeth ]

[resumed]

[ there's. a wince. ]

Y...eah. That was...[ honest to god that sure did happen while they were all right there, and he's still conflicted about it. also, it's a natural flow of conversation so answers the other part you had anyway. ] Some of them are easier to talk to than others. Depending what you ask and what you're looking for. Rabbit and Snake are good conversationalists for things going on here. Fox and Mouse are fun when you want to take your mind off of things. Ox and Goat are nice enough and are shockingly normal in a lot of ways. And...obviously I get along with Phoenix best so that's a completely different category.

Either way, I think they're all just as lost as we are. It's not great since we are all looking for guidance on what we're supposed to do, but they could probably stand some extra support themselves, too. Who knows?

[foreverphantom]

[ blinks ] Whoa, you've really talked a lot to all of them, haven't you?

[resumed]

[ tiredly. ] Having an extrovert for a boyfriend is a curse. [ but he shakes his head. ] ...Phoenix is still the one I go to for most things. But it feels wrong not to try at least once or twice knowing their situation's not much better than ours, you know?

[foreverphantom]

...yeah, I guess. I just don't really know what to say to them.

[resumed]

Yeah, I said the same thing. [ ...like. literally, actually, that was in fact the conversation they had when nico was telling will to go do all the talking. ] It makes it harder when they know who we are but we have no idea who they are, you know? I've only managed because Ox and Mouse both approached me first, Ox told me to go talk to Tiger because they thought they could use more people trying to talk to them, Rabbit and Phoenix are friends, and then Rabbit told me to talk to Snake about some of the notes we found. Goat's friends with Fox, and...I'm at Fox's dorm a lot and it was getting weird not to talk to them much.

Even then half the time I have no idea what I'm doing.

[foreverphantom]

Whoa.

...I'm starting to think we might need to revoke your introvert card.

[resumed]

Absolutely not. [ maybe. ] It's always easier when I have something to focus on. That's all.

[foreverphantom]

It's the "having something to focus on" when talking to people that's the hard part in the first place.

[resumed]

[ this is true, given his default response is walking away from conversations he's bored with. except now he has to ask: ]

Do you mean the leaders, or in general?

[foreverphantom]

...in general, but I think it goes double for the leaders.

[resumed]

[ he tilts his head a little. ]

Is it better or worse if I say I think some of the leaders are equally socially awkward?

[foreverphantom]

You mean aside from White Tiger?