Daybreak | IC Inbox.

[awooligan]

CLIFFORD NORMAN
UN: REDRIDINGHOODIE

STATUS: grade 11

ACCOLADES: n/a.

BIO: name's cliff. let me know if you'll buy cigarettes and shit for me, we can work something out.

© TESSISAMESS

Comments

[hawkwardness]

< No... you know how I said I feel like whatever animal I am? I don't think I mind sitting around as much as you would. I mind it a little, but... like I said, there's always things to do. >

[Hawks spend so much of their time flying or sitting, searching for prey, being patient. Being aware of movement. Not thinking about much else. It's only Tobias who needs more.]

[awooligan]

[He’s about to throw another chip up, but he pauses last second and sighs, closing his eyes and letting that arm go limp at his side. His admission leans closer to a grumble.]

I did like twenty laps around the track earlier. I should’ve been too exhausted to be bored. But I still had to go and make everything slow down...

[hawkwardness]

< I seriously don't know, dude. I've never felt like that. >

[What is one bird supposed to do to fix it? It's a shame the infirmary isn't an option.]

< What else do you like to do, anyway? >

[awooligan]

[Mm. It's hopeless. And he'd already known it was hopeless going in, so despite that brief moment his ears had perked up hearing that Tobias changed with each animal, Clifford isn't expecting one bird to provide a fix at all. A whole flock of birds couldn't find a fix. He's just...relieved to be heard, really, by someone that doesn't even like him, so it isn't in some vain attempt to change what couldn't be changed. Cliff just...needs to work harder at pushing it down deep where it wouldn't be a burden on anyone else anymore. Same as before.]

What? [He blinks up, face blank, but his mind catches up a beat later and he's back to his chips.] Uh... I dunno. Kevin likes games and movies, my friends like -- well. You know. [That Stuff.] If none of them are around, I'm either in my room so I'm out of the way, or out in some forest, or field, or cliff side. Or doing chores or homework, but that's not really a a "like to do" thing.

[hawkwardness]

< Right... maybe what you need is a new hobby. To, uh, not think about things so much? >

[Hell if he knows. It's lame, he realizes, once he says it 'out loud'. A new hobby is a pretty pathetic attempt to take your mind off the literal apocalypse.]

[awooligan]

Pff.

[It's barely a laugh because he's not amused. Rattling his bag of chips to get them up against one side and easier to access is more amusing to him. A hobby... That's such a strange suggestion to hear in real life, at least when said genuinely.]

It's...fine. Getting drunk works, it just sucks ass the next day, but...like I said, it's going to be over soon, don't worry about it. I won't have to do it much longer...

[hawkwardness]

[Is that a red flag?? Again, what the hell??]

< What's going to be over? How do you know? >

[awooligan]

[In response, Cliff rolls his eyes before tossing one of the chips up again and catching it. He just said not to worry about it... Hmm.]

It's happened before. The not sleeping, and the shitty mood thing... [sighhh.] Back home I just thought it was wanting to get out of the house because Carl was pissing me off. Turns out I'm just losing my fucking mind, it's great.

[hawkwardness]

[Almost seems like the dude is bipolar. Can someone his age be that way? He doesn't know--a bitter, tired part of ways it shouldn't be his responsibility to know. But life isn't fair.]

< Just, huh. > [Screw it. He's out of things to say. He can... figure it out later.]

[awooligan]

[Ohhh, that tone... Cliff sighs and tips his head to watch him, again.]

It's a joke. Obviously it's fucking bad. Why the hell do you think this would be my solution if I was okay with that?

[hawkwardness]

< I didn't think you were. And I guess I don't have any better ideas, besides talking to someone... uh, older. I don't know, alright? My kind of 'crazy' is different. >

[Yeah, he said it. It doesn't make him a hypocrite, for once... he did talk to someone himself for a while.]

[awooligan]

[Instead of an annoyed frown, it softens to one that's more baffled, one eye becoming more of a squint like that makes examining a Tobias easier.]

You know I'm just talking by this point, right? You got me chips, dude, far as I'm concerned that's going above and beyond the call of duty. Don't you ever just bitch about stuff?

[hawkwardness]

< About going crazy? No, not really. >

[Not Cliff's fault. He's made of deadpan and sarcasm. Maybe he needs little birdie emojis.]

< Look, do you want me to take you seriously or not? Seems like you're annoyed either way. >

[awooligan]

[Birdie emojis would be helpful...]

I want -- [Never mind. Seems obvious that he's either just a joke or a child that, sure they might have a legitimate problem, but they're just seen as a nuisance. He doesn't like either of those options. So with a frustrated sigh, he crumples up the bag and what few pieces are remaining, walking it to the nearby trash before dragging the glove off his head again and putting it back on.] I want to stop bothering you, come on. Let's get going. I need another couple shots after this, anyway, and you don't want to be around for that, right?

[hawkwardness]

[More drinking. No, he doesn't want to see that, really. He flutters down to his trusty glove...]

< What were you going to say, though? >

[awooligan]

[sighhhhh]

No, because it sounds stupid and pathetic to say. Haven't you heard enough "stupid and pathetic" from me?

[Even saying that is stupid and pathetic!! Walking, walking.]

[hawkwardness]

[He twitches his tail feathers, whatever that means.]

< It's like I said. Who else is going to pay attention, right? It's not as if I've never had pathetic days myself. >

[awooligan]

[Yeah. Who else would pay attention...]

I don't want you to just pity me and that's why you'd listen. I'm annoyed because you obviously don't want to deal with this, and I told you not to worry about it, but you're acting like someone's making you anyway! It's not like there's anybody here you have to look good for...