👌💀 ℃σ𝓷ᵗ𝔞ς丅 ♙💣

[oorah]

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» ACTION: deck 6, room 19 | bar | observation deck

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action

[subplot]

[Karen actually isn't stalking him. She isn't even really counting on seeing him. It's late, and she's had a day that falls somewhere between incredibly stressful and distressing. She's managed to mostly wash blood off her hands and nail file, but looks a little shellshocked as she makes her way into the bar. It's late enough she doesn't think anyone else will be here. But someone is.

Of course it's Frank.

She doesn't even notice him until she's already sitting and has spent some time blankly staring ahead. It's when she silently taps fingernails against the bar top to try and get her brain working again. A drink. She came here for a drink. The sound of movement nearby distracts her from that thought, and she glances over their way.

The sight of Frank looking back at her makes her almost look guilty.]

It's late.

[Like that's a reason he shouldn't be here. Maybe it's an explanation as to why she is. She really isn't sure.]

[oorah]

[ it is late, or it feels late. time is meaningless here. he pours her something better than he might someone else. and he refills his own glass as he meets her eyes across the bar. when he brings his glass up to drink from, she'll notice that he only has a bandage across his palm now instead of wrapped around the entirety of his hand. the bruises on his face are fading into nothing and when he lifts his other hand to lean on the bartop, his comms device is strapped dutifully around his wrist. ]

Or early, depending on your perspective. [ he answers as he sucks whiskey off his teeth. this is the only room on the ship that feels familiar, so maybe that's why he's set up camp here. ]

un: mag

[spinals]

do you think anyone will mind if i keep trying to get the bar in shape
there's probably more useful stuff i could be doing

[oorah]

like what?
chief security officer?

[ jokes for days, this one. ]

you need any help with that? [ the bar, he means. it's not like there's really anything useful for them to do, not really. ]

action, bar times

[tumang]

[ The bar on deck 3 is always a bit dim, as if trying to convey an atmosphere, even without any music, even without any people in it, or just a scatter of them. Amos is used to the bustling bars of Ceres, Pallas and Eros, full of noises and usually adjacent to brothels, but Reverie's bar is barely even manned.

Which, right now, works to Amos's advantage. He's looking for a bottle of something - preferably vodka - that he can use as antiseptic for Prax, and finds a bottle that looks to be mostly full of a clear alcohol. Upon smelling it, even Amos's eyes water a little. It'll do just fine.

He's just about to leave again when he spots Frank sitting by himself on one of the booths. It's not exactly that he's bothered, but... Amos slides in the sit across from Frank anyway, the bottle in his hand. ]

So, you're into gardening, huh?

[oorah]

[ max is with karen, so frank is indeed truly alone for the first time since the pit bull arrived. he doesn't have a drink in front of him or anything, he's just staring at the wall, hunched over himself a bit as he picks at the healing wound on his palm. the stitches are out and miraculously no infection seems to have taken hold. might make a cool scar though.

amos' voice startles him, a bit, shoulders jumping as his head whips up to face the man who is apparently sitting with him now. he's become used to this, an easy comradery between the two of them that might not have any true logic as a basis. at home, they might even be enemies, but their homes couldn't be more different so really - the point, just like every other, is moot. ]

What?

[ he narrows his eyes, lacing his fingers together on the tabletop as he tries to pick up the thread of conversation he's apparently missed. ]

action | bar

[blacksky]

[She wanted to get as far away from the city, Matthew Murdock, and the war has her feet could carry her. This isn't quite what she had in mind. That's getting ahead of the story.

The first thing she feels is cold metal and fabric that isn't quite up to her standards. It's enough to make her straighten up so fast she barely avoids cracking her head on a shelf behind the bar. The voice coming from the device does little to comfort her anxiety.

It really would feel like a prank if she wasn't convinced someone was about to slit her throat. She scrambles to silence her device as every part of her braces for an attack. This is weird even for an attack by the Hand, but one can't take anything for granted these days.]

