It's a Party in the Not-USA

[buildingitsir]

WHO: York Stark, YOU
WHERE: Agrii Ship
WHAT: Holiday Time
WHEN: New Tick
WARNINGS: York’s broken filter


#FF00F8

This being his third year for this, York knows what to expect for New Tick. Pink snow, too much fucking glitter, and gifts buried in wrapping paper that also probably had too much glitter. The android also knows better than to touch anyone else’s wrapped up presents because unlike the organics around him, that zap goes all the way from his fingertips to his toes. It does not feel any emulation of good.

So he keeps going until he finds his own stack. Three this year? How generous, though seeing one in wrapped up in orange feels suspicious. Did it have to do with the various colors the aliens were wearing? And the orange gift is big, too. Almost as big as York himself. What the hell could that be?

For now, it’s ignored. The pink gift gets opened first, revealing a pretty metallic frame holding…

Holy shit.

York stares at it, then looks up and around for the other two - no, three - in the photo. Then looks back to it again, with Mini, Reeve, Richie, and himself captured in the likeness of a family photo. A family photo. Their family. The only one he considered like that back in Detroit was Duncan, who obviously wasn’t here. After last year’s gift of the matching suits, it was clear that the Agrii recognized them as a family unit. They were a family unit.

The frame is set onto the table with some reverence, because York doesn’t want to break it, even by accident. The purple gift gets opened next and oh. A sewing kit! That’d be useful since Miss Lark went home. She had to have gone home, since he hasn’t seen her in a long time and Little Bear was hanging around one of the Hawkins people. The little kit gets put into his hoodie pocket and he goes for the last one.

The orange gift. It’s nearly flat, thin, and a decent weight. The paper falls to the floor when ripped open and York staggers back. A riot shield from home, with the words ‘RIOT UNIT’ printed on it. The same riot shields that the police used to protect themselves when raiding Jericho. He kicks it away from him, then steps backwards quickly as it clatters loudly to the floor.

#0093FF

The pavilion is nice.

York isn’t really a water kind of android anymore. Not since what happened back home right before being brought to Temba. The terror of the raid, then the shock of cold water that threatened to ice his hardware - water wasn’t what York would consider a good memory.

Standing on the pavilion with the riot shield laying on the floor of it before him felt like a good step towards not being traumatized by it. It wasn’t like he had to get into it after all.

It’s tempting to push the shield into the water and forget about it entirely. It feelsl ike a ‘fuck you’ kind of gift to him, knowing how the police felt about androids where he was from. Or maybe this was supposed to be a gift about taking something from your oppressor to defend yourself with’ kind of thing. Irony, maybe.


Either way, he glares at it for a long moment, then looks back to the serene water stretched out before him.

#FFC300

Fireworks aren’t really York’s thing back home, and he’s okay with that. But seeing the glee in the younger aliens as they run around, piques York’s interest. It’s not like he could hurt himself the way organics could. He’d just have to repair himself.

Hm, maybe that’s what the sewing kit was for? For himself and his beloved hoodie.

The android goes over to the table to light up his own sparkler, using the burning end to help one of the small aliens light their own before they’re running off. The joy he sees on the alien’s face is enough to have him smile himself. York may be a machine, but he’s not entirely cold-hearted. He starts following at his walking pace, keeping the lit end away from him so the sparks don’t land on the skin mesh. The other hand is tucked into the hoodie pouch as he files after the running children, grinning at their antics. 

This wasn’t his idea of ‘fun’, but it’s entertaining at the very least.

Comments

#0093FF

[butterfly_kiss]

"So, are you going to break it or what?"

Because of course Tae was going to comment on the whole strange angry looks that the android was shooting his orange gift. She supposed she could understand it. The thing, whatever it was, had to be at least as large as he was. Or nearly so. So she could get being frustrated.

The doctor moves to settle next to him, her eyes also turned toward the water.

"I know you're one of two people in this whole place I'm not responsible for the physical health of, but you seem... unbalanced right now. Thought I'd ask."

[buildingitsir]

Amazingly, York didn't really hear the woman's approach. Or maybe his system didn't register it as it should have, so he jerks a little. There's a momentary glare from him, before he looks away and to the water once more.

