✘ | 023 | VIDEO + SPAM

[wecanavenge]

[Spam for Charles]

[Back on board, Erik is exhausted. Too much was taken out of him, in taking down Creed, but there's a little smile on his face. Erik knew he was powerful, knew he to lift massive objects, stop missiles, he knew he was strong. But he never realized how far that could one day extend, and the part of his mind that is always reaching, always striving is excited and whirring, exhausted or otherwise.

He makes sure that Rogue gets to the infirmary, and leaves Charles to his own shower, for once heading to the inmate showers instead of waiting. Lifting his arms to push soap out of his hair is a feat, but he manages, just as he manages to get back to his room. In clean clothes and with a damp head, he all but collapses into his bed, grateful for its comfort.

And as much as he'd like to, he can't sleep, thoughts too busy chasing themselves around his head.]

[Private separately to Alex, Anya, Raven, Ivy]

Are you all right? [He's tense, tired, but he needs to know they got back safe.]

[Private to Jean]

[This is harder, because he hates, hates that he couldn't prevent what happened to her, hates that she was one of the ones to suffer.]

How are you feeling?

[Private to Kelsier]

I'm sorry I couldn't come for you. [Awkward, a little, because how do admit he cares without admitting he cares.]

[Private to Barbara]

[Nope this is even more awkward.] He was taken care of.

[Private to Zane]

[He's a little more hesitant, but he did tell Charles he'd try. Besides, at least in this, they have something in common.]

I thought I'd put him down permanently. But well done, dealing with him.

[Private separately to Vin and Marsh]

[There's a lot of hesitation before he says to hell with it and puts this one out: might as well collect all you Mistborn folk.] How did you make out?

[Open spam in the CTS]

[A few days after returning to the Barge, when the exhaustion has ebbed and Erik feels like himself again, he can't put off the excitement anymore. He hasn't pushed himself very hard, here; he hasn't had to. Since Raven gave him the glitter, it's been on his mind, but only in port did he realize just how far he could be pushing himself. And he intends to push hard, as hard as he can, now.

In the CTS, he's bouncing on the balls of his feet, eager to test these new limits. He had known them, once, but they keep changing, evolving (he likes how that sounds), and there is so much more he can do with magnetism than throwing metal around. That's easy: he's here to practice something much more difficult.

Electricity crackles through the air; it's like the weather itself is attacking him, not terribly unlike the port they just left. But that's all right; that's what Erik wants. He just needs to figure out how to conduct it without that almighty anger. So far, he's just been shocked a lot.]

Comments

Private

[onlysurvivor]

You did more than enough. It... wasn't unlike how I first came into my powers. The metals were a salvation.

[a beat] They needed to work together. Perhaps if I put myself in danger more frequently they'll resolve their remaining issues.

[Yep. Sure is talking about manipulating people into getting along.]

Private

[wecanavenge]

[Given what he knows about how Kelsier Snapped, Erik's not very fond of the idea of him flashing back to that. But he nods, at least, then smiles wryly.]

Manipulative of you. But somehow I'm not surprised.

Private

[onlysurvivor]

Some Atium would have been nice but one can't have everything.

[Now he grins] Perhaps a little. I doubt they would do anything together without a push. I am extremely good at Steel pushing, you know.

[private]

[fridgetothefire]

I'm fine. You get some rest.

[private]

[wecanavenge]

You didn't run into any trouble? [He will rest when he is satisfied.]

[private]

[fridgetothefire]

I burnt my tongue eating not-rabbit stew too fast. That's literally the worst of it.

[She doesn't mind that she cares. But her pride is not masculine pride; he can trust her answers.]

What about you, I know you must have been in the thick of it.

Private

[chlorophylliac]

Fine.

[Read: stayed the fuck out of everyone's way because most people suck and are lame.]

Yourself?

Private

[wecanavenge]

[Sounds legit. He shrugs, but there's a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.]

Could have been worse. I did have an...illuminating altercation.

Private

[chlorophylliac]

[A small smile of her own appears.]

Oh?

Private Video

[burnmythoughts]

[Jean doesn't look great. Her face is gaunt, there's a bruise blooming on her cheek, and dried tears glint under the lights.

