III. (open-ish) i said i've been through a lot of noise

[oorah]

featuring: hotdog & his (close) cr
what's happening? frank is suffering from vaccine side-effects and has been ordered to go to the clinic to take care of it; meanttime max has arrived! and just undergone debarking surgery.
day: march 1 (night) & march 2 all day
content warnings: sick man, sick dog, the whine (not)heard round the world.
notes: if it's feasible that frank or micro would have told your character where he is, then feel free to show up. or if you are sick maybe you are unlucky enough to encounter this jerkbutt. hit me up if you want something specific!

march 1

[ after frank gifted jessica a lovely murder basket, she suspects he isn't feeling himself (joke's on her tbh.) since only just injecting him with the experimental drug that would (with any luck at all) make him immune to kilgrave's powers, she assumes frank's weird behavior is a side effect and sends him to the clinic to get checked out. after akira puts him on bedrest, he's open to visitors, and of course the first person he wants to see isn't a person at all. he texts hawkeye and micro furiously: ] bring me my fucking dog, you assholes.

[ okay, so he might be a little testy. once a sleepy max just out of surgery is brought to the clinic, too, the dog will lay at the foot of his bed, alternating between lazily guarding and even lazier dozing. frank hates being stationary. he hates feeling useless. the aches and pains are taking a toll on him, but not as much as the rising tide of frustration and irritability. even if he's usually not a chill guy by a landslide, today he's especially twitchy. he'll likely be up long into the night fantasizing different and creative ways to make kilgrave hurt. oh, hi kids. didn't see you there. ]

march 2

[ frank hasn't slept much. between the fever and refusing to take anything stronger than aspirin, he's sweating and out of it, an angry red rash climbing steadily up the back of his neck to peek out of his black jumpsuit collar. the blankets are on his feet, but he keeps kicking them off. he hates being sick, and he knows he's a terrible patient besides. maria always used to scold him for acting like a child; or worse than their actual children since they took being sick like a champ, just happy for the day away from school. he could endure torture and pain aplenty, max the dog had witnessed both first-hand. he lived in bunkers buried in the sand and traveled to countries that were just holes in the ground, but a little fever and nausea and he's ready to die. every time a cold shiver wracks his spine, he wishes for it even; picturing the bullet in his skull. the doctors telling him a shift in millimeter increment would have killed him. should have, even the way it is.

max is on the floor now, his big block head peeking out from underneath the cot. he watches the door, alerting frank to any new arrival with a tiny growl before shutting his eyes again. the noise little more than a rattly rumble from the dog's barrel chest. the message is clear: you take this one, dad. i'll get the next. ]

Comments

march 2

[steal]

[When Rey arrives, she isn't expecting to find a dog. Her eyes go to Frank first, but immediately onto the animal. In her experience, she always likes animals more than people. Artoo and the other droids are like dogs, in the sense that she'll always go to them first. This case is no different, her barely giving Frank the time of day so she can move in closer and crouch down and offer the dog her hand to sniff.

There's a growl as she approaches, but she takes it slow, trying to show she means neither of them any harm. ]

[oorah]

[ max was a guard for the kitchen irish, but that isn't his job anymore. guarding frank's bedside takes an easy backseat to sniffing rey. deeming her to be a person of interest, he butts his heavy head into her palm and pants happily. the people here were nice to max so far, even the weird man full of fear who had cut him open. no one wants him on chains and everyone approaches him softly with no violence. a dog could get used to this. he nuzzles more boldly into her hands before flopping over onto her with his head pillowed on her thighs so she can scratch his bright white belly.

frank isn't upset at being ignored -- quite the contrast. he would do the same so he just watches quietly, glad she's here. and glad for the millionth time that rey is safe. ]

[steal]

[She pulls out her device, but sets it aside on the floor so she can slowly sign to the dog. Good boy, her hands move over the the simple phrase several times. Maybe he'll be able to learn it. After a few more belly rubs and smiling at how much she already adores this dog, she moves to sit on the edge of the cot. Her device is picked up on the way, enabling her to type out something for the drama queen that's sick to see.]

