Sasha Whittaker (praelia) wrote in remains_rpg, @ 2016-09-22 00:05:00 |
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Entry tags: | # 2019 [09] september, marina scherbatskaya, max mendelson, sasha whittaker, viktor scherbatsky |
family is family
Who: Sasha Whittaker, Vic Scherbatsky, Max Mendelson and Marina Scherbatskaya.
Where: The Whittaker/Scherbatsky/Mendelson home and quarantine.
What: Sasha, Vic and Max FaceTime Marina on the anniversary of Zhenya’s death.
When: September 7th, 2019 - early afternoon
SASHA: [he had spent much of the day in a fog, teetering between the extremes of emotion. one minute he was sad and the next he was anger and he felt as if he was giving himself whiplash.] So, ah, does Marina know we’re calling? [he tried to mask his unease -- this phone call is more than he ever gave his own mom when she was in quarantine and he can’t help the guilt he felt over that.] VIC: Yeah. [there's more than a little annoyance in just the one word, spilling over from the events of the previous day and the significance of today.] Why would I surprise her? MAX: [pushes forward between Sasha and Vic, trying to get a glimpse of the screen with the hopefully added bonus of breaking up the tension and anxiety between the two] Surprise or not, she’s going so stoked to see us, just as much as we’re stoked to see her. Oh, it’s ringing! Shhh! MARINA: [snorts at the sight of the three of them trying to fit into the phone’s camera frame.] Look at you three peas in a pod. This is a really unflattering angle. I can see right up your nose Max. Ever heard of scissors before? [she teases, hoping it will distract them from the shittastic nature of this call in the first place.] SASHA: [he’s smarting from his dad’s annoyed tone and the tension between them, but he tries to shove it down when Marina appears on the screen.] He says he trims it, [he bumps into Max’s shoulder, grateful for his brother’s presence right now.] Maybe you can help us figure out a more flattering angle when you’re home again. [he tries to ignore the way his voice cracks on the word ‘home’ and the way it feels like his heart might be in a vice. Sasha thought he could handle this….but maybe he wasn’t any stronger than he had been two years ago.] MAX: [rubs his nose, momentarily distracted from the seriousness of the situation by surreptitiously checking for errant hairs] I do trim it! Besides, joke’s on you, fam; all my angles are equally unflattering and you all have to look at them. [he grins good-naturedly, shifting so Sasha and Vic can get a better look at the screen]. VIC: [offers Max a healthy serving of side eye before he focuses on the woman on his phone screen.] You dying yet, Scherbatskaya? [The joke is in poor taste, but he knows Marina's sense of humor. It's almost more of a test of her current state than a legitimate inquiry.] MARINA: Yeah. So if I start snapping at the computer it’s because you look so tasty, dorogoy. [She smirks back and raises her eyebrows suggestively at Vic, who gives her a small, appeased sort of smile, before glancing at Sasha and Max.] We can work on the manscaping when I get home, alright? MAX: [even if Vic cutting right to the chase about Marina’s status makes him a little uneasy, Max smirks a bit at the spousal flirting] Yes, Marina. When you get home you can supervise any and all hair removal. [tries to look behind Marina to her accommodations] So, are you going to give us a tour of your new place or what? SASHA: [fidgets while his dad and Marina joke, any other time he would laugh or pull a face, but today he's too afraid that it really could happen to see the humor] Yeah, we want to see your current digs. [he’s trying to sound chill, even as he's trying to fight back memories from two years ago.] MARINA: This will take all of five seconds. [she scoffed, flipping the camera view so it wasn’t on the selfie setting.] Five star accommodations here down at quarantine. Bed for all your sleeping and lounging purposes. And here is my TV, so I can watch the same five movies over and over. Swear to God, I’m going to have the best damn Batman impersonation you ever saw. [she panned around the room as she spoke, though the space was small so it didn’t take long, and when that was over, she focused the camera on her face once more.] There you have it. VIC: [he nods, satisfied by the tour despite how claustrophobic he knows it must feel.] At least it don't look like shit, or like the inside of that prison. They treating you all right? MARINA: So far so good. [shrugs and sits back down on the bed.] Bored out of my fucking mind, but it’s better than... something else. [her lips purse, despite her best attempt at ignoring the giant elephant in the room.] VIC: [his jaw tightens at the thought, but he doesn't address it out loud. That isn't their style, not when it's something of this significance and there's no reason to freak out yet. Still, there's nothing he can come up with to say that isn't emotional as fuck. So he takes a deep breath, then says, voice thick:] We miss you. I miss you. Max: [even though Max has been trying to stay upbeat and positive for Sasha and Vic’s sake, seeing his adopted dad get emotional flips a switch in him. He’s quick to dogpile on the sentiments. He squeezes Vic’s massive shoulder in support as he leans forward the screen.] We miss you so much, Marina. Dozor does, too. He’d tell you if he could. VIC: Somebody get that fucking cat and show it to her. MAX: [shoots up] I’m on it! [dashes off screen] SASHA: We’re, ah, not expecting Dozor to speak though, right? [he was more than happy to avoid the elephant in the room, the one they all knew, but nobody had outright touched on.] And for the record I miss you too. The house isn’t the same without you here. MAX: [offscreen, faint] This cat weighs an effing ton! What the heck are we feeding him, lead? [Max edges back in front of the screen, his entire face and upper chest hidden behind the massive mound of fur that is Dozor. Max holds the cat up to the phone screen.] Dozor, say hi to Marina. Tell her you love her and that you can’t wait for her to get back. DOZOR: [blinks] MAX: He’s just quiet because he knows that when you’re not here, he has the best hair in the house. Dozor, don’t be a butthole. Say hi. DOZOR: [stares, looks unimpressed, and then makes a noise somewhere between a meow and a growl.] MAX: [Max’s excited face fills the screen] Did you hear that?! Oh my God, he’s people! MARINA: [bites her lip, holding back a smile… and oddly, the urge to cry.] That’s a big pussy you’ve got there. Nice and hairy. [pauses a moment and lets out a slow exhale.] I miss you guys. VIC: [takes the cat from Max, looking at Marina intently.] You want us to call a lot? MARINA: Like I have anything else better to do than look at your potato head? You better fucking call me a lot. SASHA: We’ll call so much you’re going to get sick of us. [he can’t ignore the jolt of guilt he feels over the fact he never did the same thing for his mom.] MARINA: I’ll hold you to that. Otherwise you’re grounded when I get out of this hellhole. [she smirks in amusement, knowing that of the two parents, she is definitely not the one to dole out punishment.] VIC: That can be arranged. [it doesn't sound like a threat, though, at least for now. His spirits have noticeably lightened by the call.] Love you. MAX: I love you more. [he kisses the screen, pulls back, and sniffs audibly, trying to hide the emotion he’s feeling but failing] SASHA: I promise! [he pauses.] And not just because I don't want to get grounded for the rest of my life. [smiles slightly, though its strained by the emotions he feels.] Love you and miss you. MARINA: I love you guys, fuck, I-- [feels a lump starting to form in her throat, the urge to cry coming back all of a sudden.] Oh fuck, I’m hanging up now. Bye. [she taps at the screen ineffectually, quickly growing annoyed.] Fuck how do I shut this thing off-- [finally taps the correct button and her face blinks out.] |