Agent York | Taylor Murray (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
goddamngrenades) wrote2015-11-01 01:47 am
goddamngrenades) wrote2015-11-01 01:47 am
Entry tags:
A Chat With Felix
York -
these goobers
Felix -
they are in fact.
so in deep respect with each other.
York -
Taylor would use the word in a heartbeat if he didn't think it'd spook Sam
or
give Felix a fucking fit
Felix -
oh, Felix would lose it
York -
Taylor doesn't want to deal with that
like
at all
Delta would very muck like to ruin felix's code
taylor is trying to talk him down since that's impossible and a little unsettling
Felix -
It's okay Delta. He has that effect on pretty much everyone.
They'll eventually get to the point where Felix will make his move and they can deal with him permenantly anyway.
one way or anoher
York -
D likes Sam
Sam is a positive influence in Taylor's life
he would be upset if they had to shoot him.
Felix -
Sam does not want that outcome either, Delta.
York -
Good.
Another reason taylor keeps calling Sam pretty- he's pretty sure it needles felix a little
Felix -
Any measure of affection unique to them irritates him.
York -
aw it's ok felix
you're pretty too
pretty annoying
Felix -
/double bird flip
aww, you wanted to have sex? too bad. sam's got a headache.
York -
that's fine, taylor will give him a scalp massage and cuddle
as the big spoon
happily
Felix -
...grrrrrrr
you wait, as soon as that new body is in sight
York -
riiiiight
:neutral_face:
new body
totally working on that
Felix -
or I mean, he can hang out here in Sam's brain for the rest of forever.
because that'll be fun for everyone involved.
York -
they're
coping
...ish
he's behaving and that's actually leaving D & Taylor more on edge than if he was popping up to be an ass
/squinting
what are you doing
Felix -
well, because he's gotta appear reasonable when he starts chipping away at Sam mentally
otherwise he's just going to ignore him
he knows how he works. and now he finally can read that fucking broken brain of his.
York -
it's not broken
wires are crossed
Felix -
dude, if you could see what's inside here.
York -
trauma does shit
Felix -
Yeah. It breaks people.
York -
unless they're sociopaths. Guess that's why you ce out smelling like roses, huh Isaac?
nothing there to break.
Felix -
Um. Yeah. Basically.
You live, you cope. Other people die? Not your problem.
York -
Uh-huh.
Felix -
Except Sam. Sam is his problem.
York -
There's your problem. Thinking he's a problem.
Felix -
One he's working on fixing. Just give him a while.
York -
Taylor quietly pouring all the humanity he can back into Sam from where they find it
Felix -
stop that
York -
nope
he's happier like this
Felix -
you've ruined a perfectly good mercenary is what you've done.
look at him, he's got remorse.
York -
He's still a good soldier
Just a conscious one.
Felix -
yeah, well, fucking hooray for him.
anyway, the plan is still to take out all hargrove's buddies, so
not much changing there.
York -
Still the plan, yep. DO that, get a body made, find a surgeon that won't mangle you both
Afterward....who knows
Felix -
um, afterwords he comes with him
York -
Sure
You keep thinking that, buddy.
Felix -
as opposed to, what? sitting at home with you? baking cookies?
that's not what he's for
York -
He's for whatever he wants to be for.
Me? After this I'm gonna go back to working codes and security like before. Maybe do more fieldwork since I can.
Felix -
we'll see.
York -
It's up to him.
You, what? Go right back into what you were doing before?
Felix -
hell yeah. still want that tv the size of a billboard, yo.
York -
...Dude I could buy that right now.
investments seriously.
Felix -
yeah, but I mean, it's not the same.
York -
You don't want the TV. You want a reminder of everyone you've killed to get the TV.
...that is actually the least gross serial killer trophy i've heard of.
Felix -
You're not a serial killer if you're doing it for work.
Fact.
York -
uh-huh.
It's not scratching an itch of superiority to come out on top from every firefight?
Felix -
Well, I mean, loving your work is important. Otherwise, why bother?
York -
Goddn you're easier to handle when you just stand around and look pretty. Then you gotta open your mouth.
Felix -
Aww. You think I'm pretty.
York -
In the twinky club kid I'd hit on when I was in college kinda way, sure.
The four beer queers. Closeted fratbros.
Felix -
Pretty and young? Now you're just trying to make me blush.
Doesn't work, by the way.
What with the lack of blood vessels and all.
York -
Sam doesn't and you're incapable of modesty or she.
Pff, you can rework that projection however you want and you know it.
Felix -
That's true.
York -
...And if you don't, wow what have you been doing with your time
Felix -
Very impotant things.
Like getting my partner back. One brick at a time.
Shhh.
York -
You consider for half a second- which is an eternity to you I know how the time dilation works- that being decent to him might be more incentive than being a manipulative fuckwit?
or is this one of those 'sociopaths cannot comprehend' things?