Please don't tell me his name is Hotdog too

[oorah]

[ his smile widens, frank has been trying to teach him that one too. he scoots over to make room for her, peering at her screen and shaking his head, bemused. he signs out three letters: ] M-A-X.

[steal]

[An eyebrow arches and she gets a look on her face that basically reads that's what I should be calling you. But her hands still work to repeat the letters back to him, spelling out Max twice before she gives a little nod of her head. It's committed to memory.]

[oorah]

[ he shakes his head, the girl obsessed with names and she doesn't even have one past the three letters she'd given to frank. that second night... which feels like so long ago already, somehow. it makes him think of something and he reaches under his pillow for his device. ]

sorry i haven't been holding up our end of the deal. got sidetracked. [ she knows how. but kilgrave is hopefully contained... for now. he isn't expecting it to hold but that's okay. if this illness passes and he's immune? he's not waiting for the calvary this time. (not that he did before christ frank) ] i can start keeping an eye on that ren guy tomorrow

[steal]

[His part of the deal? Rey isn't sure what he means at first, but then he elaborates and it makes her freeze in place. She almost looks like a kid that's been caught doing something she isn't supposed to. Her cheeks turn red and she tries to cover that up with a slow nod of understanding.]

You don't have to. I'm keeping an eye on him myself.

[oorah]

[ hhhhhhh rey he doesn't like that answer. not that he thinks she isn't capable of it. but there's something - guilty about her expression. he and max pass a look between each other like yep. ]

i work with him on the paths sometimes but he keeps to himself. how do you know each other?

[steal]

[Rey doesn't hesitate, but she does take her time in typing out a response. Her mind works quickly, trying to find the best way to explain things so he won't worry.]

He has powers like I do. When mine awakened, he took an interest in me.

[oorah]

[ it sure has the opposite effect, frank sitting bolt upright even when his weakened body protests. maybe that irritability hasn't completely worn off because he's typing fast now, clearly charged with nervous energy. ]

don't think i like the sound of that. [ frank swallows, slowly meeting her eyes though his gaze is shaky. ] took an interest like kilgrave did? like unkar plutt did?

[steal]

[Oh, her face turns a dark shade of red. She can't tell him not to worry about it, because she knows he'll worry about her no matter what. Her avoiding the question will only make it worse. He's in no condition to be worrying about her.

Her hand reaches out to touch at his hand, fixing him with a look that speaks of embarrassment but a resolve to keep him from feeling worse. Their eyes meet and she tries to plead with him just by look alone for the subject to be dropped.

After a few seconds, she realizes it isn't and types out a response.]

It's not like that. We share a bond through the Force. It connects us. He wouldn't harm me. Not anymore.

[oorah]

[ at first, the touch to his hand is nice, maybe even placating. he starts to relax minutely until. until that message. a look of near-horror takes over his whole face. no, rey, just. no. ]

the force told you some douchebag with a scar through his face won't hurt you? well, okay, i'm convinced. [ the sarcasm is palpable. but he's overtaxing himself and he knows it, squeezing his eyes shut at the threatening migraine that starts pounding through his left temple. max shifts a little, throwing him a concerned look before scrambling to get up and place his head next to frank and rey on the mattress. ]

[steal]

[Rey casts Max a look because it's easier to look at him than at Frank or his words. She brings a hand out to pet at his head, delaying talking about this further. Just for a moment, that's all she needs. It's impossible to get him or anyone else to understand the true nature of what the bond she and Ben share is like, and she doesn't expect someone not from their universe to begin to comprehend it.

But she has to try, and she knows that. It would be wrong to just pass off his concern. He'll have to excuse her for a minute because this long wall of text she's writing up for him takes some thought. And it's hard to type up with only one hand, since she's not about to stop petting Max.]

