[He wasn't. He hadn't been. Sure, he had doubted himself, questioned himself, worried that what he was doing was wrong or stupid, but he hadn't been broken. He wasn't going to let those mercs do that to him, let the stupid assholes in power do that to him; he had seen what happened Carolina before. He wasn't going to be that. ]
Nah, we're probably just too stupid to be. [It was...well, half true. The other half was a joke. Kind of.]
We just make it through because, I don't know why. Because we have each other? Because people need us to? I don't know, but we're together and I know that helps. [He took another drink, then looked down into it.]
If we fucked up and fell apart, what would happen to people like Wash? And Carolina?
[ That's... still not enough, for most people. Maybe there is something special about this group? Which makes Drake wonder if he'd be able to be a part of it. It's probably way too soon to ask about that, having just met them. Though this choice is feeling more made the longer they talk about it. Especially when Tucker asks what would happen if they fell apart, because he knows. ]
I think I know what you mean. And for the record, uh. I've barely met Carolina but Wash definitely needs you guys. He didn't do great here alone.
[ Hadriel didn't go easy on him. Maybe if it had been just straightforward fighting things wouldn't have been so hard, and he could hack a separation back home just fine, but... there's a noticeable difference now even to Drake. ]
Whatever you've got, it's working. If that's just 'each other' then hold on to it.
[Dark eyes widened a little at the mention of Wash not doing great. They had been over this, the fighting about the fact that Wash had a family here, a girlfriend, a life that didn't include them. Meanwhile? Meanwhile, Tucker had been losing his.
Didn't do great alone?]
But he wasn't alone.
[The bitter anger that had been all over this wasn't there anymore; now it was just the quiet truth that Tucker didn't like to think about. Wash didn't need them, and...that was a good thing, right? Yeah. He had a new family.]
Dude, that's Wash's kind of secret power: everywhere he goes, people take him in. It's good. He needs that shit. And sure, sometimes they fuck him over like the Project, but for awhile, at least, he has a family, whether it's Chorus or Freelancers or us.
It even happened here, too.
[He shrugged a little, finishing his beer. Fuck.]
We can't let each other go if we wanted to. This is just how we exist now.
[ Drake tilts his head -- the bitterness might have faded but Tucker certainly doesn't sound happy. He just doesn't think the other man's assessment is entirely accurate. ]
Sort of. I don't mean that he just needs people, that's true for everybody. New connections helped, yeah, but he resisted the shit out of them and you guys showing up? Has been totally different.
[ He's not Wash's people. Hadn't really tried to be, in that way, had only wanted to understand him. So he doesn't know exactly what Wash feels, just what he's observed. And what he's observing in Tucker right now. ]
My survival back home depended on being able to read people, and filling the role they expected of me. Wash tried that kind of thing but it wasn't natural until you got here. Like he didn't really know who he was without you. I'm not saying it's good or bad, but you make it sound like he traded you. I don't think that's even possible.
[Tucker was really, really, really bad at hiding anything he was feeling; it lit up across his face like it was written in neon over a strip club at dusk. Eyes widened, confusion on how to feel settled into them: Wash didn't know who he was without all of them? Without Tucker? What kind of you were they talking about here?
What the fuck was he supposed to do with this? What way did he mean it? Could he just take it as Wash not giving up on them? Sure. Sure. It was probably safe to go with that. ]
You really think that? [Fuck, that sounded desperate. Change it up.] He's kind of a pain in the ass, but he's our pain in the ass.
[There was a beat before he said.] Bow chika...no no?
Whatever. This shit isn't about Wash and us, right? [Change the subject; real smoooooth.] It's supposed to be about you.
I do. [ He's pretty certain of it, honestly. And the emotions and confusion pass over Tucker's face is telling as well. This team is... important. The pain in the ass comment makes him grin, though. ] Trust me, I'm familiar with that. But you've gotta love 'em anyway, right?
[ Oh Tucker. Drake looks amused despite himself until the next question. ]
I mean yeah, I guess. But I'm not just asking about how to deal with your world. If I'm going -- and I'm leaning that way -- friends are a good thing. And Ephemera likes you. So...
[ Alright, man up. ]
Guess I'm looking to butt in, a little bit. Get to know you guys.
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lovernotafighter) wrote2022-03-04 03:30 pm
no subject
[He wasn't. He hadn't been. Sure, he had doubted himself, questioned himself, worried that what he was doing was wrong or stupid, but he hadn't been broken. He wasn't going to let those mercs do that to him, let the stupid assholes in power do that to him; he had seen what happened Carolina before. He wasn't going to be that. ]
Nah, we're probably just too stupid to be. [It was...well, half true. The other half was a joke. Kind of.]
We just make it through because, I don't know why. Because we have each other? Because people need us to? I don't know, but we're together and I know that helps. [He took another drink, then looked down into it.]
If we fucked up and fell apart, what would happen to people like Wash? And Carolina?
no subject
I think I know what you mean. And for the record, uh. I've barely met Carolina but Wash definitely needs you guys. He didn't do great here alone.
[ Hadriel didn't go easy on him. Maybe if it had been just straightforward fighting things wouldn't have been so hard, and he could hack a separation back home just fine, but... there's a noticeable difference now even to Drake. ]
Whatever you've got, it's working. If that's just 'each other' then hold on to it.
no subject
Didn't do great alone?]
But he wasn't alone.
[The bitter anger that had been all over this wasn't there anymore; now it was just the quiet truth that Tucker didn't like to think about. Wash didn't need them, and...that was a good thing, right? Yeah. He had a new family.]
Dude, that's Wash's kind of secret power: everywhere he goes, people take him in. It's good. He needs that shit. And sure, sometimes they fuck him over like the Project, but for awhile, at least, he has a family, whether it's Chorus or Freelancers or us.
It even happened here, too.
[He shrugged a little, finishing his beer. Fuck.]
We can't let each other go if we wanted to. This is just how we exist now.
no subject
Sort of. I don't mean that he just needs people, that's true for everybody. New connections helped, yeah, but he resisted the shit out of them and you guys showing up? Has been totally different.
[ He's not Wash's people. Hadn't really tried to be, in that way, had only wanted to understand him. So he doesn't know exactly what Wash feels, just what he's observed. And what he's observing in Tucker right now. ]
My survival back home depended on being able to read people, and filling the role they expected of me. Wash tried that kind of thing but it wasn't natural until you got here. Like he didn't really know who he was without you. I'm not saying it's good or bad, but you make it sound like he traded you. I don't think that's even possible.
no subject
What the fuck was he supposed to do with this? What way did he mean it? Could he just take it as Wash not giving up on them? Sure. Sure. It was probably safe to go with that. ]
You really think that? [Fuck, that sounded desperate. Change it up.] He's kind of a pain in the ass, but he's our pain in the ass.
[There was a beat before he said.] Bow chika...no no?
Whatever. This shit isn't about Wash and us, right? [Change the subject; real smoooooth.] It's supposed to be about you.
no subject
[ Oh Tucker. Drake looks amused despite himself until the next question. ]
I mean yeah, I guess. But I'm not just asking about how to deal with your world. If I'm going -- and I'm leaning that way -- friends are a good thing. And Ephemera likes you. So...
[ Alright, man up. ]
Guess I'm looking to butt in, a little bit. Get to know you guys.