Good enough. I'm pretty sure keeping you on your toes is my job anyway.
I don't really need much. As long as there's some kind of bed. School already turns me into a hypochondriac often enough, I don't need sleeping on a couch for a week to add to that.
God no, don't worry about it. Any room's good, I'll be fine. So it is officially a "we" now, though.
[It's obvious enough now given they're putting her up. But it's not like Isaac ever actually said anything -- she hadn't realized he'd essentially moved until they were making plans.]
That's fair. How's living together so far? Does he still just wander away with the tv still on? Because that used to drive me nuts.
[Look, she feels a little awkward asking him for updates on her brother's mental health without even having met face to face, but she can attempt enough questions that she can judge for herself.]
Sometimes, I don't mind it though. I am trying to reintroduce him to music, so normally he just walks away with spotify on. Which is annoying because he's supposed to be listening.
[He doesn't get too annoyed, just a little helplessly frustrated that Isaac doesn't seem to understand the importance of great 90s ballads.]
He's quiet. Tries to stay small. I'm just trying to patiently encourage any interests he has. He's been reading a lot. He said that is because of you.
I guess it is. I started complaining about having no time to read for myself and then he asked for a list, so. I wasn't sure how much he'd actually be interested.
I'm surprised the music isn't working out better. He used to play piano. I don't think he remembers it though.
We started music lessons pretty young, he stuck with them.
Usually he was more interested in finding a challenge than music he liked. A lot of stuff our parents liked to put on, though. The Beatles, Elton John.
[After going back and forth with herself a couple of times, she'll send over a short video. Isaac's slightly younger, body language a lot more loose than normal, sitting at a piano in what's clearly a school music room and not home. The tune's I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General -- though whenever one of them sings for a line or two, it's definitely the Animaniacs version and not the original.]
[He's already working on making a new playlist of music for Isaac based on her suggestions when he gets the video. He watches it a few different times before he can respond.
It has to be hard for her, to remember how Isaac used to be and to see him so different. It's hard for him to watch and he doesn't even grasp how much has changed. It's like a completely different kid is in the video, wearing Isaac's face, using his voice, smiling his smile. He feels his heart clench, for both Imogene and Isaac.]
Thank you, for sending that. It looks like you both had a lot of fun growing up.
I can imagine. He said his love for you is the one thing he remembers. That has to be pretty significant to stick around.
I won't. [He wants to argue that Isaac wouldn't be upset but considering how often he talks about not wanting to have to compete with his old self, he's not actually sure if that's true. It might be better to just keep it secret.]
It's sweet that you kept it. I think it's reasonable to want to hold on to those memories. It can be our secret though.
Maybe. Maybe it's just proximity. I think I can count on one hand the number of days we didn't see each other until everything happened. And I was there when we pulled him through. I don't know if bringing anyone familiar around again would help. I stopped talking to a lot of people we used to know and even if I could find them, I don't know how you explain all of this.
Thanks. It's complicated. There's a lot of pictures from when we were growing up. I don't want to get rid of it, but I get why he doesn't want to know about it, too.
[She's going to feel kind of bad for dumping all this on Dagny at some point, especially given she's pretty sure Isaac wouldn't be happy about it. But it's still on her mind most of the time. Months is not enough to get through the complicated knot of residual grief, guilt, and worry.]
You're doing a really good job. It's not like this is a normal thing that happens, and you have been going through it alone most of the time. Even without a handbook or help, you've somehow done amazing, the only reason he's here and normal is because of you.
I don't think it's just proximity. He knows you, even if it's buried really deep. You two are twins. No amount of magic or time or even death would change that.
I've done what I can. A lot of it I couldn't do anything about, no matter how much I want to. But things have gotten better. That's the best we could ask for.
God you really are that nice, aren't you. I'm glad he has you. He's sounded happier lately than I've heard in a long time, and I can only guess that's down to you.
He said I'm nice? [ That and her other comment make him happier than she probably understands. He doesn't even know how to respond without sounding absolutely crazy.]
I don't think that's all me. But he makes me happy too. Sorry you weren't invited to the wedding. I'm sure we will have another one at some point and you'll be the first to know about it.
Maybe it's not, but I do think it's helped having somebody who's not inherently tied to all of this. I don't know if his only friends being ghosts was working out really well, even if they are pretty nice.
I'm holding you to that. It's okay though. I'd be annoyed if you actually planned it, but it doesn't sound like either of you are particularly good at that. :)
We talked a lot while you were in the hospital. Also generally if I don't get a response for a while, it ends up being because he was busy with you, so you come up a lot.
Please tell me he forgot to mention that because I am absolutely going to mock him for it.
It's okay. I'm pretty busy too. As long as he's still checking in, I don't mind.
So you're both ridiculously smitten, good to know. You should meet Morgan sometime, they're sweet. I know Isaac still keeps up with them because it's the only way I get to say hi.
Right now, it's not too bad, but I'll tell you if I change my mind about that.
One of the ghosts that stay with Professor Brooks. The two of them hit it off pretty well when he first came back and started talking to people. Maybe? Don't take it personally, he's never been great about bringing stuff up.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2025-03-08 10:05 pm (UTC)Also joking
Probably
Is there anything we can get for you to make your stay more comfortable? Isaac hasn't been very helpful in that department.
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Date: 2025-03-08 10:24 pm (UTC)I don't really need much. As long as there's some kind of bed. School already turns me into a hypochondriac often enough, I don't need sleeping on a couch for a week to add to that.
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Date: 2025-03-08 11:01 pm (UTC)We've got a guest room, the bed is pretty comfortable.
