《 ☀ ↁ ⏃

@dot-speckter​

[Dot held a book in right hand and an apple in the other, searching for the perfect spot to enjoy the rest of her day. It was lovely weather and she didn’t sit in the sun nearly as often as she should. It was his purple shirt that caught her attention on her way past, and although simply ignoring the question crossed her mind, she responded anyway.]

No, I haven’t. [Her fingers played with the frayed sleeves of the jersey she had on. Knitted by herself - of course. It calmed her nerves. Dot eyes were glancing between his eyes, the necklaces and what she assumed was a tattoo.] I feel like my future is just as grim as the present. [Her assumption didn’t stop her from hesitantly sitting down. She’d never gotten a chance to get her fortune read, not that she would remember anyway, her parents had never taken her to anywhere that she could. Dot was intrigued.]

.

[[ Koda smiles at the dark joke delivered even as the young lady sits down. Civilisation destroying asteroids don’t exactly breed optimism in people, sometimes he think the younger generation are more pessimistic. Youthful recklessness is reserved the old, those who’ve already had to live a ‘regular’ life and had to watch it get destroyed. ]] I can’t promise the cards will be anything but honest, but here’s hoping it’s not that dire. [[ Koda’s smile is muted, hopefully welcoming. He never gives entirely bad readings, but he won’t lie either. There’s some good to be found even in the scariest looking cards. ]]

☆ CORBIN​

[He’s getting antsy, these days. 

So much talk of rebellion and plans and branching out… and then as if by some cosmic, unlucky cue, Pax keeps getting sent out on Crusades and gopher runs, with or without his volunteering. It was almost as if they knew. 

They don’t, Corbin tells himself. And he can almost believe it. There’s no way anyone could know, because the ‘Three Buccaneers’ had barely spoken a word about it. Just put out a few feelers, with no specifics, and only with people they trusted. No, it was just a bit of bad luck, Pax being in and out so frequently these days. But they… need him around to execute their plan, and for more than just a couple days at a time. Not just because Corbin is rightly uncomfortable going through it without Pax on the premise, but also because he’s their key to getting by security. He’s their eyes and ears. 

So in the meantime, they keep finessing. Getting Elites like Mitch on their side, feeling out the telekinetics, talking to… 

‘Ever had your fortune told?’

Telepaths.

Corbin smirks, cheshire and natural. Well, he’d already done his share of the back scratching, hadn’t he? Maybe this was the start of another door opening.] 

Can’t say I have, mate, [he drawls, coming so a slow and casually lowering his long limbs to the blanket on the Colony grounds.] Least not by someone so darn pretty, [he teases with another smirk.] So—this yer new line of business, Payne? I didn’t know the carnival was comin’ to town.

.

[[ Koda’s smile is just as broad but more fleeting. Corbin opens every interaction with some sort of compliment, ad he’s happy with it. He sits down, Corbin always striking Kida as so comfortable in his own skin that gangly limbs which could as easily be awkward look casual and—he won’t tell Corbin and let it go to his head—but sexy in his confidence. Maybe Koda’s just in a particularly good mood today, feeling more like his old self. ]]

I wish I could get the carnival in here. [[ Koda shuffles the cards smiling at the question. ]] Yep—getting a stall with that old bastard in the Hub. [[ Koda says good-naturedly, he’s a fan of the old guy even if he’s clumsy and occasionally offensive. Mainly because he could fulfill Koda’s stranger, legal requests and was happy to let Koda work ‘under’ him as his sort of Elite sponsor. ]] Want to get some practice in before I start charging again.

🜈 CAMBIE

[Cambie is a frequent visitor to the Hub, generally searching for things that might make the common room a little cosier in Delma. Her habit of switching out the decorations with the seasons means that she spends a lot of credits on pillows, blankets, fake flowers, pretty decorative bottles, whatever she can get her hands on. There’s nothing really worth buying today, so she heads back towards the main building empty handed.

