[That's...not helping. He's beginning to regret this decision. Felix told him to stay away for a reason. Washington was meaningless. Just like the Reds and Blues.
That's what Felix had implied. Maybe he was right.]
[ a little hard to stay away from someone he's been living with for a year, but that's probably going to be a bomb to drop for a later time. ]
But something did happen, didn't it?
If you want my opinion, you can just ask.
[ it'd be nice to find out from you instead of having to find out from the aftermath of whatever inevitable chain reaction this will set off, later. he's already bracing for the worst. ]
You would do anything to protect your own, wouldn't you, Agent Washington?
At all costs.
[You're asking the wrong questions, saying the wrong things to get that kind of information out of Locus, Washington. He doesn't want to tell you what happened, he wants affirmation that he's doing the right thing. Or baring that, that it doesn't matter one way or another what he does. That he's free to make his own decisions whether they're bad ones or not.
That it doesn't matter so long as he's protecting the one thing that has worth to him.]
[ locus is being tight-lipped. makes sense. wash can make a few educated guesses, given that he's being asked to stay away from felix, being told to keep his own safe.
and yet, as far as he can tell, felix has been minding his own business for once. forced into actually just staying quiet and stay home, not by choice by necessity since that fight. subdued a little more by -- subsequent events. the only thing that he thinks felix has been more wary of lately, is.
hm. he doubts locus would know. ]
I would.
Do you really need me to validate that for you, though?
[ don't mind that wash has technically defected from the unsc, like. twice. ]
Where'd you serve?
[ this is a question wash knows the answer to already, but locus hasn't gone anywhere just yet, and wash is going to try and open conversation while he can. ]
[Felix's username comes to mind. The date of the fall of Reach. Their entire squad gone. Then the planet.
It was worse in person. Like it finalized how useless he truly was as a soldier, as a defender. He blamed himself for leaving his family behind... but he never would have been able to protect them anyway. The Covenant would just have killed him trying, or he would have been glassed with the rest of the planet anyway.
He would ask where Washington served in return, but he already knows. Already read that file months ago. No point. He's not interested in that exchange anyway.]
You already know where I went, and how all of that worked out.
[ and then eventually their paths would all come crashing together on a little nowhere planet called chorus, where locus was so fixated on the idea of a good soldier. a perfect soldier. wash has been trying to figure out to the best of his ability where this locus is on that journey and revelation, and still doesn't really know. ]
Always faithful kind of depends on who or what you're being faithful to.
[On both accounts. He takes a moment longer with the final line because he's struggling to comprehend "depends on who you're being faithful to." Does not compute.
[ always faithful to felix, huh. funny how that works out. maybe a year ago, wash would've told him right away. but now, he's already decided that the information won't come from him, unless something ( or someone ) manages to force his hand. ]
[Not much can make him slip up but there was something about that damn Army psycho Carver that really got under his skin.]
Something happened a few nights ago. The city did something. Let's just say it showed an enemy something they didn't need to see, and now he has ammunition against me... and another reason to go after Felix.
[And he is not happy about that. So he may or may not be considering preemptively striking his foe, for all the good it will do him in this place.]
[ locus being so forthcoming is unexpected for mr. paranoid, but appreciated. he can put a few things together: he's been in the city long enough to know the kind of shit it pulls, knows what happened for some people not too long ago that might fit the show someone something they didn't need to see bill. messages, dreams.
importantly, another reason. so its someone that already has something against felix.
[That would make absolute sense if Locus wasn't still hung up on Felix. And didn't hate Carver more.]
Not this.
[No, Carver gets what he deserves. Past decisions however... certain other kills from the past, his future lifestyle... well, maybe that a little. (A lot.) He unfortunately has time to think now that he's stuck here and has no mission to preoccupy him.]
[ hm. neutralizing a threat in this city is complicated, wash isn't sure how aware locus is of some of the details around it. death, unfortunately, doesn't stick. he might bring that up later, depending on what wash feels is most useful to him.
but the response, not this. that's interesting enough. because that implies -- ]
[Carver told him about death not sticking, and he's fairly certain he's heard others talk similarly. He's not certain if he believes it yet or not. He supposes it tracks though with dead people having an existence here and all. Maybe that's part of why he hasn't done anything yet. That, and he needed to find his target and decide which way would be most effective to send his message. He'd circle on these thoughts for a while.
This is the point in the conversation where things become uncomfortable (again). He hesitates, the time ticking away into several minutes before he eventually replies.]
wash considers this quietly, for a while -- it doesn't tell him much, of course. locus is right. everyone is everyone. all vague, no specifics, they can keep playing around and wash will talk ideals if locus wants to but he'd also really appreciate some actual specificity about what the hell must have happened so he can decide if he needs to care about it. ]
What's this about, Locus?
You come out of nowhere asking me about what I'm willing to do for those I care about, about giving meaning to people. There's someone in the city that you gave ammunition too, but you've apparently taken care of it. No regrets, no questions. Surprisingly not that much talking about what it means to be the perfect soldier and how I used to be better.
[It seems Washington has misconstrued some of the information that Locus has given him. Not that Locus had made it easy to follow him. But Locus isn't certain he cares to correct Washington, or give him more. His reply takes a moment as he considers.]