We were able to see each other across the galaxy. Speak with each other. We couldn't control when and how it happened, but we were able to learn more about one another this way. We weren't on the same planet, but we were able to be in the same room together. When we touched hands for the first time, I was able to see his future. It was as real and solid as you are. Whatever he may have done to me in the past, I know he's capable of turning to the light. Nothing has to tell me he won't hurt me. I just know.

[oorah]

[ once frank is able to open his eyes again, he regrets it, feeling the dizziness strike and throw him for a loop again. especially when staring down at her wall o'text. jesus. he isn't buying it -- if she weren't concerned about him, she wouldn't have asked a total stranger to keep an eye on him. and then there's this force garbage. which... whatever, honestly. it's not that different from what matt can do, right? seeing shit he shouldn't be able to see. something like that plus a whole lot more weird. he's used to weird, it's the familiar parts that worry him. ]

you said he's capable of it, but he still hasn't. right? [ even when people think frank isn't listening, that's when he has the ear to the ground the most. she's dancing around telling him the whole truth. if kylo ren wanted to influence her the way kilgrave had, could he? what if he's too late; what if this is his bullshit roundabout of a life in this hellscape. ]

[steal]

[She looks away from him to glare over at the wall. She had been hoping to never actually have this conversation with Frank. And yet here they are, having it. ]

It takes time.

[Really, she doesn't want to talk about her relationship with Ben, or the fact that there are feelings there at all. It's a vulnerability, something that could be used against her. And there's discomfort at having something so incredibly personal be discussed like he's a disapproving father.]

You're in no condition to worry about Kylo Ren.

[oorah]

it takes time to decide not to be an evil dickbag with a bad haircut? [ like whoever this guy is, his judgment is clearly lacking. frank is just saying! he's thinking of billy now, the man he trusted with his life over and over. the lives of his children. a man he pulled out of the fire on numerous occasions never expecting he'd be betrayed. frank bites into his lip and looks down at his lap. ]

i shouldn't have dropped the ball in the first place

[steal]

[Ugh. She's going to actually have to say this. When she types out the message, it's with no lack of fear or hesitation. The look in her eyes is vulnerable, and skittish enough to seem like she's just about ready to bolt.]

I care about him. It's not as easy as what I made it out to seem when we first arrived here.

[oorah]

[ i care about him. it might be time for frank to share something of himself, after all. his heart is fluttering wildly, but he has to tell rey part of his story so she can understand why he's so scared. even before kilgrave... he's no stranger to betrayal. that's all his life was, back home. he blinks past his unsteady vision and tries to focus. ]

billy russo was my brother. we served together and when we came home i welcomed him into my family. i loved him. i trusted him.

[ his eyes slap into hers with the brunt of a salty ocean wave, unwavering and deep this time. ]

he's the one who did that to my face. when i got here.

[steal]

[Her eyebrows knot together, and she glances over at Max like he might be able to answer the question that's on her mind. Judging by the fact he had to welcome Billy into his family, she understands they weren't literal brothers. But to hear about love and trust, Rey becomes confused.]

I trust Kylo Ren. Even if I'm not sure I'm capable of love.

[And coming from hating any contact to willingly holding someone's hand is a lot, enough so that she's rejecting his boys suck message so she can just keep on being positive and optimistic.]

How did you know you loved Billy Russo?

[oorah]

[ oh, rey. he forgets all the time that she hasn't had fundamental life lessons the way most people have her age. how do you know you love anyone? for frank, he just knows. isn't that what rey told him? he nods to show he understands, starting to calm down a bit though there's still a livewire simmering just under his skin. ]

i would do anything for him and i thought he would do anything for me. i saved his ass more times than i can count overseas. lucky son of a bitch though, always made it out of a tight spot without a scratch on that damn pretty face.

[ he has no idea what he's making this sound like, he's just doing his best to keep maria and his kids out of this for now. though it's nearly impossible when they're so intrinsically wrapped up in everything, even his relationship with billy. because they shared it. they loved him just as much as frank did. he can only take the shallowest form of satisfaction knowing that billy's face isn't so pretty anymore. ]

just be careful. if you trust him i trust him. [ he puts his hand on her wrist where she's still petting max. ]