But she's smiling. She can be strong, for him.]

I'm...I'll get there.

[The smile fades as her eyes narrow.] It's not your fault.

Private Video

[wecanavenge]

[Smiling and crying. He wants to come find her, and settles for locking his jaw instead.]

I know. Do you need anything? [He doesn't blame himself, but he does; he shouldn't have let them all split up. It was a mistake, and he just wants to make up for it.]

CTS SPAM

[onlysurvivor]

[Kelsier is there, watching, keeping out of the way so he doesn't get shocked. He does wonder if he can attempt the same thing Erik is doing with his own powers. This does make him think...]

I'm going to Steel push. Tell me if you feel anything different in the air.

[He makes no obvious gestures as he burns Steel and directs a Push toward bolt of lightning near him.]

CTS SPAM

[wecanavenge]

[It's the lack of gesture that makes him curious at first; he's thought, in the past, that he might not need it - but it feels so natural that he's never consciously stopped himself. Erik nods, eying the lashes of lightning around them.]

You're manipulating the magnetic field and you. Pushing out. Do you--fuck! [He wasn't paying attention, and got another shock on his arm, which he is now vigorously rubbing. It's probably a good thing the CTS can take it easy when necessary.]

[Spam]

[wedonot]

[Charles has been quiet since they got back, mostly because he's just tired. There have been times in the past where he feels like something like this would have reduced him to an emotional wreck, but right now, just just feels... numb. Worn out.

He hates what happened, but there's a part of him... a part of him is remembering what he had to read in his psychology courses about soldiers who had grown almost numb to combat. Which is just depressing.

So Erik's not the only one who can't sleep after showering, and Charles really doesn't want to be alone right now. He's pretty certain - even if he's not aware of it - that his friend doesn't want to be either, so he gently nudges Erik and gets him to unlock the door. He lets himself in and without saying anything shuffles over to Erik's bed and sits down next to him.

... Actually just kidding, sitting is up too hard right now, you have a very tired telepath flopped down next to you.]

[Spam]

[wecanavenge]

[He rolls over in time to give Charles room, face pressed into his pillow. And though his eyes ache, he can't really keep them closed, either.

He says nothing, for a while, just waves the door locked and lets the silence settle. But eventually, he turns his head slightly, trains his gaze on Charles.]

All right?

Private

[godsays]

I thought you had too. It was only coincidence that I found him.

Private

[wecanavenge]

All told, I'm glad you did.

Private

[permutates]

I'm fine. I stayed out of the way.

Private

[wecanavenge]

Out of danger would have been good enough. [He doesn't want to say good, doesn't want it to sound like he thinks she should keep out of the way.

But on the other hand, good. She's safe.]

private

[tolaywaste]

I'm not hurt.

[Which is not, of course, the same thing.]

private

[wecanavenge]

But are you all right. [No weaseling.]

private

[indispensible]

[It takes her a while to figure out how to respond to this. In the end she goes with what she usually goes with - a blunt non-sequitur.]

Kelsier gave you your powers back. Completely. Didn't he?

private

[wecanavenge]

[Well okay then, Vin.]

The warden I had before him did. Kelsier did me the favor of not taking them away again.

[ CTS spam ]

[neuropathy]

[ ...you know, Nathan was honestly just hoping for some kind of obstacle course. Sometimes he gets those standard ones with ropes and tires, sometimes he gets being chased around an abandoned hotel by a murderous doppelganger with a gun. Both are useful.

Either way, at this point he just hangs out and waits for a break in the uh, lightning. It seems like a much smarter idea than interrupting the guy messing with it.

Not that he's not properly awed. ]

[ CTS spam ]

[wecanavenge]

[Don't be too awed, Nathan; Erik is getting his share of shocks. His power can work in a way he's not used to using it, and though he's used to the way his mutation works, it's not much easier than he was first learning the ins and outs of what he could do.

This time his frustrations aren't accompanied by a pounding heart or fear of what will come of failure: he can smile when he accomplishes a task, curse out loud when he makes a mistake. And it hurts no one.

Eventually, the program ends, and for the first time (which is unsettling, he doesn't much care for the idea that anyone could have sneaked up on him) realizes he isn't alone.]

Wuornos, wasn't it?