But we can swap rooms if it isn't nice enough.
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Date: 2025-03-08 11:13 pm (UTC)God no, don't worry about it. Any room's good, I'll be fine.
So it is officially a "we" now, though.
[It's obvious enough now given they're putting her up. But it's not like Isaac ever actually said anything -- she hadn't realized he'd essentially moved until they were making plans.]
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Date: 2025-03-08 11:33 pm (UTC)I like to think of us as one.
I can't speak for him though.
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Date: 2025-03-08 11:48 pm (UTC)[Look, she feels a little awkward asking him for updates on her brother's mental health without even having met face to face, but she can attempt enough questions that she can judge for herself.]
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Date: 2025-03-08 11:59 pm (UTC)I am trying to reintroduce him to music, so normally he just walks away with spotify on.
Which is annoying because he's supposed to be listening.
[He doesn't get too annoyed, just a little helplessly frustrated that Isaac doesn't seem to understand the importance of great 90s ballads.]
He's quiet. Tries to stay small. I'm just trying to patiently encourage any interests he has.
He's been reading a lot. He said that is because of you.
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Date: 2025-03-09 12:05 am (UTC)I'm surprised the music isn't working out better.
He used to play piano. I don't think he remembers it though.
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Date: 2025-03-09 12:11 am (UTC)What kind of music? Maybe I haven't been playing the right stuff.
[He is definitely switching over to the internet so he can start looking for pianos or keyboards to buy.]
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Date: 2025-03-09 12:29 am (UTC)Usually he was more interested in finding a challenge than music he liked. A lot of stuff our parents liked to put on, though. The Beatles, Elton John.
[After going back and forth with herself a couple of times, she'll send over a short video. Isaac's slightly younger, body language a lot more loose than normal, sitting at a piano in what's clearly a school music room and not home. The tune's I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General -- though whenever one of them sings for a line or two, it's definitely the Animaniacs version and not the original.]
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Date: 2025-03-09 12:45 am (UTC)It has to be hard for her, to remember how Isaac used to be and to see him so different. It's hard for him to watch and he doesn't even grasp how much has changed. It's like a completely different kid is in the video, wearing Isaac's face, using his voice, smiling his smile. He feels his heart clench, for both Imogene and Isaac.]
Thank you, for sending that.
It looks like you both had a lot of fun growing up.
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Date: 2025-03-09 12:51 am (UTC)Don't mention the video, please. I don't want him to know I still have this stuff.
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Date: 2025-03-09 01:00 am (UTC)He said his love for you is the one thing he remembers. That has to be pretty significant to stick around.
I won't. [He wants to argue that Isaac wouldn't be upset but considering how often he talks about not wanting to have to compete with his old self, he's not actually sure if that's true. It might be better to just keep it secret.]
It's sweet that you kept it. I think it's reasonable to want to hold on to those memories.
It can be our secret though.
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Date: 2025-03-09 01:12 am (UTC)And I was there when we pulled him through. I don't know if bringing anyone familiar around again would help. I stopped talking to a lot of people we used to know and even if I could find them, I don't know how you explain all of this.
Thanks.
It's complicated. There's a lot of pictures from when we were growing up. I don't want to get rid of it, but I get why he doesn't want to know about it, too.
[She's going to feel kind of bad for dumping all this on Dagny at some point, especially given she's pretty sure Isaac wouldn't be happy about it. But it's still on her mind most of the time. Months is not enough to get through the complicated knot of residual grief, guilt, and worry.]
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Date: 2025-03-09 01:33 am (UTC)I don't think it's just proximity. He knows you, even if it's buried really deep.
You two are twins. No amount of magic or time or even death would change that.
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Date: 2025-03-09 01:49 am (UTC)God you really are that nice, aren't you.
I'm glad he has you. He's sounded happier lately than I've heard in a long time, and I can only guess that's down to you.
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Date: 2025-03-09 03:23 am (UTC)I don't think that's all me. But he makes me happy too.
Sorry you weren't invited to the wedding. I'm sure we will have another one at some point and you'll be the first to know about it.
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Date: 2025-03-09 03:32 am (UTC)Maybe it's not, but I do think it's helped having somebody who's not inherently tied to all of this. I don't know if his only friends being ghosts was working out really well, even if they are pretty nice.
I'm holding you to that. It's okay though. I'd be annoyed if you actually planned it, but it doesn't sound like either of you are particularly good at that. :)
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Date: 2025-03-09 03:35 am (UTC)HE TALKS TO GHOSTS?????
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Date: 2025-03-09 03:40 am (UTC)Please tell me he forgot to mention that because I am absolutely going to mock him for it.
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Date: 2025-03-09 03:45 am (UTC)He must've, I think I would've remembered if my husband told me his friends are ghosts!
God. He's so cool.
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Date: 2025-03-09 03:48 am (UTC)So you're both ridiculously smitten, good to know.
You should meet Morgan sometime, they're sweet. I know Isaac still keeps up with them because it's the only way I get to say hi.
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Date: 2025-03-09 03:52 am (UTC)[He definitely isn't blushing from her saying they are both smitten. It's not like she can see it, so it definitely didn't happen.]
Who is Morgan?
Does he just have a whole life he doesn't talk about?
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Date: 2025-03-09 04:02 am (UTC)One of the ghosts that stay with Professor Brooks. The two of them hit it off pretty well when he first came back and started talking to people.
Maybe? Don't take it personally, he's never been great about bringing stuff up.
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Date: 2025-03-09 04:29 am (UTC)Please don't tell me you also talk to ghosts?
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