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[tactical_alert]

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[tactical_alert]

[That's a predatory little grin right there.] Not a disadvantage sometimes. [He'll roll off York right up to his feet and offer a hand up.] Maybe once Carolina has Delta more up to speed on hand to hand, he can assist you in your workouts and sparring.

[goddamngrenades]

[ He takes the hand up, shaking himself out. Okay. Warmup's over. Time to knock him down a peg or five. Or himself. This is not his best night. ] I don't know how well I'd be able to manage that. He's- yeah. I don't think I could even pretend to hit him

[tactical_alert]

You don't have to put any force behind it. I'm sure Carolina doesn't. You two are as in sync as two people can be. You're not going to hurt him, and he won't let you.

[goddamngrenades]

If I didn't feel like I had to teach him how to defend himself I wouldn't let anyone- it's. Complicated. I'm gonna ask him if he's comfortable with me explaining more about the project where he's concerned when he wakes up next. Give you the whole thing. As many of us that keep popping up you kinda deserve to know.

[tactical_alert]

You've told me what I needed to know. You've told me even more than that. Don't feel obligated to share anything more if you aren't comfortable with it, you or Delta. It's a bit in the past now, even if it likes to come back to bite us time and time again. This isn't the same situation.

[goddamngrenades]

NO it's just...We all refer back to the project as this big thing that made us what we are- but it fucked us all up. Every last one of us. Delta more than most and- I guess. I kind of just want you to know what I fought and died for, you know?

[tactical_alert]

...I'd like that. If you're okay with telling me, I'm more than willing to listen. We can have something strong to drink sitting nearby.

[goddamngrenades]

That'd be great.

[ One pin each seems good. He's- really tired at the moment. He'd love to let it go until later but...he needs to know WHEN south is from. ]

You know the worst part? Not one of us is from the same point in the timeline. Not. One. So- depending on when she's from I'll either want to shoot her or want to sit her down and explain why everything went sideways.

[tactical_alert]

[Malcolm lightly bounces on his feet a few more times before letting himself settle flat on the floor. It's clear their conversation has steered away from sparring, and York's mind is elsewhere. Maybe that's why Malcolm even got a pin to begin with.]

Someone's going to have to write out a chart to remember who's from when. Here's hoping you have to explain things instead of shooting her.

[goddamngrenades]

Yeah. So far I'm the farthest behind. D's a year ahead of me, North's somewhere between us, Carolina's...years ahead. Christ.

[tactical_alert]

You can't exactly help that. [Given that York died and all. He initiates contact again to ground him, hand to arm lightly.] You don't have to talk to her, you know.

[goddamngrenades]

If I'd been faster- [ He shakes his head. Leans a little into that hand before scrubbing at his eye. Nothing can be done. It's over. There is there. Here is here. ]

Doesn't matter. I do. For D's sake, I need to know when she's from. After that...

[tactical_alert]

If you'd been faster, York, then you probably would've died some other way. Sounds like that's the Freelancer trend. [That's...pessimistic, and he looks away and frowns at himself for that comment. Unhelpful. Unpleasant.] Sorry, that was unfair.

Help me move the furniture back, and we can sit on the couch while you talk to her?

[goddamngrenades]

[ He's quiet for a long moment. It's unfair, yeah, but that doesn't make it any less true. Back then he'd gotten soft, off his game, and he'd died. And then everything else that came after. York cracks a rough laugh at that, low and bitter. ]

...If not Reggie then Maine. I could take him when it was just him- but with sigma and everything else he took? Wouldn't have stood a chance.

[ He shakes his head at himself and goes to haul the sofa back to where it should be. He needs to work harder at this. Delta's getting trained up but it's not just the locks he needs to be going over. He'll hit the gym tomorrow. The range in District 4. Spar himself exhausted and do it again and again until he's absolutely fucking sure it won't ever happen here. ]

Yeah. That'll be good.

[ He texts instead of talking. It's easier that way. Soon he's speaking, growling, frustrated- leaving. Asks Malcolm to keep an eye on Delta while he's out handling this. Wanders home about two hours later, slight smell of alcohol on his breath. Parks the bike, sets the motion trackers on the way in, flops on the sofa. ]

...I think we're good.

