7th Smile

[keep_smiling]

[BACKDATED to Father's Day Sunday because I'm a failure]

[Elmer knows what today is. His drone children woke him up to celebrate early this morning. And since Mother's Day was the day women had to listen to men... Now it's the other way, right?

It doesn't take long for him to figure this out. Time to use it for his advantage.]

[Action A: HELLO, LADIES. You're being followed by one (1) Smile Junkie. He's not trying to be sneaky or anything, but he is seems to be closing in on you. If you don't turn around to say something to him first, eventually, he'll be right in front of you, or keeping pace.]

Hi, there! Lovely day, wouldn't you say?



[Hey Grell. Grell. Where aaaaare you Grell. Not!hubby wants to talk.]

Comments

[forgotten_titan]

Yeah, it's Fa-.

Oh.

Umm...I really, really need to get to work. Can I just...IOU or something?

[keep_smiling]

This will be really quick! I promise! Plus, it's not like Mayfield jobs count anyway, right?

[forgotten_titan]

And you can't get some other girl or woman you know to do it?

[She sighs.]

I kinda need the money from it, seeing as I pay for my own groceries, but...ok. If it's not too hard and if it's quick.

[keep_smiling]

It is! I promise. All I want is for you to smile for me. An honest one!

[forgotten_titan]

Smile...? Well, ok.

[It's a strange request. But even without Mayfield's mischief at work, it's one she can do. So she does her best to give Elmer a smile. It is, for the most part, a cheerful smile, brought on by the whimsical nature of the request, but there is a slight sadness behind it as well that she can't hide. It has to be an honest smile, after all.]

[keep_smiling]

[THIS IS THE BEST HOLIDAY ALREADY.]

Great! Fantastic! Don't see enough of those in Mayfield. But why are you still so sad?

[forgotten_titan]

Huh? What do you mean?

[Wasn't she smiling already?]

[keep_smiling]

I've seen a lot of smiles in my time. I'm what you'd call an expert, so I can tell! Is it Mayfield? A lot of people seem to be down because of this place. Still, it's a great smile. You should show it often!

[forgotten_titan]

An expert on smiling. Riiiight...

But thanks. It's just...I miss my dad back home.

[And it's confusing, because she knows he's not really her dad, and that for some reason or another he had been hiding the truth about who she is. And in a way, she missed Snow. And she had Sniper as a not!dad in Mayfield: there is no worse dad she could ask for. ]

[keep_smiling]

I guess it's hard here without your real families, eh? It almost seems nice of the leaders of Mayfield to give us a new one in the meanwhile, so we can feel more at home. But I'm sure we'll get out of here someday, so you can get back to your real family.

[forgotten_titan]

'Nice'? Yeah right. Have you seen the guy I live with? He can be a jerk at times, and he doesn't care about me at all. I don't think he even knows my name.

[keep_smiling]

Are you sure? How long have you lived with him here?

[forgotten_titan]

I lived with him for a few months before he got droned. Then I got another guy as my dad; he was a bit silly sometimes, but he was a cool guy. Then he got droned, and then this guy came back to be my dad. I'm pretty sure he doesn't even like me.

[keep_smiling]

Sounds like a steady rotation. What a shame. So would having a real steady family here make you happy?

[forgotten_titan]

Maybe? I don't know. But I have a boy friend here, and he's really cool, so things aren't too bad. It's just that today reminded me of my dad.

[keep_smiling]

Ah, young love! The exact sort of thing you need to get by in a place like this.

I'm sure you'll get out of here and back home before it seems like any time has passed at all. You just have to keep smiling.

[forgotten_titan]

...ok. I'll try.

[And for his efforts, she does her best to give him a big smile. It's still a little sad, but it's brighter than it was before.]

Thanks. What's your name mister? I don't think I've seen you before.

[keep_smiling]

[He'll take it, for now. Another win for Elmer!]

There you go! And my name's Elmer! Elmer Albatross.

[forgotten_titan]

You seem like a really nice guy Elmer. I hope you have a great day today. I've gotta go to work now, so I'll see you around!

[keep_smiling]

That's not true, but thanks anyway! You can't leave before I get your name, though.

[forgotten_titan]

Oh, duh!

[She rolls her eyes at her flightiness.]

Sorry about that. It's Terra!