TLV Inbox

[greatoldjohn]

[in a rather deep voice] "This is John Doe. Please leave your message. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. I may respond in text if I'm currently with Arthur. Apologies."

Now Moved To: Inbox: Act II - please tag in there!

Comments

sorry not sorry, john deserves to be (lovingly) bullied

[lestercraft]

Ah. [That familiar voice explains a lot, and he tilts his head towards the sound of the communicator.] Hello, Dorian. You know I'd appreciate if you didn't completely reduce John to baffled frustration for the next while. He was doing quite well without worrying about the origins of names, of all things.

as many jo(h)ns do

[greatoldjohn]

But I want to know!

[ Does he sound like a frustrated child? A little bit, other than the gruffness and the otherwordly reverberation. ]

...not that it makes any fucking sense.

[ Pause. ]

Wait, Henry is also Harry? How does that make any sense?

[brushoff]

It's a nickname!

[ said like it's the most obvious thing in the world. ]

[greatoldjohn]

It's the same fucking length!

[lestercraft]

It's not about length as much as it is familiarity. The closer you are to someone, usually the more likely you are to use a gross bastardization of their name as a form of affection.

[He tilts his head thoughtfully.] Well. Unless you're being a derisive git.

[brushoff]

Exactly. Yes, they have the same number of letters. But I'm not going to call 'Arthur' 'Archie' unless we're incredibly familiar.

[ you know.

like you two are.

(please call him Archie, Dorian would find it hilarious) ]

[greatoldjohn]

[ ...John did not manage in the Dark World as long as he did without knowing what a trap looks like. Dirty pool, Dorian. It does the trick of settling him down a little, making him less frantic and a lot more introspective.

In a thoughtful tone- ]

Is it odd to you, then, that I always call you Arthur? Is there something else you'd prefer?

[lestercraft]

No-one calls me Archie, you prick.

[Aimed at Dorian, not John, but there's no venom there.]

I got 'Artie', as it happens, when I was a boy, but- I honestly prefer you just calling me 'Arthur', John. You don't need to give me a nickname.

[brushoff]

Now Artie, there's no need for that!

[ Dorian is absolutely calling him 'Artie.' ]

I think it's cute.

[greatoldjohn]

I'll call you Arthur, Arthur. I prefer that too.

[ But he's going to look at his communicator. ]

...what's a nickname for 'Dorian'?

[lestercraft]

[John will get to appreciate the way Arthur's jaw sets in an expression best described as 'miffed'. Or perhaps exasperated. But it is what it is.]

Dory, maybe. Dorrie? [He pauses for a moment, and a cheeky grin flits across his face.] Dodo, of course.

[brushoff]

Dodo's already taken, thank you very much. That nickname is reserved for Dottie's use and Dottie's use only.

[greatoldjohn]

Who's Dottie? Someone new?

[ He considers the problem for a moment before- ]

Darry?

[lestercraft]

More likely someone from his extensive past.

[brushoff]

Dorothy Parker. So yes, someone from my extensive past.

Lester, you're...what, late 1920s? Early 1930s? You're around her time!

[greatoldjohn]

[ He's ignoring that discussion. He's busy.]

Rian sounds like a totally different person...