She sees Koda from quite far off; he stands out, on his blanket in an outfit that would look like a costume on anyone else, but on him looks magical. He’s more Mitch’s friend than Cambie’s but she’s certainly heard enough good things about Koda to thoroughly like him. When he looks up it is with startlingly blue eyes, almost lilac as they drink up the rich purple of his shirt.. His question surprises her – for some reason, because the tarot cards and the clothing and all that she knows of Koda make it a fairly likely question from him.] 

Gosh, the way you say that makes me think I’d better not ask what the second one costs. [Cambie grins.] I’ve actually not had my fortune told before. Maybe you asking me now is fate’s way of saying now’s the time. [Cambie is certainly curious about such things, but never with a burning enough curiosity to have sought one out before.]

[[ He returns her comment with a wink and a grin. It felt like slipping into an old character, a version of Koda that hadn’t seen the world end or lose his mother in it’s wake. It’s a nice feeling, one he’ll not let go of. Still, he has to answer seriously, there’s showmanship then there’s being irritating. ]] Only a few credits or an interesting trinket. Nothing sinister.

[[ Koda straightens the deck into a neat pile in front of him, arms gesturing wide for Cambie to take a seat with him. ]] Maybe it is, we’ll have to find out what they have to say.  [[ Some of his best customers had that same attitude, disinterested until they fell into his lap. Thought ‘why not’ and ended up getting hooked on the idea of knowing what could happen, or the chance to simply reflect more deeply on their own lives with some flair and drama to it. Sometimes, you can know what you need to hear, but seeing it laid out for you in intricate symbolism simply hits differently. ]]

🜂 MADDIE

Reading palms, too? You’ve got just about everything then. [At least she can be impressed with his range. Whether or not its real, it takes quite a bit of skill to put on this kind of show. She respects that, even if she doesn’t quite respect the show itself. Still, she’ll play along. God knows there’s not much else to do around here.]

So let’s say I did decide to play your game. What’s in it for you? Kicks? Or are you looking to trade? Cause I don’t have all that much, and I’m not sure I want to spend what I do have on parlour tricks.

♣

I’m a creature of many talents. [[ He says with a smile, settling the cards down in a neat pile in front of him. His fingers weave together, looking up at the stranger. ]] And it’s not a game.

🜂 MADDIE

[For all her…everything…Maddie isn’t superstitious. She was raised a good Catholic girl and, like most of her peers, by sixteen she’d lapsed into a vaguely denominational atheist. Easter, Christmas, and the occasional Sunday visiting her mother were about as much thought as she bothered to give things like the afterlife or the Great Beyond. She happily stepped on sidewalk cracks and walked under ladders, and she thought black cats were quite pretty. Even her luck poker chip was more of a joke than an actual good luck charm. So, needless to say, when she’d seen the fortune teller setting up outside, she rolled her eyes and reburied her nose in the magazine she’d read three times already.]

[Still, the thought is intriguing. Better than her magazine, anyway. At the very least she can get a good laugh out of what’s got to be either a con artist or a crazy fanatic. Finally she gives up on trying to be entertained and approaches the blanket.] So how does this work? Are you going to read my palm? Bring out your crystal ball and tell me how much my childhood dog misses me? Or are we going to play poker with your fancy cards?

♣

[[ She comes in strong with her jabs towards Koda and his cards. It’s oddly comforting having someone come up to him and be ready to make fun, not looking to him for something they desperately need. Reminds him of all those assholes he’d dealt with pre-D-Day.

Odd, isn’t it,how the destruction of the world can make even rudeness feel almost sentimental. ]] I can read palms, too, if that’s something you’d be interested in. [[ Koda keeps his calm, smiles up at the woman and has to laugh at the dog comment. ]] I’m a fortune teller, not a psychic. Slightly different.

