Imperial Junke Yard, Friday

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

Marcus was eating breakfast when he arrived, specifically an egg and bacon muffin, and he was really enjoying it.

He unlocked the gates, opened up the shed, then happened to notice an upside down metal basket under which was trapped a rat. The rat was glaring at Marcus, obviously remembering the short-lived war they had waged not so long ago.

Marcus crouched in front of the basket and offered the rat a piece of bacon. "Know how you feel," he told the rat, who stared at him in rodential bemusement. It was a practical rat, however, so it took the bacon, nibbling it while Marcus talked.

"I'm trapped here, same as you are. Worst part is, I'm getting used to it. Some days I don't even mind. Beats the hell out of where I was before." Marcus considered the rat, then tipped the basket over. "Difference between you and me is you've got someone to let you out." He broke off a small piece of muffin and held it out to the rat.

The rat looked over its shoulder, obviously contemplating flight, then reached out to take the muffin.

"You should know better," he told it. "Nothing's free." It earned him flattened ears and a suspicious look. Marcus smiled, just a small one. "Except hard as it is to believe, sometimes it is." He set the rest of his breakfast in front of the rat, then stood up and went to work on his current project, leaving behind a slightly confused, but very grateful, rodent.

[Open junkyard is open and conversations with rodents suggested by wrongkindofsith! Marcus may tell you all about his feeeeeeeelings today, just be warned.

ETA: Warning for Marcus and Kyle sharing their feelings. Yes, Hell has truly frozen over.]

Comments

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

Kyle realized he hadn't been down here in a while, so he came to check on Marcus. Rather than saying hello, he gave his greeting by offering a glass bottle of Coca Cola.

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

Marcus accepted the bottle and nodded his thanks, then leaned against the shed while he opened it. "Good to see you."

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

"Good to see you too," Kyle replied, a little suspicious. He opened his own drink and took a swig. "Been keeping yourself busy?"

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

He shrugged. "Yeah. Working on a few things." He took a swig from the bottle, then considered Kyle. "You should come by more often."

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

"I've thought about it," Kyle admitted. They were surprisingly talkative today. "But you always end up angry and I haven't wanted to deal with that."

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

"I'm not angry at you. I'm just angry." For Marcus, this was practically babbling. "You're about the only thing around here that doesn't piss me off."

Tomorrow, he was going to want to kill things.

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

"I didn't know that. I wasn't going to stop coming. You're about the only thing around here that does piss me off," Kyle said, using Marcus' own words back at him.

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

"Don't stop coming. Having you around keeps me safe," he said seriously. "Not really a surprise, but how come I piss you off so much?"

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

Kyle shrugged. "I miss my friend and some days you're not him. We didn't even know each other that long, and we saw more action together than I'd seen in months with Star, but I felt more confident with you around."

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

He was silent, turning that over. "That's why I get angry sometimes," he finally said. "I like the idea that I could be that Marcus, but it's not gonna happen. He sounds like a good guy, and I'm not."

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

"I don't think your idea of a good guy is the same as mine. It's about your actions from any point in time. Not what you've done or haven't done before, and it has nothing to do with who you think you are."

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

Marcus simply looked at Kyle for a long time before saying anything. "Sometimes you remind me of my brother. That sounds like something he would've said."

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry. No wonder you get angry if I remind you of your brother. Having a reminder of a brother you can't get to see would be hard to deal with."

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

"He's dead. My fault." He shook his head. "Don't be sorry. I hate that he's gone, hate that I killed him, makes me want to rip the whole world down." He tipped his head towards Kyle. "Having you around reminds me I shouldn't." The corner of his mouth lifted. "Having you around means you'd stop me if I tried."

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

"I would stop you," Kyle agreed. "My whole life is going to be spent making sure there's a chance for someone else to fix the world. But you don't need me to remind you you shouldn't do what you want to do. Your brother does that. Even when he's not here, it's him, not me."

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," he conceded. "But you should keep coming by. I like the company."

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

"I like the company too. I like it here. Fandom, I mean. Sometimes all the people being happy all of the time gives me a headache. They don't mean to."

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

"Beats prison. Beats being dead." He lifted one shoulder. "Even with the happy people, it's not so bad. I'm getting used to it."

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

"It's okay if you don't. Everyone's too caught up in their own problems to notice if you disappear to one of the quiet places on the island. I go up there." He pointed towards Selkie Peak.

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

"Yeah?" He looked where Kyle was pointing, studying the Peak. "Quiet would be good." He glanced back at Kyle. "Show me some time?"

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

With a nod and a shrug, he agreed. "Will you show me how to fix a car?"

[notquitewright.livejournal.com]

Marcus smiled. "Anytime."