video • un: washington

[sixth]

[ Although the image is mostly Wash's face, there's enough background in the shot to make it clear that he's standing in one of the Eluvio's corridors. There's a door behind him and just off to the left is a sign that reads: SIMSPACE. Once the feed's going, he jerks his thumb back toward the door. ]

If I don't come out of here in like a day, send someone in to get me.

[ He pauses, making a slightly exasperated, slightly apologetic face. ]

And hey, if using this thing unleashes some kind of virtual reality nightmare on everybody, sorry. [ Does that require a little clarification? Maybe it requires some clarification. ] I've seen the old movies. I know how this shit goes.

[ Agent Washington. Always a pessimist. He offers a faint, tiny smile. ]

Otherwise, if anybody wants to visit one of the beaches on my homeworld, come on down. I can give you the grand tour.


( ooc: i figured the eluvio could use its own version of the holodeck! i posted a thing to the locations list so if there's anyone else who wants to take advantage of these things, be my guest! )

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[sixth]

[ This is the great—maybe not so great, depending on one's perspective—thing about being able to understand someone's nonverbal communication. Maine doesn't have to say anything. He just gives him that look and Wash knows exactly what he means.

It makes him huff in exasperation, but instead of balling up tighter, he straightens and gives Maine one back. It's a little apologetic, because he doesn't mean to make him worry, and a little defiant, because he's fine and there isn't really anything to worry about.

Still, when Maine makes the gesture, Wash sighs and complies without more of a fuss. Gingerly, he stretches the leg out in front of himself and then levers it to rest in his lap. ]

You don't have to do this. [ He tips his head forward slightly. ] But thank you.

[rumbling]

[ Does he look to be in a gaming mood???

Though there's really little that Maine is afraid of, turns out that Wash dying is one of them. Maybe the number one. That, in and of itself, is scary to him and he still isn't quite sure what he wants to or what he's going to do with it. Ignoring it seems to be working out okay. Sort of.

Okay not really at all. That's why he's so mad right now. He knows how Wash is, but it's still goddamn annoying that he doesn't seem to want to take care of himself. The wound is healing up as good as can be expected, but it's what it represents that still makes something sour and bitter roil around in his stomach. He could be petty and point out something about death and losing people, but he's in no position to do such a thing.

So, he doesn't.

Instead, he shifts so he can have a better look at the injury on Wash's leg. There's a small voice in the back of his mind that crackles like fire and tells him to push at it, dig his fingers in it and make it hurt, but he doesn't do that, either. For all his bulk implies he doesn't know how to be, Maine's touch is gentle, if not clinical as he rubs the salve into the burn. He doesn't linger, knowing it still hurts and just wanting to get it over with. Task done, he wipes his hand on his shirt and then just sighs because of course Wash had to come to a goddamn beach. This might be a fucking holodeck but the sand is still real while they're here.

Reaching behind himself, he pulls the shirt off in one smooth motion and then secures it around Wash's leg to keep any foreign objects out of the wound area. He looks at Wash again, exasperated but touched with a fondness reserved only for him. There's a near imperceptible tilt of his head for Wash to come over closer and a low noise rumbles in his throat as he taps his fingers under Wash's chin.

Take better fucking care of yourself. ]

[sixth]

[ Well, he sure as fuck doesn't look like he wants to have some delicious Pop-Tarts.

It doesn't feel good, what Maine's doing to his leg. Wash knows he's trying not to hurt him, because he knows Maine and despite his reputation for violence knows that he's perfectly capable of being gentle just like everyone else, but his leg's a fucked up mess. It might be healing, but the flesh is still raw and touching it isn't pleasant. It makes some kind of queasy, topsy-turvy sensation roil in his stomach, not sharp enough to be pain but too uncomfortable not to be.

He breathes through it, though. In and out, slow and easy without complaint or grimace. Maybe his mouth is a little tighter, but that's it. It isn't unbearable. And then Maine takes his shirt off to cover it up and Wash is treated to the sight of something that's impossible to see outside of this room: Maine on a beach on his homeworld, looking a little like he's about to bask in the sun.

There's a faint, easy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he shifts then, responding to the gesture and resettling himself so that he's leaning against his shoulder. ]

I will. I am. It's just—It wasn't so bad today, you know? That's a good sign. Means it's healing. [ Then his lips hook higher and he leans more pointedly against Maine's shoulder. ] Besides, look what happens when I don't.