[[ He continues to shuffle the cards—clearly comfortable with them tot he point he doesn’t have to look as he riffle shuffles the pack. ]] They’re tarot cards, we decide on a question you’d like answer or an area of your life you’d like some more insight on. You pick the cards, I interpret their meaning. [[ Koda explains it calmly and simply. As much as there is an odd feeling of nostalgia to her rudeness, he’s not going to stand too much of it. ]]

◐ CONSTANTIN​

[For many years, when it was just him and Anaya, it never occurred to him that anyone else might have his gift. His telepathy. He’d never really thought about what it would be like to share that with someone, but it has rapidly become a source of extreme intimacy for Constantin. It’s one thing to share your thoughts with someone; quite another for them to share their thoughts back. A whole conversation, between just two people without the possibility of being overheard.

Perhaps that is part of the appeal. It reminds him, almost, of time in space. Two people, utterly alone, so that the other person becomes your whole world. It feels like that when he shares telepathy with someone. A universe, a vast universe of galaxies and stars, condensed down to the space occupied by two warm bodies. A hazy smile, un-self conscious, drifts across his face as Koda touches the tattoo on his shoulder blade.] 

I forget is there, sometimes. [Focusing on a memory, Constantin summons up an image: himself, twenty years old, peering over his shoulder in the grubby mirror of a not-very-nice Russian tattoo parlor as he inspects the raw skin and bright ink of the fresh tattoo. This, he shares with Koda’s mind. He’d been young, but he’d never come to regret it. The tattoo parlor might not have been the nicest, but the work was good.] Do you have favourite planet?

[The question is a bit out of the blue. Certainly not the first thing one might expect him to ask after the night they had just had. But he’s curious. And in any case, warm and hazy cogs are still turning in his mind. He is still waking up and still processing things. In many ways his world has changed massively. In others, nothing has changed at all. He is still Constantin, Koda is still Koda, and perhaps he doesn’t have to give some grand speech or have some huge revelation. Perhaps he can just be warm and happy, and wonder if Koda has a favourite planet. It’s not a deep question that he will fret over the answer to; he just loves space, and likes to know these things about people.]

[[ It’s sudden, the image filling up Koda’s mind. He’s Costin for a moment, a young Costantin looking at his own reflection and the then fresh ink in a grimy mirror. It’s over too soon, frankly. Koda looking at the ink, Constantin’s face. He wishes he could look around, see the place, see more of this younger Constantin. Then it’s gone.

A brief, beautiful glimpse into Costin’s life before. Koda has some photos of Suvi, tucked away in a box under his own bed, and he misses them. He had more: had a wall covered in photos he’d taken over the years, ones Suvi had collected and taken herself. He simply wanted to see people again.

One particularly tragic thing about the asteroids was how much history it destroyed; personal histories. He loved to see others photos, of their families, their pets, of them and all the little bits that made them up. ]] 

Neptune. [[ Koda answers without pause to think. His fingers run over them once more: the ink now settled in and a part of him. Koda’s own back is unfortunately plain, all of his own tattoos given to himself, he couldn’t exactly reach back there alone. ]] I didn’t know you could do that. That we could do that.

✧ ALOIS​

I-I… [[ Alois trails off. This is obviously the first he’s been made to think about it, really think, and it’s equally obvious he’s uncomfortable with the forced reflection. Angel had been happy to help him since the moment they met, and the relief had been so unexpected and so visceral that Alois has never questioned it. He resented Koda only a little for forcing him to now, and even then, it was merely petulant. Alois didn’t want to. But obviously, it was worth examining.

He lets out a careful breath and pushes a hand through his sleep-mussed hair. ]] I guess I honestly don’t know. [[ To say that he and Angel were friends felt like a bit of a stretch, even if they’d spent more time together at this point than Alois did with the majority of the colony’s population. He’s probably spent more time with Angel than he has most of his own house.

Alois spreads his hand wide in a gesture of defeat before leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. ]] A sense of purpose, maybe? Is that so bad? [[ Lord knows Alois suffers from a lack of direction. And if Angel believes he has some… gift, something he’s supposed to use as a member of the NWRF or even just in general, Alois could see how it’d be frustrating to have so many reject it. But that could just be on Alois, and his miserable Infection, and an inability to conceptualize being grateful for what he’s been saddled with. ]]

[[ Koda doesn’t rush him—he watches as Alois trails off, really forces himself to think through what Koda’s saying. He takes his time, and finally says he simply doesn’t know. All that matters is Koda has planted the idea. The only one who can really stop this unhealthy relationship from growing is Alois himself.

