Thirteenth Unused Utility Belt | Video

[hellofist]

[Private to the Admiral]
Um... hi? [Do you even do small talk with the Admiral when you have to ask him things? Does he even care if you're polite? Cass has no idea but hey, it can't hurt.] Need Loki to be... restricted. His strength, mostly. Make him... strong as average human. Please.

And, um. Thank you?

[Filtered from Loki]
[Now that that's dealt with, hello barge! Cass is hanging out in the CES today, sitting on a rock so she can get some sun. All that time in the infirmary left her feeling kind of stir crazy, so here she is.]

By now, will have seen... Loki's... whatever that was. Sorry, for him. Would be better if... he'd just bother me. No one else... should have to see that.

But, it's also good. What he wants, it's public. Everyone knows, wants to hurt me. But, he won't attack me. He'll hurt you. Everyone I love, everyone I care about, he'll hurt them.

So, restricted his strength. Which means, most of you? Stronger than him, now. Still, be careful. He's insane, if he wants to hurt, he'll find way. All I ask is... try not to kill him?

That's, um. That's all.

[She waves, then cuts the feed.]


[Private text to Merlin]
<3

Comments

Spam

[takeyouapart]

[He takes a small sip almost as a courtesy.]

I don't know. A little better, I think. I spoke with Charles about some things which have been...troubling me.

Spam

[hellofist]

[In that case, she's going to have to find Charles and give him a giant hug if he's been helping.

She nods and turns toward him a little more, making it clear she's ready to listen and do her best to help if he's ready to talk to her about it, too.]

Spam

[takeyouapart]

[In a while, maybe. More pressing matters at hand. He offers her the flask.]

...about Loki, I think you're being incredibly strong. I always knew you were, of course, but...I couldn't do what you're doing. I can't be calm and make sense of it, when people want to harm my friends. Every time I hear him speak to you, or of you, I just...

[He shakes his head.]

I could never be Warden to a man like him.

Spam

[hellofist]

[She takes it, but just holds it between her hands, letting it ground her the way her hand grounded him.]

In my world, wearing a cowl... makes you a target. The people you love, they're always... in danger. Always something to lose, to be taken. But, the job is important. You learn, keep going. Do what you can... to protect them, but don't give up. Don't cut off.

That's what Loki wants. To cut me off, take from me. But I'm stronger. Now, he's weak. [She pauses and looks up at him, frowning a little.] Still be careful, though. He'll still try.

Spam

[takeyouapart]

[Merlin smiles faintly, sadly, because he's the last person who needs telling about watching your loved ones live in constant peril.]

I'm not afraid of him. [He's honestly more scared of what he might do himself if he's provoked.] There is nothing he can do or say to me that will make the two of us less than what we are.

Spam

[hellofist]

No. He can try, but it's nothing... I haven't heard, before. Well, most of the time. [Monster and killer are things she's used to. Swive-stain? That one's new.

She doesn't want to be sad though, not when she's with Merlin and Loki has been dealt with. Reaching for Merlin's hand, she squeezes it gently.]

And I know... you're fine, safe. But, will still worry. Can't have you... punching him, every time he's gross. Might break hand. I like your hands.

Spam

[takeyouapart]

[That gets a half-laugh out of him.]

I'm flattered, my lady, but I don't think I could punch hard enough to break anything.

Spam

[hellofist]

Well, can fix that. Here.

[She sets the tea aside for now and lifts his hand up, forming it into a fist before tapping his knuckles lightly.] This is part... you want to hit with. Keep thumb on outside, wrist straight. Okay?

[And then she lets go and holds her hand up.]

Hand is target. Try it.

Spam

[takeyouapart]

[He just gives her a look.]

I...really don't want to punch you, Cass.

Spam

[hellofist]

[And she gives him one right back.]

It's just my hand. Won't hurt.

Spam

[takeyouapart]

[He sighs, then gives her hand a baby-weak punch that is really more about demonstrating his unwillingness to hit her even with permission and even if it won't hurt.]

