hfm_logs | Don't camp the spawn point [CLOSED]

Entry tags:

Don't camp the spawn point [CLOSED]

Warnings: Potential violence
Location: Atop the spire
Characters: Peridot, Greg Universe, eventually Agent Washington
When: The day after their deaths/disappearance, respectively
Summary: So, we got murdered. How 'bout that.

Everything hurt.

Greg registered that fact, before even registering he was awake. All parts of him ached just for being in existence, not the least of which was the throbbing in his head, muddying his thoughts from processing anything more than how deeply uncomfortable it was to be--

--alive.

He tried to open his eyes, and was met with further assault on his being, light attacking him and blurring out the world. He groaned, and felt it rattle through his chest in a piercing burn. The sound choked out with a whimper, and he curled on himself a little. Was he really alive? Was this how it was supposed to feel? Or was this actually just how things turned out, after...? Sucking in a breath, he felt newly-repaired lungs complaining for the effort, and Greg creaked his eyes open again.

It was... a nice place. Bright, and clean, and green, and... familiar. Greg blinked, and attempted sitting up, only to be hit with a wave of nausea. Oh wow, everything is terrible. Why is everything so terrible in such a nice place. Oooorgh. He curled in on himself further, waiting for the illness to pass, or at least lessen. It took a long time.

This was the spire, right? The garden on top. He had only been here once before, the months ago when he'd arrived. Since then, he'd only been to the lower levels, checking to see if missing friends had ended up like Wash had said. Slowly, carefully, Greg looked down to his chest. Even as it throbbed with sharp pain, it was in perfect condition. No wound, no scar, not even a bruise. Just like Wash had said, after all. So he really had...

For a long time, Greg didn't move. His brain was running in circles, trying to process all that happened, to remember it, to forget it. He'd died. He'd died. And now he wasn't dead. Regenerated. Weakly, he felt fingers nudging at his stomach, just making sure. Eventually, he gave sitting up another try--a creaky, queasy process, but successful in the end. It was necessary, just to properly take stock of everything, ensure he hadn't spawned a new haircut or outfit or something. But no, everything looked just the same as ever. He kept finding himself gingerly rubbing at his chest, double and triple checking that really nothing was there. Clean, smooth, kinda hairy, untouched skin.

He'd died, and he was back. And that meant... everything was fine? Was that how it was? That's how the Gems did it. It didn't even phase them. And here he was, good as new. So he should feel. Okay. Everything was... okay. He just had to go back to living, like nothing had happened. Return to his apartment, to his girlfriend, to--

"Rose--ooohohoooo, ow, oh, okay, no..."

Getting up too quickly brought another crash of vertigo, and his knees buckled under the effort, leaving him reeling on the ground again. Rose didn't know. Rose had seen--he was a human, she didn't know, she'd think... he'd left her to think the worst, he should have warned her. Even now that he was awake, he couldn't even get up, could hardly even move to let her know. He couldn't keep leaving her waiting. Damn it.

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Yes, she most certainly will. In fact, nearly the moment Wash says those words, the door just happens to slam open, revealing the huge Crystal Gem.

Talk about timing.

"Greg?!" She looks a little worse for wear- sporting a few cuts and bruises since anyone last saw her. Rose doesn't seem too concerned about herself, though. Or concerned about anyone else in the room, really, other than the one person she's looking at, who not long ago had been laying dead, and now looks... completely fine. Just as fine as he'd sounded when she heard his message. Rose can't spot a thing wrong with him.

She walks over, and places a hand on Greg's cheek smiling gently. "You're... really okay, aren't you?"

A readout of Greg's heart could have recorded the fastest ever turnaround from coming to a complete stop, to trying to rocket right out of his chest.

"Rose--!" It was good that she rushed to his side so quickly, or else he'd have run to her, and his legs absolutely would have given out. His hand reached up over hers, grasping it. "Rose...

"I'm--I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to... to leave you alone." She'd done it to him once, though he'd still been left with an amazing gift of a child, friends, family, the knowledge she'd wanted it so. He couldn't imagine how much worse he'd left her.

