sixteen ➢ gym & deck spam

[patheticvillain]

[It's an unfamiliar burden that Cassel has realized he's carrying: Kon is here alone now, except for him. Steph's gone. And it's finally sunk in that Kon will not leave until Cassel does. This makes him feel more motivated and also terrified. He doesn't want anybody to be relying on him for anything. It's just not a good idea.]

[So he keeps himself busy. First and foremost working; he picks up an extra shift or two at the gym. When he's not there, he's on the deck, reading and tossing a ball around for Patches. Every once in a while he gets up, restlessly walks to another spot on the deck, with the dog following behind him in some confusion.]

[Occasionally, and reflexively, he will take note of things that look valuable and do his best to slip them into his pocket, unnoticed. He's out of practice, so this is partially an attempt to return to semi-competence; however, if he's not caught, he'll come back and return them within the hour. An exercise in boredom and distraction, more or less.]

for iris }

[Eventually, he spots Iris on deck and makes his way over to her, cocking his head curiously.]

Talk to me about timelines.

[Since it's something she talks to everybody about, it seems like, and she was talking to Zane about it the other day. He doesn't get the point, but there has to be one.]

for elena }

[It occurs to him slowly that it seems like Elena's pissed at him after their last conversation. He's not sure why, given that allegedly she's emotion-free these days, but whatever. Even if it's just an act, he wants to know why. So he tracks her down. Really curious as to what exactly she thought this partnership was supposed to be about.]

Comments

Spammm

[buywithme]

[Prefect isn't actively looking for Cassel when he goes up onto the deck, he doesn't really actively do anything anymore, when he's not around Barron. He's honestly just killing time before the next meal, and his next opportunity to sit opposite his inmate and start doing his job, when he sees Cassel sat with a book and a ball, entertaining himself and Patches.]

Hey, Cassel. How are you?

[It's... a weird greeting. He can't really convincingly pretend that Cassel's his friend, or expect the boy to like him very much, but he does feel a measure of concern for Barron's brother, even if there are smarter, better people than Prefect looking out for him.]

Spammm

[patheticvillain]

[When Cassel looks up, his expression is - well. Not friendly, but less openly hostile than it has been in the past, certainly. Mostly because, while he still sees Prefect as an extension of Barron, like a limb or maybe a wart, he doesn't know what Barron is to him anymore.]

[Besides a brother.]

[He doesn't smile, but he doesn't cringe and he doesn't posture.]

I'm good. Reading.

[But it doesn't mean go away; he closes the book and half-turns. The ball is tight in his fingers, the only sign of tension. He watches Prefect's eyes intently.]

Are you better now that Barron's awake?

Spammm

[buywithme]

Always.

[Prefect answers, without thinking about it.]

How about you? Worse?

[It's not an accusation. He wishes that Cassel and Barron got on better, but he gets why Cassel might enjoy having a break from him.]

Spammm

[patheticvillain]

[Now he smiles.]

Much worse.

[Which is also not accusatory, or even particularly angry. It's just an acknowledgment between the two of them that Barron is confusing and stressful.]

Did he tell you what I said?

Spammm

[buywithme]

[Prefect shifts, to lean against the wall beside cassel, then changes his mind, and slides down the wall to sit on the floor, with his back to it. He doesn't smile back, but his frown is distant and concerned, rather than disapproving, as if he's thinking about a problem somewhere difficult to pin down.]

Not what you said. He told me you didn't care about anything now, and that he didn't think you wanted to be part of his family anymore.

[Prefect waits, a beat, then quickly, before Cassel can answer to confirm or deny this, his swivels his gaze around to meet Cassel's eyes, and does force a small smile.]

Obviously I told him he was wrong.

Spammm

[patheticvillain]

[This is curious, but not altogether unexpected. It's just another type of lie. Not as much of one as he thought there'd be, but that's okay.]

[He doesn't move closer to Prefect, but he doesn't move away, either, not even when Prefect looks right at him. Instead he tilts his head, to one side and then the other - yes and no.]

I care about a lot of things. Just not what he thinks I should care about, probably. I told him I'm not going home.

Tell me about your family. Since you know all about mine.

Spammm

[buywithme]

Not liking what he did to you doesn't mean that you're not his brother, or that you don't care about him.

[Prefect says, recites, almost. Like it's a rote he's learned to heart, and said a thousand times before, then his eyes slide sideways, and the smile drops from his face.]

Sometimes not liking Barron seems like a prerequisite for being his brother. He just ignores things he's uncomfortable with, so he usually won't admit that he notices.

[He shrugs, back to not quite looking at Cassel again.]

I didn't know them. I was raised to fulfill my function as a component piece if the infinite mechanics of the Factory. I guess-- at the time, Comrade, I would have said:

[His voice shifts, almost imperceptibly, and suddenly there's a brassy, mechanical enthusiasm underpinning the words, a hint of breathless talkshow host, or used car salesman:]

Blood is thicker than water, but red paint is harder to wash off! Why rely on the dispassionate bonds of your genetic code to dictate what matters to you? Who is your brother but the man who loves what you love? Who is your sister but she who shares a five percent reduced cost on matching purchases discount with you? Why should the fornication of strangers forge the bonds that tie your hands so? Shake off the shackles, and buy with me today! With the man who will be brother, cousin, and Comrade one and all under the nurturing glow of the infinite empire of your Factory!

[He speeds up as he goes, but his enthusiasm is wilted already. Like someone fast forwarding through a tape. When he's done, he shrugs again, looking tired.]

That was my family.

[lastrat]

[He's been healing relatively quickly, but it's too goddamned slow for him. It means that all the still moments of recovery are much to still, and he leaps at the chance for exercise as it comes.

