[Video]

[out_of_order]

[Cal's leaning against a wall nearly overtaken by clinging vines. He sighs a little before giving a headshake and a sad smile directed off-screen.]

Guess not, buddy.

[He looks back at the screen, rolling back his shoulders as he takes a deep breath, trying to summon a more convincing smile.]

Well, things sure got a lot more...greener around the city. Didn't think we were gone that long, but alien planets, right?

Been easing back into things and I'm sure everyone else has been doing the same, but if anyone needs anything repaired or might want to have a look at salvage parts I've got, just let me know so I can be at the workshop.

Also, if you need some doors or paths cleared, I can probably help with that too.

Guess that's it.

[The Jedi shrugs, offering a nod before he clicks off.]

Comments

[in_extremis]

As misguided and sarcastic as the sentiment was, Tony still took it with some gratitude, lightening his practiced smile as he swayed with the bump, then swung his arm around Cal's shoulders to draw him close like they were conspiring as he led the kid back toward the living quarters. "What's with the glowing thing? Not that I don't appreciate the dramatics, naturally, but she could have had a normal favourite colour. A gothy one, sure, we could probably find a black flower--glowing's a specific ask..." And how Cal worked it out might help Tony figure out why he kept messing up handing flowers to Jon, who he smiled at tightly as they came conspiring into the galley.

[out_of_order]

The gesture eased more of a smile on his face, and Cal was willing to ride this current. Maybe they were deluding themselves, distancing from something inevitable until it would rouse its ugly head again, but Cal didn't think that dwelling in it was going to help for much either.

"I dunno," he shrugged, his smile turning shy as he thought out his reasons. "I just thought...well, it's kind of how she is. The world she's from, it's...dark, and I'll be honest, it's just not a nice place to wander. Things that want to eat you, the scenery's kind of disturbing in some places. But things still thrive there. There's plants- the pilot I travel with, he'd asked me to pick up seeds when I could find them wherever we'd go- and some of the ones in Dathomir are kind of creepy..." He shook his head. Kind of wandering there.

"Anyway...I guess it's kind of cheesy, now that I have to explain it, but Merrin's like...a light that managed to thrive despite the darkness, and everything that she's had to go through."

[in_extremis]

Tony followed along with the image easily enough, pouting thoughtfully with his head cocked and thinking what Cal was describing didn't sound all that alien, and did sound like he was trying to skirt around the question. Which made sense when he finally spit it out, and for a moment Tony gave him a sidelong look with a dangerous smirk, like they were about to find out together just how humiliated Cal could be about this dorky pronouncement.

Instead, Tony's arm grew heavier around his shoulders as he sloped closer to press the other hand to Cal's chest with an appreciative pat, and he asked, "Have you told her that?" If that was what the flowers were for, then they were really going to have to get this right.

[out_of_order]

Tony might change his mind if he actually ever saw Dathomir for himself. Cal was trying to be polite by not going into too much detail, and no one needed to know about the sacks of dead Nightsisters strung up in what passed for trees. ...they had strange burial practices.

Cal seemed to tense a little at that particular look from Tony, as though bracing himself for whatever rejoinder was loading up. He blinked as instead he got a pat and...encouragement? The corner of his lips twitched in a brief smile. "Not in those exact words," he admitted.