( 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

[winscenario]

I like to take my chances.

[ He leans slightly, tilts his head at Erik. ]

What are we betting on?

lmk if this works

[scarcastically]

[ erik taps on the table haphazardly. ]

How 'bout a kiss?

umm yes?? 👀💦

[winscenario]

[ Jim has to make a bit of effort not to look too excited. He kind of fails a little bit. ]

Oh, you're so on.

<333

[scarcastically]

[ erik grins. ]

How you wanna play? First to finish, first to stutter?

[winscenario]

First to stutter. I like that one.

[ Mostly because it gives him better chances against Erik. But only very slightly better. ]

So how does that work? If I win I kiss you, if you win you kiss me...? Because that sounds like an 'everyone is a winner' type of scenario.

[ Not complaining, obviously. ]

[scarcastically]

[ erik flashes a grin. ]

Sure, but who'll be the bigger winner?

[winscenario]

I'm not saying that doesn't matter too. Just checking.

[ He's still going to try, because he does like to win. With that he downs the rest of his glass. ]

[scarcastically]

Fair 'nuff.

Shall we?

[winscenario]

Thought we'd already started.

[ Jim hasn't stopped drinking, at least. ]

[scarcastically]

[ a dry chuckle as erik grabs his glass to start chugging. ]

[winscenario]

[ That's a challenge if Jim's ever seen one, and he's not about to lag behind here. He downs his own glass and tops it up again, doing the same for Erik. They need to get decently drunk if they really want to put each other's drunk speech skills to the test. ]

So if you don't do this a lot— that probably means your tolerance is low, right?

[scarcastically]

[ erik huffs. ]

I don't do it a lot with company. No rule about gettin' sloshed on your own.

[winscenario]

Damn. Here I was looking for an edge.

[ He grins. ]

I don't know how good my tolerance is now. Used to be... pretty good? But it was years ago.

[scarcastically]

Yeah, I wouldn't say I make a big habit out of it. Just sometimes, when you just wanna blur the world out.

[winscenario]

Used to do it for the same reason, too. Other times I just wanted to party.

[ Now he's a boring 30 year-old, the most he does is share one glass with Bones on occasion. Which explains why it's starting to hit him pretty quickly now. ]

Damn. Forgot how sharp tequila is.

[scarcastically]

[ erik can't help a chuckle. ]

You're in good company, at least.

[winscenario]

Yes, I like to think so too. Wouldn't be here otherwise.

[scarcastically]

[ erik smiles faintly, around the corner of the rim. ]

Where would you be? Or better, where'd you like to be?

[winscenario]

[ Home, his mind provides quickly, but he doesn't say it out loud. They're in a good, less depressing place than before, he doesn't want to turn their conversation gloomy again. ]

Don't know. I like to be right here. But if I was on my own, then I'd probably be in my room reading or something.

[scarcastically]

[ erik manages to finish his drink with a large final gulp and a satisfying snap. ]

But it wouldn't have me.

[ and erik leans over to kiss jim soundly. ]

[winscenario]

[ Jim's about to answer that it could have Erik, but he manages to catch him by surprise yet again by leaning over the table and claim a kiss. All that comes out is a surprised sound instead, though he's quick to react, a hand moving up to grip Erik's shirt.

Lucky him that his glass is empty, so he doesn't make a mess of things when he accidentally topples it over. Oops. ]

I don't think I heard any stuttering, [ He points out in a bit of a breathless voice, lips brushing over Erik's still. ]

[scarcastically]

[ erik flashes a sharp smile. ]

Maybe you just missed it, future man.

[winscenario]

Mmm, I must have.

[ This time he's the one cupping Erik's face as he leans over the table a little further to kiss him back. ]

[scarcastically]

[ that suits him just fine. his fingers splay themselves upon jim's shoulders, digging in just slightly, his thumb idly brushing over his neck. he parts his lips, deepening the kiss. ]

[winscenario]

[ Oh, that's really nice. Jim hums in approval, head tilting to press deeper into that kiss. His tongue steals just a taste of Erik's lips, and he presses closer just to find the table incredibly hindering. He pauses the kiss with a breathless chuckle. ]

Hold on. [ He's not quite done kissing Erik yet, but this is starting to annoy him. So he walks around the table and sits down on the chair next to Erik's instead, so he can freely move closer to kiss him again. ]