#― ᴵ ᵉⁿᵈᵉᵈ ᵘᵖ ᵇᵉᶜᵒᵐⁱⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵉ 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗬𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙 . [ 𝗧𝗲𝗱 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘆 / 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘃. ] .

[circusroyal]

ROCKY 𝙵𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳 𝙰 𝙱𝚄𝙶 : "Ah!! Hey!! Dont you poke me! I am paying attention to you dear I promise!" She promptly pokes him back on the nose with a huff.

In  a  moment  of  detachment  he  simply  prodded  her  for  her  attention  himself  had  long  lost  track  of  what  he  was  prattling  on  with  .

Ted  straightens  himself  up  from  his  slump  when  she  retaliates  ,  surprised  by  her  boldness  then  again  he  had  been  so  bold  to  have  prodded  her  in  the  first  place.

♔* ― ❝   Sorry  ,  I'll  keep  my  hands  to  myself  .  ❞    He  folds  the  into  his  lap  ,  they  often  trembled  or  tic-out  of  their  own  accord  . 

❝   I  don't  remember  what  I  was  saying  ...  ❞    &&  He  wasn't  blaming  Rocky  .  He  laughs  pitifully  .  ❝   I  must  have  been  rambling  again  .  ❞     He  looks  down  at  his  wrinkled  hands  ,  he  usually  prefers  gloves  ,  he  left  them  at  home  today  ...  forgotten  them  .  It  was  like  watching  himself  slowly  𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄  mentally  &&  physically  .

❝   I'm  always  surprised  by  your [ / @smolcuriouskitten ] resilience  to  be  patient  ...  grateful  for  it  ,  even  .  ❞  

[circusroyal]

Her  words  are  a  respite  from  his  spiralling  .  He  had  noticed  she  had  alluded  to  '  𝐖𝐄  '  but  he  saw  no  one  else  they  could  possibly  be  referring  to  .  He  breathes  fingers  running  over  his  own  whitened  knuckles  .  ❝   Thank  you  .  I-  I'm  sorry  ,  I  didn't  mean  to  -  ❞ 

Gradually  he's  recollecting  himself  ,  reminding  himself  that  he  was  free  of  that  polygonal  prison  .  It  could  no  longer  torture  him  or  keep  him  prison  .  But  the  infernal  computer  program  still  had  his  wife  .  That's  probably  what  Caine  wants  .  For  him  to  come  crawling  back  for  her  .

His  hands  now  fold  into  his  lap  . 

❝   I'm  just  not  used  to  being  outside  anymore  .  I  think  it's  ...  overwhelming  . I- ❞  What  can  he  really  say  ?  He  cannot  exactly  explain  his  situation  to  someone  it  would  sound  entirely  insane  even  if  they  don't  seem  so  judgemental  .  He  wouldn't  believe  𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅  .  Overwhelmed  was  a  viable  answer  .  Uncoordinated  eyes  try  to  find  somewhere  to  lie  &&  fall  on  her  empty  page  .  ❝   I  didn't  mean  to  disturb  your  drawing  or  writing  .  ❞ 

They're not quite sure when they gained company. Too lost in their head, must've been, if they hadn't even noticed. There's a journal open in their lap, but no actual writing on the pages, just their hand and their pen like they were going to and froze up at the last moment.

She just listens to him talk. Trying to pinpoint what exactly is going on. His wife is... Gone? Kidnapped? Hurt? ( Dead! ) No, don't say that. Veronica should say something, though. He seems nervous. Jittery. Like something's out to get him but she can't see what. She understands.

" ... Hey, dude. 's alright, " they finally look up from their notebook at him. He's a lot older than she is... " We don't think you've lost your mind. " She'd be a hypocrite otherwise. Lots of people thought she'd lost hers. They'd since stopped talking to them. " Just... Take a moment, yeah? Breathe. I'm not gonna like, call the cops on you or anything. " ( Not like they'd do shit to begin with. ) Veronica grabs her slushie from near her feet and takes a sip big enough to get her brain to freeze, both physically and mentally.

" Do-- do you want to just talk for a bit? I can tell you're uh-- kinda going through it. "