citylogs | [closed]

"Yeah," she says, a little grim. "Don't know about you, but I've never been much of a farmer. I kill cactuses, even.

"What about you? Done much exploring? Found anything interesting?"

"I wouldn't mind learning. But it's one thing to grow some parsley on your windowsill and another to feed a city..." He has slightly more confidence given his track record with fish, but. Bit of a joint effort there between himself and Marc, and even if they could find and catch a live one somehow, he's definitely not going to volunteer rearing fish to be eaten.

"Not really, no. Marc's been adamant about not going off on me own too much so... and anyway I do love me some books. I've been reading a lot. You know you can normally tell a lot about a place by how accessible their libraries are. How many bookstores they have and what's being sold, what's not being sold, whether there's a separate children's section and whatnot." She probably shouldn't show Steven the contents of her fridge if she doesn't want to be judged.

"Considering how hard it is to get information about the city otherwise... It's been easier to just look elsewhere for clues."

That catches her attention. "Reading what? Find anything good?"

"There's a bookstore near one of the tube stations." It's a delicate balance between Marc not wanting Steven to spend the whole day holed up in the bookstore and Steven not wanting to help himself to the entire store and clutter up the apartment they're staying in.

Besides, the way the bookstore works, Steven has to trade stories if he wants to take other peoples' stories, and while he's full of stories, some fiction and some nonfiction ~~and some mental illness~~ he doesn't want to fill the bookstore with himself just because he's knowledge-hungry.

"I'm sure there'll be a library in the university or near the town hall or something but I haven't gone exploring much..." It's awkward to say that Marc gets anxious if he goes out alone without adult supervision, so Steven leaves it at that.

"I think mostly it's stories from other people who were pulled in here. Historical events from their place of origin, creation myths and whatnot. Have you been to the bookstore yet?"

"Oh! Right."

She looks mildly disappointed for a second before she nods.

"I thought you meant something from the City. I poked my head in. Glad someone's doing that." A wry smile. "Guess it does say a lot about the place that all we've got to read is each other's campfire stories, doesn't it? Bloody Chaucerian."

For her own part, she's thought about contributing a story or two -- maybe what she remembers of something like Peter Pan, or the fairy tales her gran used to tell her. What exactly is stopping her, she couldn't say. Misanthropy, distraction, take your pick.

"You said Marc doesn't want you going off on your own? 'S a bit controlling."

He's keeping his eyes peeled for that. He'd love a local bookstore, or library. But failing that, the one they have is better than nothing.

"It's not so bad I suppose. Even if it means we can't learn anything about this place, we can at least get to know each other better. That is worth more sometimes, innit?" Even if they found some clues, like maybe the name of this place, or where in the world this place might be, what good would that do them? They'd still have no way home. They might not even recognise it if they're on a completely different-- planet or solar system or time or whatever. Steven's not ruling that out, despite all the familiar comforts this city has offered to him.

"Marc? He's not controlling. He's just-- worried. He's a worrier." And also a warrior, sure, but mostly a worrier as far as Steven is concerned. "Silly things have happened here, you know. Not as safe as it looks. He'd worry about you too and warn you about all the dangers if you gave him the chance."

Johanna snorts.

"Silly isn't the word I'd use, bruv, I'd say bit fuckin' horrifying. If he's been saying not to go into any of the new big building that pop up I'd say he's probably got a point."

She shrugs. "But if he told me not to go outside, I'd still probably tell him where to shove it."

"Yea alright..." Steven hasn't seen the bulk of the horrifying but he can attest to some discomfort with things that have happened in the city. Fortunately or unfortunately, he's still rather sheltered from everything.

"The mall wasn't much to write home about, I'd heard." He didn't hear why, exactly, but at the same time, does he really need to know all the nitty-gritty details? Malls never really held much appeal to Steven to begin with so Marc didn't have to worry about Steven spending too much time in there anyway... although yes he would have checked the place out the first time had he not been ~~banned~~ forewarned from going.

"I suppose you're well within your right but I don't like to talk to him like that..." Steven has one or two mean bones in his body, contrary to popular belief, but he'd never say something like that to Marc.

"It's not always a controlling thing, with people. Sometimes they do genuinely care for you, you know. Even if it sounds ludicrous, like not going outside. He might know something you don't." And proceed to gaslight the living daylight out of you and pretend like everything's fine... Because that's completely normal, no?

This is actually ... feeling slightly concerning to Johanna. Yes, Steven seems timorous and out of his depth, but keeping him from going outside? Somehow keeping him from hearing about the nightmare of the mall? Is he just downplaying things, or is Marc actually sheltering him like a fairy tale princess?

"'Course you don't talk to him like that, you're -- well, what are you two, anyway? Twins separated at birth or something?"

"Ummmmmmmm... something like that!" Although given how high-pitched that 'um' was, it's safe to say it's nothing like that. They haven't exactly come up with a better cover story just yet and it's better if they're both working on that actively rather than going off saying different things to different people. It'd be confusing and obvious that they're lying if those people started talking to each other.

