goddamngrenades | RP Open Post

"He needs us." Not just him. Both of them. It's easy to cling to Wash and pretend it's just them but- that tears them apart as much as not helping at all. It needs to be all of them. "Will ten minutes make you disobedient?"

The last thing he wants is to land either of them in that chair again. Ever.

Carolina hesitates for a moment before she climbs onto the bed next to him. She's still wearing her armour, still unapproachable in so many ways. "I can spare ten minutes."

"Lose the helmet. He needs to see you." Not the mask. Not the soldier. Resituating them so he's between wash and the wall and Wash is sandwiched neatly between him and Carolina- it's quick and painless.

She's reluctant to do it, feels like she needs that control right now. But she reaches up and unfastens the latches, then pulls her helmet off. She doesn't look at York, focuses on Wash instead, who's watching her with what she can only describe as exhaustion. THere's despair in his eyes. She'd never wanted to see their rookie like this. She reaches ou, runs her fingers through his hair and bumps their foreheads together. "Hey Wash."

"Hey boss." He gives a weak smile. "Sorry I- I keep fucking up."

"You didn't."

"Not your fault. Neither of you are at fault." He murmurs, tipping his head down enough to nuzzle the nape of Wash's neck. His other hand slips up and around, curling through Carolina's hair. Without any option but to obey- why wouldn't they?

They're trapped. Locked up.

Damn good thing he's always been a fair hand at locks.

Wash sighs and settles back down, closing his eyes. Tomorrow will probably be awful. Control isn't going to be pleased with him. But right now he's about as comfortable as he can be considering the circumstances.

Carolina's expression is wary when he touches her. It's been a long time since the Project, since whatever they'd had there that they'd never been able or willing to pursue.

She stays there fora while longer before carefully extricating herself. "I have to go. I shouldn't even leave you here with him but I don't want to leave him alone."

"I'll escort myself back to my room. It's not that far. Won't make any trouble." Not if it lands them in hot water. He'd been behaving out of a lack of options before but now?

The risks he takes aren't falling on him.

"Alright," Carolina replies with a nod. "And take care of him, York."

And with that she slips from the room, closing the door behind her.

Wash turns to press against York once she's gone, jerks his head towards the door. "You could get out, if you wanted. Take my armour. There's a camo unit on it."

"Sure thing, boss." He murmurs, curling close around Wash. Protecting him with his body. "Shh. All we need is a terminal. Somewhere I can plug D in. A suit. And a distraction."

His own armor's probably been tampered with by now. No reason to go back to it.

"...David. Where's the trophy room?"

Really Wash wants nothing more than to go to sleep curled up with York. His head is killing. But there's always that worry that tomorrow he'll wake up and he won't be himself.

He frowns at that question, brow furrowing. He opens his mouth to speak, closes it and then shakes his head. "I can't tell you." He thumps his head back against the pillow in frustration. "Wanted to tell you stuff in person. Couldn't. Took everything to give you that message."

"okay. Okay." He turns his head to kiss Wash's cheek. "It's okay. Don't force it. Nod if you've got a terminal in here."

That much they can do, right? Right.

"Sorry," Wash says. "I really fucking hate this." Can't talk specifics 'cause his own brain seizes up and stops him and that is a really shitty feeling.

He does nod though. He's got a terminal.

"We'll fix it. I promise, we'll fix it." He kisses his forehead, the bridge of his nose, his lips. Gently. So damn gently. "I mean it."

Wash kisses back for a moment. "I hate myself for getting into this position," he admits. "Should have left so long ago but I-" He'd been grateful, he'd been won over by the idea of someone being invested enough to save him, and then they'd fucked with his head and he hadn't thought very much of his own thoughts for a long time. "I was scared and I was fucking stupid."

"You were scared." Anyone would take a hand up and out of a pit after what Wash had been through. Fixing this- trying to fix it is gonna be hard. "Get some rest. Okay? I'll be here till you fall asleep."