[ the correct answer is that wash is heavily invested and interested in felix's wellbeing. as far as he's concerned, he may be more currently invested than locus is, and certainly is in the better position to look out for him. locus is most likely tucked away in safehouse that wash himself secured, while wash has been looking out for ( among other things, its complicated ) felix in his vulnerable recovery since that incident with carver. wash damn well thinks he should know all the details, deserves to know what's going on and if there's any steps he needs to take.
none of his he'll share, of course. but there is a slight delay in response, a few moments to sit there in silence, his jaw ticking slightly in annoyance. ]
You don't think being aware of potential threats and their movements in the city is important? You didn't have a problem telling me about it earlier. I just want more specifics so I actually know what's going on.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ if anything they took him in, and gave him purpose in that way. ]
You gonna tell me what happened, Locus?
no subject
That's what Felix had implied. Maybe he was right.]
No. It doesn't involve you.
Stay clear of me and Felix. Keep your own safe.
no subject
But something did happen, didn't it?
If you want my opinion, you can just ask.
[ it'd be nice to find out from you instead of having to find out from the aftermath of whatever inevitable chain reaction this will set off, later. he's already bracing for the worst. ]
no subject
You would do anything to protect your own, wouldn't you, Agent Washington?
At all costs.
[You're asking the wrong questions, saying the wrong things to get that kind of information out of Locus, Washington. He doesn't want to tell you what happened, he wants affirmation that he's doing the right thing. Or baring that, that it doesn't matter one way or another what he does. That he's free to make his own decisions whether they're bad ones or not.
That it doesn't matter so long as he's protecting the one thing that has worth to him.]
no subject
and yet, as far as he can tell, felix has been minding his own business for once. forced into actually just staying quiet and stay home, not by choice by necessity since that fight. subdued a little more by -- subsequent events. the only thing that he thinks felix has been more wary of lately, is.
hm. he doubts locus would know. ]
I would.
Do you really need me to validate that for you, though?
no subject
No. Semper Fidelis.
no subject
[ don't mind that wash has technically defected from the unsc, like. twice. ]
Where'd you serve?
[ this is a question wash knows the answer to already, but locus hasn't gone anywhere just yet, and wash is going to try and open conversation while he can. ]
no subject
Inner colonies.
Camp Bell. New Alexandria.
[Felix's username comes to mind. The date of the fall of Reach. Their entire squad gone. Then the planet.
It was worse in person. Like it finalized how useless he truly was as a soldier, as a defender. He blamed himself for leaving his family behind... but he never would have been able to protect them anyway. The Covenant would just have killed him trying, or he would have been glassed with the rest of the planet anyway.
He would ask where Washington served in return, but he already knows. Already read that file months ago. No point. He's not interested in that exchange anyway.]
no subject
You already know where I went, and how all of that worked out.
[ and then eventually their paths would all come crashing together on a little nowhere planet called chorus, where locus was so fixated on the idea of a good soldier. a perfect soldier. wash has been trying to figure out to the best of his ability where this locus is on that journey and revelation, and still doesn't really know. ]
Always faithful kind of depends on who or what you're being faithful to.
no subject
[On both accounts. He takes a moment longer with the final line because he's struggling to comprehend "depends on who you're being faithful to." Does not compute.
He settles for what's currently relevant.]
My squad. That one never changes.
no subject
Felix.
[ obviously.]
no subject
[Obviously indeed.]
no subject
So what are you protecting him from?
no subject
[Not much can make him slip up but there was something about that damn Army psycho Carver that really got under his skin.]
Something happened a few nights ago. The city did something. Let's just say it showed an enemy something they didn't need to see, and now he has ammunition against me... and another reason to go after Felix.
[And he is not happy about that. So he may or may not be considering preemptively striking his foe, for all the good it will do him in this place.]
no subject
importantly, another reason. so its someone that already has something against felix.
. . . that doesn't really narrow it down. ]
And so you're protecting him how?
Eliminating the threat?
no subject
The man deserves to be put down anyway. He's a threat to anyone who looks at him wrong.
no subject
And are you regretting it? Questioning it?
no subject
Not this.
[No, Carver gets what he deserves. Past decisions however... certain other kills from the past, his future lifestyle... well, maybe that a little. (A lot.) He unfortunately has time to think now that he's stuck here and has no mission to preoccupy him.]
no subject
but the response, not this. that's interesting enough. because that implies -- ]
Not this.
But other things?
no subject
This is the point in the conversation where things become uncomfortable (again). He hesitates, the time ticking away into several minutes before he eventually replies.]
Everyone has regrets, Agent Washington.
no subject
wash considers this quietly, for a while -- it doesn't tell him much, of course. locus is right. everyone is everyone. all vague, no specifics, they can keep playing around and wash will talk ideals if locus wants to but he'd also really appreciate some actual specificity about what the hell must have happened so he can decide if he needs to care about it. ]
What's this about, Locus?
You come out of nowhere asking me about what I'm willing to do for those I care about, about giving meaning to people. There's someone in the city that you gave ammunition too, but you've apparently taken care of it. No regrets, no questions. Surprisingly not that much talking about what it means to be the perfect soldier and how I used to be better.
You just here to chat?
no subject
No.
You've made your point. We've no business talking to one another.
no subject
[ and you know, wash doesn't even necessarily mind playing therapist. but there is some actual information he'd like. ]
What happened with Felix? Who was it that you went after? How much has the situation changed since you intervened?
no subject
And what will you do with that information?
[What does it matter to you?]
no subject
none of his he'll share, of course. but there is a slight delay in response, a few moments to sit there in silence, his jaw ticking slightly in annoyance. ]
You don't think being aware of potential threats and their movements in the city is important? You didn't have a problem telling me about it earlier. I just want more specifics so I actually know what's going on.
I'm not going to be of much help otherwise.
1/2
2/3 i lied one more
(no subject)
(no subject)