goddamngrenades | RP Open Post

Palomo's the one that can't keep his mouth shut. York figured as much. "Traitor!"

Only reason an apple doesn't get thrown at them is Andersmith catching his wrist and tugging him away. Jensen stares and Bitters is actually putting in the effort to seethe.

The Feds were likewise staring- though that might have more to do with York in bloody armor carrying crates of equipment that should use a lifter with his bare (ish) hands. The suit's strength buffs are pretty nice.

There's no flinch for that. No visible reaction, although inside his helmet his expression is far less relaxed. Shouldn't have got attached. Should never have let himself care. It just made it hurt more when things came crashing down. Should have learned that during the project.

He just keeps unloading the crates, silent, until the pelican is empty. And then he pulls out the cube and tosses it, making the second load of supplies appear as though it had always been there.

York Sighs and keeps right on working. They'll deal with it later. Kids still need training, Wash needs to work, he's more or less their handler-

It'll be.

Difficult, moving forward. But necessary.

"Rooms are this way." At the far end of the facility. Bedroom, private showers, private armory. That he'll have a key to.

He's grateful when they can get away from the crowd they'd gathered. God they'd been grateful for the equipment, but suspicious as hell. He can't blame them. He'd be surprised if they weren't. He's still glad to be out of the public eye. The shadows suit him much better.

"Nice. What the hell did you say to get us the royal treatment?" It's a nice set of rooms. A suite in, well, he guesses it used to be the presidential residence.

"That I blew up their base, brought them intel, brought them equipment, two soldiers that will do as they're told, and kind of really want Hargrove to die. A lot." A beat passes as he starts unhooking his armor to hang it up, Carolina doing much the same, quietly. "Also brought up 'brainwashed beyond an ability to rationally resist-' so that bought us some breathing room."

Well, when he put it like that...

He doesn't start undressing though. Still feels too on edge to want to be that vulnerable, even if it's just the three of them. God, all three of them. He hadn't taken his armour off much during the project either.

"I see," he says, letting out a soft breath. "Guess that explains why Kimball didn't just try to shoot me."

"Nah. If either of you do anything suspicious or act out or- anything it falls on me." Since he's couching for them. More or less. "So she wouldn't shoot you-well. She wouldn't shoot you first."

That has Carolina going tense, but he doesn't comment on it further. Strips down to the undersuit and massages the skin around his implant, Delta already running a diagnostic. "Left shoulder sticks a little. That me or the suit?"

He gives York a sharp look, and he's very glad that he has his helmet on so that he can hide his expression. "Why? Why would you agree to that? We don't know... I don't know what kind of effect the... suggestions Charon gave us will have while we're here." Still can't call it what it is. The word sticks in his throat. "What if the Chairman manages to activate something?"

He didn't think that he knew everything they'd done to his head. Why would they tell him everything?

He looks at Carolina, a pleading look, before he starts pacing, agitated now that he's trapped again, with York as collateral.

"Because whatever they've got left we'll work through. Because I trust that we can redirect it if not get rid of it outright. Because I trust you don't want anything to happen to me if we can help it." Down to his undersuit and he reaches out to Carolina, squeezing her shoulder. "For now it's just gonna be us over here, working through- well. Working through it. D's got their records. We'll get it sorted."

Understanding is the first step, really. Everything else will come after. "We win this war for them then...like we planned. Beach house, surfing, kitten. Somewhere with rock climbing too, I think."

For Carolina.

"Of course I don't want anything to happen to you," Wash says. He sighs and reaches up to pull his helmet off. "I just don't trust myself. I don't trust my own thoughts or instincts." He didn't trust himself to do the right thing, or to even know what the right thing was. He'd struggled hard enough to not shoot York back in the base. How did you work through that stuff?

Carolina smiles slightly at him, raises a hand to squeeze York's fingers.

"And we'll work on that." He doesn't shrug- this isn't something that's so simple but- something about being with both of them, with having a base, with having a purpose and Delta buzzing in the back of his head- It makes anything more feel like small stuff. They can work through it together, little by little. "For now? Strip down, clean your gear, take a shower. I'll grab dinner."

It's not that easy. How do you rebuild yourself when you don't even remember what you're supposed to be? But there's something in York that's so certain when he speaks. And the orders... Even as Carolina's second in the project, he hadn't been one to give orders. Something about it leaves him on edge, even thought mostly it feels very right. Hah, see, can't even trust his own thoughts.

"Yeah. Sure." He was right about that. He's still exhausted.

He strips down quickly and they've been left with stuff to clean it. It's second nature to do that by now. You took care of your armour and weapons so they could take care of you. Ends up with his knives and guns laid out on the table while he checks them over.