"Ha," he says with an amused smile on his face. "I'm always unbalanced. I've just gotten better at fucking hiding it." Or maybe androids could have healing in their programming as much as humans did. "And if you're responsible for my health, why care?"

Okay, maybe York wasn't healed as much as he thought.

[butterfly_kiss]

Now now, hissy kitten, don't look at her like that. Surely your truce and support is fine. Don't be so mean.

"I suppose you have. But I suppose mental health also matters some," she points out. "And you seem... a bit shaken there."

[buildingitsir]

This is him being nice. When one compares his attitude to years ago to now, this is nice.

York doesn't want to admit that she's right. He is shaken, and his programming knows it's stupid because it's just a shield. It's just a shield. "It's from my world. It's the riot shield the police held against us when they raided our safe space we thought was hidden from them." It's said quietly, eyes still trained on the water stretched out before them.

[butterfly_kiss]

"Ah," Tae says, considering. Then she nods to herself.

"Deface it."

[buildingitsir]

Her suggestion gets him to practically snap his neck with how fast he looks back to her.

Deface police property? But that-

Any argument he has dies on his lips. It doesn't matter if the shield was police property. Or defacing it was illegal. Because it didn't belong to the police. It was York's. The aliens gave it to him.

All while processing this, he just stares at her. After a minute and twelve seconds, he finally blinks and looks down to the shield and then back to her. "Deface it. I don't have any paint to do that with."

One more pause. "Think the aliens have any?"

[butterfly_kiss]

Who would care if it was police property anyway? Rebel little android. Rebel.

"They keep on sending down painted banners. I would almost guarantee it. But it's going to be pink and purple," she points out.

[buildingitsir]

Lawful good people, that's who! But rebelling seems to be in his deviation, so that's the easy part.

He looks from the shield once again, to her, and smirks a little bit. Like a teenager up to no good. "Wanna help with it? I don't care about the colors; I don't have biases with colors like humans seem to."

A lie. He likes blue.

"I think the pink will stand out the most. Maybe if we splash down purple first and then the pink on top of it."

[butterfly_kiss]

Lawful good people are boring though.

"I mean, I like blue," she says, gesturing to her hair and the blue mini dress she was wearing. "So I'm going to suggest that, clearly. Different shades. Maybe a seascape. Make it art for a wall. But pink's good too. Make it a sunset."

OR maybe just splash paint everywhere.

#FFC300

[out_of_order]

Cal smiles fondly as he watches the Agrii enjoying themselves. The atmosphere is enjoyable, and even with the underlying tension, at least everyone mostly seems to have the general desire to make the most of a pleasant celebration.

He chuckles as BD-1 twitters excitedly beside him, the little droid skittering off to trail after York as he sees the android tailing the Agrii kids.

[buildingitsir]

At first, York doesn't seem to notice BD-1, the sounds of him scampering after the human-looking android lost in the sounds of the aliens laughing and running. It's when he stops and then sidesteps so the little bot doesn't run into him does he notice him.

"Hey BD, what're you doing out here?" Was Cal around? He had to be if the droid was out. York leans down and offers his free hand to the little guy so he can pick him up.

[out_of_order]

So enthusiastically does the droid follow along that he does indeed have trouble slamming on the brakes once York stops, BD-1 giving a surprised squawk even as he barrels right past the android.

He comes to a halt, turning about with a hop before running up towards the offered hand. What does it look like? York seemed to be having fun, and he wanted to join in, is what the little droid's beeping amounts to. He wiggles happily once he's picked up, head swiveling in Cal's direction.

[buildingitsir]

There's care in making sure his sparkler stays out of range of the other droid, and he holds the guy securely against himself. The swivel of the head draws York's attention that direction. There's a little nod of his head to acknowledge the guy, then back to BD.

"Having fun chasing with the rest of us? You want me to hold you so you can keep up. I promise not to drop you."

That would be a crime!

[out_of_order]

At least BD-1 doesn't seem terribly bothered by a few sparks. It'll take more than that to hurt him!

Cal grins briefly back at York, giving him a bit of a salute from where he sits.

The droid gives something of a petulant sound, he can keep up perfectly fine! -but he's not inclined to say no to being carried.

[buildingitsir]

Look, York's being Good^TM for once with someone outside of his family unit, let him take worry about getting sparks on BD-1! He heads back over to the table to dispose of his sparkler - now out - to replace it with a new one. This one burns sparkles of green and purple. Then he notices Cal and gives a nod back.

