[oo1 | video]

[cynicisms]

[He's only barely managed to figure this thing out, this strange modern toy in the shape of a starfish, and still only sort of. When the video post engages, it's obviously only by accident as Ganymede prods at it trying to make it work, his hand is mostly covering the camera, and he's in mid-sentence, talking to himself without shame.]

-stupid thing. Just like all these other stupid things! How they've managed to develop devices that are both brutish and overcomplicated, I don't-

[He pauses when he realizes the device is transmitting, brows furrowing a little, and his finger moves off the camera. He makes a huff and turns his head to the side. There's a smudge of dirt on his cheek and his hair is a bit of a mess, his cheeks flushed and slightly damp. It's obviously too hot in the apartment he's standing in, and it looks like a tornado hit it - he's in the kitchen at the moment, and several pots are arranged on the top of the stove, one with steam threatening to turn into smoke belching out of it. Ganymede turns his attention to the stove and fusses with the dials, though to anyone who knows how to use a stove, he's not turning them the right way.]

Is a house with a simple hearth too much to ask?

[He sounds peevish and irritated, is refusing to ask for help even if he obviously needs it.]

Comments

[Video]

[replicatedcourage]

Um... do you need help?

[Really it's obvious the boy does. For Sola it's like looking into a mirror of the past with himself being played by someone else. It had taken him quite awhile to get used to the modern conveniences, having had to be taught by Izaya and later Psii and Signless, but he'd managed. He wasn't all that good with cooking yet, only able to make simple soups and cheating by grilling fish in the fireplace, but he does know how to manage a thermostat and a stove and he's willing to share that knowledge.]

You should turn that the other way to turn it off or else your pot's gonna boil over. I do that all the time on accident.

[Video]

[cynicisms]

[In all honesty, even if he had a hearth or fireplace, he still wouldn't know how to cook - he's never had to do it for himself, never once in his spoiled life.]

Of course I don't need help! Who would want to learn this? It's base and crass.

[He looks off to the side crankily, but he can't deny he's a bit interested. The boy on the video screen has the same ears as that girl who helped him early on, and it's almost more frustrating to go out to a 'restaurant' and not know what anything on the menu is, even when it professes to be 'Greek'!]

Mmph.

[He reaches out and turns the knob the direction suggested, and shoots the pot a suspicious look as the steam slowly starts to abate.]

You use this thing?

[He gestures impatiently at the stove.]

[Video]

[replicatedcourage]

[Oh great. He talks like Laharl. Though Sola has to look up base and crass. He's not sure what crass is and base doesn't make sense there. Maybe it has another meaning?

He comes back to the feed after a moment with an annoyed expression.]

It's not what you said, it's actually really awesome! Way better than just cooking over a fire. The microwave is even better as long as you don't put anything metal in it.

It'd be easier to teach you if I come over. Is that okay? My name is Sola, by the way. What's yours?

[Video]

[cynicisms]

[This boy doesn't even know what those words mean, he can tell, and his eyebrow twitches slightly in irritation. He exhales a sharp 'tch' noise.]

Base and crass! It's primitive, that's what. Cooking. And what is a microwave, that you can't put metal in it?

[He pouts at the screen for a moment, then gives Sola a bit of a baleful look.]

Teach me? You're the type of person that uses this thing?

[A pause, though, and then.]

I'm Ganymede.

[Video]

[replicatedcourage]

[Luckily 'primitive' came up when Sola looked up the other words.]

If it's so primitive, why don't you know how to use it? And a microwave is like the oven but it's smaller and way faster, it just doesn't like metal for whatever reason. It sparks and stuff.

[He folds his arms.]

I learned how to use it, just like you should if you want to be able to eat. It's not hard once you get the idea.

[Video]

[cynicisms]

[He doesn't want to admit he doesn't know how to cook, stove or not. So even though Sola is right, he won't back down just yet.]

I'm sure I could cook something if it were just over a simple fire. But why have this if a microwave works that much better?

[He pauses after a moment and when Sola mentions eating he looks away from the camera poutily. His stomach growls audibly and he pushes his hand over it, cheeks flushing more with embarrassment.]

They sell cooked food here.

[Video]

[replicatedcourage]

For if you need to cook something in metal or something. And you can't stir things while they're in the microwave. They do sell cooked food but not everything is always what you want. Besides, if you knew that already, why are you trying to cook when you don't know how?

[You make no sense.]

[Video]

[cynicisms]

[He stares at the video screen for a few moments. Between getting splatters of hot water on him and the burns not healing and the stove that doesn't work the way he wants and being hungry, he's really approaching his limit.

This guy is kind of dumb, doesn't know some words, but he's really blunt and something about that is sort of appealing when Ganymede is feeling desperate and too uncomfortable. He pushes his hand up over his face, dislodging some of the delicate chains in his hair so they droop the wrong direction. He looks terrible, and that bothers him too.]

