snowblindrpg | [log] The Hills Have Eyes [closed-ish]

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[log] The Hills Have Eyes [closed-ish]

Characters: Watson, Charles, Davesprite, Bucky, Zell, Sora, Kunsel, Homura, and Quark
Location Building 235 (Aquarium) and Building 130 (Pharmacy)
Date: Day 162 - 164
Summary: Eyes appear all around, static and paranoia return, friends arrive with fire, hopefully no one is getting attacked. Later, Bucky, Quark, and John discover evidence of Fiona's murder.
Warnings: References to character death.

[The aquarium has the feel of a small-town tourist attraction, the sort built to give people just stopping to fuel up on petrol a reason to stay for an hour or two. There are various aquariums inside that, according to plaques beside them, once showcased various Alaskan fish; they're empty now. The whole atmosphere is kind of eerie, with the water casting rippling patterns on the walls, ceilings, and floors, but there's hot water in the sinks for anyone who wants it.

What's probably unwanted by everyone is the eyes. They're on the walls, drawn in the frost on the windows, they're on the ceilings, and the static crawls its way over walls and people. The sense of being watched, of being followed, is strong.]

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[When the hand comes out, Charles can't help it- he takes a step forward, hatchet coming up a bit. But he stops. There's nothing in that hand. What the hell?

Somehow it's almost worse.]

Don't tell me what to do, asshole. I'll do whatever the hell I want. Besides, how do I know, even if I stay away from you, that you won't attack me in my sleep? Or when I wake up? Like you did to Charlie.

[If Jay won't answer, then he'll start talking for him.]

You think he's some kinda spy? That why you thought it was a good idea to beat the shit out of him after he just had surgery?

[Wrong move.

The hatchet comes up and Charles steps forwards, and it's clear as day that he's about to attack. He reacts on instinct, hand shooting back into his pocket and drawing the glass. It's a long shard, about half as long as his forearm, and it's stained a dull red colour with old blood. The leather of his glove helps to protect his palm somewhat from cutting himself, usually he would wield this with his metal hand, but it still digs in through the material.

He doesn't move beyond that, though, glass held ready at his side.]

He knew things about me that he shouldn't have.

[It's not an excuse, it's an explanation. And it's all the explanation he's giving.]

You don't want to do this.

[Maybe he would've backed down, but not now. Maybe he would've let him go with a stern talking-to like he did with Beckett (well, a stern talking-to and a hammer to the back of the head, but whatever). Doesn't seem like an option now. The glass shard comes out and Charles' eyes go wide.

His hand's shaking and it's so stupid. This is so stupid. What is he doing? Why was he so convinced this guy was out to get him even before he was? But now he is. The bloodstains on the glass only confirm it. Jesus, did he attack Charlie with this?]

Whose blood is that? What ever happened to "I don't want to hurt you"?

[His voice is a raw blend of fury and fear. He doesn't have time to hide it anymore, there's already a knife in play, or there might as well be. His left hand creeps up toward his coat pocket.]

I don't want to hurt you.

[It's immediate and there's the slightest undercurrent of weary desperation behind the words. He doesn't want to hurt this man at all, but he will defend himself if necessary. He thinks it will be necessary, but he's trying so hard to not make the first move.

Static engulfs Charles and knocks him out of view for a few seconds, enough for Bucky to raise the glass ready for an attack coming out of nowhere. But when he blinks back in, he's still in the same place.]

Walk away.

[This is his last chance, something tells him. But he can't take it. This guy attacked Charlie, his only real friend here. He might've attacked other people. He might attack more people. He might attack Charles at some point. He can't trust him, can't sleep knowing he's just here, in this building. With the thing and the screaming, and the static- God, none of this is helping, he can't think straight.]

You're not answering my fucking questions. [He's mostly yelling, using anger to cover the rising panic, and he hears the static in his own voice. Shit.] Whose blood is that?

[The shout is like nails on a chalkboard as it mingles with the screams, and all he can think is how hilarious it is that he's trying so hard not to fight with someone who isn't even real. All of this is in his head, a psychological response to trying to fight whatever programming they're putting in him, and he's losing.

He's losing.

His teeth bare in an almost snarl, and he takes a step backwards.]

I told you to walk away.

[Please, he doesn't want to do this.]

[There's really already enough screaming going on that these two shouldn't be adding to it. But they are and even with the state that Sora's in the different sounds are easily distinguished. These are slightly louder, echoing through the aquarium and it doesn't sound good.

Makeshift keyblade in hand, Sora leaves his belongings stashed away in the gift shop and goes to figure out what's going on, stumbling about the static-y forms of two people--one he knows and the other he doesn't.]

What's going on?

[He's frowning, grip tight on his keyblade made from junk he's found, glancing between the two trying to gauge who the problem is.]

Why are you fighting?

Both of you walk away.

[John can't help overhearing from the bathroom and is now standing in the entryway. Why are there more people here? He'd really rather not have more people. Sell and Kunsel had been enough. Now they've added Davesprite, that kid Sora, Charles. They're inviting an anomaly attack and this was exactly the situation John wanted to avoid.

When Charles and Sora see the doctor, of course, John is a complete mess with two black eyes, a swollen nose, and bruising around his neck as the most obvious injuries. He's also leaning on an umbrella cane and the door frame for support, though. John doesn't want to deal with any of this. The world is crackling static, the eyes are still watching him, and Zell's Vicodin only helps so much.]

Leave it, lad. [That's directed at Sora.] Good to see you, Charles. We can talk later about things. Jay, you need to rest. He's an ally and he'll put down the axe, I reckon, once he doesn't have some bloke looming at him.

Edited 2016-09-28 14:22 (UTC)

[There is really only enough screaming that can go on before it gets worrying, and the mark passed a while ago with the weird distant one that came with the static. But this? Yelling about blood from people here, in the building? Is not what anyone needs right now.]

[Whatever hesitation Davesprite may have had about jumping into the situation—there's static, he can't speak, he's unarmed—is swept away when he sees that guy with the bad hair rush off with something that could conceivably be used to attack people. (Why a weird key is a question for its own time.) His own things get left behind, even the wooden spoon he typically leaves strapped in the utility belt he found the other night, before he rushes after.]

[And god, the situation is terrible. Is that a shard of glass he sees Bucky holding? And a hatchet in the other guy's hand? He sees Watson trying to calm things, sees Sora wielding his junky amalgamation much as one would a warning weapon, and makes for the latter. He caws, squawks, motioning sharply back the way of the gift shop. Get back there, get out of danger, stop waving that thing around before Bucky attacks you too, are what he'd like to say if only he had the words to do it.]

[You don't tell me what to do, the words jump into his throat as a knee-jerk reaction, but they never get a chance to come out. Someone comes rushing in, someone shorter, but he can't make them out for the static until they get close. Sora? Jesus, there aren't supposed to be any kids involved. There isn't supposed to be anyone else involved. And yet they just keep coming.

Next is Watson. Charles doesn't recognize him either until the static blinks away for a moment- when did it get this bad?- and he sees- he sees signs of violence. Black eyes and bruised neck. Busted up nose. His eye only stops on Watson for an instant before it goes straight back to Bucky and that shard of glass.]

He's the son of a bitch who attacked Charlie, Watson. [He makes a noise like a strangled laugh.] But you already knew that, right? What happened to your face? [It's pretty clear he's already drawn his own conclusion.]

[When the bird kid shows up- Davesprite, Charles doesn't let his eye wander. He's only trying to stop Sora and, good. Somebody needs to. He doesn't belong in this.]

Nothing that can't heal up in time. [It's his leg that's the problem, Charles. And he's got Vicodin in him, so he moves forward slowly, more hopping than limping to try to get between Charles and Bucky.] There was a misunderstanding with the static. Like there is now, and like there was back then.

I'd rather me and Jay were the only ones injured here today, okay? What happened with Charlie got complicated. I don't want this to get complicated. I'll explain everything. But Jay, you need to get away from him. Go in the restroom if you need to. There's no one else in there.

[Just the eyes.]

[Oh no you don't, Watson.

With how badly Watson is hurt, and how much it was his fault, he's not about to let the doctor stand between him and danger or lie for him. Much steadier and faster on his feet, he just walks around Watson. He murmurs to him as he passes:]

Get the others well back.

[It makes his skin crawl that people keep showing up, people who jump in and out of reality and static, but he's still going to sort this out himself.]

He's lying to you, there was no misunderstanding. I knew what I was doing.

[Responsibility, he takes it now. But he's also taking a slightly dangerous tactic, hoping the fear of what he's done will prevent further violence.]

That should tell you what I'm capable of, you do not want to fight me. Neither of us want this so walk away.

[Watson sounds like a victim of domestic violence. It's fine, it'll heal, he's not a bad person. Everything was just a misunderstanding. Bullshit. Charles doesn't even want to know what this asshole's done to Watson to get him to cover for his ass so hard. He doesn't blame Watson, but he can't trust him, either.

Misunderstanding with the static? There was no fucking static when-

But Bucky does it for him. Jesus, he's still not even trying to hide it. On some level, Charles can respect that. Owning up to what you did. But on the other hand, it's too little, too late. The guy obviously goes to great lengths to keep himself a goddamn secret, along with whatever he's done. This doesn't make up for shit.]

You're ballsy as hell, aren't you? Maybe it's fine picking on people who just had surgery, or maybe when you've got two arms. You really think you can take me right now? Fucking bring it.

[Does he want this? No, not really. He doesn't like hurting people, he doesn't like being hurt. But at the same time, he really feels like he needs to punch something. Someone. He's scared out of his mind, not sure if he's alone, not sure if anything is even real, and that pisses him off. He wants a reason to be angry, to stay angry, to just let loose and do something really, really stupid.

Maybe if they leave a real mark on each other, he can be sure all of this is real.]

You don't want to hurt me, but you wanted to hurt Charlie? You wanted to hurt Watson? Which the fuck is it? Make up your goddamn mind.

[One day everyone treating him like a kid that can't handle himself is going to make Sora snap at someone. But even as irritated as he is right now he can tell that this is a very delicate situation and Mr. Watson seems to have it under control...at least until Bucky speaks and sets Charles off again.

Glancing at Davesprite with a slight frown, Sora takes a slight step back then another.

And then he stops, letting out a breath as Charles drills Bucky.]

...We're already tempting fate having so many of us in one place, I don't think we really need to start a huge fight. Both of you need to calm down. Please?

[All the fighting, at least in Sora's opinion, seems to make the static worse and it's making his head spin.]

I swear to God, I will drag one of you away on my bloody knees, if I have to! [John's trying desperately to stay calm, but the static, the eyes, everything that happened the day before yesterday, and everything still before that aren't helping. His voice is a ragged military bark. He's reaching his breaking point and his temper, held down and back, rears up. This is killing his nose and his ribs, but whatever.] Sora's just said it, I've said it, you've said it yourselves. No one wants a fight!

[He tries to take a longer stride, to get around Bucky and ends up collapsing with a grunt to one knee. Well, fine. Fine, he can probably crawl better than he can walk, in truth, even if that's worse on his ribs. It's a matter of degrees of pain, and he glares up at Bucky and Charles after a second or two.]

[All the instincts drilled into him as a fighter tell him to move now, to attack. Charles is so obviously aggressive, he's even told him to 'bring it', this is how this scenario ends. There is no other way.

But he doesn't.

He stays perfectly still, hand wrapped around the shard of glass so tightly that it slices into the leather of his glove, and he shakes his head.]

They're right, this can't go this way. I told you, I don't want to hurt anybody; not you, or Charlie [that's his name, right? It sounds unsure.] or John. If you attack me, I will defend myself and then you'll get hurt.

[That's just fact in his eyes.]

Walk. Away.

[It's a combination of factors that does him in. He still can't think straight, and the static's getting louder, getting worse. But Charles can make out the voices around him, even if they're faint past all the distant screaming. Well, faint except for Watson's.

Charles hates being yelled at, hates being treated like a disobedient child. He hates doing what he's told, even when it's obviously a good idea. But something about John's tone, it tells him that maybe he's not just a passive victim, maybe he's serious about putting himself square in the middle of a dogfight; his now-kneeling form only drives the point in further. Charles doesn't want to hurt Watson, and he doesn't want to hurt Sora, or Davesprite. He doesn't want this asshole to do any of that either. If he could just get him alone, if there weren't so many people here-

But there are, and all at once he realizes that. Too many witnesses, too much collateral damage. Supposing they're actually real, actually here, and not just hallucinations, these people don't need to see this, it isn't their fight. If he and Bucky are gonna go at it, it needs to be alone. Just the two of them. No interruptions.]