In a slouching moment of defeat, Alois offers an answer. A sense of purpose. Not a bad thing, technically, but coming from some NWRF nutjob? Yeah,  it’s a bad thing. ]] You know it can be. [[ Koda says instead of anything too vitriolic. ]]

◐ CONSTANTIN​

[When Constantin woke that morning, he was aware of a couple of things. He was aware of a bone-deep exhaustion that he’d not experienced in quite some time. He was aware of the tip of his nose being ice cold. He was aware that the rest of him was quite warm.

Raising his hand to touch his nose, he feels a shift and realises with that slow morning bleariness that the warmth he feels comes largely from the body wrapped around his. He can’t see Koda behind him, though the tattooed forearm and fingers slung around his torso are distinctly his. The exhaustion that threads through Constantin’s body is the sort that leaves you wrung out and satisfied, heavy as a beanbag and just as comfortable.

But there’s also something else creeping through that luxurious feeling, something a little more akin to shame. It’s a feeling without context when it first manifests, prickling at the corners of his lungs. Constantin slides his fingers through Koda’s, spreading them out and looking at the softened edges of dark ink, trying to push the shame away. He’s not even sure where it’s coming from; if it’s because last night had been his first time with someone that wasn’t a woman and he still has complex, conflicting feelings on that; or if it’s simply the fact that his stamina was a pool far shallower than it had been before.

Not that Koda had seemed to mind in the least. He’d taken charge without hesitation, and Constantin had enjoyed the view of Koda on top of him. He just wished he had had the energy to give and take in equal measures. There was a feeling on inadequacy, of laziness, as though muscle atrophy was just an excuse he told himself rather than an unavoidable truth.] 

Morning. [Constantin feels and hears the shift in Koda’s breathing as he wakes, too. Conflict aside, his overwhelming feelings are still good ones. It’s not as if he’d gone in with any doubts. He had been the one to invite Koda to Torren tower last night, after all, without too much ambiguity in his PDD message. It had been a temperate night last night, although the weather cooled through the night and Constantin is glad of both Koda’s warmth and the blanket wrapped around them. It is still early, the pale gray sky suggesting they won’t have to go for a while yet.] 

[[ Koda wakes slowly and contented. The warmth of another body against his is a well missed sensation and so is the pleasant heavy sensation throughout his body from a bloody good night. Groggy with sleep, his eyes stay shut, nuzzling into Constantin’s neck.

Last night was good. He did not hide his excitement at the PDD message, more than happy to rush on over to Torren and spend the evening with Constantin. He’d done his best but of course years in space took a toll on Constantin’s body and he couldn’t keep up the hard pace he tried for at first. Koda had no complaints, still doesn’t. Taking over, getting ride him and watch him Constantin’s face the entire time? He was thinking he should try that position more often.

His Spaceman’s voice rings softly through his head, Koda smiles small into the warm skin against his lips. ]] Morning. [[ Koda returns the greeting, staying put for a drawn out moment. He lifts his head, forces his eyes open with a contented exhale. There was no opportunity for Koda to see it—he’d spent the night either on his front or on top of Constantin. ]]  Oh. [[ He runs a finger down the tattoo: a pretty string of planets. Of course, he smiles at the sight of them, very fitting for his Spaceman. ]] I like this.

[[ Dappled sunlight through evergreen leaves offer the right amount of light that he’s not afraid of damaging his cards and a pretty effect, a small glint off his rings as his hands move. He sits cross-legged on a large scarf, one that can fit Koda and two other people with ample space in the middle for the cards. He plays with the cards without thinking, obviously deft fingers riffling and shuffling.

Koda was working on getting a stall set up in The Hub, but he had regrettably fallen out of practice. He had occasionally read cards for others, but not in any sort of strictly ‘professional’ setting. What better time than a long weekend to get some practice in? He’d set himself up just on the edge of the grass.

