synopsychic | near the end of the week

Hokay. So. Me and Claudia have been talking and we've noticed we aren't being affected by the weird Song thing or even many of the side effects and one thing we both have in common is we're both pretty good at psychic protection--that is, shielding our thoughts and stuff--so we're pretty sure there's at least somewhat a psychic component to it.

I was thinking that maybe, even with the other precautions happening, it might be a good idea to teach anyone who doesn't know it yet how to do that psychic protection. At least the beginners version of it, if not the extra-strength version we both know.

Also...

[And here she hesitates, guilt warring with guilt. An entire year of not telling people something they really should have known, versus the desire to protect someone dear to her. But if she didn't name names, maybe that would be protection enough. And people should know. She was tired of covering for him, especially since as far as she could tell he'd never stopped doing it.

She wonders if he'll be mad at her after this. Fine. Let him be mad. She'll remind him that she could have used his name.]

Also, I kind of really think that everyone who can learn psychic protection should, for the simple fact that there are people among the Travelers who will listen in to your private conversations. Some of them will listen into every unprotected private conversation that passes through the network. Because they think they have a right or a need to listen to them.

I know. It's happened to me.

So. Yeah. I can't force any of you to learn this, but I think it's a really good idea. And I'm here to walk you through it over the network or I can go find you if you'd rather have an in-person lesson.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[SHE WAS. It's an uphill process. Better people don't get their adopted little brothers beaten by a mob, she suspects.]

Um. I'm sorry?

[Private]

... the problem is I actually care about the person who did it. So, like, you have to like, swear to your god or creed or whatever that you aren't going to hurt them.

I meant anything else newsworthy, though it is good to apologize. I would know.

[ And so would Malik, recipient of a three-month-late apology for the death of his brother.

[ private ]

I cannot promise that. I only swore to follow my Creed, not swear by it with so little information to go on. So I suppose it will have to remain your secret.

Yeah. Sorry.

I mean, it wouldn't hurt to talk without giving specifics as to who, I guess.

It's just... so, like, a while ago, way before you showed up, I had sex with Hajime on a Jaunt when he was a disco werewolf. And after we kind of talked about it, just to clear the air? But, like, on the network. And neither of us had learned to protect our private thoughts... just private them.

So. Cue a few days later when I'm with the would-be spy, who's under... I guess a mind-altering effect is as good a way as any to describe it. Basically, for that short time they were a lot more impulsive and emotional and a lot worse at thinking things through and keeping h-- their secrets. Okay, so here's the other thing, the would-be spy knows that Hajime's overlay killed mine in a Jaunt prior to the one we last finished. Because the would-be spy is under this effect, I have to stop him-- them from killing Hajime to preserve my honor, because they can't conceive I'd sleep with him willingly.

So I start shouting at them about reading Alcuin's letters cause the only other place I'd talked about it was in writing to Alcuin and they were like no, they listened to my conversation and they got this big oh shit look on their face and I shouted louder about them listening into my conversation and then they basically said something about how they weren't spying on me in particular, they just check every private conversation and I got even angrier and they got oh shittier and I think I actually super freaked them out and made them fear for their life and our friend ran in from the bath because we were shouting so much and I was basically 'fuck this, I'm out' and left my wet, naked friend to deal with them because I was too upset.

And then we made up in a few days and because they seemed sorry I thought maybe they'd stopped listening in on everyone, but then months later they showed up to a thing that I'd only invited a couple people to over a private message and not them--and I realized they were still listening.

But I do care about them? Even though they were a jerk. So I can't just tell everyone they're the would-be spy. I just have to encourage people to defend themselves as much as they can.

I mean, I don't know? What would you do, Altaïr?

Edited 2017-01-17 08:59 (UTC)

[ He does not miss the pronoun slip. Thorne has got to work on her concealment. He half wonders if she's really up to roleplaying a mermaid school leader, but then again, immersing oneself in a lie on a Jaunt is easier than talking about old wounds. ]

He disrespected your trust twice, even after you told him not to do such a thing. It is obvious it bothers you. There is no point in continuing to care for him or remain friends. Cut him away. If you had read about this happening to characters in a book, would you feel the same about them? [ One book nerd to another. ]

[Way easier. Also, she always does better when she's not lying mind-to-mind.]

I'd be pretty angry at him-the-book-character, not gonna lie.

... thing is, he's close to people I'm close to. I wouldn't be able to avoid him. And... I can't turn my caring off.

There are plenty of people I dislike but am unable to avoid...

[ He's about to ask why she can't just turn it off, but he stops himself. Acre's Bureau leader had counseled Altaïr that his feelings were what kept him human. Amidst the soberness rampant in his violent profession, those words had resonated with him. ]

You really are human, Thorne. [ he says wonderingly. If he actually trusted the Network, he'd even venture to say that she may be more human than him. ]

... that's one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me, Altair.

It is true. [ he protested. He's not used to being called kind, though the most perceptive people he knows do call him such. ] I am not trying to flatter you. I... There are no vampires in my world, but humanity is as varied as the waves on the sea. [ He really needs to shake off this Jaunt. He's not even Infiltrating! ] I know how much it means to you. It is why I said it. To another person, these words would fail.

Still. I could just about kiss you.

...Thorne, don't you already have a lover?

[ Altaïr takes colloquialisms literally, news at 11. ]

... okay. First, it's an expression of appreciation, not a declaration of desire to kiss you for real, although actually I probably would kiss you, because you're cute and you have that stubborn protective thing going on.

Secondly... d'Angeline culture surrounding sex is, like, a lot different than the stuff most people are used to. Like, monogamy is not a given? It's not at all odd--especially in the noble circles that the guy he was a ward of ran in--to have multiple lovers of both genders. It's perfectly acceptable. And we've been conducting things the way they do in Terre d'Ange. So although we love each other a lot and we come home to each other at the end of the night, we're both allowed to sleep with other people. Even though I haven't really since we got together, outside of some threesomes with him. Infiltrations not counting. Honestly, I think Alcuin worries sometimes that I'm holding back for his sake? But I'm not. It's just there's only so many people in liminal space and a lot of the other ones I'd sleep with are already taken or not here anymore.

[ Back home, affection was not widely shown in public. It was all or nothing. When a woman declared that she might like to kiss him, she wanted to go somewhere private and do more than kiss. In certain environments (like not on the Network), he would have not batted an eye, but this is unexpected and gives him pause. He's never been propositioned by letter.

[ Meanwhile, D'Angeline sex culture seems simple enough to grasp. It sounds, to him, a little like the privilege of having a harem, which could contain a variety of people, was extended to the wife, and that both wife and husband have trysts without the commitment of marriage. ]

I understand. Perhaps we will meet and speak of this when Alcuin is himself.

[ If only to stop Thorne from divulging more of both their sex lives. This was more information than he needed. ]

Sure. And, uh, if you're interested in guys too or just don't mind having another one around... well. We'll talk about that after the Jaunt too.

near the end of the week

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