deadliestviper | 013 TEXT LIST TWO/SPAM

Backdated to three days after the Overlook port.

[Locked to Friends (if she's ever told you anything personal, you're on here)]

That port was fucked up for everyone and it hit all of us hard. After going through that I know most of you aren't feeling up to par yet, but when I get anxious, I get antsy. I've laid low to lick my wounds long enough. For the next few hours I'll be playing pool and pretending everything's normal if you've got the energy or inclination to join me.

[Spam, Level 6]

[Rack the balls in the pyramid, set the cue-ball, chalk the cue evenly, line up the shot, break it; Beatrix repeats the pattern over and over again, sinking balls into the table's pockets before starting anew. It's not for practice or any particular love of the game, it's not even for fun. It's just that playing strikes that perfect balance of skilled focus and monotony that allows her to zone out, and the last thing she wanted to do right now was let her mind wander. It was already hard enough to push the images of Sarah and that thing in room 217's bathroom from the forefront of her mind – what she needed, wanted, was someone to talk to, distract her.

But no matter how deeply you repress it, you can't squelch a thought. So by all means, join her, but take care if you point out that she's humming "Love Me Tender."]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Why wouldn't I? [Chuckles, looking at her like she just asked him an incredibly silly question.]

You've never heard that story about the woman and the snake, have you?

[Shakes his head.] What story is that?

The story goes that one day a woman was walking through the woods in the middle of the winter when she hears a rattle by her feet and looks down to see a rattlesnake. She jumps back, and the snake says "Please, I'm dying of the cold. Just pick me up and carry me in your coat to keep me warm."

Naturally she says "No, I can't do that. You'll bite me." But the rattlesnake begs and pleads and promises, until finally she relents and picks up the snake and tucks it in her jacket.

No sooner has it curled up than it lifts its head and bites her. The woman screams and throws the snake away, demanding to know why he did it. The snake just said "You knew what I was when you picked me up."

[Rolls his shoulders in a shrug.]

You're not a snake. You didn't even mean to hurt Steph, it was out of your control, and you felt terrible about it. If you were anything like the snake in that story, you wouldn't have felt any guilt.

[Smiles at her encouragingly.]

I trust you,Bea. Maybe it's a foolish thing of me to do, but I'd rather be a fool any day then doubt you.

[Bea lowers her eyes with a small smile, shaking her head a little. Sweet, and misguided, but no less precious because of that.] I'm a snake in exactly the same way that Steph is a bat, Kon. And there are plenty of people from my world who'd say you should treat me like one.

But I don't hurt the people who trust me. At least, not intentionally.

The good news is...if you did try something for whatever the reason, I'll have my tk back home. They don't call Superboy for nothing! [He grins, teasing.]