[tactical_alert]

[It was quiet while York was gone. And it wasn't clear how long York would be out, but Malcolm wasn't going to be able to sleep if York wasn't back. So he lets go of a quietly held breath when he makes his way back home. Booze smell could be good or very bad.]

You think so? So she's fine to come around if that happens? No exchange of bullets?

[goddamngrenades]

What- god no. I am not bringing her here. I promised Delta she's not going to be welcome in the house and I MEANT that. He's- he's got good reason, okay? I just. She's from before. Like, fucking WAY before. I am no longer the earliest point on the timeline. She's from right after the attack on the MOI, before the crash and-

[ He lifts a hand in the air and flips it around. ]

I explained. Everything that I could to her. The rest isn't something I can tell, you know? But, I gotta talk to D. In the morning. I told her to leave him alone so there's that. Cuz he's from after and she was a fucking BITCH to him after and if I'd just survived the fucking firefight it wouldn'tve been a problem i don't think.

[tactical_alert]

...York, tell me you didn't ride the bike drunk through the city. Come here, everything can wait until morning, all right? [Come lean against him. You look like shit.] No use wondering if you had survived, because you didn't. You can't change that. You're all here, now, and have to deal with that.

[goddamngrenades]

Hey. PHYLISS has an auto drive option. I did not drive. She drove me back. Promise.

[ His trusty bike that was the same as the trusty AI that ran the ship and was kind of like a sassy digital mom to the freelancers and he's not analyzing that thought right now. Just. Shuffles over to lean against Malcolm. Tucks his forehead against his throat, loops an arm around his waist and relaxes. ]

Yeah but for how long? I mean I've never gone back but this is North and South's second time here. What if D gets sent back? what if Carolina goes back? What if I do?

[tactical_alert]

You named your bike Phyllis?

[This is the kind of contact that York, sober, might have a problem with, and maybe Malcolm shouldn't encourage this, but it feels necessary. York needs someone to lean on right now.]

Then you deal with what happens. I don't have any answers for you on that part.

[goddamngrenades]

After FILSS. Freelancer AI. Freelancer Integrated Logistics and Security System. FILSS, Phyliss. Kept us all in line, kept track of our bioreadings, kept us healthy. Kept us sane. Recommended rec nights so we wouldn't get too tense, you know?

[ Filss had been good people. He misses her a little. Wonders what happened to her. ]

You should be proud of me though. I didn't do a dumb. I didn't do TWO dumbs.

[tactical_alert]

York, you're already a big dummy. [Said with all of the affection only an experienced brother can deliver.] I'm just proud there's no body to hide, all right? You were pretty conflicted when you left.

[goddamngrenades]

I didn't drive my own drunk ass home and- [ He snorts, fingers twitching in Malcolm's shirt. ] I didn't sleep with her. She wanted to! Hit on me. And she was all- Most of the time she was on the ship she was in armor or too angry to talk to me about some bullshit.

And it's been awhile since I've seen her last. Forgot she was hot. And they gave her these clothes that just- yeah. And she was hitting on me. And it's been awhile. Like not a long while but a while while. Since that night I did the last dumb while. So I thought about it.

But I didn't. You proud of me?

[tactical_alert]

[He does not know what to do with any of that.] I'm proud that you didn't both decide to drunkenly have sex if you weren't okay with it.

But you know it's no big deal anymore who you sleep with. All that was made pretty clear to everyone involved. And yes, I'm proud you got the bike to drive you home herself.

And I'm proud you didn't shoot anyone.

You need anything from me? [Besides, apparently, approval.]

[goddamngrenades]

North would kill me. Clair would kill me. DELTA would kill me. Been dead. s'not fun.

[ Drunk York is swiftly becoming sleepy York. Nosing in along Malcolm's shoulder...he smells nice. If D's awake enough to get it there's this low thrum of contentment. He's kind of missed passing out against Malcolm in the middle of the night. Platonicly. ]

Water? In a little bit. This is nice.

[tactical_alert]

So North's your buddy unless you sleep with his sister, then he's going to turn into an overprotective wolf on you? [That's an amusing mental image, really.

And he doesn't mind York passing out on him. Might nudge him to a bed first. Would Delta even mind if York didn't come to bed? Would York want Mal to join him? Malcolm's missed this, too, but he'll not say it.]

Yeah. We can get some water in you before sending you off to sleep.