Apr 01 20:29:00 <Antichthon>	Exercise time! Cass' favorite part of the day! Yeah, no. She sat on the edge of the pool in a black one-piece swimsuit, looking all the tinier and frailer without clothes to hide her body. Hex sat beside her, dutiful little bot she was. The pool was entirely empty, which sucked; as a rule, Cass didn't exercise unless another set of eyes was watching her. She hadn't lived this long
Apr 01 20:29:00 <Antichthon>	without valuing redundancy in her safety net.
Apr 01 20:33:25 <Knave>	Callum wandered into the pool area, fully dressed, and gave a low appreciative whistle. "Very fancy." He said to himself, apparently before noticing that Cass was in the room and raising a hand in greeting, "Oh. Hey. I was just... checking the place out."
Apr 01 20:34:57 <Antichthon>	"Oh, yeah, super fancy," Cass said, rolling her eyes. She was used to much fancier things, after all. "But hey, while you're here, you're going to watch me and make sure I don't drown." It wasn't a question.
Apr 01 20:36:06 <Knave>	Callum stands at the edge of the pool, arms folded, grinning, "I didn't hear a 'please' in there, missy."
Apr 01 20:37:31 <Antichthon>	Cass grinned back. "You're right, you didn't." she slipped into the pool and began her disabled-girl-pool-exercises. "So. Hey. How you holding up?" It was clear she meant in regards to the mission.
Apr 01 20:42:03 <Knave>	Callum sighed heavily, his arms drooping back to his sides. He paused, eyes on the ceiling, thinking over his answer. "I sent a girl to a life of imprisonment. Maybe worse. I couldn't do anything about it. Even got a pat on the head for it." Callum pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed slowly, "I'm not doing great. Thanks for asking."
Apr 01 20:44:09 <Antichthon>	"Yep. Real world sucks." Cass went under the surface for a moment, popped back up flipping her hair and spraying water. "Makes you feel any better, if it wasn't us, it would have been someone else. GWU isn't going to let a threat level five walk." Beat. "Doubt it makes you feel any better, though."
Apr 01 20:45:22 <Knave>	"You're not wrong." Callum says, then catches himself, "About making me feel better. You're wrong about the world sucking." His eyes follow Cass's head through the water.
Apr 01 20:47:51 <Antichthon>	More Cass grins. "Oh, no I'm not. Try being my size. Try being genderfluid. Try being in a wheelchair. Try being all three. The only reason you're still naive is because you're big enough to scare off the predators."
Apr 01 20:50:24 <Knave>	Callum methodically takes off his boots, then his socks, then rolls his jeans up to his knees and sits down at the edge of the pool, feet in the water, "My pa used to tell me it's just as hard to carry a tonne of feathers as it is to carry a tonne of bricks."
Apr 01 20:50:49 *	Impy_ (uid63941@vp-58605.richmond.irccloud.com) has joined
Apr 01 20:53:36 <Antichthon>	Cass whooped when Callum took off his boots and made a disappointed noise when he stopped. "C'mon, mate. Join me, it's just the two of us. I want to see that hot bod. Oh, and if you're trying to say you have as many problems as I do but just in a different form, fuck you."
Apr 01 20:58:33 <Knave>	"I'm just saying, I don't think this is the place to try to say you've got it the worst." Callum shrugs, "You might have it worse than me, sure. But everyone struggles one way or another, and here people struggle in ways I haven't imagined yet." He shuts his eyes for a moment, still refusing to join in the fun - not even kicking his feet, "Sorry. I shouldn't have compared my problems to yours."
Apr 01 21:00:24 <Antichthon>	"Look, I'm not going to say other people don't have it as bad as me. I'm just saying you're not one of them. And that's why you have these pie-in-the-sky ideas that the world isn't just a giant pile of shit, waiting for the first opportunity to bend you over a barrel and go to town."
Apr 01 21:01:51 <Knave>	"Good things do happen, Cass." Callum says, softly. He sounds practically childlike,
Apr 01 21:04:33 <Antichthon>	"Oh, sure, definitely," Cass said, rolling her eyes again. "Like how the mouse might have a few seconds to enjoy the cheese before the trap snaps shut, popping her eyeballs and spewing goo everywhere." She made a splortching sound and illustrated it with her hands.
Apr 01 21:07:50 <Knave>	Callum sighs and takes off the white t-shirt, revealing the muscular body of a hard worker and an athlete, tan barely faded from summer. "Good enough for you?" He says sarcastically, stuffing the shirt into one of his boots.
Apr 01 21:10:04 <Antichthon>	Cass laughed and slow clapped. "Oh, hell-to-the-fucking-yes. Keep going, please. You are some serious candy on the eyes."
Apr 01 21:14:02 <Knave>	"You're not bad yourself." Callum says, sitting back with his hands on the ground, clearly refusing to go further. He continues in a faux-weary tone, "The compassion of charity workers, the tireless efforts of doctors, the simple beauty of a cornfield on a sunny day - all of that can go hang. But Callum Ellis taking his shirt off, there's your proof of some fundamental good in the universe."
