➋nd (video)

[substandard]

[Draco feels somewhat foolish, standing in front of this—stupid... thing. this muggle techy thing, his nose and cheeks bright pink from the bite of the chilled air, hands stuffed stubbornly in his pockets. he activates the video feed, but doesn't quite know what to say for the first second it's rolling—he licks his chapped lips and then knits his eyebrows together crossly, pensively addressing the screen.]

Have you ever surprised yourself with how much you really didn't hate someone you were perfectly sure you hated quite a lot?

[Draco looks down, his forehead wrinkling somewhat with the intensity that his eyebrows are furrowed. he's not totally sure what he's doing, but it's hard not to chase this impulse.]

Bloody remarkable.

Comments

[wurstisyettocome]

[first time Prussia uses the communicator and this is the first thing he sees. He refused to believe in cosmic forces. So here's a guy speaking with a rather heavy German accent]

Kesesese~ Doesn't mean you have to admit you like them! [voice of experience]

[substandard]

[interesting laugh you've got there, buddy]

That, thank Merlin, isn't an option.

Video

[drank_the_milk]

Nope, that's never really happened to me.

But that's a good thing, right?

[video]

[substandard]

Can't imagine. Shouldn't be, probably—it's going soft.

[video]

[demimaudite]

"Yeah.

Too bad they were already done dying by then."

[video]

[substandard]

[Draco raises an eyebrow.]

Yeah, that's right bad timing.

video;

[humility]

Not something I've experienced myself, so I have no advice or insight to give.

...Not sure how to feel about it?

video;

[substandard]

[Draco honestly looks really puzzled. and tense.]

I—guess so.

video;

[ribbow]

Oh no, I've never really hated anyone before so I'm not sure if I can answer that question...

[ She realizes shortly after it was rude to answer if she's not able to contribute to the conversation, so she quickly adds on: ]

I'm really glad to see you're doing well. I was worried.

video;

[substandard]

[HOW CAN SOMEONE NOT HATE OTHER PEOPLE

Draco nearly does a double-take—then he takes a moment to gather himself again. but then she's even more confusing. he blinks, then swallows.]

Worried?

[Draco tries to recall, but he's pretty sure he was a dick to this girl when they first talked...]

Is that so?

[callmewhateveryuwant]

[Hmm, kind of hits close to home.]

I had a couple of those moments.

[substandard]

[Draco pauses.]

—Good to know I'm not alone, then.

[feistytrader]

[...Well that definitely hits close to home.]

Yeah, I have. [...] It's for the better, though. Hatred's pretty tiring.

[substandard]

Really. In my experience, it's mostly been riveting.

[he's only half sarcastic. it's true, but it...stopped being true.]

[blackhorse]

Yes. -Or not exactly but I can understand what you're talking about. Honestly, the person I admire most is also one of the people that frustrates me the most. Feelings and emotions can be very strange.

[substandard]

[that's—an interesting thing to say.]

Trifling, more like. Least some of you seem to get the gist of what I'm saying, anyway.

[Video]

[little_girl_lost]

Nope. The only three people I hate are the worst guy on Earth, the worst guy in my entire universe, and an evil computer that let my planet blow up.

What kinda reason did you have?

[Video]

[substandard]

Sorry, an evil "computer"? [that's muggle contraptions like this screen, isn't it? how could a machine be evil?

oh right she asked a question. Draco comes back to attention.]

Do you mean for hating them in the first place, or—not hating them anymore?

video;

[4balls]

[ That's a difficult questions for someone who doesn't do emotions all that well just yet, Draco, so give Josuke here a moment to think about it.. before he realises that he just doesn't really understand it. ]

So you mean something like hating someone, but then suddenly.. not hating them? Does that mean something changed inbetween those two moments?

video;

[substandard]

—I...guess so. Hard to say what specifically, but—a lot's happened.

[video]

[reassigned]

Can't say as I've ever hated anyone but...

[She smiles teasingly, and her eyes crinkle and good lord, are those dimples?]

I've heard a few love stories that started like that.

[video]

[substandard]

[WHAT A HORRIFYING STATEMENT

Draco scowls.]

How have you never hated anyone?

Video;

[sweettalker]

Hate might be a little strong for me [unless we're talking about stuck up snow goddesses] but I've had it happen with people I thought I intensely disliked. [She shrugs a bit...] Sometimes circumstances can make you see people in a different light.

Video;

[substandard]

—Yeah. [Draco was ready to argue with this girl, because he doesn't particularly like her—but she's right. it makes sense.] Extreme ones.

Those sort of situations can also make you reconsider your feelings on the people you've cared about, a bit. I can't say I particularly like either.

[in general, Draco has found that he doesn't like change.]

Video; Because it was high time I exposed him to this weirdo.

[thenameofscreen]

[Oh joy! This guy sounds kind of like Mad Mod. Just a little. I am so sorry]

To hate consumes too much energy and dampens ones powers on my planet, and those who bring such ill will upon themselves are often shown the error of their ways by those they have wronged.

[Does that answer the question in some roundabout way? More importantly-]

You seem displeased. Would this not be considered a good thing?

video; YES

[substandard]

[Draco makes a face. "my planet"? is she referring to her home, away from this city?]

I don't know, [he answers somewhat exasperatedly. he can't decide.] It's—complicated. I don't know what it means.

[video] and then there's this asshole

[ironyman]

[This sounds eerily similar to Tony's relationship with Steve at present--it's still entirely unacceptable that micro-Rogers is somewhat likeable, or at least not hateable. Also this dumb kid being mini Tony has at this moment ceased to be cute... Well, okay, it was never cute. Tony is never cute. But you get the idea. In any case, Tony is sure as hell not talking to Draco about any of that. Instead, he's going to say something stupid and asshole-ish. The usual.]

God. Tell me this is about a chick. Because I gotta tell you, that godawful romcom cliche come to life would seriously make my day.

[video] HURRAY

[substandard]

Even if it were, you're misunderstanding. This isn't about anything like that, [he spits derisively. Tony is the last person he needs on this subject, but Draco supposes that's what he gets making a public broadcast to someone who is essentially a walking computer himself. of course Tony would end up catching it.

the implications behind Tony's jab are embarrassing and mortifying, but, at least, blessedly untrue.]

Not hating someone is indicative purely of only that; I don't even like them!

video;

[cruxified]

[The person on the other end of the line is pretty dark-- lots of auburn hair over his face, dark clothes. He doesn't seem bothered by the weather.]

Occasionally.

[He looks over the boy on the other end of the line.]

This may surprise you, but people change-- as well as how we see them.