![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[Asher's face falls, not because feels anything vaguely negative regarding his friend's queerness, but because he realizes that what he's suspected is true.
They're practically lightyears apart.
All this time Asher had assumed that Jin's secret was something horrible, because that's the way it works, right? Everyone has done things they are not proud of, and Jin's silence regarding this particular aspect of himself was suspicious to say the least.
If he was jealous before, that sentiment is even stronger now. Jin is a good person.
God, that must be nice.]
Oh my god.
[He inhales sharply, laughing a little bit. Play it cool Millstone.]
So that's it? I thought it was gonna be something bad.
They're practically lightyears apart.
All this time Asher had assumed that Jin's secret was something horrible, because that's the way it works, right? Everyone has done things they are not proud of, and Jin's silence regarding this particular aspect of himself was suspicious to say the least.
If he was jealous before, that sentiment is even stronger now. Jin is a good person.
God, that must be nice.]
Oh my god.
[He inhales sharply, laughing a little bit. Play it cool Millstone.]
So that's it? I thought it was gonna be something bad.
Edited 2016-12-19 01:21 (UTC)
"That's it"?
[It's like a great weight's been lifted, even if it is pretty anticlimactic. Jin shakes his head, laughing.
Nothing seems to have changed: Asher looks a little let down, oddly, but far from any possible worst case scenario he'd held in the back of his mind. What a relief.]
I was a professional thief. A tragic gay professional thief. You can do better than "that's it".
[It's like a great weight's been lifted, even if it is pretty anticlimactic. Jin shakes his head, laughing.
Nothing seems to have changed: Asher looks a little let down, oddly, but far from any possible worst case scenario he'd held in the back of his mind. What a relief.]
I was a professional thief. A tragic gay professional thief. You can do better than "that's it".
Dude.
[Asher shoots Jin an incredulous glare.]
I thought you killed somebody.
[guess what ur classmates have been up to bucko]
It's totally chill. Who cares if you like getting it up the ass? I'm an equal opportunity bro.
[u don't have to b gay 4 that]
[Asher shoots Jin an incredulous glare.]
I thought you killed somebody.
[guess what ur classmates have been up to bucko]
It's totally chill. Who cares if you like getting it up the ass? I'm an equal opportunity bro.
[u don't have to b gay 4 that]
No, no, honestly-
[he is an idiot jin but he wants 2 let u kno that he is down with The Gays™ ok!!!]
If anybody gives you crap about being gay or whatever, I swear, I will not hesitate to hit a bitch.
So don't worry about being-
[he says while gesticulating wildly, dear lord was that a pelvic thrust]
Around me, okay? You're an awesome dude who happens to like other dudes. And...
I like you, so. We're good.
[he is an idiot jin but he wants 2 let u kno that he is down with The Gays™ ok!!!]
If anybody gives you crap about being gay or whatever, I swear, I will not hesitate to hit a bitch.
So don't worry about being-
[he says while gesticulating wildly, dear lord was that a pelvic thrust]
Around me, okay? You're an awesome dude who happens to like other dudes. And...
I like you, so. We're good.
If you keep me in the know, Urahara, I'll do the same for you.
[It's the least he can do when Urahara's been so forthcomingLAUGHS thus far.]
Could you tell me more about what happened on Zeta-12? I've read what mission retrospectives they provided to us, but if there's something I wouldn't have gathered from them-- patterns, stuff ALASTAIR missed-- that's something I wanna know about.
[It's the least he can do when Urahara's been so forthcoming
Could you tell me more about what happened on Zeta-12? I've read what mission retrospectives they provided to us, but if there's something I wouldn't have gathered from them-- patterns, stuff ALASTAIR missed-- that's something I wanna know about.
[Jin watches Asher do... whatever it is that he's doing, and while he's still pretty damn appalled by-- all of that, it's undeniably reassuring.
All of this is fairly standard levels of weird for Asher: really, nothing has changed Asher's opinion of him at all. His expression's somewhat exasperated, but the smile is still there.]
Yeah. We're good.
Thank you, Asher.
All of this is fairly standard levels of weird for Asher: really, nothing has changed Asher's opinion of him at all. His expression's somewhat exasperated, but the smile is still there.]
Yeah. We're good.
Thank you, Asher.
Well, there's no use in keeping information private when we're in this situation.
[that's not a lie- there really isn't. he withholds information because he can control how people will react to limited information, but this is a grander scale of chessboard than he's ever worked. he really can't afford to keep anything to himself.]
Zeta-12 was straightforward- keep a clutch of infant creatures alive as we brought them by foot to a sanctuary. If it was your first mission here, and you hadn't heard anything about Nalawi or Anwick then you would have imagined that all missions might be just as simple. Fortunately, I'd heard about Nalawi from Evan-san, and investigated the others on my own.
