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[ Sometime very soon after this-- ]
kyna's staying over for a couple days. don't bug her about stuff.
kyna's staying over for a couple days. don't bug her about stuff.
I need you to speak with Lance. He tried to take a kid out of the safehouse, and I don't foresee our conversation on the topic going smoothly.
[ Both of them, he can assume, are currently in emotionally volatile places. If Lance is going to listen to anyone on this it's more likely to be a friend than it is to be Stephen on the barely concealed warpath he's just set out on.
Dear god let Nate not turn around and tell him he's too firmly on the other side of the argument to intervene. ]
[ Both of them, he can assume, are currently in emotionally volatile places. If Lance is going to listen to anyone on this it's more likely to be a friend than it is to be Stephen on the barely concealed warpath he's just set out on.
Dear god let Nate not turn around and tell him he's too firmly on the other side of the argument to intervene. ]
[ Nate, who actually secreted Lance out of the original safe house upon his arrival so they could catch up on all the highlights (dying, being dead, life after death, et cetera) over a drink and is just now realizing that he apparently broke a rule in the process, ponders why everyone else's drama keeps happening around him while he's been busy working on his leads.
Avoiding the network's big blow-ups is generally how he tries to stay sane, but it does put him at a disadvantage when it comes to being aware of the debates that seize the Displaced. He'd taken one look at the post about making newcomers more comfortable during their detention and decided he didn't have much to say on the subject, and went off to do something else. It is therefore with absolutely confused sincerity that he asks: ]
wait, hold on, i need some more context. was he shoving a kid out into the city like "begone with you, wretch" or was he escorting him outside the building, i'm confused.
Avoiding the network's big blow-ups is generally how he tries to stay sane, but it does put him at a disadvantage when it comes to being aware of the debates that seize the Displaced. He'd taken one look at the post about making newcomers more comfortable during their detention and decided he didn't have much to say on the subject, and went off to do something else. It is therefore with absolutely confused sincerity that he asks: ]
wait, hold on, i need some more context. was he shoving a kid out into the city like "begone with you, wretch" or was he escorting him outside the building, i'm confused.
hey
it was no problem, any time. i trust that my brother was being mostly gentlemanly?
it was no problem, any time. i trust that my brother was being mostly gentlemanly?
[After he wakes up in New Amsterdam, in the apartment he hasn't been in in days--or a lifetime?--it takes some time before he's able to really mentally process that happened and put it together in a way that makes sense. It was an... Event, sort of, like had happened in Hadriel, and like he'd heard about happening here with Zerzura. That's all it was.
It's also easy enough to put together why he's now awake here, and so it's with trepidation that he reaches out to contact Nate as one of the first things he does; he wants an answer, but at the same time he doesn't.]
Nate, when you get this, let me know.
[Whenever that might be, if ever.]
It's also easy enough to put together why he's now awake here, and so it's with trepidation that he reaches out to contact Nate as one of the first things he does; he wants an answer, but at the same time he doesn't.]
Nate, when you get this, let me know.
[Whenever that might be, if ever.]
[ Lance doesn't get an answer for days, partly because it takes more time for Nate to wade through the desolation of another world, in another life, and partly because emerging from unconsciousness feels like it takes hours.
It's different from Hadriel. That felt like a dream, this felt like...waking up from cryostasis. Probably felt the same way for people who saw Henries' other world, too.
The memories are his, but they're not. The emotions are his and not, as well, with every requisite anchor tied to their chains. Reconciling them - the love, the loss, the fear - is about on par with reconciling what happened to him back home, and Nate knows he isn't in any shape to do so. ]
roger.
It's different from Hadriel. That felt like a dream, this felt like...waking up from cryostasis. Probably felt the same way for people who saw Henries' other world, too.
The memories are his, but they're not. The emotions are his and not, as well, with every requisite anchor tied to their chains. Reconciling them - the love, the loss, the fear - is about on par with reconciling what happened to him back home, and Nate knows he isn't in any shape to do so. ]
roger.
A little feedback
and hand to god I mean it in the nicest possible way
you suck at this
It's not your fault, frankly it's kind of a good thing, because the only way to get anything done in this shitshow is by being an asshole
otherwise it's like herding freaking cats
and hand to god I mean it in the nicest possible way
you suck at this
It's not your fault, frankly it's kind of a good thing, because the only way to get anything done in this shitshow is by being an asshole
otherwise it's like herding freaking cats
thanks. i think.
you'll have to forgive me if i'm not super consoled by that.
i think herding cats is a generous description for what happened.
you'll have to forgive me if i'm not super consoled by that.
i think herding cats is a generous description for what happened.
Aside from all this shit, it's good to see you in one piece.
