You wanted them to bring friends over, Aziraphale [Closed]

[worthallthis]

characters: Bucky/Soldat, Sora, Aziraphale, Crowley, and Misty
location: Miner's Castle #3
date/time: January 10, after this
content: Dragging a cold kid over for dinner
warnings: Nothing beyond the usual for these guys

On the way back from the armory after Sora's ill-conceived decision to hare off alone in a blizzard, it's not hard to change direction on the way to the library just enough to wind up somewhere else, instead. The Soldier would be surprised if Sora managed to figure it out until they're already almost there, if not already climbing the porch, between the dark, the flurries, and the snow piled up everywhere making the world seem new and different. If they hadn't been keeping up patrols once a day even with this storm, they might not have been able to get them both back in a timely manner, themselves.

"Inside," they say through their scarf, gruff with the cold, the need to take the damn thing off before they start feeling the mask instead, and the desire be inside where it's warm and they can take out the stress of the day by feeding people. "You're getting hot food before I take you back to that damn cot."

Besides, they know perfectly well Aziraphale invited the kid a while ago. They follow the network pretty obsessively, and that conversation wasn't private. So this is okay. After stamping snow off on the porch, brushing it off their hair and coat, they open the door to the cozy living room, repeating, "Inside."

Comments

[arsarcanum]

"Yo, top knot. That's something to try." He's not sure if the soldier's a top-knot kind of individual, but he also has no sense of aesthetic and 100% for experimentation. Hey, it was still fairly fashionable when he died!

Oh! Oh!!! It is time for the youth to introduce youth culture circa 2016. "You only live once! Uh, it's a... What's it called? The thing where you use the first letters of a thing to make a word?"

[worthallthis]

"Acronym." The Soldier blinks at him, not really getting in the swing of things, with the new word, because sometimes they are just that serious, and this isn't as embarrassing as the bear thing. "Also wrong. I've lived multiple times." And Sora has lived twice. Technically everyone in Beacon has lived once and then came here, which is kind of live living twice.

[shadowsran]

A local on her fourth, Misty grimaces a little at how matter-of-factly this is said. Not untrue, not at all, but knee-jerk reactions run deep. For one uncomfortably long moment all she can see is Soldat on a lab table. Bristles.

"I think it's supposed to be for normal people. Not us. 'Why put this off if you could be gone a week from now', that sort of thing."

[arsarcanum]

"That's it." Sora nods! The word was going a tiny bit out of fashion by the time he died, but he's always liked it. (He... isn't sure what the soldier's talking about here. Was it like his revivals? Miraculous every time?)

"You got a point." Sora looks at his hand, counts on his fingers... shakes his head. Too many weird technicalities to count how many times he's died. "I guess I don't see the reason why I shouldn't do things now even if I do keep getting lucky? Maybe?" Or maybe it's just that he's not any good at planning ahead.

He's already done with his bowl, so he puts it on the coffee table for now. "Or maybe I just like being able to say hi to everyone wherever I go." That seems much more likely.

god so many typos in that last one I'm sorry

[worthallthis]

"Not disagreeing with the sentiment. Just the phrasing," the Soldier says graciously. "You should do things. So long as they're safe things. Like not getting lost in blizzards." They're just gonna hammer that home. It's halfway a tease, anyhow. The blizzard incident will live on in infamy forever, as will the first time the Soldier got to really bawl someone out since dying. It was great.

never apologize, never surrender

[shadowsran]

"Some unsafe things," Misty amends, half thoughtful, half absolutely intending to rile Soldat just a little, "Some bad ideas are worth having. I'm a believer in experience. Nothing that'll kill you, but..."

Well, she had a lot of scars before her first resurgence, and she'd earned all of them and been smarter for it. A shrug.

"Have fun with it."

u are NOT ALONE!

[arsarcanum]

Sora looks over at Misty and grins. Oh, the soldier has great taste. "See? Misty's cool with it. And I gotta remind you that I totally got to the armory with zero frostbite. None! So if whatever doesn't kill me makes me stronger, I'm stronger than blizzards now." And he'll raise his arms and flex a little because he totally just won that argument. (It's not a noodly flex but he's certainly not up to the soldier's level of musculature. He's just showing off because he can.)

