biteouttagrimes | IC CONTACT

I feel like I'm asking you this a lot.

How'd you make it out of their hellhole?

You don't even wanna know.

[ He sounds irritated and exhausted, dismissing what happened to him in favor of asking about her, though. ]

You alright?

[ Right. He doesn't like to text. She almost forgot. ]

I'm fine. And I do want to know, so spill.

[ Well, fine, Tex. He'll deliver it as blunt as possible. ]

Got killed. For tryin' to do the right thing. By fellow imPorts.

[ That puts her on high alert. Who the fuck had done that? ]

Friendly fire or on purpose?

On purpose. I wouldn't stand down an' hand LACKEY over. So they put me down.

[ There goes that hope. ]

What the hell kind of purpose did that serve?

Gettin' me outta the way so they could extract him. Confine him to some small device or somethin' like that. They told me they didn't kill him after the guy who shot me brought me back to life. But I ain't so sure I buy that.

[ He's rubbing his hands over his face, even though it goes unseen. ]

There's nothin' more I can do for him now, though.

[ She's quiet a moment before she lets out a heavy sigh. She wants details, is about ready to demand them, but this doesn't feel like the kind of conversation to be having over the comm. ]

You sound like you could use a drink. Or five. I'll buy.

You don't have to. I probably shouldn't leave Carl anyway.

[ A beat. ]

But I ain't gonna argue if you feel like comin' over here with a twelve pack an' a pizza.

At the Xavier school right? Give me half an hour and I'll be there.

Yeah. That's where we're at. No rush. I'll be here all night.

[ And then spoken with mild amusement: ]

But for you, I'll actually put on some pants.

I'd be worried if you didn't. It's going to be lady's choice on the beer and pizza toppings.

[ Aka whatever she can pick up the fastest on the way. Surely there was a pizza place right by the school. She was about to find out.

Some time later, she's outside his door and balancing a large pizza box and a six pack of dark beer in her hands. Rather than upset that balance, she opts to kick a few times on his door, figuring he'd get the picture. ]

[ He doesn't keep her waiting long -- heading to the door in a fresh white T-shirt and pair of jeans. His hair is damp and drying in curls, and there even seems to be a bit of leftover shaving cream on his face.

Rick made some kind of effort to look less like shit than he did. The dark circles and weakness are still evident, though. ]

Here. Let me take somethin'.

[ He grabs the pizza box, leading the way to the small kitchen. ]

[ As soon as the door is opened, she's taking stock of him. Cleaned up, that's a good sign, even if he looks exhausted. Who isn't by this point. It's going to take a good while before things return to normal.

She lets him take it and follows him in to set he beer on the counter. ]

You're looking well for being recently deceased. Carl here?

[ Rick wears a slightly crooked smile after her compliment, but nods in response to the question. ]

He's in his room sleepin'. Out like a light. Doubt he'll wake up. An' you can't really blame him. We went through hell.

[ He puts his hand on her shoulder, giving it a tender squeeze -- appreciation for everything she's done for both of them. Unspoken but meaningful before Rick grabs a few paper plates, offering one her way. ]

Everything fine with you and yours?

Yeah you did, I'm sorry I couldn't do more.

[ She eyes his hand and decides that the affection isn't so bad. She hides a small smile as she accepts the plate and grabs a couple slices for herself. ]

We came out fine. I worked with a group to steal intel and we had a few injuries, but a healer was on site.

Hey. You did what you could. An' that's more than most people would've done for us.

[ He follows suit in piling a few slices onto his plate before taking a beer and leading the way to the living room. The television is on in the background, playing the tail end of an action movie Rick had started watching but didn't really care to finish. ]

Those healers sure are handy, aren't they? The guy who killed me was a healer. Asshole killed me and then brought me back from the dead like it was nothin'.

[ She shakes her head, about to say something along the lines of how she should have been keeping a better watch on Carl when Rick continues. Her eyes narrow and the grip on her food and drink tighten noticeably as she follows him. ]

He what? So he had the goddamn power to kill you and bring you back, but nobody there had the ability to stun you?

[ All that power in one place and they couldn't even use it properly. ]

[ He collapses onto the couch, scooting over so she has enough space to not have to sit too close to him but still a little close. ]

Guess he could've. Could've knocked me out. But if I came to before they were done, I woulda been a problem for them. One of my powers lets me put up a sort of....invisible shield around me an' whoever else. That's what I did. Nothin' could get through -- except that guy had this power to kill someone else an' transfer that to me. So that's what he chose to do.

[ Rick says it all as a matter of fact -- laying it out for Tex without any real emotion behind it. No anger. No frustration. Just exhaustion. He folds up his slice of pizza and takes a big bite. ]

[ She settles onto the couch beside him, almost close enough for their thighs to be touching, but not quite. ]

Did you at least get to punch the asshole once they were done? And if you didn't, can I?

[ Because as pissed as she is at the killer, that's his revenge to take if he wants it. ]

I didn't. Things were pretty intense gettin' outta there an' I had to get to Carl. You're free to punch him, but I don't think it'd do any good. He's a punk kid who can't have any sense beaten into him.

[ A pause. ]

This ain't the first encounter I had with the guy. Apparently, he was part of this terrorist group my son joined. I was pretty pissed off at him when I found out he was influencin' Carl like that.

[ Her free hand is rubbing at her temples now. Apparently this guy could get worse. ]

He's part of a terrorist group? I'm surprised they haven't tried to lock his ass up.

Carl's not involved with them anymore now that you're here, right?

I don't think it exists anymore from my understandin'. It was some group run by someone outside of them, lookin' to unite imPorts an' I don't even know. Gain more control for them or something? I ain't even clear on what the purpose was.

[ He's already almost done with his first slice. ]

My whole point was I thought this Jesse guy shoulda told me what was going on, rather than lettin' Carl go along with it. That guy started goin' off on me about how I needed to take better care of Carl. An' ever since that day, I pretty much hated him.

Sounds like they weren't clear either.

[ She snorts and slumps in her seat. Her pizza is barely touched, but she takes a nice, long drink of her beer. ]

Where does an asshole like him get off on telling you what do with your kid? When he's the one pulling the kid into a terrorist group?

text - post Russian occupation

voice - because Rick still refuses.

voice - Rick why you gotta be like this

voice - listen it takes too long to find the letters

voice - it's the 21st century grandpa gosh

voice - >((( mean!!

voice

voice

voice

voice

voice

voice

voice -> action

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject