sixthiterationtexts | OTA Video | UN: FormerPilot | & Private Video @Seifer and @Rinoa

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OTA Video | UN: FormerPilot | & Private Video @Seifer and @Rinoa

[The video starts on a young man that looks a bit tired, but if you know Nida you know that's probably status quo. At least he knows how to easily position his arm to get himself framed well now that the video's started. And, if you were one of those already lucky ~~or maybe unlucky~~ enough to know him, his nervousness is evident in how he runs his right hand through his hair, his main nervous tick.]

Hey, Nida here. Uh, so I've been trying to figure out how to approach this for a week or so now, since the 'party' thing that happened. And while I've been through this device and a lot of different filtering options, I can't seem to find one that will, sight unseen, just filter to young adults.

So to start, if you're over, let's go with around twenty-two, years of age, you can probably disregard this message. Sorry, this thing is entirely about being younger here and so not really looking for as much feedback from adults that adult-ier than that.

[He has the decency to cringe at that word choice. 'Adult-ier'. Yeah, he half expects grief from those 'adultier' people for even making this, but hey, he's had a number of people give him hard looks because they were judging what it was to be a young adult with his experience so, to quote his boss, 'Whatever'.]

So, for any of those younger folk who haven't just shut me off by this point because my entire thing has been lame so far, I've got a proposition. I mean, at the New Year's Eve thing I noticed there are a lot more of us that I'd really, I don't know, anticipated? Which isn't an issue of course. And I imagine that for people from backgrounds where socializing and school and frequent releases of new movies [a small pause because really the guy looks half puzzled at that idea] was really a thing, it can be lonely here. Especially without people your age to talk to.

Especially with how sometimes the adults here get very awkward over our life experiences because I know I've heard that expressed sometimes.

Anyway, what I've been thinking is that we're here, and maybe we should figure out what to do with that fact? I'm not saying we make a young people club. Just, you know, network. Not electronic network, more the whole 'make connections with other people' network. Maybe meet up sometimes, or at least know who other people our age are, know there are maybe couches to crash on when you need to get away from situations, or someone to listen when you've got to talk, or just to share backgrounds without the inherent 'those life experiences are too big for someone your age' worried looks the older people get.

So, well, to sum up. Because basically I seem to be rambling and I normally only manage that when I'm having discussions of things like magic.

We're young. They're not as young. Sometimes that makes tension. So let's make friends who are young? If that appeals just, chat up here for right now? We can maybe talk about having a meet up later this month if people want that. Like that knitting group or whatever but for hanging out.

[He knows Rin wouldn't mind using the house for that. Seifer he'll... maybe bribe to be cool with it? Worst comes to worst schoolhouse. Or see if Billy and Tommy could host?

Look at this guy, looking more awkward at the end than he ever did at the start. Clearly a strange mixture of the nervous high school, or college really, nerd and a really built jock. And he looks like this whole process was like pulling teeth. But he does manage something like a smile because he figures that's the best way to end this.]

I'm shutting up now. Okay.

[There's a very quiet, under the breath curse that can't easily be made out, but clearly Seifer or Rinoa would know it's him cursing Hyne.]

Private Video to Seifer and Rinoa

[Clearly starts back up only seconds after the last one ended, and he looks even more awkward if that is possible. Of course it is because the video is still pointed in the direction of his head. But said head is currently face down, hidden by the fact of being pressed against their kitchen table. And his voice is only somewhat muffled as he speaks.]

I mean, all of this isn't a stupid idea, right? You can't tell me you two don't get the judgmental looks whenever we bring up anything about life back home. I guess it might not be as always bad on you, Rinoa, cause you had something vaguely resembling a non-mercenary life, I suppose. But I've heard Billy [the first time he's actually used the name of the guy he talks about sometimes at meals with them to fill quiet gaps] mention how someone called 'Captain America' would give him grief for heroing and stuff, and I know Kamala was reaching out to try and talk to people when her birthday was coming up about what it's like to be older.

It's clear there needs to be some way for young adults and late teens people to have the sort of... possible social interactions, right? Even Garden got that, and I know how we were raised was weird. Just feels so much like I'm casting doom on myself because I'm on the older end of the range I made up, and I spend a lot of time trying to get some of the 'adultier' [he groans because what a stupid word he used, fuck Seifer's not going to let that go] to not make me feel actively like I have to prove myself. Literally had to fight a guy. I'll explain that over dinner but...

Shiva's Tits, how do you delete stupid off the Internet guys?

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I just want to know why you so suddenly want to ask Billy over to the house. I mean, you could visit him. They don't have electricity but...

Why did you say 'sounds like he'd want to spend more time with you'? Because we spend time together talking on the net. And I'm training him too, in combat.

[Rinoa sighs. A big huff.] Because you like him!

[Uh... yeah. Duh. Nida looks confused.]

Of course I do. We wouldn't be friends if I didn't like him?

[She stares right at him. What an idiot.] As in you have a crush on him.

[Okay, now he's looking at Rinoa like she's crazy.]

No. That's not possible. We're friends. I have friends feelings about him. I'm not a romantic sort of guy. You need to be romantic to have crushes.

[Rinoa snorts.] Oooookay. [She knows what a crush looks like, thank you.] So you don't think he's attractive?

