elnysa | ( video - un: blacksquadron ) all the stars are laying at our feet

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( video - un: blacksquadron ) all the stars are laying at our feet

[ the video clicks on to a soft beep that ends in a worried trill, the sound mechanical and still managing to seem hushed. for a moment, the camera swings around, then it steadies, showing poe dameron in workout gear, hands and ankles taped, pummeling a punching bag. it's clear he knows what he's doing. it's equally clear that he's unhappy about something.

poe is clearly unaware of the video; this is bb-8's way of trying to get poe some company and comfort. there's a series of beeps that indicates as much, to anyone who understands binary.

eventually, poe stops, steadying the bag (and himself) and then glances at bb-8 -- and the comms device bb-8 is still pointing at him. poe runs a hand through his hair. ]

What're you doing that for, BB?

[ another series of noises from bb, i'm worried and maybe you shouldn't be alone right now. poe shakes his head, crossing the distance to bb-8 and holds out a hand. ] I'm all right, buddy. Give that here.

[ when bb-8 does, the video cuts off. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

yeah, i know

[ though he's usually on the other side of this. he's good at being on the other side of this. at caring for people without crowding them in, at providing drinks and take away or a shoulder to lean on or a sparring partner or a fuck, whatever is needed.

he's not as good at asking for help as he is at offering it. ]

and i know you're right
doesn't mean i don't hate that it's necessary at all

[ you're not the only one, she nearly says, but there's no telling if that would make him feel better or worse. worse, clary's guessing, because it's how she would feel knowing that most of them have suffered the disappearance of someone they care for — and knowing there's little they can do to stop it, worst of all. it isn't a comfort, and little of what she says can be when there's no indication of who might return to their pods without warning, but maybe a little nudging is all that's required to remind him he has shoulders to lean on, should he decide to. ]

maybe it doesn't have to be so bad. i mean — yeah, it sucks. it's always going to suck, but grief brings people together. there's still some good with the bad.

[ he knows. he knows he's not the only one and that makes him all the less willing to complain. who is he to complain when everyone's suffering through the same thing? ]

not that long before the storm hit, a good friend of mine died

[ more than a friend. family. ]

i held a speech at his funeral. kind of said the same thing, so i know you're right.

[ and yet.

but no, she's right. ]

want to get a drink later?

[ it's a heavy confession to make, one that has her pause. she knows what that's like, too — grief, mourning, that pain and emptiness. understanding it doesn't make her better equipped to handle it, even so; in the end, she can only offer: ]

i'm sorry. about your friend.

[ both of them, at this point. people die in war, clary — she remembers what jace said with too much clarity, but knowing that fact doesn't make it hurt less, doesn't make her any less exhausted by that fact. ]

just let me know when and where and i'll be there.

[ that's a yes, in essence. ]

[ people die in a revolution. poe has seen too many people die not to be aware of that. he's killed, too -- even if as a pilot, he's more often somewhat removed from the violence. he doesn't have to look anyone in the eyes while shooting them, most of the time.

it makes it easier, which makes it somehow all the more terrible. that kind of thing should never be easy.

(he's shot people while looking them in the eyes, too.)

this isn't bad in comparison, but rey was still someone from his galaxy and his time, a friend. not his only link to the world before the storm, but one of two. ]

thank you.
he's in a stasis pod here, too. i keep thinking maybe he'll wake up'.

[ he'd thought he'd made his peace with it.

this whole thing is a mess. ]

let's talk about something else
i don't think i even know what you do here
and are you still in wyver or headed back to olympia?

he still could.

[ and that's all she'll say on that matter, if only because let's talk about something else is a clear cue for her to change direction in this conversation. given the current situation and the emotions attached to it, she can't blame poe for steering the both of them toward something lighter, less weighted. ]

what, and ruin the mystery?
i'm in the royal guard
and i'm already back in olympia but i'm sort of...
between places, i guess? i come and go a lot
even if i bet there's some stigma against it

[ she's not choosing sides, regardless — or at least not at the moment, and creating portals makes it easier to move from one city to the next. saying that outright is... not exactly a normal secret to divulge, however, so she keeps it to herself for the time being.]

