open and closed.

[propulsion]

WHO: Marcus Rowntree, Valerius Hildebrand, Tony Stark, Loxley
WHAT: Some open starters, some closed starters. Hit me up in DMs or plurk if you want to do something!
WHEN: Cloudreach
WHERE: Location
NOTES: TBA

Comments

[acreage]

"Since when?"

— it's never been said that James Holden is much of one for things like subtlety, whether the topic at hand is a war or some social nicety. He stops not far from Marcus and the dog, near enough to talk and theoretically offer help.

But he at least has the grace to clarify, "Mme. de Cedoux mentioned that you take him out for walks, but I imagined there was more walking involved."

[luaithre]

Since when gets a frown that Marcus doesn't bother to suppress into something more neutral, and he steps aside so that he isn't still crowding over Vysvolod. Bends to take up the the leash again.

Winds a short length of it around his hand as he considers Holden frankly, in a manner that is a little apart from what they're talking about.

"Then she failed to mention our walks take us out into the wilderness, not simply up and down the stairs," and the obviously is pronounced silently. "What else do you speak of with her?"

[acreage]

There's a fair enough that he considers, because maybe he is being a little overly critical here and it's not like he knows Marcus to have a sense of humor --

but his eyebrows lift at the question, wrinkling his forehead, and his spine straightens incrementally.

"I don't see how that's your business."

Is what he'd say to anyone, really, asking that about a significant other. Naomi would never have the patience for him if he were the type to make that ask.

[luaithre]

There's a dream reality where Holden's denial would probably get some sharp reply, something brittle and cold and impatient. It has been long enough since that it's not Marcus' instinct in the moment, and the shift of his expression is probably difficult to read in its subtlety. It isn't, however, anger, or even disapproval.

He nods, once. "So it isn't," he concedes, and glances up the stairs where he would be going if a giant dog he has put himself in charge of wasn't keeping him trapped here. In this interaction.

Vysvolod lifts his head. Progress. It's mostly to twist a look at Holden, like he isn't certain why someone who dispenses attention to him, a Vysvolod, is still just standing there and not dispensing attention.

[acreage]

Well, it's enough to make him relax a little -- to nod in turn, then cross and kneel next to a poor neglected Vysvolod, ruffling the fur at his ears.

"How have you been?"

That's addressed to Marcus, not the dog, though he's also welcome to answer.

[luaithre]

What a friendly question.

Marcus watches the other man engage with the dog, who seems happy at the prospect of behaviour being rewarded, nosing lovingly pointed up at Holden's face. You'd think no one had petted him in his life.

"Busy," he finally says, after some prolonged seconds of mentally pushing this query around a plate in his mind. Meanwhile, reaching a hand into a pocket, producing a folded up scrap of fabric that he opens up. He extracts from it the morsels of smoke-dry meat he'd used to try to tempt Vysvolod before, to no avail.

He should ask Holden to take them and help get the old dog on his feet. What he says instead is, "I've had to make amends with people I count as friends and allies, since the shared dream. It ought to be said out loud that we know nothing about each other."

[acreage]

Vysvolod gets a good solid moment of petting as Marcus contemplates the question, a warm smile that crinkles around Jim's eyes, the kind of expression he certainly never had cause to make around Marcus in the dreams. He's moving to straighten by the time Marcus answers, has fully done so by the time —

well. The elephant in the room comes up.

His hands drift towards his waist, elbows angled behind him, as he comments, "And we don't owe each other any apologies. I agree with that."

Not that Marcus is, you know, offering. Not that anyone he had a bad time with in dreams particularly offered, if he stops to think about it. He doesn't.

He looks back down to Vysvolod briefly, then adds, "And Mme. de Cedoux is a good judge of character."

A mark in Marcus's favor. The fact that he's ready to dismiss what transpired between the two of them in dreams, but unconditionally considers Petrana a friend, is not a contradiction to him.

[luaithre]

It is a generous sort of thing to extend to him, and Marcus marks his own reluctance to return it so faithfully. His hesitancy around Julius, to begin with, and then his ongoing suspicions of Commander Flint's intentions. It might take some of the tedium out of his relations if he were to simply trust Mm. de Cedoux's good judge of character.

It would require better faith in everyone else, probably, but Holden has done very little wrong save lack magic. Which, you know.

But he returns the sentiment anyway with a nod. It'll do, for now. And speaking of for now—

"But she does spoil her dog," and then offers out the pieces of dry meat. "He may get to his feet if someone new for the day coaxes him."

[acreage]

There's a smile that plays on his lips at the offer, which has nothing to do with the dog. Admittedly, maybe about 5% of it has to do with the notion of Petrana being an indulgent dog owner, which absolutely tracks with the way she talks about dogs, but you know. Mostly.

He frees a hand to accept the meat, says, "I'll see what I can do."