[There's a moment of annoyance now, because is she suggesting that Billy isn't? Because he is, and people who want to feed into Billy's refusal to see himself as attractive are not god in his books.]

Of course he is. This whole village is filled with attractive people, and he's definitely one of them. But that's got nothing to do with anything. People can be attractive and still be your friend. I'm friends with Xu and she's really pretty and it's nothing more than that.

[You know, ignoring the fact that he's gay and so that's a bad defense.]

I know people can be attractive and still be your friend, but the way you smile and talked about him in this video doesn't seem like just friends. But it's okay! You know better than me how you feel.

[The way he smiles? Again he looks so confused. So very confused. He's not even looking at the device anymore, because he's trying to think about what she means. It's a long moment before he responds.]

We're friends, Rin. That's all we are. We do friend things like I teach him how to fight and he tells me stories and we danced together a lot of the night at the ball. The guy can tango so well.

[The problem, of course, is that the more he talks about Billy, the more that smile creeps back on his face.]

Like, I'm not even kidding. I may not have had top marks in a lot of Garden classes, but dancing? I was top there. And he's leagues ahead of me. We spent the last bit of the year together in that Garden place. We did the whole Trabian New Year thing. The one where you tell a deep secret to a stranger to make your burdens lighter the next year? I think it really worked for us. He needed to get some things off his chest, and he even managed it without squeezing my hand off while he was telling me.

[Yes. That was just Nida mentioning he spent time, alone with Billy, in a romantic location, telling each other secrets and holding hands. Truly he doesn't even get what is going on in his own heart.]

Edited 2019-01-09 19:59 (UTC)

[She just watches him, amused. She puts her chin on her hands and listens.] Oh boy. You're in trouble.

Trouble? What did I do?

Noooothing.

[She squints at him.] Would it be a bad thing having a crush on him? He's a great guy.

[Would it be a bad... Geez, Rinoa, you really don't get it. But he supposes he can't hold that against you. And frankly, the rules are different here, aren't they? Those emotional connections he's always avoided don't apply. Doesn't mean he realizes that before he answers.]

I'm a SeeD Rinoa. Maybe that works for you and Squall, but we don't exactly have relationships. Even within SeeD that's a pretty uncommon thing. I get in dangerous situations. I get hurt. I'd be surprised if I live to see thirty. I'm a mess who, as part of their job, goes out and seduces random people to get information. I'm an assassin as well as a monster killer.

I'm not a good person. I know that. And I know that I'm not worth his attention or anyone else's in anything past a casual sexual sense, which I'm well aware of and am perfectly fine with.

[Seriously why is this her life. Why is she always dealing with frustrating boys who are lovable and really dumb. Rinoa disappears from view because she has to stomp around in the kitchen so she doesn't yell. There may be some clanging heard in the background. She comes back only after she's gotten it under control.]

This is something I've had to deal with the other two about, and I swear it just makes me want to scream. [The other two meaning Seifer and Squall.] True friendship, true loyalty, true caring, it's all a two way street. You have to take if you're willing to give, because that's what the other person is doing. Billy's capable of his own thoughts and feelings regarding you, and it's unfair to make up his mind for him, for other people too. By saying you're not worth it, you're declaring only you have the right to have an opinion, not that your friends have the right to say you're worth it to them. To us.

Edited 2019-01-10 19:55 (UTC)

[Good point, and he listens and nods along. Clearly he slightly misspoke.]

He’s my friend Rinoa. In that he absolutely has an opinion. What I’m telling you is that all I said? All of that?

That is why I don’t have a crush on him. I am not made for relationships like that. Friendship is something I am happy to learn. But what you and Squall have? Selphie and Irvine? That isn’t something I am or can be.

Besides the point is moot. Even if I had a crush on him, which I don’t, your point would require him to have them for me. Which he doesn’t. We’re friends.

And I don’t go moony over cute boys.

[Because he didn’t realize he totally had. A few times. In this conversation. He really needs to eat those words.]

[Rinoa really wants to kind of punch Cid sometimes. His organization did a number on her friends.] You can be anything you want to be. If friends is what you want, then here you go. But don't be surprised if Billy doesn't eventually crush hard on you, Nida. You're handsome and charming and nice. So if this is how you feel you might at least want to prepare in the back of your head how you'll turn him down nicely if it happens.

[Which he won't. Because he has a crush back. But maybe he'll be on the look out now for when Billy flirts and be more aware if it happens.]

He won’t get a crush on me. People don’t do that.

And if he did...

[A flash of fear. He wouldn’t know what to do. How to be something more. He panics for a moment and then squashed it. Won’t matter. Not like he’d want that anyway because they are friends.

That's an 'if it happens' problem, then. Nothing to worry about now.

It won't happen. But... thanks for the concern. I know you're just looking out for us.

I always am, Nida. And I always will.

You're a good person, Rinoa.

I think you're going to redefine the concept of a sorceress in our world.

I hope so. I really do.

I know you will. And maybe, before that, you can help me figure out how to be a better friend to Billy.

[She smiles.] You're already a better friend to people than you think.

I'm really not. Now, I really need to get a pack together for staying over.

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OTA Video | UN: FormerPilot | & Private Video @Seifer and @Rinoa

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