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 Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 12:49 pm
It was harder than usual to find Rep. Usually he'd try the training grounds, but considering recent events, he was relieved to see he wasn't there. He checked his room, locked, knocked, and then checked Jordan's to find that he wasn't there at all. After a thorough search, Melvin went back to the labs and spoke with a few techs and after a duty work were traded, Melvin was given the location of where Rep was via phone tracking.
The printout was given and Melvin looked at the dot marked on the island. "Really?" He asked the techs, who just shrugged and walked off.
By the time Melvin had made his way down the path, through the jungle, and up the hill, he had wilted to nothing. He had at least been smart enough to leave his sweater back in his room, dressed in a button-up that now had 3 buttons undone, and had already went through one water bottle on the way here. Feeling horrible, he finally made it to the top and took a breather. Checking his compass and map, he looked around for any sigh of red hair. "Rep?" He managed, breathing hard.
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:12 pm
When Rep was upset, he escaped. And marooned on the island, with limited supplies of booze, no drugs and no other safe substance alternatives there weren't many ways out. However, he'd found that in the direst straits there was a way to forget all the s**t that weighed on his shoulders and that was cliff diving. The cliffs at this part of the island were fantastic, a natural drop to what felt like a bottomless drop into the ocean. He hadn't been able to touch the bottom yet, even holding his breath as long as he could.
Still, it was a distraction. For the last few days all he could think about was Rin. Rin whose life he had no doubt ruined with his stupid overzealous charge. Tracey had been quiet, scared to talk in case Rep rounded the blame onto him, his fault for being such an unwieldy weapon, his fault for being impossible to deflect last minute. And maybe he would have shifted the blame Rep thought, because it was easier and that was what he did, always the easy option, never what was tough.
He looked down at the water below him and in a single graceful leap, dived. He cut through the water like a knife, straight into the cold black heart of the ocean below. Under the water, if he opened his eyes, all he could see was the brilliant runic glow of his earring, resonating as it always did with its natural element. Down in the competing currents, with no idea of which way was up or down, he had no time to loathe himself, to resent what he'd done. All that mattered was survival and he seized it with both hands, in several powerful strokes finding direction and breaking the surface, seizing gulps of much needed air.
It was his favourite thing.
The only thing he disliked, he thought to himself as he climbed back up the jagged rocks, strewn with various shelled and sharp ocean life, was getting back to the top again. But maybe that was a metaphor too, you had to ******** climb back up, it might be s**t but it was worth it.
He stopped in surprise when at the top of the path, right smack in the way of getting back to the cliffs, there was another hunter. No one came out this way he thought in a panic, as if that would make the other guy somehow vanish. It didn't. And as he got nearer the unmistakable shock of blonde hair came into view. ******** fantastic. And he had not a ******** scrap of clothing anywhere on him, clothes and phone stowed somewhere up the hill. He fought the urge to cover himself up, determined that he wouldn't let Melvin have the immediate upper hand in the conversation by virtue of his embarrassment. Nope he wasn't embarrassed, that wasn't a blush that went from his cheeks to his throat, no siree, it was just exertion. Yes. Exertion.
What the hell did you say to someone in a situation like this?
"Erm. Hi. Lost?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:08 pm
This was defiantly what a Sun would do, and Melvin found himself rather surprised he was now making statements like this. Go up a ******** hill in the middle of bleeding nowhere to do what? Just a nice little walk for some fresh air? Melvin felt like passing out or at least putting his jacket down and laying there for a hour. Damn he was unfit. He really needed to run with Sydney more because if they were ever chased by monsters up a hill, he was ********. There was still more to this mountain left above, but he was taking it chunk by chunk and hoping that Rep wasn't in the mood to put his own Ginger flag up on the top of this behemoth. He was the territorial type and that was something the Lifer could see him doing
When he heard a voice, he breathed out. Good. Good. The ******** was here. Not wanting to look too out of breath, he stood up full and took deep breathes. His blush was actually from exertion - at first.
He in no way expected to see Rep stark naked, dripping wet, carrying the entire ocean on his base a** back.
"Oh for the love of god - geez.." Melvin turned, covering his eyes with one hand and turning the other way. "Why the hell are you naked?!" So much for getting angry from the start.
Nice figure. Now THAT is how you should look like.
Saliva. No. Just - stop talking about anything. I'll let you ramble the rest of today, but PLEASE not now.
FINEEE. She sighed.
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:53 pm
Rep crossed his arms and glared at Melvin's back. "Why the ******** wouldn't I be? I'm cliff diving, if I wear shorts I'm actually pretty ******** prone to lose them." There was already a pair out there in the ocean somewhere testament to that fact. "And besides, I wasn't expecting anyone out here, you know. Being the middle of ******** nowhere like it is. Besides what's the big deal, you are a guy, its not like you are some ******** woman. I hope I don't have anything you don't."