It felt familiar, the early days of setting up shop or when he would drum up business for Suvi around the carnival. He’s dressed up too: a little more jewellery than usual, a deep purple shirt loosely buttoned to show off dainty gold necklaces and a peek of black ink on his stomach. ]]

☱ LAKE​​

[Lake’s expression turns skeptical as Koda questions that Lake is made fun of. Why is this so hard to believe for some people? Admittedly like… maybe he’s made fun of less NOW compared to before D-Day, but he’s pretty sure that’s just because a lot of people here at Colony 22 are like, perpetually nice. So nice it’s almost annoying. Which is obviously a good thing but like…. he was made fun of enough in high school to know that people are probably still talking about him behind his back. They’re just better at hiding it. 

Or maybe real life isn’t really like high school, but it’s hard for him to imagine, because high school is all he really had a chance to know, before the apocalypse.

But he lets out a laugh as Koda excuses his use of the word ‘twat’. Is that even a cuss word? Huh. Maybe it is.] 

Yeah, bae, I mean…[(Lake had taken to using ‘bae’ instead of ‘man’ around Koda, even though he uses ‘man’ with girls too, he still feels like it might make Koda uncomfortable, so he tries to use ‘bae’ instead… which probably sounds as ridiculous out loud as it does in his head, but ridiculous sort of suits Lake’s style, so….)] …don’t worry about it or whatever, that’s just sort of uh. What’s the golf expression. Par for the course. I’m used to it. Like, it’s not like I don’t know I’m ridiculous. [Case and point.] 

But I mean… I feel like they’d mock me for getting myself out on purpose. Or else they’d just be disappointed. I don’t want to let the team down, you know? Well, the House, I mean. 

[[ ‘Yeah, bae,’ gets another smile from Koda. He’d never heard Lake say it to anyone else in the dorm, and he appreciates the small effort to make sure Koda’s comfortable. He doesn’t mind the casual ‘man’, the word losing most of it’s meaning with how casually it’s used. He’s thoughtful, 'bae’ says that much.

It’s nice to get a laugh from Lake, he’s obviously taking it all very seriously. Part of the reason why Koda said ‘excuse’ his lanaguge, he’s said fair worse. ]]

I applaud your team spirit — more than I have. [[ Koda stops for a second, they’d been walking so casually, he had genuinely lost track of the fact they’re in  the games and could be stun-gunned any second. ]] I just don’t want to get shot, fucking hurts. 

✧ ALOIS

[[ ‘No.’

Alois’ lips press into a thinly determined line, and for a moment the muscle in his jaw winds tighter. He’s not used to pushback from Koda, which might tell him all he needs to know about the situation – if he cares to look at it any closer than he is. Naturally, he doesn’t.

The words are met with a quick, resolute shake of his head. ]] I don’t see how he’s taking advantage, I don’t… see what he could be getting out of this. [[ Alois would never go so far as to expect true altruism from anyone involved with the NWRF, but his statement stands. It isn’t as if he’s paying Angel for his company. But Alois also tries not to think about the fact that, yeah, if it came down to it? He probably would. ]]

I think– you’re making this out to be a bigger deal than it is. [[ The tactic of someone running out of tactics; downplay. Alois takes a step back and shakes his head again, slower this time, more thoughtful. He sinks to sit at the edge of whatever bed the backs of his legs have found, regardless of whether it’s Koda’s or not. ]]

He’s just a means to an end. If anyone’s using anyone, we’re both using each other. [[ As if this somehow helps his argument. ]]

[[ Koda is—despite his general calm and unflappable demeanor—stubborn as hell. He sets firm boundaries; has lost friends over the years thanks to the simple fact he can’t let himself care about people who don’t care about him.

There’s the impulse to be childish—to fire back with ‘you’re not making a big enough deal’ but it would ultimately be fruitless. Koda can’t pretend to know what Angel will do, but he does know what the NWRF has done.