Cuz that's just sad
Felix -
How the fuck I not decent to him? You're still alive. I haven't jacked with him once since that first day, and let's be fair, that day could have gone better for everyone.
York -
/Squints
/squints
...You could consider, I dunno. Talking to him.
Instead of planning around him.
I mean I'm not privy to whatever talks you have but- seriously. Consider it.
maybe you'll learn something.
Felix -
Dude, we talk.
I mean yeah, you don't know, because he doesn't tell you
York -
He's gotten better at hiding irritation around me then, huh.
Felix -
You got no idea.
York -
Means y'all are adjusting.
So, that's good, I guess.
No metastability bullshit happening.
or whatever the fuck they were trying.
Felix -
I'm not a fragment, remember?
If we tried crming anything else in here his brain would fry.
York -
Metastability is something that happens to full AI
attempting it is what fucked over the fragments
Or, well. It's theoretical. Most AI think themselves to death within seven years
Then again most haven't been copies of sociopaths. It might help you not fry.
Felix -
See, you keep using that word.
And I can't tell if you're trying to be smart or insulting.
York -
Sociopath? I dunno, I'm just a computer guy.
Psych was Aiden's area and he was
kind of a fuckstick.
Felix -
Dude. Tell me about it.
York -
'How are you feeling Agent York'
Felix -
I hated that guy.
York -
'Well i got shot a bunch and blown up today twice and only spent one hour in medical so my ribs are still fucked, how are you?'
'But how does that make you feel'
'...sore?'
ad infinitum.
Felix -
Told Locs we needed to shove him out the airlock.
But did anyone listen to me? Noooo.
York -
To be fair
You find anyone that tries to read you irritating.
Felix -
He just had to get the scoop on his Freelancer crush.
Well, yeah. You don't?
York -
I find it hilarious.
Felix -
Eh, tomato, tomahto.
York -
See you keep saying 'crush' and I just-
keep envisioning Wash from his rookie days
and Sam now
and it's
...kinda hot, not gonna lie.
Felix -
You weren't there for it.
The melodrama was so thick you could choke on it.
York -
Wash always did have a flair for it
'We're all gonna die'
'No dipshit it's a controlled drop'
Every other op.
Felix -
See, this wasn't even the funny kind. It's all theater of war, 'what makes a man' bullshit.
And that gets old. Quick.
York -
...And you seriously didn't think that he was trying to find something other than what he was.
You really didn't see what happened coming.
Damn you're clever when your ego isn't in the way.
It's a shame
Felix -
Um, no, because the one pulling that shit was fucking Washington
Locus was happy being the soldier following orders.
York -
Sam was reaching out in the only way he knew how.
Violently.
Felix -
and then Wash starts in with that shit and Locus got pissed.
Like, you should have seen the kid when Locus got through.
York -
I've seen the medical records.
I had a moment.
/One he doesn't talk about or anything but, a moment. Or. Five.
Felix -
Still say he should have finished it then and there.
York -
It would've been a very different conversation if he had.
Felix -
Yeah. I fucking bet.
You know what stopped him?
York -
No.
Felix -
And that doesn't scare you? Knowing what keeps him in check? From killing one of your old buddies?
His orders. Being the good little soldier.
If he'd been all human and shit? Wash would be dead.
York -
You've died, Issac.
People don't scare me.
That place in between? That scares me.
I was there for a hot second. More than enough for me. Everything else? Eh. /shrug.
Felix -
Wouldn't know.
York -
Right- for you it'd be...falling and then waking up in that chip.
...man that's gotta suck.
Felix -
Tell me about it.
But I mean, could be worse.
York -
Could still be dead.
Could be corrupted data somewhere in there making you unstable.
...Could've hooked you up with, what'd you call him?
Sharkface.
That dude.
Felix -
Ugh.
York -
Man i can't believe he survived the MOI's cannon and a building falling on him
Felix -
Locus and I survived the Tartarus landing on us.
York -
He didn't have Mjolnir armor.
Some sort of lightweight variant.
Felix -
Yeah. Fucked him up royal. Spent years getting his ass rebuilt and shit.
Couldn't fix that attitude, though.
York -
You know I kinda felt bad for them for a little bit?
Felix -
'They killed my fily, my life is pain, boo fucking hoo.'
York -
They were getting fucked around as much as us. Just by Hargrove from the get go.
Felix -
Eh.
York -
Oh, right.
Felix -
Everyone's got dead people.
York -
Empathy
Not your bag.
Felix -
Nope. Empty void where my heart should be, all of that.
York -
Damn now I know why you annoy me so much sometimes.
You remind me of Reggie.
Felix -
Anyhow, Hargrove would have known better than to partner me up with Fishstick.
York -
Still not sure what the end result was supposed to be.
I kinda shot the surgeon and fried the whole system.
He's a war profiteer, there's not as much war going around right now. What's he trying to sell?
Felix -
Dude, you don't know?