He couldn't help but smirk, the embarassment was on Melvin, he had the upper hand in this little encounter.
"Can I help you?" he practically purred.
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:16 pm
That was true, it wasn't something new to see (though he saw some metal that was not run-of-the-mill), and seeing as Rep didn't give a s**t, Melvin looked back and tried not to either. This lasted about 3 seconds before Melvin held his hand out to block the pelvic region of Rep from view. Some things were just distracting during a serious conversation.
"Well I'm glad you're having a nice little vacation out there." He said, narrowing his eyes. "I spoke with Rin. She told me about the little accident that happened. You seem to be taking it a hell of a lot better than she is."
He glanced down and looked to the side. "Can you put some shorts on or something?!" It was hard to be frustrated when you were blocking out the metal image of some guy's shiny d**k from your mind.
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:44 pm
Rep smirked as Melvin couldn't even manage to keep facing him without blotting him out. He wrestled back the twinge of self conciousness that threatened to dethrone him from his seat of confidence, instead convincing himself he was simply too much man to handle for the well groomed nerd. That was understandable, it was probably intimidating to see man unleashed when you were but half a man.
The mention of Rin though shoved any and all confidence clear out of his thoughts. He wilted, hugging himself. "Actually I came out here to get away from all that. Like anyone ******** wants me around right now. I'm not allowed to spar and she doesn't want to see me so. Just me and the ******** ocean."
Melvin got an irritated glare for the comment on shorts. "You come out here and annoy me and then tell me what to wear? Some ******** nerve. I didn't bring shorts, I wasn't expecting company, and I'm going back in, so I'm not drying off either."
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:55 pm
"I got some nerve? That's nothing compared to what you have. You lopped off her got damn arm, Rep! She didn't have a shield. If you were just INCHES closer, you could have cut right through her body. Then what? That probation you are on isn't so much a concern now is it? I'm surprised they didn't do more considering your reputation. I haven't even been on this damn island for a few months and have had Infirmary duty on several people you've sent there in bandages." He couldn't hold his hand there any longer and lowered it back down. "Like Roland and Otto. Roland you have a stupid reason, but Otto got messed up because it was an accident that he just happened to be there."
"Coming out here isn't going to solve anything. You have to come back sometime, and you should just man up and do it now. She can't just decide to walk off into the jungle to take a breather. She can't escape it."
He breathed deep, turning and stepping a few paces before turning back and stepping forward again. "What is wrong with all of you? Sending all these people trying to keep you alive, who you should have some sort of connection to out of being alive still, to the hospital? How is anyone supposed to feel safe at the only sanctuary we even have?! Tell me that, Rep."
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 4:22 pm
Rep was scrabbling to keep hold of his confidence, to keep his emotions firmly under his heel. He couldn't face what had happened and he'd hope that he wouldn't have to, Melvin coming out here and throwing all the things he was running from at him made him want to run all over again. Every comment cut deeper than he allowed himself to show. It had been close. Far far too close.
He had been intending to hold out on clothes and stand his ground, assert that this was his space, his terms, his conversation. But with the turn the conversation took, he felt vulnerable, as if Melvin could see right through him. Suddenly he wished he had all of his gear right then and there with him, something to hide behind.
"I'm trying to get ******** stronger. It's my job." he stated almost distantly, looking at the ground. "And for the longest ******** time, like when I came to island. I got beat up. By everyone. Every ******** person who came my way. The only way to get better was practice and a dummy isn't practice, its not going to attack me, it's not going to out-think me. I sparred to get better. I didn't want to ******** hurt people. I want to be able to protect them on the battlefield, from s**t that would do worse than hurt them."
He shook his head dismally, walking past Melvin in the direction of his clothes, throwing a towel around himself before he replied.
"Spars they agree to. I'm not just ******** attacking them without warning. I didn't know Tracey had changed, I didn't know I could do this s**t. I don't know when I learned. I just want to do my job."
Looking over his shoulder he narrowed his eyes and shrugged. "As for what's wrong with me specifically, that's anyone's ******** guess."
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 5:07 pm
"I know you're strong Rep, believe me. I've seen the damage you can do, and I'm sure as hell glad it's on our side. It's what the Suns are there for and you are very good at it. I know about sparring too. I'm training and sparring with everyone else, but I'm not going to be a Sun or as strong as you. It's not my field. It's why I'm - it's why everyone is going to rely on your to be that force that protects them. To be there for them and not another danger they have to worry about."
"I heard it was an accident from Rin. I know these things happen, but you are strong, and that means during spars you need to learn control and restraint. You were just being friendly with Rin in this spar, or I hope you were. What if you sparred with someone you hated - like that one time Ro was around Jordan? You could wind up taking off their head. No one is going to want to spar with you then and then you really will never get better." He breathed deep. "Which might be for the best if you don't learn."
