[log] you hurt yourself again along with all your friends [closed]

[mrcreamsicles]

Characters: Davesprite, Bucky, and Watson
Location Aquarium (F24 - 235)
Date: Day 161, evening.
Summary: Troy-pizza-fire.gif
Warnings: Two men with unpleasant injuries and/or gangrene, one recently dead teen bird with existential & mortality issues out the wazoo.

[When Davesprite arrives at the aquarium, cold and tired and looking looking the part, it's at an evening hour.]

[It wasn't finding his way that gave him trouble, not really. With a map to reference and the firehouse beside the police station, it only took location which side the buildings met at to determine which was was north. The problem was everything else.]

[Night he spent with little sleep, up late first from fighting his tablet for usable pictures of the bodies in the morgue, then updating people with drawings and gestures and sounds, then resting poorly at best before the nonnegotiable urge to leave hit him at the start of morning. And then it was still dark, the air cuttingly cold without the sun yet risen. For the first hours he had only his tablet to light the way.]

[The static was still out, too. That, at least, he had heard about, and it had (thank fuck) diminished since day 159, but its presence still left him tense and wary. For all he knew by then that he wasn't the only one the paranoia had hit, it still clung at the back of his mind, mixing with temperature and visual snow to remind him of the slow wait before his death.]

[It would have been easier if he could have talked to himself. He pressed on anyway.]

[So now, sun set again, there is a thick lump of gratitude that settles into him to have found the building. He's not even thinking about other people as he passes, and with his tail hovering inches above the floor, the only sound to give him away is the creak of a door, the shift of fabric, the brush of feathers along the edge of a tank, or—perhaps—the huff of a worn-out sigh. The sight of him is something different, though: it's hard to miss a floating, orange bird boy.]

Comments

[advanced]

[Considering his arm came off that morning, as well as various chunks of his skin, he's feeling as well as can be expected. He's awake, he's not too dozy as he resisted taking more than a quarter of the vicodin just to take the edge off the pain, and he's sat up in the corner very nearly resting.

Not that this lasts when the door opens.

He's on his feet at once, swaying and nearly falling again, to blend back into the shadows behind one of the tanks. His feet are silent as he stalks around what seems to be an anomaly. Or would be, if it weren't wearing a mish mash of clothing.]

Who are you?

[He asks from where he's semi hiding out of sight.]

idk if Bucky would give him the moment or not, so feel free to react before the tablet-sliding

[mrcreamsicles]

[Davesprite tenses and his hand meets the front of his backpack, going for a sword he no longer has, prompted by old instincts from spars he hasn't had in years before the reality catches up with him. He doesn't know the voice, and the voice doesn't know him, and goddamn it is the worst time to not have words to communicate with. He can't see the source of the voice, but he can guess a general direction. Whoever it is, Davesprite figures they've probably spotted him already.]

[He stops in place, holding his hand up instead with palm out. The other fishes for his tablet (monsters don't have those, right?) to try to dig back for the obituary post, if Bucky will give him the time.]

[For lack of anything to say, he caws. It's meant as acknowledgement. Hold on, yes I hear you, please don't lose your shit while I try to figure out how to communicate when my useless voice has crapped out, all in spirit.]

[And if he gets that moment, soon enough Davesprite is sinking down to slide the tablet across the floor, over the way he heard. He's no Steve Rogers, whoever that is, but the other name listed is his.]

[advanced]

[He does give him the moment.

Even if he had been in peak fighting, what he's done to Watson has definitely forced him to look at tempering his actions. He doesn't want to hurt anyone else needlessly. The hand up, the backpack, they're both more indicators of a person not an anomaly. So he waits.

A one armed man, stump wrapped in strips of fabric and packing tape, stoops to pick up the tablet.]

Davesprite?

[mrcreamsicles]

[Jesus Christ, what the hell did he walk in on. Davesprite stares, and even with the sunglasses hiding his eyes it's impossible to mistake it for anything else. What happened to his arm? What happened in general? He hardly looks like he's doing well.]

[He straightens where he floats and gives a nod. Yes, Davesprite. Then tapping his throat, he gives another caw, hoping it will get across that proper words were what he lost. His posture is tense, though, and he keeps his other hand raised in that warding gesture. There's no getting around how weird he looks, but the last thing he means is a threat.]