He's been trying to stir up tensions against the Covenant races.
York -
Make a war to sell for.
Huh.
Felix -
Get that shit started all over again, because hey, wasn't it just a blast the last time.
Exactly.
York -
God why is he such a fuckstick.
Why.
Felix -
Beats me. But dude knows how to turn profit. And what he's selling, everyone's gonna want.
York -
At least he latched onto the one spec ops progr that failed.
God only knows what kinda shit he'd try to swing if he got his hands into the Spartan Project's data.
Not that it's legit at all but-
imagining what he'd try to do with that shit is unsettling.
Felix -
Well, I mean. Imagine what Freelancer would look like if it didn't fail.
If someone at the helm knew what they were fucking doing.
Instead of wasting resources chasing down their ex-wife's ghost.
York -
Who gives a military operation to a civillian scientist
who does that
desperate fucking people, that's who
Felix -
Seriously. I saw the mods you people had? All wrong.
York -
Half wrong
Good baseline, shitty execution
Felix -
The fuck would you give your locksmith a healing unit for?
York -
Because what is testing.
Felix -
Or time distortion to the sniper
York -
Active Co was reserved for Texas.
Reggie kissed a lot of ass
North getting the dome made sense
Carolina getting speed made sense.
Me? I get shot a lot.
a lot
Felix -
It's so far from efficient it's laughable.
Anyhow.
Point is, Hargrove might succeed where the good doctor failed so spectacularly.
If we don't shut that shit down.
York -
Not particuarly.
Hargrove wants to sell the ultimate soldier
The Director wanted Allison back.
One was doomed to fail
Hargrove- will probably swing it if he can get his accounting in order.
He's being audited. Again. Can't imagine why.
Felix -
Such a prick.
York -
Best part of being legally dead. He has no idea it's me.
Even then my data from the project is skewed more to active combat than cracking firewalls.
Felix -
Well, I don't plan on selling you out.
If that makes you feel any better.
York -
It does. A little.
Felix -
It'd be giving him something he wants.
So, fuck that.
York -
You are forever a contrary soul
Felix -
Although I guess without him, me and Locus wouldn't be back together again.
York -
Sam.
Felix -
...Sam. Look, it's habit. He used to bitch whenever I called him that.
York -
'Codenes'
Felix -
Yeah. It's a thing for him.
York -
Less now than it used to be.
He's getting more comfortable with himself, I think.
Felix -
He likes making you happy.
That's pretty much it.
York -
Man he's lucky I'm easily pleased.
Felix -
Probably part of it, yeah.
Low standard to meet. Keep your hair long, use this name, don't try to wipe out planets anymore.
York -
Not really?
Don't commit genocide is a pretty low bar, i mean, yeah. The rest is just.
HE doesn't have to do it for me.
I like it but I won't cry if he cuts his hair or goes by Locus.
Felix -
It's not surprising. That's all I'm saying.
Like, at first I didn't get it.
But it makes sense now.
York -
...why does that make me feel like you're seeing something I don't
Felix -
You know how you watch people and try to see patterns of behavior?
York -
Yeah?
Kinda more difficult to see when I'm in the pattern.
Felix -
So take yourself out of it.
Imagine it's someone else.
York -
...Indirect orders and rewards for compliance.
Felix -
Bingo.
York -
...goddamn.
Felix -
I've been trying to tell you.
This? Is how he copes.
This is the only way he knows how to function.
York -
I going to have to think about this. Jesus.
Felix -
Hey, look. You're not doing him any harm.
You're giving him what he needs.
Nothing wrong with that, right?
York -
In a scene, sure, that's the point. Outside of them-
I mean if he wants to be a lifestyler I can
Find ways to be accomidating to that need.
But he has to want it.
I don't think he does.
Felix -
Why not?
York -
He's done his research and is aware of the concept
Hasn't brought it up as something he wants.
So.
Felix -
And how often does he ask for that sort of stuff, without you prompting him?
Like, just out of the blue asks.
I'm curious.
York -
There was the gun thing but that-
Delta prompted it. Sort of.
...
Shit.
Never
He asks me about shit to do when I'm down but-
Never really asks to try shit for himself.
'You know my limits'
And yeah I do but- getting him to talk about what he wants- or even to know what he wants-
it's like pulling teeth.
Trying to make him talk about that sort of. I don't want to say upsets him but it sort of does?
...why the hell I telling you this, you live in his head.
You know that.
Felix -
But you're just starting to see it, aren't you? You're finally starting to get it.
York -
I get that we need to talk about this shit.
Felix -
Dude, you're that freaked out about it?
York -
If I say what I'm thinking right now you'll get mad at me but-
We need to talk.
Felix -
/SNORT
oh this is gonna be good.
No conversation has ever started with those words and ended well.
Dated enough to know that much.
York -
Yeah, well, we're due an argument.
Shit's been going too well.
