starlogs | (no subject)

WHO: maine, wash, carolina
WHERE: atrium
WHEN: last night
WHAT: three pals paling around
WARNINGS: nah

[ It's not the first time a mission has gone sideways for any of them. If things are heading in this direction, it won't be the last, either. Not that he enjoys the feeling of a mission going sour, but, for the first mission they've been on together since... before, it didn't go as badly as it could have. Aside from some close calls, they're alive. Which, at this point, is more than Maine expected.

Seeking out familiarity afterwards is easy. Rote. It might never be immediate, but it happens eventually; drifting toward one another like they share the same orbit. Because even soldiers need relaxation sometimes.

He borrows a portable vid player from a weird guy he works with. It's different from what he knows, but picks it up quick enough with a bit of instruction. Movies on disks. Strange, but whatever. He swears to bring it back in one piece and scoffs at the threat that will befall him if he doesn't. ( Admittedly, Maine finds it seven shades of amusing when anyone threatens him. ) Somehow he winds up getting snacks, his arms laden with bags of... what he mostly assumes passes for junk food here. And there's the blanket big enough for the three of them to share. How he wound up being team pack mule for this get together he didn't even organize he doesn't know, but also can't say he's surprised.

He's also not really bothered. But, he can pretend. Which is why he's the last one there and when he arrives to the patch of land they've claimed for themselves in the waning fake sunlight, he unceremoniously drops everything to the ground. Except the vid player. That he carefully pulls out of a bag as he sits on the grass. His end of these tasks complete, Maine looks from Wash to Carolina with just a simple expression of well, now your turn you lazy fucks. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ after a while, the movie holds enough of her interest that carolina's given up on wash's snacks, leaning back to rest her weight on her hands, one knee still resting comfortably against maine's because she can. just because she hasn't said that some part of her missed him after everything they'd been through doesn't mean it's not true. they'd been such a good team, before and they were getting there now.

but she does catch him leaning, which turns into shifting forward to look at his face, curious. then smothering a smile as she looks at wash until she catches his gaze and tip her head at maine. do you see this, she's asking, not wanting to disturb him. ]

[ Wash is rarely unaware of his surroundings, whatever it might look like to observers. Even watching a movie, he's aware of what's going on around him. He sees it when Maine starts to nod off, recognizing the change in the tension of his body as he drifts and then catches himself. It's only a matter of time, he knows, before he gives up.

And he does. Wash feels the weight of him against his arm and smirks a little to himself. No doubt the guy needs the rest.

He's careful to keep himself still so as not to jar Maine awake. But he does look beyond him to Carolina and arches an eyebrow, the tiny smirk still visible on his face. He sees it. He might not be actively trying to disturb it, but he's also likely going to needle Maine about it later. And that intention is probably clear on his face to Carolina. ]

[ oh yeah, carolina sees that look and fully supports it, losing some of her battle with her grin as she gives wash a nod and then settles back to enjoy the rest of the movie. well, as much as she can. it's not great by any stretch of the imagination, but the beer is and the company is and she has absolutely nothing to complain about.

the movie ends and she keeps her silence up until the credits get boring (not that any of them know one actor from another at this point) and she bumps her knee gently against maine. not enough to be a threat, just enough to get his attention. ]

Hey Maine, what'd you think of that ending?

[ now is a good point in that later to start affectionately giving maine shit for his nap, right? ]

[ Intermittently he wakes up during the movie. Not enough to want to shake himself awake or anything. Maybe he should but it feels like he's barely slept in months. Only since arriving here has he gotten any measure of rest. And doesn't that just say something?

So, he's in the middle of one of those fluttering wake ups at the nudge to his leg. There is a thread of something there, pinching tight in his gut that maybe it is a threat. Maybe. But, rational thought kicks in that it's not so he doesn't give much of a reaction. His eyes barely open, his lids blinking small and slow. He slants a glance at Wash first then Carolina, though he doesn't move from his spot leaning against Wash.

The sound that rumbles in his chest can be roughly translated to: Predictable. Because, really. ]

[ Wash's amusement manifests as a subtle shake of his shoulders. It isn't enough to dislodge Maine or to communicate that he wants him to move. But it can probably be felt just a little.

Predictable, he says. Like he's watched the thing.

It wouldn't be right to let an opportunity like this one pass him by. Leaning into Maine a tiny bit, Wash nudges him with his shoulder. ]

Oh yeah? [ The grin isn't evident on his face, but it's there in his tone, sly and amused. ] What was your favorite part?

[ Does he need to watch it to know it is a typical action movie? No, he doesn't think so. They all have the same criteria, so he doesn't feel like he's really missed out on anything important. He knows he'll probably get grilled about it when he returns all this stuff to his coworker, but.

Whatever, he'll have Wash tell him his favorite part later and parrot it back.

Maine sits up fully now, slowly stretching his back and neck from having been hunched over for so long. His bones pop a little and it feels good. Idly, his hand lifts to rub at one of his eyes. Then, he turns a look on Wash that is so utterly bland and dry that it might catch fire. An almost laugh is huffed out of his nose and the sound he makes then is easily: The end. ]

[ to the side, carolina's still pretending she's not smiling half as much as she is. but it's hard not to appreciate this, would be impossible to ignore how normal it feels to have an evening like this with the two of them.

she's probably never going to get over having missed things like this. it's not going to lose its novelty.

but for now she's just shaking her head and starting to pile up snacks and drinks, sorting wrappers from things one of them has to take back with them. reaching across maine for one of wash's bags again, too, as she settles on something affectionate to say. ]

That wasn't a terrible movie. [ even if she's forgotten most of the plot already. ] Thank you both for it.

[ The end. Of course he says the end. Wash rolls his eyes, but there's no real irritation or disgust in the gesture. It's good-natured, his mood relatively light and upbeat for once. Or as light and upbeat as Wash can get anymore.

Straightening up and working out the stiffness of the arm Maine had been leaning against, he notices Carolina pilfering one of the bags. About to reach out and stop her, he reminds himself that there is plenty of food on the ship and he doesn't need to worry about it. Besides, he can just pick up some more stuff to stash in his room on the way back to it. ]

Yeah, no problem. It's been a long time since I watched something like that. [ Instead of live through it. He nudges Maine's arm with his elbow. ] Tell that guy you work with thanks for letting us borrow his stuff.