abraxaslogs | If I think too hard about what we're doing I'll feel really bad about it (Open/Closed)

I don't intend to launch myself into orbit, though — there's a bubble of air that erupts from around his snorkeling gear as he scoffs, and a nearly-inaudible waterlogged wahwah sound from his mouth. It could be loosely translated into coward, if she were close enough to hear and spoke fish.

Although, okay, admittedly... that whole display of magic was pretty friggin' cool. Smart use of the ice pyramid situation. Cool water cyclone.

There is one pitfall, which he's sure they both see as the cyclone keeps on cycloning, and he sighs. Pretty obvious what he has to do here, and he's got no more means of tethering himself now than he did two minutes ago, so.

He braces himself. Like, mentally, because physically isn't an option.

Then fires off another sign to counter her cyclone's force, and thrusting him a couple dozen yards backward in the process. Then comes the long, annoying swim back to see if it actually worked.

Hey, you know what? Ain't half bad.

Look freezable to you?

Fortunately while the cyclone didn't really control, it wasn't self-sustaining, once the spell ran out the currents slowed and returned to normal. The ice pyramid wasn't conjured, just cold water in the sea. It'd melt eventually. But that would take a lot longer to vanish. At least until it came dislodged and floated to the surface.

Abby didn't wait for Dean to make his way back, she just got her knife working, tapping the tip of the blade to blobs of slime, freezing them, and sending them towards the surface. She'll take a little while to get most of this slime off the seabed.

It's not all of it. But it'll make this whole thing a lot less slimy. I'll need to go up for air soon. See if you can find a way to dispose of this gunk?

Her focus was pretty solid while she was working on a limited timeframe. So she'll just ride that out. She does spare a glance for Dean before adding another thought.

You're absolutely coming back and doing that for fun later aren't you?

You bet your ass.

He doesn't clarify whether that response is meant about him finding a way to dispose of the gunk, or if it's about whether or not he's coming back to Aard around the ocean again — but it's not a hard guess. He does not sound the slightest bit ashamed of it. Don't judge him for enjoying fun, okay.

He breaks the surface and heaves himself from the water onto the beach, limbs heavy from the sudden reintroduction of gravity, until he finds his footing properly upon the sand. There, he thoughtfully surveys the little chunks of ice that begin to bob atop the waves.

Are we supposed to be hauling this crap completely out of the water, or just getting it away from the coral shelves?

Boys have weird ideas of fun, she doesn't get it but she can't say she's surprised by it. She spares a moment to roll her eyes over it. Then back to work, sending another three ice balls up before she starts kicking up to the surface.

"I know we need to get it off the shelf, but since we can get it out of the water we probably should." Of course, it was easy for her to say, she was about to sink back to the gathered slime and freeze some more to send up here where she's not the one moving them. She doesn't have much problem at the surface swimming idly. "Alright, more coming."

She dives her way back to the bottom, knife back out as she works more ice magic. Sending more balls of ice, generally in the baseball to basketball size on up to the surface.

He nods once, briskly. Alright, that settles that — and now that he knows the goal, he's actually got a half-decent plan. The Free Cities have set up a few supply drops for them; along with the snorkels and goggles, there's also a small pile of nets. He scoops one up, yoinks off his headgear, and treads back across the sand.

After a good dozen or so chunks of ice have gathered on the surface, he kicks into gear. Bamfs out those wings from their pocket dimension behind his shoulder blades, spreading them out white and wide and blessedly healthy after that whole demon molting thing a few months back.

The plan's a simple one — fly over the water, drop the net, skim the surface like a pool skimmer, and then haul the lot of it up out of the water and back over to the shore.

From the water Abby can't really see what's going on above, the water is clear enough save the icy chunks of gunk she's sent to the surface.

She can see a a shadow skate over the water, and the net drop. She paddles her way out from under the net and surfaces. And stares.

What the absolute fuck.

How off the fucking rails did your show get?

Believe it or not, that question actually earns a bark of unexpected laughter from him, head thrown back to the sky even as he heaves his net of ice slime heavily from the water. It's too heavy for him to answer back properly until he lands, panting, hoisting his burden onto the sand.

"Believe it or not," he grunts, dusting his hands off on his thighs, "These are a here thing. Gift from the big fuck-off rock everybody needs to leave the hell alone."

Thank you, singularity.

He eyes her with good humor, and says in a conspiratorial tone, "Between you and me? Terrified of flying. Hate heights. Worst Christmas present ever."

Edited 2023-10-12 23:11 (UTC)

Abby follows him from the water at a decent clip, swimming isn't her favorite thing but she can do it, and she doesn't lack for energy.

She seems a little relieved, to learn that no the CW never found a budget. That this is just stuff he gets to have here, thanks to a meddling God Rock Thing.

