17th Fix

[technohippie]

[Thanks to being at stage three, Quinn really messed stuff up with his best friend in town. He's wrestling with a lot of feelings that a chill and in-control guy like him never deals with normally, and still being under the secret-blurting effect, really wants to get this off his chest to someone. The problem is that he doesn't know who to go to, and he doesn't really want to start blurting out more secrets and ruining more friendships today. Oh, but he really does want to talk, doesn't he? Thanks, Mayfield.

What Quinn will be up to:

A) In the garage at home, doors open, playing with all his electronics as usual. There's music playing, but it's not blaring this time. The ashtray on his table is overflowing with cigarette butts. Quinn's just making himself look busy, tinkering around with no real goal in mind. He'll be using his technomancy, talking to his electronics about his problems, but they don't really get it.

B) He'll be stopping in to check on his buddy Scott Pilgrim, who, from the last call he made, sounded pretty bad off. Knock knock at 2242 Stevens Road.

C) Out at the grocery store, restocking on cigarettes. And maybe some beer. And keeping his head town to hopefully avoid people! Quinn looking nervous and worried is pretty unusual to anyone who knows him.

D) At night, Quinn's at the park, laying at the grass and looking up at the stars. His laptop is next to him, and he has his headphones phones on and a cigarette in his mouth. This is his best idea on how to shut off both the world and his mind for awhile, but that doesn't prevent anyone from approaching him.

Comments

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Hey, don't worry 'bout it. My family's fulla crazy redneck fire mages, if it makes ya feel any better.

[ooeeooahah]

[ This gets a surprised laugh from her. ]

So how far away do you have to be when somebody says, "Here, hold my beer"?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Oh man, you joke but don't act like that stuff don't happen all the time! [He grins.]

[ooeeooahah]

[ It feels good to laugh with all of the tension she had this morning. ]

Pfft, I've had to do some haint-chasing all over. About every three summers or so we get the solstice warnings. You go in, thinking you're going to have to wade into a centuries-long feud with the ancestors wading in, and find out it's a wedding, with the families showing off for each other. Now, that's a party.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Wow, and I thought my family was pretty crazy. Though my family will take any opportunity to show off. It wouldn't be a family barbeque without something getting blasted sky high.

[ooeeooahah]

Oh, man - I grew up in the calmer section of town, with Grandmere, that's my maternal great-grandmother, trying to get my parents to groom me for the Junior League or some nonsense. But when I started showing talent for magework, and trying stuff outside Mama's field, my sister and I got to visit the cousins over the summers.

[ She's not sure if it's Mayfield or just being able to talk shop with somebody here that's bringing up the stories. ]

My first summer in Austin, I was 10 and Nadine was 8. We accidentally were in on a chupacabra hunt. Luis was a great teacher for tracking. Not so great on knowing when to send the kids back to the house. Aunt Sally raked him over the coals for that one. Didn't learn he dipped tobacco until years later when he kissed me at the fireworks.

[ Yep. Mayfield strikes again. ]

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[He lets out a low whistle.] And I thought my family was all over the place.

[ooeeooahah]

Yeah, Mama's side of the family tend to be guardians one way or another. I've got lots of family near military bases because most of them join up, then settle down near their last assignment. Have a few diplomats in the mix, social workers and police. I'm one of the first full-time doctors in a couple of centuries, even though there's been a few brujas, houngan and shamans that have some healing talents on the side.

[ she takes a long pull form the beer. ]

I'm curious, but I'm really trying to not ask any more questions.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Nothin' so exotic in the Hatch bloodline, far as I know. Grandpa's been around a long time though, so who even knows. He's always tryin' to go and marry us off though, so he's been harpin' on me. Settle down with some nice mage girl. Mages are ageless where I'm from, so I'm not exactly in a hurry, myself.

[ooeeooahah]

Well, there's taking your time, and then there's just playing the field. But if you live a century or so, there's plenty of time. Of course, I'm from a family of long-lived mages on one side and really long-lived poly adherents on the other, so I'm not the most normal person to ask.

[ ...and she forgets about Mayfield being horrible today. Sorry, Quinn. /small>]

Settling down with a nice mage boy isn't an option in your family yet? or a couple of mages to settle in with?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Boy, girl, mage, not a mage, don't matter much to me. My parents and Grandpa, though? Yeah, they got some things to say on it. My family don't usually seem like the traditional times, but they can fool ya.

[ooeeooahah]

Well, shoot. Ageless in-laws are forever, too.

Daddy's just been worried that I haven't brought anybody home to meet them in... a while.

[ She frowns. ]

Last one I introduced to the family was... six years ago? Has it been that long?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I mean, anything I have long-term makes more sense to be with a mage, thanks to that.

Ha, my family's more surprised when I do bring someone home. Cuz I mean, pretty much everyone breaks up with me fast so I don't usually-- Nng. [GODDAMNIT MAYFIELD.]

[ooeeooahah]

Gods, hon - we might be at the opposite ends of the spectrum. You enjoying the mayfly love affairs, and me looking for a forever... hm.

[ This pause, Quinn? It isn't her trying to stop from saying something, it's a thoughtful pause. ]

Would you say that this friend of yours is any different from your other lovers in the past?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[He shrugs.] I dunno. Ain't even like I haven't liked someone before, or asked 'em out. Far from it. Usually I, ya know, ask first and not just grab 'em by the shoulders tellin' 'em how much I wanna sleep with 'em.

[ooeeooahah]

Hon, how long have you known him?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[He thinks on it.] I dunno, 'bout six months or so now?

[ooeeooahah]

Hm... how long do you usually wait before asking?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Depends, I guess. Not usually this long. I guess I don't wait around much. I dunno why things are so different this time. [He really doesn't, obviously, since he can't lie.]

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa sips her beer, thinking. ]

Being on the outside, all I've got is theory. Think you might have been taking things slow because this time, it's that important?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[He sips his beer thoughtfully.] Maybe. Heh. Man. Wish I woulda had more time to think this whole thing over. Thanks for nothing, Mayfield.

1/2

[ooeeooahah]

You want a baba to make the formal request, let me know. Gods know I'm better at setting up others than finding my mate.

[ She sips her beer again. ]

2/2

[ooeeooahah]

...just hope he can deal with cross-planar half-breeds.

[ Not even caring about the truths Mayfield is crushing out of her, now. At least the beer is good for that. ]

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

The offer's much appreciated, but I definitely should work on this myself, I think. Now if I could only help you out, darlin'.

Caution: teal deer crossing

[ooeeooahah]

I'm beyond help in some ways. I have a not!husband that dislikes physical contact, and I'm a subconscious cuddler. So every time Mayfield puts me in my assigned bed, he wigs out. Growing up in a family that communicates by touch as well as talking, it'll take more than a few months for me to reprogram myself, and I'd rather not.

I'm attracted to several people in town, but the whole place blows up so often there's not really a good time to approach them. I am having to step carefully around so many cultural standards, I can't tell if somebody's being polite or interested. I relied so long on my empathy to tell me these things, I have to really watch the body language, and even that can throw me off. I mean, I'm dancing around some values trying to find out if I give in to my impulse and wall him, is he going to be offended, fight it, allow it but discard me the next day, or is he waiting for me to make the first move?

[ She sags in the chair. ]

I kinda wish they weren't kidding about having a barbecue and orgy.