methodofmadness | IC inbox

This is Christopher, leave a message. [He clears his throat and quietly to the side whispers 'how was that Peggy? Yeah...yeah some more oomph. I thought so too']

You've reached Chaos! Leave a message or this answering machine will explode!

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From:

methodofmadness

If i can figure out how it works maybe I can build you a special tree vibes nightlight... [Because he thinks he could sleep under here too and feel good about it. No nightmares.

He looks down at his notebook, realizing that this is the wrong page and violently turns back to horse notes. There is a lovely crayon scientific drawing of the horse with notes all around it in gel pen. It's not just colorful but very detailed.]

Dont turn the page!

[Cheerily and overly trusting he offers it to Ger.]

From:

astraymoon

Doesn't have to be a nightlight. You don't have to build me anything though Christopher.

[Oh, were those...hearts? Cute. He takes the book, and while he would love his own notebook, he's not going to chance going back and checking in his cabin. That's a scary place.]

Don't? Hmm...

[He starts. Trying to peek by curling the page a little back to see what Chris doesn't want him to see.]

From:

methodofmadness

I dont have to, I want to! And if im going to build it anyway, it'd be nice if it was useful. [Some of the things he creates are not.

He does make a mental note to grab one of his spare notebooks for Germaryah when he gets back to his room.

He is watching him though, raising an eyebrow at the other boy playing chicken with him.

That sure is his hand on Ger's, stopping him from turning it any more.]

That's top secret. If you look at it your brain might leak out of your ears.

From:

astraymoon

It would be nice, but really- I don't need anything. It's not like I could pay you back for it.

[He really couldn't. There's no price he wouldn't pay for a sense of peace, especially when he sleeps.

Still, he can't help the flirty smile, or how his head tilts to take Chris in, leaning in a little.]

Oh? You sure it wouldn't be your brains leaking from your ears?

From:

methodofmadness

Why are you paying for it? Im not selling anything...

[you're so weird sometimes Ger.

He looks up at the older boy and his nice smile and attempts to hold firm. He'snot blushing, you are!]

I look at forbidden knowledge all the time... I think I'm immune, but really. You shouldn't look. Its- its really boring.

Edited Date: 2026-04-03 11:41 pm (UTC)

From:

astraymoon

When you do something worth something, you pay for it. That's for goods or service. I do that with John for all the food he gives me.

[He likes to think he's paying him with food analysis and recipes.]

Now you're making me wanna look.

[His voice was teasing even as he bumped his forehead against Chris's goggles.]

But you sure you don't want me to see?

From:

methodofmadness

I don't think thats right... you're my friend, is friendship supposed to be so transactional?

[His face flushes even more with that forehead bump, making a soft little noise before he pushing his lips out and together, unsure.]

Well, I don't blame you for being curious... maybe you can, but you can't laugh.

[His hand is still holding Ger's in place and he looks down at them, and then back up at Germaryah.]

You promise?

From:

astraymoon

It's more...not taking advantage of the cool stuff you can do. And some people do that at home to you. Don't lie.

[Christopher was brilliant and that drew takers in. He knew.]

I wasn't planning to laugh you know.

[His voice is still soft, and he hasn't moved his hand.]

But seriously. If you really don't want me to look, I won't look.

Promise. To not looking if you really don't want, or not laughing if you let me.

From:

methodofmadness

I only do people's homework when I want to. I can say no...

[He pouts, just a little. If he makes a cool calming light hes going to give it to you, Germaryah. You can't stop him.

His pout is still in play, staring at his notebook before he pulls his hand away and wrings his hands together nervously.]

Well- I was brainstorming with Peggy about names, and I found my big box of crayons, the one with the sharpener in the back?

Anyways, I- I guess you can look.

[And if he does, there will be a charmingly cute crayon drawing of Germaryah and every bit of the paper that doesnt have the drawing is full of names in alphabetical order, some with little hearts or stars next to them for the ones he liked the best.]

It's easier to imagine whether it feels right to call you something when im looking at you... but you weren't there, so this worked just as good.

From:

astraymoon

Sometimes you should. So you learn not to be a doormat.

[He moves to catch Christopher's hand, so he can stim using his fingers too. Not stopping. It's not hand holding.]

And...huh.

[This is a crush. This is absolutely a crush. At least there's no Germaryah Chaos in there? It still makes him smile though- not in a teasing way, but soft. It's cute that someone could have a crush on someone like him.]

You can ask me to hang out sometimes. If you want. For naming. And robots.

From:

methodofmadness

I'm not a doormat! [well, maybe sometimes he can be, but not so often any more. He definitely did get bullied a lot when he was younger though.

He blinks as Ger pulls his hand back, looking at them before he very slowly starts the routine over with the other boy's hand, gently squeezing the tips of his fingers between his own thumb and pointer finger. It might be a little weird, but this is what you wanted, right Germaryah?

