(no subject)

[captainryan]

It's still early, though not that. Ryan's finished his morning workout and has just stepped out of the shower. River's downstairs at the moment, probably reading, and Damocles with her since he gets bored waiting for Ryan to get clean.

As if Ryan's thrilled when Dam gets muddy.

He opens the bathroom door to let the steam clear out into the main room, prowling to the dresser to get fresh clothes.

Comments

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Ryan's eyes narrow at that last but he stifles his growl.

"How are you?"

Yes, Deitmar, he is concerned. Deal.

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

"...weary. Very... it took a good deal of maneuvering. I am still not sure that we are safe. There is little more I can do, however.

"You haven't told me what's happened with you."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Ryan gives him a shoulder bump. "I'll help in any way I can." Even if it's just emotional support.

"Uh," Ryan says eloquently. How should he start this conversation?

"I've already had Ray check: this isn't caused by outside influences." It's the middle of the story but Ryan feels this is important to get out there.

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

...time to give him an infinitely weary, infinitely eloquent look and drop into the room's chair, waiting for what already smells like disaster.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

And Ryan settles on the bed, still in nothing more than a pair of sweatpants.

"I've...met someone," he says cautiously, waiting for Deitmar's reaction to this news.

He's not crazy or possessed or Sued or anything this time. Really.

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

"Go on," says Deitmar.

He should have picked another week to come back, shouldn't he. In his absence, Ryan has decided to putter along just fine before another mad dash into insanity.

But his eyes are attentive. He missed Ryan. :/ It's good to be back.

With the crazy.

Sigh.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Not crazy, dammit.

But Ryan is well used to proving to Deitmar he's not nuts.

"Her name is Dr. River Song. We've been seeing each other for roughly a month," he explains calmly and keeping any sort of glee about this from his tone.

Glee will only dissuade Deitmar from believing him.

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

"A month." That's something. "Tell me about her."

There's still something very resigned in his tone, and his gaze is now sliding down the titles of the stack of books.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Okay, Ryan, you must be logical here.

"She's very intelligent, an anthropologist. She's deceased, but still has access to a digital library in her universe because her consciousness was uploaded to it. She's fairly cheerful, though not as much as Suzi, and witty as well." What else can he say that doesn't make him sound besotted?

"She has brownish red curly hair, is about so high, with grey-green eyes."

It's an interesting stack of books; Kahlil Gibran, Mark Twain, a couple of scientific treatises on lycanthropy, a book titled Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde, something on quantum theory, and one on orchid cultivation.

Ryan may read a few of those, but quantum theory? A bit out of his league, don't you think, Deitmar?

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

That little neh kind of sound at the anthropology had nothing to do with her, per se; just a little automatic reaction of a disciple of the hard sciences to one who enjoyed the softer sciences.

"A digital library?" She carries around physical books?

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"A rather large digital library," Ryan explains, missing the unspoken question. "It's roughly the size of a planet and has just about any sort of book you could imagine."

It reminds him a bit of the Milliways one, actually.

Imagine the future bio books you could get from there, Deitmar!

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

"But she carries actual books about," Deitmar says mildly. Maybe he's just confused.

"When did she... I do not understand the consciousness part."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

[D'oh. Retcon that anthropologist to archaeologist.]

"Yes? She's not digital here," Ryan points out a shade amused. "I believe she likes the weight of them as well." Since she carries them in the Library, too.

"Her mind was uploaded to the computer that runs the Library. It's roughly 5400 for her." He sounds a bit unsure about the date, but it explains the tech.

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

"So she lacks a physical body there."

Her consciousness has moved out of her body, in fact, but he does not say dead.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Ryan thinks he sees what Deitmar's getting at.

"As far as I know. She said she's dead, however, and she wasn't lying. She knows I'm deceased as well.

"We haven't really gone into details beyond that."

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

"I see."

Perhaps this was legitimate.

Interesting.

"And she knows the rest."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Ryan raises an eyebrow at him.

"Which bits?" He did just say they hadn't really gone into details.

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

"Werewolf?"

Just the very obvious rest. :D

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Oh, that.

"Of course," Ryan says lightly. "That's not the sort of thing I keep secret. She'd likely figure it out anyway, what with the disappearing into the woods three days a month, talking to dogs, and what have you."

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

"Good luck," Deitmar says, since it's been a month and if the hammer's going to fall, this is probably about the time.

He's not going to like it.

"I... did not like having been away."

That might have been an apology. In a way.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Ryan takes this as his cue to get up and sit on the arm of the chair, putting one arm around his pup.

It's partly reassurance for himself as well that things are going to work out. Even if he knows better than that.

"I missed you." That much is obvious. "I'm glad you were able to come back."

He's silent for a moment.

"Suzi's getting married, you know. I just found out the other day."

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

"Oh? I'm glad I didn't return later."

He will attend if invited. And do nothing ceremonial, if he can help it, but will offer congratulations.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Ryan would like to pull him into a lean, but he knows better than that.

"Yes, now that she's a citizen, she and Whistler have been planning their wedding. She's thrilled, of course, but this is Suzi we're talking about."

No surprise there.

[hatchingviper.livejournal.com]

It's been six months since anyone touched him much at all.

"Good. It's good for her to have something to think about. She likes to have something interesting going on."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"She'll be glad to know you're all right."

He lets himself give Deimtar a light squeeze.

"Anything I can do for you while you're here? Anything you need me for on your world?"

His pup is very self-sufficient but it does not hurt to ask.