Prescribed Recreation part 3: Chillax'n with a Vengeance

[fleurdesel]

Who: House 44, House 46, House 3, Saori, Steve Rogers, and whoever wanders in
What: Movie night on the beach
When: September 9th, in the evening
Where: The Beach
Summary: After an unfortunate tussle with a Chaos God, work on a farm, a swarm of refugees and stress piled upon stress, sometimes all anyone wants is to sit back and watch classic movies.
Rating: PG for possible adult language
Something that everyone could agree on was this: the past three weeks had been several shades of stressful. What they needed, what they all needed was something mindless and relaxing shared in the company of those they care for in a neutral environment. The beach works well enough, and it's not that far a trip for anyone involved.

Comments

[redjacketthief]

[He laughed.]

I'm not gonna be stupid, it just involves asking a small favor from the Malnosso and using the last of my Mission points. I was going to save them, but that week with our visitors helped me realize that this was more important.

[fleurdesel]

Quite a few things were made apparent after their visit.

[She very deliberately doesn't think of the raid. ]

We need a better lock on Cloud Nine.

[redjacketthief]

[His brows furrowed at this.]

What was with that anyway? I heard you shouting on the SOS.

[fleurdesel]

...A group armed themselves and broke in. Archie was stabbed and I took issue with it.

[redjacketthief]

Reasonable enough.

[He's not going to forget those shouts though...]

How are you handling it?

[fleurdesel]

I killed a woman.

[Flat. Bland. She lifts a shoulder and looks out across the ocean.]

Daisy and others came to our aid before anyone else was killed.

[redjacketthief]

[He would have to thank Daisy for that someday.]

...You were protecting someone. No one will hold you in the wrong.

[fleurdesel]

Use my last bullet to do it. I'll need to find more ammunition.

[She shakes her head and sighs, the sound low and weary.]

So long as we don't have another influx of visitors, we should be fine.

[redjacketthief]

Your gun. [His voice was calm, level. It had been bothering him for a little while.] Is it from...?

[He had an idea, and he knew that she knew it.]

[fleurdesel]

An MR73. It belonged to my father. Remy found it the day I returned from my kidnapping and I had to explain why it was covered in blood.

[redjacketthief]

[A nod.]

And only three shots. What does that mean?

[fleurdesel]

...that I haven't pulled the trigger. Not yet.

[redjacketthief]

So you don't know if you got him.

[fleurdesel]

It's better that I don't. If I kill him the investigation ends. If he lives...he's ruined.

[redjacketthief]

[Another nod.]

And you want him ruined. A woman after my own heart.

[fleurdesel]

He was experimenting on children. And killed my father. The first three bullets I fired at him went into both his knees and his left elbow. They won't kill him but he'll never walk without a limp ever again. Even when I die there he will remember me.

[redjacketthief]

I know--I was trying to keep the mood light.

[He sighed.]

It's a pity that a woman as vibrant as you has to die by that bastard. I'd kill him myself, if I could.

[fleurdesel]

It's not so morbid a thought to me anymore. All I have is here. I suppose I should be taking greater care in who I associate with but...[She shrugs and looks across to Lupin. Manages a faint smile.]

It'd ruin it if he died. He needs to live a beaten, broken man. It's not right, what I did. It's not just. I shouldn't have gone to the compound in the first place. But what happened, happened. All I can do is make the best of what time I have here and pray I don't pull the trigger when I return.

[redjacketthief]

Your friends here are good enough. They'll pull through for you no matter what.

[He smiled back.]

No one will blame you for that either, Adele. Sometimes the best justice is the one that hurts the perp the worst. From what you say? Not even what you gave him will be enough to complete his misery.

[fleurdesel]

Promises, promises. [The half smile grows.] As long as they are kept I have nothing to fear.

It...doesn't matter. Thinking about that night leaves me angry, yes. Thinking of him has me frustrated. But I don't...I don't hate him as much as I once did. He's not worth hating.

[redjacketthief]

Even if you don't understand what I do sometimes--and there will come a time--just know that I'm always in your corner.

[He stretched out an arm to offer her a half of a hug.]

That's good then, if you can let that frustration go. You can focus on more important things now. Like smiling.

[fleurdesel]

It's less a question of understanding at this point, Lupin, and more a question of tolerance. I've known men like you most of my life. And while they have always and ever meant well it doesn't make it hurt any less when they break their word, because they always seem to. I'm accustomed to it but so very, very tired. Just once I would like it if a scoundrel would keep his word.

[She leans against him, companionable, if tired.]

I'll smile more once I have something in particular sorted out.

[redjacketthief]

Then no matter how intolerable, remember that I'm always in your corner. Though, please. Try to remember that I'm not as good a man as everyone gives me credit for. This place...stagnates the mind.

[A sigh. She wasn't going to hear him.]

...What sort of thing do you need sorted out?

[fleurdesel]

No. I think I'm one of the few that's aware of it. All it does is make the fact that you've made a promise all the more vital, Lupin. [The sigh is echoed. He wasn't listening either.] Then find something new to learn or look at the bigger problem from a different angle. This place is a puzzle. I'm still trying to sort out why the wings behave as they do in regards to our health. 'Magic' is bullshit. There's a reason. I just...need to find it.

...how to...go about telling someone something when I'm not certain of their reaction. Or feelings on the matter.

[redjacketthief]

...

It's not enough.

[He's been still and quiet for too long...

But, again, she wouldn't get that.]

...

Why not just go tell them and not think so much about it? Thinking too much will make the actual doing that much harder.