weboftime | IC Inbox

"Thank you. I appreciate your candor."

He closes his ruined eyes again.

"You did luck out on the timing of things. People probably won't be thinking about your... stunt in the dining hall. After all of this, I mean."

"I didn't notice any change to my life after my 'stunt,'" he points out blandly. "Except for the people who came to visit me who don't even know me."

"And you're being very short sighted if you think that people don't take their time on things." He leans back against the chair. "Right after is too obvious. People wait. Keep your eyes- ha! - open."

"Or what? They'll kill me?"

He shakes his head. "It doesn't matter."

"Possibly," he admits with a nod, "possibly something else. I couldn't tell you. As I'm not planning on killing you, obviously."

"I already know that Trixie is accompanying me to the dining hall if I need to go inside. Fortunately, that shouldn't be an issue."

If she wants to put herself in harm's way, that's up to her.

"But I do think that there's enough to distract people."

"I certainly hope so." Which is all he's going to say about it because Henry's going to be a pompous little shit and probably get shivved for it. He doesn't like it but stressing the point more hardly helps.

"Someone brought me a cassette player," he remarks after a gentle lull. He reaches over with one hand and the drawer opens beside Jon's leg. "With music. So I suppose not everyone hates me for it."

"Oh?"

He isn't moving, just letting Henry do as he likes.

"Well, that's good to hear. Have you been enjoying the music?"

The player raises up and it set down gently on the desk beside him. "I don't know if I enjoy it, but - it helps pass the time."

He enjoys it. He just doesn't want to admit it.

He doesn't turn his head towards Henry but his attention goes from him to the player. Then he'll reach out and click the 'play' button to see what music it is.

It's Elvis.

Something his parents would certainly not have approved of, which is a shame, because he's found he quite likes it.

"Do you know it?"

That's a nod.

"It's rock and roll, specifically, Elvis Presley. A very famous performer, one of the most famous." He turn to Henry. "Do you like it?"

"I think so," he finally admits. "Music is - odd for me." He recognizes that it's the only thing that cuts through his powers, at least the only thing he's found, but that doesn't mean he wants to reveal that information in this moment.

"We didn't hear much of it."

"Is it something you'd care to explore?"

Because he knows he has his taste, but no doubt the library has plenty.

"I was given a variety," he points out. "No need to explore outside of that."

"But the Elvis is what you liked best?" is what he takes from that.

"Yes, Jon," he says with a sigh. "Obviously. Why does that matter?:

"Because then I know what I ought to bring for you next," he says as if that should be obvious.

"To expand my horizons, yes," he huffs.

"Trixie brought me ice cream. This all seems like a theme."

"To let you try things that you might like," he says with a snort. Thankfully, he's to the point where that isn't so painful. "It's this strange situation where people like you... and want to give you things you might like."

"Because you all want me to have a link back to my humanity," he mutters. "I understand."

Oh, the eyeroll.

"No, for goodness sake," he says with a genuine huff of annoyance. "Offering you music is about something... you might enjoy. Ice cream is the same. There's nothing intrinsically human... about ice cream. Or rock and roll. Or anything else. We're literally just... offering you things... because we think you might like them."

A sigh.

"I understand where you got the idea... that any sort of... stimulus or gift was tied with a lesson. It's not rocket science. It's just not the case."

He's quiet again, staring at the ceiling.

"I didn't get gifts, Jon. My birthday and Christmas, yes. From family. But after? Every gift came with a catch."

There's a long pause before he nods.

"I realize that. Which is why I'm telling you: there's no catch, at least from me. I doubt there's one from Trixie. I can't speak for anyone else."

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