(open) december catch-all

[nanamari]

Who: ana amari (nanamari) & YOU
What: open catch-all
When: all of december
Where: olympia & wyver
Warning(s): (ง'̀-'́)ง

if you get into trouble, i'll bail you out.)

[ Ana doesn't go out every night. She has other work and her own human limitations, but she's out enough to be spotted lurking on the occasional rooftop with her rifle propped against her knee and her mask emitting a soft blue glow as the crosshairs focus. This is the only time she goes by Shrike anymore. She operates in Wyver or Olympia depending on the night.

Even with everything that's happened lately - or maybe because of it - petty crime is common. Ana will pitch in to help whether the victim is an innocent bystander or hero whose gotten in over their head. She's more than willing to team up - at least, temporarily. ]

i need healing.)

[ Even with all of her experience, Ana can't predict everything. A few nights later, she finds herself in a dire position. The criminal that she's been trailing has turned out to be the sort of person who can control the local flora at will, including some kind of telepathic connection. Trampling a flower, of all things, had given her away. Ana is currently struggling against vines binding her to a building. Even with a little of Jack's strength in her, it's not enough to break free.

Her rifle is on the ground, and she can't reach her sidearm. The vine around her neck is making it harder and harder to breathe. The man laughs, going on about crushing her like she's crushed that 'precious flower.'

If she dies like this, she's going to come back as a time-travelling ghost and kick her own ass for going out in such a monumentally stupid way.

She needs help, and fast. ]

this is much better than a cabana on the beach.) (Wyver)

[ Now that she's no longer wearing a tracker, Ana has moved her few possessions back into the safehouse she shares with Jack. It's a small even for the two of them, and far from the city center, but it has running water and electricity and clear sight lines.

At the moment, she's at the market, picking up a few things to make it more livable. Most vendors have been willing to haggle, but some... ]

Why don't you just tell me what this is really about? [ Ana's has her hand on his table, gesturing at the rug that she's trying to buy. ] It has a hole in it. You're asking for more than twice what it's worth and I know I don't look stupid.

[ The vendor grunts at her and says, 'Consider it payback for all the freeloading you lot have been doing. If you've got a problem, go crawling back to Olympia.'

She looks like she's seriously considering vaulting the stall to beat the crap out of him in broad daylight. This might be a good time for someone to intervene. ]

heal up.) (Olympia)

[ Despite having moved to Wyver, Ana still comes back to Olympia to help with the reconstruction. She'll strike up a friendly conversation with anyone else who's decided to put in an effort, and may invite them to tea or a practice session if they're the soldiering type. She's an expert shot, and willing to give some pointers if the topic comes up, but she's also more than amiable to learning different weapons and techniques from others. ]

wildcard.)

[ PM or hit me up on plurk to plot anything. I'll be mostly tagging out for event stuff so if you wanna link a starter or anything that's fine too.

Any previous CR is welcome to meet her in the cafe and handwave that she's invited them out for tea/catching up too! ]

Comments

[personalwar]

[ Jack could be angry that Ana had gone off to look into some gang without saying anything to him, but it doesn't work that way. Given that both of them had been on their own for years after leaving Overwatch, they know how to operate solo. They don't have to take on every task together, and they can be more efficient if they split the work between them.

Some bruising is nothing to worry about, but Jack can at least make some attempts to help with any discomfort. The warm water can serve two purposes, but first he has to wait for it to heat up.

In the meantime, he turns to lean his back against the counter and watches Ana with a close eye. She seems fine, more frustrated with herself than anything else. ]

That's the thing about this place. It plays by rules we haven't learned yet. [ He shrugs a shoulder. ] Don't beat yourself up about it, Ana.

[ Will any of his accelerated healing have transferred over to her, because of their "bond"? Guess it's time to find out. ]

[nanamari]

You can't tell me what to do anymore. [ Jack is one to talk about her beating herself up. She gives him a wry smile. She's giving him shit because she doesn't want him to worry.

The expression fades after a moment, and Ana turns away again, her gaze unfocused. ]

I know we had our doubts about this bond in the beginning, but I think you saved me out there, Jack.

[personalwar]

[ It's odd that Ana would bring up the bond right when Jack had been thinking of it, and he has to wonder if that's part of the bond itself or if it's simply a result of them having known each other for this long. Sometimes it really does feel like they can read each other's minds, and that was true long before their trip up the mountain.

All the same, his head snaps up and he watches her for a few silent seconds. ]

Maybe. On the other hand, you're sturdier than you give yourself credit for.

[ No one would think as much looking at Ana's slight build, but she doesn't go down easy. The fact that she came back from a bullet to the head is proof enough of that. ]

But... [ He shrugs, then smiles wryly. ] You're welcome.

[nanamari]

[ Ana stares a moment too long. Jack doesn't look younger or less weary but he smiles so rarely these days. ]

How's that tea coming?

[personalwar]

[ Ana's gaze lingers on him, on his face, and that's enough to make him duck his head. ]

Water's hot enough now, I think.