Though he'd kill to be able to go for a long drive, he settles instead for short walks.

He's one one now, with Vesper accompanying, and he wouldn't mind her company at all if not for the furry accomplice she's brought with her. And when she tries to foist the cat over, Bond takes him by the scruff of the neck in one hand, pushing the door to the deck open with the other.]

Well how am I supposed to hold a bloody cat?

[bitteraftertaste]

Not like that- [She says immediately, reaching for the cat again because obviously, expecting him to know what to do with him had been an enormous mistake.]

Honestly, James, what would you do if I ever made the mistake of handing you a baby?

[patheticvillain]

[At which point Cassel throws the ball across the deck, leaving Patches to chase after it, and stands to make his way over to them. The look he gives James is positively poisonous.]

He'd drop it on his head. Hi, Martin. Hi, Vesper. [NOT HI, JAMES.]

[lastrat]

[What. What. What did he do wrong, Jesus Christ. He's tempted to withhold the cat, but mostly he doesn't want to hear it inadvertently purr at him. So he lets her take him back and feels his mouth quirt up.]

You don't hold them the same? [HE'S TEASING mostly okay.

And ugh Cassel you brat. James rolls his eyes at that, but his mouth stays quirked.]

Hello, Cassel. [You punk.]

[bitteraftertaste]

No, you don't. [And God, she is slightly concerned for the well being of any kids they might have in the future.

She takes Martin back and raises an eyebrow at Cassel.]

Hello. Would you like to hold him?

[patheticvillain]

[Guess who's suddenly on best behavior? This kid. Still ignoring James, though. Excuse you.]

Yes. Please.

w/e she dazzles cassel like it's nobody's business!!!

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena's just about to take a drink when there's a knock at her door. Sighing heavily, she contemplates just biting whoever the hell is on the other side of the door interrupting. But luckily for Cassel, she's going to save that for another day. She screws the cap back on the canister, setting it back down on the table before crossing the room to get the door. She pauses a moment, letting the veins around her eyes recede back to normal and getting some control again.]

[She's gotten better about just drinking blood without the visceral reaction, but she could use some work still.]

[When she opens the door and sees Cassel on the other side, she reconsiders her earlier concession to not eat whoever was coming to see her. She still just opts to not open the door wide enough for him to come in.]

You know it's a pretty bad idea to interrupt a vampire when they're feeding, right?

sure she does B|

[patheticvillain]

[He raises an eyebrow at her skeptically. Yeah, well, he doesn't actually care that much. Death wishes don't just go away because you want them to, sweetheart.]

I feel like you might have misunderstood the basic premise of our relationship, Elena. I figured it would be nice to clear that up.

damn straight BE

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[...She'd so much rather be eating right now. Sorry/not sorry, Cassel. Absolute wall of silence and the blankest of unimpressed stares.]

[patheticvillain]

See, that's what I don't get. You seem pissed. Are you pissed, Elena?

[It just doesn't make any sense at all.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

No, but I am hungry and my blood's getting cold. You could do me a favor and just cut to whatever it is you think I don't understand.

[patheticvillain]

I was never going to trust you. Not even with the basics. No matter what you did.

[deck spam]

[routemistress]

[Iris is leaning on the deck railing, not smoking, singing or even drinking; she's just there, staring out into nothing and allowing the infinity of starred indifference to cool her fractured, tired emotions. Out here, everything starts to regain its sense of proportion; out here, the dense concentration of human entanglements loses its stinging strictures. They matter, they'll continue to matter, but the visual reminder of the scale against which they matter soothes her.

She smiles to see Cassel, and reaches to rub the dog's ears as soon as he's in reach.]

You shoot through your existence like a comet, Cassel pet, and your timeline's the tail, if you like. You carve a path through your reality by existing, and the path's still all there be'ind you and in front of you. It's tricky on this boat, 'cause it's like a big knot of timelines from all over matting together like 'air in a drain. It's why it's never boring 'ere. 'Ow you doing, any road?

[deck spam]

[patheticvillain]

You can see them? Or feel them or something?

[He looks at her impassively - how are you doing, still not used to people asking after him, not like that, and he's wondering whether to engage in a social lie or a regular one when he realizes that the social lie and the truth are more or less the same.]

I'm okay. Probably a little boring, right now. You?

[deck spam]

[routemistress]

It's closer to feel, but aye. There are - there's equipment you can build, too, to do surgery on a timeline. Or dissection. I've seen it done. Never done it meself, that's Paradox business.

[She watches him back, a gentle little smile on her lips, and doesn't try to hug him.]

Some folks say boredom beats bein' in fear for your life. I'm ...I've been better. A bit on the stressed side.

[deck spam]

[patheticvillain]

[This seems like a stupid idea to him. Why meddle in things that already are? But the scope of his perspective is very small. It's mildly comforting to know that Iris has never performed that kind of surgery.]

[His fingers tighten in the scruff of Patches's neck, not painfully, but as an anchor. She's beginning a conversation unrelated to what he'd asked about. Why?]

Tell me. [Curious, but demanding.] Somebody hurting you?

[deck spam]

[routemistress]

[Because he asked how she was and Iris is being honest; because she'd actually like to tell someone, for once.]

Not me, no. I signed up for that, I never mind it. What's 'ard to take is other folks 'urting in ways I can't fix.

...or did you mean timeline dissection? Fascinating business, but a bit destructive for my liking. You can't unpick someone's whole existence without makin' a hell of a mess.

[deck spam]

[patheticvillain]

No, I didn't mean that. I think I understand about timelines. I was just curious.

[And maybe he needed an excuse to talk to her. She's so important to so many people. He wants to know why.]

Who's hurt?