[rumbling]

[ He doesn't? He is kind of hungry though...

That grit and bear it is a sign he knows, something he's gone through as well. They all have at one point or another. Maine wants to point out if Wash would just do what he's told, this could be over faster. But...

He exhales a breath that's tinged with amusement and he does roll his eyes as he drops the jar to rest beside him and shifts himself a little more comfortably to fit Wash against his side. He makes a noise as his gaze moves out to the stretch of beach in front of them.

Use it until it's gone.

Why is this so hard for Wash to understand? He seems to think he's invincible and they both know he's not. None of them are. Which is why Maine wants Wash to just take better fucking care of himself!! Anyway. He tips his chin to point toward the water, the beach itself. They're alone on a beach and Maine is pretty sure that's a rare thing ( it's been forever since he's been to a beach for recreational purposes ). It's a gesture for Wash to tell him more about it, why here. ]

[sixth]

[ He gets the message loud and clear. Maine means well, however much he's acting like a nag about it. And for all that it's a little annoying, Wash gets it. He understands. So when he makes a low hum of acknowledgement, it's not bullshit. He'll make an effort not to keep forgetting to use the salve.

Glancing away from the bottle, he looks out across the water. This is going to be terribly sentimental and he knows it. But if there's anyone he can tell this kind of shit to, it's Maine. ]

I came here once or twice with my family. My mom didn't have a lot of money, but every couple years, she scrapped together enough to bring me and my sisters here on vacation for a few days.

[ Wash speaks about it matter-of-factly, almost like he's recounting a vid he watched instead of his own life. ]

After everything that's happened, I don't know. I wanted to see it again. [ He huffs a soft laugh under his breath. ] And with tech like this, figured I'd give it a try.

[rumbling]

[ While Maine might not really empathize with this kind of sentiment—he doesn't really remember his family and he certainly never had any kind of this as a young kid. But, he understands sentiment. Understands Wash even more, so he's not going to judge him for it. Not even a little bit. ( Not when he can judge him for being a stupid shit and not following doctor's orders. )

So, he doesn't do much beyond sit there, staring out at the waves lapping at the shore. The salty breeze moves over his skin and it's a little sticky and if he didn't know any better, he would say it was all real. Part of him almost wishes it was. ( But, he knows that they'd become too bored if they were retired in a place like this and before long they'd be back into the fray somewhere.

...Well, if Maine were still alive, anyway. )

Lightly, he nudges against Wash's side; he probably doesn't have to say it ( "say it" ), but he rolls a noise out all the same that's asking for Wash to tell him about one of those times they came on vacation to the beach. ]

[sixth]

[ It's true. They aren't the sort of men who can retire to a peaceful beach-side town and live out the remainder of their years puttering about doing nothing whatsoever. But every once in a while, it's nice to visit a place like this. Even if it's only pretend.

Wash looks over at the nudge, the corner of his mouth quirking in a vague sort of smile. There aren't many memories of visiting the beach, but he shifts through what he's got until he finds the happiest. ]

Last time was a weekend. Right before I shipped off to Basic. my mother brought some novel she'd been excited to read. My sisters spent the whole time laying on the beach staring at boys. Gossiping about the other girls. There was a storm one night. Real bad one right off shore. The lightning lit up the sky for hours, seemed to dance on the water.

[ He chuckles a little, remembering one of his youngest sisters saying that it was like nature was giving them fireworks. ]

They were happy. All of them. The Covenant came not too long after.

[rumbling]

[ There's so much buried here. Figuratively. Between Wash and his memories, between the two of them, between the humans and Covenant... there's just so much. Maine used to not really care one way or the other. He'd been made to eradicate opposing forces. They all had been honed into weapons to complete their missions. Nothing else mattered but the objective. For a long time he'd believed that.

Now he's not so sure.

Family is such a strange topic for him—Maine doesn't remember his own and just kind of adopted those at Freelancer to be his family. So, his own feelings and memories might not be the best to glean from, but he can kind of—in a really distant sense—understand what Wash means and that nostalgic feeling he feels.

Maine remains quiet, allowing Wash to get lost in any memory he wants. Maine just remains there at his side as a stalwart reminder that he's here for him. Eventually one hand lifts and slides up and around Wash's hip to keep him close. They never really had to talk before now and as much as things have changed and happened between them, he doesn't think they really need to fill up all their silences with empty words. That they can have something like this is enough for now. ]