Apathy, irony, and post modern anxiety

EJ's words nearly break Shiloh's brain, but fortunately not her spirit, "hm, maybe, well.. then I guess I'd like to live in a world where we can imagine things so hard that they can come to life? Good things obviously. We can't let things get too out of hand."

"Way different than Pokemon, actually."

In the ways that made them prefer the series to Pokemon growing up. Something about the Digimon being able to talk and turn into bigger monsters than back into their cute starter forms was also one of the more intriguing parts of it.

"Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends?" they suggest, before pausing with a hum. "Actually, those are just for you to imagine creatures and critters, so the whole castle thing wouldn't happen."

“ I do appreciate that. I’d rather you be honest with me than to lie to spare my feelings. “ she noted with a small nod as she glanced back. She really likes EJ and she wants to make sure that they stay in a good spot as friends

“ oooh okay i can work with that! “ Kali smiles at the Jenifer’s body support. “ bias is okay! It’s a gateway into watching something you’d like! We can watch Gremlins! Phoebe Cates is really really pretty! And Final Girls is honestly really good. It's very meta in terms of horror “ @ej-machwitz

"It's almost like people can't face any sort of confrontation, even the type that's so little like telling you they don't like the same movie you like," EJ practically scoffs, more out of annoyance for Kali feeling like she might have to make it a guessing game when it comes to this sort of thing. "Don't have to worry about that with me. I'll be truthful, and not in any rude way."

Something about attracting more with honey than vinegar or whatever the saying their mother told them.

He doesn't need to know how much is owed to who to get on board with their flee-the-scheme scene. As his co-survivor of days at Well Played that threatened to never end, their money was well-earned and best kept in their own pockets and not lining someone else's.

"I can assist with that as long as you know that one day I'll come to you looking for a favour and you're going owe me for it because you're putting me in a real accomplice position here."

He looks around them casually, as though seeking out a place to sit rather than formulating his plan.

"I'm going to head to the bar and order an annoyingly specific drink that I'm going to take to go you're going slip that door they're always guarddogging and I'll follow."

They shift their weight against the high table, fingers tapping against the polished wood as their gaze tracks Alfie’s casual scan of the room. EJ leans in slightly, nodding along. "There he is," they start with a grin that is something impish.

Their eyes shift toward the bar entrance, then to the side door they assume leads to the back exit.

"Alrighty, compadre," EJ exhales with a push back, lingering with enough time to let Alfie kick off his end of the plan. "If this goes horribly wrong, tell people I died brave and incredibly hot." They take a quick peak at the guys waiting for their payment, and they seem to be distracted just enough with the occasional glance toward the bathrooms ( where EJ had told them that they were heading off to ).

The light can't get any greener.

EJ's grin flashes right as they pivot on their heel, timing their movement with the swell of laughter erupting from somewhere near the dart boards. They slip off the edge of the crowd and toward the now unguarded side door with the kind of confidence that is spurred on knowing Alfie is on their side. He wouldn't abandon them mid-escape, they're so certain of it they don't even check back as they drift toward the door.

Of course, Tobias didn't quite have the time to guess before EJ slid their hands from his vision and moved entirely into it. Clearly he had been a little lost in thought. Mostly about them, but that seemed to be a bit of a regular occurrence since they met.

"Inclined to agree with you on that one. Might be one of the few times of the year where it's not swarmed. Hell, even on Christmas it's a zoo. And it's a beach at winter."

The hand in his is given a gentle squeeze. Like it was reassuring itself it had found a home. Something sappy like that that Tobias pushed past so as to not get in his own head around them. No matter how easy that was.

It's not coming off with two gentle swipes, not that they are aiming to really get rid of any of it.

"I doubt I'll leave today without any on myself, but that's alright." Their thumb brushes over the back of his hand, slower now that they're away from the festival and the sound fades. There is still enough a walk from the beach, the place where EJ always feels at home. "So, I know we're going to be inundated with tourists from all over, but you know what else is great about the nice weather? You'll get to give me a ride on your motorcycle."

The breeze coming off the beach catches loose strands of EJ's hair, and they squint toward the direction of shoreline before looking back at Tobias.

"That's not a bad idea. I had a succulent for three years once. Little fuckers are resilient." She told her, eyeing the terrarium set ups and contemplating making her own now--not to spend more time with EJ, just....just because. "Oh uh, I've been fine. Switched jobs a few months ago and it's a lot better now. No longer wanting to kill myself when having to pick up fallen bingo chips or cleaning up after obnoxious teenagers high off their Uno wins." She shook her head at the thought, shuddering. "You?"

"Think I might end up accidentally spending a hundred dollars on all these things if I don't stop myself now."

They smile a little more easily now as a subtle familiarity settles between them.

"Sure, just keeping busy and trying to not lose my mind anytime anything feels a little too boring. The usual." Their fingers trail over the tiny succulents lined up in the trays before picking out one with pale green leaves tinged pink at the edges. "Oh, this one's a vibe. She's coming home with me."

Once it's successfully transplanted into their own handmade terrarium, that is. Otherwise the poor thing won't have a chance.

"Is there a fictional world that you would like to be apart of?" Shiloh asks, out of the blue and definitely unprompted, "for me, it's the kingdom in Barney's Magical Musical Adventure. There's a clever scene where they have to get across a bridge and they are asked to solve a riddle about standing on one finger." Shiloh, having seen the video a dozen times, knows how the riddle is solved but she doesn't reveal anything.

Barney's Magical Musical Adventure, to them, is a choice.

EJ tilts their head, thinking before finally saying, "Isn't everything about Barney technically in the kids' imagination? LIke, Barney and Bee Bop don't actually exist in the canon of their world?"

From where EJ sits, purposefully off to the side, so they can keep an eye out for the familiar shape of Tobias. When they recognize him getting through the crowd, right where they asked to meet, they kick off the bench they've been sat at and sneak around.

They don't know if they actually got one over on him, but as EJ approaches from behind, they cover his eyes gently with there hands and playfully, with a laugh, "Guess who!"

They keep his eyes covered for no more than a second longer before dropping their hands and letting one of their arms loop up and around his shoulders.

"Hello, good sir. Glad to know you'll accompany me on my quote on quote escape from flower-palooza. The weather's nice, I think the beach will be an amazing break from the crowd."

EJ finally releases Tobias, though not entirely, as their hand slips down to grab his and gently pull his arm in the direction of the beach with one step back.