text messages.

[ceded]

[ BEFORE this post happens: ]

TO: The Once-ler
SUBJ: Job?

Hi! Um, I think we spoke once before? About my birthday? Hehe.
Anyway, Dave said I could talk to you. I'm looking for a job.
Do you have anything?


[ AFTER that post happens: ]

TO: Davesprite
SUBJ: :(

davesprite
are you busy
i, um
i need someone to talk to :(
something's happened

Comments

[cawmemaybe]

I don't really envy the life you had.

[ Okay, at least this puts a destination in mind. Does New Moore even have playgrounds too bad it totally does now. And they're headed there.

A little later on, they both can probably see slides. And some swing sets. Yeah. ]

That's a playground. Up ahead. And I guess it depends on you whether it's fun or not. S'like a preference thing.

[ceded]

[ well. At least the walk over gave her time to finish her ice cream. She puts the stick in her pocket, which might be a little strange, but maybe they can get to that later. Her face lights up with curiosity and wonder when the playground comes into view, and without warning she trots ahead.

Once she gets to the entrance, she stops, waiting for him. ]

Wow... what's it for? Is it really just to play on? That's so weird... [ where does she even start ... though the swing set catches her eye ]

[cawmemaybe]

[ He's a slowpoke when it comes to new things to eat, so even by the time they get to the playground, he's still eating his. But once he notices that she's done with hers, he. Starts to devour it, hoping he won't get brain freeze in the process.

Seconds later, and his head doesn't want to kill itself. Success.

He stops just a few steps away from her, mostly because the stick poking out of her pocket caught his eye. Reaching over, he casually pilfers it without even thinking about how weird that is, and tosses it at a nearby trash bin with his stick. ]

Wouldn't want to get ice cream stains in your pocket.

[ Is his only explanation. ]

But yeah, basically. Kids go apeshit for this place, thinking it'd be fun and all 'cause holy shit there's a slide and monkey bars. But what they don't know is sometimes this place can turn into a battleground.

[ He doesn't elaborate any more on that, just leads the way to the swing set since he's seen her eyeing it. He's motioning for her to sit down. ]

Come on, I'll push you or something.

[ceded]

No, w--

[ She sputters in some small alarm when he takes the stick from her pocket, then goes curiously silent. But she casts looks over her shoulder towards the trash bin as she follows him over towards the swings.

It takes her a moment to come back to the present, when she realizes he's indicating the swing and-- ]

Push me? [ She clasps her hands in front of her chest, looking between him and the swing, then reaches out to grip the chains instead and turns her body, popping herself up into the seat. She's short enough - and the swing held high enough - that her feet don't touch the ground once she's settled, and she kicks her legs like a kid. ] Why do you have to push me? What's this for?

[cawmemaybe]

[ Did he unknowingly do something stupid without realizing it? The chances of that are highly likely.

But, right now, that ain't even on his mind. Right now, he has to show a girl how to ride the swing. (In another context, this would sound so wrong. Hah.) He watches her as she positions herself, and then he slowly reaches for the chains to keep her steady. ]

You'll see.

[ He settles his hands on her back, and pushes once. It's not a hard push, just enough so she gets the idea of how this works. And then he does it again, and again. ]

[ceded]

[ His hands are warm on her back.

And she's startled for a moment, about to look behind her to see what he's up to, and then he pushes.

She lets out a little yelp of surprise, then giggles as he keeps pushing her and she swings higher. She figures out pretty quickly what she's supposed to do with her legs - the rhythm is intuitive, and pretty soon she's kicking them in time like a pro.

And she's laughing. Loud and joyously and like she's never had this much fun in her entire life.

Eventually she'll get some real momentum going, and won't need his help anymore. And once that happens: ]

What'll happen if I jump?! [ She's grinning fiercely, fearless and excited. ]