[ He has fallen so far as to elicit pity from a girl half his age, so that's cool. ]
laid low by the hubris in thinking i could try to get anything done, i guess.
though odysseus' monsters seem a lot more warm and welcoming by comparison.
are you okay?
laid low by the hubris in thinking i could try to get anything done, i guess.
though odysseus' monsters seem a lot more warm and welcoming by comparison.
are you okay?
[Well. Wade’s been privy to quite a few clusterfucks in his long tenure-- most of them caused by him-- but he doesn’t think he’s ever seen one so randomly generated by a simple informational post. Nate’s absence at the apartment is pretty telling-- Wade’s pretty sure that if he were in the same position, he’d be blowing off some steam too. Probably with more explosions, but people have different responses to stress. He only fairly skimmed through the responses on the network, but it doesn’t take a detective to figure out that Nate was burned pretty badly by the responses, and Wade still doesn’t really understand what prompted it.
It’s hard to know what to do. Typically when something upsets him, Wade tends to want to be alone to deal with his thoughts on his own, and past experiences have indicated that Nate doesn’t exactly enjoy people intruding on his personal issues. Still, a simple text couldn’t hurt, could it?]
hey roomie :)
u hungry?
found this great noodle place a while ago and never had a chance to try it out
its a short walk from here
want me 2 meet u someplace and we can check it out 2gether?
It’s hard to know what to do. Typically when something upsets him, Wade tends to want to be alone to deal with his thoughts on his own, and past experiences have indicated that Nate doesn’t exactly enjoy people intruding on his personal issues. Still, a simple text couldn’t hurt, could it?]
hey roomie :)
u hungry?
found this great noodle place a while ago and never had a chance to try it out
its a short walk from here
want me 2 meet u someplace and we can check it out 2gether?
[ Nate would say it's disheartening at best, how quickly a negative opinion on a subject he didn't even bring into the conversation summoned the dogs of war. He tends to avoid the network as a rule, having seen people get crushed under an emphatic wave of finger-wagging at best and explicit threats at worst, and it's all but tanked his opinion of specific parties in this past.
This has arguably not improved any, either.
Mostly he's tired, because it kind of sucks to feel the excitement of an idea you had being validated turn to ash in your mouth. So when Wade messages him his kneejerk reaction is to shy away from a pity party.
His second bit of reaction time forces him to remember that Wade is a good fucking person and actually gives a shit about him, so. Old habits. ]
yeah. i'd really like that, actually.
crappy day.
This has arguably not improved any, either.
Mostly he's tired, because it kind of sucks to feel the excitement of an idea you had being validated turn to ash in your mouth. So when Wade messages him his kneejerk reaction is to shy away from a pity party.
His second bit of reaction time forces him to remember that Wade is a good fucking person and actually gives a shit about him, so. Old habits. ]
yeah. i'd really like that, actually.
crappy day.
it might have to wait a little bit, i'm helping gene out with crisis management in new tokyo.
did something happen?
did something happen?
I hope you know that if you're chosen for the position, I'm going to call you Moon Ambassador Nate.
[Aka he couldn't think of anything else to start this conversation with but he needs to talk to someone that isn't going to quickly drive him insane so hi, Nate.]
[Aka he couldn't think of anything else to start this conversation with but he needs to talk to someone that isn't going to quickly drive him insane so hi, Nate.]
nah, i'm coming back soon. we've stabilized some things but long-term people are going to have to help themselves, too. there's not a lot of us and we're stretched thin.
thought i'd take a gate back tonight.
thought i'd take a gate back tonight.
busy, but ok. coming back soon, we're stretched pretty thin so there's not a whole lot we can do besides organize existing people and i'm pretty recognizable now so i think i'm doing more harm than good.
wasn't trying to be weird, just trying to be realistic. i did salvage diving back home.
but i'd actually really like to see it, if you're cool with that. all i've had to go on are tertiary sources.
but i'd actually really like to see it, if you're cool with that. all i've had to go on are tertiary sources.
Let me make one thing clear.
Any attempts to use my partner, Ren Amamiya, to make yourself look like the martyr because he raised a casual concern won't end well for you in the future. Unlike that circumstances, I will always be here, and my bite is much worse than my bark.
Don't do it again.
And yes, before you deliver some pithy remark in return, this is a threat.
Any attempts to use my partner, Ren Amamiya, to make yourself look like the martyr because he raised a casual concern won't end well for you in the future. Unlike that circumstances, I will always be here, and my bite is much worse than my bark.
Don't do it again.
And yes, before you deliver some pithy remark in return, this is a threat.
prior to having my face projected into everybody's skulls in another world rendering my anonymity here moot, i definitely had a lot more hobbies
i was a thief, technically, but more of a treasure hunter? travel, see a lot of exotic places, climb a lot of crumbling ruins in lost cities, get into gunfights with mercenaries, find artifacts.
not a lot of call for that here, so i use the gates fairly often when i'm not working.
i was a thief, technically, but more of a treasure hunter? travel, see a lot of exotic places, climb a lot of crumbling ruins in lost cities, get into gunfights with mercenaries, find artifacts.
not a lot of call for that here, so i use the gates fairly often when i'm not working.
