[ Jim writes, but doesn't try to get Zell to look. Instead he tucks the pen back in the book and pulls Zell close, hopefully close enough that he's not looking at Jim and seeing someone that's wrong. Something other than the boyfriend that loves him. He doesn't quite understand what happened to Zell yet. Something he picked up from wandering in and out of dreams? After he fell out of Jim's, maybe. Or maybe it's something that will take Jim too as the day wears on.
The thought tightens his arms around Zell. He needs to stay sane. He needs to be here, because Zell so badly needs to be caught. ]
[He's going to take it a step further and bury his face against Jim's neck. If he can't look, then it'll be okay. Right? Reaching up with shaking fingers to dig into Jim's hair as he takes a deep breath. Again steadying his heart beat as he takes in Jim's smell. Jim still feels right in his arms.
Allowing a moment of silence to fall between them as he gives Jim a squeeze.]
It started off similar to Time Compression. [His voice comes out quietly.] I wasn't alone there. Steph and a bunch of others were all there with me.
[ Jim makes an agreeing noise, and then winces at himself. It's hard not to talk back or ask questions when he just wants to know. More than knowing, he wants to be able to solve the problem, or have enough information to maket hings better.
Instead he's still, letting Zell play with his hair as he holds Zell to his neck.
Something occurs to him, then, and he's wiggling around without actually moving away again. It only takes a few seconds to slip out of his leather jacket and wrap it around Zell's shoulders. Jim hopes Zell can see it if Jim's not wearing it, feel and smell it the way he always can.
Time compression - always comes back to that. Why does it always come back to that? ]
[ The cold mixture of fear and dread started to ebb away with each breath. Slowly he starts kneading the base of Jim’s scalp as he thinks over the weird ass dream. He doesn’t seem to move as Jim wiggles beneath him. It’s not until he feels the weight of his jacket that he opens his eyes and leans back. Looking at the jacket that’s now draped on him and just smiling slowly.
He can see it as well as feel it’s weight on his shoulders. Slowly grinning as he looked at the coat with his favorite pockets. Then his attention goes back to Jim, forgetting for a moment about their predicament. All he can see is the mask staring at him. For a moment his expression falls, before it goes back to a smile. Reaching up to cup Jim’s face to brush his thumb against his cheek bone. ]
I can see your jacket. Guess I can see clothes when they’re off of you. [ Which sucks, especially considering he knows Jim could drop some layers, but being unable to fully enjoy it. He’s watching his own hands now move down what appears to him as the gas mask, but he can feel skin. Locating Jim’s mouth is a bit of a trip. It should be where the filter is on the mask, but it’s his mouth. Brushing his fingers against Jim’s lips. He’s glad he took the time to trace and memorize everything that one night. ]
We could all talk to each other in there, but it got hard to concentrate on them once they showed up. [ Continuing on with the dream. ] The original residents from Norfinbury appeared to talk to us, but they weren’t themselves. I think one was missing their face even. I had Riley talk to me
[ Jim always likes putting Zell in his clothes; even under the circumstances it gives him a little thrill of rightness when Zell's wrapped in the beat-up old jacket that's been with Jim through enough life-rocking moments he can't even count them anymore. It will see Zell through this one, too, Jim hopes as he puts a hand over Zell's bruised one.
His mind goes back to that night, too, when he'd foolishly told Zell that he didn't have to memorize Jim's face. Stupid, now, when Zell has to result to feeling around and looks so lost.
Jim's so caught on that, he misses the first of what Zell was saying - he has to replay it in his head. They could talk to each other, until they couldn't; he can see the parallels to Time Compression already.
He has to reach for the notebook to prompt Zell on, his usual surprisingly neat penmenship just spikey chicken scratch in his haste. ]
What did he tell you?
[ What Jim wants to know, but doesn't ask: Anything that makes this worth it? ]
[ Pressing his thumb against Jim’s lower lip. Normally the sensation of his hands brushing against Jim’s lips sent shivers and excitement all over. Sleeping on his stomach probably stripped off the petroleum jelly from his lips.
He hears the scribbling and waits for the sound of pen on paper to cease before glancing down. Zell can see the difference immediately, which makes him pause a little longer. Looking back at the masked!Jim, with his hand being over what should feel of rubber or plastic, but felt like his mouth. Lowering his hand as he leans close to bump his forehead against Jim’s. ]
We’re running out of time. [ He feels emotions trying to claw their way out of his throat. They have four months left and he can’t even see Jim as he shares the warning. Making a frustrated noise as he puts both of his hands on Jim’s shoulders to give them a squeeze. ]
He wanted to tell us we need to hurry before the town eats everyone like it did to them.
