caughtinanetwork | Dream/Video (Backdated).

"If you do not feel as strongly... you shall not stop me."

An echoing tease that always loops in his head, even in silly dreams. But this one gleams with something special... yet dark. Hilbert is sitting in a lonely chair, complete with a lonely room that has very little decoration. White pasted on the walls and concrete, but facing a music box. It's just as lonely, singing those words. It's mocking him. An unfinished melody he traded for... for what?

"They can't see you, Hilbert."

He gasps, his deadened expression animated with shock. A different melody. A different taunt. The boy motions towards the box, but it welcomed by the rush of water giving him a forceful push from behind. Seemingly from nowhere, but gladly grasping his form and lungs. He coughs, desperate for oxygen and the reach of the musical box floating nearby. It continues to sing:

"They can't see you, Hilbert. They can't see you."

"No, no, no!" the boy wants to scream, but the liquid takes his words and simply chokes. He's reaching, the tip of his finger barely touching the wooden surface. It takes one more try, one more reach. Barely managing to keep himself afloat, he tries for one last stretch--

"Who is Hilbert?"

God. No. Please no, stop it.

"I don't know." "Who is that?" "Who?" "Who are you?"

Voices that he recognizes, each a little squeeze around his throat. The boy with a permanently serious expression. The girl who always smiled. The boy with green hair. Faces among faces that matched each voice, unable to make certain who he was. They were fading away into the distance, each and every one of them. Even the most frequent, a dreadfully sweet voice that matched the face of a particular girl. Hilbert allowed his weight to carry him down, eyes locked on the girl as he slowly lost consciousness. She has golden curls. She stands at the bottom as if she could easily breathe through this terror. Tilting her head, she mouths "who are you?"

[Hilbert wakes with a shuddering startle, his vision blurred with tears and feeling warm with sweat. He flutters his eyes before rubbing his face sore, murmuring to himself. Choking into a sob, Zorua crawls from under the covers and curls up at his side. Eventually quietening into light breathing, he says one clear thing to himself:]

Stupid.

(ooc: /punches formatting in the FAAAACE)

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[ she doesn't know what to say. she doesn't know if she should say anything at all. but this dream... (it was a dream, right?) it made sense. that's why he was hostile to her. because people knew who she was, and not him. she'd be devastated if it was the other way around.

so she's silent for awhile, contemplating whether to reply. after a while, she does. ]

Are you okay?

[The voice definitely startles the boy into jumping in place and hurriedly darting his eyes to find the source. Even Zorua, once comfortable, is now disturbed enough to offer a threatening growl. It's weak, leading to the discovery of a small and amused chuckle. He reaches and pats the fox on the head, nodding with such stillness. Suppressing.

He furrows his brow, tilting not to the question, but the voice itself.]

Is that—?

[ nah. staying behind the semi-anonimity that comes with the voice feed for now. she doesn't want to face him just yet. ]

Yeah.

[It's familiar. Faintly. But with familiarity comes warmth, a bit forced, actually. His smile has it's own wave of sadness, but he will put up a front just to dwindle any concerns. It's also a bit embarrassing.]

Sorry, that wasn't very... eh. [A slight shrug. How would you describe that?] Weird things going on around here lately, seriously.

Don't be sorry. Just... don't. [ a sigh. she's feeling guilty as hell just talking to him. ]

It isn't fair. I should be the one apologizing.

[His lips flatten into a thin line.]

Why would you apologize? It's just a dumb dream. [A hint of laughter in his voice. Really, who is this?]

Because dreams like that don't just mean nothing! Right?

[ this was a bad idea - she's realizing it now, but it's too late to stop. ]

Edited 2012-04-29 07:48 (UTC)

[Pausing. He can't exactly lie, but...]

Who is this?

Who do you think it is?

[ come on, man. don't make her video feed this. ]

[Just as he thought and didn't want.]

... I don't want you apologizing to me, Hilda.

Then what am I supposed to do? I hate seeing you like this.

Then just... turn away?

[An expression of bewilderment meets the screen.]

I don't understand, why do you care?

I care because in my world we were friends! We weren't all that close, but that doesn't change anything. I don't want to turn away from someone I care about.

[ and then there's a pause. ] But I get it. Things are different here, right?

It's completely different. I don't know who you--

[... who you are.

God. This is the same thing, just for her. Hilbert sees her face and sees a blur. Nothing, and that just isn't fair.

So, he gapes. Shouldn't he be apologizing now?]

[ most of her usual enthousiasm is gone now. everything about this sucks big time, and it's proving useless to try and do anything about it. ]

It's... it's fine. Just take care of yourself, okay?

[ and she reaches to click the feed off. ]

W-wait!

[Too late.]

Dream/Video (Backdated).

[voice]

Video.

[ voice ]

Video.

[voice]

Video.

voice.

Video.

voice.

Video.

voice.

Video.

voice.

Video. 1/2.

Video. 2/2.

voice. THIS CAN CONTINUE ELSEWHERE IF YOU WANT... 0u0

Video. YESSU PLZ. O vO