Spam

[hellofist]

[She has to bite her lip to keep from laughing, mostly because that's one of the cutest things she's ever seen. She keeps his hand after the punch, unfolding his fingers so she can link their hands together.]

Okay, no more punching. Can do something else. Busy, today?

[Because she knows he wanted space, if this was just to check in she doesn't want to crowd him all over again. Now he has an easy way to excuse himself if he wants to, but it had seemed like there was something else, something more than just an apology and Loki's unpleasant self that was on his mind.]

Spam

[takeyouapart]

Not really. I have an Infirmary shift but it's not for another few hours.

[He's allotted himself as much time as he can. Dr Banner has an Inmate, after all, so it only seems fair.]

Are you?

Spam

[hellofist]

Nope. Was gonna try... to find job, for Loki, but...

[It's kind of a horrible idea to stick him around other people when his first instinct would probably be to murder them all and less to actually do good work, right? Right.]

We could... [How had he put it, when he asked her on a date in London?] Go out, together.

Spam

[takeyouapart]

[He doesn't quite catch the nuance of that remark.]

We're already out together, Cass. Or - as out as we're getting. [He makes a generous 'look at all this empty space' gesture with one arm.] See? Out.

Spam

[hellofist]

[Instead of getting embarrassed because she didn't frame it the right way, Cass just smiles. He's being sarcastic again, she kind of missed that.]

Out like date.

Spam

[takeyouapart]

[He's really not being that sarcastic and when she says 'date', he tenses a little. It's a bit of a loaded word and the uncertain look on his face makes it clear that he doesn't want to commit to anything that might be attached to it.]

I...I think this is as out together as we should be.

Spam

[hellofist]

[For a moment, Cass is struck by how much she misses when he would just talk to her. Even after he returned and hardly remembered her, he told her about Arthur's death, about why they had to keep an eye on Mordred. She feels more in the dark now than she did then and it's strange, it hurts a little, but there's nothing she can really do about it. She's back to waiting, it seems.

Her smile dims, but she only nods and squeezes his hand before letting go so she can reach for the tea he brought.]

Okay. Cloud watching, then? What do... you want to do?

Spam

[takeyouapart]

I don't -

[He does know.]

Something's bothering you.

Spam

[hellofist]

Just want you... to be happy. You're not.

[And honestly, it's as simple as that.]

Spam

[takeyouapart]

[He's uneasy, not sure what to make of her words.]

I don't mean for that to be something I'm inflicting on you.

Re: Spam

[hellofist]

[She gives him a look that suggests she thinks that's an entirely silly thing to say.]

Of course not. It's just... how people work. See someone... they care about sad, feel sad too. Want to help. Doesn't work that way.

[With a shrug, she looks up at the sky. There's just big fluffy clouds there, nothing that could be shapes no matter how hard she tries to see them.]

Can't fix your sadness. Can only... help make it less. Or, try to. Hard, when you... don't talk. But, won't ask you to. If you want to, you will.

Re: Spam

[takeyouapart]

[His mouth makes the right shape but you couldn't call it a smile.]

Usually, when I want to - with anyone - I just...don't, because they haven't asked and I don't want to be a burden.

Spam

[hellofist]

Sometimes, asking pushes people away. Try to help, so you ask, they close off. Having you, but not knowing... what you're thinking, better than losing you. They might be scared.

[She has it a little easier thanks to her ability to read him, but the last month or so is enough evidence to show that even she isn't perfect. Even Cass picks the wrong things to do, to say. Asking him on a date had been stupid, she should have seen that.]

No one who cares, who loves you, would ever think... you're a burden. You can't be. Friends are never burdens.

Spam

[takeyouapart]

[It's more or less what he thought she'd say. It's no comfort.

Besides, he's already closed off. How much worse does she think he can get?]

I still wish you'd ask. You won't lose me for that. Even if I say no sometimes, I can't...I can't read you, Cass. I don't know what you want.