Rep had a temper, and Melvin wondered if that had flared up during his spar with Rin. That he got lost in the moment and tried to really kill her. That it had passed his mind.
"You are going to have to work on dummies till you learn. No one is going to fill safe until you do, and I wouldn't want them to." If this was a temper thing, then he needed to sort it out.
"As for Rin, you can't hide away. Accident or not, you have to take responsibility. I visited her. She can.." He paused, looking up a moment at the sky before looking back at Rep. "..She's going to need help. She can't even open a juice box on her own for god's sakes. You took off her arm, so now you have to be her arm until she learns how to do things on her own like before. She's going to need that support." And that was not Melvin's responsibly. "You may think no one wants you, but she needs you." He looked to the cliff further off.
"Jumping off a cliff isn't going to help her either." He meant it more than one way.
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 6:00 pm
Rep normally would have been pleased by the compliments on his strength, would have puffed and preened over it. But today he didn't feel strong, he didn't feel in control, just a dangerous loose cannon who no matter what he did, ended up backfiring on anyone other than the enemy. The promotion mission gone wrong stayed with him to this day, another checkmark on a long list of ******** also really ******** easy to tell me to be in control when your weapon is a gun, you can choose how many bullets you fire. I can't choose how hard I hit. If I hit too cautiously I ******** up and miss. I either give my all or I give nothing. And its like, now I have nothing, I'm not even allowed to."
"As for Rin, she doesn't want me there." he said coldly. "Would you want the guy who lopped off your arm holding s**t for you, always there in your face reminding you what you lost and that it was for nothing at all, no ******** reason, just a spar gone wrong. The last thing she needs is me near her ever again, her friends can help her pick up the pieces, most s**t I touch, I break."
He followed the other man's gaze to the cliffs and couldn't hide the bristling irritation at having anyone know his private thinking space, let alone - in his eyes - belittling it. "I come here for my own ******** reasons. " His anger twisted and spiked at the idea that Melvin could well think he was out here for his own enjoyment, that he was just having fun, killing time rather than using the single last outlet available to him because he had nothing else left he could do to cope.
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 6:20 pm
"Don't you start getting emo hating on me now. No one is robbing you of anything yet. You said no spars. Did they say no dummies? You didn't say that? So unless that's the case, then they still want you as a fighter. Considering we lost people that last mission, I don't think the higher ups would want to throw away someone who can kill a whole bunch of people. You are forgetting that you being about to beat the living crap out of things protects people and that if it was left to people like me, we'd all be dead. You ******** up. You ...You really ******** up, Rep. I don't want you NOT killing things. You protect a lot of people. I've seen you Suns with your big a** weapons do a lot of damage. I know how vital that is with freaks like that monster woman go chewing on people and tearing them apart. You. Are. Vital." He didn't want Rep going boo-hoo in some corner. Damn, was it so hard for this guy to just man up?!
"I'm just getting to learn my weapon. Yeah, I'm not a Sun and can't tell you how to make your weapon work. This..." He curled his trigger finger. "..is not the same thing. You should talk to people who can help. There are plenty of Suns on this island. Don't run away." He needed the Suns. The more he knew, the more in his corner, the more use they were. They were a fighting wall of protection. Without them, they were - HE was dead.
"You not being there is not going to make her not notice her arm is gone. Every day from here on out is going to do that. And Rin is going to hate you. There is no changing that. I think anyone would, but at least BE there for her to make that decision if she needs your help or not. Even if she might not want it now, she might need it later. She doesn't want me treating her differently. She really is afraid I will see her as something else. I don't think she would wants other people to feel the same way. She's hurt, but she's not dead - bless that at least. So help her out here."
He gestured at Rep's pelvis. "You're a man. Be one. Don't mope out here like a little girl."
I wonder if kicking a nude man off a cliff would result him him hitting the rocks below......would that make Rin happy? Hmmm. Probably not, and it sure wouldn't help the rest of us out.
He breathed deep. "We need everyone here. The less people we have, the more people die." He couldn't deal with all this death around him. "Get that simple math? You DO protect people, and you messed up, so now you have to go back and help clean up like everyone else. I want to know that you will help her out and not dump your responsibilities."
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:45 pm
Rep seemed to shut off a little as Melvin scolded him, reacting badly as always to lectures. "I'm not allowed on the training fields. The dummies are there. And they would throw away someone who injures their own. I'm not special, I'm just another thug. It doesn't bother me."
He didn't even bother to try and explain that there weren't many suns he could ask for help, many were ranged. Jordan used heavy weapons, but there was something against the grain of his pride in asking the other man for help, especially over something like this, it would be conceding that he was inferior, and he wanted to think they were equals.