[advanced]

[Bucky's own posture is equally as tense. Despite missing an arm and looking like hell, he still moves with the wariness of a predator watching potential prey. His brow furrows, he's seen a lot of weird things but this pretty much takes the cake.

Still, not an anomaly, so he slides the tablet back at him.]

Can't speak. Can you write?

[jumpthegun]

[John is in the restroom, trying to just sleep a little and recover after the bending and stretching required to conduct Bucky's surgery that morning. He's woken by noises outside, but it takes him a bit to actually get up and limp his way over to the door to the restroom leaning against the wall and supplementing with his umbrella cane.

That is a very orange, very feathery person lacking legs, that is. Given that John's something of a network stalker, though, he does have an idea who this is. He looks an absolute mess with a swollen nose and two black eyes. He glances over at where Bucky's standing in the glow of a tablet and flips his own on.]

Uh... I don't think he can. That's why you were drawing pictures on your message, right? [His voice is nasally and hoarse.] Sorry, hullo. I'm Dr. Watson. This is... @username. [He doesn't really know how Bucky wants to introduce himself here.]

[mrcreamsicles]

[If Bucky is a predator, then Davesprite is prey, tension drawn taught as a wire by fight-or-flight instincts he can't act on either way. Outside is snow and the inevitability of lockdown, and here he has no better weapon than a wooden spoon strapped into the spot a police baton would go on the utility belt he scavenged the night before.]

[But he hears someone else approaching (oh god damnit, not another one), and what answer he may have given is stalled until Watson's words cut the air. Fortunately, it answers the question for him, and the name is one he can place back to the answers he read on that same obituary post. @jwatson, Dr. Watson—is it that Watson? But he can't ask, and Dr. Maybe-Sherlock's-Buddy-Come-to-Life is busy introducing @username. Didn't Homura say she picked @username2 because that one was taken?]

[DAVE: thats a hell of a mystery no one thought was a mystery and didnt even really need solving.
DAVE: but damn if it didnt just get solved so nice work]

[His posture eases minutely, and he nods over to him, before ducking to pick his tablet back up. No, he can't write; yes, that's why he was drawing pictures. He'll be so glad once every part of his life stops being so monumentally stupid, but who is he kiding: that will happen never.]

[advanced]

[@username is good enough for now.

His tension only increases when Watson appears in the doorway to the bathroom. It's not that he definitely thinks this stranger is a threat, but that damn niggle at the back of his head won't let him forget that he might be. He moves to step a little closer to Watson, the man can barely walk, if there's going to be a fight then he needs to take point.

He doesn't say anything more, he'll let Watson take point on the conversation, but he remains ready, eyes never leaving Davesprite.]

[jumpthegun]

[John takes note of Bucky's more protective stance and is both touched and moderately annoyed.]

All right. This is gonna be a bit of an awkward conversation, then. You're welcome to take up wherever you'd like, Davesprite. Or do you just go by Dave? [Saying Davesprite is weird.] I'm camped out in the loo here, but there's hot water in the sinks you're more than welcome to.

[mrcreamsicles]

[Well geeze, Bucky, don't welcome him all at once. Davesprite watches him move over closer to Watson, but from there it's impossible to tell which of them he's watching more closely in a given moment. The sunglasses are good for that much.]

[Of course Watson has to ask the obvious question, but it's one he's dealt with twice the night before. He waves it off; no, not just Dave. And the hot water is definitely tempting, but...]

[Goddamn, @username is unnerving. Compared to Homura's don't-care lack of creativity, he can't imagine what this dude chose that for.]

[Maybe he can make a peace offering. He pulls a zipper on his backpack, and after a little digging and shifting things, draws forth some paper towels. They're nothing fancy, but neither of them looks to be in the best physical condition. Maybe they could be of use? So, holding them out, he drifts forward slowly into close enough range for them to be taken. Not a threat, not a threat, @username please do not flip out.]

[advanced]

[His stance shifts subtly but visibly when Davesprite approaches. His centre of gravity lowers, his body twists just a little to keep his injured side away and his good arm ready to defend or lash out if necessary. The paranoia is painted on his face, even from the side view that Watson has of him.

He's not great with new people here at the best of times, this is not the best of times.

But he doesn't act beyond that, nor does he take the paper towels.]

[jumpthegun]

You don't need to give us anything. It's fine, really!

[John's going to try to stave this potential fight off before it starts. He leans against the door frame and raises a hand to halt Davesprite.]