[ Jim's lips are drying out by now but the heat of his breath is a contrast to the rest of his skin, which is rapidly cooling off now that he's donated his jacket to Zell. Where he would often turn a touch to his lips into a kiss he's now still, unwilling to make things stranger for Zell than they already are. He's frozen in place as Zell moves to press their foreheads together.
We're running out of time.
The words are a blow hard enough that Zell can probably feel them hitting Jim. Out of time - to live, to be together, everything, and they're making no progress. It's not the first time Jim's thought that they're all going to die here, but it's the most immediate. His curse is probably lost in a haze of static, but the way he clings tighter to Zell isn't.
In a moment he'll be able to try and reassure Zell, write something that makes sense. As soon as he knows what to say. ]
[ He hates that he has to tell Jim like this. Hates the way he feels him tenses up and clings tighter without being able to see the emotions. Zell has a pretty good idea what Jim might be feeling. Zell himself is has tangled feelings of panic and helplessness trying to nestle its way inside of himself. Jim already has a lot of issues and this definitely isn’t helping any of it.
Trying to temper his own feelings down as he presses his mouth against Jim’s own. Closing his eyes to rely on his other sense as he feels Jim’s dry lips with his own. It’s weird, but like this with his eyes closed he can deal with the weirdness. Needing to feel Jim and to assure him in some way was overriding the weirdness of his senses lying to him. ]
I’m going to find out what the others heard in there. [ Rubbing up and down the length of Jim’s arms to make sure he stays warm. ] We can figure this out. We’ll beat this thing together. [ He’s not sure if any of this is working on his boyfriend. He can’t really see if his expression is changing. Zell feels himself waiting for the sound of pencil against paper or a change in demeanor. ]
DELICIOUS EYEBALL ('s part of the old family recipe)
[ It's - so strange, even for Jim who can see Zell with his own eyes. It doesn't feel right, He in a moment that he so wants something to feel right. So rarely does something between them feel wrong, but this does, Jim thinks even as he chases the kiss. Just a little. He needs every single one.
Running out of time. The sense memory of his fists so tight around the hocky stick, raising it in the air, screaming -
It's gone. He's okay. He's okay, and it's more important to reassure Zell, who he hopes can't see the way he fumbles with the book. ]
[ He lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding the moment he heard the sound of Jim writing on the paper. Not looking at the words quite yet as he slowly drags his nails along the back of Jim’s neck. Feeling the little hair, the differences in lengths, and just reveling in the familiar feel of Jim’s scalp under his fingers. He’s looking again, watching as what should be straps to a mask was actually hair. Pressing a needy kiss against Jim’s jaw as he looks down at the words on the paper.
He remembers Jim saying similar words to him in the past. How he almost believed it from it coming from Zell. That was before they were together and when they were separated. ]
Thank you. [ He says it quietly as he presses another kiss against the mask. He says thank you again against Jim’s cheek. Later on he’ll wonder if it’s everyone who is hidden from his view, but right now only Jim is in his world. Only Jim matters for this moment. ]
[ Like before, Jim stays as still as he can, letting Zell do whatever he needs to do but not initiating anything until he knows what's going to help and what's going to hurt. His hand fidgets with the pencil, twirling it and making a fist around it only to let it go and pick it up again.
His handwriting's really not improving, and Zell probably can feel the shaking from his position as Jim writes out as carefully as he can: ]
[ There's a lot of things he'd like to do right now, like punch a wall or gather Jim up close and hold until he stops shaking. He's not sure which will help Jim, especially when Zell can't really see his boyfriend.
Swallowing as he thinks about the time they have left. ]
We... I think I heard something about how we're close to the halfway mark.
[ If it's been a few months since the first arrivals... well. Only a few more months. He feels cold and it frickin' sucks. Reaching over to ensnare one of Jim's hands to place it on his own face. Trying to encourage Jim to touch him on his own. ] We need to find the center.
[ With the implied permission, Jim sets the pencil aside for the moment and puts both hands on either side of Zell's face, bringing him in until they're forehead-to-forehead.
It only lasts a moment, because Jim needs to reply, but he kisses Zell's forehead before he pulls back.
Half way. It's been... almost four months since Jim came here. Four months until - whatever it is comes for them.
[ He misses the contact as soon as Jim starts writing again. Reaching up to touch his own forehead to give a small smile. ]
Figure a way to open that frickin' metal wall. Winter said townhall is on the other side. [A pause as he remembers the whole follow the spiral part. ] Or find the way around it. We'll just have to check everything. We found another key, right? We'll keep following them. With this much trouble for them already they have to lead to some where good, right?
[ No one else has found keys like these! So it's definitely something new. And traps were another thing pretty new.