"It's alright. I understand, Greg, you don't need to worry." She reaches forward, placing her other hand on Greg's shoulder, and pulling him into a tight hug, just holding him for a while. Enjoying his warmth, and the steady beating of his heart. He's okay. She's not quite sure how, but he's fine.

She does eventually pull away though, leaving her hands on his shoulders and giving him a serious look. "But... next time a situation like that comes up, I want you to listen to me, okay...? That... isn't something I ever want either of us to have to experience again."

"Yeah... yeah, of course." He still felt so stupid. He hadn't even been trying to fight, and he'd just made things worse. All because he thought he could play peacemaker in a feud older than he could comprehend.

"I'm sorry... I'll keep out of it."

Bones shot Wash a look- the hell kind of narrative causality did the man just invoke? Was that his real magic power? God only knew. But Rose was here and Greg was mollified by it- without an answer as to what kinda food he wanted it Freed Bones up enough to grab the medical kit and walk back around to the livingroom and start unpacking what he'd need to patch up Miz Rose.

'Course then she started talking.

And that was a bit of a bitch to swallow, wasn't it? "How about you let the man have some kinda autonomy and maybe listen t'him now and then, huh?"

Sure he hadn't seen the fight, but if Greg was involved? He'd probably tried to wind things down. That's what Greg did. Calmed people and tried to get them to talk.

Wash gave a casual one-shoulder shrug in return. His life ran on unfortunate narrative causality and crazy random happenstance, and he'd long since accepted it - it just resulted in watching what he said for fear of a speak of the devil moment when he couldn't afford one. (He'd summoned the Meta one too many times - no need to add the Nox to that tally.)

That shrug turned into a frown when Greg left the kitchen. So much for tacos.

He closed his eyes, frown deepening, at the conversation between Greg and Rose. "Keeping out of it isn't the answer," he said flatly, barely holding back a snarl, "and you know it."

Wash was really good at that. Maybe there was a secret to it that he could learn. It was kind of like being psychic or something, except not quite as cool.

But then Rose started talking and...well, she probably wasn't trying to be completely wrong but she was and it kind of pissed him off.

"No way! He outta be trainin', not keepin' out of it! Ya can't just...give up on him 'cause somethin' went wrong!" The look on Casey's face suggested he'd be willing to coach Greg in the art of fighting himself if it came to that.

Oh, right, Rose was so caught up in the love of her eternal life not being dead that she almost forgot all these other people were here. And now they're... all... disagreeing with her. Apparently. For reasons she can't even begin to understand, leaving Rose just looking between them with confusion.

"I would've loved to listen to Greg, but Peridot wasn't going to just back down. Which she didn't. Which is why Greg died." Confusion, and a fair amount of annoyance that she's too drained to really hide. Why are they trying to tell her off for trying to help him? "And even if it wasn't a matter solely between Peridot and myself that had nothing to do with Greg- we made it clear last time that I don't have control of my powers, and that I shouldn't have a partner in any fights. As I recall, you got very upset that I hadn't firmly told Casey to leave in a fight that he WAS involved in."

And at Casey himself, Rose just shakes her head. "I'm sorry, but I disagree. Greg isn't a soldier, and being brought here against his will shouldn't change that."

It said something about Greg's life, that people sticking up for him could catch him so completely off guard. He stared between each of them as they spoke, bewildered and conflicted. On the one hand, it really was pretty heartwarming, having them rally behind him like this. On the other... it was this topic, again.

"Guys... I appreciate it. Seriously. But... there's a difference between getting in shape, and fighting. I'm not like the rest of you."

"In this particular instance, Greg's got a better hold of his magic than you. In this particular instance, you shoulda taken a step back and let him handle it. He's better equipped t'deal with it than you are." RIght now was unspoken but honestly? HE didn't much feel like tack'n on a qualifier.

He held a hand out, gesturing to Rose. "C'mere and lemme see that. It ain't a question of be'n a soldier or even a warrior. It's a question of reliability and self defense. Your powers are at current, unreliable. Greg's are. It ain't about mak'n Greg into some kinda ultimate fighter. That isn't his bag and forc'n him into it isn't what we're try'n to do."

"And there's a difference between picking a fight and defending yourself," Wash said to Greg in an undertone, straightening up to face Rose.

