in Milliways

[searchingfordistraction]

Rich Brook enjoys filming for The Storyteller. He honestly does. It may not be the role of a lifetime, but he could do worse than to spend the day reading fairy tales to kids.

He's always liked fairy tales.

Still, when Milliways pops up during a break in filming, he doesn't turn it down. He glances back over his shoulder first; then, when no one else seems to see anything amiss, he goes in.

At the Bar, he asks for a club soda with lime. He could have something stronger if he liked - with time stopped at home, no one would be the wiser - but it seems wrong for the Storyteller to drink while he's technically on duty.



[OOC: For clarity, Jim is in character as Rich, and will be making a much stronger effort to remain in character than he usually does in Milliways. And yes, he really is coming in from filming. DVDs don't make themselves.]

Comments

[searchingfordistraction]

(Is there any point in trying to stay in character?

Probably not. But he's not just playing Rich for fun, or to disguise himself from patrons who are devoted Holmesians, so he's going to make the effort anyway.)

Rich sips his drink, looking around in the casual manner of someone doing a little peoplewatching.

[sicaria]

She smooths down her skirts (it's the brown dress today) and takes a seat at the bar, still watching him. She does not particularly care if he finds it unsettling. People will find her unsettling whether she cares about it or not, generally speaking.

[searchingfordistraction]

Rich hadn't really noticed her before, but it's hard to keep not noticing someone who is persistently staring at you.

He glances toward her. Looks away awkwardly when they make eye contact. Glances toward her again.

". . . Can I help you?" he asks cautiously.

(He doesn't have enough information about her interactions with the other Rich Brook to even try to pretend to be him, so he's not going to bother. It would be self-defeating.)

[sicaria]

"Not sure," she murmurs. "Your name is Richard Brook, isn't it?"

The name could be said to belong to him, at least at the moment, regardless of the fact that he so very obviously does not belong to it.

(If she hadn't met this Jim beforehand, she might not have caught it. But whatever you put on top of a person to make them into someone else, the person underneath is still the same. Richard Brook does not have precisely that complement of scars.)

[searchingfordistraction]

"- Yes?"

Maybe she's from his world and she's seen some of his work? That's what the staring would mean back home, especially if she'd needed a few seconds to work out why he looked familiar. But how likely is it in Milliways? Rich has never met someone from his world here, at least not as far as he can tell.

[sicaria]

"I know three people with your face," she says. "You present every sign of being a Richard as opposed to a Jim."

[searchingfordistraction]

"Oh," he says, bemused.

There's a brief pause.

". . . wait, a what?"

Did she say Jim?

[sicaria]

"A Jim," she confirms, smiling slightly. It's easy to get into the rhythm of treating him as though he is not a lie. "My best friend is one. Jim Moriarty."

[searchingfordistraction]

He blinks, absorbing this.

"That's odd," he says, "that's the name of a character I'm playing."

Which not many people even know yet. It's too early. The crown jewel "theft" - organized with full permissions, of course - won't be for a few months yet.

[sicaria]

"I cannot say that I am surprised," she murmurs.

[searchingfordistraction]

He shakes his head in wonderment.

"So he's actually real? Like an actual person? And he looks like me?"

[sicaria]

"Yes and yes."

[searchingfordistraction]

"Every time I start thinking I might have got used to this place."

He's beginning to understand why the unofficial motto among patrons seems to be fucking Milliways.

[sicaria]

Sherlock laughs.

"Yes," she agrees.

"Oh, sorry—I'm Sherlock, by the way. Sherlock Stark."

[searchingfordistraction]

. . . of course her name is Sherlock.

His expression says as much for a couple seconds before he catches himself and smooths it over.

"Good to meet you," he offers.

[sicaria]

She cocks her head and inquires in friendly tones, "Was there something about my name?"

[searchingfordistraction]

"I, uh, I know a Sherlock," he admits. It feels odd to say just the first name like that. "He's, uh - well, he's the one who came up with Jim Moriarty. On my world."

Director, playwright, and costar all wrapped up in one odd and slightly unnerving package.

[sicaria]

"Now there's a terrifying thought," she says, grinning. "I wouldn't want the responsibility for my Jim laid on my doorstep."

[searchingfordistraction]

Apprehensively:

"What's he like?"

He knows very well what the character he plays is like. He's definitely not someone Rich would ever want to meet.

[sicaria]

"Terrifying," she says, with a smile that indicates she is right at home in such company.

[searchingfordistraction]

Yeah, that's . . . kind of . . . what he . . .



He sips his drink.

[sicaria]

Sherlock laughs softly. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't tease."

[searchingfordistraction]

"I like playing him," he says, "but that's about as close as I ever want to get.

". . . no offense."

[sicaria]

"None taken. I know exactly what you mean."

[searchingfordistraction]

"Oh," he says, a bit blankly. "Good."