Wrapping his arms around his boyfriend as he gives him a squeeze. ] Maybe if that fails we should try bombing one of the snow walls. [ If Kunsel will let them do anything rash. BOOM BABY ]
[ That smile is good. Jim wants to keep it in place, which might be why he scribbles an upside down spider with a frowny face, surrounded by explosion lines. Exploding the spiders is a great plan, right? ]
Nobody goes through that much trouble for something that's not important. Wishing we had a treasure map right about now.
[ That's the kind of puzzle Jim's good at solving. He huffs in Zell's arms and then immediately hopes it's not a painful noise on his end. ]
But you're right. We're not wandering in circles anymore.
[ He's going to snort at the drawing and then turn to look at his masked boyfriend long enough to press a kiss against his cheek or jaw (whatever was closer). ]
Yeah, they wouldn't.
[ The huff comes out normal enough. It seems like the infliction is only when people talk. ]
A treasure map would be nice, but I have the best treasure already. [ Even he can't see or hear him at the moment. Nuzzling his shoulder. ] A map definitely would be helpful. Even if everything is messed up, we could figure out what way to go to kick some ass.
[ Moving to snag the corner of the blanket to drape it lightly on Jim's back. ] We just have to keep moving. [ A pause. ] Not immediately. Can we stay like this for a bit?
[ Zell's ability to be sweet but cheesy in the face of their doom would usually at least get a laugh out of Jim, but right now he can only manage a little smile that's invisible anyway. Instead, he answers with a drawing of a sun and a few stars scattered around it, seemingly at random, and writes: ]
As long as you need.
[ He doubts the others are going to object, once they know what's going on. For now he grips the corner of the blanket and pulls it tight around the two of them so that he can hold on. ]
[ Tracing each of the stars that were drawn. He already misses the sound of Jim's voice, his laughter, and being able to see him smile. It's temporary. Just had to keep reminding himself of that. Closing his hand over the one holding the pen to guide it into drawing a heart around one of the stars. ]
Thanks. [ Nuzzling against the mask- Jim's face. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ Jim writes, but doesn't try to get Zell to look. Instead he tucks the pen back in the book and pulls Zell close, hopefully close enough that he's not looking at Jim and seeing someone that's wrong. Something other than the boyfriend that loves him. He doesn't quite understand what happened to Zell yet. Something he picked up from wandering in and out of dreams? After he fell out of Jim's, maybe. Or maybe it's something that will take Jim too as the day wears on.
The thought tightens his arms around Zell. He needs to stay sane. He needs to be here, because Zell so badly needs to be caught. ]
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Allowing a moment of silence to fall between them as he gives Jim a squeeze.]
It started off similar to Time Compression. [His voice comes out quietly.] I wasn't alone there. Steph and a bunch of others were all there with me.
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Instead he's still, letting Zell play with his hair as he holds Zell to his neck.
Something occurs to him, then, and he's wiggling around without actually moving away again. It only takes a few seconds to slip out of his leather jacket and wrap it around Zell's shoulders. Jim hopes Zell can see it if Jim's not wearing it, feel and smell it the way he always can.
Time compression - always comes back to that. Why does it always come back to that? ]
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He can see it as well as feel it’s weight on his shoulders. Slowly grinning as he looked at the coat with his favorite pockets. Then his attention goes back to Jim, forgetting for a moment about their predicament. All he can see is the mask staring at him. For a moment his expression falls, before it goes back to a smile. Reaching up to cup Jim’s face to brush his thumb against his cheek bone. ]
I can see your jacket. Guess I can see clothes when they’re off of you. [ Which sucks, especially considering he knows Jim could drop some layers, but being unable to fully enjoy it. He’s watching his own hands now move down what appears to him as the gas mask, but he can feel skin. Locating Jim’s mouth is a bit of a trip. It should be where the filter is on the mask, but it’s his mouth. Brushing his fingers against Jim’s lips. He’s glad he took the time to trace and memorize everything that one night. ]
We could all talk to each other in there, but it got hard to concentrate on them once they showed up. [ Continuing on with the dream. ] The original residents from Norfinbury appeared to talk to us, but they weren’t themselves. I think one was missing their face even. I had Riley talk to me
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His mind goes back to that night, too, when he'd foolishly told Zell that he didn't have to memorize Jim's face. Stupid, now, when Zell has to result to feeling around and looks so lost.
Jim's so caught on that, he misses the first of what Zell was saying - he has to replay it in his head. They could talk to each other, until they couldn't; he can see the parallels to Time Compression already.
He has to reach for the notebook to prompt Zell on, his usual surprisingly neat penmenship just spikey chicken scratch in his haste. ]
What did he tell you?
