Tuesday - Week 5

[chaoticlootral]

[Well, Magnus might be brave enough about bald-faced emotion to approach Alex in public, early in the week, but Taako . . . not so much. He isn't good at this sort of thing. Grief, empathy, not being a dick. Dealing with people and all their messiness. He's actually pretty avoidant, but eventually, kinda late, poking around the mattress store to find her. Approaching, not actually running his goddamn mouth for once, and just putting a cup of ice cream beside her head.]

Comments

[allsetfree]

[ Alex usually smiles when she greets Taako. she's usually laughing. this time she just looks him over, then sits up and takes the ice cream. ]

Am I too skinny? People keep giving me ice cream.

[ well. one other person. still. she kinda fails to hit the note for that to be a functional joke. ]

[chaoticlootral]

[Well, at least it's not being thrown in his face. Though he kind of feels like he'd deserves that.]

You could stand to gain a bit, homie, not gonna lie. Little worried you might float away.

[ This is rich coming from the dude who most resembles a 2x4 in this place, but sure. ]

[allsetfree]

[ she's not big on confronting conflict head on, so she just goes with it, and tugs at the hem of the t-shirt beneath her red jacket. it... is a large men's shirt. it is practically a dress on her. ]

I do like a billion jumping jacks a day. I know I don't look it? But I've got muscle.

[ ......... debatable. ]

[chaoticlootral]

Oh, you're right, my bad. Can definitely tell now you've got guns for days. Just bad lighting is all.

[He giggles a bit, because he kind of likes the idea he can just jump back in and get to joking around with Alex, because he likes that. She's fun and spirited and avoidant, and it reminds him of all the good things about his favorite people, but. It's not really fair either. To just sorta pretend and do nothing.]

. . . I, uh, don't really know what to say. I'm not good at this.

[allsetfree]

[ her body had been pretty loose until - that. she goes brittle.

after a second it passes. she forces it to. she reaches for the ice cream and starts to eat it, watching Taako and waiting for the rest. she's not quite mature and forgiving enough to help start this particular talk. ]

[chaoticlootral]

[Does she think that Taako is in any way mature, because hoo boy. Fair enough though. He sits down on the edge of a mattress across from her, avoiding actually saying much of anything for a minute by crossing his legs very precisely and toying with the end of his braid, making a lot of false starts before he finally just starts steam rolling.]

I, uh. Hm. I'm not really sure there's much I can say about what already happened, right? I mean, that's done and done, and we tried and I wanted-- [To what? Do right by everyone? But he didn't, did he.] I don't know. My point is, we're trying now. We're gonna fix it. One way or another, alright?

[It's a little bit of sad irony that he'd be much better at this if he hadn't had that part of him taken as a fee for this game.]

[allsetfree]

[ Alex stares at him a moment longer. like she's trying to sort out how she actually feels about what he's said instead of just responding to it with reflex. that wasn't really an apology. and Magnus' apology? kind of gives her the impression that neither of them know what she's upset about.

she looks more tired by all of that than relieved by it. ]

How? Tell me how you're going to fix this.

[ruffboi]

[He's having a boner over swords.]

[allsetfree]

[ wow Taako called it! anyway Alex isn't big on being the first one to talk here, but... she is here! with Taako!]

[chaoticlootral]

Uh, Magnus, yo. [Making a Vanna White gesture to Alex.] Presenting Amanda Whurlitzer.

Think we’ve got some shit to discuss here.

[ruffboi]

[Okay to do a serious tag, he really is perusing weapons, but he looks up when Taako comes in. He's expecting a lot of things when Taako brings Alex to look at swords, but not that.]

Well. Shit. We're really working those network skills this week, huh?

[allsetfree]

[ Alex is still not really up to repeating herself or - even leading this thing. she doesn't know what, exactly, they know. and she doesn't feel like that's really her job. so she'll just start looking over those weapons too for something to do, and let Taako manage this at first.

but she's sticking close, rather than wandering down the aisle. ]

[chaoticlootral]

And it's only Tuesday!

[Looking? A little proud of himself. He shouldn't be.]

Okay, so, Alex here [Wow? He used her real name.] has an idea. Thinks the Bad News Bears are on the verge of taking home the Sports Championship, since the Ducks' roster is reeling a bit. The plan would be a Bear defects to the Duck's side, to see if they can bend the rules that way by stacking the numbers. Am I getting this right?

I'm assuming you know who the Ducks are, Alex? And I suppose since you can't even say it outloud about yourself, you can't spill the deets on the other Bears?

THURSDAY, WEEK 5

[chaoticlootral]

[Well, sometime probably a little late Thursday, Taako is making his way to try and find Alex alone - he brings news of plans. He’d offer food, but there’s rumors of an ice cream party. Seems unnecessary.]

Whurlitzer! How’s it hangin’.

[allsetfree]

[ why does he so rarely call her by her name ]

Uh - it's. Hanging. [ ... nailed it. ] What's up?

[chaoticlootral]

[ He is just Like That, sorry. ]

Cool, cool, good to hear. So, you were so curious about plans before, figured I’d offer you the inside scoop, so to speak.

Have a request though, first.

[allsetfree]

[ Alex smiles as best as she's able. she appreciates it. ]

Yeah? Thanks... But - what do you need?

[chaoticlootral]

Me and Magnus, uh, if we survive the weekend [ God this plan seems worse by the second. ] we want in. On the Reaper Locker Room meetings - the ones with both Bears and Ducks.. Player representation, if you wanna sell it that way.

[allsetfree]

We've - already discussed bringing Setz along. It hasn't happened yet, but everyone was fine with it as far as I know... So... Maybe some extras wouldn't be a problem?

But it's less about whether the Ducks and Bears are fine with that and more...

[ well. two things. the first: not being able to speak openly while a Player is present. the second: it's really kind of up to someone... else. ]

Well, I'll ask on Monday. I'll try and set something up after that.

WEEK 5 - SATURDAY

[chaoticlootral]

[Finding her sometime after THAT MESS. He's washed his hands, but, uh, hasn't seemed to remember that he's gotten blood on his dress (velvet. because he's not subtle. why is he invited to crimes again?) He's got a McFlurry.]

Well. That certainly took some twists and turns.

[allsetfree]

[ Alex is sitting with her face in her hands. but she does look up and drop them down when Taako speaks. ]

I thought I was going to know - what was happening. I thought it wasn't going to be a mess this week.

[chaoticlootral]

Preac--[He starts out snappy, but pauses. Then softening.] Yeah, uh. Preaching to the choir on that one.

[Sitting down too. Eating his McFlurry. Apparently, he didn't think to bring one to share this time.]

We weren't going to let him die though. I told you that much.

[allsetfree]

Yeah. I trust you guys.

[ which is - kind of embarrassing to just say? so let's divert. ]

... And it seems like everyone trusts him, so that... Helps.

[chaoticlootral]

[His eyebrows raise at the trust thing, but he doesn't push it. He knows what that's like, and that if you have trouble saying shit like that, you'd probably prefer it go unremarked on.]

So far. If someone else has Reaper Murderin' urges, they're hiding them well.

[Just. Doing that thing where you shove your spoon in and out of the McFlurry and it splorches kinda grossly.]

. . . We made a mistake. We shouldn't have even let that dude walk into the door of the McDonald's without being body slammed. Shit. We should have had someone on him since Thursday morning.

[allsetfree]

I wanted to trust him.

[ wanted to.

and, at the very least, she hadn't thought he would use Mary. ]