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[darkov]

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latest status update 3/6/2018

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[h2no]

I got you a fish!

[LIKE THAT FUCKING EXPLAINS ANYTHING]

[darkov]

...

[he just blinks slowly and remains silent for a beat.]

...Oh. Alright.

[more food. that makes sense. Archie does like bringing food over.]

I'll wait downstairs, then...

[h2no]

Thanks!

[it's immediately cleared up when archie arrives, given he's holding a small bowl full of water and some rainbow gravel. there's a few branches of a small green plant swaying with the movement of archie carrying it and...

...a golfish. swimming around.]

I can't knock! [he calls out from the other side of the door, helpfully.]

[darkov]

[yell a couple more times, Arch, and Martin will startle back awake, having dozed on the arm of the couch. he scrambles over to and opens the door, nearly eye-to-eye with the fish bowl.

he gapes, baffled.]

Uh...Um, what? What is-- [oh! fish. fish??? it's...very tiny. and orange.

he steps away, blinking up owlishly at Archie]

[h2no]

I spoke to Rex about this, 'fore you ask.

[in he comes. beeline for the kitchen like he usually does. needs that caffeine to live.

he places the bowl on the table. the fish continues to swim around.]

He wasn't entirely on board with it, but I think havin' this and an extra thing to do at certain times during the day will help. What do you think?

[darkov]

"Do"...? [confusion. he follows after him, lingering by the table and eyeing the bowl.] What are you supposed to do with it?

[h2no]

Yep! It's a pet. Do you know how pets work?

[just giving you the burden of life nbd.]

[darkov]

...

[he squints at Archie.]

...You...pet it? [IT'S IN WATER. IT'S A FISH...]

[h2no]

Oh-- no, no! You can't touch it.

[he points at the fish as it swims around, oblivious.]

You name it, feed it and change its water. It's yours! You gotta keep it comfortable and alive.

[darkov]

[huh...

he looks down at it again.]

Al...alright... [beat. looking back up:] And then what?

[h2no]

[he scratches his beard.]

That's it, really. It's just a nice thing that routine allows to live happily. You can see tangible results from keeping it up.

[darkov]

[blink.] Oh... [...

wait.]

...Why did Rex say it was a bad idea?

[h2no]

He didn't think it was a bad idea.

[archie shrugs.]

He just wasn't sure if it was appropriate, but said I might as well try it, huh? What do you wanna call it?

[darkov]

[that...does not instill confidence. the image of Rex scowling really intensely at the fish comes to mind...]

Uh, I...I don't know. [he shakes his head.] I never had to name anything before...how would I know what's good?

[h2no]

[jeez...]

You can't go wrong with a name. 'Specially for a fish.

[he grins.]

Think of the first word that comes to mind when you look into its eyes. That's the name that'll fit it.

[darkov]

[he gives Archie another dubious glance, just to make sure he means what he says and...leans over the table to peer at the little fish, frowning. in its eyes...? the eyes are on one side each, you can't look at them both at the same time! but maybe that's getting too technical...

he's still worried about Rex thinking this is a bad idea. he's smart enough to know, after all... so this might be a pretty short-lived venture, huh.

still...]

Rex...? [more a trail off from his concerned thoughts than an answer, but there it is.]

[h2no]

[the fish peers back. probably. it's kind of hard to tell what it's doing.

archie, somehow, does not laugh his ass off at the suggestion. it takes all his willpower, but he only grins.]

That works. That's a name. [he nods, then starts getting stuff out his backback-- some fishfood, a fish care book, some stuff he wrote himself about how to change the water and how to care for it.] Alright... so this book is for Rex the human, just in case he wants to know more. Y'see this can of food?

[he takes the lid off, showing martin the flakey inside.]

Take a little pinch out.

[darkov]

Eh? What? Oh, uh— [woops. he didn’t mean to, but we’re already moving from names to books and...flakes...

still a little flustered, Martin mutely nods and picks at the contents, nose crinkling at the smell.] Do I just drop it in the water?

[h2no]

Yep! Once a day. Try doing it when you just get up, even if you're not getting up at the same time. Just drop it in.

[at least the clear glass will let them watch the fish feed on the flakes, so martin'll be able to get an immediate reaction to what he's doing.]

[darkov]

[once he’s dusted his fingers free of the residue, Martin bends down to peer at the little fish still just going about, doing its fishy thing until one of the little flakes falls into its view and gets gobbled up, prompting to actively seek the rest. it’s perhaps more fascinating to him that it really needs to be, but then again...he’s not seen this before.]

Huh... [his mouth quirks into a crooked, fascinates half-smile.]

[h2no]

[#blessed this day

archie smiles, too, seeing martin enjoy - even if it's fleeting - watching the fish gulp up all the flakes, then continue to swim around.]

I think he'd say thank you, if he could.

[darkov]

Eh? [he blinks and glances up at Archie, face going a touch pink, mouth twitching.] Oh... Maybe.

[h2no]

[he laughs lightly, then moves on.]

So, you just need to do that twice a day... once when you get up, and once before you go to bed. You need to change Rex's water once a week.

[he pushes the papers he'd written himself-- or rather, drawn. it's a very simple diagram, but shows clearly how to remove the fish without hurting it, where to put it in the interim and how to put everything back.]

It won't take long... maybe half an hour? I got this book for, uh, human Rex and your other housemate so they can help if you need it. You can always call me, too. I don't mind coming over to show you how to do it the first few times.

[darkov]

[the smile ebbs, replaces with a soft, faintly worried frown.]

...How do I know when I mess up?

[h2no]

If you mess up, then the fish'll be on the floor or the bowl'll be broken or something.

[he shakes his head, still watching rex the fish swim around.]

You won't mess up-- and even if you do, then as long as you learn from what you did wrong, it doesn't really matter.