driftfleet | 02

Entry tags:

02 - video

Who: Winn
Broadcast: Fleetwide video
Action: the Tourist
When: now!

[ last time he posted anything, he was a nervous wreck and kind of nauseous. the changes the past two months have left in him are impossible to miss; winn is smiling, upbeat, and almost comfortable. the nervous energy that is there has more to do with his addressing a bunch of strangers than the constant fear of death by space-stuff that overshadowed his first feed. ]

Hi, if we don't know each other - I'm Winn Schott. If we do know each other...I'm still Winn Schott - [ shaking his head, why hasn't he learned from the last time? prepare a script! ]

Anyway! I've been here for a couple months now, and it's been interesting - and I mean that in the original sense of the word. Think about it - not only are we in outer space [ there's only a slight wince at that, and even a lot of excitement. space is terrifying - but it's also really cool ] - but we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to reach across the multiverse and learn things that haven't even been dreamed up in our worlds yet. I've been learning - a ton from just casually talking to people, but there is a much better way to do this if we all cooperate, [ open source. it's the way of the future! ] and I know I'm not the only one out there who's interested!

So, I've got a suggestion for anyone who thinks that's really cool - and - pity for anyone who doesn't [ and by pity, he means judgment. he gestures excitedly with his hands as he introduces his brilliant concept ] - 2016: A Space-Time Odyssey - a series of free weekly lectures about anything and everything we've got here. Talks about different worlds, science, history, art lessons, concerts - I know we've got some musicians here - basically anything anyone signs up to talk about, teach, perform, or however you communicate things where you're from. Since we don't have a lecture hall we can broadcast the talks - give ourselves a fun routine....and if that doesn't work for someone, I can post the notes I'm so gonna take of all of these. Who's in? Who wants to go first?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ she smiles -- effusive, it seems, and effortless in her friendship. kate enters these associations all-in, and although it takes something more akin to a military tank to actually scorch her feelings -- it also takes equal force to shake her loyalty once it's been won. but the moment passes, her cheeks puff, and: ]

So what will I owe you? I don't want you buying the supplies on your own dime.

[ he brushes it off ]

Don't worry about it, I got plenty. [ he shrugs ] Apparently I'm entertaining to watch. Who knew.

[ he's trying not to think of the intergalactic sex tapes that are probably making him so popular - so he sinks into writing down the rest of her measurements. ]

Plenty? [ don't be offended, winn. but you? plenty? but you're so delightfully NORMAL and not, for example, a fire-bending psycho. or a claw-popping loose cannon. ] Gee, what've you been doing? Getting into fist-fights on the side or something?

[ the idea of an intergalactic sex tape simply has yet to occur to her at all. mostly because she would (herself) rather go toe-to-toe with wolverine again than willingly broadcast that portion of her life.

that is, had that portion of her life even been in existence. currently. ]

[ there's nothing willing about it, except for the fact that he's just not willing to keep his hands off kitty for the sake of their privacy. it's surprisingly easy to forget they're being watched, especially when she's kissing him.

he shouldn't be offended, because well, he feels the same way, but since when are feelings logical? his smile is a little tight, uncomfortable, as he rubs the back of his neck. ]

No, uh, the other thing that sells.

[ they're probably being watched because people want to see kitty - who would want to see him like that, right? - another thing he tries not to think about. the thought of horny aliens watching his girlfriend is...he needs a drink. and some serious anger management. ]

[ kate kinda just stares. ]

[ and stares. ]

[ and for a brief (weak) moment, imagines ]

[ no no no stop that bishop. that's no bueno. ]

[ AHEM.

she clears her throat. ]

Well. Then. That's...nice. [ hawkward. ] Don't you care about all the, uh, eyes?

[ the uncomfortable smile is just frozen on his face through all of it, and he shakes his head a little at her question. ]

I'm - trying not to think about it.

[ so far, his account is the only horrifying reminder. so maybe he's spending a little more than he would've otherwise, just because he wants to get rid of his porn-star money. ]

Well, thanks a lot. Because now I am.

[ thinking about it. kate scrunches her eyes shut and gives her whole body a hard shake. ]

You're giving them exactly what they want! [ aha, see -- here is the real nub of her negative reaction. not feelings of prudish scandal, but a heroic-to-a-fault sense of self (and everyone else) denial. ]

[ that's not a reaction he's prepared for - and it takes him back. ]

And being miserable to lower their ratings, that's winning?

[ he'll do what he can to fight against the atroma, and when he first arrived...he felt the same way. he wasn't going to share his pain with anyone, because he didn't want to give them what they wanted.

and then he met kitty and none of it mattered anymore. they'll win this, but they'll do it together. ]

Whoa, nelly. Slow down. There's a lot of ground between misery and...and orgasms. Go too far in either direction, and you make yourself prime watching material. I'm aiming for a more balanced course.