Then he starts chasing the Agrii children again, fingers curled around the droid in his arms to keep him safe. "And like this, no one will accidentally run you over, and you won't run into someone."

Droids just had to look out for each other!

[out_of_order]

There's a reluctant beep of consent to that point, because both scenarios are entirely possible with him. Anyway, BD-1 supposes he doesn't mind being coddled, seeming to make himself comfortable as York holds him.

You call this chasing, York? Faster, they're getting away!

[buildingitsir]

York allows for BD to adjust in his hold, taking note of it in his own programming for future use as he starts back up in the running. He's not fast, like an Olympic runner or anything, but York has agility at least. One of the children trips and the android vaults over them like a hurdle with a happy yell.

It feels like a race only he and BD-1 are participating in but it's fun. He's not running from police or humans like this. Just fun in celebrating another year with everyone.

#0093FF

[faceguy]

The water does not stay serene for long - in fact, it ripples and then splits, as a decidedly reptilian, non-Agrii shape emerges from the water. Leo had gone down after some of his Agrii buddies as they took a break from running errands for the older Agrii, but he can’t stay down nearly as long as they can. He has to come back up for air.

So he comes up with a splash, spitting a jet of water out through his teeth just for the fun of it. Then he glances over and sees York, looking at the water.

Ah…

“Uh.” He laughs, waving a hand. “Hi.”

Maybe he should just duck back down…

[buildingitsir]

York's attention is nabbed by the ripples. The water's been pretty... serene since he started his impromptu meditation. And then one of the Turtle Bros surfaces, and the android watches the jet of water arc and hit his abandoned riot shield for the moment.

Instead of being mad about his new weapon getting wet, he only walks over to the edge of the pavilion to meet Leo's seemingly embarrassed gaze. "Anything interesting down in the water? Sinker toys, floating hoops for you to swim though, that kind of shit?"

[faceguy]

Man, he got some pretty good range on that. He wasn't even aiming! ...Wait, that's not what he's focusing on right now.

"Oooh, that's not a bad idea." Leo strokes his chin. "But nah, not really."

[buildingitsir]

York smirks a little, thinking that he could easily make a sinking item for Leo to fetch. "Damn, we've got turtles here and the aliens didn't even think to give you guys fun shit for the water? Assholes."

In a very human-like manner, he stretches his limbs out like he's seen Reeve do, then relaxes. "I got something you could go after in the water if you wanted. Test the quality of its make and all that shit."

[faceguy]

“Eh yeah, the aliens brought me here in the middle of winter and didn’t even give me any clothes.” Leo grimaces. “I don’t think pool toys were super high on their list.”

He is curious about whatever York is thinking of, though.

“Yeah? What’cha got?”

[buildingitsir]

"Yeah, the aliens are known to be dicks at points. You should've been around when they trapped us all underground and made everyone sleep at the same time to intrude on other people's memories."

York does not sound happy about that. Not once but twice it happened. Multi-armed fuckers.

Whatever. He goes and retrieves his 'gift' to carry over to the edge of the pavilion where he had just been standing. The riot shield is almost as big as him and looks weighty, as it should. "Think you can fetch this from the bottom? It's a riot shield so it has weight. Maybe it'll hit rocks or some shit down at the bottom and get dented up."

[faceguy]

...Well, invading other people's memories is actually something Leo has done before - it's a type of magic that can be done in his world.

He probably shouldn't mention that.

"Yeeeaaah, that sounds no good. Apparently my brother got turned into a little kid at some point, too."

He eyes the riot shield as York brings it over. "Yeah, I think I got this." He cracks his knuckles.

[buildingitsir]

Yeah, don't mention that. It'd be a good way to have that shield slammed towards you.

"Oh did that shit happen to him? I saw that happen to people who ate candy or something last year's New Tick." A small shrug, not thinking about the young versions of adults he knew running around the winter village. Instead his gaze goes out to the water, focusing on where to throw it. Calculating the weight of the weight, the force his arms could handle, and making sure not to throw it too far. It gets hefted up and flung out like a discus. It spins as it arcs and crashes down into the water a decent distance away.

He almost says 'fetch'.