[Action]

[fierybluebird]

[Marco is in one hell of a mood. Not that he generally shows it. Oh no, by day, he's cool as a cucumber. Typical Marco deadpan. But he's not cracking a lot of jokes or smiling as much as usual either. Then again, he's working hard on getting all his teaching certifications done with so he can prove that off-worlders don't need special exceptions and can still do better than anyone else. On top of tutoring, and taking every mission he can.]

[By nights though, after curfew when he figures the training center or other areas will be less empty, Marco actually boxes things. And to anyone who knows the phoenix man, that alone should raise alarms. Marco doesn't box. Marco kicks. He uses wings, he is flashy, and he is sassy, and sometimes he's angry as hell, but even then he kicks. He does not use his fists.]

[His ears catch the attention of someone behind him and he shoots a glare before he even figures out who it is.] Scram already, eh!

Comments

guess who?

[espio]

Haha! You're kidding, right?

[Oh-ho, and you think Espio hasn't noticed? Think again, bird brain. Espio can be pretty perceptive when he wants to be, and when his best friend is acting strange a few nights in a row, well. Marco isn't the only one taking late night ventures into the Training Centre, after all

And he's in a pretty bad mood himself, as you can probably judge from his language alone.]

Fuck no! Sit your ass down, midnight picnic time! If you gotta punch things, punch them as they try to eat you!

Is it.... Grell? :O

[fierybluebird]

No. Fuck you. I'm not hungry. [But he's going back to deadpan at least?]

[espio]

Tough luck. You're sitting down, or this flask becomes a projectile and then we'll have tea everywhere. And that's a waste of tea. And that's terrible.

[Despite the slightly joking words, his tone and the look on his face are dead serious.]

[fierybluebird]

Wasting tea is terrible. [Okay you've won him over, so he grabs a crosslegged seat and holds out a hand for the tea flask.]

[espio]

Right.

[Hands it over, but glares at Marco. He seems to be thinking over what to say, but... can't seem to figure out something, so goes with the basics.]

Any particular reason you're beating the crap out of some poor, helpless T-Rexaurs night after night in secret, without even a sparkle in sight? Other than the obvious. Because it's obvious there's more to it.

[fierybluebird]

No, it's the obvious. [Drinks that tea like it's vodka yo.]

Depending on what is obvious, eh.

[espio]

The obvious is Tobias, which is something we're in together. I - [hesitates for a moment, but plows on] made you worry about me on that... I'm allowed to worry about you back, got it?

But...

Isn't there something else?

[fierybluebird]

Don't worry about me. That's why I'm trying to hold it together, okay?

[espio]

Yeah, 'cause that'll work out.

Look, I know you're "the head of the family" but don't forget that it's not just a case of you supporting and looking after us. It's us supporting you, too. I know "us" isn't many people right now, but... don't push yourself pretending everything's fine when it's not - that's not gonna keep you strong. So even if you're not gonna spill, at least accept support.

I need you on top form the next time Shadow nearly kills me, got it?

[Sips tea, pulls face.]

How do you drink this stuff?

[fierybluebird]

[Tugs Espio into a hug in his lap.] It's not about being the head or Captain. Or maybe it is. I miss my Pops, as silly as that sounds, and when Toby was around, I didn't mind so much. So I didn't do anything for Pops' birthday because I was trying not to think on darker things, and Pops wouldn't want me mourning forever anyway, eh?

[Leans his chin over Espio's head.] You'll eat bugs but you don't like the taste of tea?

[espio]

Apparently not. Bleh.

Hm...

Y'know, doing something for your Pops' birthday doesn't have to be a sad, mourny thing. Shouldn't it be less about what happened, more about what he did for you and your brothers? He might not want you to be mourning forever, but it's important to you to do something, right?

I know I'm no help, but you're trying too hard to be all stable and reliable and crap and act like nothing's wrong, when you know full well hiding your troubles without even acknowledging that they're there will make 'em just spill out and cause more problems in the long run.

And I'm allowed to say that, because I'm me and I hide shit all the time. I know what happens. Even if it's slower, it's still inevitable.

[fierybluebird]

Aye.

You're allowed to say it because you're a brother, and if you can see it, then it's already getting ahead of me, eh? [Ruffles Espio's head just because.] And you're right about doing something. I'm not sure what though.

[espio]

You'll work it out. But at least we're clear now, right? Ish. So...

[Swats Marco's hand away. He doesn't even have hair to ruffle!]

Finish tea, back to beating the crap out of everything?

[selphie_t]

[Well Marco, Selphie might not know you that well but even then, she holds her hands up and takes a non-defensive stance.]

Easy! I'm just passin' through!

[fierybluebird]

Sorry about that.

I thought you were another grat. [Very straight-faced as he finishes his foe and turns back.]

[selphie_t]

Please.

[Speaking of Grats, Selphie takes out the one that's sneaking up on Marco.]

You think a cute gal like me would be a Grat?

[She puts up a mock-offended air.]

[fierybluebird]

[A small tight grin.]

I apologize, I assure you. [And then he sticks his tongue out.] I just figured most kids would be in bed.

[selphie_t]

[Said tongue sticking out at Selphie earns Marco some raspberries. Such an adult.] Nah, this is the best time to train because the place is mostly empty.

[fierybluebird]

Normally.

I wouldn't think you'd need to keep in shape so much though, eh.

[selphie_t]

Probably not but it beats being bored!

[No, Selphie didn't just chuck a Firaball intentional typo is intentional fufufu in the direction of a Grat swarm she caught out of the corner of her eye.]

And I can't sleep.

[fierybluebird]

Any particular reason why?

[selphie_t]

Too much pent up energy?

[fierybluebird]

Ah. Then you picked the perfect place to be, eh.

[selphie_t]

Yep yep! Maybe I'm just going stir crazy lately and should take a mission or something to that effect.

[But you know... she's kinda famous and all that jazz for that whole saving the world bit.]

[fierybluebird]

Want to go on one with me? I must have gone through a hundred in the last year alone.

[Aka: he feels you on the stir crazy. A lot.]