Alex «Havok» Summers (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tolaywaste) wrote2014-02-17 01:22 pm
tolaywaste) wrote2014-02-17 01:22 pm
Entry tags:
- !tw: fire,
- a very groovy mutation,
- abandonment issues: x-men edition,
- aeryn is not your pretty princess,
- anger problems r us,
- anya is the good kind of crazy,
- ben is ben,
- emotions only come out in disaster,
- how do leading,
- i have a lot of feelings but shh,
- literally just don't care,
- t-5 til chris gets punched,
- that superhero thing
26. » private, video, spam
spam } aeryn & charles
[Alex has spoken to both his inmate and his now-legal guardian, trying to figure out a way to address the part of Aeryn's rehabilitation he feels least equipped to handle: her anger. What he hasn't done is gone into any great detail with either of them about how he wants this guidance to proceed.]
[In a way, he wants it to be something he and Aeryn can do together; in another way, he wants it to be as organic as possible, and so he pushes thoughts of structure away.]
[He calls them both to the CES. Bring jogging clothes, he says, because in his experience, just talking without moving can be a little bit terrifying. He waits just inside the entrance, stretching and plotting a path through the high grasses the room has given them today.]
private/voice } anya
Hey. We need to talk. [He hesitates, thinking of Snow and of Ben who would want him to actually be honest, not just truthful.] I mean, I need to talk about a bunch of things. But you, too.
Do you, you know. Have a minute?
private } crichton
We need to talk about Aeryn.
public } video
[See Alex. See Alex at the skating rink, with all necessary hockey accoutrements, just finishing up playing some solo hockey. Badly. The communicator appears to be resting on the wall of the rink; he waves at it pretty vigorously, his breath hanging in the air.]
Hey! So as some of you know - some of you new people, I guess, maybe don't - we have a skating rink. I have the keys and everything, but as long as you don't stab anyone with skates you're welcome. And we've been talking about having a serious hockey tournament for ages, so - here's phase one: try to beat me into the ice. Because seriously, it's the only way I'll learn.
Or come out and do some one-on-one, whatever you want. I'll be out here all afternoon.
open } spam
[And he is - out on the ice for the rest of the morning and into early afternoon, until he has to run to cover Ben's kitchen shift. He's been doing this more frequently lately than usual because Ben's been sick, but even now he's not the best at it. Kitchen work doesn't come naturally to him, but at least he follows direction well.]
[Immediately after lunch, he takes a walk in the CES, then attacks the CTS full force. The simulation it provides is terrifying in its sterility: robots twice his height, slow-moving but determined to capture rather thn terminate. His endeavor is to dismantle rather than destroy - a finesse exercise.]
[He leaves the CTS a smoking ruin. He's not much for finesse these days.]
[Alex has spoken to both his inmate and his now-legal guardian, trying to figure out a way to address the part of Aeryn's rehabilitation he feels least equipped to handle: her anger. What he hasn't done is gone into any great detail with either of them about how he wants this guidance to proceed.]
[In a way, he wants it to be something he and Aeryn can do together; in another way, he wants it to be as organic as possible, and so he pushes thoughts of structure away.]
[He calls them both to the CES. Bring jogging clothes, he says, because in his experience, just talking without moving can be a little bit terrifying. He waits just inside the entrance, stretching and plotting a path through the high grasses the room has given them today.]
private/voice } anya
Hey. We need to talk. [He hesitates, thinking of Snow and of Ben who would want him to actually be honest, not just truthful.] I mean, I need to talk about a bunch of things. But you, too.
Do you, you know. Have a minute?
private } crichton
We need to talk about Aeryn.
public } video
[See Alex. See Alex at the skating rink, with all necessary hockey accoutrements, just finishing up playing some solo hockey. Badly. The communicator appears to be resting on the wall of the rink; he waves at it pretty vigorously, his breath hanging in the air.]
Hey! So as some of you know - some of you new people, I guess, maybe don't - we have a skating rink. I have the keys and everything, but as long as you don't stab anyone with skates you're welcome. And we've been talking about having a serious hockey tournament for ages, so - here's phase one: try to beat me into the ice. Because seriously, it's the only way I'll learn.
Or come out and do some one-on-one, whatever you want. I'll be out here all afternoon.
open } spam
[And he is - out on the ice for the rest of the morning and into early afternoon, until he has to run to cover Ben's kitchen shift. He's been doing this more frequently lately than usual because Ben's been sick, but even now he's not the best at it. Kitchen work doesn't come naturally to him, but at least he follows direction well.]
[Immediately after lunch, he takes a walk in the CES, then attacks the CTS full force. The simulation it provides is terrifying in its sterility: robots twice his height, slow-moving but determined to capture rather thn terminate. His endeavor is to dismantle rather than destroy - a finesse exercise.]
