action and video.

[rebuildyourruins]

Who: Thor + you
Broadcast: yes, video
Action: First Breath and Blue Fish
When: January 3rd - 4th

closed to Natasha.

[It takes some time for Thor to calm down enough from the shock of his memories to even think about what to do next. He had effectively chosen one thing of importance - Loki - and firmly shoved everything else to the side for hours. To take stock of the rest of it, look his own glaring mistakes in the face, was too much for him at the outset. But Thor isn't selfish at heart. There's only so long he can take focusing on himself before his mind turns to others.

He has to review what he knows from those last shattering moments on Earth with a grim objectivity before he gets in touch with the others. Once he does, it's easy enough to put together some of the pieces from his conversations with Natasha and know she's the one to call.

Not call exactly, but text.]

Can you meet me in the Space Bar?

[He briefly considers saying something else, bracing her for what he wants. There's no way he can think of to put that into text, though, so he doesn't. Once it's sent, he heads over to the Iskaulit to wait.]

action - first breath.

[Thor hadn't exactly been subtle when he came hurtling through the First Breath the night before, running straight through the ship in full battle armor before shutting himself in Loki's room. And that's where he stayed for a long time.

He does eventually come out though, rubbing tiredly at his face and heading into the kitchen. Thor's been here enough times to know where everything is. After a few moments of staring blankly at the countertops and cupboards, unreality threatening to unmoor him, he shakes himself and smacks the coffee pot onto the stove.

He'll be there for a while, drinking coffee at the bench and gazing vaguely at some fixed point on the wall. Still in full cape and mail sleeves. The bone-deep exhaustion in his face might have something to do with it.]

action - blue fish.

[Thor returns to his own ship during the day, knowing abstractly that the Fleet is due to depart this world soon. In the past he would prepare for this, restocking the food supplies and ensuring everything in the armory was locked back into place and accounted for. That was when the ship had more crew, and he hadn't yet become captain. Still, it needed to be done. Regardless of how unworthy he feels when he enters his own bedroom and sees the captain's bed in there.

Thor can be found stacking up crates in the cargo bay, checking through the fridges and freezers, and doing systems checks. Later on, he opts to sit on the top of the ship, watching the snow fall in silence.]

video.

[It's not the sudden reappearance of the short, jagged hair Thor used to sport or the incongruous brown eye where his eyepatch usually is that most dominates Thor's face when the video switches on. It's the weariness etched in hard lines all over him. There's no mistaking it, regardless of his otherwise composed demeanour. He merely nods at the camera before he starts, gruffer than usual.]

For those who knew her, Riona Cousland Theirin has left the Fleet. She was here for over three years, so I know she will be missed by many of us.

[There's a pause as though he might say more, but decides against it.]

The captaincy of the Blue Fish has fallen to me in her place. If you have any questions about that, you can bring them to me. [Thor shuts his eyes briefly, shaking his head.] Or... anything else.

[No doubt there might be some. He switches off the feed.]

Comments

text

[outstandingbalance]

[He won't have to wait long. If Thor needs to speak with her in person, she trusts his judgment. The lack of context is in itself a sort of warning.]

Sure. When should I be there?

text

[rebuildyourruins]

whenever you're ready. I'm there now.

text > action

[outstandingbalance]

On my way.

[She's not on the Iskaulit, but she doesn't have to drop much before he heads over; it's only minutes before she arrives, scanning the bar for Thor.

He concern is reserved but clear on her expression.]

[rebuildyourruins]

[It doesn't take long to find him, the bar mostly deserted. Thor himself was sitting at the bar with his back to the entrance when he hears Natasha walk in. He's quick to turn and slide off the bar stool, and-- the change in him is obvious, much like it was last time. His hair has, for lack of a better term, reset to short and ragged. He has two eyes instead of one, though they don't match.

And it's the tiredness in his face that's most striking, even though he smiles faintly when he sees Natasha.]

I thought we should probably catch up.

[That's a pretty weak joke, but what else can you do in this kind of situation? Take some kind of control.]

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha recognizes that look and understands clearly and all at once why Thor messaged her. She matches his expression, smile slight and strained, sympathetic.]

Yeah. Maybe we should. [She sits.] Can I buy you a drink?

action; first breath

[necromanswers]

[Things have been kiiiiinda messy here! Lup missed Thor during his first time rushing through the ship, but she's there during round two, sliding her way down the hall after checking on Taako. Upon noticing him, her hand reaches out to catch herself on the doorframe as she skates on by. A second later her head pokes back around the edge.]

Hey, quick question- what the fuck? There's- [...A beat.] You look trashed, holy shit.

