semifreakingnormal | ( 030 ) Ω ( VIDEO )

[The video clicks on, and Scott looks better than he has in a month. There's no perpetual droop to his shoulders, no hooded eyes, no cloud of doubt hanging on him. And what's more, he's not in his room, where he kind of ended up barricading himself at the end there. He is, in fact, in the Enclosure, standing on a lacrosse field. And he's smiling. It's small, a little apologetic, but very present.]

So last month....uh, it sucked. A lot. And I just want to say, to everyone I talked to or should have talked to, that I'm sorry. [His smile turns in a way that says he knows it wasn't strictly his fault, and he's not going to beat himself up over it, but he does wish he'd been able to beat it sooner.]

But I think we should all try to get past that, like, as quickly as possible, and I know there are some new people on board, so...Does anyone want to play lacrosse? We've still got a bunch of room on both teams. It's great for things like, working out aggression and...figuring out tactics? [Scott, never become a salesman.]

Plus, it's a ton of fun.

[He has resolved to be better and more available and throw some unrelenting optimism at everyone, look out Barge!!]

[Private to Clementine]

Hey. Um - I just, I want to apologize. For being so totally and completely useless. It's not gonna happen again.

[Because he's going to be better. He'll be stronger. Because he can't let anyone down again, and most importantly, he can't let anything happen to her.]

Wanna get something to eat?

[Private to Dean]

Hey, uh, I dunno if you don't want to hear it, but....thanks. I couldn't...I wasn't thinking straight. But I'm really glad you were there for her.

[Good job being a friend, Dean, now let Scott ooze gratitude.]

[Private to Cassel]

I've been thinking.

[He's been thinking about this on and off for a while, ever since Cassel and Chris got back from dinner at his mom's house. A lot of it is guilt: Mickey warned him, but Scott didn't go with. He let their heads get messed with.

But the part that bothers him most is that it was Cassel's mom. That she could be that twisted up, that she could do that to her own son. He knows how strongly Daneca felt about working, how she struggled with it, and the idea of someone - an adult, someone who should be completely trustworthy - not caring about it even half as much, has not sat well with him.

So he's been thinking about this a lot, because he wants to do something. Because he has to. Because Cassel is his friend, one of his best, and if he can do anything to make sure this won't ever happen again, then he has to do it.

Not to mention the other thing. Scott shrugs his shoulders.] ...About taking a trip back to your home.

[Private to Katniss]

I'm sorry if I freaked you out. I wasn't really thinking straight, when we met. Actually, I've been meaning to say hi for a while, I just....[He shrugs one shoulder apologetically.] Got distracted, I guess. I'm sorry.

[Private to pack + friends]

I'm going to be leaving the Barge for a bit. Just a day, two tops. I'll be back before you know it, but don't freak out if you can't find me for extra lacrosse practice or something.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh, really? That's awesome!

[Her smile is too big, her voice full of false, joking cheeriness.]

I want nothing to do with it!

[She leans in closer to the feed, pretending to whisper to him.]

Seriously. Voda: so evil. So, so...so evil.

[He laughs at her excess, shrugging.]

I'll take your work for it.

...But whiskey smells kinda good.

[Allison opens her mouth...then closes it, getting a genuinely thoughtful look on her face.]

...okay, maybe whiskey. Duke says it can actually taste pretty good. He's sort of my go-to guy on booze, drugs, and other "very naughty things to do."

[She says it complete with one-handed finger quotes and a big grin.]

Seriously, he even helped me buy some pot in Amsterdam.

Wait, seriously? Why don't I know him better?

'Cause I'm little and cute and often use the power of the puppy dog eyes for evil instead of good?

[All said while melting into a puddle of giggles, one hand covering half of her face.]

I don't know, he's Duke. He's around...his dog thinks my rabbit is her puppy.

Just do what you have to do. I'll swipe some good stuff from him, and when you get back...after you say hi to Kira...we'll talk. And drink.

[There's no hesitation as she says it. This...this is right. This feels good. She has absolutely nothing against Daneca, only that Scott...fell in love without her. It felt less like moving on and more like moving away, and it burned the way she figures Scott and Kira should have the first time she saw them together.

It just doesn't, though. Not when Kira is pack...not when Allison knows her, fought with her, stood with Kira at her back and trusted her as readily as she trusts Scott.

She's already felt the ache of letting Scott walk into Kira's arms once. It's even easier to do it a second time.]

[He ducks his head, not quite trying to hide the smile. He likes that it's like this between them now, that it's not just hiding the hurt and reminding themselves to be happy for each other. He couldn't keep doing that, not if Isaac's going to actually use the room Scott asked the Admiral to add to his.

He's had to readjust his views on forever. Forever is a long time, and even though a part of him thinks he'll still love her forever, he also knows they can't be together forever. They still have a lot of growing to do.]

Deal. Ask him for some good whiskey. Or just something good, I don't really care.

[Allison giggles as she tosses off a salute, glad to be back in this place: easy, good, and closer again. It's not perfect...just like Isaac isn't perfect the way Scott is, just like being on this ship isn't perfect for any of them like being home would be, home and all of them alive...but it's so close she can hardly tell the difference.

She doesn't want to tell the difference.]

Big Brother Pirate will not disappoint. [Her smile dulls a little, serious but not stern.] Just come back soon...and be safe. I get nervous when I'm not there to protect you.

( 030 ) Ω ( VIDEO )

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