I was getting a little twitchy. Kind of relaxing now that I know there's something to talk about.
Felix -
You could just leave it alone.
York -
Nah. Not my style.
There is something that needs adjusting, I'm not gonna make an adjustment without talking to him about it.
Besides. I thought you'd be thrilled
trouble in paradise.
Felix -
You think I want him to be unhappy?
He's my partner.
York -
I think you want him to find you the most appealing option.
Being unhappy or dissatisfied with me would help you along there.
Gotta say: This is the most bizarre love triangle i've ever been a part of. Ever.
Felix -
Yeah, and it also means dealing with a bitchy, angry Locus.
Which has never been fun, believe me.
He's gonna do that thing he does where he shuts down and broods and eventually finds something to take it out on.
York -
At least out here the targets are limited
Felix -
Eh. Fair.
York -
We were having such a good week, too.
Damnit.
Felix -
I'm telling you, you could leave it alone.
He'd be happier.
York -
In the short run, maybe.
But now I know and I can't lie for shit.
Felix -
You know what? That he likes making you happy? Oh no, how terrible, someone alert the Relationship Police.
York -
If that's all it is, it's fine.
If it's some sort of deeper compulsion to follow orders that I'm pinging along without knowing and rewarding?
Yeah, that bears discussion.
If he needs that kind of framework- I might be able to swing it, I might not.
And I'd rather we both knew about it now than wait for the inevitable burnout when I can't give him what he needs, if that is what he needs.
Felix -
You're overthinking this. I mean, this is the sort of shit you mentioned doing, right?
Figuring out what people want, adjusting to match.
York -
Yeah, and doing it in a romantic relationship never ended well for me
I'm the one that knows what they're doing, allegedly, and I need to be on top of shit.
...which is condescending as fuck now that I say it out loud.
...there is no good way for this conversation to go, jesus christ.
Felix -
I'm telling you.
York -
Every step of the way, every progression, I've talked to him
I'm not gonna quit that now.
If I'm overthinking shit, he'll tell me
We'll laugh and go on.
Or I'll laugh and he'll look at me like I'm crazy.
Felix -
And miss the irony of that entirely in the process, I'm sure...
York -
He's not crazy, he's not broken, quit saying that
Felix -
Why, that gonna make it not true?
York -
Daged doesn't mean crazy
It means daged.
There's a difference.
Felix -
Oh this I gotta hear.
York -
He's not the one that wonders if this shit is real or not sometimes.
That'd be me. Of the two of us? I'd call me the crazy one.
Felix -
Dude, just because you're nuts? Doesn't mean he's not.
York -
Socially awkward with PTSD does not make someone crazy
it makes them socially awkward with ptsd.
Felix -
You missed the part where he's fucking psychotic.
Like, you don't know the thoughts that went through his brain when you mentioned that ex of yours.
Or you wouldn't think it was so goddn cute.
York -
I'm fairly certain they involved a great deal of violence
Felix -
You think?
York -
And I'm equally certain before his stint in the army it wouldn't have crossed his mind like that.
We're rewired in basic
it makes what we have to do easier. It isn't healthy but it keeps us sane.
Ish.
Some people are better at that kind of shit than others. I wasn't.
Acceptable limits change.
Before basic I'd knock an assholes teeth out.
After basic? Shoot him.
After the project
Let's just say I don't think it's cute and I'm pretty sure I know what's going through his head.
Reasons I haven't looked him up for him yet.
Felix -
You know he doesn't just have those thoughts about Brandon, right?
York -
Huh what
Felix -
You two have been on your own long enough you probably don't know that about him but
he's a jealous motherfucker. Like, Holy Hell.
York -
I've used it to wind him up a little once or twice, yeah.
Felix -
To the point where he needs to mark you up to feel better, yeah. I've seen.
York -
It's ok if i"m into it?
I knew he'd react that way- well. Was pretty sure he would.
About seventy percent sure
Felix -
Point is
I'm not saying it to be mean to him, I'm saying it because it's fucking true.
York -
You do realize I take anything you say with a pound of salt, right?
Felix -
Which is why you're only starting to figure this shit out now.
As opposed to when I fucking told you.
Point of fact, I haven't lied since I got here. Probably some kind of record, or whatever.
/sigh
Look. I know you want to do right by him and all that shit.
But minimalizing this shit? Pretending he's fine when he's not? Isn't helping him.
York -
He's not fine
but he's not crazy
Of course my standard for crazy and yours probably differs I mean. Sigma cannibalizing John's brain and killing all our friends.
That's my benchmark.
Felix -
Speaking of things we haven't been talking about for a while
how differently would that conversation have gone?
You got me all morbidly curious now.
York -
With a bullet.
Felix -
Ouch.
That's cold.
York -
Never doubt it.
Felix -
Course, if he had managed to kill a Freelancer, doubt he would have stuck around after finding out you used to be one.
York -
Probably would've shot me as soon as he found out.