Are you doing all right? Do you need any food. I don't have much, but I'm happy to share.

cw: references to/implied child abuse because Bro was awful

[mrcreamsicles]

[He jostles the towels. Just take the stupid peace offering, John. He waves off the rest with his free hand. Sure, having more food on hand would spare him some trouble as he heads north, but the situation at hand puts a hard no to the thought of taking any. They're injured, for starters, and he doesn't trust Bucky not to react badly if he were to take from their resources.]

[That hot water? Probably not going to happen, or at least not soon, not when Watson's in the door itself and Bucky is so close to it. It's the latter he's watching now, unwavering; he knows the stance of someone expecting combat.]

[In a way, it would be so much easier if Bucky would just do something. Bro would have kicked his ass by now if he'd caught him off-guard and unarmed like this, but Bucky keeps watching, waiting, and he doesn't know what to do with it beyond keep trying to show he means no harm.]

@jwatson; text > @featherydouche

[jumpthegun]

Davesprite, sorry. I just wanted to apologize for @username. He's had a really bad time lately, and he's not doing very well. I promise he won't hurt you. I know he's scary, but he knows he's not in a position to be getting in to fights and he doesn't want to be.

I'm sorry if he scared you, though.

video;

[mrcreamsicles]

[Davesprite answers in video by necessity, still looking markedly unnerved. There's no real hiding it, and no real point either, not after that whole awkward shuffling around each other dance they did. Scared? Haha. He doesn't laugh, but the shrug he gives him is tight and uncomfortable.]

[He taps his arm near the shoulder, the same one Bucky was missing, but doesn't risk adding any caws or other bird noises. They might make the question clearer with the right tone, but he doesn't need Bucky knowing that they're talking around him like this.]

permatext

[jumpthegun]

Frostbite. I had to amputate his arm this morning. He's not in a good way, but we're working to get him stable, at least.

[mrcreamsicles]

[He cringes visibly at that. The cold's bad as well he's learned; he'd probably be frostbitten too if not for dying completely the other day. It's enough to tell him why Bucky's so bad off, if not the rest of what's up.]

[To that end, he gestures at the camera—in intent, toward John. He didn't look much better, beside having all four limbs still attached.]

[jumpthegun]

He mistook me for an anomaly when I first arrived. We've sorted it out.

[That's comforting, right?]

[mrcreamsicles]

[Davesprite tilts his head so far he physically leans with it. Mistook him for an anomaly. Seriously? Hell, even if that is what happened, it doesn't bode well for safety. Maybe he should look for something to block the door with, especially after Bucky's instruction to stay here all night.]

[jumpthegun]

It was an accident; he's calmed down a lot. It's fine. Just stick to the gift shop and it should be fine. I'll come visit you before lockdown so you can get out without him making a fuss about it.

[mrcreamsicles]

[Davesprite lets himself frown here. Are you kidding him, Watson? Even if you're a weird detective's assistant doctor man (???) that doesn't mean that's a good idea. He holds up his hand in open-palmed hold-off gesture, then points repeatedly at the camera again. Stay there, dude.]

[jumpthegun]

All right? I'll wait.

[mrcreamsicles]

[Davesprite sighs. Wait is not what he meant. Jade pointed out he can draw on the tablets directly, and after Bucky's instruction he drew up a diagram of location to send to Clint. He takes a pause from things here.]

[A minute or so later, he sends the original version—a drawing of the rough layout of the aquarium building with rough doodles of himself, Bucky, and Watson with arrows pointing to where they are. Then he sends a second version, with Watson's arrow now pointing alongside his own to the gift shop area, with the whole crossed out.]

[After this it's video again; he punctuates the whole thing with more stern pointing. Stay there.]

[jumpthegun]

I don't wear the deerstalker.

[Wow, though, that amps up his own paranoia about this boy. Why do you have to know about Sherlock?]

I don't mean come over right now, just in the morning. @username and I have an understanding. He's not going to hurt me again.

[Probably. Maybe.]

[mrcreamsicles]

[Not actually that much. It's popcultural osmosis; detective novels were never his field. He shrugs at the correction.]

[Morning sounds better, but he's concerned still about Watson's condition. Lacking a leg, he hauls up a portion of his tail and pats his hand against it. How's that doing? He mimes attacking it with the talons of his hand, if the pat weren't clear enough.]