Masa con Papas: Proxy's Memory

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You return with everything and set up on the table as folks gather around.

You do your best to keep a low profile, avoiding eye contact. You catch a glance of Fenton talking to everyone as they gather, Opera taking a quick look over. You barely manage to look away in time but you’re pretty sure she noticed.

Footsteps your way.

She’s approaching, you wince just a little.

Opera: Morning.

Charon: Morning…

Opera: Need help there? Saw you bringing in the syrup…

Charon: All done for now. Should be ready to eat soon. I… hmm..

Opera: Yeah. Got filled in. Styx, the new guy, fiend stuff.

Charon: Mmm.. bit overwhelmed if I’m honest.

Opera: Nobody can blame you for that. Anything I can do for you?

Charon: Hard to say really. Admittedly feeling pretty ugly right now.. Snapped at Geezer earlier.

Opera: Really?

Charon: I apologized but…. I haven’t done anything like that since back then.

Charon: Even after talking to Fenton I just…

Charon: Helped, but I already feel heavy again.

Charon: Promised it wouldn’t get bad but one day in I’m already falling apart..

Opera: Not your fault, whole thing is just rough timing.

Opera: And if you need to back out, you can but…

Charon: But?

Opera: It’d feel wrong not having you I guess.

Opera: You and Geezer were my best friends during all that….really was excited when I found out you both were here together.

Opera: Always makes me happy knowing everyone from back then’s doing pretty well these days. Much as we can….

Opera: Can I uh….

Charon: Hmm?

She makes a gesture for you to turn toward her.

Opera: Let me see.

Charon: Right…

You follow along, not enough to face directly toward her but giving her the opportunity to get a clear look.

She places a finger down gently on your face. Your brain can’t decide if you’re irritated or comfortable the moment contact is made.

Opera: Huh….

Charon: Mm.

Charon: I haven’t seen myself but.. I can tell it’s bad.

Opera: the eyes… dYou return with everything and set up on the table as folks gather around.

You do your best to keep a low profile, avoiding eye contact. You catch a glance of Fenton talking to everyone as they gather, Opera taking a quick look over. You barely manage to look away in time but you’re pretty sure she noticed.

Footsteps your way.

She’s approaching, you wince just a little.

Opera: Morning,

Charon: Morning…

Opera: Need help there? Saw you bringing in the syrup…

Charon: All done for now. Should be ready to eat soon. I… hmm..

Opera: Yeah. Got filled in. Styx, the new guy, fiend stuff.

Charon: mm.. bit overwhelmed if I’m honest.

Opera: Nobody can blame you for that. Anything I can do for you?

Charon: Hard to say really. Admittedly feeling pretty ugly right now.. Snapped at Geezer earlier.

Opera: Really?

Charon: I apologized but…. I haven’t done anything like that since back then.

Charon: Even after talking to Fenton I just…

Charon: Helped, but I already feel heavy again.

Charon: Promised it wouldn’t get bad but one day in I’m already falling apart..

Opera: Not your fault, whole thing is just rough timing.

Opera: And if you need to back out, you can but…

Charon: But?

Opera: It’d feel wrong not having you I guess.

Opera: You and Geezer were my best friends during all that….really was excited when I found out you both were here together.

Opera: Always makes me happy knowing everyone from back then’s doing pretty well these days. Much as we can….

Opera: Can I uh….

Charon: Hmm?

She makes a gesture for you to turn toward her.

Opera: Let me see.

Charon: Right…

You follow along, not enough to face directly toward her but giving her the opportunity to get a clear look.

She places a finger down gently on your face. Your brain can’t decide if you’re irritated or comfortable the moment contact is made.

Opera: Huh….

Charon: Mm.

Charon: I haven’t seen myself but.. I can tell it’s bad.

Opera: the eyes… do they hurt?

Charon: No but… it doesn’t feel comfortable either. Like adjusting to new frames…

Opera: Look like little halos.. Kinda like hers honestly.

Charon: Ah…

You feel yourself sinking in your own flesh.

Charon: I don’t feel like I’m quite all here honestly..

Charon: No clue where I start or end….

Charon: Maybe I’m becoming something awful.
She shakes her head at you.

Opera: Still pretty different. Never really fit quite right, always could tell she was something awful underneath.

Opera: I just see you.

Opera: Maybe a little scared and angry but… you don’t really let yourself do that.

Charon: Don’t want to hurt others.

Opera: You won’t.

Opera: Don’t know how your whole fiend metamorphosis thing is going to work out but…

Opera: Think you’ll be you no matter how it turns out, you know? Just more growing.

Charon: Never really stops…

Opera: Nope. Plus it’s pretty, whoever you got in your life right now is pretty lucky.

Charon: Not really seeing anyone currently..

Opera: Really? Geezer is…

Charon: He never told me that…

Opera: He was going to bring it up later yesterday over Pizza but.. You know.

Charon: That’s fair….

Charon: Wait..

Charon: Are you telling me something?

Opera: I mean…

Charon: Who?

Opera: Someone special… think I wanna keep quiet til we all are done with this. Ya’ll are invited to the Opera house.

Charon: Very punny.

Opera: Had to listen to you and Merc kill every noun on this earth last night, I’m allowed.

Charon: You are..

You turn to face her properly. She returns a tiny grin.

Charon: Don’t understand how you do it. Everyone really…

Opera: Do what?

Charon: Everyone’s been so good to me, think I’d pick a fight if I had to deal.

Opera: Think everyone would throw hands with themselves really. ‘Sides, we get along just fine.

Charon: That’s true. Think you’re more like Geezer than me frankly.

Opera: I wish, I’m so short…

Charon: Same…

Opera: Not gonna get any bigger without breakfast though, shit’s getting cold.

Charon:  You’re 25, no? Think you’re done by now.

Opera: Never too late to become tall.

Charon: That…. Opera…

Charon: No…

Opera: I mean… Fenton told me you might get a inch or two from this whole vampire thing so maybe I’ll get lucky too?

Charon: That’s not quite correct. Biologically I’m more akin to a silkworm with inherited  mimicry meant to look like a dog. I’m more likely to lay eggs than die from UV radiation-

Opera: Nerd!

Charon: Yeah…

Opera: Heh…

Opera: Sit down with me and eat up. I wanna go see the festive stuff in town today.

Opera: Zana and uh… Platino? They’re  gonna be there too if that’s alright.

Charon: Yeah… could use that.