Felix -
Y'know, it really is amazing you two managed to get this far.
York -
We are some kinda lucky.
these goobers
Felix -
they are in fact.
so in deep respect with each other.
York -
Taylor would use the word in a heartbeat if he didn't think it'd spook Sam
or
give Felix a fucking fit
Felix -
oh, Felix would lose it
York -
Taylor doesn't want to deal with that
like
at all
Delta would very muck like to ruin felix's code
taylor is trying to talk him down since that's impossible and a little unsettling
Felix -
It's okay Delta. He has that effect on pretty much everyone.
They'll eventually get to the point where Felix will make his move and they can deal with him permenantly anyway.
one way or anoher
York -
D likes Sam
Sam is a positive influence in Taylor's life
he would be upset if they had to shoot him.
Felix -
Sam does not want that outcome either, Delta.
York -
Good.
Another reason taylor keeps calling Sam pretty- he's pretty sure it needles felix a little
Felix -
Any measure of affection unique to them irritates him.
York -
aw it's ok felix
you're pretty too
pretty annoying
Felix -
/double bird flip
aww, you wanted to have sex? too bad. sam's got a headache.
York -
that's fine, taylor will give him a scalp massage and cuddle
as the big spoon
happily
Felix -
...grrrrrrr
you wait, as soon as that new body is in sight
York -
riiiiight
:neutral_face:
new body
totally working on that
Felix -
or I mean, he can hang out here in Sam's brain for the rest of forever.
because that'll be fun for everyone involved.
York -
they're
coping
...ish
he's behaving and that's actually leaving D & Taylor more on edge than if he was popping up to be an ass
/squinting
what are you doing
Felix -
well, because he's gotta appear reasonable when he starts chipping away at Sam mentally
otherwise he's just going to ignore him
he knows how he works. and now he finally can read that fucking broken brain of his.
York -
it's not broken
wires are crossed
Felix -
dude, if you could see what's inside here.
York -
trauma does shit
Felix -
Yeah. It breaks people.
York -
unless they're sociopaths. Guess that's why you ce out smelling like roses, huh Isaac?
nothing there to break.
Felix -
Um. Yeah. Basically.
You live, you cope. Other people die? Not your problem.
York -
Uh-huh.
Felix -
Except Sam. Sam is his problem.
York -
There's your problem. Thinking he's a problem.
Felix -
One he's working on fixing. Just give him a while.
York -
Taylor quietly pouring all the humanity he can back into Sam from where they find it
Felix -
stop that
York -
nope
he's happier like this
Felix -
you've ruined a perfectly good mercenary is what you've done.
look at him, he's got remorse.
York -
He's still a good soldier
Just a conscious one.
Felix -
yeah, well, fucking hooray for him.
anyway, the plan is still to take out all hargrove's buddies, so
not much changing there.
York -
Still the plan, yep. DO that, get a body made, find a surgeon that won't mangle you both
Afterward....who knows
Felix -
um, afterwords he comes with him
York -
Sure
You keep thinking that, buddy.
Felix -
as opposed to, what? sitting at home with you? baking cookies?
that's not what he's for
York -
He's for whatever he wants to be for.
Me? After this I'm gonna go back to working codes and security like before. Maybe do more fieldwork since I can.
Felix -
we'll see.
York -
It's up to him.
You, what? Go right back into what you were doing before?
Felix -
hell yeah. still want that tv the size of a billboard, yo.
York -
...Dude I could buy that right now.
investments seriously.
Felix -
yeah, but I mean, it's not the same.
York -
You don't want the TV. You want a reminder of everyone you've killed to get the TV.
...that is actually the least gross serial killer trophy i've heard of.
Felix -
You're not a serial killer if you're doing it for work.
Fact.
York -
uh-huh.
It's not scratching an itch of superiority to come out on top from every firefight?
Felix -
Well, I mean, loving your work is important. Otherwise, why bother?
York -
Goddn you're easier to handle when you just stand around and look pretty. Then you gotta open your mouth.
Felix -
Aww. You think I'm pretty.
York -
In the twinky club kid I'd hit on when I was in college kinda way, sure.
The four beer queers. Closeted fratbros.
Felix -
Pretty and young? Now you're just trying to make me blush.
Doesn't work, by the way.
What with the lack of blood vessels and all.
York -
Sam doesn't and you're incapable of modesty or she.
Pff, you can rework that projection however you want and you know it.
Felix -
That's true.
York -
...And if you don't, wow what have you been doing with your time
Felix -
Very impotant things.
Like getting my partner back. One brick at a time.
Shhh.
York -
You consider for half a second- which is an eternity to you I know how the time dilation works- that being decent to him might be more incentive than being a manipulative fuckwit?
or is this one of those 'sociopaths cannot comprehend' things?
Cuz that's just sad
Felix -
How the fuck I not decent to him? You're still alive. I haven't jacked with him once since that first day, and let's be fair, that day could have gone better for everyone.