[oorah]

[ o-oh hello. he had woken up in this very room and never strayed far since, so he feels for her, holding max back when he starts to growl. it only takes a moment to calm him down - the poor thing is getting used to being surprised though it isn't at all how frank planned on training him. once he's sitting patiently, frank turns his attention to elektra, hands up so she knows he isn't a threat. ]

Take your time, lady. It's fucked up at first, but I'll explain what's going on when you're ready.

action

[donkeyballs]

[He considered contacting him over text, but no, this requires face too face. (He's too pissed.)

So Hi Frank, Alex is knocking sharply on your door with his good hand.]

[oorah]

[ max barks at the angry knock, and frank looks up from where he was fiddling with his second communicator at the desk. he isn't sure whether to be surprised that it took this long for someone to be pissed at him, or wonder who it is. he thinks he's been pretty civil with most people so far...?

still paranoia dies hard so he drops the communicator into his hoodie pocket and feels for the handle of his kabar in the pouch. ] Who is it? [ a booming call, since it's obvious whoever it is isn't going away. ]

un: gunny

[marineris]

this alucard kid doesn't know when to shut up, does he?

[oorah]

no shit. what a jackass.

[spinals]

hi
how are you today
how's max
are you joining the door thing

[oorah]

max is good
still no magboots but i found parts
do you know naomi?
i'm support for the door thing i've been trying to get a nonessential one open as a test
karen found a manual that said each door has a different code
i don't think blasting/hitting/punching it is the answer but i'll hang out

delivery |

[creatio]

( The next time Max goes walkabout he returns to Frank with a folded slip of paper tucked into his collar. When opened, it's a sketch of Frank himself, maybe a little more cartoony, but the artist has tried her best to replicate everything. Even the bruises, stop getting hit, god. Instead of his jumpsuit, he's wearing robes and a stripey scarf while holding a wand in his hand. There's a bagel floating at his side, just above where Max is sitting. Max has actual heart eyes looking at the bagel, and is wearing a tiny wizard's hat on top of his head. There's a thought bubble beside him that just says accio.

In the very corner, instead of a signature, there's a small angelic rune. )

text.

[morphogenia]

[During some random hour of the night:] I'm having a lot of thoughts so congrats you get to be my diary. BTW if it ever comes up later with my parents: I don't have a diary.

But, okay. Thoughts:

1. Am I a bad person for wanting to stay in the superpowers closet?
2. I'm not crazy for thinking those people who disappeared are alive, right?
3. Did you and Max disappear and for some reason your username is still active? Am I writing a ghost? Because that would be weird and sad. I kind of want to cry just thinking about it.
4. The detective brought my bangles back. I am actually super happy about that even though all this crazy stuff is going on. Am I a bad person for that too?
5. Sword training is hard.
6. I found some clothes from home in my room. I wonder if Ammi noticed they took them too.
7. Where have you been lately?
8. In light of the whole disappearance thing, I think we should definitely have a check-in time. Crazy? Not Crazy? Kamala, please stop texting me random stuff??? I'm sleeping and probably not a ghost?? Calm down???

I'm not calming down, Frank. FYI.

[oorah]

1. no
2. no
3. no
4. no - also what detective?
5. let me guess. jasnah?
6. i wish i knew sweetheart
7. i'm just down the hall do you need me? my friend alex is having a hard time.
8. 1900 every night meet me outside the mess hall

also calm down i'm not a ghost

action

[tumang]

[ The second he's replied to Clara's, message, Amos is on his way down to Frank's quarters. What the fuck? Now Amos is probably not going to get laid with Clara ever again. Why is Frank being a cockblock - anonymously, too?

Amos, now that he can feel the feeling again, is fuming. Alex would never have said anything, so it leaves Frank, using a moment where Amos wasn't himself for what? Seriously, for what?

He bangs on the door with a fist. ]

Open up, you asshole!

[oorah]

[ it wasn't as sinister as all that, but he definitely does regret it the moment he hits send. he really doesn't know how to stay in his own lane, like, even a little. time to face the music, castle. a calm, but wild-eyed frank answers the door moments later, trying to hold max back with his leg. the dog is already growling and kicking up a fuss, sensing the aggression coming from amos in waves. ]

Sounds like you're feeling better. [ it's sincere even though he's 9...8%? sure he's about to get hit. ]

action.