As far as I can tell, Zeta-12 was an anomaly. The only dangers were what you would expect from a harsh wilderness planet, and there were no unexpected hitches to impede our progress.
[that's not a lie- there really isn't. he withholds information because he can control how people will react to limited information, but this is a grander scale of chessboard than he's ever worked. he really can't afford to keep anything to himself.]
Zeta-12 was straightforward- keep a clutch of infant creatures alive as we brought them by foot to a sanctuary. If it was your first mission here, and you hadn't heard anything about Nalawi or Anwick then you would have imagined that all missions might be just as simple. Fortunately, I'd heard about Nalawi from Evan-san, and investigated the others on my own.
As far as I can tell, Zeta-12 was an anomaly. The only dangers were what you would expect from a harsh wilderness planet, and there were no unexpected hitches to impede our progress.
Edited 2016-12-21 17:48 (UTC)
[Jin's confession may have come off as a bit of a surprise, however, when Asher looks back at their previous conversations everything begins to make sense.
In a way, even, it's a relief. That's one less hot guy to compete with for some alien poontang.]
No problem.
[Asher just wishes Jin had told him sooner.
And wonders, briefly, what that somewhat familiar warmth in his gut means. Friendship, right?
That's what it's gotta be.]
In a way, even, it's a relief. That's one less hot guy to compete with for some alien poontang.]
No problem.
[Asher just wishes Jin had told him sooner.
And wonders, briefly, what that somewhat familiar warmth in his gut means. Friendship, right?
That's what it's gotta be.]
Which means that we're supposed to be mixed up in 'unexpected hitches' as a rule, yeah?
[He's only heard whispers of Nalawi and Anwick; the tones that Spider-Woman and Loki had spoken of the missions in were those not of a job entirely well done.
Political messes are far from unfamiliar territory, and yet...]
Babysitting sounds like a cakewalk when you look at everything we had to deal with here. Especially with so many voices. [yours included jin you hypocrite] There has to be a better way to put up with so many curve balls.
[He's only heard whispers of Nalawi and Anwick; the tones that Spider-Woman and Loki had spoken of the missions in were those not of a job entirely well done.
Political messes are far from unfamiliar territory, and yet...]
Babysitting sounds like a cakewalk when you look at everything we had to deal with here. Especially with so many voices. [yours included jin you hypocrite] There has to be a better way to put up with so many curve balls.
If anyone can find a "better way," I can. This is something I make a habit of.
You can't say that and not share your grand ALASTAIR reorganization scheme with me.
Unless you're still getting a feel for how our employers function.
Unless you're still getting a feel for how our employers function.
Mostly the latter. There are a lot of.. Let's say uncertain variables on this team.
If you're referring to how most of us can't seem to agree with each other half the time, then yeah, I'd call those some pretty uncertain variables.
That isn't really the issue, no. A team can function fine with differing viewpoints if they at least believe strongly in a common goal.
[and therein lies the real problem.]
[and therein lies the real problem.]
And there's the rub.
[He's met enough of his teammates who are in this for the money, for the fun of it, or who simply don't care-- not to mention the people who aren't especially enthusiastic about being here in the first place. (Chihiro and the other young children of Audentes: they really shouldn't be here at all, exposed to so much danger and uncertainty.)]
Then you'd like to unify ALASTAIR under a banner. Or at least Audentes.
[He's met enough of his teammates who are in this for the money, for the fun of it, or who simply don't care-- not to mention the people who aren't especially enthusiastic about being here in the first place. (Chihiro and the other young children of Audentes: they really shouldn't be here at all, exposed to so much danger and uncertainty.)]
Then you'd like to unify ALASTAIR under a banner. Or at least Audentes.
Something like that. [it's a start, anyway. a way to get the pieces in order, much as he hates to admit to thinking of it in those terms.] We're here because we have no choice and there's no love loss from me, much less anyone else, in how ALASTAIR conducts their affairs even if I agree with what they're doing, but if nothing else, figuring out what's going on and how it applies to us is a more sensible goal than ALASTAIR's.
[Asher leans against the railing, early for what feels like the first time.
Something about his countenance is different today, and from the side, even the line of his jaw seems sharper. He's clad in his typical training get up, the black sleeveless undershirt and the tight pants, but everything looks clean, pressed. His arms are folded over his chest as he stares intensely at nothing in particular.
A new dawn, a new day, and yet he's still reeling from the consequences of what happened weeks ago, because he's finally been forced to think about it.
He flexes a gloved finger arbitrarily, wincing slightly at the pain. Thankfully, his posture hides the gesture, which is good because he can hear footsteps, identifiable ones.
Jin.]
God, it's so fucking early.
[What bullshit.
He's been awake for hours.]
Something about his countenance is different today, and from the side, even the line of his jaw seems sharper. He's clad in his typical training get up, the black sleeveless undershirt and the tight pants, but everything looks clean, pressed. His arms are folded over his chest as he stares intensely at nothing in particular.
