FORCED HONESTY

[ancillary]

MAGICAL ELEVATOR OF FORCED HONESTY

Your character has just stepped in to one of the teleporters only to find that it's not a teleporter at all! It's an ELEVATOR which is like a teleporter, but not-- your grandparents probably used these at one point. To make matters worse it's an ELEVATOR OF FORCED HONESTY.

○ COMMENT with your character
○ COMMENT other characters and start grilling them with questions they wouldn't answer truthfully under normal circumstances.
○ Abuse and beat the gift of truth like a rented mule
○ aww yiss

Comments

[neverknocks]

Like that's new information. C'mon, Wash, is that really the best you've got?

[ okay yeah technically it's alternate universe Wash she likes, not this one, but -- well, okay, some days they may as well be one and the same. WHATEVER she's still managing to look smug as fuck right now. WASH YOU LOSER. ]

[articletwelve]

Well, I mean-- you don't really think I'm a two by four, do you?

[ yes it is ]

[neverknocks]

{ eyebrow raaaaise ]

Do you really never watch porn? Like -- ever?

[ AHA TRUTHINESS ELEVATOR, DON'T FAIL HER NOW ]

1/2

[articletwelve]

Of course I watch porn! I just never get laid!

[articletwelve]

[ WAIT FUCK ]

I mean-- I didn't-- that's not what I meant!

[neverknocks]

Oh, no, I think that's exactly what you meant.

[ oh she just feels sorry for you now wash

of course it's not like she's gotten laid in a while bUT HER BOYFRIEND HAS BEEN LOCKED UP IN THE CRAZY HOUSE she gets a pass. you have no excuse, wash. ]

[articletwelve]

I hate you.

[ THAT'S HONEST RIGHT ]

...Mostly.

[ ok that counts ]

[neverknocks]

Yeah, yeah, except for the part where you've got the hots for me. Got it.

[ Except oh wow okay saying it out loud makes it less funny and more real and wow okay no awkwardddd

well okay

it's still a little bit funny. ]

At least that wasn't the truth after all. Y'know, with the porn watching. Think you'd be in serious danger of exploding otherwise. Seriously, man.

[articletwelve]

Of course it wasn't. You really think I'd tell someone over the network about-- you know, that?

[ seriously. ]

And I just-- you're-- you're pretty, that's-- you're-- isn't it your turn here?

[neverknocks]

[ wow okay she wasn't expecting him to tell her she was pretty

and

not like that

EDGING A BIT MUCH INTO UNCANNILY FAMILIAR TERRITORY and it shows on her face and the question catches her off guard a bit ]

I -- what the hell d'you mean, my turn?

[articletwelve]

I mean, stop asking me questions and answer some of your own!

[neverknocks]

You haven't asked me any questions, dumbass. C'mon, what do you want to know?

[ not like he doesn't already know the worst of it by now. and she's pretty sure he's too weirded out by her relationship with her wash to ask any details. he was freaked out by the mere mention of it to begin with. plus wash is boring and unimaginative. what could he possibly come up with. ]

[articletwelve]

[ york maybe you shouldn't speak so soon. ]

Like-- you know.

[ He looks nervous, and more than a little uncomfortable, but he's been wondering this ever since she got here and it all kind of spills out of him in a rush. ]

Why do you like-- you know, me? Or-- him, I guess.

[neverknocks]

[ oh wow okay yeah

definitely. not expecting that. ]

I, uh -- what? Seriously?

[ fuck you wash okay uhhhh

York scratches at the back of her head, ruffling her own hair a little, and she lets out a short breath. ]

I dunno, 'cause you -- he -- he's cute and kinda funny and it's easy to be around him, y'know? And he tells me I'm pretty and God is he ever good in the sack, and I dunno, he's just the sweetest thing I've ever met, and --

[ WOW YEAH OK PROBABLY TOO MUCH TRUTH ]

[articletwelve]

[ just

gaping at her

kind of incredulously

because he hasn't exactly heard anything like that about himself in a long long long time (if, you know, ever)

and

yeah

what ]

I-- you-- seriously?

[neverknocks]

Why is that so hard to believe? Seriously, Wash, the incredulous act is getting a little old by now.

[ come on that was not the reaction she was expecting. ]

[articletwelve]

Because-- well, because you're you. I'm not exactly-- you know-- it's just hard to believe, okay?

[ or: wash is terrible with women and finds this hard to swallow. ]

[neverknocks]

[ NO IT ISN'T WASH SHUT UP

She just lets out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. ]

Yeah, well -- consider that I met you -- him -- before Epsilon, remember? You were kind of a different guy back then. Less...twitchy and guarded. And may I remind you that the whole thing with the relationship? Your idea. His. Whatever.

[articletwelve]

...Oh.

Right.

[ Before Epsilon. As hard as he tries, and as much as he's done to get rid of him, he knows there's no going back to who he was back then, and he knows he'll never remember it, not entirely. His tone shifts automatically, empty and distant, and he looks away, folding his arms and leaning back against the elevator wall. ]

Of course.

[neverknocks]

[ well that's a mood killer if she ever saw one ]

Hey -- c'mon, Wash, what's with that look? You forget the part where I also stuck with him through all the Epsilon bullshit? 'Cause it was worth it to me. Doesn't matter what Epsilon did to him -- or to you -- 'cause you're still you. You think this'd be so goddamn weird for me if you weren't?

[ god don't you go shutting down on her you asshole SHE'S JUST BEING HONEST ]

[articletwelve]

[ That's Wash for you. ]

I'm not him.

[ It's a little harder, a little tighter, and he's still not looking at her, stiff and distant. ]

[neverknocks]

[ York rakes a hand back through her hair, letting out a breath through the corner of her mouth. Wash being distant and moody she's kinda used to by now, but she's not really sure what set it off, this time. ]

Yeah, and -- ? I mean, you're pretty close, except the difference is that he's currently all -- locked up, and you're not. C'mon, Wash, what's the hang up here? 'Cause I'm a little lost.

[articletwelve]

[ He looks at her, and his tone is abrupt, sidestepping her question with one of his own. ]

Would you go back?

[neverknocks]

Yes.

[ The word practically jumps out of her mouth before she can even think about it, because how the hell is that a question? Of course she'd go back, and -- well, he doesn't sound happy, somehow, asking it. ]

I mean -- what do you want me to say, Wash? I left him behind, and someone's gotta help him. I made him a promise, and I can't do jack shit about that from here. Plus, I -- I've gotta save D.

this is a meme why am i tl;dring

[articletwelve]

[ She has people to go back to. She has people she cares about, people she has to help, and he understands that -- he gets it, better than anyone, because he'd spent months upon months trying to find a way back just for a second chance, for a shot at changing things, to be able to do something about Epsilon, about him.

Except then he'd gotten it, and it hadn't been what he expected in the least. He'd been forced to let him go, to give up everything he'd ever known, to start over, and now he doesn't know what to do with it.

He still doesn't like being here, exactly doesn't like having to watch his back every moment of the day, the ever-present feeling of being watched, but he'd been content, with York and Sarah, and he'd been able to get used to it, at least. But they were gone, and no matter that things are getting easier with this York, she won't stay, either.

In the end, he always ends up alone.

And he's used to it, he understands it, he expects it, but that doesn't make it any easier to bear.

He doesn't look away, doesn't move a muscle, but there's a flicker in his eyes, just briefly, before it's swallowed back up by the mask. ]

...Yeah.