004 ◉ audio; dated to the 14th

[imaginate]

[ The audio clicks on and there's a long pause. When Kyle speaks, his tone is calm, perfectly controlled. It's his Business Voice, blank save for the barest hint of anger. ]

This is Kyle Rayner of the Green Lantern Corps. I apologise for the inconvenience, but our clinic at EA-3B is currently undergoing repairs and won't be able to take more patients at this time. We'll be temporarily operating a backup at WA-1A. [ He attaches a map, showing where it is. ]

Any and all hands with medical experience or healing abilities are always welcome.

[ Another long pause. ]

And if someone could come collect Avatar Korra, that would be appreciated.

[ There is a brief pause, as though he's debating what more to say, before the audio clicks off. ]

Comments

[jirk]

[That is like a million times too fancy for this farm boy, Kyle, Jim just bites into his with enthusiasm.]

So. Fixing the clinic.

[imaginate]

It's done. She'll have her house back in two days once I check the plumbing.

[He's very happy about this, okay.]

[jirk]

Seriously? Wow, you work fast.

[NO REALLY HE'S IMPRESSED he was totally ready to roll up his sleeves and pitch in but. Uh. Guess not?

... He's actually a little disappointed about that. The Jim Kirk Make Work Project has been a little lacking since the whole leg breaking thing.]

[imaginate]

Kindness of strangers can get you a long way.

[He's oddly quiet.]

It's been... a while.

[It's nice.]

[jirk]

[Which. Brings him back to one of his original points, and Jim falls silent a moment.]

I'm sorry your family's not here.

[Sora's one person to stave off the darkness, but Kyle needs the corps just like Jim needs his crew. One person's a stopgap. A dam. But they aren't everything.]

[imaginate]

Sora's all right, but she's not... close.

[I'm expected to be bulletproof. She knew his weaker moments but he-- wasn't her Kyle. Not now.]

I've been alone before; I'll manage.

[I have you.]

[jirk]

[He nods, to that non-verbal statement. Then, wryly, around a bite of apple,]

I don't actually hate you.

[imaginate]

[Equally wry:] You've been kissing me, I've got the message.

[jirk]

Technically, you've been kissing me.

[Jim Kirk: cheeky bastard.]

[imaginate]

[Points a finger.]

You've been kissing back.

[#best comeback ever.]

[jirk]

Sexy ankles. I told you.

[Not even bothered tho.]

[imaginate]

[A snort.]

What about the rest?

[jirk]

No idea. Hard to tell with all that spandex.

[OBVIOUSLY JOKING BECAUSE DEAR GOD THOSE UNIFORMS LEAVE EXACTLY NOTHING TO THE IMAGINATION.]

[imaginate]

[He smiles, and then he chews another slice thoughtfully.]

I'll need time, to get used to you. Is that okay?

[jirk]

[He raises his hands in the air.]

Look, I am one hundred percent about everybody having a good time. Do whatever you need, we'll work it out.

[imaginate]

[He shrugs. All right.]

[jirk]

[Jim reaches out, catches his shoulder and gives it a bit of a squeeze. Reassuring.]

[imaginate]

It's not just prison. I haven't been around people - even Corps - for a long time.

[jirk]

Hard to adjust. I know.

[You don't have to explain.]

[imaginate]

[He exhales. You can't come back the same, not from that.]

Christ, and everyone expects me to just... get back in the swing of it.

[He can, and he's been keeping up the appearance of it, but underneath he's always been on the edge.]

[jirk]

[What is this? He doesn't ask, but he's curious. So he just stays where he is, leaning against the countertop, arms folded. He keeps his body language open - but it's a little too studied, he's trying too hard to keep it that way, because this is still a language he doesn't speak with any fluency, and his instinct is always to shut himself down when people start talking about serious emotional issues.

He tilts his head. 'Go on?']

[imaginate]

[Kyle looks at him and shakes his head. I'm not ready. Saying it out loud will.. put it out there and Jenny -- could still show up in a place which had the dead.]

[jirk]

[Jim doesn't like locked doors. His instinct is to knock them down however he can, subvert them or go around or-- something. But they've been overstepping each other's boundaries since day one, and it's one of the things that puts them at each other's throats. So he nods. Accepting.]

Sure.

[imaginate]

[Why did he take everything to be a challenge? It wasn't just stubbornness, it was pride and-- Kyle didn't do pride. It meant nothing when the people you were supposed to take care of were going to die.]

[He exhales quietly. At least he isn't being asked openly. That would probably lead to another fight.]

[He gets up, and kisses Jim's cheek.]

I should go check up on Sora.

[jirk]

[Except that was something else he did wrong, and Jim makes a frustrated noise.]

Okay, first can you tell me what that was about?