"I suppose we don't seem like it. He's very-- better." Steven clears his throat. "I mean he's got this tall, dark, mysterious, handsome thing going on." Despite the fact that they sort of basically look the same. "Man of action and few words. I'm sure he's very popular. I'm not. But at least it makes it easier to tell us apart?"

"You look the same."

Clearly something is going on, and both of them have been weirdly evasive about it.

"So, you're both tall, dark, and handsome. He's just more American about it."

She frowns at him. "Are you clones?"

Like, she's pretty sure that's not how clones actually work, but hey, there are more thing in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in her philosophy.

"We do not," Steven protests. "His hair is different." Because, you know, it's not like they choose to put products or colours or Hello Kitty hairpins or whatever else in it.

"Ahaha! Clones? What? Of course not!" Somehow, there's less overacting in a primary school nativity play than there is Steven and his deer-in-headlights 'grin'.

"Haven't you met-- twins before? We're what twins look like. I mean not all twins of course. Just. Marc and Steven. Grant. Marc and I."

Johanna makes approximately this face as Steven keeps trying to clamber out of that hole. When it seems like he's paused, she raises her eyebrows.

"Okay, well. I'd recommend you just say twins in the future, then, and leave it at that, 'cause right now you're overselling it a bit."

"Why is it that hard to believe? I know I'm not-- even nearly half the man he is, but." Steven scrunches his face up as the inferiority complex sets in, digs in deep.

"We can be twins and still be our own men. Or-- live life in our own way."

"The idea that you're twins isn't hard to believe."

She pushes her plate to the side and leans forward, elbows on the table.

"But you're afraid it's going to be, so you say it like you need me to believe it's true, instead of expecting me to believe it's true. You ever played two truths and a lie?"

"No." And he doesn't really understand what she's trying to say. He said they were twins and he's pretty sure Marc has also been saying they are twins but, whatever her interactions with Marc has been like, it didn't seem like she believed Steven...

"Am I supposed to tell you two truths and one lie?" The name of the game seems fairly obvious at least...

"Yeah, but here, I'll go first."

She counts off on her fingers: "I was born in Birmingham. I've got an older brother. And I've always wanted to have a white wedding."

All of these are delivered with complete sincerity, staring straight into his eyes.

"Now, which of those do you think is the lie, and why?"

"White wedding!" Steven exclaims almost instantaneously. Before his face falls and he inwardly cringes a bit. This first date is going really poorly. He tenses up a bit in anticipation of getting punched in the arm.

"There's nothing wrong with them! Or you!" Ugh, oh dear, how is he going to dig himself out of this hole?

"You just. Didn't strike me as a conventional sort of gal... And you seem to have a-- oh I hope you don't mind me saying this, but. You seem to have a complicated relationship with capital-H-Him."

Johanna bursts out laughing at how fast he answers.

"All right, fair cop, that was kind of an obvious one. D'you mean I have a complicated relationship with God?"

Steven nods a couple of times.

"Are you a woman of faith?" It's a loaded question, he knows, and it means something different to different people. But even then, people are inclined to say 'yes' or 'no' even if they might not think to seek common understanding first.

"Sure," slowly. This certainly wasn't where she was intending this lesson in con artistry to go, but hey. May as well see where it leads.

"But, yeah, probably not the way most people mean. I do exorcisms, and the rite calls on, you know." She sketches a sign of the cross. "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. But those are just words. I'm not Catholic."

"I see." She does exorcisms. That's totally normal. "I work at a gift shop." Just. Since they're going full disclosure on their first date.

"Is there um... a lot of demand in the. Exorcisms industry?" Steven asks, voice crawling up higher and higher in pitch. He doesn't know how to have a normal conversation, let alone about exorcisms.

"Do they um... strengthen your faith, perhaps?"

Smiling: "You've mentioned the shop, yeah."

Then she shrugs. "Enough demand to pay my rent. Anyway, I'm going to need you to define 'faith.'"

"Oh yeah I meant. Since you were telling me what you do and all. I should do the same." He flashes her a tight-lipped, somewhat sheepish little smile.

"I d'know. I've always gone to temple and observed all the holidays and. Well maybe I haven't. I d'know. Anyway--" Maybe Marc just made him believe that mum raised a good Jewish boy, but since mum is mostly imaginary mum and Steven doesn't know what really did or didn't happen, he's kind of confused about it all.

"Anyway a lot of things have happened fairly recently and I've had a lot of questions. But I still pray and complain a lot. I guess-- faith is something in between doing all the traditional things and feeling like praying and complaining are the same." Steven breathes out a long sigh. Did that ramble answer her question or make her more confused?

Well, a bit of both, but Johanna suspects that may be partially a her problem.

"Does complaining to God feel like it helps? 'Cause it doesn't for me. Always got the sense He or She or They're busy elsewhere, if They care much about me at all."

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