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I became the monster none of us wanted to be." He nods tiredly, closes his eyes. "Hey York. Taylor. If I wake up and I'm not... not me... don't let me hurt anyone else, okay?"

"You were forced. You didn't get a choice." It breaks his heart to hear Wash sound so goddamn tired- he tips his face up to pres another soft, sweet kiss to his hips. "I won't let you hurt anyone. Even yourself. Get some sleep, David."

He wasn't sure if he should bite back the sentiment- but it is true. "Love you, baby. I'll take care of you. Promise."

He feels like he had a choice. Logically looking at it with fresh eyes, he knows that he never did. That he was given the illusion of a choice. Probably helped the Chariman if they thought it was a choice, not coercion. But it's hard to understand that truly. He kisses back, twines his legs with Taylor's.

There's a lump in his throat when he hears those words. "Love you too," he says, and it's true. It really is.

It's easier to fall asleep with York there, and soon he's out. Not the most restful sleep, not peaceful, but better than nothing.

Step one: Get Delta access to that terminal. Step two: Get a map.

Step three: Make a distraction. Step four: get to that meta suit and steal the FUCK out of it.

Step five: collect wash. Step Six: Blow this place to kingdom come.

Liklihood of managing? Slim to none.

SLim's better than none.

The terminal was not that difficult to get into, not for Delta, and once he was in, the system opened up like a slower in the sun. The Trophy Room was, of course in the most heavily guarded part of the compound, locked down heavily and with the best security. It would take a lot of getting into. It might even be worse after his attempted escape with Wash, but when was he going to get another chance at it?

Wash slept heavily, not even stirring when York moved. The brainwashing was exhausting. No wonder he was so tired.

Options. He has a few. None of them leave him all that happy but- It's now or never and he can't sit here and watch them keep doing this to Wash and Carolina. He can't. It'd be like putting them in the chair himself and-

He can't.

The undersuits work with the camo unit- sometimes. Rigging it up and borrowing Wash's helmet so his head wouldn't be bobbling along without a body took a little.

It's not perfect but it'll hold up.

Time to head to the trophy room.

Carolina had left the door unlocked like she'd promised, and perhaps that was as much of a cry for help as anything, because surely she wouldn't have expected York to stay quietly with Wash and then lock himself back into his room later. When had he ever been that obedient? There were no guards outside at least, but beyond the bunks, the hallways filled with mercenaries and a few Charon soldiers.

There were more guards outside the Trophy Room, fully armed and armoured and intent on their duty. Holographic lock to protect what was inside. It wouldn't be easy to get in.

D, that distraction?

There's a blip- somewhere in the system. An alarm triggered on the far end of the complex, some weirdness with the wiring that makes it look like he's taken out some cameras and sensors with a knife before attempting to run for it. Not so much as to get everyone locking everything down, but enough to distract them till he can take a gun, put the guards in front down hard-

took some creative shooting, god bless Delta and the helmet and the general confusion- then it's just him, a holographic lock, and a timer winding down far too quick for his peace of mind.

Count it off.

The lock spreads out before him like an opening magnolia, all glowing lines and curls of light that make up the lock. The countdown runs inexorably downwards, faster than anyone would like. And then there's footsteps heading towards him, the sound of a gun being cocked and...

A shot, but not at him. A guard falls, and Carolina's camo fades away.

"I can't help you," she says, something strained in her voice. "But I'll buy you time."

"...Thirty seconds." Less, but- easier to give her a benchmark. It's just a holographic lock. It's just everything they all need to make this work. To save them. to save everyone- A moment to breathe and count down from five. Seconds he doesn't have but it helps him focus. Makes the whirls and swirls something he can pierce together. Something he an unravel.

It gives. It gives and he doesn't look back, doesn't thank her- he can't make her look complicit in this. Into the room and there's no armor case. Not yet. Delta gets on scanning and sorting and calculations, one thumb on the pulse of the base still.

"Where in the hell-"

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

Re: York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

Re: York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

Re: York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

Re: York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

Re: York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

Re: York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance)