This crew depends on me...

[chaos_magnet]

As long as we're living and breathing, there's more we can do. We just have to be strong enough. captain . earther ACTION TEXT HANDWAVE

Comments

[duderaider]

I need to get out of my [head. he needs to get out of his own head] room for awhile. You wanna go grab a drink or something?

[chaos_magnet]

Sure. Drinks at an establishment or grab-and-go somewhere else? I think we have bourbon and maybe beer?

[duderaider]

Uh.

How good are you at, like, running, jumping, climbing trees?

[possibly literally, as he has this sudden need to be as far away from the hotel as possible. his first thoughts are either finding a nice, quiet cliffside in Cabeswater or, perhaps a little closer and a little less dangerously, climbing up onto the roof of the theatre]

[chaos_magnet]

I'm great in zero-g?

[ Lame joke is lame, but it's also not a joke, because it's true, just, uh, yeah. ]

I'll let you know if I can't do any hardcore parkour, how's that work?

[duderaider]

Worse comes to worst, I can probably help you out.

You know where the theater is? Or what's left of it, anyway.

[it still won't be an easy climb, but it'll be better than, say, a cliff face]

[chaos_magnet]

1/2   Yeah. I can be there in less than ten minutes.

2/2   Am I bringing the bourbon?

text » action

[duderaider]

Yeah, bring the bourbon.

[and ten minutes later, Nathan will be waiting outside the theatre, a backpack slung over one shoulder. he figured they could put the bourbon in it, so they'd have their hands free to climb]

[either way, when he spots James, he moves to join him] Hey, man.

[can you tell there's something off about him?]

[chaos_magnet]

[ James went with joggers and a flannel button up with their activities in mind, and he holds up the bourbon by way of greeting first. ]

If this turns into a date, I could have at least brought candles or something.

[ There's been not even a hint of interest between them, and so it's likely he's just trying to open with a joke, because he's a little uneasy with Nathan's demeanor. ]

[duderaider]

[the good news is that that earns James a laugh -- the bad news is that it's a mostly bitter sound, and as he takes the bottle from James, he raises it in a sort of mock-toast] Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm swearing off dating, at this point.

[never mind the fact that he doesn't open the bottle, doesn't drink from it. it's still the principle of the thing]

[he also apparently not keen on explaining (yet). instead, he exhales a breath, the life seeming to run out of him with it, and he tucks the bottle away into backpack before turning away] Anyway, uh. C'mmon. I think I saw a good place to climb from, over here.

[chaos_magnet]

[ And here he is, harboring interest for two or three parties. But there's no reason to share either, not yet, and as Jim falls in line beside his distressed friend, he sets the jovialness aside and easily slips into concern. ]

Sure you don't need a hug first?

[duderaider]

[he probably does, but looks like toxic masculinity ruins the day again! he shakes his head] Yeah, no, I think I'll stick to the Jim Beam or -- whatever, if it's all the same to you.

[chaos_magnet]

[ Jim gets a reminder of Amos, and simply nods with a 'sure' and a waving arm that reads lead the way. ]

[duderaider]

[Nathan mutters something that sounds like a word of thanks or maybe an apology, and then heads for the spot he indicated as good to climb. it does look that way, too, handholds easy to spot even for someone who's not as used to this sort of thing as Nate is, and he starts up wordlessly, that in mind]

[when he makes the roof, he rolls onto his stomach, stretching out to offer James a hand up the rest of the way]

[chaos_magnet]

[ Not nearly as nimble as Nathan, Holden at least has similar experience via climbing about ships with and without gravity, inside and outside of them, so he's not too far behind the explorer. With a grunt, he graciously accepts the assistance and hauls himself over the ledge. ]

You know, that's a lot easier without gravity.

[ Obvious statement is obvious, but still. ]

[duderaider]

Yeah, I'll bet.

[he shifts, that said, starting to sit up, to shimmy away from the edge of the roof, to stand. he wants to take a little bit of a look around, before they pick somewhere to settle, just to make sure the roof isn't going to collapse under them while they drink]

You do that a lot? [a beat] Climb on stuff with no gravity?

[chaos_magnet]

[ Jim mimics the movements and dusts himself off once upright. ]

I spend most of my life on a ship.

[ It's a non-answer, but the implication is that it's commonplace. Gravity is preferred, but it's nothing exciting when it has to be cut or is cut due to damage, threat, etc. ]

But we adjust the gravity to accommodate the crew, since Alex is a Martian and Naomi is a Belter.

[duderaider]

[ ... ]

Okay, Martian I get -- [even if that raises his eyebrows a little] -- but Belter?

[chaos_magnet]

Right, sorry - Asteroid Belt. Those who live beyond it; Inners and Outers, because of course.

[ Of course the labels are divisive. ]

[duderaider]

Huh. [he pauses, taking a moment to consider that as he settles down on what seems to be a solid part of the roof] I guess I never thought about people living on or around or whatever an asteroid belt.

[planets, sure, but]

[chaos_magnet]

[ James joins him, sitting with knees up. ]

I wonder what we'll name those beyond the Rings? [ Ringers, if they keep with their super original labeling, maybe. ]

So, are you going to give any kind of explanation for this outing? Or should I make something up?

[ Because they're clearly not drinking on the roof to star gaze (there aren't any anyway, which kills James). ]

[duderaider]

[it kills Nate, too, even if he's not from space or whatever. there's just something about standing in the middle of the Syrian desert, staring up at the sky. then again, though, if there were visible stars here, maybe he'd feel even more alone, more homesick than he already does]

[ ... yeah, it's time to break the booze out of the backpack, now, thanks]

I was -- seeing someone, here. [a beat] She's gone, now.

[chaos_magnet]

[ James winces, because that sucks and he can relate to that sense of loss via Amos. ] Shit. Sorry to hear that. Can I ask who she was?

[duderaider]

Her name was Caroline. [a beat] Little blonde girl? Kinda -- she kinda looked like she was half my age, but she just -- [look, she was a vampire and actually just as old as him, but he promised he wouldn't out her. does it even matter now, though, that she's not here?] -- she was only a year younger than me, she just aged really well.

[there's another pause, then:]

Her daughters are still here, I think. Josie and Lizzie.

[is he rambling? he feels like he's rambling]

[chaos_magnet]

I probably saw her around, but I've met Josie. When some of us took to the bunker the day we met? That's where I met her as well. She seems like a good kid.

[ Having only the daughter to go off of, James assumes the mother was also magically inclined, and that's the reason for looking younger. It's not important. ]

How long were you together?

[ James needs to know something else with regards to this situation, something that may help him and his, but he's building up towards asking, because it's a sensitive subject for sure. ]

[duderaider]

[Nathan nods to his assessment of Caroline's kids -- and then shifts a little, uncomfortable, fighting the urge to reach for his journal, to see when he started drawing Caroline in it. probably best to try and remember, off-handedly, rather than look fucking desperate]

[he's also going to crack open the bourbon and take a sip, thanks]

We both got here at the same time and kind of hit it off, right away. [he was flirting with Caroline on day one, whether or not he actually meant anything by it] We kind of -- we made it official, during the crap with the carnival, though.

[they ended up in the Tunnel of Love together and -- yeah]