A new dawn, a new day, and yet he's still reeling from the consequences of what happened weeks ago, because he's finally been forced to think about it.
He flexes a gloved finger arbitrarily, wincing slightly at the pain. Thankfully, his posture hides the gesture, which is good because he can hear footsteps, identifiable ones.
Jin.]
God, it's so fucking early.
[What bullshit.
He's been awake for hours.]
[The return to Oska and the bustle of so many different teams in the castle had been a flurry of activity, not to mention their last few action-packed days in Perdition's Rest: all put together, at least a couple of weeks since Asher and Jin have trained together. So it's not a surprise that it feels like it's been ages-- it really has been quite a while.
And perhaps Asher does look a little different as he comes to collect him before the two of them head up to the training room. At first, Jin doesn't place it. He's hasn't gotten a good look at him in this light since Audentes was stationed out on Q-65, so maybe he hadn't been paying attention. Asher's gotten stronger, defined and hardened the soft edges somewhat; quite possibly it'd taken that bit of distance for Jin to see the full scope of that change.
As he approaches, eyes roaming Asher's body curiously-- something is different, seriously, and it's going to bother him-- he realizes. It's as simple as a glance at his friend's face, the bitter note in his voice. Something's wrong.]
Don't tell me your sleep schedule's out of whack already.
[The what and why are eluding him for now, so he'll only begin to pry when he can pick up on some kind of clue.]
And perhaps Asher does look a little different as he comes to collect him before the two of them head up to the training room. At first, Jin doesn't place it. He's hasn't gotten a good look at him in this light since Audentes was stationed out on Q-65, so maybe he hadn't been paying attention. Asher's gotten stronger, defined and hardened the soft edges somewhat; quite possibly it'd taken that bit of distance for Jin to see the full scope of that change.
As he approaches, eyes roaming Asher's body curiously-- something is different, seriously, and it's going to bother him-- he realizes. It's as simple as a glance at his friend's face, the bitter note in his voice. Something's wrong.]
Don't tell me your sleep schedule's out of whack already.
[The what and why are eluding him for now, so he'll only begin to pry when he can pick up on some kind of clue.]
[Harder on the outside maybe, but even softer on the inside.
They are usually so comfortable together, but today Asher finds himself feeling rather ill, unsure of whether it's the abuse he's put his body through or the pressure of hiding a secret. Jin doesn't need to know just how pathetic he is or how much he's hurting, because that's just it.
It hurts to talk about.]
Nah.
[Play it cool, throw your shoulders back.]
I just got up to some dumb shit last night, that's all.
[They haven't spoken in a few days, which is odd for them.]
What about you?
They are usually so comfortable together, but today Asher finds himself feeling rather ill, unsure of whether it's the abuse he's put his body through or the pressure of hiding a secret. Jin doesn't need to know just how pathetic he is or how much he's hurting, because that's just it.
It hurts to talk about.]
Nah.
[Play it cool, throw your shoulders back.]
I just got up to some dumb shit last night, that's all.
[They haven't spoken in a few days, which is odd for them.]
What about you?
[Either Asher's not especially good at selling it, or Jin's been around him long enough to pick up on when he's faking. Or both, really. Jin raises a quizzical eyebrow, folding his arms over his chest and tilting his head to regard his motions, read what is going unsaid here.]
Drunk messaging the network level of dumb shit, or something else?
[Good luck, Asher. He's not gonna let the subject change so easily.]
Drunk messaging the network level of dumb shit, or something else?
[Good luck, Asher. He's not gonna let the subject change so easily.]
[He rubs his temples with a sore hand, closing his eyes for a moment, suddenly losing focus. Even Jin's words blur together momentarily, and he needs a moment to stop and properly process them before responding.]
Yeah, somethin' like that.
[The reply is low, dull.
Surprisingly out of character.]
You wanna get started or what?
Yeah, somethin' like that.
[The reply is low, dull.
Surprisingly out of character.]
You wanna get started or what?
...If you're game, so am I. Let's get to it-- try not to fall asleep on me.
[He's not entirely swayed to leave it at that, if his friend's dispirited tone is anything to go by. The symptom, at least, is obvious enough.
They're off either way, though, walking side-by-side en route to the training room. Jin waits a polite-by-Jin-standards space of a monute or two before asking, bluntly:]
I'm pretty sure whatever's up with you isn't just you being half-asleep and or hungover. C'mon, spill.
[He's not entirely swayed to leave it at that, if his friend's dispirited tone is anything to go by. The symptom, at least, is obvious enough.
They're off either way, though, walking side-by-side en route to the training room. Jin waits a polite-by-Jin-standards space of a monute or two before asking, bluntly:]
I'm pretty sure whatever's up with you isn't just you being half-asleep and or hungover. C'mon, spill.
Page 8 of 25