hexaflexagons | Anywhere the Wind Blows

Who: North (Martienne) and South (Krakatau)
What: On The Run
When: Six months after crash of the MoI

[Six months. Six months. It's been quite a ride. Firefight with her Brother on a falling ship, escaping into uncertainty. On the run. The transition hasn't exactly been a smooth one for her, with a feeling of drowning, of being without purpose. Things in Freelancer hadn't exactly been rosy but at least she'd had something to strive for. The leaderboard, the constantly shifting dynamics of the teammates, friends lost and enemies made and there was always something.

Here it's just wilderness and the driving force of self preservation. It's simple, and she hates it.

Add to that the fact that it's not just the two of them; that would have been comfortable and familiar. She could have rolled with that. No, North had to bring along his little nightlight. There was just no liking Theta; a little glowing stake driven inbetween them that forces them farther apart every day.

At least, that's how it felt to South.

Initially she'd been all fire and vitriol, cussing out the Director and Texas and whoever she could think to slander in the quiet hours of the day when she wasn't otherwise occupied. Eventually, though, her anger dulled into a slow burn, watching North and Theta interact and wondering who the enemy was, really. She withdrew, became taciturn, hiding in herself when the outside world was too confusing and overwhelming to deal with. Pick at food, answer only when necessary, sleep in a ball turned away from anyone who might catch that she's not sleeping. Her routine was pretty much set.]

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[ For North's part it seemed it was up to him and Theta to keep track of their movements and plan out where to roam—keeping in mind how dangerous it can be to remain in one place too long and how the Project might be able to calculate their positions from any use of their radios. That made it risky, those few occasions when he and York had been in contact, but that was one of the things that's been helping to keep him sane. South was okay, and York was okay, and for now that was the closest he could come to knowing they were safe.

The systems of their armor were taxed to their limits, with the time they'd been left with only it in place of any kind of clothing. The armor was safer, but it had its drawbacks. One of them was the lack of cleanliness. But North had managed to score them a paying job this week and that meant they could afford a hotel stay for a night, time to refresh themselves with time sleeping in an actual bed and a real, honest-to-goodness hot shower.

North leads the way into the room and sets the card key on the dresser. ]

I get first dibs on the shower this time.

Take it. I've got a date with this pillow.

[She pulls her helmet aside and lets it drop to the floor before dropping herself onto the bed. It groans under the weight of her armor, and after a moment of stillness to just enjoy not being up or running or otherwise exhausted, she pulls herself to sit up and start shedding plating. These nights were few and far between and while she was just as eager for the shower, she was even moreso about the bed.

By the time he gets out, she's curled up ariund the pillow, in her undersuit, armor plating scattered about the floor. She's not quite asleep, although she tries.

[ The chip that Theta's implanted in is waterproof, of course, so North undresses and slips under the shower head. Theta had been quiet for a while, and North knew he was contemplating something. It was not until now that Theta decided to speak up, without projecting his hologram.

South's mad at me again.

North pauses, then steps back to rinse the shampoo out of his hair, choosing to respond aloud. ]

We've talked about this a lot lately. Do you think there's something going on that's different from the way it's been? Things are hard on her, just like they're hard on you and me, buddy.

[ No... To North it seems as though in his mental map Theta's slouching, rounding his shoulders resignedly. I know. I'm sorry. ]

There's nothing to be sorry for, Theta. I understand taking it personally. I certainly find it easy enough to do that sometimes.

[ Theta goes quiet as North gets soaped up and rinsed off next—he goes for a triple wash this time around. It's just nice to have the luxury and the time to do something like that, and he feels grotty enough that it's a really satisfying feeling.

He follows this up, as always, by washing the composite mesh of the undersuit, filling the bottom of the tub with warm water and swishing the fabric around with some shampoo. The prolonged silence isn't that unusual but is always a cause to reach out. ]

Are you sure you're okay?

[ I have to be, don't I?

North drains the tub and wrings out the suit, pulling it on still wet. ]

I wouldn't put it that way, Theta. And pretending you're okay when you're not doesn't help anything.

[ It might. It will keep you from worrying about me.

North is opening the door of the bathroom as he responds. ]

Theta, if you tried to act like everything was okay all the of the time, that would only make me more concerned.

[There's the double irritation of hearing North talking to Theta at the same time obviously making an insinuation at South herself. She hasn't talked much about any of the myriad of things that currently bother her, nor does she have any inclination to.

She tenses when she first hears him, then rolls off the bed and passes him without reply and slams the bathroom door shut behind her. Apparently the little nightlight was having problems. Fucking boohoo. They've all got problems.

She mutters to herself as she stands under the warm spray, not even bothering to take her under-suit off until she's warmed up a bit. She spends a fair bit of time just standing under the shower-head and losing herself to the warm water. Here, in the privacy of the bathroom, she allowed herself to unwind; for that emotion to leak through, hidden tears and muffled sobs. She was losing him, losing North to that goddamn brat. Escape the project and run as far as they could; they'd never be rid of it.

Eventually, she pulls herself together, finishes washing herself and her suit, and returns to join North in the main room. She wants nothing more than to lose herself to sleep, and immediately climbs under the covers without a word.]

[ He's sitting up in his bed when she returns, having brought his talk with Theta to a gentle close when he heard the water turn off. For now it seems best to let Theta rest instead of causing the two of them to have to interact. ]

Did you have enough to eat earlier?

Yeah.I'm fine.

[Which couldn't be farther from the truth. She didn't have much of an appetite any more, though, so it's easy to forget how little she'd actually eaten.]

[ It's been like this a lot lately, just subsisting—barely talking, barely eating, barely making a living. He watches her form for a moment. ]

I don't think we should split up tomorrow. Let's see if we can find some two-person work.

[Normally, she'd have some quick barb about him already having that covered with Theta. Normally. She can feel it on her tongue. Shebottles it in, though. The less she was blatantly aware of Theta's existence, the better.]

Yeah. Whatever.

[ He breathes in and then sighs. ] It'll be good, I think. You know? Not splitting up. It feels better.

[She burrows further into the bed and mumbles into the pillow.]

Better for who I wonder.

[ He hears, but doesn't answer directly, instead choosing to say something obliquely. ]

I think the city here is more corrupt than the last few we've dealt with. We'll do well to stick together.

Anywhere the Wind Blows

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