+1 Half-Alien Artist

[reorienting]

When the Morpho touches down on the furthest outskirts, the ship itself seems only large enough for two people. If he isn't bothered then and there, he can be found wandering about, clad entirely in his latex-like flight suit and a gossamer mask he's made, comprised supposedly of intricately-woven spider thread.

He can easily be found out and about, sketchpad and an old pencil in hand as he draws what he sees. It's late enough in the evening that he arrives. He's mindful to keep distance from anyone in the area, to the point of exhibiting avoidant behavior unless they deliberately approach him.

Should he even stay here? Should he just go again?

For the most part, he only wanders about the outskirts and wilds. Nowhere in a closed space.

Maybe it's wrong to come here, anyway. But so long as he continues to observe his strict cleaning regimen, and physically distances to keep the temptation to interact with others down, there's no risk. He can treat this just like any other planetary observance. It's worked in keeping himself and others safe for two centuries now. It'll work here, too.

Regardless of where he's found, he's surprised when someone gets too close to his self-enforced distance. Even if they're familiar, he doesn't recognize them at first, shoulders hunched and head tucked downward.

"Ah-- I'm sorry, could you please take a few steps back?"


[ooc: For those I've threaded with before, you're welcome to have your character remember Glenn! If so, please let me know, so I can adjust Glenn's reactions to match. :) Furthermore, please feel free to use whatever writing style/tense you prefer; I'll match it.]

Comments

[adpacempertyrannidem]

Megatron smiles ruefully. "He also called it a Pokemon. Does that word mean anything to you? But there are lots of different kinds of them."

He projects the image of the creature from his optics into the space between his hands.

"I'm not making fun of you; I'm genuinely concerned about your stress level. Also, she's cute, and maybe seeing her will make you feel better.

"Her name was Willie, and she climbed right up on top of my foot, and bonked my hand with her head when she thought I wasn't petting her enough."

[reorienting]

"...The name doesn't, but the lillipup appears similar to a Scottish Terrier in my world."

Glenn takes a moment to process the concept of being near anyone. Even an adorable creature like Willie.

"...This isn't going to make your concern go away; I do not recall a time where I have been without stress in really any capacity."

Even with Clara, he still felt stress regarding his circumstances, and trying to navigate the world without her even when she was alive. He's been alive long enough to know that he has no idea what being without stress, or less stress, even feels like.

There's no doubt that he likely requires professional help, even in his own mind. But when he was alone, the only person it affected was himself. And the majority of himself that believes he deserves it was just fine with it.

Even involving himself with one person, like this, really makes his issues stand out. And further still, what would he be like after managing all these things? Would the current him fade away?

"Willie seems amazing."

[adpacempertyrannidem]

"She was really cute. And I don't expect you to be stress-free, Glenn; none of us is."

Megatron shrugs.

"There are people in my universe who want to kill me really badly and I know that whether or not I actually deserve to die, I certainly deserve their hatred. And I still go back there because I have a mission to finish.

"I'm very happy with the person I love, but I'm still learning how and where I fit into my lover's family, and I'm afraid they won't all like me, or... I don't know.

"I'm worried about the friends of mine who took over a political movement I started and completely fouled up and I don't understand why they don't just start over and call it something else that's not associated with all the carnage.

"I have stress in my life...but I'm able to hear what people are actually saying to me, and see what's in their faces. Which is important for you too...because you need to be able to tell the difference between a real threat and your own insecurities."

[reorienting]

While Glenn nods, he doesn't feel like Megatron heard him and what he's trying to say. It isn't like he's blind to the fact that everyone has stress. And of course, there are always people who have it worse, or have it easier, or about the same.

That said, he's trying to hear what Megatron is actually saying. Part of him wonders if feeling unheard is false on his head. If he's actually heard and just not seeing it.

Maybe he's blinded. If so, how can he remove that obstacle? Because it's obvious that something is clear to Megatron that's shrouded for him, and maybe he's just all the more flawed for it.

He's also not sure how to respond, either. It doesn't sound like something to reply to.

"May have heard you with some mistakes," he eventually admits. "Trying to read between the lines in instinct. But I am doing my best to hear you as you are."

[adpacempertyrannidem]

Actually, nothing is very clear to Megatron right now. Glenn's field is hard to read when he's suited up; Megatron can't touch him; and the humans Megatron is most familiar with (and largely, doesn't like, as opposed to the ones he's met in the Nexus and elsewhere) don't come from Glenn's particular world or culture. All that Megatron has to go on are the words Glenn says, which is why he's confused by phrases like 'without stress.'

"I'm not sure you should be trying to read between the lines. It's the things you've imagined me saying that have scared you, not the things I actually said."

He shrugs. "You're the only member of your species I have ever met and I'm good at reading your field when I'm touching you, but that's not possible right now. I can't distance-read you at all, because you are the only member of your species I have ever met. You're not human, and if I let my instincts take charge, they decide you're a sapient turbofox."

At that, he smiles wryly. "I know a sapient turbofox, although he doesn't know that I know he's a turbofox. The two of you are very, very different beings. I don't think viewing your actions through that particular lens would be wise."

(For just a moment, he looks over his shoulder. Minimus has been in the Nexus, and it would be just his luck if Minimus walked into this conversation and heard him discussing sapient turbofoxes, with a garnish of 'how did you get off the ship and why are you here?' Fortunately, his luck does not appear to be ruling this encounter. There is not a turbofox, sapient or otherwise, watching them talk.)