( closed ) when everyone we know is six feet under

[gamora]

Date & Time: The end of November, give or take a few days
Location: Gamora's room with Blue and Ros, the Cafeteria
Characters: Gamora, Adam Warlock, Soldier Blue + Gamora & Peter Quill
Summary: Blue meets Gamora's ex-boytoysignificant other & Gamora and Pete probably yell at each other a lot
Warnings: None for now

[ thread starters in comments ]

Comments

[firstroar]

[his reaction is a little delayed; alla y'all subtleties are good TV. the look he gives Gamora is a little huh? what? at first, but he's back on it.]

I'll go where I'm most of use. It will probably be a return to the Earth, with most of the others.

[awarlock]

[She has a point. Peter might really throw a fit given how he's been talking to Adam. Like he's pulling the trigger all over again. They're a really impressive bunch, aren't they.

He thinks about this while Blue answers. Then he gives Gamora a pointed 'you see it's not just me' look but he stays quiet otherwise.]

[gamora]

Suit yourself. ( A shrug that turns into a roll of her shoulders. ) It'll be the same old thing - people make grand speeches but nothing gets done.

( That's part of the reason that she can at least give the Guardians credit. They did something. Badly, and with questionable success, but it wasn't for the lack of trying.

Adam gets a look - he's not running around as a member of a team. Are we still a team? - before Gamora turns her full attention back to the both of them. )

[firstroar]

[team? we?

Blue's eyes drop when he's looked at. it's hard to mind your own business when everyone's business is just. right there.]

Much has been done already, speeches or no. But there will always be more to do.

[awarlock]

[He leans against the wall, staring a bit at Blue because man, strangers. You can't look away from them.

Speaking of grand speeches and questionable successes...]

I don't think it's their lack of motivation to do what's needed. There are too many players on this board to know which path we should take, and still so many things we don't know. Even then It seems too many are trying to take the one that is absolutely correct. But they should know, all life breeds tyranny. This universe is no different.

We can only choose which is the lesser of evils. And if the one we choose happens to be wrong, so be it. How we act in the aftermath of that mistake will define us.

[gamora]

( Remind her to never put the two of them in a room together from this point onwards. But Adam's doing that thing again where he edges into philosophical bullshit, and one of her hands curls into a fist for a moment or two before she relaxes slightly. )

Guess I'll just hang around within easy reach since someone's going to need an assassin sooner rather than later.

( And thus was Gamora's exceedingly low option of politics made known. )

[firstroar]

[there's a beat.

Blue pushes himself up to his feet, keeping his hand on the frame of the top bunk to get his footing and have an eye-level look at the both of them, and all the things between.]

I know better than to fear for your safety, Gamora. But I am glad you have close connections here for you. [a flickering glance at Adam.] It's important.

[awarlock]

[Well

That is

What a good time for a topic change. He frowns at Blue. He can't tell what's off about him but he can tell that he's unusually weak - Adam almost thought he had to catch him when he stood up.]

Are you well?

[gamora]

( Thank Pama for Adam Warlock and his smooth topic changes. )

Narcolepsy.

( Okay Gamora doesn't actually know if that's true or not, but Blue does have a tendency to fall asleep at odd times and in random places. She just assumed that was him. )

[firstroar]

[he smiles small; he can't not. but he shakes his head a little, too.]

Just very old. My body has never been strong. I suppose it balances out with the strengths I do have.

[awarlock]

[Aging is weird.

Then he thinks about how he maybe took that away from Gamora (and Pip) and feels a bit guilty. Oops.]

You do not appear to be very old.

[gamora]

( Gamora's with Adam on that, and makes a gesture to signify that - this once - she agrees with him. )

[firstroar]

[the pulse of guilt is confusing and missing context; Blue's head tilts slightly at Adam for a moment, but he lets it go.]

