86 - THE GRAND RETURN!

[buywithme]

Is this--

...

Comrades? Are we--

[There's a long pause.]


I have-- cons--


Comrades!

Consumers!

Allow me to extend my fondest and most sincere greetings to you from the end of history! I’m quite sure you know my name: Prefect. Are we not the most highly favored of all our kinds to be here? In this, our new chance? Our new and open doorway? The compilation of not only millennia of history and experience, but worlds upon worlds of variety and flavor, all compressed into one microcosmic existence? Lain out for us on a platter? Let us not mourn our misfortune or dream of escape, but rather, let us combine and create and expand in our scope and diversity! Once more unto the breach my friends once more! Let us immanentize the eschation!

Brothers, sisters, comrades, buy with me.



[Ooc: Okay, so Prefect is back, and where he was that week lasted a lot longer than it did here. As such, he's worried that the people he knew will have all either graduated or just vanished off. Instead of being sensible and asking, he's re-written his original greeting post in case he's just surrounded by strangers.]

Comments

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[themostdashing.livejournal.com]

[So Prefect, Pavi's at your door about five minutes later with a bottle of vodka and two shot glasses, because drinking out of mugs is for philistines. And while he's peripherally aware that Prefect has some sort of issue with alcohol? Pavi is not the sort of person to help deal with impulse control issues.

Given that his hands are full, he clears his throat in lieu of knocking]

Fratello? You will open the door, please?

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[buywithme.livejournal.com]

[A moment later the door opens, and Prefect breaks out an expression of sheer relief at seeing Pavi. He rocks forward for a moment, one hand extending almost as though he's intending to close the distance between them and grab hold of the other man, but thinks better of it and steps back, letting Pavi past him into the room.]

It's good to see you again.

[Despite Pavi's reason for coming, Prefect seems content to completely ignore the vodka in favor of staring at his friend in something a little like awe, as though he's not one hundred percent certain that the other man is really there with him.]

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[themostdashing.livejournal.com]

[Pavi sets down what he's brought with him and offers Prefect a broad if slightly bemused smile. He was looking dangerously close to breaking his 'absolutely no physical contact ever' rule there for a moment, and Pavi wonders exactly how long he spent in wherever it was he'd gone.]

Of course. The Pavi is very happy to see you as well.

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[buywithme.livejournal.com]

[Prefect hovvers wordlessly for a couple of seconds, before reaching forward to carefully smack his hand across the Pavi's shoulder. It's an artless imitation of the kind of casual companionable contact which Kirk forces onto him, but Prefect has to just make absolutely sure that Pavi was actual, physical mass.]

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[themostdashing.livejournal.com]

[Pavi stares at Prefect for a second, because that was so awkward and unexpected he's not sure if it was a friendly gesture or some sort of minor attack. He decides it's the former, because he feels like if anyone's earnt the right to give out slaps it's him.

He inclines his head.] Are you...all right?

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[buywithme.livejournal.com]

[Prefect nods earnestly.]

Yes! Comrade, I'm... I'm good. I was just being friendly.

[He nods again, then looks down a little guiltily, then looks back up and smiles, changing the subject]

So, what's your warden done to you?

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[themostdashing.livejournal.com]

Ugh. [Pavi frowns and goes about pouring them both a drink.] He is being...he wants me to have surgery - for my scars, si? But the last time the Pavi had surgery on my face...this is how I was scarred to begin with. And I do not want this to happen again. Is this unreasonable?

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[buywithme.livejournal.com]

[Prefect accepts a glass from the Pavi, but he doesn't actually drink it, listening intently to the story instead. As Pavi concludes it with his question, Prefect frowns and shakes his head.]

No, Comrade. I think if I was in your place then I wouldn't want to have any more surgery either.

[He frowns a little deeper, leaning forward slightly.]

But, if he wants you to be happy with your looks, why won't he give you the mask? Why is he making you have surgery for it?

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[themostdashing.livejournal.com]

He said a very long time ago that he would do this thing - he would get a mask, if I behaved. And I have behaved!

[Unless you count Dean's murder, which Pavi doesn't.]

But now he says that the mask is bad for me and I will never have it again. [He frowns and sips his vodka.]

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[buywithme.livejournal.com]

[Prefect frowns deeply, but doesn't actually manage to look that unhappy. He really is trying to be sympathetic, and he does believe that people should be able to have what it is they want, but... for some reason his brain chemistry is struggling to switch off from being quietly elated.]

Comrade, I know that It's not human skin, or even really a substitute, but I really could make you a leather one? You could look at it as- as maybe not your actual face, but like a leather coat! So you only have to show people your scars if you want too.

[Prefect swirls the vodka in the glass, but still doesn't actually drink any. He's still staring at Pavi and declining to blink.]

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[themostdashing.livejournal.com]

[And Pavi is still mildly disturbed that he's still the subject of this close attention. He shakes his head.]

I have tried it once, at home, and the leather is not...it is irritating. It hurts to wear. [He pauses, decides Prefect is in need of encouragement and smiles.] But the offer is most thoughtful, fratello. I appreciate this.

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[buywithme.livejournal.com]

[Prefect tilts his head ever so slightly, and knits his brows, obviously thinking.] How about... fabric? Satin, or something softer... I don't know, Comrade, I guess it's probably not the same.

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[themostdashing.livejournal.com]

[Pavi gestures dismissively.] It is not, but it does not matter. The matter will be resolved somehow, si? The Pavi is sure that his warden will come around eventually. I think it is unlikely that the Admiral will give him the many things he would need for such a surgery, anyway.

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[Prefect nods a little regretfully, before gesturing to the Pavi's face with his glass] Are you feeling better about your face, at least? I mean... are you getting used to people seeing it?

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[themostdashing.livejournal.com]

[He's at a loss for a moment, and puts one hand to his scars distractedly, fingertips tracing the ridges of deformed skin. They feel a little rougher than they used to, a little less sensitive, and he supposes it's a result of being without a mask for...

Four months, now. More than that.]

Si. It is...not as bad, now, as it was when the doctor first took my face. Perhaps in the future I will not care at all.

[It's true. He doesn't feel the need to wear a mask for everyone else's benefit, any more. What itches at him nowadays is the need to wear one for himself.]

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[buywithme.livejournal.com]

[Prefect smiled faintly. There was a time when seeing someone who looked like Pavi would have made him recoil with disgust, but somehow his time on the barge had instilled Prefect with what was slowly but surely becoming an active preference for people with horribly disfigured faces.]

I think your face looks fine, Brother. I hope you don't care forever.