[ he's glad she goes along with his change of topic. he doesn't want to be as maudlin as he's feeling right now, really, and dwelling on it -- it doesn't really help. having people there for him does, yeah, but the distraction is better. ]

how do you like it? in the guard, i mean
i keep going back and forth between wyver and the station, but i haven't been back to olympia yet
how does it look?

it's not so different from what i was doing back home
protecting people is always good work

[ gravitating to the guard had been natural, in that sense. help those who can't help themselves, defend those who can't defend themselves — it makes her feel less lost, less useless, than she would if she were sitting on her hands and thinking of everything she's lost. everything they've all lost. she doesn't mention any of that, wisely; there's no need to make this conversation more depressing and pensive than it already is. ]

honestly? it looks a little rough right now
the residential district needs to be cleaned up and we're still rationing food
but it helps that everyone is working together

what about wyver? please tell me people stopped fighting about things like turnips and whose sword is better in the middle of the street

[ wyver aka "the city where everyone wants to fight". ]

yeah, it is
i'm trying to help as much as i can here, too, but no one really needs a pilot down here

[ which is — another big thing he's struggling with. that he's been trying not to focus on. maybe with that force the orbiters have been sensing approaching, his skills will be used soon. he shouldn't look forward to that because it'll probably mean war. conflict, at the least.

and yet, here he is. ]

glad to hear it
and honestly i think the people in wyver just really like fighting
so they're still doing that, but they seem to have fun

they don't need a pilot yet
but i'm sure there's plenty you're good at that doesn't involve piloting

[ in the meantime. maybe that reassurance won't amount to much; soothing words hadn't helped her when she'd been feeling misplaced, directionless, and distrusted at home, but clary still feels it needs to be said. ]

they DEFINITELY like fighting
honestly 'like' might be a really big understatement
let's just say olympia is a little less exciting in comparison

i've gotten pretty good at mixing drinks, too, yeah

[ keeping it light. he knows he has other talents, but -- flying is his life. or it was. ]

i don't like the whole division between both
and how it's pulling all of us apart, too

yeah i forgot to mention we're totally using you for the free drinks

[ if he's going to keep it light, she'll follow suit, though there's nothing as teasing she can say in regards to refugees dividing themselves. ]

i can't speak for anyone else but my loyalty isn't to a place
it's to the friends i've made here
most of us aren't interested in fighting their war for them or turning against each other if we can help it

i knew it

[ some topics just don't lend themselves to lightness. ]

it's the same for me
but i'm worried that the territorial division's going to have an impact, too

sorry
i know the truth hurts

[ speaking of the truth hurting — there will, doubtlessly, be an impact. there's little she can offer that would reassure anyone that isn't the case, herself included. ]

eventually it will
but everyone still has time to figure it out before then

yeah
we can all figure it out together, i hope

[ there's always the station. ]

i wouldn't worry about it too much, if i were you
we'll deal with it when it happens, and you're worrying enough about everything else already
it's like you're looking to give yourself gray hair

yeah, you're probably right
though i'd look good with gray hair, don't you think?
distinguished

[ let's turn this ship around back to lighter things ]

"distinguished", huh?
i think you're the last person that needs to fish for compliments
but sure, very distinguished

maybe you hurt my ego with that comment about drinks and now i need something to bolster up my confidence

i doubt your ego can be hurt, dameron
don't lie

i'll have you know it's very fragile

i hear that's pretty typical for men
but don't worry i'll write you a very heartfelt apology
since you're so delicate and all

that's very sweet and kind of you

thanks i try
my written apology is actually just paying for your drink later so don't praise me too much just yet

that's actually my favourite kind of apology

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i don't remember if i remember the comics right and i'm at work so bear with me

nah i refuse to bear with you JK i didn't read the comics yet so you're fine sh sh

phew

👍

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