Already choking on my pride [OPEN]

[hellshot]

WHO: Reaper hellshot and OPEN
WHERE: Within the Fleet, some automated cafeteria
WHEN: Various times within the month, whenever he needs to eat.
WHAT: Reaper needs nutrients, touchscreens aren't his friend.
WARNINGS: Possible mention of how horridly deformed he is under his mask. It's bad.


[Dark fingernails tap against the metal counter he's currently standing in front of. If he wasn't wearing a mask, it would be easy to see the look of frustration on Reaper's face with his current predicament, so for now, the only way of knowing that the ghost of a man is pissed off is the wisps of black fog escaping from under aforementioned mask.

He hadn't gone on the previous mission with Sombra, and he had no interest in rescue missions, either. Which meant he hadn't seen the field of battle in little over a month--which meant he hadn't been taking in new nutrients from his surroundings to keep his body from decaying to a point of discomfort. Which meant he had to partake in his least favourite of activities: Eating.

Eating was difficult enough when your face was barely suited for it--but when the cafeteria closest to his living quarters was a fully automated one? It was like a really bad joke. Touchscreens worked when pressure was applied with an electrical charge--human skin was a great conductor for said electrical charge. Dead flesh didn't hold any sort of charge. So this was his predicament. He couldn't eat if he couldn't get the damn screen to work.

Frustrated, Reaper finally turns his head to glare at the individual waiting for their turn after him. He hated asking for help, so instead:]

Work this damn thing for me and I'll pay for your food, too.

[He's too tired for this bullshit today.]

Comments

[canadese]

[Ax makes the selection without argument, though he does also order a glass of milk as he understands that it is part of a balanced breakfast for humanoids and an excellent source of calcium. If Reaper is truly a "ghost," he will need the help. Though the skeptical glance he throws at Reaper sidelong says as much as it needs to about what he thinks of that idea.]

Ghosts are not real. [That sound may have been a derisive sniff.] Undeath is an impossible phenomenon.

[hellshot]

[He really does love it when people throw that exact disbelief his way. It's the closest feeling he gets to joy since he died, really--and when Ax does it with a sniff of complete disbelief, Reaper almost finds himself grinning.

The clawed fingers of his still-gloved hand click against the counter in front of him, and he gives out a low, edgy laugh--echoing out terribly like Ax had told an extremely funny joke.]

'Impossible?'

[He has one of two options here. He could very easily turn into a cloud of smoke and freak the other out, but...

Since Ax had gotten into his space and went so far as touching him...

He decides the other extreme.]

Do you really think that? You know, I once thought aliens were impossible.

[And he was already proven wrong about that, what with the last mission and those huge dinosaur-like aliens.]

[canadese]

[Ax just looks down at Reaper's hand, then back to his face--if that's even his face. It's where it sounds like his voice is coming from, anyway. Whatever it is, Ax is looking at it like he's very unimpressed.]

I admit that your physiology is unusual to me. That does not make it supernatural.

[How sad that whatever species Reaper is has such a poor understanding of their own biology.]

[hellshot]

[It certainly isn't a face, but Ax will find that out in a few moments when he puts into action that 'other extreme'--fingers moving up to undo hidden clasps on either side of it. Revealing a face that should, by every meaning of the word, not belong on a man who is up and walking around.

The skin is dark, but pallid--like a corpse that had been lying out in the sun for serveral days. Peeled up and decayed--especially around the cheeks--to expose teeth that should be hidden from sight. Skin tight to his face so much to show the shape of a skull underneath, and a set of pitless red eyes--black like ashes where it should be white.

In every meaning of the word, he looks dead. Dead, and rotting. The black fog that lifts from under his mask now has a source, hissing out like something burning from wounds on his face.]

'Supernatural' doesn't exist in my world, kid.

But Death exists everywhere. And it's taken a particular liking to me.

[canadese]

[Ax does grimace, but it's out of disgust rather than fear. Reaper isn't pretty, but Ax would still rather be staring at him than a Taxxon.

Also, this argument is annoying and the longer it goes on the longer Ax doesn't get to eat, either.]

You should consider asking the staff to engineer an interface that is more compatible with your biology. [Also, brushing your teeth. In any case, he's accomplished this bizarre favor, so he steps back to give Reaper room.] And I am an adult.

[hellshot]

[He gives Ax the longest smile the alien will probably ever see, glow-red eyes flicking to give him a bit of a tired look.]

I'll figure something out before they do. Already asked them twice to replace it with something else. [And he was rightly told that they weren't changing it to suit one person's needs. But he wasn't going to complain about that to an alien he just met.]

An adult by alien's standards, or by a human's standards? If you don't want me calling you kid, you should give me a name.

[canadese]

[Both standards. Rude.]

Prince Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill of the Andalite fleet. [He says with all his human-nineteen-year-old-equivalent dignity. Then he waits pointedly for Reaper to introduce himself in turn.]

[hellshot]

...[That. Is one hell of a name there, man. He takes a minute to make sure the other wasn't just fucking with him (Because honestly, he feels somewhat fucked with right now.) but when Ax stands there expectantly... well. It's hard to imagine the Prince is playing the world's most elaborate joke.

Glow-red eyes roll just a moment--and he replaces his mask back on over the horrid mess that was his face. First Princess Allura, and now Prince Aximili. Why did he have to get mixed up with royalty.]

Gabriel Reyes. Reaper, mercenary. [He didn't have some big fancy title, and he didn't feel like playing it up, either.]

[canadese]

[Ax doesn't know how to joke.

(That's not true. But this isn't how his sense of humor usually expresses itself.)]

It's an honor to make your acquaintance. [There's no obvious sarcasm in it, but it's icy enough not to be sincere. Thankfully, the order processes in time for their little standoff not to get too awkward.

Ax steps back to let Reaper through. See, he's being polite.]

Let me know if you need help procuring food in the future.

[hellshot]

['An honour', he can almost feel himself laughing. Though, it doesn't quite bubble up through his throat, and he just shakes his head once, taking his tray. He turns his head to give Ax one last look.]

The next time I want a Prince to order food for me, I will.

[He turns to walk away, though he doesn't so much walk as he does glide.]

Adios, Aximilli.