video; un: maine

[slaughterous]

[ The video opens on a close-up of a truly kick-ass vehicle. It's tough! It's rugged! It's got hooks on the front that look like tusks! Truly, this is one bad-ass—

The video zooms out. The vehicle is tiny. A child could ride in it, maybe. But certainly not an adult.

An extremely gruff male voice mutters, ]

What the fuck.

[ Then a woman's laughter rises in the background. "What, Maine, compensating for something?"

The man grumbles, and the feed clicks off. ]

Comments

[schrodingerscockroach]

Like medium sized whale? You've got a bit of time to get out before you get to their stomachs on average. Partially made of sand.

They do hate water.

[slaughterous]

[ They hate water, huh? That's promising. Except that creating water is an ability Maine doesn't yet have.

He hums again, considering. Impatience starting to gnaw at him, the desire to go train until he collapses rearing its head.

Maybe they should hit imps, first. But that feels like admitting defeat, something Maine loathes doing. ]

… Should ask Carolina.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Oh yeah, she'd want in on this.

Been wanting to talk to her.

If nothing else, I need to know where she is on the timeline because wow did our relationship evolve.

The difference between being the rookie and then the stable one.

[Because the guys certainly have their wild, maverick energy about them.]

[slaughterous]

[ Relationship … evolved…

Maine suddenly spins the camera around, looking straight into it. ]

You dating?

[schrodingerscockroach]

[The change in angle is the phone going clattering to the ground as Wash chokes on air.]

[Takes a moment for him to scramble to pick up his phone.]

No! Absolutely not!

[slaughterous]

[ Maine squints real. Real hard.

He already had to deal with York's whatever-the-fuck with Carolina. If he ends up a third wheel here so fuckin' help him— ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

This is not a York situation!

[He knows the squint. Most of them gave York that squint!]

Listen, I love Carolina, but I'm not in love with her. That isn't our relationship.

[Also the whole Epsilon fragments and thus HER DAD fragments in his head makes that all A Little Complicated even beyond his demisexuality.]

Its like-

In the Project, if we're on a mission, of course she's going to take me seriously because we're teammates and we have a job to do.

Off mission though?

Wellllll, let's be fair, Carolina and I weren't having deep and meaningful discussions where she thought I was more than the rookie whose kind of a major dork.

I try talking to Carolina from your time about all the bullshit magic stuff and she'll wonder how hard I hit my head and how many times.

My time? I don't even need her to be IN the other dimension to at least give me a benefit of a doubt.

THAT kind of evolution.

[slaughterous]

[ Maine still looks a bit skeptical. Primarily because, well, it's Carolina. (Definitely not because he's projecting anything. Definitely not.)

But he nods after a second, accepting Wash's answer. Trying, once again, to wrap his head around what sounds like a huge change. ]

Older than me.

[ Which, if he had to guess, puts her closer to Wash's time … pre-dimension hops. ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

[Maine, do you need help to realize your own crush-]

Trust me, I'm pretty aware of any and all current crushes. [His tastes aren't good enough for it to be Carolina, oh no, he crushes on the OTHER cyan/aqua/turquoise/wtfever color.]

Still a range, but at least I might be able to convince her into benefit of a doubt if its earlier on.

[But...he thinks it can't be any earlier than finding the Director.]

[He's pretty sure any earlier and Carolina would have pulled a gun on Maine too and Maine seemed a little TOO surprised by Wash doing it for it to be the second time.]

[So roughly Chorus, at least. That was workable.]

[Also definitely need to talk and get their story straight.]

[slaughterous]

[ The gossip in Maine wants to know who, specifically, Wash is crushing on. A little tilt of his head betrays his curiosity, though he doesn't outright ask.

Instead, he focuses on the issue at hand. ]

She trusts me. I trust you. [ Doesn't that make things simpler? Anyway, ] Adjusting to shit.

[ "Shit" being all the magic. ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

[....he is absolutely not going to admit about Tucker where CAROLINA could potentially hear. He can make his trash taste sound a lot better to other people.]

[We also don't talk about Alpha in Kyriakos, the Vibes were sure a thing.]

[He huffs.] Well, I wouldn't say its a crush, but Lucifer has been flirting with me and we have been on a date.

All above board. All parties involved know.

[It does, even if it twists the knife.]

Yeah, the adjustment period is always a thing. Could be worse, this place usually gives you time to.

[slaughterous]

Good date?

[ Or does he need to have a talk with this Lucifer. The literal devil. Because he'll do it! ]

Lotta research. Training.

[ Because of course that's what Maine has thrown himself into. ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Yeah. Nice trip through the park, some arts and crafts, it was nice.

How is the magic going? Took a while for me to get it the first time and that was with a far simpler system.

[slaughterous]

[ Maine shrugs a shoulder. ]

Can make mist.