09 | Somebody Could Walk into This Room and Say Your Life is on Fire

[sinistral]

WHO: the Soldier (sinistral) and you
WHERE: the Peanut Party, Noth, the Agrii ship
WHAT: new tick tick tick BOOM
WHEN: from boarding the ships on the 9th through New Tick to the Agrii ship visit
WARNINGS: none anticipated

---

PEANUT PARTY
→ Before New Tick;

Being compelled to the ships while disturbing from the point of view of the compulsion nevertheless meant a better workout schedule for the Soldier. He would not have anticipated the Agrii to supply such well-equipped exercise areas, but he certainly did not mind it. For someone with his particular enhancements, equipment that could hold up to him without breaking was rare and he fully meant to take advantage of it.

Most often he could be found taking advantage of the heavy bags for sparring, or the climbing wall. Sometimes he worked with the weights, or gave what appeared to be lessons to Billy Kaplan. He wouldn't object if someone asked to rotate in on any of the equipment; likely he'd even act as spotter, if asked.

"You want next?"

→ After New Tick;

The workout habit by necessity had to change a little — frequency no; form yes. He didn't know whether or not he appreciated the Agrii's little gift, but it did require practice. Even if he ultimately decided not to keep it he'd have to figure out its best use, on the chance he'd have to fight with it.

Sometimes he really hated this place.

His preferred to work on this particular practice late at night or very early in the morning; when most people were still asleep and he could have the gym facilities to himself. He had thus far refused to put on the uniform, but he could be found throwing a distinctive shield over and over again until he could reliably hit his desired target and catch it on the rebound. Sometimes the wall near the door was a rebound point though; one might want to exercise caution if also looking to work out in the off hours.

Or perhaps this encounter wasn't in the gym, but rather in the hallway before or after. That shield was kind of large and conspicuous; it wasn't like he could carry it unnoticed on his way to or from his designated room.

NOTH
→ Fireworks;

The Soldier had no illusions about being anyone's idea of good company for things like fireworks shows. His training ran too deep, and the explosions of fireworks spoke too much of gunfire. It was worse if he didn't watch though; at least through observation he could correlate each explosion to its end result, count and catalog and track it all to convince himself that he had no need of retaliation. All in all, it was going quite well.

And then the glitter happened.

He cursed under his breath (in three languages, which would be fun for anyone relying on the Agrii translation technology) before tugging his own jacket off to wrap around his left arm and hand. Glitter played havoc with the mechanisms and the last thing he needed was to spend the next month trying to remove it all. Again.

→ Babysitting;

Saying that the Soldier didn't trust Agrii treats was one of the biggest understatements one could make. He avoided the generously-supplied chocolates like the plague, especially once it became clear that they had certain side effects.

His avoidance, however, didn't transmute itself to others.

The Soldier looked down at the child who had just come careening around the corner, right into his legs. Reflexively he'd reached out to prevent the younger one from falling into the snow, but he had a feeling he might not so easily be able to just brush off the encounter and go about his day. The look on his face simultaneously expressed the thoughts of why me and now what.

"Are you lost?" Good enough, right?

AGRII SHIP
→ Unintentional Popularity;

The bad part about being not only a resident of Temba but also one of the few brought from the Drift Fleet was a certain level of popularity. Quite possibly the Soldier's generally poor attitude contributed to it as well. Perhaps the Agrii were just that friendly with all their visitors. Whatever the case he found himself more and more often resulting to his stealth training to move silently and avoid detection when he had to move about the ship.

The end result was that, despite his careful attempts to slip along hallways relatively unnoticed he still managed to attract one or two followers from time to time. Perhaps some kind of monitoring system contributed to his ill luck, his brain suggested. He tried to quiet those thoughts even as his hand strayed out of habit to the knife at his side.

"Do not," he cautioned without turning around, "attempt to touch me. It will not end well for you."

The Agrii might find the prickly attitude endearing, however; the cautionary statement probably had as much of a chance of encouraging the hug as it did dissuading the determined alien. Perhaps it was time to jump in?

WILDCARD
→ Network;

Want your character to text or call this guy? Drunk dials? Really bad memes that you've made? Consider this your free for all invitation.

→ Something Else;

Have another idea? Come at me, or hit me up at sometimesamuse or via PM. Want a more specific starter for your character? Let me know, I got you. Want to handwave something? I'm fine with that as well, let's hash it out. And while I write starters in prose I'm happy to match brackets if that's your preference.

Comments

Fireworks

[wearingthestars]

It hadn't occurred to Billy at first that the fireworks might be triggering for Soldier. And maybe to some they might not have noticed a change in his demeanor with that expression of his, but Billy could notice a tension and once he made the connection he felt badly for not having thought of it.

"...you want some earplugs?" he offers as casually as he can, not necessarily wanting to draw attention to Soldier's discomfort, but there's a concerned crease to his brow.

[sinistral]

"I'm fine," he replied automatically, immediately brushing the suggestion aside. But didn't Billy hate it when he did that? He committed to the attempt to be more open with his companion; he should attempt to follow through.

"It's worse if I can't see them," he explained in a quieter voice. "This way I can account for each shot. It's better than not knowing."

