inbox for saltburnt

[kobes]

WELCOME TO THE SALTBURNT NETWORK



USERNAME:
koby



text ❖ audio ❖ video

Comments

[viver]

They're clean. And in one piece. [ i swear this isn't a pun. unless ] It's the least I could do.

Would you like to come get them?

[kobes]

I would, yes. I owe you an apology in person for my behavior.

Besides, I'm more likely to wear those than any other style.

[viver]

Oh, good. Which part of your behavior would you be apologizing for?

[kobes]

[an extremely undignified moment of stammering, then:] A-All? Of it?

[viver]

That seems like an awfully big apology. Should I do the same?

[kobes]

W-Well, no, you didn't -- you weren't --

[stammering, blushing.]

I was the one who, um. Propositioned you.

[viver]

And this was an offense to me, you think.

[kobes]

[a faltering hesitation.]

I-It wasn't. Very polite.

[viver]

Yet I remember it being very pleasant.

[ Interesting, the way the house changed everyone around. Part of him would like to believe that this is the act, though. Then they could start playing a different game. ]

Unless you tell me you disagree.

[kobes]

W-Well, I'm not -- I don't mean that it wasn't that.

[because the truth is: jakob was just koby without any of the anxiety or self-confidence issues. jakob wanted what koby wanted, and he didn't let anything stand in his way, and koby admires and envies and fears that part of him.

a little huffy sound, then:] It was very pleasant, yes. I just -- wasn't very polite about it. That's what I mean.

[viver]

Glad to hear it. Shall we give it another try? So you can make any amendments you want.

[kobes]

[another moment of stammering, a sheepish, surprised laugh, then:] I'm not -- cool anymore. Just. So you know.

[viver]

I appreciate the honesty. [ Teasing. ] I've suffered a few changes myself.

[kobes]

[koby laughs again, suddenly sheepish.] You're right, I'm not the only one, we were all -- not ourselves last month. I'm being silly.

If you'd like to, I'd like to see you again, yes. Properly.

[viver]

[ Ah, cute. ]

That sounds like a wonderful idea. Where would you like to meet?

[kobes]

W-Well, I'm usually in the library? Um, or out by the lake, with Abraham Lincoln. [a pause.] The duck, not -- not the person. He's dead.

[viver]

For now, at least.

[ Oh look, a joke about the absolute chaos this place makes out of death. ]

I prefer the outdoors.

[kobes]

-- I guess I can't argue with that. [another of those soft, self-deprecating laughs.]

The lake, then. It's nice this time of year.

[viver]

It is.

I'll make the delivery as discreet as possible for you, love. Just let me know when you're ready.

[kobes]

W-Well, don't -- don't put yourself out.

[the huffy little sounds of someone preparing to go out to the lake.]

But don't, um. You don't have to be sneaky or...or anything.

[viver]

Only because you told me to.

[ Imagine bossing the 6'7" entity around, Koby. ]

You mentioned what's changed. I want to know what stayed the same.

[kobes]

[oh, he's imagining. he's imagining it very, very vividly.]

Uhm. Well, physically, I'm...mostly the same? Same height and everything. No more piercings. Ah...I don't know. What did you mean specifically?

[viver]

I meant whatever came to mind.

[ What better way to know Koby's priorities? ]

Are you going to miss his piercings? My skin had tattoos all over. Scars, too. I haven't decided if I should bring them back.

[kobes]

[there's a pause, but the voice feed is still running, catching the soft sound of grass underfoot, of koby walking through the grounds as he thinks.

finally:] He was unhappy. That part's changed, at least. He felt -- trapped and unsafe and desperate.

[a little huff, then:] I remember the scars. And the tattoos. My scars are worse now, I'm afraid.

[viver]

Interesting.

[ Zephir says the darndest things.

And moments later, once Koby reaches their meeting place, he finds Zephir already there, looking over his shoulder as he turns to face him, clicking a button to end the call and let the phone go in his pocket. The changes to Koby's presentation are as obvious as Zephir's, and yet they're both very much still themselves, aren't they. Two people finding each other through someone else's familiarity — be it mutual friends, family members they share, or alternate selves that did most of the job for them. How many people get a second chance to meet for the first time?

A segway from voice to in-person, as if that's how this conversation started, ]

Why are they worse?