Apr 01 21:18:58 <Antichthon>	Cass raised an eyebrow. "You have a thing for tiny undeveloped girls? Not something you should admit in public. And, fuck. You want me to admit there's good in the world? Yeah, of course there is. But it's a drop in a bucket against an ocean of shit. And yeah, Callum Ellis taking his shirt off is more important to me than any of the crap you said, because it's benefitting //me// directly."
Apr 01 21:20:34 <Knave>	Callum lets his head fall back. Eventually, he decides to let the pessimism and subjectivism wash over him and brings it back up with, "Well, we're not in public, are we? It's just you and me."
Apr 01 21:21:40 <Antichthon>	"Indeed we are. Now keep stripping, I want to see the rest of you."
Apr 01 21:22:39 <Knave>	"I appreciate your blunt honesty, Cass." Callum smiles blithely, leaning forward, "I really do. It's refreshing."
Apr 01 21:26:28 <Antichthon>	Cass sighed. Beside Callum, Hex sprung to life, dove into the water and created a seat for Cass. "Look, Callum. Your optimism is admirable, really. As if your willingness to see past all this," she gestured to her body, "And all the shit in here," she gestured to her head, "To see something you apparently like well enough to hang around by fucking choice. But any way we slice it, you
Apr 01 21:26:28 <Antichthon>	are sheltered. You are naive. And what happened during the mission only scratches the surface on how fucked up this world is. Okay?"
Apr 01 21:33:13 <Knave>	Callum grows a hard look in his eyes. "I'm from Kansas, Cass, not a 1950s sitcom." This'll be the most serious Cass has likely seen him when nobody has been drugged by armed guards, "I've seen my share of lives being ruined for no good reason and I've seen enough of the news to know that's happening much, much worse elsewhere. I'm not an optimist because I don't know what the world's like. I'm just an optimist."
Apr 01 21:33:13 <Knave>	He's softened by the time he's done, breaking the stern eye contact to look down and run his hand through his hair.
Apr 01 21:35:57 <Antichthon>	And Cass returned that serious look with a shit-eating-grin. Because Cass. "If the naive understood their own naivete, they wouldn't be naive." She steered the conversation hard right. "You like Yuki, don't you?"
Apr 01 21:37:49 <Knave>	Callum showed no surprise at Cass knowing this. He shrugged, and nodded, "Pretty much, yeah."
Apr 01 21:39:22 <Antichthon>	"Thinking of asking her out? Taking her to bed? Ramming that giant cock of yours down her throat?"
Apr 01 21:40:37 <Knave>	"Jeez, Cass." Callum reacts automatically, looking away and wincing. After a few seconds of recovery he looks back at her and returns with, "You don't know how big my penis is."
Apr 01 21:41:05 <Antichthon>	"I'd sure as hell like to, but you refuse to keep stripping."
Apr 01 21:42:14 <Knave>	"Ma says it's better to leave some things to the imagination." Callum says with a kind smile.
Apr 01 21:42:58 <Antichthon>	"Okay, I admit, you're taking the full force of my personality a lot better than I thought you would."
Apr 01 21:46:23 <Knave>	Callum shrugs, a serene smile on his face as he starts to kick gently at the water. After a second, his attention seems to refocus on Cass as he asks, "Do you mean half the things you say?"
Apr 01 21:49:24 <Antichthon>	Cass stood and wnet back to exercising. Hex returned to Callum's side, shaking off water like a dog.  "Yep. Half is a good estimate." Under the water again. Popped back up. It was clear by now Cass was trying to get Callum as wet as possible. "And just so you know? I like Yuki, too. You as well. So if you two start dating, I'm going to be shit out of luck, aren't Neither of you seem
Apr 01 21:49:25 <Antichthon>	the poly type."
Apr 01 21:50:01 <Antichthon>	aren't I? Neither*
Apr 01 21:52:04 <Knave>	Callum blushes. It might surprise Cass that he doesn't need to ask what she means by that, but Gus, John, and Randy had always been very considerate neighbours and his ma was always saying it'd be a strange world if we were all the same. "I don't really know what I am." He says with a shrug and an honest air.
Apr 01 21:56:47 <Antichthon>	"Good thing to admit. Not sure what the fuck I'd be looking for a in a real relationship, either. Not something open, because fuck that shit. Probably wouldn't mind a good three-way, though, so long as everyone in it loves everyone else. Yuki, though. Eh." Cass wrinkled her nose. "Really doubt she's the type. Too idealistic, too used to dating sims. I think she wants an old-fashion,
Apr 01 21:56:47 <Antichthon>	one-on-one relationship. And I saw how you two looked at each other on the mission, I think you're the fucking frontrunner."
Apr 01 21:58:45 <Knave>	"I don't mind bowing out." He says frankly and simply, no change in his body language or tone.
Apr 01 22:01:58 <Antichthon>	More raised brows, more grins. "Mate, not something you should bow out of. I'm not as fucking selfish as I act. Though if I could get all three of us involved in a serious, closed relationship that would be fucking //boss.// Not something I'm hold out for, but hey, a girl can dream."
