Week 3

[airlockedmods]

[It takes a disturbingly short amount of time for the status quo to be restored. PAL still makes the morning and night time announcements through the PIP on each Champion's arm, and still the Champion unitards are freshly laundered and re-hung each morning in their closets.

There's a new floor to explore, a perverse reward for a trial well done.]

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday



[ooc: Don't forget to to turn in your AC for week 2 and submit your threads for the Benefactors!]

Comments

[brokencode]

R-right. [She so desperately wanted to cover up her doubt, to be strong for Rhys like others had been strong for her. But words of comfort didn't come, nor was she able to hide her own fear.

She wished he had the courage to at least reach out to him, but that, too, was denied.]

If... if you hadn't gotten away, he'd be in your head -- your body now. So... I am certain you are okay. Maybe tonight you'll remember pushing him away and fleeing?

[plugout]

[ He takes a deep breath before nodding. ]

Yeah. Yeah, I've gotta be. I'm definitely, you know, me.

[ So, small comfort. Rhys takes another deep breath. ]

Yeah. I hope so. That's... pretty much the only way that whole... disaster should end.

[brokencode]

Yeah. I thought so.

[She didn't know Rhys before any of this, but she knew her father all too well. Aside from the traits that working for a corporation imbued in any of its employees, Rhys didn't have all that much in common with him.]

I'm still... sorry that you had to go through that. At all.

[plugout]

[ He shakes his head. ]

It's... I mean, it's not fine, but it's... it happened. Not... not much I can do about that. Or anyone.

[ He'd felt a little lighter when he'd told Heart, but... with Angel? The weight is considerably more bearable. ]

Angel... thanks. For... for listening to me.

[brokencode]

Rhys, we're friends. [She reached out and patted his hand, before folding it back in her lap.] That's... that's just what friends do. We care for each other. Listen when needed.

And, more than that, we're from the same place. We should stick together, right? We... understand our previous circumstances better than most. [After drawing in a breath, Angel fixed him with a beaming smile.] Whatever you need, whenever you need it, you can come to me.

[plugout]

[ He almost reaches out again, but he exercises some self-control and holds back. But he's a lot more relaxed now.

And then she smiles, and Rhys is a little dumbstruck. Geez. ]

Yeah. You and me, Team... Not Hyperion. [ He almost says "Team Fuck Hyperion." ] And... whatever you need, too. I'm here for you, no matter what.

[ He almost feels silly doing this next, but... he raises his hand, pinky outstretched. ]

Promise.

[brokencode]

[Oh... Oh no that's too cute.

She couldn't help the wide grin that spread over her lips as she reached out. Her pinky wrapped around his, brief contact serving to awaken a host of butterflies in her stomach.]

Promise.

[plugout]

[ He grins back, shaking her hand a tiny bit before pulling away. ]

Haha, I kind of feel like a kid again. But it's... it's nice.

[brokencode]

I don't... I do not think that's a bad thing, being childish from time to time. It makes it easier to get through the day.

[She certainly didn't feel that way because she never got a childhood. Nope, not at all.]