"You can't defend him from everything, and you know that," he continued, louder and with an edge of steel. "You won't be there for every fight, and the Nox aren't going to leave any of us alone. Greg needs to be able to defend himself in a fight, and that's what we're trying to teach him. The thing is, he needs self-confidence to do that, and with the way you talk to him I'm surprised he has any left. You're the local magical authority - if you tell him he's incapable, he's going to believe it, and that's a big fucking problem."

He stopped for a moment - if he kept going in that vein, he was going to cause more damage than he already had, and they didn't need that. "Look. Losing someone sucks - I get that. But you have another chance. You need to make the most of it, and repeating the same mistakes is not the way to do that."

Casey can't even believe he's hearing this.

"Greg's come through for us, like, every time we needed him! He's already got the-" How would Splinter explain it in ninja terms? It would probably make his point way easier- "warrior spirit in his gut!"

That probably wasn't it. Whatever, he's forging ahead.

"That's the most important part of bein' a human who can fight. If you think he can't do this, you ain't been paying attention. This is totally his fight too, he got pulled here just like the rest of us. And you know what else? Whatever Peridot's thing is is totally his fight too, because he loves you!" That's the part of Rose's hangup that confuses him most: you don't just...leave the people you care about to fight alone when you can do something about it. That's just...not what you do.

Why are they doing this? It hasn't even been a full day since she watched Greg die, and now they're all trying to push to have him just jump into battle again, and... "You're just going to get him killed again. There are hundreds of people here who don't involve themselves in the fighting. There's no reason Greg can't try to be one of them."

"This all happened because Greg didn't want to see anyone get hurt. Even someone who was obviously his enemy. He's no warrior. He's a kind, sweet man who just doesn't have it in him to hurt others, and there's nothing wrong with that." She reluctantly steps over towards Bones, holding an arm out towards him for him to examine.

What was even happening, here? They were all talking about him, yet he didn't feel like part of the conversation. They were all trying to stick up for him, protect him, but it made him feel worse. They were all his friends, but they were all fighting because of him.

None of them were wrong, but none of it felt right, either. It just went in circles, and Greg already felt too sick to keep up. No one was listening to him anyway. He just heaved a deep sigh, and sagged into the couch.

"Says the woman that knew she had some kinda mortal enemy in the city and did fuck all to warn anyone." Bones snapped despite himself, glaring at Rose's scrapes and bruises. He hadn't reconfigured the regenerator to work with...whatever she was just yet, leaving the old fashioned route of disinfectant, ointment, and bandages.

"We aren't try'n to put him on the front line. We know what kinda person he is, we've lived with him." The most compassionate people had a different perspective that was invaluable in situations like this. Greg needed to be able to help to HELP. Or he'd be kick'n himself for not do'n anything forever.

"You're not listening." Wash was trying to clamp down on his temper, but it wasn't working too well. "It doesn't matter if Greg doesn't go looking for a fight - the fight will come to him. It'll come to all of us, because surprise, the Nox don't like the people who've been brought here to kill them! We need to be prepared - all of us, including Greg - and that's what we've been trying to do, and if you could get your head out of your ass for five minutes, maybe you could see that!"

Well, shit. So much for controlling his temper.

"Dude, Wash, chill!"

That just kind of jumped out of his mouth. Wash wasn't Raph. He couldn't exactly tackle him to the ground and wrestle and punch him like he would when Raph got carried away with his anger, but the instinct was the same: Calm him down before does something he regrets.

With Raph, that went both ways. It's been the same with Wash too, right?

"Look...We're all kinda freaked out. But this no-death thing's...It's kinda like a chance to figure out mistakes. Yeah, it sucked completely but...Greg's still alive."

Or came back to life, or was never dead or-? Whatever, he can figure that part out later. "You can't, like, just know when somethin's gonna go wrong. You do gotta be prepared for anything, but...you can't do everything for everyone else just 'cause there's a chance someone might get hurt. Peridot just came outta nowhere, right? What'dya gonna do, just keep 'em locked up forever?"

"...I guess you're right, Casey." See how much more receptive someone can be to your points, when they're not loudly shouted at them? "You're a very smart young man."