And then, oh a hot shower. Sheds the undersuit for that, not caring if either of them sees him naked. They've both seen him nude before in the showers.

He didn't direct. He didn't order. He didn't take point- that was for Carolina to do. But here he was stepping up and handling it because-

why?

He couldn't place why. He'd done it for the kids (but they're kids not soldiers, kids not career fighters, rookies not Wash, not Carolina.) and it'd felt fine. Maybe it's him maturing. Maybe it's him being greedy. Maybe- He doesn't know.

Doesn't much care either. Focuses on cleaning the blood off his armor. Must be coated with teflon or something for how easy it is to clean. Stripped down to nothing and he's tired. The hot water's nice. He tries not to stare- Wash he's seen. Carolina? Not so much. The scars have him frowning but- nothing he can do about that now. "Clothes in the chest at the foot of the bed. It's all pretty basic." He dresses, gives them both a quick, crooked smile, and ducks out for food. Returns later with a tray heavy with protein bars and chicken and vegetables. Larger portions for people that burn through calories like smoke.

"It's not Gourmet but- it's something."

He feel a little better after the shower. Not refreshed, but a cleaner sort of tired than the bitter aching exhaustion he'd felt before. He dresses quickly, t-shirt and sweatpants, and takes a moment to pace the room, checking doors and windows, scouring the place for bugs out of habit. He didn't like the big windows, but there was another building close by that shielded them.

He nudges Carolina lightly when she emerges. "You okay?" She's been quiet. If it's hitting him hard, then it's hitting her too.

The scent of food when York returns makes his mouth water. "It's food. I don't care. I'd eat MREs right now and enjoy them."

Sunlight is important! A discreet way to check on them, also important. York may or may not be considering pinning a sheet over the wall later when he wants to sleep. For now he sets out the tray and slings down canteens of tea and water for them to share. "Chicken, beef- I just grabbed a little of everything."

He wasn't feeling particularly picky. For the moment he lets them grab what they need, more worried about Carolina and Wash than he is himself. He'll deal. "Eat up. I'm gonna go over some stuff with D."

Wash takes a plate and goes to perch on the bed, legs crossed, so that he can pick at his food. Acts nonchalant and uninterested, but finds himself watching York more often than not while he runs over whatever it is with Delta. Carolina does the same, keeps glancing up at him while she eats.

It's been a while since he saw someone with an AI implant. He'd forgotten how York went distant when he was really engaging with Delta. There's a green shimmer to his good eye. It's really fascinating.

The best part was how MUCH they could get knocked out. What felt like hours really only took a couple of minutes. The data he'd gotten, the plans, the bases, everything- but that wasn't what he needed to focus on. What they'd done to Wash and Carolina- how they'd need to work around it. Redirect it. That'd take some planning.

Eating's automatic enough that he can go through the motions while working over the issue. That they were being watched so intently didn't quite register until he blinks and catches Wash at it. "...you good?"

Wash smiles at him, looks a little embarrassed to have been caught staring so intently. "Yeah. I'm fine. As much as I can be. Just... it's been a while since I saw you two talk like that. Forgotten how spacey you can get."

"I do not get spacey." And that's mostly Delta, right there. York finds his prissiness hilarious. "I get preoccupied, yeah."

"You totally do. You didn't even notice I was looking for ages." He takes another bite of food then sets the plate down on the floor next to him. "What're you looking at?"

"...Okay maybe I get a little spacey." Delta huffs in the back of his head. York shrugs. It happens. "Reports on what they did to you two, mostly. How it works. How to fix it."

If it could even be fixed.

Wash grins, looking like himself for the first time in days. It fades a little at the mention of what York is looking at. "What does it say? We can fix it, right? We can... reverse it."

"I'm not a psychologist but- I think we can get rid of some of it. D's breaking the code down." He pauses for a bite of his sandwich, leaning forward enough to bump Wash's knee with his forehead. "We'll get it done. For both of you."

"Good, that... that's good, I guess." He would much prefer to hear that all of it could be got rid of. He's a little terrified. What if he wakes up tomorrow and isn't himself?

When York leans over, he briefly slides his fingers through the other man's hair, scratching lightly at his scalp. "I know. You've already done so much for us."

"Just hope it's not too little too late. I should've found you both." Guilt plays heavily into this- but just saying that has Carolina reaching out- with her foot- to nudge him in the ribs. It's playful. That's more than he'd expected so soon.

He tips his head against Wash's hand and sighs. "We got some breathing room. Charon's gonna haveta regroup. We can rest."

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

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

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

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

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK

York gets Captured thread split (point of divergance) META YORK