driftfleet | Yadrolla System Mingle

[Katara finishes healing Tom's ribs. "Thank you, Katara. I'll wait for you over there, alright?"

She nods at him, her focus shifting to Ben, and Tom fades into the orange background.] ...why is your eye closed?

[She has a Bad Feeling about this.]

[oh he's gonna die.

He keeps his eye closed and holds out his hand, opening it up to show her the eye. Not attached, it just looks like a ball of - not quite glass, dim inside with a little dongle on one of the ends that looks like it attaches to something]

Proving I can't bust it easily, duh.

[this death will be maybe worth it]

[ Okay, no. What? Why? ]

This is proving a point? Taking it out, safely, yourself?

[Katara is approaching him with each comma, tbh.] That has nothing to do with it getting damaged in the ring unless you throw it on the ground and step on it -- and don't you dare!

[She comes right up to him and putting her hands on her hips.] Why would you even take that out here? That's so unsanitary!

[his nose wrinkles up like he was considering throwing it on the ground and stepping on it but now he's not going to because she'll get even more mad.

For his part he just stands there as she approaches, not at all phased by her anger. He brought it on himself, that much he knows, he'll accept the wrath]

Yes? 'Cuz if I can take it out, safely, myself, then I can make sure it doesn't get damaged - which it can't unless you blow it up or whatever. Also -

[he opens that eye, and it's . . . just metal, or what looks like metal, behind it. With a little plug where the eye is. He does it quickly, though, with a gesture, because this is a step past what he's comfortable with on a good day and he's pushing, but - well, he likes to fuck with people he likes] See? It'll take more than a few whacks to do any damage. That's my point.

[...moon and stars.

How much of his face had been destroyed and reconstructed? That... looked like it had impacted part of his skull; metal was behind his eye-socket. What.]

[She takes a breath.]

And my point is that you shouldn't be so reckless! Maybe you can take it out and put it back in safely, but that doesn't mean that is always going to be something in your control! Unless you've got someone who can repair that technology that I don't know about, you're taking a stupid risk!

[he rolls his eye . . . then pops the other one back in (after turning away, he's not going to gross her out further) so he can roll both of them together, properly] I think you're overreacting to me getting punched in the face a few times, but okay, I'll try to be more careful.

[which is Ben speak for "I appreciate your concern and will take it under advisement" but not actually put it into action"]

Oh, you've made what you think very clear.

[She crosses her arms.]

Well yeah, I just said it.

[Ben please]

It's not what you said, it's the way you said it. It's the, 'that's nice, thank you for your concern, but I'm going to go get my head beat in anyway.' [ An angry gesture toward the ring.

WHY ARE MEN LIKE THIS. ]

Did you forget the part where I do this weekly back home? If I thought I was in danger of damaging my shit, I wouldn't do it. I'm not a complete idiot.

[Weekly.

Wow.]

Maybe not right now you're not, but get some more blunt force trauma to your head and see what happens!

[The dangers of all the medical training she's received is that... she sees a lot more dangers everywhere.]

You're definitely overreacting . . . if someone hits me too hard in the head I'm not gonna keep fighting, you know. I don't need my shit breaking.

[ When has pointing out that someone is overreacting ever worked to calm them down?

This is reminding her too much of Sokka and Looma right now, and she makes a loud, exasperated noise. ]

That's my point exactly! Because you don't have anyone to fix it if it does, and you can't control what happens when you put yourself in these situations!

[ WHY do boys need to do this?

She exhales loudly, looks at him and then just... looks away. She shuts her eyes, pained. ] Are you done for the night?

[at least he knows when to just shut up and stop arguing. He doesn't set out to piss people off on purpose (most of the time). He just sighs and rubs at his face]

Yep, I'm done. For a few days, I was going to let the bruises heal some first. You know, 'cause I'm not an idiot.

[. . . he's mostly done being himself]

[ She gives him a dour look. ] Good.

[ She was going to offer/demand to take a look at him, but his speech isn't slurred and she's assuming that his eyesight isn't any less blurry than it normally is after he takes out an eye, so she's just going to let him heal on his own to rest his brain from being pummeled.

She'd been also thinking of saying 'walk home with me', but she's miffed, so she just shakes her head and moves to brush by him. ]

[if only her looks worked . . . as she brushes by, he just turns to follow, sticking his hands in his pockets and walking along as if she hadn't just chewed him out for his dumb boy tendencies]

[Katara activates /ignore.

She walks over to Tom. I'm done. Are you staying or going?

"Well, I'm..." glancing between Katara to her Ben-shaped shadow. "I was thinking of staying the next round."

UGH. BOYS.] You have fun with that, then.

[Turning on her heel to just leave. Why she even came tonight, she has no idea.]

[oh Tom. Tom you should know better. Ben just gives him a quick little salute with his fingers before he follows after Katara]

[ And thus Katara was spared a short-lived flirtation with an orange dude named Tom.

When she realizes Ben is still following her to the exit, she glances over her shoulder at him. ]

Why are you following me?

I'm done for the day.

[he gives a shrug and nods towards the exit] And that's the way out.

[ She glances at him and huffs, but she slows down enough so that he can walk beside her instead of behind her if he likes. ]

[look he knows now to mess with angry ladies. But he will walk next to her when she slows down]

[She walks in silence for a little bit and then glances up at him.]

Is this all you've been doing on this system?

[he shakes his head, freeing a hand to gesture as he talks]

Nope, I've been busy. Bought parts, bought a replacement arm just in case mine does get broken - told you I'm not stupid - met up with a few people missing parts and offered some sage advice -

Oh yeah, bought some glasses too. I can actually see shit now.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject