dear_mun | voicetesting!

The fuck is that haircut.

...Jenny?

[Huh.]

The one and definitely-not-only.

Guess I should count myself lucky they kind of focused on you and tossed me to the side, hm?

If you're anything like your counterpart, there's nothing you can't do. Doesn't leave you with much peril to be put in, wouldn't you say?

[...Which was frankly why he tried to kill other you in the first place.]

[Yeah, the fuck was that about not-Dad. Consider 'the fuck' her default.]

You could technically kick the writers's ass in 5 seconds and that didnt help you much.

So now you're an ass expert?

[You were a threat. Still are. He views life in probabilities, not moral conundrums. It's... hard to turn that off. It's the leading contributor as to why his relationship with Andrew went south fast.]

Yeah, probably, but I can't break the fourth wall. I don't doubt that you could.

I've always been an ass expert. I just don't tend to share that information with kids barely out of short pants.

[TMI, but to be fair she walked right into that one.]

Where I'm from the only ass that interests you wears an all-white skinsuit. Guess I should be happy I'm not the product of a broken home in yet another universe.

[He can tell she's looking to get a rise out of him, so he's not going to take the bait. Still... the thought that somewhere he and Andrew are happy (and inexplicably have a kid) stings.]

So you're saying that Andrew and I adopt you in some alternate dimension? What, Adam too busy doing whatever the hell it is he did?

Who the heck are Andrew and Adam?

I'm Midnighter and Apollo's daughter. Legally and everything.

Andrew is Apollo.

And Adam's Adam One. Former head of Stormwatch. As far as I can tell he was the one who raised the Jenny Quantum I knew.

[Yeah, no. She needs to smoke to be able to handle this.]

You do look far too young to have raised me. And way less married.

And you look too young to be visiting Marlboro country. Then again I guess it's not like it's going to kill you.

[She puffs the smoke right into his face.]

Who do you think you are? My dad? [Bitter? Maybe. She's still a 6 year old somewhere, after all.]

I'm sorry, I thought we were stating the obvious, not exchanging passive agressive barbs about alternate realities neither one of us know too much about.

Sudden hormones are a bitch for mood swings. Tell you about it some day. But yes I smoke and no it is not your damn business.

And I know enough. I know you didn't raise me, I know you're not with Apollo and I know you're flirting with that guy down there. That's all I need to know.

Whatever you say.

You mean Grayson? Grayson's not interested. [He just does it because he can. And because the former Robin's got an amazing ass.]

Didn't say he was. [If she's honest with herself, she was kind of expecting a denial. She thought she could do this, she thought she had a handle on the situation but seeing his father not be his father is maybe a bit too much for her 6 years old emotional brain to handle.]

Have fun with the other spandex heroes in that game, then.

Maybe they're just trying to give you a chance to prove you're not as dislikeable as they thought. People do that sometimes.

More like they didn't like the carbon armor I used to wear.

[Yes, because he looked completely ridiculous!]

...well, I've seen worse.

[Man, is that a spiked chin? Teddy's seen worse, yes- but it is a little ridiculous.

Don't get their hopes up.

Awww, and here I thought you were finally starting to like me, Grayson.

What, and have you under the impression we're on good terms? Fat chance.

You say that, but all I hear is that you really want me to take you out for coffee again.

What a strange situation that must be.

[Well this isn't awkward or anything.]

...We'll make it work.

[Or maybe he'll just make everything worse.]

[ Not at all.

But then again, he might be angry and upset, but he still misses him... ]

That, I don't doubt. [ Aaand Andrew swallows a few bitter comments. Because that's not what they need, either of them. Instead, he just sighs. ] Whatever you're doing, you look good. So I guess you're making the right choices.

[Midnighter certainly can't fault him for harboring any kind of anger. This whole mess is his fault. How did Andrew put it? He's always fighting something, and he always has to win.

Except the time it mattered most, and he lost everything.

He runs a hand through his mohawk, suddenly extremely conscious of its existence.]

I, uh... [Look at him, at a loss for words for a change.] I've been trying to actually live in this world, instead of just fighting for it.

[ Andrew's head drops a bit, eyes turning down. I never wanted to fight for it, either, until you - but that's on himself alone, for trusting. Instead, he lets out a longer breath that he didn't need to take in in the first place. ]

I'm sorry. I thought I could... but this is just difficult.

You know where to find me, if - if you need my kind of backup.

I understand. [Only he doesn't. Not fully, anyway. Which was the problem in the first place.

Looks down at his hands, his voice dropping low.] I'm... I kind of already have backup on my latest case.

[ That probably would have hurt... if Andrew had not actually been offering backup. He knows Midnighter can take a lot of damage, and can cause even more, but, well. Andrew's a slightly different class, physically. ~~And he worries.~~ The offer is genuine, instead of a roundabout request of please take me back.

So the words... the words make him look up at Midnighter, and smile a bit. Sure, it's a tad wryly, but not fake. ]

Yeah? Good. Living up to your expectations?

[He's always trusted in his ability to read people, but understanding them was an entirely different beast. He expected some kind of reaction to his words--in the end he couldn't bring himself to lie, not to Andrew--but that reaction wasn't a smile.

Was he the only one with lingering feelings? Had Andrew already moved on?

...Well, if that was the case, Midnighter certainly wasn't going to drag it all back up for him. It was the least he could do. His body language shifts, and he seems like his normal self.]