My kind age slowly, if at all. Some more than others. [mouth quirking a little with the thought. Zel is so old.] I didn't notice for many years. Not until I realized I looked fourteen for forty years or more, while a few of my friends looked like they could be my grandparents.

I wouldn't know why. It could be a quality of my power. It's different than theirs.

[awarlock]

[Interesting. High Evolutionary would be interested in this man- boy? -ageless aging thing. But the real question here is:]

What is your power?

[Because we're totally not talking about ~close connections~]

[gamora]

Do you have any beyond the telepathy and telekinesis?

( CURIOUS. )

[firstroar]

[all this attention and curiosity fixed on himself feels strange. it's coming in stereo, from some very unique and closely-tied people.

for a minute he looks a little put upon, but with a blink, he appears to accept it without fuss. he nods.]

Flight. Psionic bursts and shields. Mental projection. Empathy. [a beat. saying that word alone doesn't seem satisfactory.] In relation to others around me, their thoughts and feelings are...like colors or sound, in a way. Things to be perceived, if openly conveyed.

For example, you two... [he lifts a finger, pointing at each of them, one-two, looking back and forth at them.]

[awarlock]

[So that's why he felt so weird around Blue. Not that he has his Soul Gem with him but having it for so many years passed on some of its ability to sense extraordinary things.

He briefly looks at Gamora, then back at Blue.]

We were partners, a long time ago.

[He's careful to check his emotions when he says that, at least. Maybe only a slight bit of sadness for the lost of those moments when they were happy. Under strange circumstances but happy.]

Does it bother you?

[gamora]

And more recently, exs.

( And, because they were partners long before they were ever romantically involved. She was raised to kill him - or some version of him - in a timeline she can barely remember and they've been connected ever since, always coming back together. It's just a fact of her life. One more thing to be accepted in a long list of things she can't dwell on for too long.

There's a melancholy there, hidden beneath everything else that she spends most of her effort making sure Blue can't touch. )

[firstroar]

[a beat, and then Blue smiles, reticent, but kind. a little sad.]

No. I'm not bothered. I'm glad, actually. It helps me understand, just a little bit better.

[warmer, nodding:] If I had no empathy, I'd be so afraid I wouldn't know what to do here. Being around so many people that are so different.

But it's nice. [his head bows.] I can understand just a little bit better, and I'm glad.

[awarlock]

[He gives Gamora an unreadable look. But mostly he's thinking 'why would you bring that up' and 'what does exs mean, literally'. Then it's back at Blue.]

I see how that would be useful.

[gamora]

( 'Because, Adam Warlock, Blue will know when you're not telling the whole truth. And then he will look at you and you'll end up explaining things and it's much easier to just get it over with. Also because that's the connection he's referring to, you giant flarking idiot.'

Okay so maybe that's not the look Gamora gives Adam in return - instead she just shrugs - a simple 'why not' and doesn't bother answering the last part of that. )

Right.

( That 'UNDERSTAND' is making her twitchy. Oh Pama is he sparkling? )

[firstroar]

[the glow's much implied, but it wanes – so does his smile, to some degree. his brow pinches, apologetic.

they came to this room for a reason, and it wasn't for show-and-tell with someone like him. he knows.]

But only just enough. [dipping his head again while he moves past the both of them, laying hand on the door.]

[awarlock]

[Empathy can be like poison. He doesn't say it but he watches Blue and sees how that can be true. He can't even deal with his own emotions, nevermind other peoples.]

Please — Stay, I'll go.

[He nods at Gamora and then a flash of light, and he's gone.]

[gamora]

( Adam's sudden departure doesn't surprise Gamora in the slightest as she flops down on her bed - tucking her arms behind her head to stare upwards. )

That's Adam for you.

( REFUSING TO SAY MORE ON THE MATTER? REFUSING TO SAY MORE ON THE MATTER. )

[firstroar]

[Blue turns, mouth open. he's ready to protest, but--

oh.

he looks over at Gamora, still startled, but...more troubled.]

Did I upset him...?