[wearingthestars]

The added explanation drew a moment of quiet surprise, but Billy smiled softly, and nodded in understanding. He'd looked prepared to accept the first answer, used to Soldier not wishing to elaborate, so when he does, Billy felt as though it was another sign he was really trying to open up to him.

"Is this a bad time for touching?" he asked, wanting to offer comfort, but recognizing by now that there were times where touch wasn't just a neutral experience, but a negative one.

[sinistral]

Instead of answering directly he raised his arm, an invitation for Billy to snuggle in against his side. Eyes still on the fireworks display he had to admit that the showing was impressive.

"I count shots," he explained. "Match it to who's firing, know when they're empty. Know when I'm close to empty. It's like breathing. I can't not do it."

Babysitting (but slightly modified)

[dorkasaurus_rex]

Said child looked up at the large figure in surprise, a bit breathless and giving an uncertain but grateful nod for the save. There's something familiar about the man, but he can't quite figure out what... And the child has a familiar look to him as well, not to mention the tracks he's left led straight back to the space he's been sharing with Billy...

"Thanks- I'm um-...yeah-" he admitted awkwardly, "I...I don't know what's going on. I'm supposed to be at home, and-"

modify away!

[sinistral]

Okay. Okay that was the worse of the two possible answers but he could still deal with it. The Soldier figured that as long as he could avoid tears, then he'd come out ahead.

His eyes flicked from the boy to the trail he'd left in the snow with a sinking feeling. "Do you remember how you got here?"

[dorkasaurus_rex]

The boy shook his head, clearly frightened but doing his best to put on a brave face. "I just...woke up here?" He didn't sound entirely sure, and he wasn't. It was like he'd blinked and was suddenly in some sort of weird dream world. Only it didn't feel much like a dream.

"...are we still in New York? Do you have a cellphone or something so I can call my parents?"

[sinistral]

"We're not in New York. We're very far from there." He paused. The boy was already clearly frightened; he likely wasn't helping. The tactical gear he preferred probably wasn't helping either.

"Can you tell me your name?" He knew he might not get an answer, depending on the child's feelings about stranger danger. But he had to start somewhere, didn't he?

Agrii ship

[in_extremis]

The Soldier's popularity had grown not just among their alien hosts, despite his best efforts. That shield he had carried onto the shuttle had been impossible to miss. It caught the light and bounced its distinctive colours across the snow, and the next time Tony saw the man who had been carrying it, he was not going to let him fly away. Luckily, his entourage made him easy to track. Less luckily, his warning made the pair of Agrii that had been trailing after him tense and scatter awkwardly in a way that Tony wasn't prepared for, leaving him exposed with a gasp and trying to hide around a doorframe where he could still see the man between the waving arms of the aliens. They didn't seem quite as deterred as they should have been, though, making tittering sounds, and reaching again after the man, making Tony grip the wall anxiously but not quite able to look away from where he had spotted the knife and the man's hovering hand.

omg bb face someone pinch those cheeks

[sinistral]

Breathing room, that was all the Soldier wanted. Breathing room and to not be touched without his permission. Boundaries were extremely important to him, along with the freedom to say no and have it respected. Being on the Agrii ship tested his patience in more ways than one.

At least his admirers backed off a little bit. Not likely for long, he knew, but a little bit. And that was important, because he needed to listen. The footsteps behind him didn't quite match up for two Agrii, but the two Agrii made so much noise with their giggling and tittering and gesticulating that he couldn't be sure of the unfamiliar tread.

He turned a corner, thinking of ways to duck his pursuers. He had a few ideas but needed to be sure the third set of footsteps actually existed before he went to the effort.

not if he pinches first

[in_extremis]

Those footsteps lagged a little behind the Agrii, then were a soft, tip-toe scamper to catch up before they got too far away and Tony lost sight of them. It had become clear that this was not a sustainable process, though, and perhaps somewhat dangerous for the aliens, so the mystery pursuit stopped once again, going quiet under the Agrii's bubbling, unintelligible questions. They were cut short when a door abruptly slammed shut in front of the Soldier's nose, cutting off the path and silencing the Agrii in surprise. In the stillness that followed, it might have been easier to hear the shuffling from down the hall, back where they had come from. Around another bulkhead, Tony carefully peeked, just one eye and a shoulder, hands still busy where they were hidden until the speakers overhead gave a staticy crackle, then brief feedback shriek that had the Agrii chattering excitedly again. Something wasn't right, and maybe that was more important than following this man around.

better not escalate to biting

[sinistral]

Definitely a third set of footsteps, he felt pretty sure. The Soldier had been wrong before but knowing his physical surroundings and their occupants was a specialty. Alien spaceship or not he believed he could trust his instincts.

Slamming doors however, that he hadn't anticipated. Doors that wouldn't open, yes. But the rapid close was new, as was the ensuing screech from overhead speakers. He whirled around, knife halfway drawn but the two Agrii were already chattering to each other. Suppressing the urge to demand answers, he decided the distraction was better put to use for slipping behind them and back the way he'd come — and toward that trailing set of footsteps. What would he find back around the corner?

