ataraxion | ( 14 ) video ✶ into the water let it pull him under don’t you lift him let him drown alive

[ the feed opens on two pairs of feet; one large, one smaller. then jenna's voice comes through. ]

Tell you what. I'm going to leave you here, with this broadcasting-- [ the shot jerks a little, exposing an empty and spotless kitchen. ] and that way you can have something to talk to while I try and figure out where we are right now. I'll be back in a flash, you've seen how fast I can move now, and you know I'll hear you. Okay?

[ not waiting for an answer, jenna presses her comm into desmond’s hand and brings it up a little, so his chest is in frame, squeezing his shoulder with her other hand. ] I'll be right back, I promise.

Right. [Desmond sounds... Well shellshocked and crazy pretty much covers it. You can hear him swallow in that sort of pained, half-panting way, like he's out of breath and can't quite manage to calm himself down.] Assuming anyone's still out there, yeah? [He might be talking to Jenna, but she’s already gone. The comm shifts violently, flashing to Desmond’s face for only a half second (long enough to see he has both eyes and doesn't seem to be missing anything vital) and then to the ceiling and then back to the floor.] I don't understand what more it wants from me. Three bloody years of my life, pushing a damned button wasn't enough. I've been to the heart. I saw the light again. It was supposed to put me back. It was supposed to- [The camera swings by so fast you can easily tell that Desmond was gearing up to smash it against the nearest wall before-]

--whoa whoa, hey. Hey, it's okay. It's okay, I'm right here. Des? Desmond? [ she crouches down, taking the comm back into her own hands and setting it on the counter, where it films the tops of their heads for the moment. ] We're fine, look. We're even back in the main part of the ship, so that trek back is cancelled. I'm--

[ she pauses, hand reaching up into the picture again as she reaches for the comm, setting in on her upraised knees so it's more or less centered on the two of them, looking a whole lot worse for the wear. ]

If someone could prove big brother is always watching and figure out what floor we're on for me, that would be great. Who needs civil liberties, anyway? --don't get any extra ideas, Nathan. [ there's a tinge of forced, unnatural cheer to her tone, and her gaze darts over to desmond every few moments as if she needs to make sure he's there and fine. ] And maybe whoever pulls rescue duty, bring him something with a lot of sugar in it? That would be great.

[Desmond rubs his face, weary.] Someone tell Tyke I found what I was lookin' for, yeah? It's all true.

[ she inhales, about to add something else; then she shakes her head, lips pressed together in a tired line and jabs the off button. ]

( ooc | they're on floor thirty eight, where they were dumped after being rescued by ward from some Seriously Bad Metaplot Shit. colors for ease: jenna and desmond. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Can't do much of anything without Tyke killing me in my sleep. I'll have to wait it out a bit, see what happens next.

You should do it anyway. She can't blame you if you've solved everyone's problems.

He goes, I go.

[ she can hear this, guys. ]

[ are you kidding me, jenna ]

Is that something you really need to do?

He goes? I go.

[ the ship may have some feelings about these two sticking together. ]

[ Well that's just a little bit interesting, and god jenna why do you hurt him and his feelings like this. ]

What do you mean by that?

I--

[ there's a long pause. ]

I'd just have to go, that's all. [ but her own certainty is clearly unsettling her. ]

Jenna.

[ After near everything, Erik thinks he understands her, but the reality is, he doesn't. He would never deliberately force her to say more than she should, but sometimes exceptions are necessarily. ]

Something else happened, didn't it?

[ she swallows, hard and audible. ]

I think so.

[ it's quiet, trying not to upset or distract desmond, but her own fear is clear. ]

Tell me everything.

[ Where her fear is visible, Erik's is a bit more contained. He's too accustomed to keeping his thoughts inside of him, too used to the act of presenting a stoic exterior, even around Jenna. ]

He wanted-- no. Okay, that's not fair. Des wanted to go out, but I used that as my excuse to go, too.

[ because the one thing erik's never, ever done is judge anything she's admitted to him, petty angers to looming fears; if anyone will understand the need to take control back-- and how whether she meant to or not, whether it was malicious or not-- she used desmond's urgency as her own way to try and feel like she had some control back in her life.

forcing herself to be quiet and seem calm, if only not to set des off again. ]

We just... wandered, for a while. It was-- creepy, but fine. Nothing worse than unsettling. [ she frowns, thoughtfully. ] Except for... you know how when you go into someone's house, and you don't know them, you don't know the situation, but it just feels... bad? Then later you find out there's a huge fight or someone died or I don't know what and it all makes sense, but without seeing anyone you just walk in and know it's not okay?

[ she shrugs, giving a meaningful look around her.

and then with a stab at levity: ] At least I know that stupid emote is about as impressed with me as I am with it.

We're not Candidates. [Desmond's been content to let Jenna do the talking, but he adds that bit with a hint of casual irony, like it's a private joke between them.]

I never liked exclusive clubs, anyway. Founders, Candidates... we should make our own club, you and me.

And what a club that would be. [Slightly mad snickering.]

The best club.

[ that's accompanied by a squeeze on the wrist, warm and gentle. ]

( 14 ) video ✶ into the water let it pull him under don’t you lift him let him drown alive

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