[video]

[sharpes]

[Brandon looks, for all intents and purposes, bored as hell.]

You know what this place really needs?

[Bit of a pause. Purely for dramatic effect, you understand. He is an actor.]

Twitter.

And if you have to ask me what that is, you're seriously dead to me. Like. Don't even try.

Comments

[video]

[littlecousin]

Not if we're not in our universe.

I wish Doc Richards were here.

[HE KNOWS EVERYTHING and since Nita spent a while being a Fantastic Four supporting character, she actually likes him.]

[video]

[sharpes]

Ugh, that douchebag? Why even?

[Brandon has a) never met Reed and b) doesn't care to ever do so. But doesn't everyone think he's an asshole these days?]

[video]

[littlecousin]

[tmw when you're not even sure if "douchebag" is current slang at your character's canon point.

Oh well it's pretty clearly derogatory.]

He's the smartest man in the world and I don't want to hear it.

[Glare.]

[video]

[sharpes]

Holy crap, Nita. It's not like I insulted your mom.

[video]

[littlecousin]

He saved my life! He and Nova saved the whole universe. What have you done lately?

[Sensitive subject, apparently.]

[video]

[sharpes]

[He -- actually looks a bit shocked, and sits back from his screen a little.

It doesn't last too long.]

You wanna know what I've done? I got kicked out of the only place that could maybe help me get a handle on my powers. Oh, and it's because the goddamned adults think I'm going to turn into a supervillain even though the entire thing was their fault in the first place for screwing everything up! I mean, Osborn in charge of SHIELD? Yeah, smart.

So what if Reed saved the universe! Name one a-list hero that hasn't. Do you even know what side he was on during the Civil War?

[Brandon uses PERSECUTED, SELF-CENTRED TEEN COMPLEX. It's not very effective...]

[video]

[littlecousin]

I don't know anything! I got pulled out of time by an insane demigod to fight by proxy for his right to control all of history--where I almost died of dehydration in the middle of a desert first--was kidnapped and held hostage by an evil version of Captain Marvel from another universe, and then my boyfriend, who saved me from getting thrown back in time to die went and sacrificed himself to keep Thanos from destroying everything. I got back to Earth after the memorial service in Attilan for hundreds of thousands of people who gave their lives to keep the Cancerverse from invading our universe, and found out Atlantis was destroyed, and that the world blames me for the Superhuman Registration Act!

So yeah, forgive me for not having every little detail straight.

[Nita used OVERWHELMING GRIEF AND GUILT.]

[video]

[sharpes]

[... oh.]

... I don't.

[Blame her. Not that he was too involved in that, since timelines. But. Yeah.]

[video]

[littlecousin]

[Oops, she's crying. Nita sniffs and wipes furiously at her eyes.]

How did everything get so screwed up?

[video]

[sharpes]

If you ever figure it out, I'd love to hear it. Trust me.

[He's quiet for a moment, and then...]

Hey do you-- like. Should I... come over or something?

[video]

[littlecousin]

I--yeah, if you wanna.

[But it's his fault she's crying...Nita doesn't even know what her emotions are doing.]

[video]

[sharpes]

You're Water sector, right? Which suite?

[video]

[littlecousin]

3A.

[I think, and it's like three clicks to get to the spreadsheet.]

[video]

[sharpes]

Be there in a bit.

[and suddenly action! and Brandon is knocking at the door.]

[action]

[littlecousin]

[Nita's eyes are only a little red when she answers the door.]

Hey.

[You jerk.]

[action]

[sharpes]

[His expression flickers a little. This was a dumb idea and he should (and rightfully does) feel pretty dumb about it. But he likes Nita and he was... probably more of an asshole than he needed to be.

So he rubs at his arm a little in uncertainty and then offers a hug? Do Atlanteans even like hugs what if it's secret underwater code for 'I'm about to kill you'.]

Sorry I'm a jerk.

[action]

[littlecousin]

[Nita is both thoroughly acclimated to surface customs, and also hell yes hugging is a thing in Atlantis. They're just all too stuffy to admit it. She hesitates for a second because she's not sure Brandon deserves a hug...but dammit, she's a touchy-feely person, and none of her friends are here, so she accepts the embrace, careful not to hug tightly enough to break any ribs.]

You'd think I'd be used to it by now.

[action]

[sharpes]

[Hurk, Atlanteans are stronger than they look.]

What, jerks?

[action]

[littlecousin]

[Nita especially!]

Yes.

[Jerk.]

[action]

[sharpes]

Well, I'm a jerk that came over to apologize. Does that make a difference?

[pause.]

Though I can't really remember what I'm apologizing for, since I spent most of the way over here going 'oh god I hope she doesn't punch me into the sun'. You're not going to do that, right?

[action]

[littlecousin]

Idiot, too.

[Nita lets him go and steps back a bit. Brandon doesn't seem to realize how insulting the implication is. Even Namor and his infamous temper don't hurt people who aren't a threat to him.]

Seriously, dude, I don't hit people who aren't trying to hit me.

[Well, the occasional smack upside the head, but that's different.]

[action]

[sharpes]

Hey, I'm fresh out of the Norman Osborn 'abuse children until they do what I say' program. Don't hold it against me.

[He's awesome at accidentally insulting people.]

[action]

[littlecousin]

Him, I'd hit first.

[SHE DOESN'T LIKE THIS OSBORN GUY just based on talking to Brandon and Trauma. Also idk if she knows he's Green Goblin.]

[action]

[sharpes]

[Wryly,]

We've got that in common.

[action]

[littlecousin]

C'mon in.

[Nita's actually fairly neat, and her living room is mostly presentable. There are a couple of pillows in weird locations, as if someone had hurled them against the wall in a fit of anger and left them where they landed.]