FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org The idea of 'dating' and boyfriends and girlfriends is still a bit strange to me. But I like the freedom of it. Do they still do arranged marriages in the future?
FROM: prismall.winnifredcdc.org Interesting how time changes things. Are you married? I wouldn't think so, but I'm curious. I'm too old to be married, myself.
[No word on if she thinks that's a good thing or not.]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org I have a feeling it's just you. You're a very serious man. A little too serious.
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org Of course, where I'm from, I suppose I'm still considered young. People are living much longer so everything get a little muddled. But I suppose I'm still too old. Not that I mind.
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org I'm breathing just fine! :P
[Look she learned how to do a sticking tongue out emote.]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org Most women my age are already married with children already, you know. Honestly I'm surprised people don't ask it more often.
[She knows she acts younger than she is; she's wondering if people just assume otherwise before asking.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org But it differs, you see? Where I came from, or rather when, women got married at all ages. And they had children at all ages, too.
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org I can see how it was difficult for you at home. But in that respect, you have more opportunity here, if you want it. Children would be more difficult.
[Did he just say something good about this place?]
[She's startled both by the fact he's said something good about the CDC and that he seems to really be trying to reassure her, or... something. It's sweet, though she thinks it's a tad misguided (not that that's his fault, though, it's not like he knows--)]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org That's very true. I can become anyone I want to be here, although I have doubts I'd end up finding a marriage partner among the people here.
[Winnie smiles, amused, and continues.]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org Children would be very difficult. I wouldn't want to pass my genetics on to my children. Poor things!
[Is she joking, or...]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org Did you message me just to talk poems and about my love life, Simon? :P
[She includes the emote so he knows she's only teasing.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org Don't stick your tongue out at me, young woman. Though I can't call you that any more, can I? I'll text you for no reason if I like.
[He'd been reminded, though, and she's his go-to person for poetry talk.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org What's wrong with your genetics?
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org If you want to keep calling me young, I won't stop you. But such cheek! Kids these days.
[She's having a good laugh at their back-and-forth though and hesitates slightly at the question. On one hand she could easily play it off, but she'd told him before to talk to her about anything. That he could open up to her. And how could she ask him to do such a thing when she wasn't willing to do it back?]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org I have a genetic disease. Sort of. It's a bit difficult to explain, but I guess you could say I'm sick and won't get better. Remember I said my father was overprotective and I almost never went outside?
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org That's why. There's about a 50/50 chance of passing it along or not, but I'd rather not take the risk.
[A disease, she's said. But Simon's read her file, and there are broad enough outlines for him to make a guess that she means the powers that were hidden.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org You did say that. But maybe it's something they fixed, or could fix. I had a scar vanish when we all came in.
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org Maybe! It'd be interesting to look into, anyhow. But it's a little frightening? Maybe that's not the right word.
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org But when you build up your life around accommodating something, suddenly have it all change is a little daunting. I don't know what I'd do with myself.
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org I imagine eventually you go so far on one path you have no choice but to keep going. But that's neither here nor there.
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org But then, sometimes that's the aim. It's not always good, to have too many alternatives. It can be freeing to have them all taken away.
[As the late, great Orwell wrote. Simon's starting to credit it. And it's the opposite of what he sometimes tells Pilot, but then he's more honest with Winnie. But not completely honest.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org Still. Even if children aren't on the table, you _could_ get married. Or be adventurous and modern. Live a little.
[That's one way to look at it, she supposes. Maybe he'd understand what she's really doing then.]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org I consider myself modern but I don't know if I'm THAT modern. Is it typical in the future to 'go out' with multiple people before settling? Or never settling at all?
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org Sounds scandalous. Poor Agnes's head would turn.
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org But thank you. Hopefully after we're done with this planet we'll all have some down time to enjoy life a little. Maybe we'll go on vacation.
[A tropical planet with cute servers with fruity umbrella'd drinks. Winnie can dream, okay.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org A holiday, really? Do you know, I haven't had a real holiday since I was [He thinks about this carefully, before finishing up....] in school.
[He's tended to consider his time out as opportunities to catch up with reading and sleep, and when they're done with Ajna.... well, he thinks most people will have more on their minds than sunbathing.
Or maybe not. Maybe they will all get packed off to some tropical beach planet.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org As to your question, I would say yes. Yes, it's very typical. Scandalous would be the least of it. But it has a lot to commend it.
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org They've been to Earth. I think it was Ghost who told me. They went to London. So I suppose they could do it. Maybe one none of us came from, so we wouldn't misbehave.
[Except if he ever found himself back in the city, he thinks he'd sit down on the nearest bench and cry himself out.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org The other thing - I'm sorry, Winnie, I really don't want to talk about it.
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org It's no trouble at all. You weren't to know.
[He's spent days and weeks and months, depending on your timescale, trying to inure himself to the smell of blood. He wants to find her and take her hands and put his head on her shoulder and just let go. He won't.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org We could do politics. I think it would end up with both of us terribly offended and sulking on opposite sides of the camp.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org
I'd be more interested to hear what he has to say. Knowing him, he's married by now.
Or on his third girlfriend since I saw him last.
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The idea of 'dating' and boyfriends and girlfriends is still a bit strange to me. But I like the freedom of it. Do they still do arranged marriages in the future?
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It's not unknown. But frowned on. It's often a violation of individual rights.
[That's not somewhere he's prepared to go, not yet.]
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Interesting how time changes things. Are you married? I wouldn't think so, but I'm curious. I'm too old to be married, myself.
[No word on if she thinks that's a good thing or not.]
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I was what they call married to my work. How old _are_ you, Winnie?