As Alois tries to reason his way out of this, it becomes obvious he simply can’t. He’s doing all the hard work for Koda, now. Accepting that this conversation is happening, Alois settles on the foot of Lake’s bed. Koda hardly thinks he’ll mind.

What: Corbin and Koda’s Bday Celebration 2.0 Where: Rocky beach by the docks When: Saturday, March 25th - After the Games Who: @kxdapaync​, @claytonboyd​, @mitch–douglas​, @felix-tee​, @cvnstantin​ (and maybe some stragglers)

cvnstantin​:

call-corbin​:​

[For once the air didn’t smell like salt and wood rot. It smelt warm, fuggy, smoke filled and heavy. It was nice. It was nostalgic. It made him think of sticky summer evenings, sand salted toes and tipsy indiscretions. He was even a little excited at the thought of smelling wood smoke on his pillow in the morning.

The soft orange light quivering in the distance made the night seem less overwhelming. He liked it, felt drawn to its presence like the proverbial mothhe was. The darkness on this island was all consuming. He’d never known night like it. But as he walked towards the bonfire, circled by the sound of cheerful voices and splintering wood, he felt comfortable. Excited. Other words. Even with a botched ankle.

His shoes scuffed along the shingle, one hand nestled into a pocket, the other swinging loosely by his side. Clay could only make out the shape of four sets of shoulders as he came into eye shot but that didn’t bother him, small, intimate groups were actually where he felt his best. Plus the pulsing vibe of happy people, happy being happy, was something he craved these days. A birthday celebration was perfect.]

Evening boys…[Spoken as he slides his way into a space that doesn’t need to be offered. He lowers down, meeting Corbin’s eye as he does so.] Your gift is me coming out past my bed time by the way. [Said with a soft smirk, one that he extends to all those in attendance. It doubles as a survey, his smirk curling itself upwards to make way for a soft snort.] Shit, if I’d have known this was a couples thing I’d have brought along my other half. [Said in jest with a soft shrug. He couldn’t be more single if he tried.]

@mitch–douglas​

[[ Mitch was surprised to receive an invitation to this party, to say the absolute least. It wasn’t that he didn’t have plenty of friends around the colony, and was rarely wanting for social interaction or long nights spent in good company. It wasn’t even as if he didn’t think he was that good of friends with Koda, considering how many nights they’d spent together entertaining each other at the Catch while babysitting overenthusiastic drinkers or, sometimes, just spending time together without having to keep a watchful eye on anyone else.

Still, there’s something in Mitch’s deeply rooted insecurities that has difficulty taking this at face value. He assumes they also needed a chaperone, some kind of supervision, and maybe he was just the first name that came to mind. He tries not to dwell too heavily on that as he wanders down to the cove, mindful of his footing in the rocks and sand, and experiences a near-comical swelling of nerves that remind him of his days attending his first few parties at college before he really got his social footing. ]]

Evening, all. [[ Mitch surveys the group with an easier smile than he may feel yet, but there is a reassurance in knowing everyone there. His smile lingers on Koda, and he reaches out to give his shoulder a brief squeeze. ]] Happy birthday. [[ He nods at Corbin, too, still smiling. ]] And you too, huh? Delma’s party wasn’t big enough? [[ He’s… not going to mention Corbin’s dance. He’s not. ]]

@felix-tee​

[Corbin notices the way Constantin’s arm around Koda’s shoulder turns into a subtle hand-holding as they sit, but other than a bit of shared, amused glance at Pax, he says nothing on it. Besides, Boyd shows up a beat later, and shortly after, Dougie, so there’s plenty of good distraction. 

Boyd makes an entrance that’s… sarcastic and dry as always, which Corbin appreciates, and he slides his mate a smirk as Boyd sits down next to him.] Aww, don’t pout, Stud. We’ll find ya another Daddy real soon, promise. Besides—Pax and I always got room fer a third if yer feelin’ lonely. [He shares another cheshire grin with Pax, who makes some drawling, affirmatory comment, and Corbin pulls out a cigarette from his jacket, holding it near enough to the embers of the fire to light it. 