<>
He closed off even more as Melvin told him to stop moping, cold anger seizing him again. How dare he come out here and lecture him, tell him what to do when he'd already considered his options. What gave him the right? "I gave her the choice, she didn't want me. It's not my call any more, or yours for that matter. She made it already. My ******** responsibilities are to keep the ******** out of people's way until we get missions again and I can actually be useful. Till then I can stay out here all I ******** want."
He turned his back to Melvin, tense, upset and closed off. "Who are you to ******** lecture me anyway? If she needs help that much, go give her it. I don't know why you have to come out here and bother me. You get your ******** sun protection or whatever the hell it is you want. I don't know what you want from me besides that."
Rubbing his temples with his fingertips he looked sidelong at the other hunter. "You sound like my ******** mother sometimes."
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 8:21 pm
"Well maybe I wouldn't have to if my daughter would grow a pair. It doesn't bother me. It doesn't bother me? You are clearly bothered if you run out here to get away. You're so ******** transparent! You care that they would throw you away when you wanted to hush up about the Sasha thing because of those marks against you, because you were worried they'd get rid of you. Now you are just giving up? If you were just done with it all and didn't care, then why not take out that psycho on your way out the door? If you didn't care, if you didn't want to get tossed out, you wouldn't have hidden out here to keep everyone safe. In your weird, scared little way, you are STILL protecting people even if you think you are some massive nuke that's just going to explode and take out the entire island, but you're also running away out here."
He turned, running a gloved hand through his hair before stopping. "This is not what i thought working in teams would be like." He dropped his hand. "You know, I'm a trainee. This is all new to me, so I have to look to the people who made it, who've been here, to know how to live. I have to look up to you. If you give up, if other people can't work together, what am I and all the others that come out of pods supposed to think? ******** it, you're ground meat? That you gave up everything just to come on a island where no one cares for each other, even when they are at their worst? When they are afraid, hurt, and needing the people who protect them to be there for them and they don't care?" He forced a fake laugh. "Not very inspiring to fight the good fight."
"You made it this long, Rep. That says something. Rin is going to make it too. You are all very strong people who have seen a lot of ******** up s**t that I'm only just now getting a taste of. I had some hope you people could stick together even when you all screw up -expected that behavior - and I've been in that Infirmary enough to know you are not the only one to mess up. Sure, you guys are no where near perfect, but at least..." He pressed his hands together as if forcing squirming bugs to stay in a tight ball. He gave up this gesture metaphor and just threw his hands, exasperated with this all.
He turned, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. He was processing, calming down, and straightening out his thoughts. They had derailed from his original script.
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 8:42 pm
Rep wanted to get angry at Melvin, he really and honestly did. The anger was there, he felt insulted and chastised it should have been easy. His usual response to all of those things was fury, a feral cornered animal sort of rage that was an alternative to hearing what he couldn't stand. Instead he backed away a step, actually put distance between himself and the other man. There was no rebuttal he could make to the words that cut him a lot more deeply than he'd like to admit.
He wanted to offer his own thoughts about working in teams, about wanting to be someone to look up to rather than revile, hopes and dreams he by all rights didn't deserve to have. But in the face of the cold and logical man, he felt like if he tried, he'd be accused simply of whining, of seeking pity and sympathy when both were his most loathed things in the entire world. Instead he fell back to what he knew, masculinity, bravado and nastiness. "I'm not here to be your ******** role model. If you can't survive on your own, you don't deserve to. Everyone is alone in this world. If they aren't now they will be later, it's just a matter of time. There is no team here, just people going the same direction, looking out for themselves. I gave up everything and will give up everything I have for this job and not one person outside my guys will give a s**t if I do."
He shrugged "You made the wrong choice, big ******** deal. We all did. And its too late to change it, so you just follow along, that's all you can do. And in the end, sooner or later, you'll die. And in this s**t hole, with all its dysfunctional lunatics, it will probably be alone." He closed his eyes. It was easier to put a front over the emotions about Rin, to try and explain them. Trying to hurt Melvin instead was easier, hurt him before he could hurt Rep again with his perceptive accusations.
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 9:09 pm
Melvin reached behind his ear, picking up the red pen and turning it in his hand. "You have faith in people. You say I'm probably going to die alone. You're not sure. You didn't take a walk with me before telling me all I was asking you to the best of your ability to just believe I was just going to die. You talk that we're just all going to die, but you do have faith in people living too. You sparred with me and taught me about fear shields and charges. You expected I learn and get better to live. You have faith, just like everyone else, that those around you will get strong too, and you look out for them just like how you are looking out for others right now by staying away. You go <******** all to everyone else but Ace and Jordan, but you're lying."
He took his glasses adjusted them before summoning Saliva. "If you only expect to fight during missions, then you don't realize that there are going to be people all around you like every other mission I was on. What then?"
He checked his gun. "Get Tracey." He told him, and added. "..and your pants on.
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