Oh, he's every bit the goody good I thought he'd be. Different, but variety is the spice of life, isn't it?

[ The last thing that Andrew is is over his feelings. The furthest from it; but it's because of these feelings, and the need to protect himself (yes, from Midnighter) that the offer was honest in the first place. Backup, if Midnighter needs it. No strings attached, so there is no trap, no gutted feeling, when Midnighter says he's done the practical thing and found backup. For a specific job. It only makes sense to Andrew. The way Midnighter perks up, after that, though, makes his eyebrows draw down, confused.

But Midnighter walked out, didn't he? Meaning that if Andrew ever had the 'right' to question him, it's been revoked.

Annd the last question makes him grind his teeth, just a little, against that's what you went to look for, wasn't it? Spice? ]

So long as he's got your back...

[Andrew's grinding his teeth. Great, I screwed up again. That's all he's going to be good for for Andrew, isn't it?]

You're the only one I'll ever feel fully comfortable watching my back.

[Midnighter's careful not to add too much emotion to that statement. It's just... a declaration of fact. Like he'd said the sky was blue, or that he finally did away with the chin spike like Andrew had been wanting him to.

There's no one else on Earth he'd ever trust like Andrew. Grayson's fun and all, but honestly he doesn't even comprae.]

[ Those words. Those words. Andrew suddenly doesn't know if he wants to laugh for joy or cry because of them. They are what he's wanted to hear for - for months? Forever? - and at the same time, they hurt. Because, comfortable or not, Midnighter does not choose to have Andrew watch his back. Because even the awareness that Andrew doesn't trust him back that much, right now - even that hurts. Because.

Because.

Slowly, he lets out a sigh. His voice only shakes a little, but he goes for what is honest. ]

The offer's still open, for when... for when that's who you need. I...

Be well, Midnighter.

[ Not even until then. He doesn't dare, he doesn't dare hope.

A moment, and, if Midnighter doesn't stop him, he'll shoot up and fly away. ]

Trust me. She's not the only one.

Are you expecting me to feel bad that I don't live up to your expectations?

Fuck living up to expectations. Like hell I'd want one of me to do that after all that shit with Bendix.

[ He shrugs. Pauses mid-shrug, head cocked to the side. ]

Wait, are you the shitty abusive bastard, or the less shitty but no less stupid idiot? I can't tell anymore.

Look, me, why don't you start by making sense, and we can work our way back to this moment.

Edited 2015-09-22 02:07 (UTC)

There are two versions of you who look like that. [ Vague wave to the mohawk. ] Or, well, I think there are two versions.

One is the abusive, lying bastard. [ Beat. ] Andrew. Stalked him across cities or some sort of Edward Cullen shit like that. 'Volatile and absolutely reliable', which makes no fucking sense, but that's what Andrew said, there you go. I owe that one a punch in the face.

The other one - which, honestly, I'm not sure is a different guy because your world is fuckballs confusing - is the guy who left him.

Which one?

As far as I can guess, same person.

First off, I did not "stalk him like Edward Cullen." I'd heard rumors about him and followed tips from several of my assets to verify them.

Second, you've got the same enhancements I've got, so I can't believe I'm going to have to explain this one to you. I already knew how it was going to end... [Clenches a fist.] I had to let him go. He deserves so much better.

Edited 2015-09-22 02:49 (UTC)

[ Incredulously: ] to You have got to be fucking kidding me.

Look, I've met a guy who is pretty much a Nazi, uniform and all. And I think you're even more pathetic than he is. What sort of fucking excuse is that?

[ No, sorry, he really hates you now. ]

Did you even ask him? You fucking didn't, did you.

Edited 2015-09-22 03:07 (UTC)

[Isn't there some sort of rule out there that the first person to bring up nazis in an argument not directly dealing with World War II automatically loses?]

Ask me if I give a rats ass what you think.

[No. No, you know what? He's going to give you a proper answer.]

Yeah, what I did was incredibly selfish. I'm not a complete idiot. I know I hurt him. But life isn't a Disney movie. You don't just see someone, sing a song about how amazing they are, and they're the one forever. We've never been with other people, and that was the double-edged sword that would kill us both. I did what I had to do, and your little guilt trip isn't going to convince me to think otherwise.

So why don't you go back to your own Apollo and stay the fuck out of my life.

Edited 2015-09-22 03:38 (UTC)

[ No, seriously, that Midnighter was almost literally a Nazi. He's not kidding about it. ]

Nah. [ Just a little dryly.

He cocks his head. ]

So what makes you think he will find someone better? And spare me your bullshit about being a killing machine; he's a nice kid, but he's not that nice either.

[Oh well. He knew it wouldn't work but it was worth the try.]

You've clearly met him, so I don't know why you're even asking me that question.

I've met him. [ Dryly. ] And he's so fucking head over heels for you still. No accounting for tastes, I suppose, but...

[ He shrugs. ]

Maybe it's just the Midnighters who go to shit without their Apollo instead of the other way around. [ A pause. ] Never seen the other way 'round 'cept for Andrew, really, but he's a bit of a mess.

[Don't tell him that.]

Yeah, well, when all you're good for is killing, it makes maintaining a relationship difficult.

You're holding up a conversation pretty well. [ Just dryly. ] Every word out of your mouth is shit, sure, but, hey, that's still a damned conversation.

That's how it starts.

voicetesting!

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I'M V. SORRY IN ADVANCE

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