[video | open]

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[It's a day after the explosion of Spring and superpower exhibition, and Pyro's just sitting in -

- well, it's a new room. Bigger, more homey than the dorm-style rooms of the God Houses, and his candle number appears to have doubled to compensate. The light is still flickering and uneven, but it's much brighter than it was during his broadcasts from Baldr. Anyhow, those who were there to hear him rant and rave about Freya being spared and Freyr being saved might think he's appeared to shit all over that party, but he's staying quiet on that front for now. (Who knows how many psycho kids one of them might have, after all.)]

Since we're so big on Democracy here, thought I'd put something up to a vote.

Instead of random surges in our powers that have nothing to do with anything, how about the gods put their heads together and see if they can gather up enough strength to make the powers work outside the city? Y'know, where most people are actually being attacked and either dying or coming close to it?

It's just a thought.

[He's still sore about his near-death experience during the weapons expedition, but no one needs to know that! There was the big freakout about the blonde girl not coming back for so long, after all; this could all be about her.

If you don't know Pyro at all, anyway.]

Comments

Re: action

[daddyissues]

There's a situation?

[he does take a moment to admire the living room.... he really needs to get around to decorating their place]

action

[ex_outofcontrol435]

You opened with "where are you," then came straight over, and you look like you haven't seen a mirror in about a week. I'm just guessing there's a situation.

Re: action

[daddyissues]

Your room was different......

[okay so maaaaaybe this kid has no one to talk to right now.

he reaches up to check his hair.]

[ex_outofcontrol435]

Look, I don't usually do the touchy-feely shit. You caught me in a mood. You'd better spit it out before my mood changes.

[He glances toward the stairs. Here, or there?]

[daddyissues]

[Connor didn't even realize he required a touchy feely mood until Pyro just pointed it out. He pats his hair down and nods towards the stairs.]

Might as well make sure the house doesn't burn down.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[This is usually Bobby territory, okay. He doesn't want to get a reputation for being (or needing) a shoulder to cry on.]

They're relaxing, alright. [He doesn't quite roll his eyes, but Connor does get a sidelong look.] I still feel fire inside me, even if I can't control it anymore.

[daddyissues]

I've said it before -- they can change what we can do, but not what we are.

[he takes in the spread in Pyro's room]

This is still a lot of candles. How much relaxing did you need?

[ex_outofcontrol435]

You've fought me. You should know.

[He closes the door behind them, seemingly comfortable in the increased heat of the room, and sits cross-legged on his bed. Without any indication of whether Pyro wants him sitting on the bed or the desk chair, Connor is pretty much free to sit wherever he likes.

Before he can start talking, though, Pyro pulls out an ornately carved set of brass knuckles and tosses it to him. They'll feel a lot heavier than the usual ones, if Connor has ever held a pair, sleek and cold.]

Don't worry, I'll only use 'em on your shadow. [A smirk.] Unless you piss me off.

[daddyissues]

You'd better, these are serious business.

[he sits on the bed, too, mostly because he doesn't really sit in chairs in asgard so it's automatic. his attention is caught by the carvings]

Where did these come from?

[ex_outofcontrol435]

I know, I crushed a few faces with 'em. Not pretty.

[He appears to savour the memory, though, at least for a second. Then the pleasure is completely gone.]

Svart - where the dwarves live. A bunch of us went to pick up weapons. Someone tipped off one of the bad guys, though, and we got ambushed.

[daddyissues]

Shit.

[he passes the knuckles back, wondering if putting them on will make pyro feel a little better]

I was on the other mission.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[He actually does, flexing and then clenching his fingers.]

Saving gods. [He snorts.] They didn't deserve it.

[daddyissues]

No. They didn't.

[his jaw works, though his expression doesn't change]

My girlfriend nearly got ripped in half.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[Oddly enough, he's quiet at that. He remembers that knife flashing as it moved toward Euri, and the way he moved without even thinking; he remembers the terrible moments when his vision began to grey at the edges and he felt himself slipping away.

Literally risking his life for someone else. And now he's not even talking to her anymore. What was the point?]

Shit.

[That's all he manages. But there's weight to his voice, acknowledgement of the gravity of what Connor said.]

[daddyissues]

[connor can sense some kind of shared feeling here, a different experience but maybe a similar feeling. he tilts his head and takes a risk.]

She's alright?

[ex_outofcontrol435]

I took the hit for her.

[He lets that sink in - Connor doesn't know him well yet, but one meeting is enough to tell someone with any sense that Pyro does not take hits for anyone.

He runs a hand over his hair, looking back to Connor.]

You said "nearly."

[daddyissues]

[well shit. again.]

She got healed. It took days to stop worrying about the blood loss though. I don't think I've been more afraid in my life.

[connor flops backwards on pyro's bed, staring at the ceiling and its lack of cracks and chipped paint. there's the sense that he doesn't say that lightly, though pyro has no idea what he's lived through.]

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[As Connor does that, Pyro stands up, pacing agitatedly.]

This is what happens, man. You lose yourself in someone else. Pretty soon nobody else matters, not even yourself. Why do people want this?

[Yeah, it's a shockingly insensitive thing to say to someone who nearly lost his girlfriend. But this is just more proof to him that he's on the wrong road and yet screaming long ever faster and faster.]

[daddyissues]

[connor doesn't sit up, just rolls his head to watch pyro pace]

That's not entirely true. But it's hard to be anything but scared at first.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

I'm not scared. [It's a low growl, a lot of obvious posturing behind it.] I'm pissed off. Doesn't it bug you that your whole life stopped 'cause someone else got hurt? How can you watch your own back if you're always worrying about someone else's?

[daddyissues]

My life didn't stop. I was watching my own back, because you can't be a hundred percent about the other person. That wouldn't be healthy, and it would be scary. You just deal with things when they happen.

I think it's just our natures. We attach ourselves to things... it doesn't have to be a person, it can be an idea or a mission or even something that you want.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

Yeah, exactly. What I want is what matters. [Said without a trace of irony.] I've got just as important a job here as I did back home, and I can't be distracted. I can't change what I want for someone else.

[But is it any better without her? Lashing out at people, being more cruel than usual on the network and snapping at his friends? He's not worried about them, any friend of his has to learn to take it sometime, but the bitter hole in his chest that's causing all of this -

- well, it is scary. Euri and Oswin are both gone right now, one not speaking to him and the other grey for what has to have been days. And he's having trouble remembering how he went about even the most basic things without them.]

People are the worst investments on that list. One or the other of you is gonna lose value eventually.

[daddyissues]

...people aren't used cars, Pyro. You don't lose value. And you don't have to change what you want, a real relationship might take compromise but not changing. You make each other better.

I'm not telling you to go get a girlfriend, but you know I'm not an idiot. You're scared of how you feel for someone.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

You wanna bet?

[He stops his pacing and whirls around furiously at that, giving up way more than he meant to; no amount of anger can smother the hurt lurking just below the surface.]

People can lose value fast. Anyone, for any reason. You're just fucking lucky if it hasn't been you yet.

[daddyissues]

[connor is nonplussed]

It has been. You have no idea what I was like a year ago. The trick is people not giving up on you when it happens, because value is never really lost.