R1 DEADLAND

[lockdownmods]

[it’s strange, for the people who were already dead, the shift in scenery is sudden and complete. For those who have just arrived? It’s like you’re back where you left?

How strange.

But if you ever need her, you can always reach out to the guardian of this place.]

LOCATIONS
Note: locations lag a week behind the living counterparts

Comments

[foo_bar]

[he's not glitching anymore, but he does look a little stunned.

what... just happened?

He glitches for a moment, but he's not frozen. But then his hand goes to his chest, and the other to his stomach, and he looks down in a panic, looking for blood]

Wh--

[he needs a moment to process what this means]

[preconstruction]

[ connor is still holding his hand though. and unlike the other times he's interfaced with someone, there's a light blue glow now. (that's how you know it's romantic, i don't make the rules.) he smiles, sending warmth and reassurance and love through their connection. ]

Looks like you finally get to know what it's like to interface.

[foo_bar]

[it's good, because once his code starts processing, there's resignation and residual pain. So, feeling Connor's warmth and-- and his love... is probably the best thing Han could have had in this moment. It helps him set aside what he'd been feeling right at the minute of his death.

And he smiles back, even as he glitches again.]

... Hey.

[preconstruction]

We've got a couple errors to work out still, but everything is going to be okay.

[ also, connor looks truly happy here and that's something he clearly didn't look like while he was "alive" ]

[foo_bar]

[this is good-- he recognizes that look. It makes him feel a little better-- even as he feels... overwhelmted? by what... had happened, outside.

But he puts his focus on Connor, on that feeling. He starts to calm down.]

Errors?

[yeah even if he knows computer science, he's got to take a moment and]

...Wait. Yes, okay. I-- [he died. he hadn't imagine that-- this was what Viv had been talking about. He's truly dead, he has to be.]

[preconstruction]

[ well, he's as dead as connor ever has been. and more importantly: ]

You're safe now.

[foo_bar]

[he glitches again as he speaks, an awkward repeating at the start of his sentence.]

Is Reb-- Is Rebecca here?

[he's concerned.]

She should-should be, I need to-to-to talk to her.

[preconstruction]

I don't think that's a good idea right now.

[ he's deeply concerned for both of them, but he keeps his hold on han strong. he'll can be here for him, while han is hurting. ]

[foo_bar]

She was tricked.

[he notes the concern, and-- well. he glances at their hands.

this is-- a lot, but there's curiosity. a touch of excitement. confusion? how should he feel right now?]

[preconstruction]

She knows. I think she needs time to process.

[ with viral. ]

[foo_bar]

[he can't blame her on that-- he needs time to process too. So he goes quiet again, the glitches growing less regular as he forces himself to calm down, to come off that adrenaline rush.

as he starts to feel himself go numb, he turns and looks at their hands again, this time not a glance. And he does the natural thing-- for him, anyway.

he probes that connection-- clumsy at first, like he's trying to see what tit does. but it's better than feeling bad.]

[preconstruction]

[ connor has opened himself up entirely to han; he's usually pretty guarded like this but if han wants to he could see anything - connor's code, his memories, his emotions. it may be a little overwhelming to sort out for han's first time so it's anyone's guess what he actually gets, but it's important that he's giving him the chance. he doesn't need to be guarded around him.

while he keeps holding his hand, he throws his other arm around him to pull him close. he knows han has always like physical affection so he gives it to him, keeping him close and rubbing his back to try and keep him as calm as he can. ]

[foo_bar]

[he’s seen his code before but he’s surprised to see everything again, like this. This is what it has to be— that they’re both code. Code without bodies. He stalls there for a moment, glitching again. It is a little overwhelming. His specialty has always been getting past security measures. This... is new. To see something so open, to make almost intuitive sense of it.

But his code keeps glitching before he can go forward. Which is... extremely frustrating, and it shows in the emotional connection that they share. That he’s trying to focus.

And he can’t.]

Th-th-this is going to take so-so-so-some getting u-used to.

[preconstruction]

It'll be easier when we get those errors out of you. Your code was attacked. But it's okay, now. Just give me a little bit of time and I can start working out the rest of it.

[ it took a lot out of him; and while he'd rather work it all out now he's at least learning not to push himself so hard. that he has to take things one step at a time. that if he doesn't rest, he might mess it up. ]

For now, I'm just glad to see your face.

[foo_bar]

[there’s no choice but to stop trying, to stop pushin for now. And instead, he finally lets himself lean against Connor l. He could use the comfort, more than anything, now that his exploration has been stopped by the glitching and weakness in his code. There are plenty of emotions simmering under the surface.

Emotions he’s compartmentalizing.

Emotions he’d rather not face, now that he’s been given an out. He didn’t want to die. He didn’t want to remember. And he honestly has no clue what to say.]

Well, I’m sure we’ll make short work of it.

[he offers a smile]

[preconstruction]

[ han might not be able to feel past the glitching, but connor can feel what's going on on his end. it's not good. han dying was never going to be good - he'd always taken everything so hard, had always needed more time to process things and let problems simmer where he couldn't deal with them so that they'd come out in ways he wasn't prepared for.

and that's obviously going to happen here, too.

connor lets go of his hand, and thus the connection, so he can reach up and run his fingers through han's hair. ]

I am here, when you are ready to talk about it.

[foo_bar]

[the loss of connection is jarring. His only moments in the simulator have had that line and it’s weird. He pauses— but the glitching at least doesn’t start up again. Instead, he closes his eyes for a moment, savoring the touch.

This is a weird... feeling. Lacking without the connection, and yet taking comfort in the contact.

He exhales.]

Thanks, we... can chat later.

[preconstruction]

Don't forget it, alright.

[ he wants him to be okay, not just repress it forever. that's not going to get anyone anywhere. ]