IC Inbox (Hadriel)

[casperdisaster]

"If you're gonna leave a message you gotta leave some
info too, don't just say 'call me back' because I'll think
it means someone died!"

(Text/Audio/Action/Etc)

Comments

[cowardley]

[ It takes Ash a minute to process the information. She blinks, her expression shifting seamlessly between confusion, shock, and then sympathetic realization. She feels at a loss as to what to say. Do you offer condolences to the dead, or only the people that miss them? ]

I'm so sorry. [ She manages, far more quietly than she had intended. She watches for the tell tale signs of the dead—whatever those things are. She once thought she saw a ghost, but it'd just been a trick. She knows he's not a trick. ] Can I do... anything to help you? Or is it just...?

[ She fumbles on her words, uncertain. ]

[casperdisaster]

No. [The definitive words come with a small shake of his head, then a sad smile.] But thank you. For asking.

... It's not so bad. Or it's - it's a bad that I'm familiar with?

[cowardley]

[ The answer doesn't quite please her, too much the helpful sort, but she accepts it as is. ]

Better the devil you know. [ A touch of understanding. She gets it even if she doesn't get it. ] But... wouldn't you rather be alive?

[casperdisaster]

Yes. Mostly. But it's ... scary. [Noah gives a little sigh. An awkward smile.] It's scary. And I'm a coward.

[cowardley]

[ She wants to touch him, to offer a gentle squeeze of comfort, but she's not entirely certain what the protocol for ghost interaction is, so she refrains. Instead, her expression turns sympathetic. ]

It's OK. [ She knows—understands, even. ] That's why you've got friends, Noah. They're here for you when things are too scary, or hard to deal with.

[casperdisaster]

They have their own problems right now. [And Noah's needy enough as-is.] Gansey's gone, Ronan's totally freaking out, Adam's doing everything just to keep himself together...

[Basically they're all Gansey's stupid, stupid pets, and he just left them alone.]

[cowardley]

You dumb-dumb. Your friends wouldn't want you to go through something like this alone, just like you don't want them to go through their problems alone. [ This is Ash, fountain of advice. ]

[casperdisaster]

... did you just call me dumb-dumb?

[He actually smiles a little at that.]

[cowardley]

I so did, and I stand by my comment. [ but she smiles back, arms crossed against her chest like a girl who is sticking firmly to her guns ]

[casperdisaster]

[The smile becomes a sort of awkward half-grin and Noah ducks his head down, laughing in his breathless way.]

Well I guess if a cute girl says I'm a dumb-dumb I must be.

[cowardley]

[ What? Did she hear that right? Her cheeks flush. ]

I guess that means you've got to listen to me, then!

[casperdisaster]

[She absolutely heard right. Maybe she should mention she has a kinda sorta boyfriend?

Actually, unless she includes an additional note that the flirting makes her uncomfortable, boyfriend status won't stop Noah. It never has before, it's not about to now, especially when he doesn't know the guy.]

Consider me learned, then. Should I be texting you with questions now?

[cowardley]

[ It would be easier to mention Chris as her sort-of boyfriend if they were sort-of together, but right now they're still will-they-won't-they, at least for a couple of more days (who knew that Josh would be right about traumatic experiences).

She grins, not entirely unaware of the fact he's a little flirty. ] Duh. I can't promise I'll always have the answer, but I almost always do.

[ a beat, and then: ] But you really should talk to your friends. You'll get through everything better together, I promise. [ That's what she's learned so far. ]

[casperdisaster]

Guess I need to for sure now.

I'll still keep texting you too though. Especially if I ever get a body again. Um, I should? It's not forever. Just. For a little while.

[cowardley]

Good. [ If he didn't continue to text her, she'd just text him, and she's very good at rambling through text. ]

So, does this make you a friendly ghost right now?

[casperdisaster]

Yeah. But I'm way cuter than 1995 Devon Sawa.

[cowardley]

What, not confident enough to compare yourself to present day Devon Sawa? [ It's a gentle tease. Noah is too easy to get along with, even as a ghost (one of the things she is not a fan of). ]

[casperdisaster]

[Noah raises his eyebrows a bit.] Have you seen him lately? He didn't age all that well. He hit peak cuteness in the mid-90's.

[cowardley]

Have you seen him lately? He looked great in Nikita! [ not so boyish as he'd been in casper, which Noah somehow rocks, but still totally handsome! ]

[casperdisaster]

... Nikita? [Noah's brows furrow in thought as he considers that.] Wasn't La Femme Nikita in the 90's?

[cowardley]

I think so, but I'm talking about Nikita, the television show from, uh... I don't know, it's been like four, or five years, so 2010? [ a beat, and then: ] I can't believe you haven't seen it!

[casperdisaster]

[Noah lapses into the awkward silence of someone who knows they need to say something but are trying to think of a way to do literally anything else.

Nothing springs to mind except the truth, however. He studies at the ground instead of Ashley.]

Oh. Uh. ... I think I died in 2006, so...

[cowardley]

[ It's clear she's said something wrong. He falls silent, and her stomach tenses, and twists. She berates herself before he even says anything. ]

O-Oh. [ And then her eyes on the ground, suddenly shamed and uncertain. Stupid, Ash, stupid. ] I-Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't... [ know. ]

[casperdisaster]

It's okay.

[it is okay, even if he's gone and made things awkward.]

You really didn't know, so.

Um.

[cowardley]

[ oh god what does she do. um. uh. ]

I guess that just means if... if we ever get Netflix here, I'll just have to show it to you. [ a streaming service could do wonders here. ]