milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Mr. Universe is in the bar, hunched over his laptop as usual.

Come get his attention away from whatever he's doing. Make him eat, maybe.

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He inclines his head curiously.

"Where are you from?"

"A little moon called Jethro", Mr. Universe answers, giving more attention to Lawrence. "Or that was home before I came here, anyway. You?"

"Arabia. I suppose I should specify .. Earth, 1919?"

This is most strange a way to introduce oneself, but there you have it.

"Wow, that's... quite a ways back. I'm from 2519."

"...oh my."

He rubs his jawline, puzzled. "That is a ways forward, I would say."

"Yeah, I guess that would be the way you'd see it", he agrees.

He licks his lips.

"You seem as if you should be from one of the desert areas. Is your planet a desert, young man?"

"Desert? No, the desert planets are mostly out on the Rim. My little rock was just that. Except the buildings."

"Ah, how strange. Is it odd, living on a moon?" A curious tilt of his head.

"Not really." He shrugs. "A lot of people do. No different than living on a planet, when you get right down to it."

"Except for the fact that you are the one rotating around the planet."

"Yeah, but it's not like you really notice that, most of the time."

Especially when you never go outside.

"..except when you look up?"

He arches a brow.

"You can't see the sky from inside."

"...you don't go outside, then."

"I do sometimes", he says defensively. He's lying. "I just... get very busy."

A small blink.

"I understand. But how can you not ... outside. It is very important."

"Why?"

He genuinely doesn't understand.

"Because sunlight and air feed the body and the soul."

He tries to sound profound.

"I had good air in my complex", he says, confused. "And sunlight lamps, when I needed them."

"But it is not the same."

He eyes the man. "Don't you excercise? Or swim or ... eat outdoors?"

"...no?"

"Most unhealthy!"

He looks very disgruntled.

"I'm dead", Mr. Universe objects. "I don't think I can get unhealthy anymore."

He sounds strangely cheerful about this. And conveniently ignores the fact that death did not change his eating and exercise habits at all.

Lawrence licks his lips.

"But what if it does? How do you know, I mean." He shakes his head.