summer has come and passed, the innocent can never last | open, with starters

[wrathfulkhan]

Characters: Eyebrow Squad Gene, Jackie, Deon, and you!
Date: Throughout September 15 days late with Starbucks
Location: Keeliai and the rest of the shell
Situation: September interactions for Eyebrow Squad.
Warnings/Rating: None initially, but subject to change.

A. [Gene] House Iron Dragon | September 15 | closed to Pepper
So this has been a long time coming, and things have come to the point where Pepper and Gene need to - gasp! - talk their problems out. Gene's sensed this coming for a while. He's made tea, and is sitting at the table, waiting for Pepper.

B. [Jackie] Dove's Place | early September | closed to Dove
Jackie is in an unusually good mood today. Yunxu seems to be ignoring him for now, so he's not sure what to do with himself...aside from hang with his Snake brothers. He's still itching for something more than gang life, and talking to Dove usually seems to make him chill out; while he is in a good mood, there's some anxiety lingering about him for sure.

C. [Deon] China's Place | early September | closed to China
Deon's been avoiding China ever since Erskine had accused him of being a spy. Confrontation is not his style. But learning sigils from her had been fascinating, and he'd been wavering between continuing his studies while keeping his head low, and telling her exactly where she could go shove her information requests. Perhaps if Deon had been taken a week or two before, he might have gone with the former; now, he's more inclined to opt for the latter. But he'll hear her out. She deserves a fair shake.

He takes a deep breath, and knocks.

D. [Gene] Fire Sector | throughout September | open
Gene is keeping a weather eye on the Chihuelans as they make their way through the city. And not a particularly kindly one, either. In fact, it could be read as a downright stink-eye, if they ever took notice of him.

E. [Jackie] Sky Sector | throughout September | open
Jackie can be found in the Sky Sector this month, slumming it with his Snake buddies, gambling in alleyways and generally being a hooligan and a layabout.

F. [Deon] Metal Sector | throughout September | open
Of course, Deon isn't Deon if he's not working on some ridiculous project or other. He's going around the Metal Sector in his off-time, picking up bits and pieces to tinker with. He might even find something worthwhile.

G. [Deon] Deon's Room | early September | closed to Tom
Deon's been sitting in his room all day, working on cracking the security of the laptop that he'd come upon in the market. It's been a side project more than anything - current events had kept him busy - but he's still interested in breaking in. It's not his laptop, but it's Tetravaal, so that makes it a little something of home.

H. [Gene] House Iron Dragon | early September | closed to Tony
Mail wasn't something the occupants of House Iron Dragon were accustomed to getting, so the pair of letters shoved under the door while Gene and Tony were out were a surprise.

"What, is Pepper leaving us notes now?" Gene asks, stooping to pick them up - and stops when he sees the name scrawled on one envelope, in what's unmistakably his handwriting.

铁木真.

I. [Deon] the Morrigan | early September | closed to Shay
Deon has gotten to know the former Assassin's ship (not a boat) passably well, and he knows it's here he can go to find Shay when he needs him. He knocks gently on the cabin door. "Shay?"

Comments

I, I, Cap'n.

[irishthor]

There's no response. He's definitely in there, as the lanterns are lit. If Deon listens, he can hear something that sounds like Shay snoring inside.

Of course, the door is unlocked...

Ha!

[craftlife]

Well, right, that'd be terribly rude, walking into a man's private quarters. Luckily for all of us, Deon has no concept of personal space, so he opens the door quietly. (Also, he doesn't want to be out in the open too much at night with the Chihuelans around.)

[irishthor]

The cabin is warm, rather well-decorated for the time. There's a model of the Morrigan off to the right, used for planning improvements to the vessel, and a large, locked chest to the left.

The main object in the room is the large table, with charts and other related items scattered about it. Sat at the head, slumped in a chair, head forward on his chest, is Shay Cormac.

One arm is across his middle, the other dangles off to the side. In the gloved hand is a piece of paper. Something is written on it, and, judging by the alcohol bottles around, it's something Shay's been stewing over for a while.

[craftlife]

Deon edges his lanky frame into the room. "Shay?"

Oop, there's the man, asleep at the table and positively pickled in alcohol. And Shay sneers at his Red Bull habit!

He scoots a little further into the room, treading as quietly as he can.

[irishthor]

At his name, the man stirrs slightly, but remains asleep. His hand grips at the paper, making it crinkle a bit, before his grip relaxes.

He's fast asleep, not likely to stirr awake... or so it seems.

[craftlife]

Curiosity has always been Deon's chief virtue...and his chief vice. He edges closer to Shay, wondering just what's on that paper there.

Well, the best option here is to try and wiggle it out of his hand, right?

No, probably not. That's a terrible breach of privacy. He dithers a bit, curiosity warring with propriety.

Of course, if Shay dropped it and he happened to pick it up...well, nobody could hold Deon at fault for that, right?

"Shay," he hisses again. "Wake up!"

[irishthor]

There's a grunt, a shift, the hand coming up to rest on Shay's stomach...

...And the paper fluttering the short distance to the ground. The Templar remains asleep for the moment.

[craftlife]

Ding!

Well, that sure would satisfy his curiosity.

Deon inches closer and snatches the paper up off the floor. And he reads it, or all of it that he can read. His stomach drops. This is like the letter he'd received, and thus terribly personal. He makes to gently place it on the desk and leave, ashamed...

[irishthor]

And something stabs into the wood, right between Deon's fingers, a hand securing around the younger man's wrist. The blade, it seems, is hidden up the sleeve of Deon's captor.

...And then he speaks.

"Deon?!" The thick Irish-accented and sleep-laden voice mumbles. "What in the name of Hell're y'doin', lad?"

[METAL GEAR SOLID ! NOISE]

[craftlife]

Deon doesn't scream. But he comes close, a half-yelp of surprise escaping him.

"Y-you dropped this," he says weakly, and at least his voice doesn't crack.

[irishthor]

Deon may notice a slight click, and when Shay's hand retreats, there's no sign of any blade... or anything other than Shay's hand.

He grunts, snatching up the paper, tucking it into his jacket for safekeeping.

"I'm assuming you read it."

[craftlife]

"Yeah," he says, looking a bit shamefaced. "I'm sorry."

But at least Shay won't murder him! Right? Right???

[irishthor]

Why would Shay want to murder him?

"It's alright." Mostly because Deon wouldn't know what it means. Unless he asks... and then Shay would have to decide to tell his young charge about his past.

[craftlife]

Deon's a little jumpy these days.

"Do you...want to talk about it?"

[irishthor]

"Nothing to really talk about." Shay comments, lying through his teeth, and his expression saying so. "It's just the past. Got to put that stuff behind you, right?"

So... why can't he?