[morphogenia]

[Kamala ends the call with Alex with a frustrated sigh. He's still as nice as ever. She appreciates that about him. It doesn't make her any less worried. Frank is a tough guy. She knows that. Max is with him too. She can't help wanting to protect him. She is alone here, but they both make her feel it less when they're around. How can she not look out for them?

She steps over to his room without skipping a beat. He gave her the override code if she needs it. She finds it unlocked which may as well be an invitation after that encounter. It actually never occurred to her that Amos could have knocked him out and left. She assumed Frank was nursing a bruise and calming Max down in his usual soft whisper talk. Max rushes to greet her or more likely get her help because Frank is on the floor.

Her heart catches in her throat. She screwed up. She screwed up really, really bad. She's at his side in an instant thanks to once again abusing her powers to move faster than she should by stretching to her destination. It is a good thing she is a model student because her brain has the steps even as panic is messing with the rest of her. She checks his breathing without moving his head before pressing her fingers to his check his pulse with equal care. Okay breathing is good. Pulse is there. Now she needs to try waking him.

She taps on his shoulder with one of her fingers rapidly and shouts... which is pretty loud considering her normal talking is loud already.] Frank! Frank, wake up! Come on!

[oorah]

[ frank looks downright peaceful really, there on the floor, but max is whining, licking amos' blood off his muzzle as he paces. kamala is instantly greeted, wagging his tail fiercely even while looking as worried as a dog can look.

when she pokes him, he lets out a tiny groan of disapproval like she's trying to wake him from a pleasant nap instead of getting his lights knocked out. when she starts screaming, though, that does the trick. he's whipping his head around, blinking through his confusion and putting a hand to his eye when he realizes he can't see out of it, the swelling already bad enough he can scarcely move his eyelid. and then it all comes rushing back and he lays back down with a thud of his heavy head against the floor. his good eye slowly blinks her into focus while he shoves max off him with his other hand as a big dog tongue laps wetly at his jaw, leaving a smear of blood behind. ]

Kamala?

action; after the meeting of sad parents club

[tekimetexeng]

[ Perhaps, Naomi admits to herself as she sways gently in the elevator, she had one too many. She was keeping an eye on the boys -- Prax barely drank, and Alex seemed alright, but she'd kept pace with him and he's a significantly larger person. Not that she can't hold her own! But. Hmm. Gross as it is the alcohol here is potent, and although she's certain that the gravity is on she still feels a bit like she's floating.

Also dangerously on the verge of tears, despite successfully holding them off all evening. She won't be in the puppy pile room tonight, that's for sure. Maybe she'd cry in front of Alex, after all this... and Amos was never a question. But the others? No. No, she'll stay in her room and keep to herself until she has her emotions in check. The last thing she wants is anyone else talking about having hope, when she can't justify that yet.

She makes it down the corridor to her room and hesitates. Does she really want to go in and resign herself to being alone the rest of the night? Maybe not yet... maybe Amos is in? Just a little further, to his room, and she knocks perhaps a little harder than she normally would, coordination lacking.

Nothing. Hm. He must not be home, and he doesn't have a communicator. Naomi frowns a little to herself, alone in the corridor. Maybe that's for the best. He might have been angry with her, anyway, for upsetting Prax with news of this discovery. And she might have had to explain, and just might have gotten another hope speech. But now she's in the same spot: find someone else, or resign herself to her quarters?

Then it occurs to her there's one creature on this station that can't ask questions.

Down to room 19 she goes, giving the same uncharacteristically heavy handed knock. There's noise from inside, a shuffling and the clang of mag boots. Good. Naomi tilts her chin up and tries to look both composed and sober, succeeding at neither but hey. An effort was made. When Frank opens the door she cuts right to the chase. ]

Evening, friend. Might I borrow Max awhile?

