test drive

[ragetoriches]

[ who knew that the afterlife would be a white-stark waiting room? not just a waiting room, but a string of waiting rooms with two unmarked double doors on either side of the receptionist's desk, left with a green light and right with a red light, both leading to another white-stark waiting room with two more unmarked double doors with a red or green light that lead to more white-stark waiting rooms, ad infinitum. to keep the line moving, reception will say - there are a lot of factors to judge one's soul and thank you for your patience, reception will say. nothing in the rooms themselves but rows of chairs lining the wall for you to sit and wait with every other newly-dead or just-dead or long-dead or forever-dead soul here, some are processed faster than others and maybe this is your first room or your second room or your thirteenth room or your seven thousandth room, it seems there's no rhyme or reason to which door leads to where because the occupants in each room seem just as mixed in every which way as the last room does.

the guy sitting next to you with his hands shoved comfortably in modern jacket pockets and his posture dripping in a languid sort of been-here-so-long-I-slept-in-this-chair attitude speaks up, abruptly breaking the deathly silence. ]

Which one you think you in for, left or right?

Comments

[ragetoriches]

[ crosses his arms and leans back, a little soothed by her laugh but ]

. . . How come you so damn calm 'round me if that's what you know me for.

[morethanyou]

I didn't get a chance to know you for anything else. But it's been a couple of years since then, and I know T'Challa wished so badly it could have been otherwise. That we could have been family. And I thought... if this is my vision, maybe I'm seeing you for a reason.

[ragetoriches]

[ wait ]

Hold the fuck up.

[ standing up, abruptly ]

What happened to T? I thought you was dead but you out here seein' visions?

[morethanyou]

...

[takes, a breath. trying to stay calm but her voice gets tight and her hands ball into fists.]

He died, cousin. Along with half the universe. I'm taking on the mantle of panther now.

[ragetoriches]

[ i mean sure half the universe died but more importantly: ]

I'mma kick his ass.

[morethanyou]

[laughs shakily, tears spilling over]

Get in line.

[ragetoriches]

[ aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

reaching out, instinctively to her - before he draws back, maybe like

???? DO I?? IS THIS AWKWARD

before he just does it anyway like

sorry at least being offended and confused is better than crying and upset (this is probably not true?) ]

[morethanyou]

[well... she's not offended, but that does make her tense up. just because she was being calm doesn't mean she's actually relaxed around... any... version of him... getting right up in her space. she doesn't back up, though, watching him levelly and staying exactly where she is. it does at least give her something else to focus on, so she stops crying.]

[ragetoriches]

[ honest to god just awkwardly patting her back, giving her his shoulder to literally cry on if you know

necessary

though he does draw back ]

Sorry. Guess that was weird.

[morethanyou]

It was extremely weird, but you don't need to apologize.

[but. she doesn't seem displeased.]

You must have known your version of me all her life.

[ragetoriches]

. . . Yeah.

[ still a bit awkward, but more solemn ]

I been wit' her since she was still a tiny egg stirrin' in her mama's belly. Woulda taken a bullet for her - woulda killed for her, too.

[morethanyou]

...

[her expression is soft as she listens, but then she wrinkles up her nose at him, lightening her tone]

So she had two overprotective boys watching over her? How did she ever get anything done?