It distracts him from getting too caught up in technically holding hands.]

Well, sometimes I can't sleep, and I think instead. Or I sleep and I think at the same time, and I wake up somewhere else.

But this was the first pass, um... are there any that stand out to you? [He sucks in a steadying breath before leaning in, pointing at one name in particular that had a couple glittery yellow gel pen stars around it with his free hand.]

I liked Cooper. Or Coop.

From:

astraymoon

Uh huh. I hope not.

[He has doubts. Many doubts!

But he still gives an encouraging nod. Yup, squeeze his fingers. It's not holding hands or being cute or anything! ]

Guess it's a good thing I'm camping around, because maybe you'd sleep walk up to my door.

[He offers a little finger wiggle. To see if it helps.]

These are all like...wolf related names, right?

...do you like Coop because it starts with a C?

From:

methodofmadness

[that gives him the confidence to pull his hand in closer to his body, holding it in his lap and fidgeting with it. His smile is settling into something less nervous as he looks over the list instead of looking at Germaryah's cute smile.

He thinks maybe doing this will make it harder to discover that he is maybe having some feelings, and he is so good at hiding it. No one would suspect at all.

He does pause in his finger squishing though as his 'secret theme' is revealed, eyes wide.]

No! No...only- [there is a moments pause as he does some bullet quick math.]

89.6 percent of them. [That isnt all! He's not lying!]

Coop is also fun to say, but the C helps.

From:

astraymoon

[Ger absolutely knows there's feelings. What he doesn't realize is possible feelings on his side as his smile softens, letting Chris play with his hand, enjoying the sensation of finger squishing.]

You're very cute when you're all flustered.

[He promised not to laugh, so he isn't! But he does need to flirt. Gently.]

Cuz that's most of the list. But...Cooper is nice.

From:

methodofmadness

Im not- No. I'm being chill? Yes.

Very chill.

[He reassures him while gripping his hand as if it were his own to keep himself from flustering more. Perfect strategy.

He does brighten up just a little when Ger says he likes the name, though.]

Nice enough to try on?

From:

astraymoon

Christopher Chaos?

You have no chill.

[He says it with affection though, and moves to kiss his hair.]

I'll try it on.

From:

methodofmadness

[Oh.

Maybe having zero chill is a good thing? Except when Jordi says it and it sounds like a bad thing. Confusing.

His head ducks a little so he can hide the big, doofy smile, though.]

Thanks, Cooper.

From:

astraymoon

Of course, Christopher.

[He gently bumps his face against Chris's hair, smiling. Having chill is a good thing but well...when you know your boy is never chill? It's fine. He also has no chill.

That's why they're here.]

From:

methodofmadness

[Having feelings sometimes is very nice, and its a shame that he has to let them go at some point.

But since he hasn't figured out how yet he might as well suffer through it a little longer.

He scoots just a little closer and finally turns the page back to his horse robot notes.]

I think if I spent a couple days in the cybernetics lab maybe I could finish a prototype... maybe longer though, they dont like to stay open as long as I would like them too, and I got my pockets checked before I left yesterday, so unless I build a portable shrink ray, I dont think I'm getting a welder out of that room.

From:

astraymoon

[Sometimes it's nice to just have soft fuzzy feelings. He doesn't want to think of how it'll go, how they could be in the future.

He doesn't pay attention to how they get close enough so that they were side by side, brushing against each other.]

I mean, I don't think you should take the welder out of there. Someone will get all freaked out, think you're gonna try to break something. We don't want that for you.

[He lightly wiggles his fingers, and points to parts of the robot horse.]

Think they'd let me in so I could help make parts of it?

From:

methodofmadness

I dont break things. [He keeps telling people this and they never believe him!

Also he's still got Ger's hand in his, and its warm. He traces the little lines on his palm with his finger tips while he thinks.]

I don't see why they wouldn't...they let me in?

From:

astraymoon

We all break things, chere. Part of human nature.

[He feels himself shiver, and he closes his eyes briefly.The finger tracery...he didn't realize it would feel nice.

Maybe it's because he doesn't hurt so much anymore.]

Well...okay. I'll have to work with the notes here, maybe make some of my own...see how things connect, and explain why I'm here. And that I'm not trying to screw with your stuff.

From:

methodofmadness

But I'm not human.

[It's against his brtter judgement that he doesn't add 'im a monster' to that statement, but he's trying to be nice to his friend.

Except his friend is being weird again.]

Why would you do all that if you could just show up with me?

From:

astraymoon

[He takes in a deep sharp breath, but he nods. He doesn't say the word. So they don't get into it.]

Well, if you're cool with that then...yeah. We can work on it. Together.

From:

methodofmadness

Why wouldn't I be?

We said we were gonna, and I've...never really built anything with someone else before? I hope I'm nice to work with...

[Peggy thinks so but shes a bird.]