Leon reads it—well, he gets to "summon me to a midday assignation" and then skips forward to look for anything that isn't that. Skipping to the bottom, he gets to the word prick, reads that part with a disbelieving laugh, and then kinda goes backwards until he gets to "don't decide to suddenly go cruising," and reads that part over, and just fucking loses it.]
Holy, ha ha, oh my god! What?! Are you friggin' serious?! Dude, this's a prank, right?! Where'd you even find this?! You're tooootally screwing with me! That ain't history! No way!
He's a famous poet and this's the kinda thing he wrote? C'mon, man, I could be a famous poet if it's like that! I could one hundred percent produce "art" like this!
. . . So what's "supinated" mean?
[God. He's wiping literal tears from his eyes after that. Who knew dudes got famous for telling chicks they want to screw them nine times in a row? Leon's so ready to become a famous poet.]
So if you use fancy words to say that you just ate and you're lying down in bed with a boner and you want this chick to come ride it nine times . . . that'll get you remembered for, uh, how old is this poem again? Like a thousand years?
Wait, seriously?! This just keeps getting crazier! So was he in love with a hooker, or did he just write this kinda stuff every time he wanted to screw anyone, even if he was paying for it?
[He is so into history right now. Who knew this was possible? History can be cool?!]
This whole thing's like a soap opera! . . . Man, I was a hundred percent right. Nothin' ever really changes, huh?
[William, a guy from across the world and a hundred-whatever years ago, has things in common with Leon, who has things in common with the ancient Roman nine-times-a-day dude . . . it's crazy to think about.
Kinda comforting, too. He flops back on the couch, propping up his feet and grinning over at William.]
Maybe if I asked Kirigiri or Togami about you or somethin', they'd be like, oh yeah, we totally learned about that dude in class, were you asleep? He was a famous politician in England a hundred years ago!
Yeah, I know! Alternate worlds and stuff, right? Heh . . . I mean, I kinda hope you ain't from my world, 'cuz if you are, I've got real bad news about how stuff ends up.
[His smile weakens some, though his face doesn't entirely fall. This topic's not exactly a thrill to get into either, but in a way it hits less close to home than the whole being dead thing, even though they're directly related. No reason to hide one and not the other.]
[He sighs, still relaxed, but a little more sullen about it. And picks up his beer again. What a good idea having a beer is at a time like this.]
It ain't like it's ended yet, but it's real messed up. I didn't really get to see it . . . but I hear it's bad. I don't even know if I'd recognize my life anymore, man.
[That's awful. There's nothing more William can think than that. Depending on what is true or not true here, he has a place to go back to, friends he knows he can rely on and a future that awaits him.
Realizing that's not the case for everyone is a bit of a shock.]
Do you want to go back there? Regardless of everything?
. . . I dunno yet what I'm gonna do. Ah, I talked to Mosley about it . . . 'cuz I figured I couldn't, right? I'm dead, what'm I gonna go back to? Being dead? I guess I could do that if I wanted, he said that, but—no way! No chance! I'm not gonna just accept that!
[He stares down at the mouth of his beer, just because he has nothing else to look at as he thinks.]
He said they can send me back in time with my memories so I can try and change the past, but it's gonna cost me.
[William doesn't trust the guy or really anyone who has power over them here. But well, CERES is also the one that does let them live ordinary lives when things are not running amok. So, he's not willing to gain say anything that might give Leon hope either.]
What is it going to cost you? And do you think it's worth it?
. . . A whole lot. Like, I'm gonna have to save up for years kinda lot. But my other options are living here forever and goin' back without remembering anything so I can't really do shit about it . . .
[He sighs. It sucks, but on the other hand, he's a little grateful sometimes for how out of his hands the decision is.]
I figure I'll stick around here making money or whatever and just see what happens. Who knows, right? Maybe we'll kick CERES to the curb and it'll be better to stay here forever after all! Or maybe not, I dunno. I can't even plan stuff like that out right now . . .
So basically, if I am to understand it right, if you pay him enough, he shall send you wherever?
[It sounded too good to be true. But William had to wonder if it could work both ways. Maybe he could bring people from home here if he had enough money.
But he dismisses that thought immediately. Because what is the point in worrying on it?]
I suppose it is a start though. If it's that simple, there might be hope for all of us.
I didn't ask about wherever . . . and he said it works different for dead and alive people. It was kinda complicated. Why, you thinkin' about skipping outta your world?
[That's an interesting thought. Or maybe the best option really is to overthrow CERES, claim the colony for themselves, and everyone can just live there in peace, or maybe even visit . . .
Leon doesn't spend a lot of time thinking about how he's going to miss his friends here someday, but he sure is having a pang of it right now.]
Not exactly. The technology and advances in this world are everything I have dreamed, nay beyond that. And I have Kevin here as well and do not have to worry about what might happen to him back home.
And you are here as well, as are some other people.
[He sighed though, because this was hard.]
But the path to my dreams is still back home and there are other people there. One in particular that I need to talk to. And more than anything, I need to make that right with him.
[He closed his eyes for a moment.]
But there is no use worrying about that until the moment to choose is upon me.
Shit, how's he supposed to express how hearing that makes him feel? This is dumb! It's a normal thing to say, right? Obviously everyone's happy to have their friends around! You just take that for granted, or they wouldn't be your friends in the first place, right? So why does he feel all tight about it? Why does William saying that make it so hard to swallow?
What do you even say to acknowledge that feeling?
You probably just don't. He decides not to, not wanting to risk getting all—sappy or whatever. But after a beat, he does reach over to smack William companionably on the shoulder. It means, you too bro, or maybe more like please don't leave me.
