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[entrapments]

Just so it can't be said that I'm a girl who doesn't follow through- ta daaaa.



And before you think about making fun of it, consider that I am seriously hung over and still managed to make this stupid thing without using comic sans, okay? That's an act of mercy. I'm pretty much a saint with that kind of self-restraint. [ it's hard to see the girl in question, when she's busy flashing this ugly calendar at you, but glimpses of Hayley's face can be seen from time to time, peeking out from under the hood of a sweatshirt. ]

I took the liberty of arbitrarily assigning holidays after what everyone was kinda talking about the last time I asked? And then like, threw in a few of my own. Holidays are in red, because hey nothing terrible ever happens when things in red end up on the network right? Okay! Ummmmm.

Something-tember the 4th is go find a personified country that gardens and follow him around for an hour asking the most irritating questions you can think of day.

Something-tember the 14th, as every second decided upon Wednesday of every made up month, is slap a lawyer on the ass day.

Annnnnd Something-tember the 21st through 23rd is Space Thanksgiving, because I like eating and holidays built around food should always last more than one day because. Food-comas. And you know, pie. Which is a thing that frankly, should just happen more than one day a month, alright?

But there you have it. Ask and you shall receive etcetera etcetera.
Man what does this say about me and my free time.



Private| NEW TEAM JAILBAIT FILTER|
Alright so I know I don't actually know some of you guys or whatever, but we're a bunch of teenagers running around a ship with murdering whackos, nightmare fog, and maneating monster-beasts. Not to start a mousketeers group or anything, but like- I figured it couldn't hurt to start checking some stuff out on our own for a change?

It's not like anyone else is getting stuff done.

Thoughts?
And for the record, I'm immediately vetoing any and all Scooby-Doo suggestions.

Comments

[entrapments]

What're you supposed to save them from?

[theyalldieforme]

[He takes a breath]

A computer system called Skynet.

[He's never said that to anyone. Anyone except Martin Bedell, who dies for him one day, who dies to protect him. It's so stupid, so preposterous, what if Hayley is a machine, some sleepy part of his brain wakes up to say.

Too late. The words are out there.]

[entrapments]

[ okay wait, stop everything. her eyes squeeze shut. it's not that she doesn't believe him- because that haunted look in his face says everything. but- her hand slips loose of his, and she scrubs at her face. ]

So- so you're like, raging against the literal machine here, this is some War of the Worlds, Terminator stuff.

[theyalldieforme]

[He turns his head, fast, so fast that it's not just a gaze. He's looking at her now, his hand tightening on her wrist.]

What did you say?

[Terminator, she used that word, Sarah calls them that, the machines.]

1/of wait for itttttt

[entrapments]

[ she goes unnaturally still in his grip- it isn't the first time he's touched her without warning. isn't the first time she's reigned in impulse, and her eyes search his face. confusion. ]

War of the Worlds? HG Wells book about martians sending killing machines down to Earth that lay waste to London?

And Terminator was the Schwarzenegger movie about a cyborg assasain sent back in time to kill a lady so she doesn't have a ba-

[ oh.


oh no. ]

[entrapments]

[ a sharp inhale ] You're-

[entrapments]

You've gotta be kidding me-

and done!

[entrapments]

[ her hands come up, heels pressed against her closed eyes. ]

Hayley Stark, this is your life.

WEEP

[theyalldieforme]

[John is going still, frozen, but one hand is going to his back where he keeps his handgun. It hovers there for a minute, but he doesn't take it out. He can't. He can't, not so long as Hayley might be-

She's his friend-

He trusted her-]

Hayley, you have to-

You can't just-

My life isn't a movie.

[entrapments]

Yeah okay I got that I mean I'm on a space ship with Batman and Captain Kirk and Sherlock Holmes- [ the faster she says it, the faster it'll start making sense. except- not.

it's fine. she can deal with this. she's just startled, and is on a date with a famous fictional character. sure. why not. it's not like Frodo isn't here. ] I'm just processing, you have to gimmie a minute here. [ one big exhale and her shoulders start to soften. it's fine. we're fine. ] I just didn't realize you were John Co- you know. I'm.

I'm just not even going to say it.

[theyalldieforme]

[John stares at her, and his hand moves from his gun. Okay, she's right. Captain Kirk is here. Sherlock Holmes is here. He understands. He does.

But it's one thing to meet someone who he knows is fictional and another to learn you're fictional yourself.]

John Connor.

[He says it like it tastes bad.]

You can say it.