[ What Jim wants to know, but doesn't ask: Anything that makes this worth it? ]
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He hears the scribbling and waits for the sound of pen on paper to cease before glancing down. Zell can see the difference immediately, which makes him pause a little longer. Looking back at the masked!Jim, with his hand being over what should feel of rubber or plastic, but felt like his mouth. Lowering his hand as he leans close to bump his forehead against Jim’s. ]
We’re running out of time. [ He feels emotions trying to claw their way out of his throat. They have four months left and he can’t even see Jim as he shares the warning. Making a frustrated noise as he puts both of his hands on Jim’s shoulders to give them a squeeze. ]
He wanted to tell us we need to hurry before the town eats everyone like it did to them.
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We're running out of time.
The words are a blow hard enough that Zell can probably feel them hitting Jim. Out of time - to live, to be together, everything, and they're making no progress. It's not the first time Jim's thought that they're all going to die here, but it's the most immediate. His curse is probably lost in a haze of static, but the way he clings tighter to Zell isn't.
In a moment he'll be able to try and reassure Zell, write something that makes sense. As soon as he knows what to say. ]
SMOOCHES EYEBALL
Trying to temper his own feelings down as he presses his mouth against Jim’s own. Closing his eyes to rely on his other sense as he feels Jim’s dry lips with his own. It’s weird, but like this with his eyes closed he can deal with the weirdness. Needing to feel Jim and to assure him in some way was overriding the weirdness of his senses lying to him. ]
I’m going to find out what the others heard in there. [ Rubbing up and down the length of Jim’s arms to make sure he stays warm. ] We can figure this out. We’ll beat this thing together. [ He’s not sure if any of this is working on his boyfriend. He can’t really see if his expression is changing. Zell feels himself waiting for the sound of pencil against paper or a change in demeanor. ]
DELICIOUS EYEBALL ('s part of the old family recipe)
Running out of time. The sense memory of his fists so tight around the hocky stick, raising it in the air, screaming -
It's gone. He's okay. He's okay, and it's more important to reassure Zell, who he hopes can't see the way he fumbles with the book. ]
I believe in you.
and thats part of the old family
He remembers Jim saying similar words to him in the past. How he almost believed it from it coming from Zell. That was before they were together and when they were separated. ]
Thank you. [ He says it quietly as he presses another kiss against the mask. He says thank you again against Jim’s cheek. Later on he’ll wonder if it’s everyone who is hidden from his view, but right now only Jim is in his world. Only Jim matters for this moment. ]
i'm nothin if i ain't a kidder
His handwriting's really not improving, and Zell probably can feel the shaking from his position as Jim writes out as carefully as he can: ]
How long?
[ And then, after a moment of hesitation: ]
& what do we do now?
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Swallowing as he thinks about the time they have left. ]
We... I think I heard something about how we're close to the halfway mark.
[ If it's been a few months since the first arrivals... well. Only a few more months. He feels cold and it frickin' sucks. Reaching over to ensnare one of Jim's hands to place it on his own face. Trying to encourage Jim to touch him on his own. ] We need to find the center.
:c save them
It only lasts a moment, because Jim needs to reply, but he kisses Zell's forehead before he pulls back.
Half way. It's been... almost four months since Jim came here. Four months until - whatever it is comes for them.
They won't take us this way. ]
How do we do that?
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Figure a way to open that frickin' metal wall. Winter said townhall is on the other side. [A pause as he remembers the whole follow the spiral part. ] Or find the way around it. We'll just have to check everything. We found another key, right? We'll keep following them. With this much trouble for them already they have to lead to some where good, right?
[ No one else has found keys like these! So it's definitely something new. And traps were another thing pretty new.
Wrapping his arms around his boyfriend as he gives him a squeeze. ] Maybe if that fails we should try bombing one of the snow walls. [ If Kunsel will let them do anything rash. BOOM BABY ]
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Nobody goes through that much trouble for something that's not important. Wishing we had a treasure map right about now.
[ That's the kind of puzzle Jim's good at solving. He huffs in Zell's arms and then immediately hopes it's not a painful noise on his end. ]
But you're right. We're not wandering in circles anymore.
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Yeah, they wouldn't.
[ The huff comes out normal enough. It seems like the infliction is only when people talk. ]
A treasure map would be nice, but I have the best treasure already. [ Even he can't see or hear him at the moment. Nuzzling his shoulder. ] A map definitely would be helpful. Even if everything is messed up, we could figure out what way to go to kick some ass.
[ Moving to snag the corner of the blanket to drape it lightly on Jim's back. ] We just have to keep moving. [ A pause. ] Not immediately. Can we stay like this for a bit?
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As long as you need.
[ He doubts the others are going to object, once they know what's going on. For now he grips the corner of the blanket and pulls it tight around the two of them so that he can hold on. ]
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It's temporary. Just had to keep reminding himself of that. Closing his hand over the one holding the pen to guide it into drawing a heart around one of the stars. ]
Thanks. [ Nuzzling against the mask- Jim's face. ]
wrap?
Anytime.