York -
/Squints
/squints
...You could consider, I dunno. Talking to him.
Instead of planning around him.
I mean I'm not privy to whatever talks you have but- seriously. Consider it.
maybe you'll learn something.
Felix -
Dude, we talk.
I mean yeah, you don't know, because he doesn't tell you
York -
He's gotten better at hiding irritation around me then, huh.
Felix -
You got no idea.
York -
Means y'all are adjusting.
So, that's good, I guess.
No metastability bullshit happening.
or whatever the fuck they were trying.
Felix -
I'm not a fragment, remember?
If we tried crming anything else in here his brain would fry.
York -
Metastability is something that happens to full AI
attempting it is what fucked over the fragments
Or, well. It's theoretical. Most AI think themselves to death within seven years
Then again most haven't been copies of sociopaths. It might help you not fry.
Felix -
See, you keep using that word.
And I can't tell if you're trying to be smart or insulting.
York -
Sociopath? I dunno, I'm just a computer guy.
Psych was Aiden's area and he was
kind of a fuckstick.
Felix -
Dude. Tell me about it.
York -
'How are you feeling Agent York'
Felix -
I hated that guy.
York -
'Well i got shot a bunch and blown up today twice and only spent one hour in medical so my ribs are still fucked, how are you?'
'But how does that make you feel'
'...sore?'
ad infinitum.
Felix -
Told Locs we needed to shove him out the airlock.
But did anyone listen to me? Noooo.
York -
To be fair
You find anyone that tries to read you irritating.
Felix -
He just had to get the scoop on his Freelancer crush.
Well, yeah. You don't?
York -
I find it hilarious.
Felix -
Eh, tomato, tomahto.
York -
See you keep saying 'crush' and I just-
keep envisioning Wash from his rookie days
and Sam now
and it's
...kinda hot, not gonna lie.
Felix -
You weren't there for it.
The melodrama was so thick you could choke on it.
York -
Wash always did have a flair for it
'We're all gonna die'
'No dipshit it's a controlled drop'
Every other op.
Felix -
See, this wasn't even the funny kind. It's all theater of war, 'what makes a man' bullshit.
And that gets old. Quick.
York -
...And you seriously didn't think that he was trying to find something other than what he was.
You really didn't see what happened coming.
Damn you're clever when your ego isn't in the way.
It's a shame
Felix -
Um, no, because the one pulling that shit was fucking Washington
Locus was happy being the soldier following orders.
York -
Sam was reaching out in the only way he knew how.
Violently.
Felix -
and then Wash starts in with that shit and Locus got pissed.
Like, you should have seen the kid when Locus got through.
York -
I've seen the medical records.
I had a moment.
/One he doesn't talk about or anything but, a moment. Or. Five.
Felix -
Still say he should have finished it then and there.
York -
It would've been a very different conversation if he had.
Felix -
Yeah. I fucking bet.
You know what stopped him?
York -
No.
Felix -
And that doesn't scare you? Knowing what keeps him in check? From killing one of your old buddies?
His orders. Being the good little soldier.
If he'd been all human and shit? Wash would be dead.
York -
You've died, Issac.
People don't scare me.
That place in between? That scares me.
I was there for a hot second. More than enough for me. Everything else? Eh. /shrug.
Felix -
Wouldn't know.
York -
Right- for you it'd be...falling and then waking up in that chip.
...man that's gotta suck.
Felix -
Tell me about it.
But I mean, could be worse.
York -
Could still be dead.
Could be corrupted data somewhere in there making you unstable.
...Could've hooked you up with, what'd you call him?
Sharkface.
That dude.
Felix -
Ugh.
York -
Man i can't believe he survived the MOI's cannon and a building falling on him
Felix -
Locus and I survived the Tartarus landing on us.
York -
He didn't have Mjolnir armor.
Some sort of lightweight variant.
Felix -
Yeah. Fucked him up royal. Spent years getting his ass rebuilt and shit.
Couldn't fix that attitude, though.
York -
You know I kinda felt bad for them for a little bit?
Felix -
'They killed my fily, my life is pain, boo fucking hoo.'
York -
They were getting fucked around as much as us. Just by Hargrove from the get go.
Felix -
Eh.
York -
Oh, right.
Felix -
Everyone's got dead people.
York -
Empathy
Not your bag.
Felix -
Nope. Empty void where my heart should be, all of that.
York -
Damn now I know why you annoy me so much sometimes.
You remind me of Reggie.
Felix -
Anyhow, Hargrove would have known better than to partner me up with Fishstick.
York -
Still not sure what the end result was supposed to be.
I kinda shot the surgeon and fried the whole system.
He's a war profiteer, there's not as much war going around right now. What's he trying to sell?
Felix -
Dude, you don't know?
He's been trying to stir up tensions against the Covenant races.
York -
Make a war to sell for.
Huh.
