tushanshu | video

[ Hey, look, it's a wild York. He's grinning like a fucking dweeb, adjusting this godawful, godawful tiara on top of his head, looking like it started out metal and plain but somehow sparkles and sequins had been hastily glued to it, and when he reaches a hand up to adjust it, his hand is sparkly, too. ]

Gooood evening, beautiful people. It's another uneventful day here, and as I'm the poor loser of a bet gone horribly wrong, "God"-- or Kara, for those of you less religiously inclined, has decided since she wiped the floor with me in cards, that I gotta make good on my end of the bet.

Let it never be said I don't hold up my end of the bargain, but also, she's a friggin' shark, so I wouldn't recommend playing against her unless you like losin' all your money, or, y'know. Tiaras. In which case I got one right here for you.

But anyway. As the floor-wiping did happen, I gotta say that yours truly likes long walks on the turtle's edge, cuddly puppies, and the color pink. In more serious news, I'm also a pretty big fan of burgers and fries, football, Grifball, guns, and pizza, just to kind of try and save some of my masculinity here, since Kara-- uh, "God" has decided I'm not really able to keep it right now.

I feel like it's worth askin'- do we even have a sports team here? Does anyone play football or anything, or would anyone be up for it?

[ And with that same doofy grin, he waves, and shuts the whole thing off, because, welp, HE FULFILLED HIS END OF THE BARGAIN, kara. 8( ]

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Mm, I suppose so.

[Though she keeps quite busy.]

Of course I'm crafty. I'm a clothier, it's in my nature.

[Said as sweet as you please.]

And I don't know how you'll make it up to me yet, but you're welcome to volunteer your own suggestions.

Ahh, so that's one of the prereqs, huh?

[ He smirks. ]

I'm afraid public humiliation is a little outta question.

Public humiliation is not something that appeals to me in any case.

Thank god for small blessings, I guess.

[Kara...well. Kara can remember, but it's been kind of a while and she's been actively trying to forget about that dead guy anyway. She's been here too damned long for her tastes and that means a distinct lack of any kind of intimacy.

At least they both know that this is...for fun. It's the kind of relationship where they'll come out of this hot and kind of awkward moment with friendship still intact, though their egos might be a little smudged.

And, as always - it's still a competition. She likes that about this. She'll 'let' him win.

For now.]

Don't count them so soon, I'm sure I can put my creative genius to good use in this case.

[ His hand stays pretty well behaved, all things considered, and the only reason he ends up pulling away is because they're in public and making out isn't quite kosher for everyone.

Gently, he eases back, one more little nip at her bottom lip and a grin, and his hand slips down just enough to stroke over where he'd nipped with his thumb, amused. ]

Well. That went better than expected, but I dunno if the locals are gonna be too keen on too much of that around here.

[STOP HAVING FUN. >:(((

CT's just. Staring. In complete and utter disbelief. Not that she really should be, maybe - she knows how utterly ridiculous York is, how he has no sense of shame and how much of an utter goof he can be - but York on the network wearing a tiara is still something she never would have expected to see.

It's exasperating and annoying, because York, apparently, had never bothered to grow up, had, to all accounts, come out completely unaffected by everything that had happened in Freelancer, eye injury aside. He's older, there are a few more laugh lines on his face, but he's here, laughing and teasing and probably flirting on the side, and wasting everyone's time in the process. All that potential heartbreak, all that had gone wrong or been about to go wrong, all the reasons she'd decided to leave - and York is just the same as he'd always been.

(he's learned nothing)

And it hurts, too, because she remembers this York - it had only been a couple of weeks since she'd been training alongside him, after all. She remembers the York who had flirted with Carolina and joked with Wash and slipped CT herself extra desserts, the one who always had a kind word for everyone and who always knew when anyone was having a bad day and what to say to cheer them up, and she knows beyond a doubt that she can't have that anymore. He doesn't know who she is now, and he can't know, because she'd betrayed him.

He'd probably shoot her on sight, if he did know, and she couldn't even blame him for it.

And so it's with a mixture of contempt and deep bitterness that she responds, voice low and vicious.]

Are you fucking kidding me.

[ whoa, buddy. It's that same voice from earlier.

The smile slips off his face, and he blinks at the screen. ]

Uh, nope. Shhhhould I be?

[She snorts, the sound clearly audible, and just shakes her head. Pathetic. Clueless. He doesn't even know.]

Don't you have anything better to do than this?

[Because, clearly, she's the one who should be dictating how York spends his free time.]

[ YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ME ]

...Not. Really? Listen, man, it was mostly a joke. I don't get what the issue is.

[NO U

She doesn't really have an answer, though, not one that she can give him without giving everything away, and she just makes another derisive noise, halfway between insulting and defeated.]

You wouldn't understand.

Probably if you don't explain it, yeah.

You don't even know me, I don't- I dunno, guess I'm curious why I piss you off?

It brings out your eyes.

[The tiara.

Steph is a jerk]

[ He snorts at that. ]

What, the good one, or the one that's all jacked up?

[It's so tempting to say something that will give her away, just to wipe that bemused tone out of his voice, just for the satisfaction of knocking him off guard.

She doesn't, though. She's too smart for that, too smart to say anything that will let him catch on. As far as he knows, she doesn't know him. That's what she has to remember.]

Do I really need to explain it?

[Stalling for time, because, well. >:( what else can she do.]

...Uh, yeah, that'd...help?

[a shrug] Tiaras make a good compliment for scars, I've found.

[in her extensive experience.]

Well, if we ever have prom, here's to hopin' I'll be the prettiest guy there.

[Oh no

Oh dear

That look on her face is a worrying one]

We should have prom! I missed mine and I was always kind of disappointed, I reckon we could throw a decent one here.

[no that's a terrible idea]

[ wait he was kidding... oh.... ]

Uh.

Wait, are you bein' serious?

I'm considering it. I reckon it couldn't be too hard to do.

[Don't worry Bruce would probably step in before she got too far]

Huh.

Well, if you want help tossing together something, I guess I can throw in a pair of hands.

[It probably would, except that she can't. Can't explain it, can't make him see, can't take the risk.

~~Somehow, York, this is all your fault.~~]

Forget it.

[And she's gone before she can say anything stupid, off to sulk and feel resentful and convince herself that she's in the right here.

Because that's always really productive.]

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