[rebuildyourruins]

[Lup's skating clatter down the corridor had registered, but Thor had only just looked up from his coffee when she pops back up around the door. It's true, he does look like someone freshly run over. Though somehow he manages that without having a scratch on him.

All Thor can do is stare at her for a moment before he says, with some bemusement:]

And you look rude.

[Stellar comeback. He grunts, rubbing at his eye - the one he certainly didn't have before. He's less snarky when he talks again.]

I haven't seen a mirror in a while.

[necromanswers]

[Her lips quirk, but she doesn't laugh like she normally would. The situation calls for slightly more discretion right now. She does step properly into the kitchen, though, giving him a proper once-over.]

Just take my word in this case, then. Are you okay? You hurt? I can melt the infirmary.

[rebuildyourruins]

[He's dressed neck-to-foot in black armour, a little scuffed but otherwise undamaged. A red cape breaks up the darkness of it all, currently pooling around the back of the stool where he sits. Thor's hair looks like someone took a hatchet to it, cut roughly short and not uniformly. Instead of his usual eyepatch he has an eye - though it's brown instead of blue. There's no obvious sign of injury to him, and Thor's already shaking his head when Lup asks.]

No, I'm not hurt. [Physically.] You don't need to worry about that.

blue fish;

[spellsteal]

[Belthazar is still rather new to this ship even if he lived on it before. Almost everyone from that time has come and gone and some things aren't where they used to be. He's been keeping busy, too, restocking the kitchen and loading up on things they won't be able to find at waystations, like rationed ingredients and real meat and dairy. And herbs. So many herbs...

This is relevant because he's repotting a green onion he's adopted when Thor comes in for a freezer check. Belthazar looks up to greet him but something seems off. He sets down the bag of dirt he'd been holding.]

Do you... want some tea? [He can't tell if he normally looks this tired or what, but it seems pretty severe.] I found something with bergamot in it, it's very good.

[rebuildyourruins]

[There's a soothing familiarity to the busy-work. Thor has always fared better when focused on a goal, a task to complete. Now more than ever he needs something to focus on. Focused enough in fact that when he reenters the storage area to stash another packet of fish into the freezer, he misses Belthazar's presence at first. But only for a moment.

He still looks up startled from the paper parcel in his hands and frowns a little at the elf. He doesn't recognise him, and for a moment he thinks his new memory load has addled his mind. Only... no, there was a transfer to the ship recently, wasn't there?

When he registers Belthazar's words he lets out a breath, shaking his head a little.]

Oh... no, I don't drink tea. Thank you though. [Thor continues over to the freezer, opening it up to put the fish inside. He looks over his shoulder at the other man.] You're the new one on the ship, aren't you?

[spellsteal]

[Belthazar is a little skittish around new people and it's clear in his body language. There's something about him that just threatens to bolt at the first sign of danger. It's a survival instinct. But Thor doesn't appear to be angry, just really focused and more than a little weary. The mage relaxes a teeny bit.]

I can conjure something else or fetch it for you. [gently] It's important to take breaks.

[He nods at the question.]

That's correct. My name is Belthazar. I actually used to be on this ship but then I went home for a while. It's difficult to say 'a while' considering it doesn't feel like any time has passed, but that's the truth of it. I was here when Sokka was captain.

I cooked a king's feast for him and Allen every day, so don't be embarrassed about your appetite.

[Thor's a big beefy-looking dude. He's not a skinny seven stone wizard, so Belth just assumes he's gonna eat like a warrior.]

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor huffs slightly, amused despite himself. What he's doing right now isn't especially taxing to his mind, compared to what he's just come from. If he tried to sleep he's fairly certainly he would be unable. Closing the freezer once more he straightens up and offers a faint smile.]

I had some coffee earlier, so I'm all right. This is the last of the supplies I had to bring on board.

[He's nodding along to the description only to feel a pang when Sokka's name comes up. He can't help the flicker of melancholy in his expression as he sighs.]

He was captain for a good while, wasn't he? He was still so when I first arrived. [And now, through the chain of circumstance, it's Thor. Peering at Belthazar, he has to wonder at his claim. 'A king's feast', hm? His lips quirk again.] Well, that is quite a claim. I take it you mean in size?

action - taako.

[rebuildyourruins]

[It takes Thor a night and a day to properly turn his mind away - a bit - from the events at home. He realises he can't just stop in his tracks forever while he's here, staring into his own personal darkness without coming up for air. No, he's never been much for that.

When he come back to the First Breath once again after checking on the Blue Fish, he looks in on Loki first before turning to another closed door. Scrubbing a hand tiredly over his face, Thor knocks a couple of times. Hopefully the elf isn't asleep.]

Hey, Taako? It's Thor. Are you awake?