[oorah]

[ he's not expecting anyone, but that's how it works here. frank had been tinkering with his second communicator which is still out on his desk, and his knitting which is splayed over his made bed. there's the beginnings of what could be a very rudimentary scarf... someday. the door slides open to frank's perpetually bruised countenance, frowning before recognition dawns. he holds max back with one meaty leg before he knows who it is too. but the second he sees it's naomi and that she seems... off her game, frank drops his hand and lets the door open the rest of the way on its own. max is already all over her, wagging his tail erratically and sniffing her boots like he hasn't seen her in years. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN I'VE BEEN SO WORRIED ]

I don't think he'd mind, but what do I know. [ it's dry, but friendly. he gestures vaguely into the hall. ] I'll have to check his social calendar, but if you two want some time alone that's fine by me.

action

[subplot]

[Karen spots him while she's eating in the mess hall and tries to wave him over. Either he doesn't notice her or he's ignoring her, but she tries not to think too much which it is as she quickly throws away the rest of her food and chases after him. He's in a hurry to get the hell out of there, but that's not exactly unusual for Frank. What is unusual is that Max doesn't head over her way, even after he's spotted her. That alone makes her move fast enough to catch up in no time at all, and she calls out Frank's name to try and get him to slow down.]

What kind of trouble are you two in now?

[She means it as a joke, really she does. It doesn't come across as more than a gentle, playful reprimand. But as she edges in close enough to walk alongside Frank and she sees his face, she realizes that it's a question she should be genuinely asking.]

[oorah]

[ he spots her the second he walks in and knows he's made a grave error. there's no way she won't come after him, so he fills his pockets with protein bars and beats feet out of there so at least by the time she catches up there won't be another public scene. ]

...Hey, Karen. [ he breathes out when she moves in to track alongside them. max pushes his face against her leg like he needs a hug. probably because he does. his eye is swollen nearly shut, dark purple bruising all around the socket. it's pretty grotesque overall really, but not the worst shape she's seen him in by far. ] You know us, can't get enough of it. [ trouble, that is. ]

during the event / after frank & midnighter snr

[solarcharged]

Frank, are you okay? What the fuck has happened to you??

[oorah]

apollo? hey. how are you making out?

[ see his casual deflection. this totally works on people?!?!?! no it doesn't. literally ever. even he knows it's lamer than even his usual lame. ]

action.

[morphogenia]

[She can be a selfish kid sometimes. She doesn't mean to be. Kamala is young. Her screw ups are going to happen even if her intentions are always good. This time she waits patiently. It'd be easy to stomp around and demand things. She can feel lied to or betrayed. She thinks about feeling those things. Mostly Kamala feels numb and afraid for him. It feels like the end of something important. She wonders if it's just the lies or their relationship altogether.

It's not a pleasant thing to think about while she waits for some sign it's okay to stop by. The answer comes in the form of someone leaving. While she's no Daredevil, she knows the sound of those heels too well by now. Karen is leaving. Normally this would be the lead in to some teasing. Instead she feels sick because whatever the truth is, Karen already knows it. She's still not sure how that makes her feel. She waits until the sound is too far to hear to get up from her bed.

She taps his familiar code of safe into the door and waits to be let in. It doesn't matter if she's allowed to come in as she pleases. He must know his attorney will literally spill his secrets to anyone by now. She wants it to be his choice to let her in.]

[oorah]

[ max gives a happy bark in greeting at the familiar taps that frank already recognized from where he was staring into the mirror, steeling himself for this very moment. well, this is it. alex and karen had gone better than expected, but kamala will be a challenge. he has to say the right words in the right order or he could lose her forever. ]

Come in, sweetheart. It's open.

[ max is ready to soak in all of her attention, not picking up on the mood in the room just yet. six mag-boots are lined neatly on the side of the door and frank is sitting on the edge of his bed with sock-feet and his ever-present jumpsuit. there's a speck of blood on the sleeve he didn't notice earlier. his other one is way worse anyway, covered in matt's gore from carrying him. he's wearing as close to a neutral expression as frank ever wears: so a little sad, slightly vacant. but he's ready to talk. ]

text. un: orchids

[blacksky]

Do you remember watching me die, Francis?

[oorah]

[ jESUS. all sorts of light convos today. the fuck. thanks, red. ]

i saw you get hurt. i was a whole rooftop away.

[ he had always thought it was a possibility, but then she was here, alive. he assumed she'd gotten better. ]

[weaponize]

[he's typed out the message a few times during the day now. but each time, he'd ended up deleting it before sending. it's only now, with the prospect of having to find a way to spend his second night here without apollo to distract him that midnighter forces himself to type out the message for the fifth time. that he actually makes himself send it.

here goes.]

Busy?

[see how difficult that was]

[oorah]

for you man? never. what's up?