READY OR NOT - Landoscar

31 - Don't Run Away

Lando lingered by the doorway, the faintest smile tugging at his lips as he watched Oscar, who sat on the couch, completely absorbed in a simple, modern puzzle—a tablet. Oscar held it with a look of deep concentration, his fingers hovering uncertainly over the screen. Every now and then, he'd press a spot and flinch slightly when something changed on the screen, his brow furrowing in genuine puzzlement.

Lando suppressed a chuckle, finding the entire scene endearing. There was something incredibly charming about seeing Oscar—a figure bound by ancient mystery and timeless knowledge—so thoroughly perplexed by technology as ordinary as a tablet. His centuries-old sensibilities didn't seem to fit easily with the bright, artificial light or the gentle hum of electronics, yet he approached it all with genuine curiosity, even fascination. Lando wondered how many lifetimes it would take for Oscar to truly grasp the dizzying progress of the modern world.

Oscar's finger brushed the screen once more, and he accidentally activated a song. The sound filled the quiet room with a gentle, upbeat rhythm. His eyes widened, and he glanced around in confusion, as though the source of the sound had materialised from thin air. Lando couldn't contain his laughter this time; the sight of Oscar, centuries old and startled by a song, was too much to hold in.

Oscar looked up; his face flushed with a rare embarrassment, which only made Lando's laughter grow. He straightened, moving from the doorway to sit beside him on the couch, taking the tablet gently from Oscar's hands.

"It's... a song?" Oscar asked, his brow still knitted in confusion, though a reluctant smile played on his lips.

"Yeah," Lando said with a grin, navigating back to the tablet's main screen. "It's one of many things I imagine you'll need some time to get used to. Technology has come a long way since... well, since your time." He gestured to the screen, explaining, "This thing here is like... a library, a music hall, and even a storyteller, all in one."

Oscar's expression softened, though he continued to look at the tablet as though it were a fragile relic. "The world has changed so much," he murmured, a note of awe in his voice. "Sometimes it feels like I'm glimpsing into a dream, like all of this"—he gestured around the room, at the tablet, at the soft glow of artificial light—"was imagined by a mind far ahead of my time."

Lando looked at him, warmth spreading through his chest. There was a gentleness to Oscar's confusion, an openness that softened his otherwise guarded demeanour. For a man who had lived centuries, he held this new world with a surprising vulnerability, a willingness to let himself be amazed.

"Well," Lando said, leaning back into the couch, "think of it this way: you've got me as your personal guide to the twenty-first century." He nudged Oscar with his shoulder. "And trust me, there's a lot more where this came from."

Oscar's face lit up with a rare, genuine smile that brightened his normally intense expression, and he gave a short nod, as if accepting the challenge of the modern era. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he held the tablet out to Lando. "Teach me, then," he said, his voice soft but steady, as though asking for help was a new experience for him.

Lando took the tablet, explaining its basic functions with a patience that surprised even him. The sincerity in Oscar's gaze, the way he watched every movement with rapt attention, made the moment feel strangely significant. He explained apps and showed him how to scroll, how to swipe, and even how to look up music he might enjoy. With each small victory—a screen change, a volume adjustment—Oscar's confidence grew, his uncertainty slowly transforming into a curious delight that warmed Lando's heart.

Finally, when Lando had shown him the basics, Oscar handed the tablet back and tried it on his own. There was a look of intense concentration on his face, one that Lando found irresistibly cute, and when he managed to pull up another song, his face brightened like a child's. He glanced at Lando, his expression a mixture of pride and newfound understanding, as if he'd just uncovered some great mystery of the universe.

"I think I could get used to this... technology," Oscar said, the corners of his mouth quirking up in a small, playful smile.

"Oh, there's no going back now," Lando laughed. "You've officially entered the digital age."

Oscar gave him a long look, the weight of his gaze softening as it settled on Lando. "Thank you," he said quietly. "For guiding me, even if I... seem so out of place."

Lando's heart thudded at the gentleness in his words. He reached out, resting a reassuring hand on Oscar's arm. "You're not out of place," he replied, his voice steady. "Not here. Not with me."

Oscar's expression softened, and in the silence that followed, there was an unspoken understanding between them, one that neither time nor technology could diminish.