I...didn't know what most of the food was. Even the food called Greek wasn't familiar. I don't want to eat things when I don't know what they are!

video;

[420]

[Just calmly watching this whole dealio. Yep. Just watching. He finally speaks up to say:]

Your grub's gonna fuckin' burn.

[Pointing at the one pot billowing steam-smoke.]

video; 1/2

[cynicisms]

[He's about to go off on this commenter, because yes, he knows something is burning, and he doesn't know what to do about it, and generally in that kind of situation, Ganymede will go off on someone.

But then he sees the video feed, and visibly recoils.]

video; 2/2

[cynicisms]

[It looks like Hades. But even through the device, it's not nearly the same feeling, and there's no strange manner of speaking, or at least not the type of strangeness he knows.

It takes him a moment before he drops the startled look, though, and finally figures out what this grey painted person is actually saying to him. He turns and twists at the dials again, hard one way, and then the other, reaching out to grab at the pot...

...then jerks his hand away, staring down at it. Some of the water splattered onto it, and he sighs, more irritated than anything.]

This stupid thing makes no sense!

video;

[420]

Ain't supposed to make fuckin' sense, bro.

[grinning.]

It's supposed to make food.

[Good clown, best jokes. It is him. The comedic super-star. God, he needs a pair of sunglasses to make this better, aww yeah.]

video;

[cynicisms]

[Everything he was planning to go off about in response completely disappears at that, and he gives the camera the driest most annoyed expression.]

That is the absolute worst joke I've ever heard!

Re: video;

[420]

Karkat says I got one worse.

[Not that he particularly seems bothered by the critique here. He thought it was funny, so whatever.]

video;

[cynicisms]

[The sheer ridiculousness of this conversation and this grey creature's completely easygoing attitude have thrown him entirely off the little tantrum he was building himself up to, and he just blinks...]

I doubt any joke could be worse. And what is a Karkat?

video;

[420]

He's my best motherfuckin' bro! We're real tight. Like, two fuckin' grubs in a coon, you get?

[And an old pale-married couple. At seven sweeps. Ah, such is life.]

You wanna hear my joke, brother?

video;

[cynicisms]

[He wrinkles his nose at that. He doesn't understand some of the words, but he can tell they're dirty. The ones he knows...]

Like grubs? Ugh...

[Still, he is a curious boy, and he leans in for just a moment before drawing back imperiously.]

I'm not your brother, but go on then. Tell it.

[video]

[demonicbookworm]

_{[Ruca watches this for a while.]}

Um... do you need some help?

_{[You sure look like you could use some.]}

[video]

[cynicisms]

[The boy in the video is at least somewhat pleasant to look at, even if he reminds Ganymede a bit of Heinz, with a sick little pang of humiliation and anger.

He lifts his hand with the little spatter of red burn marks on it, rubbing fingers against it unconsciously, as if that will make it heal up the way he's used to, and huffs.]

No. Something is wrong with this thing.

[Releasing his hand, he gestures briskly at the stove.]

[video]

[demonicbookworm]

_{[Ruca frowns concerned, seeing the burn marks.]}

Um... are you... sure you know how to use it?

_{[To him it's obvious that the other didn't know. Still Ruca doesn't want to sound rude or mean; even though he actually sounds more worried than anything else.]}

[video]

[cynicisms]

[He regards the stove with a sort of haughty expression, then sighs a little and keeps rubbing at his hand.]

I've never seen this kind of device before. It's ugly and ridiculous. A cooking fire makes more sense.

[He's trying to sound prideful, he doesn't want to give in to humans again, it's bad enough with gods, but his voice is taking on the slightest waver of doubt.]

[video]

[demonicbookworm]

There are a lot of devices here that I hadn't seen before I was brought here, so I understand.

_{[He tries to sound reassuring.]}

...People learn new things all the time, don't they? Especially here... so there really is nothing wrong in asking for help if you need some.

_{[He can teach you how to use that thing; it really isn't so difficult.]}

[video]

[cynicisms]

[He stares at the screen for a few moments, taken aback, then makes a soft exhalation, not quite annoyed.]

There's nothing wrong in asking for help? That's stupid...

[He looks away, mouth pursed up and brows furrowed - pouting.]

It's always best to work things out for yourself. Asking for help is only inviting trouble.

[video]

[demonicbookworm]

_{[That surprises Ruca. He looks down, almost apologetic.]}

B-but I really think there's nothing wrong with that...

_{[it's better than getting hurt by trying things out for yourself.]}

[video]

[cynicisms]

[He can remember vaguely a time when he freely asked for help, but only barely, and reaching out to touch that memory is painful. He frowns with it and waves his hand dismissively as if to brush the thought away.]

Trust is the worst kind of hope.

[His voice is quiet, less annoyed.]