[ He pours a cup out for her, then adds the tea bag, picking one of blends that's supposed to help you sleep. Now to let it steep for a bit. The rest of the water he puts into a bowl, and then he goes digging in a cabinet for a washcloth.

He glances back to Ana, then nods to the couch. ] Have a seat.

[nanamari]

[ Ana doesn't look away. She gets the gist of what he's doing. It's not a bad idea - one she might have thought of herself, if she wasn't busy sulking.

She's more than capable of taking over now and handling her own injuries, but what she says is: ] Bottom shelf, on the left.

[ She picks up one of her scarves and moves to the couch where she can set about wrapping her hair up and out of the way. She doesn't want it to get wet right before bed, and it gives her something to do with her hands. ]

[personalwar]

[ 76 would have found the cloth on his own, but Ana's instructions makes the job a little faster. He apparently doesn't need to convince her to accept his help, as she's already settled on the couch, ready for him to come over. ]

You said someone came and helped you out. Who was it?

[ There are a lot of refugees who seem all too eager to help out wherever they can, but Jack's curious to know who exactly came to Ana's aid.

He comes over with the bowl of water and the cloth and settles down on the couch next to her. He submerges the cloth in the water, then wrings it out. ]

[nanamari]

He said his name was Sanderson. [ Ana tilts her head to the side, allowing Jack easy access to her neck where the worst of the bruising is. She might have fought anyone else over this kind of thing on principal, but Jack has never been anything less than respectful towards her, and in the end she trusts him to look after her the way she looks after him.

And anyway, it gives her some leverage for the next time he gets himself into trouble. Remember how I didn't complain when you were the one doing all of the fussing? ]

Interesting man. He dissolves into sediment. When he materialized out of nowhere in the dark, for a second I thought he was Gabriel. [ She runs her fingers over the bruises near her wrist. She doesn't worry about saying his name the way Jack does, like speaking the word alone will summon his presence, but it's still a name that sits like a weight in her chest. ]

[personalwar]

[ The name isn't familiar to Jack, but he puts it to memory now, in the event that their paths end up crossing. It becomes even more pertinent when Ana compares her rescuer's abilities to Gabriel's.

Despite the fact that this is a subject he never particularly enjoys touching on, his movements don't stutter or slow as he reaches out to work the warm cloth into Ana's bruised and sore skin. He wouldn't really say he's been fussing, either. Just looking out for a friend. ]

Sediment, huh? [ He's trying to picture what that would look like, and he's seen enough of how Reaper moves and functions to have an idea. ] I'm guessing you didn't get into why he could do that.

[nanamari]

[ Ana closes her eye and lets some of the tension ease out of her. The skin is a little sensitive, but Jack is careful, and it's easy to be lulled by the warmth and the odd brush of his fingers against her skin. She leans into it a little. It's... pleasant. ]

I can interrogate him the next time we go out for coffee. I don't know if it's the kind of thing that's easy to explain. He said 'It's a little like talking to it and a little like conducting an orchestra.' [ Ana wrinkles her nose. ] The worst part of it is, I understand what he means.

[personalwar]

[ Ana's never been one to hide how she really feels about something, so if she didn't like this, she would make it clear, or lightly shove him away with some remark about how he was too rough. That's reason enough for him to continue dabbing the wet cloth over problem areas. ]

Wanna enlighten me? [ Jack's really never been anything other than straight-forward with his words. Not to mention that questioning Ana on this will provide further distraction from the soreness as he works. ]

[nanamari]

It's like shooting. I wouldn't be so dramatic, but sometimes... it's little like telling the bullet where to go, and a little like showing it the way.

[ Ana's eye has fallen shut. ]

You have very gentle hands, Jack.

[personalwar]

Never really thought about it like that.

[ But Ana's the master sniper here. Jack knows how to shoot a gun, obviously, but his skillset has always been utilitarian more than anything else. He wouldn't say there's much finesse in what he does, but it doesn't matter if it gets the job done.

Ana's comment comes out of left field, and it's enough to make Jack stop what he's doing for a moment as he frowns to himself. ]

Kinda doubt that. They're callused all to hell.

[nanamari]

[ Ana opens her eye when he stops moving. She hadn't really meant anything by it - just gratitude for what he was doing for her - but she can see that she's made him uncomfortable. ]

I hadn't noticed. [ She wants to tell him that gentle is different from soft, but there doesn't seem to be much of a point in pushing the issue too much. She covers his hand briefly, where it's stilled near her neck. ]

I think that I'm going to get some sleep.

[personalwar]

[ It's difficult to shake the feeling that Jack has somehow made a misstep. Ana doesn't seem upset, but the quiet way in which she dismisses herself makes him wonder. Maybe she's just sick of him refuting every kind thing she says about him, but that's not something he can help.

He nods and retrieves the cloth and bowl of water, standing to take them back to the kitchen. ] You'll feel better in the morning. Don't forget your tea.

[nanamari]

[ Ana shifts to her feet and collects her mug of tea. She aches, but that's the way things are these days. ]

Goodnight, Jack.