video;

[keephersafe]

[Okay, R, just breathe. Well, don't breathe, but relax, because if you don't, you're going to stammer your way through this so badly that no one is going to get the right idea about what you're saying.

After Liv's post a few days ago, what R is about to do has been on his mind a great deal. He doesn't use the network often, and rarely to post something for himself, but this...

This is important.

There's no lighting or angle that really catches this guy's 'best side', because with the greyish pallor, pewter-coloured eyes and dark veins inching their way up the sides of his neck there is really no 'good side' to capture, but give him a break, he's doing his best.]

Um-- hi.

['Good start. Now carry on before you start to look like an idiot.']

There's s... something I have t-.. to say. I haven't... been trying to lie t-... to anyone. What Liv... what Liv said - I'm the same. Not... Not exactly the... same.

[That one's a given, probably, with the way there's no chance he's passing as Living, and the problematic speech impediment.]

I'm... I'm a z-.. zombie too. I don't want t... to hurt anyone. I just... don't want to be sh-.. shot at. [You know, if it's not too much trouble.]

Okay. Mm... thanks.

Comments

[keephersafe]

[Shrug...

People shoot at zombies. It's a thing. A couple of people have pulled guns on him here, but thankfully no one has actually tried to shoot him yet.]

People here are... better. Mostly... wait until I talk.

[And then don't shoot him. Which is great!]

Uh... she wouldn't... give you that on p-... purpose.

[letsemilythis]

Yeah, like, I don't get that vibe.

[ She pauses. She wants, so much, to ask if they have a zombie group of some sort. But that would probably be zombist. "Oh! You two are zombies and know each other? Do you hang out with all the other zombies, too?" Oh, man. Are there more zombies here? Probably.

But on the bright side! If they were really bad, they would've eaten her brain by now, right? So it's probably all good! ]

That's... nice of them? That they wait for you to talk to shoot you?

They don't shoot you afterward, do they? Because that would probably be rude.

[keephersafe]

No one has... yet.

[Even Ellie, who pointed a gun at him for some time after he sat down to try and make it clear he meant no harm to her, did not actually shoot him in the end. Since then, they've even had a conversation with no weapons drawn.

It was almost friendly.]

Won't hold my breath.

[Get it? Dead joke.]

[letsemilythis]

[ She stares at the feed in suspicion and confusion. ]

Do you... need to breathe? Like, how long can you hold your breath?

[keephersafe]

... Don't need to.

[Just to talk, which tends to require the movement of air through occasionally stiff and creaky vocal cords. If he doesn't speak for a long time, it gets harder...

Like his body starts to forget how.]

Could just... not breathe. But... couldn't speak, if I... didn't.

[letsemilythis]

And not talking would suck...

[ She feels your pain, man. She really does. Sometimes, somebody farts in an elevator but you've also got news you want to share immediately. ]

So, like, what are some of the things people need to know about your being a zombie? Since you're a different zombie than Liv. Anything we should keep in mind? Like... I don't know... Giving you space or if you store brains in the fridge?

[keephersafe]

[Awkward laugh. Haa haa haa. R feels himself cringe internally. These questions are expected, but not, at the same time. He isn't sure what he should have anticipated from all of this.]

No, that's... fine.

[He, uh, doesn't want to say that it's better warm. And even better fresh.]

Don't need... treating different.

[letsemilythis]

[ There she goes, being zombist again. Probably? This would be easier if she knew things about zombies, but Emily has never really been a zombie-type person. ]

Cool!

So... What kinds of things do you like to do?

[keephersafe]

[It's okay, Emily. You could know plenty about zombies but still know nothing about R's type of zombie.

Like the kind of thing one might say to answer that question.]

I like... music. Jazz.

[letsemilythis]

Oh! Cool.

[ Jazz. She has to introduce him to Kelly Clarkson and Lady Gaga and SO MUCH MORE, and STAT. ]

Playing or listening?

[keephersafe]

Um. Listening. Can't... play.

[He wiggles a hand at her.]

Zombie fingers.

[letsemilythis]

Oh! Right!

[ Ha, ha. Please excuse her. That was probably embarrassing. And then her face falls. ]

That's... kind of sad, actually. Did you used to play? Back when- before you had zombie fingers?

[keephersafe]

Don't remember.

[There's one thing he'd like to know. Did he play an instrument? Is that why he likes music so much? It would be nice to know something like that... Maybe it'll come back to him one day.]

Maybe.

[letsemilythis]

Well, it's still cool that you like jazz! You're the first zombie I've never met that likes jazz.

This was really nice of you, by the way. Talking about yourself like this. Where I'm from, zombies aren't typically seen as... you know. Cool? But for what it's worth, I'm glad you and Liv are like... you know. Cool.

[keephersafe]

[Small smile. He's the only zombie he knows who likes jazz, too.]

Thanks. Thought it was... important. [And, you know, he can't pass even half as easily as she can. It would get around eventually.]