That’s when Dougie sidles in, looking delightfully awkward as he wishes Corbin a happy birthday and… tries not to blush, is Corbin’s bet. He bites back his smirk this time. He’d already mortified Cambie enough concerning their relationship lately—he’ll try to avoid embarrassing Mitch any further with talk of his strip show a few weeks back.

He scoffs in reply.] Never, mate. Besides, that was weeks ago, and clearly more about Femboy Turner than anythin’ else. Tonight is ‘bout me. Well—and Koda. [The almost-slip is intentional, and he sends Koda a teasing grin and a wink. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for Koda’s birthday, and for the timing of Cambie’s getting back to them about the campfire, he might not’ve celebrated his own birthday at all. Or maybe he would have—he’s not too sure. He’s sort of hit or miss with this shit. Proudly unpredictable.] 

But thanks fer makin’ it—all o’ ya.  I reckon we’re all pretty tired after the Games today but what a way to wind down, yeah? Oh, and obligatory-congrats to Torren’s win, [he adds with a cheeky tip of his head to Costin.] 

@cvnstantin​

[As people filter in, he’s surprised to find that most of the faces are familiar ones. Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise, as it’s a small Colony and Constantin has been here long enough to have met most people at least in passing. It’s nice, though. Eager as he is to meet new people, there’s also comfort to be found in the familiar. He remembers Clayton from the bar, and Mitch is someone whom Constantin holds in high regard even if he hasn’t had the opportunity to speak to the man as much as he’d like.

There’s a nice atmosphere of teasing and camaraderie. Everyone seems to be in good spirits. In a way, he thinks he might even prefer this sort of evening to the victory party of a few weeks before. That party had been ostentatious, and fun, but it had felt like everyone was putting on a show. Well, they were – if not literally, then with their costumes.

But here feels very honest, somehow. People squint as the salt spray dries their eyes, a breeze tousles their hair, they take a wonky step on the uneven ground. Constantin feels that he doesn’t need to try in any way, he can just be. He feels more comfortable with his arm around Koda’s shoulder here, less self conscious than he has been before.] 

Oh, well, I did try to rush Donovan and Dr. Fitrei in first two minutes, and get ‘killed’ immediately. Vas good contribution, but I hate to take all the credit.

[Actually he’s a bit embarrassed at his poor performance, but generally the best way to get over embarrassment is to just laugh at yourself.]

[[ He nods to Clayton, having not spoken to the man it’s easy enough to dismiss the ‘boys’ comment. It’s comfortable, here, under Constantin’s arm, surrounded by people simply happy to be here. The salt, the smoke, it’s all the sort of reinvigorating scents that would leave Koda feeling new afterwards. Koda lightly pats Mitch’s hand on his shoulder and smiles up at the man at his arrival.

It was merely a happy coincidence Mitch could count as their ‘chaperone’ — Elite or not, Koda would want his friend here. It’s quite funny, now he thinks of it. Now sat between his Spaceman and the Colony’s favourite Science Teacher. Not the sort of company most would expect from Koda.

Constantin’s description of the games gets a heart laugh from Koda: the image of him rushing two of the ore serious elites here, and the physically formidable Alex in the games? It’s excellent. He just thinks he needs to find Constantin during one of these games, even just to bunk off. ]]

☱ LAKE

[It sounds like they BOTH got pretty lucky then. It also sounds like they’re both pretty non-confrontational when it comes to the games. But maybe non-confrontational is like, the smart way to play it. Whoever said it was was ‘survival of the fittest’ clearly didn’t know anything about bugs and like… other tiny-strong things. Sometimes it’s just about knowing how to expertly avoid your prey.

For a split second he doesn’t actually know what Koda is talking about with the Romeo and Juliet reference. His brain goes weirdly romantic and his eyes narrow a bit as his head swivels to look at him.] Want to what? [But then it clicks, and he lets out an ‘Oh!’ and laugh. Both of which are probably too loud, and he quickly covers his mouth—as though THAT will help make his previous sounds UNHEARD.] 