Apr 01 22:03:43 <Knave>	"We could always actually ask her." Callum says, then puts a hand over his face, and speaks through laughter, "How long have I been here, and I'm thinking about negotiating a relationship with two other students."
Apr 01 22:08:51 <Antichthon>	"Look, dude. There's alot of fucked up things about me, but that's not fucking one of them. Treating love as a negotiation rather than some fucking magical, ideal and pure thing? That's actually healthy. Not saying it isn't fucking great, just saying a measure of pragmatism goes a hell of a long way." Cass was done exercising. She had Hex pull her out of the water, sit her beside Callum.
Apr 01 22:08:52 <Antichthon>	She smiled up at him and gave his thigh a pat. "If it makes you feel any better, I've never officially dated anyone before. New territory for me, too. But I'd be willing." Smile turned to a frown. "Question is, how to ask her? She's a bit fucking flighty about this sort of thing."
Apr 01 22:10:30 <Knave>	"I hold her down, you do the talking?" Callum grinned, having given a glance to the hand momentarily on his thigh.
Apr 01 22:12:05 <Antichthon>	Cass cackled. "That'd be a sure way to scar the girl for life." Beat. "Now, okay, first, off, straight serious. Is this something you'd actually be willing to try?"
Apr 01 22:14:45 <Knave>	"Does the sheltered hayseed want to try a loving relationship with the cute, shy girl and the funny, smart spitfire?" Callum looked up as if giving the issue serious thought, then shrugged and looked back at Cass, "Sure, why not? You sure you're sure about a relationship with me?"
Apr 01 22:16:40 <Antichthon>	The smile turned into a full on grin, as it was wont to do. "Hell yeah, I'd try it. Not like we're signing our lives away. This is fucking high school, its all about experimentation. ...And learning, I guess, but fuck that shit."
Apr 01 22:19:31 <Knave>	"You're a breath of fresh air, Cass." Callum beams.
Apr 01 22:25:00 <Antichthon>	"Hey, now, don't let your heart start swelling and shit, nothing's official yet. We'll see if we can talk Yuki into something. If not, we can renegotiate, just between the two of us. Also gives us time to think things over. Fucking hormones messing with our heads right now, and all that." A panel on Cass' metal shoulder popped open, and an empty vial spit out. Hex dutifully replaced
Apr 01 22:25:00 <Antichthon>	it. "Seriously though, don't get too excited just yet. Yuki... this really might be way too much for her. Nearly dying together on a mission brought us kinda close as only death fucking can, but. I can count the conversations I've had with her, and with you, on one hand. It is pretty fucking sudden."
Apr 01 22:28:29 <Knave>	Callum chuckles, "It wasn't like... You're just fun to talk to, is all." He sobers up and nods briefly, "But yeah. Yuki... it would suck if she was the one who came off the worst in all this. That's why my first offer was to back off."
Apr 01 22:30:15 <Antichthon>	Cass grimaced. "Yeah, it would kinda suck. She's way too innocent and happy and kind. Would feel like stomping on a flower if she came out of this messed up."
Apr 01 22:31:53 <Knave>	"It's not like she's all -that- fragile though." Callum says brightly, "I'm sure she can handle the concept of us both liking her and wanting to, y'know... spread the love." He squints, "Ew. That sounded less gross in my head. Sorry."
Apr 01 22:35:59 <Antichthon>	"Well, no, yeah. If she was that fragile she would have pissed herself at the first sight of a weeping angel. Also, I wouldn't be into her. Or be considering this." Cass cackled. "Sounded less gross and more cheesy as fuck, to me. 'course, my sense of 'gross' is totally fucked up." Hex attached to the port on Cass' back, lifted her up. "Anyway. Thanks for watching me, talking, being
Apr 01 22:35:59 <Antichthon>	willing to try this and all that shit. I should get back to my room though, I have a raid tonight."
Apr 01 22:37:59 <Knave>	"No problem. Always a pleasure." Callum continues idly and gently moving his feet in the water, "Before you go though, remember that thing you said when we first met, about me being so much bigger than you being a turn on? Can I take it that was part of the true half?"
Apr 01 22:40:59 <Antichthon>	Cass was already headed for the showers, but stopped, looked back, grinned. "Yep. most //definitely// part of the true half." Grin disappeared. "On that same subject...well. I know it's creepy to ask because it could easily be taken the wrong fucking way, but were you serious when you implied my body didn't disgust you?"
Apr 01 22:42:50 <Knave>	Callum looks over his shoulder, and makes a point of looking Cass up and down with a serene smile, "Absolutely."
Apr 01 22:45:41 <Antichthon>	It was subtle. Even against her deathly pale skin, it was subtle. But Cass actually blushed at that. And the ol' grin was back. "Cool. Talk to you later." She was gone, into the showers. A moment later, Callum's phone received a text. <Bonus: I already have your number, because I'm a fucking genius.>
Apr 01 22:46:46 <Knave>	"Oh, that's not invasive at all." Callum deadpans quietly to himself before settling back and whistling a relaxed tune.
Apr 01 22:47:10 <Antichthon>	-Scene Break-