Popular~

[out_of_order]

"I'd listen to him if I were you."

Jedi mindtricks aren't exactly Cal's forte but he wouldn't want to try it anyway. The Agrii are innocent, even if they are a little too eager to get into people's personal spaces. He'd have been a lot more wary about them crowding him if he were fresh off Bracca, but now he gives them an easy smile, tolerating the hand-pats and giving pat or two in return, even as he casually redirects them off down the hall, away from the Soldier.

[sinistral]

Apparently having a second person reinforce things helped the Agrii decide that maybe the Soldier should be left alone, at least this time. It probably wouldn't forestall future attempts but at least it gave him some breathing room now.

"Thanks," he said when they were gone, eyes roving over Cal as they usually did. Uninjured and not in any visible distress; he relaxed a little then, losing a great deal of the tension he'd carried around while near the aliens.

[out_of_order]

The Jedi looks fine, he's just possibly committing some minor fashion crimes due to the pink poncho he's wearing over his usual gear. Catching the Soldier looking him over, Cal grins crookedly.

"Uh. New Tick gift. BeeDee insisted I wear it," he explains with a slight roll of his eyes, even when his droid pokes his head over his shoulder to beep a happy confirmation. Or is that a mischievous snicker?

"You all right? I forgot how grabby these guys can be."

[sinistral]

"Hmmm. Clothes were popular gift this year I guess." That was a very pink poncho though. Definitely not the Soldier's first choice in stealth gear, and considering BD-1's antics, he had to wonder just how fashion aware the droid truly was.

He shrugged in answer to the question. "Not much I can do about it. They don't really understand personal space."

babysitting

[pursuitofcappiness]

This face should, actually, look quite familiar to Bucky, since he'd grown up with it. He's young, and rail-thin, knobby-kneed. Even though they'd given him child's clothing, they're still a little big for him.

He's a boy of eight, but as he's so small, he looks younger.

"A little," he answers, shyly. "Um. I fell asleep on the F train. Is this New Jersey?"

[sinistral]

Nope. No no no no no, he is not dealing with this. Why did you eat the chocolate, Steve? Why hadn't the Soldier warned him? And why did he know this was Steve?

Could he even find the resources to deal with asthma? And why would he have to, aside some strange compulsion in the back of his mind that supplied asthma, but none of the surrounding details.

"No trains here," he found himself saying. "You're pretty far from Jersey."

[pursuitofcappiness]

This little boy has never been in the papers, but he's definitely buried somewhere in those memories. He even looks kinda the same as he does when he's an adult right now, because he knits his brows together in confusion.

"Um... well, I gotta be home for supper, so... how do I get back to Brooklyn?" And then he checks his pockets for change, and looks horrified. "Oh no! I don't have money for fare... wait, did you say no trains? How did I even get here? Oh no, ma's gonna be so worried..."

Before The Tick

[doubled_speed]

Tommy doesn't really enter until his brother is leaving, by sheer luck. But he smiles when he sees Soldier there. He's at the man's side in a blink.

"So is this normal for you? Working out? Teaching my brother how to lift for a change?"

[sinistral]

"Yes." A simple reply, not much more to it. Tommy might have already known that Billy worked with the Soldier, though perhaps not the form said workouts took. "He is a good student."

He'd never be a physical presence like the Soldier but he was definitely getting stronger and had a better grasp on self defense.

[doubled_speed]

Really? Tommy looks a bit shocked by that.

"I didn't know he even tried. Weird."

He moves closer to the soldier and considers the man with a tilt of his head.

"You know, I've been wondering. You super like Cap is?"

[agrii]

Really, this was a long time in coming, wasn't it? One He Row in particular probably isn't even on the Agrii ship for an hour before this one bright eyed Agrii had approached to hug. And of course there was a hand reaching for a knife.

Which only made the Agrii smile wider.

"Is you arms! Wah pon! Look! Look, have wah pon too," the Agrii with bright orange eyes and an overly cheerful expression says. "For pro tech shun. Like you. Like prom is. Try hard for Buck Ee."

Listen, you never gave Mu Ly another name to address you by, Bucky. It's your own fault.

omg I'm howling

[sinistral]

Knives and hugs don't go together! Well maybe they do but it might not have the intended effect. And speaking of unintended effects, the Soldier did not expect the reaction he got to nearly drawing a blade.

On the plus side he finally had a face to put with the name he hadn't forgotten.

"Mu Ly." He forced his shoulders to relax and pulled his hand away from the hilt of his weapon, studying the alien carefully. The expression seemed far too cheerful but all the Agrii were cheerful, seemingly all the time. "I have kept my promise as well. Though I can't protect against things like volcanoes."

[agrii]

Do they not? Look, he is learning a new thing!

"You reel mem burr I!" Mu Ly says happily. "Look! Get arms!"

And Mu Ly pulls a butter knife from his pocket. Given the Agrii were not the biggest on using such things, this might actually be impressive.

"Sore ee could no pro tech He Rows from fire mount tan," Mu Ly says after a moment with a frown. He really did feel like he'd failed. "The big shine screen make purr fect seal. Take away air. He Rows need air."