Felix -
Get that shit started all over again, because hey, wasn't it just a blast the last time.
Exactly.
York -
God why is he such a fuckstick.
Why.
Felix -
Beats me. But dude knows how to turn profit. And what he's selling, everyone's gonna want.
York -
At least he latched onto the one spec ops progr that failed.
God only knows what kinda shit he'd try to swing if he got his hands into the Spartan Project's data.
Not that it's legit at all but-
imagining what he'd try to do with that shit is unsettling.
Felix -
Well, I mean. Imagine what Freelancer would look like if it didn't fail.
If someone at the helm knew what they were fucking doing.
Instead of wasting resources chasing down their ex-wife's ghost.
York -
Who gives a military operation to a civillian scientist
who does that
desperate fucking people, that's who
Felix -
Seriously. I saw the mods you people had? All wrong.
York -
Half wrong
Good baseline, shitty execution
Felix -
The fuck would you give your locksmith a healing unit for?
York -
Because what is testing.
Felix -
Or time distortion to the sniper
York -
Active Co was reserved for Texas.
Reggie kissed a lot of ass
North getting the dome made sense
Carolina getting speed made sense.
Me? I get shot a lot.
a lot
Felix -
It's so far from efficient it's laughable.
Anyhow.
Point is, Hargrove might succeed where the good doctor failed so spectacularly.
If we don't shut that shit down.
York -
Not particuarly.
Hargrove wants to sell the ultimate soldier
The Director wanted Allison back.
One was doomed to fail
Hargrove- will probably swing it if he can get his accounting in order.
He's being audited. Again. Can't imagine why.
Felix -
Such a prick.
York -
Best part of being legally dead. He has no idea it's me.
Even then my data from the project is skewed more to active combat than cracking firewalls.
Felix -
Well, I don't plan on selling you out.
If that makes you feel any better.
York -
It does. A little.
Felix -
It'd be giving him something he wants.
So, fuck that.
York -
You are forever a contrary soul
Felix -
Although I guess without him, me and Locus wouldn't be back together again.
York -
Sam.
Felix -
...Sam. Look, it's habit. He used to bitch whenever I called him that.
York -
'Codenes'
Felix -
Yeah. It's a thing for him.
York -
Less now than it used to be.
He's getting more comfortable with himself, I think.
Felix -
He likes making you happy.
That's pretty much it.
York -
Man he's lucky I'm easily pleased.
Felix -
Probably part of it, yeah.
Low standard to meet. Keep your hair long, use this name, don't try to wipe out planets anymore.
York -
Not really?
Don't commit genocide is a pretty low bar, i mean, yeah. The rest is just.
HE doesn't have to do it for me.
I like it but I won't cry if he cuts his hair or goes by Locus.
Felix -
It's not surprising. That's all I'm saying.
Like, at first I didn't get it.
But it makes sense now.
York -
...why does that make me feel like you're seeing something I don't
Felix -
You know how you watch people and try to see patterns of behavior?
York -
Yeah?
Kinda more difficult to see when I'm in the pattern.
Felix -
So take yourself out of it.
Imagine it's someone else.
York -
...Indirect orders and rewards for compliance.
Felix -
Bingo.
York -
...goddamn.
Felix -
I've been trying to tell you.
This? Is how he copes.
This is the only way he knows how to function.
York -
I going to have to think about this. Jesus.
Felix -
Hey, look. You're not doing him any harm.
You're giving him what he needs.
Nothing wrong with that, right?
York -
In a scene, sure, that's the point. Outside of them-
I mean if he wants to be a lifestyler I can
Find ways to be accomidating to that need.
But he has to want it.
I don't think he does.
Felix -
Why not?
York -
He's done his research and is aware of the concept
Hasn't brought it up as something he wants.
So.
Felix -
And how often does he ask for that sort of stuff, without you prompting him?
Like, just out of the blue asks.
I'm curious.
York -
There was the gun thing but that-
Delta prompted it. Sort of.
...
Shit.
Never
He asks me about shit to do when I'm down but-
Never really asks to try shit for himself.
'You know my limits'
And yeah I do but- getting him to talk about what he wants- or even to know what he wants-
it's like pulling teeth.
Trying to make him talk about that sort of. I don't want to say upsets him but it sort of does?
...why the hell I telling you this, you live in his head.
You know that.
Felix -
But you're just starting to see it, aren't you? You're finally starting to get it.
York -
I get that we need to talk about this shit.
Felix -
Dude, you're that freaked out about it?
York -
If I say what I'm thinking right now you'll get mad at me but-
We need to talk.
Felix -
/SNORT
oh this is gonna be good.
No conversation has ever started with those words and ended well.
Dated enough to know that much.
York -
Yeah, well, we're due an argument.
Shit's been going too well.
I was getting a little twitchy. Kind of relaxing now that I know there's something to talk about.
Felix -
You could just leave it alone.