[He's quiet]

Is she crazy in the movie? My mom?

[Because she is crazy in real life.]

[entrapments]

[ she isn't sure quite what it is that brings her around, whether it's the tone of his voice, or that he keeps talking- that he softens, or what it is he asks. but it pulls a smile from her all the same. a flicker, before it becomes something solid. something sure. ]

A little.
I think she means well. Most moms do.

You're way more attractive in real life than you were in the eighties. Nineties. Whenever the second one came out. I don't remember it that well, when I was a kid I had nightmares for weeks.

[theyalldieforme]

[He looks at her, and suddenly he puts his hand on his face. He's almost laughing. This is ridiculous]

Nineties. God. There were two of them.

[It gave her nightmares. It's good to know his life wasn't portrayed as a comedy]

You still can't tell anyone. And we can't let my mom know. Not ever.

[entrapments]

I think there might have been four, actually. At least one with you all grown up, and facial ha- wow that is way more entertaining now. [ he's relaxing, which- marginal as it is, eases some of the tension from her spine. Hayley never lets it go, not really, but she knows how to give the illusion thereof as well as she knows her own name.

but he keeps talking, which in and of itself is a miracle. John has always been- sparse with details. it makes him difficult to work with (work around) but not impossible. Hayley nods, and the curve of her body moves towards him, an unspoken assurance. ]

I won't.
I won't put you in danger.

[theyalldieforme]

[He breathes out, relaxes. It's visible. He's always been quiet, he never trusts anyone, but this, she knows, she knows and she's not insane]

Thanks.

[He pauses]

I'll keep shaving for now.

[entrapments]

[ Hayley's laugh has never been musical, but it hits the air between them easily. ]

A wise decision for all involved.

[theyalldieforme]

[He leans over, then, and presses a kiss to her cheek, quick, demonstrative in a way he never is, almost. Even Riley had to make the first move, sort of. Riley had been playing him the entire time.

It's the most human thing John Connor has gone lately. More human than singing to Kurt, carrying his friend to safety, more human than when he let Cameron sit on his back and draw her hands over the bruises from being thrown against a wall.]

Don't want it to sting.

[Oh. He's a little embarrassed.]

[entrapments]

[ something grinds to a halt at the contact. the brush of his lips against her cheek. it's- timid. it's timid and soft, gentle and shy. all things that Hayley plays at with savage expertise and all things that, for whatever reason, John has spread out for her to examine, and do with as she will. her eyes follow him, linger on his face and even as the smile moves over her mouth, she thinks about the lies she's given him in exchange for his risks. for his honesty. she thinks about how little he knows about the girl he's just kissed and the girl he's trusting with his life.

there are a thousand things she could offer that space, but instead, her head dips forward, voice a quiet teas- and her fingers find his for a second time. ]

You big baby.

[theyalldieforme]

Not me. I don't want it to sting someone else.

[He doesn't finish that. He's never hesitant, he's never shy like this, he's never just soft. Softness doesn't exist in his world, and maybe that's why it exists with the girls who he chooses. Riley had to make the first move but then John babied her, treated her like something special.

She was, and she wasn't. He catches Hayley's fingers. He knows her better than she thinks he does. He's more observant than people give him credit for. But he doesn't care about what he does or doesn't know right now.]

[entrapments]

Considerate, as always.

[ there's something wrong in that. or maybe it's in her. it's probably in her. Hayley doesn't make a habit of examining what works, but John presents too many contradictions and she isn't used to having this surplus of time that screams bad idea in stereo.

this isn't-
something she doesn't. this isn't who she is. even if she's not sure what the other answer to that question could be. her thumb moves over his knuckles, and Hayley doesn't think about all the places in her that've been burnt out. replaced by iron. ]

Maybe whoever you rub faces with should toughen up a little too.

[theyalldieforme]

[He laughs, it's a rare sound, but maybe it's growing too common, lately]

All the people who touch my face are already made of steel.

[entrapments]

[ even steel has a melting point. Hayley's eyes narrow playfully, the finger of her opposite hand lifting between them. ]

See, in this situation? Not sure if literal or figurative.

[theyalldieforme]

Figurative. I held your wrist, remember? Metal feels different.

[entrapments]

Well- maybe I'm some- super advanced robot with life-like limbs. I mean, there's a huge market for that kinda thing in fetish stores.

On second thought. It's probably not in my best interest to try and convince you of all people that I could be part robot.

[theyalldieforme]

[He just raises his eyebrows]

Probably not.