[ and she never misses. ]

Not that much, when you're in love.

[ and as awkward as this conversation has gotten, as defensive and judged as he's feeling right now - it still feels incredibly nice to say it. he hasn't really talked about kitty and their relationship to anyone so far - it feels awkward to bring it up with kara for a million different reasons, and as close as he's gotten to his other friends, this is his first time getting to this conversation. ]

I balance it out by being incredibly boring the rest of my time building stuff? I haven't blown up a single thing yet.

[ -- record scratch. ]

Love? It's love?

[ that's not doubt in her voice. merely...curiousity. or, perhaps, that edging tone that suggests love might be the mitigating factor in something like this. not that kate believes sex to be at all necessary to love, but...

different strokes for different folks, right? she's still not comfortable with the act of gift-wrapping the atroma their late-night specials. but maybe she can adjust her attitude by a degree or two. ]

I know, I know - it's - super fast.

[ it comes up all the time - how fast they're moving, and how their environment and their pasts are probably pushing them past what's a smart rhythm. but they can't help themselves. he can't help himself.

he's in love. ]

Believe me, whatever you're thinking, I've told myself. But -- yeah. I love her. [ he can't help but smile at just saying the words, at thinking about her, knowing that if she were here right now and he'd say it - she'd say it back. it's nothing short of miraculous to him. ]

Fast? Sure. But fast isn't always bad. I mean -- it's not my speed of relationship, personally, but I'm not involved. [ ... ] I guess I'm happy for you.

It's not. [ he nods, agreeing. how can it be bad when it's the happiest he's ever been? ] It's really good. Thanks, Kate.

Does this mean that -- if given the chance -- you'd, uh, stay?

[ maybe the question is a rude one, but kate's never been good with delicate. ]

[ he runs a hand through his hair, the other playing with his notepad, clearly she's touched on a sore spot. he wants to take kitty home with him. but what if that somehow ends up not being a possibility? what if for whatever reason of their luck just sucking - she can't cross the dimensional barrier with him?

then he'd have to make the most difficult choice of his life. when he's with kitty, it seems almost simple - the truth is, he's obsolete at home. kara will be fine without him, supergirl never needed him, ms. grant will replace him faster than he can think about it, james will make a 100 other friends who aren't an awkward mess around him...nobody needs him there, not really. kitty does.

but he does need his friends - kara is the first family he's had since he was a child, and she's always reassuring him of how important he really is to her. james - they may have the world's strangest friendship - but it's theirs and it's irreplaceable. and the DEO really isn't investing in top notch hackers the way it should. his apartment, his life, everything he's used to - saying goodbye to that forever...it hurts just to consider. but then, how can he go on with his simple little life there, knowing he's done to kitty the one thing she's afraid of - left her? ]

If all other options are exhausted...I don't know. Maybe. [ he wants to think he would. it'd be the right thing to do. but when the time comes, will he have the courage for it? ]

[ she doesn't hurry his answer. kate leans back, almost as though offering him up physical space to match the emotional space needed to answer a question such as this one. slowly, her arms fold across her chest. solid, wall-like. non-combative. ]

I suppose it's a moot debate. The choice might never be afforded to us.

Yeah.

[ his tone is so very unconvinced, his eyes are downright devious. he has no intention of waiting for anyone to afford him the choice - he may not be the one to get them all home, but he sure is one of the people trying their hardest. ]

So, I'll - just, I'll make some preliminary sketches, and we'll go from there?

[ she inhales -- and decides she doesn't have the heart to tell him how these interdimensional tangles sometimes aren't straightened out through sheer force of will. they take a delicate touch and a lot of luck, on occasion. she would be the first person to admit that without noh-varr and america chavez, her team would have been ended in the mayfly dimensions.

usually far more optimistic than this, kate is suddenly seized by a gnawing need for that same team. those familiar faces. billy, wow, he could have pretty much thought them out of this.

slowly, she nods. ] Sounds great, Winn.

[ he knows it won't be easy. it hasn't been, already. it doesn't matter what other people think, though, all that matters is what he ends up doing. kara's here, and he believes in her. they're taking very real steps towards getting her powers back. kitty is here, and she's strong, and brilliant. cisco's brilliant. he's brilliant. they have so many things going for them, in their little team - and so many things going for them outside of it - kate, for example. with all these heroes, all these geniuses, how can they lose? ]

I'll try to have some options for you over the next couple days. [ he nods in return. ]

Next step? A real bow. [ she smiles -- and then holds up a hand, as though she can predict winn's overt, helpful nature before it even manifests itself once again. ] I'll take care of that one.

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/hands kate a drink

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