[audio // @jackwynand56] third transmission. [locked to everyone but angel]

[belowthesea]

Uhhh.

[Why can't he ever sound natural on the network. He clears his throat, and speaks in that deep, authoritative voice with the tone of a frightened child.]

How do you... mm.

[You can do it, Jack. You already went through the trouble of learning how to filter posts.]

I wanna... ask. A girl. Something. How do I... do that.

Comments

[dadenergy]

I'm going to take that as a compliment.

But really, Jack. Just be you. That's the only person you really can be. If she likes you, then that's great! Don't forget to accept if she doesn't, though.

[belowthesea]

It is. You're like.. my dad. The.. fake one. He was nice.

[He lets out a nervous huff of laughter.]

I'm just... she's the first real friend I've ever had. I don't wanna mess it up.

[dadenergy]

You know, I don't know how to take sounding like a fake dad, but...thanks.

[He chuckles slightly himself.]

Don't worry about it too much. Besides, sometimes, even when things seem screwed up, they might not be.

[He pauses for a moment.]

Okay, so. When Eric and I were just starting to date, I got this idea that I wanted to cook him some dinner. I got a cookbook, had this huge, elaborate plan, and I completely burned it. Totally inedible. We ended up ordering take out. That was over 10 years ago and he's still around. Just be you. It'll work out, I promise.

[belowthesea]

It's... better than being like my real dad.

[He's a little bemused by the anecdote - both because the stakes don't seem as high in his opinion, and because he didn't know Aaron was dating anyone.

...]

You don't paint, right?

[Jack.... Jack.]

[dadenergy]

Good to know.

[He chuckles.]

No. All my hobbies are a lot less creative. Trust me, you don't even want to see my stick figures.

[belowthesea]

That's good. I don't like painters.

[You've met one and he happened to contract you to kill four people... jeez, Jack.]

[dadenergy]

That's...why?

[He tried not to pry, but that's a really weird prejudice.]

[belowthesea]

....It's complicated.

[dadenergy]

It's probably not as complicated as you think.