[He leaves the CTS a smoking ruin. He's not much for finesse these days.]
running spam; SORRY THIS IS LATE ILU BOTH
Ready?
[Which, obviously, they are - or at least so he seems to assume, because he just takes off at a quick jog, placing himself between them for now.]
running spam; THAT'S OKAY no such thing as late around here
But she agreed to this, and Alex trusts this man, and it's just words; here, they only can be used against her so much. ]
Am I supposed to start the conversation?
[ Curious, because she doesn't know. She's never been in a situation like this one. ]
running spam; exactly x)
[It's why they're here, yes, but it's not as if that's really either of their styles. And in any case, he's happy to listen, and eager to help.]
no subject
[He glances at Aeryn again, then takes off a couple of steps ahead of them, removing himself as a buffer and jogging backward for a few seconds.]
You could start by talking about how fashionable Charles's sweatshirt is. Or you could leave giving him a hard time to me. Up to you.
no subject
[ She raises her eyebrow at Alex. There's teasing in there, she gets it, but she doesn't get it. It's just a shirt. ]
Have you ever been an angry person?
[ This question is directed at Charles. She knows...very little about what sort of person he's been anywhere else. ]
no subject
[Which is also being said more jokingly than anything else, especially because Charles know it's kind of true. Even if his sweaters and collared shirts are supposed to look professorial, not old manish, and he thinks he pulls it off thank you very much.
In any case, his tone sobers a bit at the question, although he doesn't sound bitter, or angry, or anything close to it, really. This is just a fact, and he's more than happy to talk about it.]
I didn't used to be. But then some rather unfortunate things happened in fairly quick succession and as much as I didn't want to admit it at the time, I was. It took a long time to feel anything close to back to normal.
no subject
[ That's...well it is Aeryn's bluntness at work. Not that she doesn't understand what he is saying; it was not normal for him. But to understand her, she imagines one must understand that as well. ]
It has never not existed, never not driven me towards a goal. It has been steadfast, and I do not know what I am supposed to be without it. I am no longer a Peacekeeper. I am Sebacean, but that only means anything to two others on board - I look and sound and behave like a Human. I am angry about those things. I am angry that of those two, one is trying to destroy the other and wishes to use me as a game piece to that end. I am angry that no one understands what it is to be forced to give up everything that once was yourself, and to be told to give up even more of it to become a better person, whatever that means.
no subject
He's actually sort of tempted to point out some of the more obvious similarities to Alex, but it's rude to carry on one conversation telepathically while you're supposed to be giving someone your full attention.]
Well, I don't know how helpful this will be to hear, [Although he knows in his experience, it's always better to know this, if nothing else.] But you're not alone. I've met an extraordinary amount of people who have been grappling with long term anger and their identity, both because of what others think of them and what they think of themselves long before they'd even heard of this place, and you're certainly not the only person who's already had to give up everything before they wound up here and were judged by a bunch of strangers.
Can you tell me more about what it means to be Sebacean?
no subject
Maybe, she thinks wryly, and maybe it's thinking like this that just proves how far she is from being a Peacekeeper now. A thought that doesn't sit too comfortably, and thus is pushed back in favor of his question. ]
It means being a Peacekeeper. It means being superior. It means living out 120 cycles, and never having to question who you are and where you fit in the pattern of things, because you know and you're told. All this constant self-doubt humans seem prone to, there's no room for that.
no subject
And what exactly is a Peacekeeper? I'm sorry for the barrage of questions, I'd just like to make sure I understand exactly where you're coming from.
no subject
Peacekeepers are soldiers. Sebacean soldiers. Many of us are raised in the practice, a smaller percentage of Peacekeepers come from Sebacean colonies. We are not raised with our parents; instead we are trained in small groups that change based on the discretion of Peacekeeper High Command.
no subject
You know, I could borrow the information in the file from you, or Alex if you want. Assuming you're comfortable with that, [Which is directed to both of them, although he feels like Alex is at least more likely to say yes in that he's not completely uncomfortable with telepaths, and he has no idea if Aeryn is or not.]
I completely understand if telepathy isn't something you're especially comfortable with, but I don't look around where I'm not wanted, and it could potentially expedite things.
no subject
I have been 'exposed' to telepathy before. I would rather prefer someone go looking than inflicting some scenario upon me.
Do I have to stop running for it to work?
no subject
You're sure you don't mind?
no subject
no subject
It's a careful connection, even if she'll still be able to feel him there. Subtlety is less important when he's trying to be reassuring that he's not looking anywhere he isn't wanted, and so he looks specifically for what's relevant, what's in the file. Secrets, motives, anything too personal he carefully sidesteps and leaves alone, unless there's particular relevance and it wants to be looked at.
It is easier, and he's glad too that she doesn't seem especially bothered by it. So many things would go so much more quickly if people were comfortable with the idea of telepaths and telepathy.]