Spam for Barron

[buywithme]

[Prefect didn't leave a particularly wide opening between finding out about Cassel's graduation, and going to hunt down Barron. He exchanged a few messages with the Transformation Worker, then set off to find his own inmate.

He made a bee line for Barron's room, and rapped on the door carefully. Unsure if Barron would be upset or happy at whatever passed between himself and Cassel, Prefect lingered in the corridor, probably concerned to a point that wasn't entirely due.]

Comments

[sharpememory]

I think that might not be the most moral job to do...

[Barron pauses, then decides to take the plunge and ask.] Have you ever wanted to see my world for yourself?

[buywithme]

[And that earns another little smile.]

Of course. I mean, I'd love to meet-- I would have liked to meet the rest of your family. Even if I don't necessarily think that you... should be diving right back into your former life with them, Brother.

[sharpememory]

Maybe we could just visit them. [Barron pauses.] But I'm getting ahead of myself, I guess. This is all hypothetical until I graduate.

[buywithme]

Yeah. [Prefect agrees, although he seems to have relaxed a little. Barron talking about we is nice to hear.] I just... Comrade, I don't know what else you need. You understand what was wrong with what you did to Cassel, you've learned not to abuse your powers... You-- Comrade, I really think if you had a fresh start tomorrow, you wouldn't take the same path.

[Prefect pauses, and frowns slightly.]

All I can think of that's left is... for you to go home, and live a better life.

[sharpememory]

So is that it? [Barron looks rather blindsided by this development.] Does that mean that I'm good enough to go home?

[buywithme]

I... I don't really know, Comrade. It's never been my decision, but I think you are.

[He thinks for a moment, then reaches for the old police radio at his belt. He clicks it on, but no sound comes from it. It's dead. Lifeless. No longer connected to Barron.

Prefect feels a sudden, enormous tightness in his chest. Even knowing this was coming, on some level, it's still there.]

I think-- I think that was it, Barron. I'm not your warden any more, at least.

[sharpememory]

He wouldn't set me up with a new warden just now, would he?

[Barron stops talking, actually thinking through things for once. He takes off one of his gloves, examining his bare hand.]

I think my power might be back?

[And a grin.] But I don't think I'm going to test it.

[buywithme]

[Prefect laughs, a little louder and more awkward than he intends too, but... it's hard not too.]

See? Clear, clear graduate material, Comrade.

[He smiles, then quickly reaches up to put his hand over his eyes.]

Comrade, put your glove back on, you're embarrassing me.

[sharpememory]

Come on, man. It's nothing you haven't seen before.

[Barron is laughing as he says that, but he slides his glove back on anyway.]

So, are you going to come home with me? Now that it's a real thing?

[buywithme]

[Prefect hasn't stopped smiling. He drops his hand from his eyes, and when he looks back to Barron, there's something glazed and happy in then that's hard to define exactly.]

Yeah. I mean, I really want too. I don't really... I've never lived anywhere normal before, Comrade. There's been the Factory, and then the Barge, but I've never had a regular job, or lived in a city, or... I've never been anywhere in my entire life where everyone was free, and everyone was equal.

[He pauses, and the hand that was covering his eyes drops to press over his chest, feeling the beat of his heart.]

I'm... I think I'm really excited, actually.

[sharpememory]

You should be. I mean, here is nothing like the outside world.

[Barron gestures at the room around them, but really means the barge as a whole.]

Exploring space and that is great, but there are some things that you only see if you stay in one place for a while, you know?

[buywithme]

I know. I mean-- I don't know what those things are, but I believe you. I mean, people here miss things, right? So there must be something good in leaving...