York -
Nah. Not my style.
There is something that needs adjusting, I'm not gonna make an adjustment without talking to him about it.
Besides. I thought you'd be thrilled
trouble in paradise.
Felix -
You think I want him to be unhappy?
He's my partner.
York -
I think you want him to find you the most appealing option.
Being unhappy or dissatisfied with me would help you along there.
Gotta say: This is the most bizarre love triangle i've ever been a part of. Ever.
Felix -
Yeah, and it also means dealing with a bitchy, angry Locus.
Which has never been fun, believe me.
He's gonna do that thing he does where he shuts down and broods and eventually finds something to take it out on.
York -
At least out here the targets are limited
Felix -
Eh. Fair.
York -
We were having such a good week, too.
Damnit.
Felix -
I'm telling you, you could leave it alone.
He'd be happier.
York -
In the short run, maybe.
But now I know and I can't lie for shit.
Felix -
You know what? That he likes making you happy? Oh no, how terrible, someone alert the Relationship Police.
York -
If that's all it is, it's fine.
If it's some sort of deeper compulsion to follow orders that I'm pinging along without knowing and rewarding?
Yeah, that bears discussion.
If he needs that kind of framework- I might be able to swing it, I might not.
And I'd rather we both knew about it now than wait for the inevitable burnout when I can't give him what he needs, if that is what he needs.
Felix -
You're overthinking this. I mean, this is the sort of shit you mentioned doing, right?
Figuring out what people want, adjusting to match.
York -
Yeah, and doing it in a romantic relationship never ended well for me
I'm the one that knows what they're doing, allegedly, and I need to be on top of shit.
...which is condescending as fuck now that I say it out loud.
...there is no good way for this conversation to go, jesus christ.
Felix -
I'm telling you.
York -
Every step of the way, every progression, I've talked to him
I'm not gonna quit that now.
If I'm overthinking shit, he'll tell me
We'll laugh and go on.
Or I'll laugh and he'll look at me like I'm crazy.
Felix -
And miss the irony of that entirely in the process, I'm sure...
York -
He's not crazy, he's not broken, quit saying that
Felix -
Why, that gonna make it not true?
York -
Daged doesn't mean crazy
It means daged.
There's a difference.
Felix -
Oh this I gotta hear.
York -
He's not the one that wonders if this shit is real or not sometimes.
That'd be me. Of the two of us? I'd call me the crazy one.
Felix -
Dude, just because you're nuts? Doesn't mean he's not.
York -
Socially awkward with PTSD does not make someone crazy
it makes them socially awkward with ptsd.
Felix -
You missed the part where he's fucking psychotic.
Like, you don't know the thoughts that went through his brain when you mentioned that ex of yours.
Or you wouldn't think it was so goddn cute.
York -
I'm fairly certain they involved a great deal of violence
Felix -
You think?
York -
And I'm equally certain before his stint in the army it wouldn't have crossed his mind like that.
We're rewired in basic
it makes what we have to do easier. It isn't healthy but it keeps us sane.
Ish.
Some people are better at that kind of shit than others. I wasn't.
Acceptable limits change.
Before basic I'd knock an assholes teeth out.
After basic? Shoot him.
After the project
Let's just say I don't think it's cute and I'm pretty sure I know what's going through his head.
Reasons I haven't looked him up for him yet.
Felix -
You know he doesn't just have those thoughts about Brandon, right?
York -
Huh what
Felix -
You two have been on your own long enough you probably don't know that about him but
he's a jealous motherfucker. Like, Holy Hell.
York -
I've used it to wind him up a little once or twice, yeah.
Felix -
To the point where he needs to mark you up to feel better, yeah. I've seen.
York -
It's ok if i"m into it?
I knew he'd react that way- well. Was pretty sure he would.
About seventy percent sure
Felix -
Point is
I'm not saying it to be mean to him, I'm saying it because it's fucking true.
York -
You do realize I take anything you say with a pound of salt, right?
Felix -
Which is why you're only starting to figure this shit out now.
As opposed to when I fucking told you.
Point of fact, I haven't lied since I got here. Probably some kind of record, or whatever.
/sigh
Look. I know you want to do right by him and all that shit.
But minimalizing this shit? Pretending he's fine when he's not? Isn't helping him.
York -
He's not fine
but he's not crazy
Of course my standard for crazy and yours probably differs I mean. Sigma cannibalizing John's brain and killing all our friends.
That's my benchmark.
Felix -
Speaking of things we haven't been talking about for a while
how differently would that conversation have gone?
You got me all morbidly curious now.
York -
With a bullet.
Felix -
Ouch.
That's cold.
York -
Never doubt it.
Felix -
Course, if he had managed to kill a Freelancer, doubt he would have stuck around after finding out you used to be one.
York -
Probably would've shot me as soon as he found out.
Felix -
Y'know, it really is amazing you two managed to get this far.
York -
We are some kinda lucky.