"So like my incognito mode." Which is another cute name for becoming so inconsequential anyone (without heightened senses) can ignore her. She's gathering up the coral plantings for taking back to the water, "But you sure it's ominous rock and not some sort of angel STI?"

She's decided, in this moment, for violence. She doesn't know if they're a couple but she knows both are here, and she has that one meme in her mind. So it felt like the right tease to just- leave in the air.

"Your-" he starts, initially confused — but quickly enough, realization sets in and he looks at her with a dawning understanding blooming across his expression. "That's what that was. Back at the barracks."

A beat, and then what she calls it hits him again. He can't help but mildly judge her, "Incognito Mode? Really?"

As though he has a single leg to stand on when it comes to naming things. He's the worst.

Whatever. Not gonna dwell. Instead, we're gonna focus on the other half of this conversation. This is a prime example of a teenager being a little shit. Brace for a counter-attack of Dean going full embarrassing Dad mode and leaning way too hard into a topic he knows most teenagers will be immediately repulsed and cringed out by.

Time to call her bluff.

"But for your information, no. Angels don't carry diseases. But you know who does? Teenage boys. Or girls. Whatever floats your boat. The point is, always use protection. Also, get tested. Have your partners tested. Have you seen Nadine? I bet she could run a diagnostic for free..."

He is fully prepared to go on and on if she doesn't stop him.

Edited 2023-10-13 23:08 (UTC)

"I don't have like- one name for it, but it's hard to call it anything when I don't turn fucking invisible." It's a complication with describing it, she isn't ever truly invisible. Her presence just stops being worth noticing. Unless you're a freaky Witcher, which is a fine print clause she really wanted beforehand.

Honestly if he didn't react, it wouldn't be any fun. Not the reaction she was expecting. But it's sweet in how... Boring, it was. Not like her dad ever gave her that talk. She rolled her eyes and let him go until he said Nadine. Which may as well have just been slapping her.

"I do a lot of stupid shit, but right now the one guy I'm fucking isn't anywhere near that list." Whatever 'fun' they were having a few moments ago was gone, "I'm using protection and I'm fine."

Said like someone who is definitely not fine.

Well. Okay, then. Operation: Embarrass the Teenager did not actually pan out the way he intended, and his eyebrows creep up in faint surprise at the strong reaction she has to it. Never mind that it's extremely gross to hear the one guy I'm fucking from a girl her age, which he admittedly brought on himself, but the sharpness over her tone that follows it is noteworthy.

He's met her twice.

Maybe if he knew her better, he'd push. But they don't have that relationship, they don't have that dynamic. They're strangers, and it's none of his damn business.

So, after a visibly reluctant beat, he decides the best course of action is to back off.

He nods his chin toward the coral samples they're meant to replant. Errs for gentle and diplomatic when he pitches,"How about we put our eyes back on the prize and get this thing done, huh? Easy part's up. Sooner we finish this, the sooner we can steal whatever Sam's cooking tonight." Sam Wilson, he means.

Was it fair how easily she could weaponize doing things every adult did at her age (or wanted to, if they didn't) against them, but only if they were halfway decent? No, not really. But it was a razorwire she could deploy very effectively.

And life wasn't fair, was it?

She stares at him a moment as she puts her bag of plantings on her belt, trying to read if he's being kind or friendly. One of those little things, he wasn't particularly friendly when they met, so she assumed it was kindness. She could work with that, "You probably want to put your water wings away."

She tried to make a joke, it wasn't very good but she's not really her best self right now.

No, life is certainly not fair. If anyone can attest to that, it's him.

He scoffs gently at water wings, but does in fact fold them away into the pocket dimension from whence they came. They're not the most water-efficient, they get waterlogged and heavy and drag him down. He'd feel like a god damn moron drowning himself again.

Together, they work. The hard part is over, the easy part is now — carefully replanting coral samples into the new cleaned shelves and stretches of sand, largely quiet and attentive, and surprisingly companionable considering their rocky first impression.

Teamwork accomplished, achievement unlocked.

Abby kept the network active in her mind as they worked, but didn't make any jokes or send any messages to just be a pest for fun. She worked, letting the act of fixing a thing she felt responsible for fill her focus.

It felt nice, to fix things.

After getting out of the water she wrung her hair out best she could, put on real shoes, but her only extra clothes were a large pink linen jacket meant to keep the sun from her skin. She was dressed enough otherwise, and she didn't fucking care. Glass snorkel on her belt next to her knife.

She almost left without saying anything, but it felt weird. She should say something kind, something to offset how weird it all got at the end, "You didn't suck as much to be around this time."

...Never said she was good at saying kind things. She managed the weakest, the most lackluster of smiles as she faded from focus. Too inconsequential to keep track of without the application of heightened senses as she wandered back toward the portal home.

If I think too hard about what we're doing I'll feel really bad about it (Open/Closed)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

ftb montage

no subject