( open ) I like to call myself wound but I will answer to knife

[scarcastically]

CHARACTERS: Erik Stevens / Killmonger You
LOCATION: The Station
DATE: Post-Mission Conclusion
CONTENT: Aftermath / Settling back in the station
WARNINGS: scarification, body modification in the first prompt



( i. infirmary - new wounds ) cw: body modification, scarification

[ a success.

not that erik would say so in public, but he accomplished his personal goal and the mission. he has solidified his use as player, even if his integration into the team was haphazard. he let too much slip to people, they know too much. but that can be a problem for another day. no one knows the extent of it after all, just patches of erik. and erik isn't real anyway. it's not his name.

erik sits on one of the medical beds, his shirt tossed to the side. his skin is littered with crocodile scars. he has a scalpel in his hand, as he assesses the free space to his side. ]

Hmm, think I got a little room there.

( ii. lab - spellwork and metalwork )

[ he hadn't gotten to use much charterwork in the field, preferring to lean on the abilities he did have and the panther suit. he wasn't fully comfortable with spells just yet, but erik is a scientist in his own right, not simply a war strategist. and what he needed was more comfortable exploration in his own time and space.

so erik has a bunch of different metals laid out on a table with a notebook littered with various charter configurations as he tries to find the best combination to strengthen the durability of each one. this would be best with vibranium, but erik wasn't going to risk his suit on an experiment.

he taps his forehead, drawing upon the marks for strength and shielding and weaving them into iron. satisfied, he plucks it from the table, idly tapping the side to listen to the vibrations and noise. he makes a little sound of disgruntlement before he bends over his notebook, scribbling his theory. ]

Sounds denser. Can charter affect molecular structure? Gotta give it an acid test later.

( iii. simulation room - oakland apartment )

[ he's not sure why he comes back.

lack of self-preservation? a reckless need to let all his secrets out? to see if his father will appear just like it had once with the heart-shaped herb? but erik no longer had the herb's effects pumping in his veins. at least he thinks so. he has no way of knowing for sure. he doubts t'challa would have left it in him. he doubts . . .

erik leans against the window. the wakandan sunset beats down on his face. it seems he's at his rawest here, caught between two worlds. two homes that never wanted him. and erik . . . wants something. wants more. he thought he had bled it all out, but talking about it again had given him the twist of yearning in his heart. where was he supposed to go? where was he supposed to be? was he meant to give up the dream and just settle in another reality?

out loud, he says. ]

You should have taken us back.

[ it is the first kernel of resentment for his father. who believed in the dream, who bled for it. who wanted a better life for others. but erik can't help thinking that the minute his mother died, alone and unwanted in a prison, they should have gone home.

but he thinks of his father's tears and he ducks his head, guilt churning. ]

( iv. wildcard )

[ got a prompt in mind? you can reach erik here / pm this account / hit me up @ timmtams ]

Comments

iii

[winscenario]

[ It's not his simulation; it's not any simulation he recognizes, actually, and for a moment after he stepped inside, he thinks it must be some kind of malfunction. But then he spots Erik by the window, and he realizes that it isn't a malfunction, the room was just in use already. ]

I— sorry, I didn't realize it was... occupied.

[ He's not really sure what to do. He's wanted to see Erik ever since they got back to the station, but not like this. It feels too personal, something Erik wouldn't willingly share with him. ]

I should go.

[scarcastically]

[ erik shakes his head. ]

S'fine. Just wanted to look at the sunset.

[ he pushes his glasses up before eyeing him. ]

. . . You okay?

[winscenario]

[ Jim sighs, taking that as all the invitation he needs to step further into the apartment. ]

Not really.

[ He could say he was, but it'd just be a transparent lie. ]

Where are we?

[scarcastically]

[ erik pauses. ]

Oakland. It's where I'm from.

[bindsthedead]

If it's acid you're worried about, there are spells specifically dealing with corrosion and protecting metal from it. As for the molecular structure- I'm afraid I have no idea. I know the Charter can't create matter from nothing, but it can certainly alter the structure.

[Sabriel's contributed to the notes as well- both with pages of her own notes, and annotations to Erik's in a tidy but old-fashioned cursive.]

We use steel and iron for our tools and weapons, and despite the stories those in the south of Ancelstierre tell, to my knowledge, there's nothing magical that's particularly bothered by cold iron.

Silver is another story. It's not really enough on its own, but it can help.

[scarcastically]

[ hmm. a spell that can alter the molecules could be a huge advantage. but the strain of doing so is taxing. even erik feels it upon his body. ]

Silver's not really a strong metal though. You use it in weaponry?

[bindsthedead]

We use steel. But weapons intended for use against the Dead or Free Magic have a thin layer of silver over the steel. Even the Ancelstierrian soldiers at the wall use the same technique, somewhat more amateurishly. But there's another reason for the silver.

[Sabriel picks up the small piece of silver they were using as a sample, turning it over in her hands.]