She turns towards Greg now, addressing him directly. "Against the Nox, at least, you could stand to be a little more prepared. But I need you to promise that you'll listen to me, Greg. If things start going badly, and I tell you to leave and let me handle it, I need you to listen to me, okay...?"

She needs to know that much, at least. This whole thing could've been avoided if Greg had listened and left.

For a long moment, Greg said nothing, just resting with a hand rubbing at his temple. He was just too tired for this, for all of this. And he was getting really, really tired of everyone else talking about what was good for him or not, without hearing what he was trying to say.

"You know... I've been thinking." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "All this... it didn't happen because I was trying to fight, and couldn't." His mouth twisted. "I just wasn't paying attention. I didn't notice. I was too caught up in trying to get you to listen to me to see what was coming.

"Every time someone comes back here, all beaten up but alive, we just end up fighting, instead of being happy that we're back together." He glanced around the room. "Doesn't that seem kinda messed up? We all get too caught up in what we think ought to be happening, instead of what's right here, and being happy it worked out."

Greg looked up at Rose, taking her hand in his. "I've spent so long, trying to keep out of all this sort of thing, like you asked. Because it's been dangerous, and because I trust you. But... now I'm here, with this power I never asked for... and you..." He took a deep breath. "We're together. I don't wanna be a soldier, or a warrior, or whatever. But I don't want to be a burden on you, either. If I can be there for you... let me. Let's figure out this together. You don't have to keep doing it by yourself, Rose."

For the most part, Bones kept his mouth shut. He'd said his peace and it was more than he rightly should have said. Better to focus on patch'n up Miz Roze, wrapping her cuts and checking her bruises. None of them seemed all that bad and it make work'n with them easier. Nowhere near as terrible as the first cut he saw her with awhile ago.

Well. He sure had fucked that up.

Wash fell silent, listening to Casey and Greg. Casey was right - Casey had made the point he was trying to make, but at a much lower volume. And Greg...Greg always knew what to say, didn't he.

He'd been in an active war zone for too long, spent too much time with whom a point made at top volume was a point that got heard and for whom arguing about just about everything regardless of the situation was the norm - it was almost part of their charm.

Here, it was just fucking it up. He needed to remember that. He needed to switch gears, to remember that the last stand of a genocidal war was a world away and that world was well beyond his reach right now, that here was a different group and a different dynamic and a different skill set that he was very much behind on-

He needed to sleep - actual sleep, not one-eye-open half-alert 'sleep' that was really just killing time between missions. It had been a long goddamn time since he'd had actual sleep. Hell, maybe it would help.

Plus, if Casey was making more sense than he was, obviously there was something wrong. Sleep might fix that.

He stayed quiet, shoving his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants. If Casey and Greg were making sense, he probably shouldn't interrupt them.

Edited 2015-09-18 02:03 (UTC)

As good as the complement felt...Casey was out of words too. Wash seemed calmer, Bones was patching Rose up, and Greg was right: fighting about people coming back home safe was really stupid.

Anyway, the next move was entirely on Rose. He'd softened her up so that Greg could move in for the kill. But, you know. In a good way.

Rose listens to Greg, calmly and quietly, and lets out a sigh when he's finally done. "Alright. I'm not sure I entirely agree with that choice, but. It's your's to make, Greg."

She's definitely not happy about it, but she's not going to dictate what Greg can and can't do. Even if she's terrified that the same thing might happen all over again. "We can start working on practice together soon. But... until then... just try and stay out of trouble, okay? And please, stay away from Peridot. I doubt that you're the only one that's back if that's how these things work, and she's not someone that can be reasoned with."

She wasn't happy, and he couldn't blame her. Not after what he'd put her through. "Hah... don't worry. I'm not planning on rushing into anything any time soon."

When Rose brought up Peridot, though... Greg's smile strained a bit. "Yeah. About that... she uh. She's definitely back."

"...Right those um. Green shards of her? Went missing this morning. Jar's empty." With one last pat to Miz Rose's arm Bones stepped away, content that everyone was patched up for the most part. Greg needed food, probably, Wash was hungry, Casey was always hungry, Rose needed to rest. Everyone did.

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