eachdraidh | A1. video. [ open to both courts ]

[ it doesn't immediately occur to thomas that he could probably just communicate through a text system--as far as he knows, the locket is a lot easier to use by video, and so he does. the network is presented with a pair of big, brown doe eyes before he leans backwards a little, revealing a face that could be rather familiar to some--dark hair, a button nose, moles like spots littering his face.

this is not the man you are looking for, however: this is thomas "murphy", and he clears his throat before he introduces himself. ]

Hi. I'm Thomas Murphy, and I'm--kind of a new arrival. I guess they'd call me a greenie if this was back home. [ there's no hint of humor on his face, but he did actually just try and make a joke, and his tone is a little lighter, for it. ]

Can anyone tell me about the Seelie and Unseelie--in your own words, if that makes any sense? What you know about it...you don't have to tell me any secrets or anything, but, maybe why you're there, I guess. [ he's not going to say which court he is (though it's obvious eventually, by the background of caer scima), but he just needs to know. ] Or, if you're okay with where you are. Not that I'm not, but...I don't know. Is there any reason why someone wouldn't be? They apparently brought us here for a reason-- [ again. ] --since we have these "shards", or whatever they are, but I don't have a lot of trust for anybody who says that, because it's usually a load of klunk.

I guess that's all I've got to ask. [ a beat. ] Actually, that's not true. Is there another map around here? Besides the one they gave me, I mean, it's not very good. [ ... ] No offense.

[ thomas is just going to shut his trap now. he almost physically winces and shakes his head. ] That's it, honestly. I'm just going to... hang up now. Thanks.

[ thomas does hang up, and the feed ends--for all of five seconds, before he snaps it back on. ] Oh, wait--also, I want to know if anyone here's ever heard the phrase "WICKED is good." It has to look like this. [ after a second, there's a typed out phrase that appears instead, with WICKED fully capitalized. ] That's really all this time. Um, thanks.

[ click! for real this time. ]

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[ he almost laughs when she says that, but it ends up being more of a wince, instead--thomas knows minho pretty much hates teresa, and he wouldn't be surprised if it would go the same way with her. it's not really his fault, but it's just. it's minho, he gets a little defensive of thomas sometimes. but, really, he's thankful for his presence in a way that he can't really match with anyone else (his closest friend and confidant--the last person in the world thomas trusted with all of his soul.) and they were just. they'd have to learn to get along, because thomas still loves teresa, even if he tries to pretend he doesn't, because in the end, he'd come right back to her. he's doing it now, hell.

she flusters him, though, and thomas turns red on his end of the video (checking in before bedtime)--his eyes go up in a faint eyeroll but he clears his throat. ] Something like that. Just...

[ it kind of hurts to say it, because he doesn't remember, he doesn't. ] ...like when we were kids. Right?

Maybe not just like it.

[ which is the nicest possible way she could think of to try to deflect from how much the comment makes her mind sort of swim, sad and hopeful all at once, even though she knows he doesn't remember. it's selfish to be thinking of what he lost with his memory Swipe as "his time with me" instead of "his childhood", but she is, that's where her brain goes. maybe because her time with Tom was her childhood. it's all the same to her. now that she remembers, she can't imagine not knowing. she's almost glad she was asleep for so long after she first got the swipe, like she had time to adjust. even if that time was spent slowly forgetting, instead of all at once. it's hard to say which is worse.

there's also some part of her that wants to mention that they weren't on opposite sides back then, but she can't do it. ]

But only because we used to say it up here. [ said with a tap, tap against her temple. ]

[ aaaaaand then she makes a very obvious "oh thinkythink I'm so clever" face ]

And because you used to sing me to sleep.

[ it's probably ..not funny to joke about making things up and trying to pass it off as reality, just something he can't remember, but she tries to make it clear she's just kidding. although maybe there's some truth to it, only it was the other way around. maybe. ]

[ he's wondering if she's telling the truth or not--how would he know? thomas chose not to get those memories back, and he doesn't regret it one bit, but now, there's a faint twinge of guilt twisting up in his chest, that he can't remember all the things teresa does. thomas thinks that he might not be able to handle it, if he did--maybe his opinion on her would be different, maybe it would be the same. whatever would happen, he'd look at her in a different light, a piece of his childhood and the only real connection to WICKED he had left, save for the tattoo on the back of his neck.

but, she makes a joke about singing, and thomas's cheeks flush, because he is in fact a huge weenie, and he huffs. ] I didn't do that. [ his lame attempt at a joke: ] I'm a really bad singer.

[ there's something lighter to this, something familiar--it's impossible not to fall back into this easy pattern he's had with teresa. thomas eats it up, to be honest. it feels like home. ]

Well maybe not anymore, but back then? Voice of an angel.

[ but she's already laughing, just a quiet one, but it's enough to blow her cover completely. ]

Then again, I have no way of knowing that for sure. Maybe you're still a great singer. Even better now.

You should sing for me.

Yeah right. [ thomas is clearly flustered, and he huffs a little, folding his arms across his chest. seriously, teresa, you're so embarrassing. ]

Maybe you were the one who did the singing, that doesn't sound like me.

[ but he's quiet for a second, because in the end, teresa gets what she wants, and thomas's gaze flicks off screen, face still red. ] Maybe when we get to meet up in person, or something. I don't know. You have to promise not to laugh.

Maybe.

[ she'd rather see him flustered than freaked out, so she'll take it. even if she knows she can't let herself get used to it, not really. it can't always be like this. he's glad that she's alive, she gets that. she gets that might be the only reason why he's talking to her right now. she won't let herself forget it. ]

I won't laugh, I promise.

A1. video. [ open to both courts ]

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