Silver's an easy material to work magic on, and it holds enchantments well. So a lot of magical charms and jewelry are made of silver.

[scarcastically]

[ that makes more sense. silver weapons in general would never have the kind of durability to last long enough in extended combat. however, a coating or lining of silver could do the job. almost like it's conductive to magic. erik notes it down quickly. ]

Is there a reason for that or that's just how it is?

iii.

[petsthedog]

[There's almost an inherent masochism to viewing these simulations. Shinjiro had gone into this room a few times before, punishing himself with the memory of that dark alley by the house where his life went all wrong, where he went off to meet his own end.

When he walks into the room this time, it's to a beautiful sunset, rather than an unnerving moonlight tinged green. And there's a familiar face watching it with him.

He sighs.]

Looks like my timing's shit as usual.

[At least this feels less invasive than walking in on him in the graveyard.]

[scarcastically]

[ erik gives a little snort, though he doesn't seem all that put out. ]

Learn to knock, bean boy.

[petsthedog]

[Bean boy??? He huffs, but lets it be. He doesn't care that much what people call him, when he hung around places where "hey asshole" was a common means of address.]

You'd think a place with this kinda tech would be able to put in an occupied sign like your average portapotty y'know?

[he's just sayin']

[scarcastically]

Maybe that's the idea.

[ erik hums, leaning against the windowsill. ]

They don't want us to keep secrets.

ii

[hatejakku]

[ Finn had been doing his own little experiments in the armory, learning new weapons, combining things, whatever. Or he had been before the mission.

So when he happens by Erik's setup, he doubles back with wide eyes at the display. Erik must know he's there while he writes in the notebook, so Finn stays quiet while he looks at (doesn't touch) the different metals scattered around.

But when Erik does look up- ] What are you working on?

[scarcastically]

[ erik looks up, pushing his glasses up his nose. ]

I'm testing how much Charter magic makes these metals stronger.

[hatejakku]

Charter magic? That something from your home?

[ Didn't Edward mention something like this? ]

[scarcastically]

[ he chuckles. ]

No. Sabriel hooked me up with the basics. I'm working on some experimentation with magic and metals.

i

[skelepun]

[ In the wake of the mission, its outcome, and everything that happened prior... well, Sans wasn't quite sure how to be, let alone where to do it. The infirmary was just one on the lengthy list of places he'd wandered to over the last few days; neither his first nor his last choice. ]

--Oh, uh.

[... If there was a plan, running into Erik certainly wasn't part of it.

If it had been, maybe he would've entered the room a little more carefully. Kinda hard to walk back an intrusion when the intruded upon party was looking right at you, scalpel in hand.

Sans blinks, eyelights falling on the blade and lingering there. ]

Operating on yourself? Pretty gutsy move, chief.

[scarcastically]

[ to killmonger's credit, he doesn't even blink. the pain is and has always been excruciating, but he bears it without missing a beat, cocking an eyebrow at sans. ]

It ain't an operation. It's cultural.

[skelepun]

[ It's not even close to approaching the response Sans expects. If anything, it kinda feels like an invitation to get outta here and leave the guy in peace to whatever he was doing.

Sans holds up a hand in vague apology, gaze averting. ]

Ah, gotcha. Human thing?

[ As for what the thing was, Sans still wasn't super sure. And he couldn't deny his own curiosity, which was probably why he'd yet to do the right thing and dip. ]

iii

[bossily]

[She instantly regrets intruding on the space. Clara's been hesitant to try out and really get much use out of the simulation room for the reason she isn't sure how to control it. And right now, she feels like she's committing a major violation by accidentally stumbling into Erik's space.

This is a private moment she's interrupted, and yet she feels rooted to the spot. She isn't sure what to do.]

Sorry, I -

[There's no polite way to excuse yourself from someone else's very personal simulation.]

I was trying to go back home, just for a bit.

[It's a weak explanation, and she feels foolish for having said it.]

Didn't know someone else would be trying to do the same thing.

[scarcastically]

[ erik has to chuckle at that. ]

Pretty sure all of us are gonna be doing that. But it's fine. This ain't my home.

You wanna go ahead? I can push off.

[bossily]

[She shakes her head, holding out a hand as if asking him to stay put.]

Do you just think about it and it'll show up?

i.

[retributioning]

Definitely, [ says renfri in response to what was never even a question, nor directed at her.

don't mind her as she settles against the wall, eyeing what erik's about to do with some curiosity. ]

Don't let me stop you. You're making another one of those, right? [ nodding towards the marks littering his body. ]

[scarcastically]

[ erik makes the cut with a wince, watching the wound swell before pinching it to ensure its shape. ]

Yeah. One for each kill. Gotta make sure I account for it.

[retributioning]

That's one way of doing it.

[ she looks at him again, at the expanse of scars visible, and nods as if approving. ]

It matters to you, then? How many you kill? Most would do that to show off. [ the marks. as a warning to anyone who crosses them. but accounting for it — that sounds like a morality thing. or something. ]