Uh, I mean. Tempting, but no. Like, can you imagine if they found out we got ourselves out? Two Brinks? Well, I guess we’re not technically in teams this time, but like, this early in the game? Man, I have enough reasons to be made fun of, I do not need anymore. 

.

[[ Koda doesn’t bother hiding the soft peal laughter when Lake clearly misunderstands the reference. Even though Lake does a better job of stopping himself.  Admittedly, Lake wouldn’t be Koda’s last choice around the Colony for a kiss at the very least, but now would be a particularly bizarre time to go for it.

Koda nods when Lake says it’s tempting. They keep going, Koda loosely attempting to look attentive and at their surroundings. ]] People make fun of you? [[ He asks, genuinely. Lake and Koda didn’t really interact that much outside of the dorm, Lake seemed much more outgoing and simply put busy, Koda was usually squirreled away somewhere quiet. ]] Anyone who’d mock you for leaving the games early is, pardon my french, just a right twat.

✧ ALOIS​

I’ll be honest with you: then I would probably jump through some fucking hoops. Koda– [[ Alois tries to keep his own voice low, to moderate success. ]] You can’t say you don’t understand what I deal with, and then not understand the lengths I would go through not to deal with it. [[ Even Alois’ seemingly boundless pride has a threshold, and right now it’s tied to getting a decent night’s sleep.

He stops himself just short of admitting his support of a cure for the Infections, but at this point, it’s implicit. ]]

If you care about me, you need to let me have this. [[ An edge of pleading sneaks into his tone. Alois doesn’t want to lose a friend over this when he already has so few, when he’s already lost another recently. He doesn’t want to have to choose, because he’s scared of the choice he’ll make. ]] At least until I have things better under control. And I’m trying, I’m… working on it.

[[ Simply because he would do it; doesn’t mean it’s any good. Alois, for all his seriousness, just looks sad and vulnerable. He wishes he could give Alois that quiet space, wishes he could give what ever relief Angel offers because Koda would do it with no strings attached.

‘If you care about me...’ he says and Koda frowns. He doesn’t like the wording, like it’s a ‘me or him’ sort of situation. It isn’t. In fact he couldn’t imagine anything worse to do in this situation like leaving Alois alone to handle things, to keep accepting Angel’s ‘kindness’. It’s not really a kindness if there’s a hidden agenda. ‘... let me have this.’ ]] No.

✧ ALOIS

[[ Alois doesn’t stay near the door as Koda does, instead crossing a handful of steps into the room and then to the side; a restless but lazy pace. Koda manages not to make him feel caged or cornered, but Alois is a far cry from comfortable. And maybe it’s because it’s still so early in the morning and Alois is still shaking off sleep he’s unused to, or maybe it’s that hint of vulnerability he always feels when he leaves the comfortable sphere of Angel’s presence, but something in the way Koda makes a point to switch to telepathy resonates deep in the hollows of Alois’ chest. He almost resents it, closing his eyes and exhaling carefully. ]]

He doesn’t have any more hold over me than I let him have. [[ It’s a weak defense, an argument that feels petulant and paper-thin, considering the fact that Alois lets Angel have a great deal of hold over him. ]] I just… need him so I can feel normal again. [[ That argument isn’t much better, and delivered just as lamely.

Alois shakes his head. ]] I’m not going to insult you with some defense about how he’s ‘misunderstood,’ but does it really seem that far outside the realm of possibility that he just wants to help me?

[[ Alois begins to pace uncomfortably. He even closes his eyes, a measured exhale. The sort of near melodramatics of someone trying to not lose their temper.

Koda gives him time to answer, and of course it’s not a good argument. No more than he ‘lets him have’, isn’t that what everyone thinks before shit hits the fan? That they were in control?

The second reason hurts to hear, the dire need to feel normal again. Koda wasn’t lying when he said he can’t imagine it, he’d rarely been over stimulated by sounds or sights and they’d be brief, awful experiences. To live like that every day? Koda cannot blame him for looking to Angel for help. He can, however, blame himself if he doesn’t help him stop. ]]