Fine. [He drops the hatchet to his side, arm limp. His hand doesn't stray far from his pocket though, just in case.] We won't do this here. But watch your fucking back, asshole. And if you ever go after Charlie again I swear to God I will find you.

[Relief floods through him so strongly that he almost keels over right there and then, but all that happens is he sways slightly on his feet. He knows this isn't over, he can even respect someone wanting to bring him to account for what he's done, but he's grateful it's not going to be here and now.

He takes a single step backwards and bends down to try and wrap his good arm under Watson's armpits. If he's allowed to do that, he'll bodily lift the other man up with a slight grunt of effort.

He doesn't bother to respond to Charlie, there's nothing he can say that won't escalate things again.]

[There's a similarly overwhelming sense of relief that floods through him when Charles lowers his arm. He knows he's going to need to talk to Charles, explain the situation more fully so that he can understand what happened with Charlie. Now that the other man has said something, John doesn't feel obligated to hide it.

When Bucky reaches to help him up, he's only a little embarrassed and takes a stronger grip on his umbrella cane, preparing to stand. Except Bucky doesn't stop at getting him to standing. He just fully lifts John up off his feet.]

What are you...?

[Bucky had said he would carry him. Bloody hell. John's had to carry other wounded soldiers, he's been carried like this before by Bill after getting shot.]

I can walk.

[It's a protest, but he doesn't actually want to jostle his ribs or over-balance Bucky by squirming like an angry cat. John stays still even as embarrassment begins to dominate his emotions. He doesn't like looking weak, certainly not like this.]

[It hurts like hell to carry another person right now, even one as compact in size as John Watson. His shoulder wrenches where the amputation and cauterisation was done, he feels bile touch the back of his throat.

But he doesn't let it stop him, and it doesn't show outwardly but for the faintest tremble in the arm holding Watson up off the ground. He doesn't even bother to respond to the protest, though that's half because he thinks if he opens his mouth then he'll either be sick or groan aloud.

It's not fair, just to the bathroom and back onto the chair in there, before he's backing up and disappearing. He doesn't have anything to say, and he doesn't want to be around anyone.]

[Charles tenses when Bucky goes for Watson, but he doesn't intervene. He waits, trying to make himself breathe, until Bucky leaves the bathroom and melts off into the static. Then, after a quick glance toward the two teenagers and a grumbled "sorry", he slinks off to talk to Watson.]

[Davesprite relaxes as Sora backs up, but not very much. The situation is still tense, and Charles and Bucky trade words that just make everything that much worse. There's someone else Bucky attacked? And he knew what he was doing? He has to talk to Clint and Natasha about this. But how can he convey it all? He can't record what he just heard, but he can take pictures of this mess now. So while the others are distracted with their arguing and posturing and trying or failing to stave off further conflict, Davesprite slips his tablet from his pocket to take a few quick pictures. He gets a few as Watson and Bucky maneuver around each other, gets a couple more as Bucky hauls the poor doctor bodily off to the bathroom. He doesn't try any when Bucky emerges, though, and seeing him fade off into static and nothingness brings his nerves back to the forefront.]

[Davesprite hears Charles' apology, but it mostly washes past him. He decides not to stop him when he goes to find Watson.]

[That leaves him with Sora, if he doesn't try to follow. Davesprite caws to him as he floats back, motioning with his hand. Will he come back to the gift shop now? He's going to go back, himself, regardless of what Sora chooses. He'd rather not let Bucky reappear just to be pissed off at him for not staying there.]

[As much as Sora wants to get involved more, for once he resists the urge. Bucky's dangerous, he can tell that much, and Charles definitely isn't someone to mess around with if the way he was brandishing that axe was any indication. And then there was Watson who just wasn't in the mood for any of it on top of the injuries the other had and it was probably best to just let it go.

His shoulders slump as everyone scatters and his attention returns to Davesprite.]

..I'm coming, I'm coming..

[Swinging his keyblade up to rest over his shoulder, Sora trails after the other back to the gift shop.

Hopefully that's the worst of what goes on tonight...]

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[log] The Hills Have Eyes [closed-ish]

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Charles not Charlie gdi

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