[worthallthis]

Misty gets an honest-to-god dirty look. It's a mild dirty look, like most of the Soldier's expressions, but it's still an actual dirty look. You're encouraging him in his stupidity, Misty! C'mon, they thought you were responsible! "You are not stronger than a blizzard, kid. I am not stronger than a blizzard. I survive blizzards by being prepared and careful."

[shadowsran]

She is! But in a trio, she leans toward a middle ground. And, hey, it's cute. She grins just a little helplessly, hands raised.

"I should clarify: Soldat lacks our stupid pride, and might be a better judge of what we'll be able to handle than we are." Not always, being to her understanding both actually tortured into a hard-earned preemptive caution for safety and success rate, but also a relentless hen about these things. But she can cede he may have an edge on average. "Do take his calls seriously. I catch him worrying too much and I'll get you."

Tone there implying, albeit jokingly, she'll be much less nice.

[arsarcanum]

Sora does drop his little flex, shocked in by how much he's touched by the concern, really. Shucks. He scratches the back of his head. "Yeah, yeah. I hear ya. The soldier gets to call out anything stupid the kid does." He pauses. "The kid might not stop, but he'll listen." Hey, gotta stick that caveat in where he can. (Also, note to self: definitely ask the soldier how to survive blizzards.)

Also, interesting point Misty just brought up there. "So... Stupid pride, huh." Sora leans in. "Done any blizzard exploring, Misty? Or do you go around doing other things I'd do?" Sora wants a story. Any big risks lately, Misty?

[worthallthis]

Despite being almost completely mollified by Misty's retraction, by her conceding to their point, the Soldier can still say: "Well. She did walk here from her house in the blizzard, too, with only one very inadequate coat, no layers, and very poor shoes for snow." Look, the Soldier is a relentless mother hen. They embrace that. If you wanna be friends with them, you'd better be prepared for nagging.

[shadowsran]

In response to Sora: a less than subtle 'not in front of our soldier' widening of eyes and incline of her head. Certainly Not, She Never Does Reckless Things When He's Not Looking.

"I run warm," she mutters to Soldat, with an indignant little sniff. "Perfectly fine for a short walk, didn't want to miss dinner."

[arsarcanum]

He'll widen his own eyes and nod back! Those secrets had better not wait for too long, Misty Day, he needs allies on his journey to test the boundaries of the soldier's mama bear tendencies. They have to compare shenanigans! They need to know what they're working with.

"Oh." Hm. Actual, real concern. "Do you want one of my coats? I was wearing like four out there." Hey, he may not fear the cold, but he sure is an island boy somewhere in there. He glances up at the soldier. "I mean, I guess we're gonna have to see if they let you go back home first, but after that, I can totally let you take a coat."

[worthallthis]

Don't think they didn't catch that look, Misty. There may be questions, and closer observation, in your future. "I would offer my bed until the blizzard is over, if I thought she'd take it," the Soldier says mildly. They can't order; she's still technically a handler. "Unfortunately everywhere else is taken, unless you two would want to sleep on the floor." Shrug. They climb back to their feet to collect the empty bowls. "If not, I'll just walk you home."

[shadowsran]

Noooooooooo.

"If it were a real blizzard I might think about it, but the floor'd beat your bed out any day. It's yours, wouldn't sleep well if I knew you were less comfortable on my account." The floor isn't actually a bad sounding option, her only point of contention being that, "I'm hardly a hike away, mind! I'm dressed enough for the actual distance I'd need to get across, is all."

[arsarcanum]

He wouldn't say no to a sleepover, to be honest. But.

"Maybe I could walk her back home?" Sora looks up at the soldier, and this expression? Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. "If I can make it all the way to the armory, I bet I could make it to wherever she lives and back to the library. Then you wouldn't have to walk all the way back home, Misty gets company on her way home, and I can beat up the blizzard on my way back." He makes some punching gestures. Pow pow!

[worthallthis]

Misty, you are not leaving this place without a better coat. Full stop. Even if the Soldier has to bundle you up in theirs for the evening.

They consider Sora's suggestion, brows up in a carefully curated skeptical expression, then glance at Misty. What do you think, handler? Is that a good enough compromise? (Also, do you want to be walked home by a hyperactive teenager with good intentions?)