Smack.]
Who even knows what's gonna happen between now and then? Right? That's how I see it! For now all we can do is go with it and see what happens!
[He laughs a little at the shoulder smack, but says nothing. Because no, he isn't going to just leave Leon if he can help it. Granted, such things are often out of one's hands. But as long as there is a choice...
But do what you can and all of that.]
Exactly. If one ignores their present life for the future, they will live to regret it. So let us make sure to prosper together.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Sighing William takes it and types in the name and then scrolls through a list of hits until he finds a good one and then hands it back.]
Here. Most of them are pretty short translations, though I cannot a hundred percent vouch for quality.
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Leon reads it—well, he gets to "summon me to a midday assignation" and then skips forward to look for anything that isn't that. Skipping to the bottom, he gets to the word prick, reads that part with a disbelieving laugh, and then kinda goes backwards until he gets to "don't decide to suddenly go cruising," and reads that part over, and just fucking loses it.]
Holy, ha ha, oh my god! What?! Are you friggin' serious?! Dude, this's a prank, right?! Where'd you even find this?! You're tooootally screwing with me! That ain't history! No way!
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[He laughs though as he looks over Leon's shoulder.]
It's not all like that, but people from the past are really no different from the people now. They just had different tools at their disposal.
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. . . So what's "supinated" mean?
[God. He's wiping literal tears from his eyes after that. Who knew dudes got famous for telling chicks they want to screw them nine times in a row? Leon's so ready to become a famous poet.]
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And it means to "lie face up." So I think what he's saying is that he's "prepared."
[Or something like that. William isn't any kind of expert on such things.]
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. . . You think it worked on the girl?
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[Or something like that.]
She was a prostitute, so I'm sure his money worked on her.
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[He is so into history right now. Who knew this was possible? History can be cool?!]
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Granted, I do not look too much into the love lives of dead famous people.
[Because what does love have to do with anything?]
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[William, a guy from across the world and a hundred-whatever years ago, has things in common with Leon, who has things in common with the ancient Roman nine-times-a-day dude . . . it's crazy to think about.
Kinda comforting, too. He flops back on the couch, propping up his feet and grinning over at William.]
Maybe if I asked Kirigiri or Togami about you or somethin', they'd be like, oh yeah, we totally learned about that dude in class, were you asleep? He was a famous politician in England a hundred years ago!
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[That had been the case even in Solomon's time. The base desires didn't change, though the form might appear different.
He blinked though at that.]
Hah, that would be interesting, though you know, the England I am from might not have existed in your world? Or something like that.
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[His smile weakens some, though his face doesn't entirely fall. This topic's not exactly a thrill to get into either, but in a way it hits less close to home than the whole being dead thing, even though they're directly related. No reason to hide one and not the other.]
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[That was probably way too blunt, but there's no point in dancing around the subject.]
I mean, if you were not dead, you would have something to go back to, correct?
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[He sighs, still relaxed, but a little more sullen about it. And picks up his beer again. What a good idea having a beer is at a time like this.]
It ain't like it's ended yet, but it's real messed up. I didn't really get to see it . . . but I hear it's bad. I don't even know if I'd recognize my life anymore, man.
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Realizing that's not the case for everyone is a bit of a shock.]
Do you want to go back there? Regardless of everything?
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[He stares down at the mouth of his beer, just because he has nothing else to look at as he thinks.]
He said they can send me back in time with my memories so I can try and change the past, but it's gonna cost me.
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[William doesn't trust the guy or really anyone who has power over them here. But well, CERES is also the one that does let them live ordinary lives when things are not running amok. So, he's not willing to gain say anything that might give Leon hope either.]
What is it going to cost you? And do you think it's worth it?
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[He sighs. It sucks, but on the other hand, he's a little grateful sometimes for how out of his hands the decision is.]
I figure I'll stick around here making money or whatever and just see what happens. Who knows, right? Maybe we'll kick CERES to the curb and it'll be better to stay here forever after all! Or maybe not, I dunno. I can't even plan stuff like that out right now . . .
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[It sounded too good to be true. But William had to wonder if it could work both ways. Maybe he could bring people from home here if he had enough money.
But he dismisses that thought immediately. Because what is the point in worrying on it?]
I suppose it is a start though. If it's that simple, there might be hope for all of us.
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[That's an interesting thought. Or maybe the best option really is to overthrow CERES, claim the colony for themselves, and everyone can just live there in peace, or maybe even visit . . .
Leon doesn't spend a lot of time thinking about how he's going to miss his friends here someday, but he sure is having a pang of it right now.]
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And you are here as well, as are some other people.
[He sighed though, because this was hard.]
But the path to my dreams is still back home and there are other people there. One in particular that I need to talk to. And more than anything, I need to make that right with him.
[He closed his eyes for a moment.]
But there is no use worrying about that until the moment to choose is upon me.
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[You are here as well . . .
Shit, how's he supposed to express how hearing that makes him feel? This is dumb! It's a normal thing to say, right? Obviously everyone's happy to have their friends around! You just take that for granted, or they wouldn't be your friends in the first place, right? So why does he feel all tight about it? Why does William saying that make it so hard to swallow?
What do you even say to acknowledge that feeling?
You probably just don't. He decides not to, not wanting to risk getting all—sappy or whatever. But after a beat, he does reach over to smack William companionably on the shoulder. It means, you too bro, or maybe more like please don't leave me.
Smack.]
Who even knows what's gonna happen between now and then? Right? That's how I see it! For now all we can do is go with it and see what happens!
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But do what you can and all of that.]
Exactly. If one ignores their present life for the future, they will live to regret it. So let us make sure to prosper together.