[abracafcku]

[After everything that had happened, with himself and with Loki, Taako had gotten suitably drunk and gone back to bed. He could get up and move, with effort and pulled stitches, but he wasn't exactly up for standing in the kitchen and working. It was weird. He's spent the last five or six years of his life avoiding it and now he is restless being unable to do just that. So he's awake when Thor knocks, if awake with a hangover.

He winces and flicks his wrist, the door opening with a Mage Hand. He might be hungover, but Taako's looking better at least. He's even got his hair properly braided as he sits up in bed, focusing on a book in his hands as he lies semi-propped up against the pillows.]

Mmnope, still dead. You come to pay respects?

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor blinks with some surprise as the door comes springing open right as he's about to knock again, even moreso when he realises Taako isn't anywhere near it. That answers whether he's awake, at least.

He steps into the room before shutting the door behind himself, eyebrows creeping up a little to see Taako sitting upright. It's a promising sign; he hadn't been in any condition to do that when Thor was last here. It causes a smile to flicker on his face.]

I don't know - I'm a little short on those lately. You look better.

[abracafcku]

[Taako shrugs lightly so as not to jostle his injuries. He'd been scolded by Haggar for pulling the stitches enough times and after his dash through the First Breath, he's ready to rest easy for awhile. Plus, the whole hangover thing. The less jostling the better.]

I have all of you forcing me to stay put. I have nothing to do but heal.

[And get drunk.]

[ after steve's arrival ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki has gotten used to seeing thor on the ship, even if he's not with loki every waking moment. he knows why thor is there, can't deny that he draws strength from his brother's presence. still, it bothers him somewhat. like he has chained thor to him in grief rather than respite or brotherhood. this is not what loki wanted for him.

but he is selfish and takes comfort in thor's life. let everything else burn. ]

I made some coffee if you want.

[rebuildyourruins]

[It's a compulsion Thor doesn't care to examine much. Like a gravitational pull he always ends up back on the First Breath by evening time, and then he ends up staying there overnight. There's a nameless fear in him about what might happen if he goes too long without seeing Loki in person. Even though they don't talk that much, it's a comfort just being nearby.

It beats rattling around his own ship endlessly looking for things to do. There's not that much that needs fixing or rearranging - Thor had already been taking care of things too well for that. But then Steve had arrived and there was something else to take care of.

He had come back to the ship not long ago, going into the kitchen and taking a seat. That was as far as he'd gotten before he just chewed over his own thoughts, gaze fixed on the walls. Loki's interjection stirs him out of that reverie.]

Uh, sure. All right. [...] You know how to make coffee?

[He can't honestly remember if Loki even knows what it is, beyond Thor telling him to try it.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki rolls his eyes at that, traces of the old humour at the corners. ]

This is my ship, Thor. I know how things work here.

[rebuildyourruins]

[He grunts, not surprised but it's a point of interest all the same. Getting up from his seat he moves around to fetch a mug and get the coffee.]

Right down to the drink dispensers.

first breath ;

[shroudedsecrets]

[ An alien looking cat makes his way in to the kitchen. He's usually more of a fixture around the ship but scarce until a good percentage of the ice was dealt with. The cat makes a sound as he notices Thor's presence, pausing in what was a trip to his water dish to look up at him.

Haggar's not too far behind, dressed in blue and white. Hard not to notice that Thor's been here regularly, if not visiting Taako than visiting Loki. She'd given him some acknowledgement in passing, given how often he was over lately, but they had never really spoken before.]

... Hello. Is the Captain resting, or does he have another guest?

[... There had been a lot more of those lately, too.]

[rebuildyourruins]

[The meow is what stirs Thor out of his reverie, blinking as he looks down at the cat. Both of them seem equally bemused to see each other there. His gaze travels up as Haggar appears behind the animal, with only some vague recognition. Thor has seen the woman around before, even prior to his more regular presence on the ship. Loki had once commented there was a witch aboard; he assumes this is she. He hadn't really given it much thought since then, especially not since coming aboard after the memories of home.

But now they're face to face, so his lack of knowledge about her is making itself well known. He nods by way of greeting, dragging his attention back to the present.]

He's resting, I believe. [Thor shakes his head, tipping the mug back and forth slightly in his hands.] Or at least I have seen no one else go to his room since I left.

[shroudedsecrets]

[The cat lightly flicks his tail, still studying Thor and distracted by the movement of the mug in his hands.]

Then let us hope he will not be disturbed, if he intends to rest for the time being.

[Haggar hadn't expected to greet him any further than that, but something about his general state gives her pause.]

... Should you not do the same?

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor stares at Haggar for a moment, wondering at the question. He knows he looks bad. He's been told so by several people already. But he doesn't think sleep is going to solve that.]

I'm not doing anything right now.

[That's rest, surely.]