Texas - There are no strings on me. (strings_on_me) wrote in knowhereic, @ 2017-09-29 23:56:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | haloverse: canon: north, haloverse: canon: tex |
Who: Texas and North Dakota
What: Tex and North talk.
When: During this thread.
Where: The Observatory
Rating: PG-13
Status: Log - Complete
The golden boy watched as the other two Spartans moved past, then he took a brief glance at Ed with that helmet before stepping in closer to Roy and leaning down a little. “I would never try to use her against you, sir. I was only trying to prove to you that I was me.” With some information another wouldn’t know. York, of course, had no idea that a shape shifter could take someone’s memories. “We’re friends, sir.” His hand came up to rest on Roy’s shoulder. It was heavy. “I’m loyal to my friends.” As if Mustang didn’t already know that. His hand fell away. “What’s on the docket for tomorrow?” Since they were clearly all staying here tonight. Texas found herself a nice dark spot, but the two could still see one another easily, through the infrared. The woman took up a spot against a wall and set her gun between her legs. “What’s on your mind, Barney?” Big and purple, get it? He even had green accents. Oh, she was so funny. *** The sniper followed after the shadow, pulling his gun down from over his shoulder and into a relaxed position, though he was alert. Like the others, he was perfectly capable of standing there all night if necessary. He'd stay in that same position for 8 hours if required. They'd all done it before. No big deal. Behind his visor, North quirked a brow. “Is that a request for me to sing you a song? ‘I love you, you love me, we're --how does it go?” He laughed lightly. Easygoing because it was better to communicate when things were light. Texas didn't do heavy very well. But… he paused then relented. “York,” he said. “I wasn't wrong to force the scenario.” He was the most expendable. “York was …. Overreacting a little.” You scared him. Theta talking in his head. “Maybe I scared him a little..” But North and South were siblings. It was good to be reminded that North wasn't all caution and gentleness. He was just as reckless and ruthless as his sister. He was just smarter about it. Sometimes. *** “You did scare him.” Texas remarked with a tilt of her head, shifting the gun before she finally released it to lay untouched in her lap. She let her arms rest. It was a telling move: not that she was comfortable here, because she certainly wasn’t.. But because she was in some discomfort-- and some discomfort for a Freelancer was devastating to a normal person. Texas hadn’t gotten down from her perch without repercussion. “He overreacted because you took an unnecessary risk. It may have taken us longer, but we would have come to the same conclusion without you risking having your face burned off.” Her shoulders settled against the wall. “Because he cares about you.” Those words were more quiet, even over the comm just between the pair of them. *** North paused and examined Texas - she was uncomfortable, not only because the topic of conversation but something physical. Theta noted her voice. His analysis wasn’t as sharp as Delta’s, but Theta heard nuance more than his logical brother did. Texas was in a relaxed position by all accounts, but she wasn’t in any danger with North standing there keeping an eye out for danger. The sniper was damned good at his job and though their enemies were no bigger than the palm of an average person’s hand, the Freelancers’ military habits made them react as if this were a world war. “It had to happen sooner rather than later. Guy threw his best shot and it washed off of us, when you have only desperation you do stupid things. We all know that.” He hadn’t wanted to give Texas a reason to shoot the alchemist, either. York would have put himself in the middle of that, too. North reached out and touched Texas’ shoulder. “He cares about you, too, Texas.” It was York they were talking about. He was a bleeding heart for everyone he ever met. The thought made North smile. *** Her helmet tilted. It was clear she was staring at the hand touching her. Then she looked back up. It was time to remove that hand, Spartan, or she’d remove it for you. “I don’t care how he feels about me. I’m not a jealous child, North. I was only trying to clear up your obvious, stupid musings about why he overreacted. It’s because you put yourself in danger. And because he doesn’t want to see you hurt and doesn’t want to lose you.” Funny that sometimes it was Texas, the least human of the Freelancers, who understood the barest human emotions. It was because she had experience the others never had. She might not remember them, but the experience lingered. She knew how to react. She knew in her gut how humans felt. She could anticipate it. She could pick it out. It was one of the many reasons she was such a bitch-- if she could keep it all at bay, she didn’t have to feel any of it. She could just be an observer. Fat lot of good it was doing her. Turns out, it didn’t quite work that way. “It’s not that had to understand.” *** He did remove his hand. He raised it in surrender then slowly dropped it back to his weapon, balancing the massive weight in two hands instead of one. “I know that, Texas,” he replied easily. If she understood in ways and reasons unknown to her, so did North. Having had the fortune of South being at his side, they kept each other human in the ways the other Spartans would never know. They were damaged and broken, too, but they were also well versed in the idea of love. They loved each other, after all, and it kept them from going off the deep end. “He also knows he doesn’t have control over every situation. I saw what needed to happen, so it happened.” And he’d messed with his friend to do it. That part sucked, but the Spartans were good at seeing the bigger picture in everything they did. “Besides, nothing terrible happened. It’s only dumb when you fail. Otherwise, it’s just genius.” That’s not how it works, Theta said. We should tell York we’re sorry. *** “You manipulated him, North Dakota.” Came the dark soldier’s simple response. “It’s the only human part of him that he has left and you used it against him. If you’re lucky, he’ll never see it that way.” One leg stretched out and she lifted her gun enough to reposition it in her lap. “You get first watch.” His punishment for being such a moron. Because Tex was going to get some damn shut-eye. She deserved it. North didn’t. *** She cared about York. Of course she did, if she didn’t she wouldn’t be lecturing North over his choice, especially because his choice had hurt York. His friend. Her friend. She hadn’t liked it anymore than York had. North had done what was necessary, the expendable one with no roots in anyone except York and maybe Texas to a small degree. It had been the catalyst, the dumb decision that forced everyone’s hands. He’d been right to do it, but that didn’t change the fact it had scared his friend. Once it occurred to him, North paused and nodded. It made sense. “I’ll talk to him,” he said. Shaking his head, the giant Freelancer hefted the heavy rifle and then nodded his affirmative. First watch. Fine, no big deal, he’d done it on an empty stomach plenty of times. So North planted himself in a better position and set himself up to stand sentinel over his friends. |