text | @bustermove

[busternaut]

alright, I give. hair gel brand recommendations: anyone got some?

apparently my usual stuff doesn't exist in this world. and this cheap-ass "FOP" crap I bought to fit within the budget of the uh, "generous" stipend that LILITH gives newcomers... pretty much smells like a chemical factory took a shit. texture it leaves me with feels like that, too.

so yeah. any tips? or hell, gimme a clue on whose arm i have to twist to get these guys to use their fancy tech to zap some TMR-GEL into this dimension or whatever.

[yes he realizes they're on a mission and also in an entirely different country right now, but. look. the situation is unbearable? he feels like a bedraggled and very unsexy sheep, walking around without his hair slicked back like usual.]

Comments

[saudadist]

it's just a suggestion
if you're really looking for quality, shop around and see what you like

[busternaut]

no, it was a pretty great suggestion, actually. seriously, I really appreciate it. thanks.

[He sends a really enthusiastic thumbs up sticker to boot.]

name's Dearka, btw. Revelation team. I probably should've introduced myself at the top.

[saudadist]

[ Oh, stickers. Emojis. She should use those more often. Maybe then her texts won't seem so...clipped. ]

Kaede
you're a new one

[busternaut]

Sure am. Fresh out the medical pod.

Been here long yourself?

[saudadist]

since December

[ Which, when she thinks about it, doesn't seem real? Has time really passed so fast? Is that what it's like when you can call your daily goings-on a routine? Wild. ]

longer than I thought

[busternaut]

damn, so you're basically an old hand at this, huh. maybe i should be calling you senpai?

[saudadist]

[ Why does that word fill her with such a sense of dread...nevermind that she's never gone to school a day in her life. ]

absolutely not

[busternaut]

[GOOD INSTINCTS, GURL. thank god this is a text conversation so she isn't subjected to the obnoxious "HAH" that he lets out IRL.]

hah, damn, alright. still would love to hear from the voice of experience though.

[saudadist]

is that your way of asking for a phone call?

[ She's probably taking that too literal. ]

[busternaut]

i mean... it wasn't, but now that you've mentioned it, i wouldn't say no ;)

i just want to hear your thoughts on the operation. maybe tell me a little about the missions you've run, what kaiju you've fought... you know. that sort of thing.

text -> audio

[saudadist]

[ Sir wtf is that winky face

But, it's easier for her to just talk aloud about some things than others. Compared to typing it all out anyway. Wherever she is, she found somewhere quiet to sit since there's little background noise from the rest of the city. ]

Fine. But my "expertise" isn't cheap. You'll have to buy food or something from Hanabi when we get back.

[busternaut]

[sorry, he winks at everyone, it's his most toxic trait 😔

He is sort of low-key excited to hear an actual voice on the line after that. Way more fun to banter over voice than over text.]

Hoh...? Man, you'd still charge me full price even after hearing about my woeful financial situation? Harsh.

[saudadist]

[ She sighs. A theatrical sort of sound, but one can practically hear her shrugging through it. ]

It's already a cheap bar. I can't go giving you food for free. I might get fired.

[busternaut]

[He's definitely just being playful with her anyway; he's obnoxious like that.]

Alright, alright. I get it. Wouldn't do to drag you down into the financial pit along with me.

[He'll just borrow money from Yzak if he needs to :)]

[saudadist]

[ A laugh. Small, in the back of her throat, but it's there and the smirk that comes with it shapes her words. ]

If you go to your day job, you might get some extra pocket change.

[busternaut]

My day job, huh... Do you know if we have to stick with the one LILITH assigns us to for cover? Because mine sounds pretty damn boring.

[saudadist]

You don't have to keep it if you hate it. I quit mine as soon as I found something I liked better.

[ Because "barista" might as well be another word for "hell." ]

So if you don't like yours, just go find something you do like. Or don't. Nobody will stop you.

[busternaut]

Well, damn. That IS good to know. Thanks!

[Now he has to decide if he wants to be nice and let Yzak know that information as well, or if he wants to let him continue to suffer working at a cat cafe.]