Hey. Hey! I was a better student than you'd think. I tried as hard as I could, I... wanted to be an archaeologist. Having all those past lives now would've been badass, right? [ He taps his temple, a meme in action. ]
Probably. I would've had such good knowledge, can you imagine? If I knew all the good spots for stuff. [ Carter grins like he's stumbled upon some secret knowledge that he's sharing with Rip alone. ]
But [ and here he shrugs, taking another gulp of tea ] I'd be a hypocrite if I said I wouldn't do the same thing in your position.
I can't imagine having thousands of years' worth of memories. [ A little over a century, maybe, but not thousands of years. Rip isn't sure how old he is any more. ] But at least pursuing who you once were isn't timeline-breaking.
[ Carter shrugs, eating his cereal in relative silence. He seems lost in thought. ] See, if it wouldn't break the timeline, what's stopping me, huh? It's... it's weird. The memories, I mean.
[ It comes out very suddenly. ] And it's weird because it's happened so many times, losing her and all, that you'd think I'd be used to it? [ Carter looks up at him and shrugs, trying to look nonchalant. ] I think the thing is that, like, each life you have to start all over, so you don't really... learn from experience, or build up any real immunity to it, exactly.
[ Rip chokes on his tea. It's a very bad look, and he turns away entirely in something that's more embarrassment than shame.
He pounds his chest with the side of his fist, coughing. ] I... I suppose that makes sense. [ There is a brief clearing of the throat. ] You're born in new flesh, and the, erm, bonding process is-- very physical, as well.
[ Rip wants to ask when in hell did you two have time to bond, then remembers they'd left the two reincarnated lovers alone in the timeship for a considerable amount of time, that first time they'd all been together.
He resists the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. ] ...I see.
No, it's not. [ Carter passes him a sympathetic smile, drinks his cereal milk, and shakes his head. ] Wasn't kids too, this time. There's that. And I would say we never learn, but I think it's more that fate doesn't really care. [ He's that kind of casual that comes with forcing himself to box up his feelings and not think too much of them. ]
I know, right? [ Carter reaches up to pull the collar of his shirt down, exposing the last remnants of a mark. They're faint; you'd have to know what you were looking for to pick them out. ] Mostly.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
But [ and here he shrugs, taking another gulp of tea ] I'd be a hypocrite if I said I wouldn't do the same thing in your position.
I can't imagine having thousands of years' worth of memories. [ A little over a century, maybe, but not thousands of years. Rip isn't sure how old he is any more. ] But at least pursuing who you once were isn't timeline-breaking.
no subject
no subject
And then, gaze averting slightly, manages: ] Is it something you'd like to talk about?
no subject
[ It comes out very suddenly. ] And it's weird because it's happened so many times, losing her and all, that you'd think I'd be used to it? [ Carter looks up at him and shrugs, trying to look nonchalant. ] I think the thing is that, like, each life you have to start all over, so you don't really... learn from experience, or build up any real immunity to it, exactly.
no subject
He pounds his chest with the side of his fist, coughing. ] I... I suppose that makes sense. [ There is a brief clearing of the throat. ] You're born in new flesh, and the, erm, bonding process is-- very physical, as well.
You two... she bonded you in this life?
no subject
[ A pause as he drinks his cereal milk. ] And in 206 others, yeah.
no subject
He resists the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. ] ...I see.
I'm sorry. The loss isn't easy in any aspect.
no subject
no subject
Rip cocks a brow, pressing the thermos to his lip but not taking a drink. ]
...has your mark faded?
no subject
[ Carter reaches up to pull the collar of his shirt down, exposing the last remnants of a mark. They're faint; you'd have to know what you were looking for to pick them out. ] Mostly.