video

[agnominal]

[ There's a perplexed looking young man in view of the screen. Anyone familiar with Locus will probably recognize him, but something's definitely different. That tell-tale x-shaped scar? Gone. His hair is shorter, hanging just below his jaw. Moreover, his eyes don't quite hold that thousand-yard-stare to them just yet.

He looks, well. Teenaged.

He's also holding Luna up to view. She's purring heavily, but he appears bewildered by her presence, if anything. ]

Does anyone know whose cat this is? I just...found her here when I woke up.

Comments

[agnominal]

Sometimes it's difficult to talk.

[ He shrugs again. ]

Other people usually fill the silence if you let them.

[goddamngrenades]

You're not having a hard time talking to me.

[ Just pointing that out, here. ]

Finding words is a bitch sometimes, I agree. But we're doing fine.

[agnominal]

[ He seems to realize that after a moment, and then? The most hesitant of grins (but still clearly a grin) starts to dawn on his face. ]

I suppose you're right. We must be friends.

[goddamngrenades]

[ holyshit he smiles. It's usually something he has to fight to earn and it's never more than a quirk. A twitch. It's-

Cute on young him.

He shoves that thought far away as he reaches out to pat Locus' shoulder. ]

Told you.

[agnominal]

[ The smile grows wider and, again, his gaze slips away. Back to Luna, who is peacefully snoozing against the crook of his arm. ]

You mentioned someone else. Wash?

[goddamngrenades]

Yeah, but he got hit by this too I think. I'm pretty sure.

[ He scrubs a hand down his face, sighing. ]

I'm just waiting to change my own damn self. That'll be fun.

[agnominal]

You don't sound convinced.

[ Not that he'd be happy with the prospect, even where he is now. No one really wants to revisit their past, not that he can imagine at least. ]

[goddamngrenades]

I was kind of a jackass. I still am a Jackass, just not as much as I used to be.

[ By a long goddamn shot. ]

Self centered asshole kinda guy.

[agnominal]

[ Sam's brow wrinkles. ]

That doesn't sound like you. You seem...nice.

[ He's only been speaking to him for twenty minutes or so, but it still reads that way to him. ]

[goddamngrenades]

It comes from looking back at my younger self, my choices? And cringing.

Lots and lots of cringing.

[ God he was such a jackass. ]

[agnominal]

Well...

[ He thinks about this for a moment, his expression very grave, before he makes eye contact once again. ]

If that does happen, I'll be there. And I'll try to remind you what you're really like.

[goddamngrenades]

...Thanks bud.

[ It's so damn habitual he doesn't even think before closing the distance by listing to the side. Flopping over to lean against Sam. He doesn't have the same bulk to him that Locus does but- he's warm. He's familiar. ]

Seriously. Thanks. I dunno how well that will work but- thanks.

[agnominal]

[ He startles, visibly. But after a moment that stiffness goes a little lax. It's less discomfort than surprise, but it feels...

They're friends. This must be what it's like.

A brief smile dawns on his face before he nods and lifts an arm to let Taylor get more comfortable. ]

It couldn't hurt to try. You got through to me.

[goddamngrenades]

Oh shit, sorry-

[ He starts to pull away before Sam shifts to accommodate and...then he just. Settles. Like it's any other day when he comes to talk to Locus. ]

I guess not. I'm gonna write noes to myself, see if that'll help your case. "Don't be a douchebag, Agent York".

[agnominal]

I thought you said your name was Taylor?

[ There's that confused look again. Was he misremembering? ]

[goddamngrenades]

It is. When I achieved full 'true jackass', I was in a secret military project where we all went by statenames. I was Special Agent New York. Agent York.

[ Project Freelancer. God. He'd bought that shit hook, line, and sinker. ]

[agnominal]

I see. So you fought in the war as well?

[ His interest is piqued. ]

Is that how we know one another?

[goddamngrenades]

Yeup. Ran a squad till I didn't. Signed on for Project Freelancer afterward till that didn't work out. Kept my head down after that.

[ The only way to live. ]

Nah, I didn't meet you till we both got pulled here.

[agnominal]

And where is here, exactly? It looks like a UNSC installation.

[ But he's getting the feeling that may not be the case after all. ]

[goddamngrenades]

Legion World. We're in a different universe. Right now? We're in your habitat. Old you chose this for...some reason. I never asked.

[ He shrugs, not much else to say. ]

My habitat looks like a ranch house in East Texas.

[agnominal]

And why are we here?

[ He has to wonder. 'Different universe' is strange, but so is flying. So is turning invisible and time reversal and any number of things.

He's just going to digest it all as best he can, one piece at a time. ]

[goddamngrenades]

I got a debriefing packet back at my place if you wanna see it- bring Luna. Y'all visit often enough I've got food and a litterbox for her there.

[ And plenty of things for little kittens to play with if she does so desire. ]

[agnominal]

Alright. Perhaps later, then.

[ He's not inclined to move right now. Something familiar is tugging at him, a sense of rightness with them here, Taylor leaning into him.

So he tries leaning back. Rests his head against York's, like he's testing this out for himself. ]

[goddamngrenades]

Sure.

[ He doesn't think a thing of the continued leaning, the reluctance to peel away. Three out of five times they end up like this and it's...grounding. Comforting. The world is strange right now and Sam's- not Locus but still him in part enough for this to be familiar.

But it's real.

He goes still when Sam leans back, blinking. It doesn't happen often, if ever and...it's nice. ]

[agnominal]

[ At the stillness, Sam goes still as well. Trying to figure out if he's pushed it a step too far. ]

Is...is this alright?