Week 8 - May 20th - May 24th

[cartesio]

Last Week

With the weekend's latest tragedy, a strange mood has descended over Cartesio. What happened was unprecedented, and perhaps that's why the already decreasing hostility from the townsfolk comes to a complete halt. Could it be the strange circumstances? Bolin's desperate plea? Last week's peaceful Wednesday? Some combination? Whatever the reason, it's clear that the Sergeant's iron fist around the town has loosened. While the residents aren't jumping to interact with you, there's no graffiti, no new broken windows.

Cartesio is confused...but open to explanation, for perhaps the first time.

Still, while the town seems amiable, almost accepting again, there's little to chase away the knowledge that the Sergeant's tasks for you are near their end, and that means those without medals are doomed to their fate.

Or does it? After everything that's turned around, is it possible for you to claw your way out of here as well?

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[Welcome to the final week! If you want to contact the Sergeant, please post here!. Also please remember to submit your activity check!]

Comments

[marmoron]

I wasn't going to.

[He shakes his head.]

Shiro said I might regret not going.

[robitussin]

And he even got you to wear a suit? Man. The two of you must be really close.

[marmoron]

[There's a soft huff of amusement.]

He was the only person who really believed in me back then. I kinda wanted him to like me, you know.

[robitussin]

I'm glad he did.

[A beat.]

It'll be nice to meet him.

1/2

[marmoron]

[He thinks about it for a second, the smiles.]

You'll like him. Everyone does.

[There's a definite fondness in his voice here, too. It's not something you hear often with him.]

[marmoron]

And I'll have to introduce you to Allura, Pidge, Hunk. [Expression falling ever so slightly:[ Lance. [God, he;s not looking forward to the inevitable flirting and eyebrow waggling that guy's gonna do....] And Coran.

[...]

....and my mom.

[.....and now he just looks like he wants to wither away.]

[robitussin]

[Something about the way he delivers that name makes her laugh despite herself, tilting her head.]

Who's Lance?

[And then... Ah. She's adopting some of his desire to wither away, somehow.]

You - want me to meet your family?

[marmoron]

[Well that first question is easier to tackle than the second one soooo....]

Red's pilot. Flirts with just about anything female and bipedal.

[There's a lot of good things about Lance, but ... he sighs.]

You're probably going to end up meeting her. We work together.

[robitussin]

So... Get ready to be annoyed, basically?

[She doesn’t sound like she minds too much, at least.]

Right, no, um... That makes sense. I just wasn’t really expecting - or, I expected it, but I wasn’t really thinking about... You know.

[Save her.]

[marmoron]

...yeah. I'll tell him to knock it off.

[Even though he has a distinct and horrid feeling this is just going to result in teasing. The things he suffers through for you, Natalie.

But he looks away after a moment, somehow looking even more uncomfortable than he already did.]

Sorry. You probably didn't want to deal with the whole alien thing.

[robitussin]

You know I can tell him myself, right?

[Regardless, she blinks, surprised - and then reaches out for his hand.]

Hey... No, that’s not what I meant. I don’t care about that, okay? [And even if she did, knowing how uncomfortable he is about it... She’d be hard pressed to bring it up.] I just - meeting your mom seems, like. You know... Official. Not that it wasn’t official before, but...

[She’s definitely blushing. It’s fine.]

[marmoron]

[The touch gets him to look at her just a pinch surprised. A moment later, there's warmth creeping into his cheeks too, and he has to look away. He wasn't even thinking about that aspect of it....]

I know you can. I didn't mean that you couldn't.

[Talking about Lance. That's a good place to start. Not complicated at all to talk about Lance. He breathes out and holds her hand back.]

..I don't think you have to think about it like that. Krolia's ...uh... my mom, but we've only known each other for two years, you know? [....] Not that we're... not official.

[robitussin]

No, I know you didn't mean that. Just - you don't have to worry about telling him off. That's all.

[She nods, trying not to sound nervous.]

Right. And - I'm sure she's great. So...

[marmoron]

She is.

[And as weird as it is to talk about Krolia in this context with Natalie of all people, it's nice to feel pride in being related to her instead of having her shrouded in total mystery.]

She's a member of the Blades. [A beat.] A network of spies working to take down the Galran empire from the inside.

[He glances at her.]

But you know if it did bother you... I'd understand that, right?

[robitussin]

I know you would understand... But you shouldn't.

[She takes a moment before deciding the best way to word her clarification.]

Anyone who gives you shit about something like that is an asshole. That includes acting like having to be around your family freaks them out.

[marmoron]

[For a moment, he just stares at her, blinking back some surprise at first, but then he's smiling. She probably doesn't know how much hearing that from her means to him. Maybe he didn't really consciously know how much it meant to him either.

To say that he feels relief would be wrong -- he didn't think Natalie would refuse to be near him or Krolia because she's just not that kind of person. But then it means he doesn't really have words for it either. Appreciation, but not necessarily a 'thank you.' So then....

He wouldn't have dared if she hadn't before. Even with that, he's still not entirely sure if that's really the right move, but he can't really think of a better way to express this. After a moment, he leans in close, too close, and presses a kiss to her lips.]

[robitussin]

[She can't say she was expecting it, but something about it... She knows he isn't used to giving or receiving this particular kind of affection. It isn't second nature to him; it requires effort that others might not have to put forth, were they in his shoes.

Maybe that's part of what she values so much about him. So many things here don't come easily to him, but he tries his hardest all the same. So, that accounts for her surprise, but it also accounts for something else important: after the surprise fades, she's returning the kiss, bringing her free hand to rest on his shoulder.]