[ He said eight o'clock.
It is nearly eight, and just like the time Nate wandered this way to tell someone the difficult truth surrounding his status as a dead man walking, it's hard to cross the threshold. It's supposed to get easier, isn't it? With repetition? Taking the first step is the worst part, and usually Nate is the kind of person who enjoys the freefall.
His implant is already coded so he doesn't bother knocking or ringing before entering, the quiet shhhunk of the door behind him solidifying the intention he's supposed to be carrying with conscientious intent. Ian isn't in immediate view, so he steps into the living room and pushes the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows now that he's in less public company. ]
Hey.
It is nearly eight, and just like the time Nate wandered this way to tell someone the difficult truth surrounding his status as a dead man walking, it's hard to cross the threshold. It's supposed to get easier, isn't it? With repetition? Taking the first step is the worst part, and usually Nate is the kind of person who enjoys the freefall.
His implant is already coded so he doesn't bother knocking or ringing before entering, the quiet shhhunk of the door behind him solidifying the intention he's supposed to be carrying with conscientious intent. Ian isn't in immediate view, so he steps into the living room and pushes the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows now that he's in less public company. ]
Hey.
( He's at his desk, as it so happens. Tucked into a corner with circuitry exposed, the guts of some new gadget spilling out onto the wooden surface. He abandons it immediately — it had been a time passer, something to keep him from spiraling out. Something to concentrate on, something that isn't consequential compared to the man who just walked in.
He spins around on his spinny-stool steady and easy, a leg stretching out long to bring himself to a stop. There's a black smudge on his forehead and a screwdriver in his hand, because of who he is as a person. Sorry. )
Hey, man.
( Calm, with only a little detectable amount of reservation in there somewhere. )
He spins around on his spinny-stool steady and easy, a leg stretching out long to bring himself to a stop. There's a black smudge on his forehead and a screwdriver in his hand, because of who he is as a person. Sorry. )
Hey, man.
( Calm, with only a little detectable amount of reservation in there somewhere. )
[ okay, so. he gets asked on a date and promptly panics and ignores the message for the rest of his shift working the casino bar, like a cool guy who knows exactly what he's doing. (if anyone asks, they got a birthday party in around 11:30 that night. they did not actually get a birthday party in.) and he's been dancing around it for the last six hours, thinking about it and then deciding not to think about it, off and on, but by the time he hangs up his stupid vest and leaves, he doesn't have a better answer than he did when kyna sent over that screed.
so, promptly at 5:30 in the morning, he shoots a text off to his baby brother. ]
hey nathan, you awake?
so, promptly at 5:30 in the morning, he shoots a text off to his baby brother. ]
hey nathan, you awake?
i am now
what's up?
what's up?
Edited 2021-01-29 15:18 (UTC)
[ It's a little over a week since the last of them, himself included, got back from the Aerie. This is one conversation he's not sure it's time for, if it ever will be, but at the very least there's a courtesy due. ]
I'll be going back to work in the next week or so. I intend to work around existing shifts and I'll add myself to the schedule to make that easier on everyone, but I wanted to make you aware that I'll be back in the building.
[ It doesn't quite say all it needs to. The conversation doesn't even look to be on the table, and that's taking a different flavour of control. What he's trying to do is to take none. He's had more than his share of dominion over other peoples actions. ]
There are no expectations. If you need to minimize the risk of an encounter, let Clarke know you're taking leave and I'll ensure you're paid.
[ And that's— all he can say, really. Without overstepping his purpose and placing any undue pressure on Nate to engage. It feels cold, but better that than warm.
A notice. Nothing more, nothing less. It's the best he can do. ]
I'll be going back to work in the next week or so. I intend to work around existing shifts and I'll add myself to the schedule to make that easier on everyone, but I wanted to make you aware that I'll be back in the building.
[ It doesn't quite say all it needs to. The conversation doesn't even look to be on the table, and that's taking a different flavour of control. What he's trying to do is to take none. He's had more than his share of dominion over other peoples actions. ]
There are no expectations. If you need to minimize the risk of an encounter, let Clarke know you're taking leave and I'll ensure you're paid.
[ And that's— all he can say, really. Without overstepping his purpose and placing any undue pressure on Nate to engage. It feels cold, but better that than warm.
