[Open Video]

[plate_builder]

[The video starts awkwardly, as if whoever is starting it isn't used to using the communicator device. Perhaps for some that might have a very clear reason behind if if they recognize a few details. First of these was that the room the video was being shot in was clearly the Restoration Committee building, also known as the large room for organization that one Reeve Tuesti had set up for rebuilding and improvement plans. Second of these was the fact that there was clearly one Mister Reeve Tuesti sitting on a less than comfortable looking stool facing a table with a surface tilted some thirty to forty degrees up from horizontal, hands moving with a ruler and pencil as his voice mumbled indistinctly to himself and he drew lines on it. And, thirdly, there was the fact that the video was clearly shot from only a few feet above the floor, as opposed to a height that would make sense for anyone that lived here save perhaps the droids and the actual culprit: Mini-C.

The video of Reeve continues for a moment before turning away to face the feline's face as he turns and walks away, a door soon closing behind him and leaving him standing with the communicator camera pointed at himself, still recording, while he sat just inside Reeve's room.]

D'ye ken wha tha was? One ah tha most pathetic sad sack sights me wee eyehs hae evah seen.

[The cat shakes his head and then takes a deep breath. He talks more slowly from then on, clearly struggling to suppress his accent to talk more like his creator's more 'refined' tones. Really, the point is to sound more easily recognizable, he gets that these humans don't always get him]

That's been the sight ah've had of him for two days now. All mah efforts ain't managed to get him to eat regular or sleep enough. Most days it's a mite hard to get him ta take care o'imself. It's a good thin' he made me, cause I take care of him. But ya see, he ain't been all right since a thing happened.

[How weird, that it would be a little robot cat to announce this sort of thing.]

Poe. He be gone. Gone gone this time, ain't no listing on the ships or comms. When Reeve found out, well, ah could not keep him from tryin' ta distract himself. Which meant more work. And less sleep. And less food.

Ah need help. Used ta be ah was a good influence on gettin' him to be careful and healthy and all them wee things that make the big thing that is living as a person. Cept he ain't listening to me no more. What do ah do? Ah need help getting him ta sleep and eat.

Annae advice? Or perhaps can some ah'ya lads and lasses help me haul him inta being himself agin? Or at least gettin' him ta take serious the whole 'food and sleep make humans run' thing?

Comments

[plate_builder]

[Yes, Reeve knows, and to have Soldat call him out on that makes him feel a bit ashamed for having been cruel.]

No, you have not. But he's rather... pushy when he wants to be.

[sinistral]

[A stress reaction can't be classified as deliberate, calculated cruelty. But it does show how deeply Reeve has been affected by his loss.]

Perhaps. But I would not have come for just anyone. I was... concerned. I am concerned.

[plate_builder]

I'm sorry I made you concerned. That wasn't the point I intended. I'm just... stressed.

[sinistral]

Reeve. [Pause. Sigh. He truly is bad at this. It probably would have been easier to simply knock the man out to make him sleep.]

I have seen you stressed; you will not scare me away. Will you allow yourself to share a meal with me?

[plate_builder]

I... I will.

[He sighs and tears the bread to half to hand to Soldat. That should help.]

Come on, let's eat.

[sinistral]

I hope you like it.

[Chicken soup, smelling of rich broth and vegetables and seasonings. Hopefully the taste will live up to the aroma.]

Not that I can claim credit for the replicator, but I can promise that there's no weird Agrii additions in it.

[plate_builder]

[If it tastes like peanut butter, Reeve will cry. That's all.]

If you're wrong, I'm going to turn it into an ice cube.

[He did move to fetch spoons though.]

[sinistral]

[There is a time and a place for peanut butter. This is neither. Hopefully the replicator agrees.

The Soldier gives the space a cursory look while Reeve is occupied. The evidence of his burying himself in work is obvious, and the Soldier quietly wonders if he is truly suited to be the kind of friend Reeve needs.]

If I'm wrong, you can throw me out. [Hopefully a safe gamble to make.]

[plate_builder]

[There is, and he's grateful that it will agree. But he returns and passes a spoon over.]

I couldn't toss you anywhere, Soldat. I'm not that fit.

[sinistral]

I am sure you could engineer a way.

[Though pity anyone who tries to pick up this fool, that hardware alone must weigh a ton. Ridiculous.]

I believe there's a saying about enough stubbornness and mountains can be moved.

[No. No one says that.]

[plate_builder]

Yes, but that would require a lot of time, materials, and you to cooperate.

[Which he doubts won't happen. But he nods at the mountains thing.]

I mean look at you, moving an old man away from his work.

[sinistral]

Are you calling me uncooperative?

[Is there a hint of...playfulness in his voice?]

Nuh-uh, no playing the age card with me, I'm positive I've got you beat.

[plate_builder]

[Well that makes Reeve smile. Someone letting him feel like laughing again.]

YOu've got me beat have you? I don't know. Tony insists I'm ancient.

[sinistral]

[Miracles can happen!]

Pretty sure I do. And I don't know that I'd trust Tony's eyes; you don't look ancient to me.

[plate_builder]

[He needs miracles right now.]

I'm older than him. Which makes me old apparently. Who knew.

[sinistral]

[He gets... one Winter Soldier. Definitely not a miracle.]

He doesn't know what he's talking about. You're not old.

[plate_builder]

[It's a miracle to him. For caring about him.]

Oh, and you're a judge of that?

[sinistral]

[No, that's just being a decent person. Which is something the Soldier still struggles to define.]

Why not? [He finally angles a spoon for the soup, which thankfully tastes nothing of peanuts or peanut butter. Victory!] I'm old, so I should get to say that you're not.

[L o g i c.]

[plate_builder]

[He's old? Reeve looks at him in disbelief.]

You don't look a day over thirty, my friend.

[sinistral]

Feel like I should make you bet on that, except it's probably a cheap way for me to win.

Ninety nine. [He shrugs.] Probably over a hundred between my time in the Fleet and here, but there's no need for triple digits.

[plate_builder]

[He's... Reeve stared.]

Congratulations, officially the oldest person I've met. I think.

[sinistral]

[A cheap victory perhaps what with cryo and all, but there's no need to mention that detail. Reeve's attention seems to be straying away from misery, which is the ultimate goal.]

Told you that Tony doesn't know what he's talking about. And that you're hardly old.

[plate_builder]

[It's trying away for the moment. Who knows how long that will last.]

Tony often say things he shouldn't, but sometimes it's charming. Not that one.

[sinistral]

I've been on the receiving end of his attempts at charming. It's not something I prefer to repeat. [He shrugs again.] But to the point of your age, I think we can agree that you're nowhere near old. And won't be for some time.

[plate_builder]

I don't repeat for safety purposes. Jon is... possessive.

[Yes, he can agree for now and nods.]

I'm surrounded by those who are far older than me and seem young.