[He'd quietly told Babydoll that he had someone at home, but he'd trusted her not to ask endless, probing questions.]
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Oh, only 106.
[She waits a good minute to let it sink in before sending a follow-up]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
Only joking! I'm 24. What about you?
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FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org
You're older than I am.
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How MUCH older, exactly?
[SHE'S A LITTLE CONCERNED NOW.]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
I could have sworn you were older! No offense. You're just very mature.
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I'm twenty-three. And four or five months, I suppose, by now.
Maybe it's a generation gap.
[Or maybe it's you, Simon.]
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I have a feeling it's just you. You're a very serious man. A little too serious.
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
Of course, where I'm from, I suppose I'm still considered young. People are living much longer so everything get a little muddled. But I suppose I'm still too old. Not that I mind.
[She's just sort of babbling now.]
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Winnie. Stop. I can almost hear you not breathing.
You are not old. Twenty-four is not old at all. I would be surprised indeed if anyone asked you your age here.
[He's on the verge of babbling himself. But living longer, what's that about?]
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I'm breathing just fine! :P
[Look she learned how to do a sticking tongue out emote.]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
Most women my age are already married with children already, you know. Honestly I'm surprised people don't ask it more often.
[She knows she acts younger than she is; she's wondering if people just assume otherwise before asking.]
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But it differs, you see? Where I came from, or rather when, women got married at all ages. And they had children at all ages, too.
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org
I can see how it was difficult for you at home. But in that respect, you have more opportunity here, if you want it. Children would be more difficult.
[Did he just say something good about this place?]
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FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
That's very true. I can become anyone I want to be here, although I have doubts I'd end up finding a marriage partner among the people here.
[Winnie smiles, amused, and continues.]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
Children would be very difficult. I wouldn't want to pass my genetics on to my children. Poor things!
[Is she joking, or...]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
Did you message me just to talk poems and about my love life, Simon? :P
[She includes the emote so he knows she's only teasing.]
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Don't stick your tongue out at me, young woman. Though I can't call you that any more, can I? I'll text you for no reason if I like.
[He'd been reminded, though, and she's his go-to person for poetry talk.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org
What's wrong with your genetics?
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If you want to keep calling me young, I won't stop you. But such cheek! Kids these days.
[She's having a good laugh at their back-and-forth though and hesitates slightly at the question. On one hand she could easily play it off, but she'd told him before to talk to her about anything. That he could open up to her. And how could she ask him to do such a thing when she wasn't willing to do it back?]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
I have a genetic disease. Sort of. It's a bit difficult to explain, but I guess you could say I'm sick and won't get better. Remember I said my father was overprotective and I almost never went outside?
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
That's why. There's about a 50/50 chance of passing it along or not, but I'd rather not take the risk.
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FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org
You did say that. But maybe it's something they fixed, or could fix. I had a scar vanish when we all came in.
[Dastardly power-nomming CDC.]
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Maybe! It'd be interesting to look into, anyhow. But it's a little frightening? Maybe that's not the right word.
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
But when you build up your life around accommodating something, suddenly have it all change is a little daunting. I don't know what I'd do with myself.
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
I imagine eventually you go so far on one path you have no choice but to keep going. But that's neither here nor there.
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But then, sometimes that's the aim. It's not always good, to have too many alternatives. It can be freeing to have them all taken away.
[As the late, great Orwell wrote. Simon's starting to credit it. And it's the opposite of what he sometimes tells Pilot, but then he's more honest with Winnie. But not completely honest.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org
Still. Even if children aren't on the table, you _could_ get married. Or be adventurous and modern. Live a little.
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FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
I consider myself modern but I don't know if I'm THAT modern. Is it typical in the future to 'go out' with multiple people before settling? Or never settling at all?
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
Sounds scandalous. Poor Agnes's head would turn.
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
But thank you. Hopefully after we're done with this planet we'll all have some down time to enjoy life a little. Maybe we'll go on vacation.
[A tropical planet with cute servers with fruity umbrella'd drinks. Winnie can dream, okay.]
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A holiday, really? Do you know, I haven't had a real holiday since I was [He thinks about this carefully, before finishing up....] in school.
[He's tended to consider his time out as opportunities to catch up with reading and sleep, and when they're done with Ajna.... well, he thinks most people will have more on their minds than sunbathing.
Or maybe not. Maybe they will all get packed off to some tropical beach planet.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org
As to your question, I would say yes. Yes, it's very typical. Scandalous would be the least of it. But it has a lot to commend it.
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I'd like to see Paris again. Do you think the Instructors would take requests?
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
Have you courted/dated many people? Do you have an eye on anyone?
[If they're going to talk about love lives she's going to make sure to ask about his too.]
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They've been to Earth. I think it was Ghost who told me. They went to London. So I suppose they could do it. Maybe one none of us came from, so we wouldn't misbehave.
[Except if he ever found himself back in the city, he thinks he'd sit down on the nearest bench and cry himself out.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org
The other thing - I'm sorry, Winnie, I really don't want to talk about it.
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I suppose we'd have to prove we could behave ourselves first.
FROM:prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
Alright. I'm sorry I brought it up.
[She wonders if he lost someone and her heart aches for him regardless.]
FROM: prismall.winnifred@cdc.org
Well, we've talked loved. Is this where we switch to politics and world affairs?
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It's no trouble at all. You weren't to know.
[He's spent days and weeks and months, depending on your timescale, trying to inure himself to the smell of blood. He wants to find her and take her hands and put his head on her shoulder and just let go. He won't.]
FROM: wilson.simon@cdc.org
We could do politics. I think it would end up with both of us terribly offended and sulking on opposite sides of the camp.
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