Issue #72

[mistconduct]

[Chris, newly healed, is standing outside the Enclosure. He's looking characteristically excited, eyes gleaming]

Okay. Okay, just go with me on this.

What if this....

[He jerks his thumb back at the Enclosure's door]


....plus this?


[He brings a large box into view, holding it up in both hands.

It's Jumanji - the board game.]


Ten minutes. Get your shit and let's go.

That includes you, Omar.

Comments

[mistconduct]

...It's just a game. Are you feeling okay? You look really crappy.

[fridgetothefire]

Just a game.

Of course.

[She sounds very bitter, drops the knife to her side and takes one step left to allow them to pass, keeps her eyes unblinkingly on him.]

[mistconduct]

...Hey, Anya. Look at me.

What's going on?

[fridgetothefire]

I'm watching you.

[A fact, not a warning. Maybe some of both.]

[mistconduct]

Yeah, I get that. Why? Do you wanna play?

[fridgetothefire]

[No. No.]

Yes.

[mistconduct]

Sweet. You, me, Hornblower. We gotta find a fourth.

Look, you sure you don't need to be dropped off at the infirmary? You look like crap and you're not acting like yourself.

[fridgetothefire]

Why four.

[mistconduct]

[He holds up the box, rattling it]

Game's more fun with four.

Also you're avoiding my questions, Princess.

[fridgetothefire]

[Rattlesnake-fast, her arm strikes out; she punches him across the face, the hard hilt of the knife corroborating the blow.

There's no thought until after she's already done it; and only scattered thoughts then. He's not allowed. He's not - it's not for him. It felt dark and right and good.]

Do not.

[What does she mean. What does she]

Thou shalt not steal.

[mistconduct]

[Knocked flat on his ass, Chris drops to the ground, his nose bleeding copiously. He drops the game, and spits blood across his chest, sitting up]

What the FUCK, Anya?! Jesus! I just got this face healed, you wanna break something else in it?!

[fridgetothefire]

[With total equanimity.]

Sometimes.

I sent her a fruit basket.

[This is the sanest thing she's said all week. It's 100% true and accurate to the thread of conversation.]

cw; gendered insults

[mistconduct]

Fuck off. Fuck off, you can't play with us now.

Ow. God, ow, you bitch.

cw; gendered insults

[fridgetothefire]

You're a bitch.

[Whine, whine, she means. It sounds exactly as childish as it is.]

[mistconduct]

Fucking christ.

Maybe get yourself to the goddamn infirmary to get checked out. Ow. Ow.