A notice. Nothing more, nothing less. It's the best he can do. ]
[ There's an instant, spasmodic fear upon seeing Stephen Strange's name cropping up in his inbox. Like twenty years of being the racehorse in someone's barn jerks a leash he knows isn't there anymore. The sensation dissipates just as soon as it arrives and Nate is left
tired. ]
i've been considering quitting. not because of you or the aerie, just because it's not the best job for me right now, and this seems like a good time to officially do that. you don't have to worry about running into me on shift.
[ Everyone keeps beating around the goddamn bush, himself included. He should probably let it lie but the freedom of emotional honesty is really starting to show its merits. ]
for the record, though, this apology kind of sucks? we all did shitty things. i've got a lot of blood on my hands i get to account for, but i'm not sending people office memos about it like an hr rep navigating someone's sexual harassment case at telemarketers, inc.
i'm not your employee. i'm your fucking friend.
tired. ]
i've been considering quitting. not because of you or the aerie, just because it's not the best job for me right now, and this seems like a good time to officially do that. you don't have to worry about running into me on shift.
[ Everyone keeps beating around the goddamn bush, himself included. He should probably let it lie but the freedom of emotional honesty is really starting to show its merits. ]
for the record, though, this apology kind of sucks? we all did shitty things. i've got a lot of blood on my hands i get to account for, but i'm not sending people office memos about it like an hr rep navigating someone's sexual harassment case at telemarketers, inc.
i'm not your employee. i'm your fucking friend.
Hey, where are you? I have something important to share in person.
Not bad important, before you worry.
Not bad important, before you worry.
you're getting married
WAIT
you found a cool rock
NO
you've taken up herpetology
i give up
i'm at my apartment
WAIT
you found a cool rock
NO
you've taken up herpetology
i give up
i'm at my apartment
[ Oh boy. ]
is today a special holiday i didn't know about?
is today a special holiday i didn't know about?
hey
Lance just told me about Sam
how's your mental state?
( He thought about the best way to work into this, but ultimately it felt like being direct was probably a better choice than beating around the bush. He gets the feeling Nate might dodge in a few circles. )
Lance just told me about Sam
how's your mental state?
( He thought about the best way to work into this, but ultimately it felt like being direct was probably a better choice than beating around the bush. He gets the feeling Nate might dodge in a few circles. )
super great and totally fine, thanks for asking
[When Nate returns to his apartment, he will find that everything in the common spaces appears to be spic and span. The counters and cabinets shine like they probably haven't since they got the place, and all the dishes and utensils have been neatly organized.
Simon isn't sporting his usual long blond pony as a result of the whole operation deal, and touts the first closely cropped hairstyle he's had since he was a child. He is also wearing one of Wade's apron monstrosities as it was all that was on hand for him to wear. He's not the biggest fan of the graphic, but he wasn't expecting anyone to be home so soon. He pops up from behind a kitchen counter, surprised to see Nate. While he had been informed that there was another man residing here, he has yet to meet the other face to face.]
Gah!
[There is a toothbrush in Simon's right hand, and the floor is rather slippery. Instead of being normal and saying, you know, anything that would make sense, Simon simply stares Nate down with beady brown eyes, as if attempting to bore a hole straight through him with just his gaze alone. Finally, after a few seconds, he offers a brief-]
Hello.
Simon isn't sporting his usual long blond pony as a result of the whole operation deal, and touts the first closely cropped hairstyle he's had since he was a child. He is also wearing one of Wade's apron monstrosities as it was all that was on hand for him to wear. He's not the biggest fan of the graphic, but he wasn't expecting anyone to be home so soon. He pops up from behind a kitchen counter, surprised to see Nate. While he had been informed that there was another man residing here, he has yet to meet the other face to face.]
Gah!
[There is a toothbrush in Simon's right hand, and the floor is rather slippery. Instead of being normal and saying, you know, anything that would make sense, Simon simply stares Nate down with beady brown eyes, as if attempting to bore a hole straight through him with just his gaze alone. Finally, after a few seconds, he offers a brief-]
Hello.
[ When you've had a long day in the metaphorical salt mines, you tend to want to unwind in your own space, comfortably and with little interruption. These days he's been frequenting Ian's place slightly more often due to the ever-present reminders of his erstwhile brother, but his apartment is still his apartment and his roommate is still his friend, which is why he's that much more surprised to see a.) everything spotless and b.) a fucking stranger in the kitchen. ]
Gah!
[ Reactionary, he steps back quickly with one hand on the jamb of the door, staring at furious-looking kid with the shorn hair indicative of the newly Displaced. The greeting hovers in the air uncomfortably before Nate hazards a slow: ]
...hi. [ The silence lingers longer. ] Who are you?
Gah!
[ Reactionary, he steps back quickly with one hand on the jamb of the door, staring at furious-looking kid with the shorn hair indicative of the newly Displaced. The greeting hovers in the air uncomfortably before Nate hazards a slow: ]
...hi. [ The silence lingers longer. ] Who are you?
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