THOSE ICONS TOGETHER MAKE ME LOSE MY FUCKING MIND IS IT JUST ME THIS IS HYSTERICAL

[shadowsran]

The fake punching. Damn this child. Adorable.

"If that's seriously what's got to go down, I'll let it happen the once. Dangerous, though. Now I know not getting a coat guarantees me sleepovers or chaperones." What company could seriously do for cold over a short walk she couldn't say, but she's very endeared.

it's their dynamic in a nutshell :')

[arsarcanum]

Sora actually pauses as the first hurdle (the soldier) clears, and then blinks owlishly as Misty gets on board. Huh. He's gotten his way. He really did it! He is surprised, somehow, but isn't gonna question it. These fighty fists are turning into airpumps.

"Yes. I mean." He clears his throat. "Don't count on getting this lucky every time, Misty. Next time, I'm just gonna pick you up and carry you home." Which is a mistake to say because as soon as it leaves his mouth it sounds like an excellent challenge. He whirls on the soldier. "I'm really gonna do it. Misty, ten minutes away, blizzard, princess style carry. Watch me."

only sometimes, sometimes it is the fond smile and sometimes it is the eyeroll!

[worthallthis]

Technically: company, not so much-- though Sora's fire spell had been handy. It's more someone to call for help if there's a problem, someone to make sure nobody gets lost in the darkness and snow, and, well, backup. Nobody should be alone.

The Soldier looks kind of fondly amused at Sora's excitement. "Kid. I think if you tried to carry Misty her feet would drag on the ground." Yes, this is a short joke. Even though Misty and Sora are technically similar heights, when Misty isn't in her fuck-off giant platform boots.

[shadowsran]

What is the point of fuck-off platforms if not to present exactly these difficulties to others? They're power shoes. They're great.

Which isn't to say his energy isn't a little contagious, impractical and hilarious as the proposed methods are. "The real trick if it comes to that would be catching me. I wouldn't go making it easy on just anybody." Not even objectively adorable anime gremlin boys. Tempting though it may be! "It's gotta be earned."

[arsarcanum]

"Nuh-uh! Oh, come on!" And here we are in the dramatics portion of the teen histrionics olympics: Sora frowns at the soldier, deeply wounded. "I wouldn't piggy back her! Unless you're saying I'm too short to carry her in my arms, which is, uuuuuuuh, a lie, shame on you." It's not a lie, Sora is just puffy because it's fun.

So it's a fetch quest, huh. "Catching up with people is kind of what I do, Misty." He grins at her. "But hey, surprise me! I wanna see if you're as fast as the soldier is. I couldn't keep up in our last race." Sora likes to think he got pretty close, though! "If you're anywhere as good as them, I'm boned."

[worthallthis]

Sora, you are a frog. It's adorable. This right here is when Soldat decides to make the frog origami for him when he moves after the blizzard. "I never lie," they say. Completely innocently. It's true, too! Mostly! They exaggerate sometimes. But that's not the same thing as lying.

For Misty's sake, they explain, "The first day I met him, he was so. Bouncy. Even after talking about brain troubles. I wound up racing him to the Invincible. I won, of course."

trio of smiles.......I cry

[shadowsran]

"'Of course'," she echoes, only half-impersonating Soldat, which interestingly turns out sounding worse than if she'd committed. There's a swatting motion in his direction, entirely for show and falling generously short of any stray limbs. A tsk. "You'll get cocky and there'll be no living with you."

More importantly: "Fast as I need to be, so it's about whether or not the fun would be worth the dent in my pride if I let myself lose." Jokey showboating? Flex? We just don't know.

bright radiant vibrant strong etc

[arsarcanum]

"'Of course'," Sora choruses, because his impersonations are bad and he likes to lean into the little shit routine. Still, there's a little smile when they talk about him like that. Bouncy? Him? He tries.

He pouts comically. "Great, that's just how it is, isn't it? Got two super fast people to beat now." Death is determined not to give him a break on that front! Guess he'd better start doing agility drills again. Good thing he did lacrosse for four years, he's got a place to start. "Are you a cyborg too, Misty?" That would make three of them!