02?. [Action/Text - Fourth Wall]

[explosivecombat]

[Kimblee has just kind of accepted this sort of thing, regarding those odd weekends where, for some completely arbitrary reason, everything is beautiful and nothing hurts (assuming that no one happens to get in the way of the explosions he's usually laying down); however, this time around he hasn't seen Archer all weekend, he's been unbelievably agitated for some reason he can't work out, and about the only saving grace is that he seems to have awakened in the Lake of Rage area today.

He can't say he minds.

He's got his gloves off today, if anyone is in the immediate area through either intent or chance; surprisingly, he isn't transmuting...obviously, though what he's doing makes it rather clear that something's going on before too long - he's never been any sort of particular genius when it comes to chemistry, but he knows certain things when he sees them, and he's currently picking up rocks along the shore, appearing to assess them as he holds them before a flash of blue fires off and he throws the result into the water.

It's surprisingly easy to get a good transference going, to get sodium out of the rocks by the waterfront; of course, sodium in water is known to make one hell of a bang. Admittedly, it's not a very aesthetically pleasing bang, but he's working on it, okay.

Of course, there are some other signs in the area that his activities haven't been quite so docile (if blowing up the surface of a lake filled with terrifying sea serpents can be considered docile); there are some rather impressive swaths cut into the ground by what look like something ripping it all up from within. However, for the time being he seems pretty content to be bored, seeming to have calmed down from the earlier...fit that caused all that; he'll be having at the whole sodium thing for a while tonight.

Granted, for those not in the area, he'll be showing up over the device later - not via video, but via text, as per usual.]

I trust you've all been enjoying playing with your toys. Some of my most prized ones weren't returned to me this time around; I'm assuming this means they're still in the region somewhere.

I imagine I'll find them eventually.

However, for the time being I find that I really can't complain; the most relevant part of what I can do is functional again, and if I had to select between having my abilities with no enhancements and no abilities at all, choosing the latter to spite the former would be tantamount to solving the problem of a low doorway by cutting off my head.

Indulge me in my curiosity, however: were things like this weekend to be something controllable, something you could do at will, what would you bring here and what sort of abilities would you retain from you world - given power like this on a regular basis, what would you do with it?

Comments

[terminarcher]

[Casual racism aside...

That does go a long way to getting him to calm down. Archer doesn't lean into Kimblee's touch, but he allows it, human eye sliding closed as he counts backwards from ten to calm himself down further. He doesn't want to lash out and hurt Kimblee. He still doesn't have a good grasp on his strength - his control with the automail arm is another thing entirely - but he knows well enough to know that lashing out will seriously hurt Kimblee. He doesn't want to do that. Even if it is an accident, Kimblee won't forgive him for it, he's certain of that. Kimblee will leave if that happens. He can't let that happen.

Kimblee's words aren't something he's heard before - he never knew Kimblee could tell the difference between a human and a Homunculus - but he believes him. Kimblee would have no reason to lie to him, right? Of course not. The obvious answer goes soaring over his head as always.]

...It's difficult not to pity myself, Kimblee.

[The answer is softer than usual, but still far too loud for their close proximity. He can't control his voice as well as he'd like.]

It... it is good to know you still consider me human.

[He can't meet Kimblee's eyes at that, glancing away instead. For some reason this is flustering him far more than anything else with Kimblee ever has. The intimacy has nothing to do with it - they've been intimate like this before - but something about this is making him feel incredibly shy, which is so unlike him it's almost funny.]

I'll try not to pity myself. I wouldn't want to disappoint you, now would I?

[That's louder, more confident. It's a goal to work towards. He doesn't have orders here, but if he has a goal, he can work towards it. That much is easy enough and something he still thrives on. He'll accomplish this goal, then move on to the next. Assuming he doesn't get another three goals in the meantime, but that's not the point.]

Thank you.

[explosivecombat]

[Kimblee seems to relax when Archer does, though he twitches a little at the volume; come on, Archer, he's right in your face, it's fine to quiet down a bit...

However, he can feel his own breathing slowing down - he hadn't even realized how shallow it was getting until Archer starts to settle - and he smirks a bit when Archer seems to find some reason to get flustered among all that; it would be almost endearing, were this entire situation not so unsettling.]

Don't mention it, Archer; that's what I'm here for, after all.

And if it's coming down to a matter of you doubting your humanity, of all things, then I obviously can't let that stand, now, can I? I'm still going to consider you human because you are, that's all there is to it.

Now relax, all right? I've no doubt that everything will be fine.

[terminarcher]

Of... of course. It was silly of me to worry.

[Kimblee's words and nice, comforting, and for a moment Archer allows himself to simply accept them without question. That doesn't mean he won't question them later, but for the time being he's fine. He reaches up to press a hand against Kimblee's (right-handed of course). He smiles faintly before he seems to realize what he's doing and he pulls away, that light flush turning into a few shades darker. He turns away immediately and makes his way toward the bed, hesitating a bit before managing to get himself into a sitting position. It takes more effort than he would care to admit, but finally he manages it, the bed creaking under the weight of the automail. He frowns at that, but says nothing about it.]

I appreciate your words, Kimblee. I apologize for showing such weakness.

[And suddenly everything is back to normal - or at least it would be, if Archer could meet Kimblee's eyes.]

[explosivecombat]

And as I said before, you don't need to apologize to me.

[He remains standing where he is, keeping an eye on Archer without commenting on what he's doing; he folds his arms low against his body, moving back over to lean back against the desk across the room from the bed.

His posture is casual, but his gaze is still highly attentive.]

Is there something on your mind, Archer?

[terminarcher]

No.

[The answer is too quick and too forceful, but before Archer can amend it, he's already speaking.]

It's just that... well... You've been so good to me - even before all this - and I... I can't ever possibly return that, no matter what you've said in the past. I really care about you and I--

[He cuts himself off there, looking rather horrified with himself. Once again he goes to run his left hand through his hair and stops himself at the last second, switching to his right hand instead. He's not flustered this time, but rather openly nervous. He knows Kimblee's going to ask him to elaborate on that and he can't think of anything to say.]

I can't elaborate on that, I don't want you to know, it's not something that I should be saying now, at any rate...

[Again, he doesn't seem aware that he's speaking. He moves to rest his human hand on his knee, the automail incapable of mimicking the position, but it gets close enough for him to attempt to relax a little bit.]

...Never mind, Kimblee.

[explosivecombat]

[...Oh.

There's a lot to work through, when it comes to what Archer just threw at him; he realizes at some point that he's staring again, though it's less because he's startled or concerned and more because he's not entirely sure what to do with his face.]

...What do you mean, "it's not something you should be saying now"?

[...let's...let's start there...]

[terminarcher]

It's not something I should be saying at all! It's ridiculous! Especially after all we've been through--

[Goddammit, would it kill him to have a brain-to-mouth filter? Apparently it would! Archer clenches his teeth like that will help, trying to keep himself from saying anything else.]

It's not important!

[explosivecombat]

[As much as he'd told Archer that he still considered him human, that he was a person and not simply a weapon, there was still something about him that set off alarm bells in Kimblee's head, telling him that actively moving toward a threat rather than pulling away was going to bite him one day. He disregards it for now, however; had it been someone like Pride, he wouldn't have attempted the first time, but this is Archer he's talking to. He knows Archer; he doesn't trust him, because Kimblee never fully trusts anyone, but he knows him.

He doesn't join him on the bed, but he does stop in front of him, in very close proximity; he reaches out to play with Archer's hair again.]

You can relax - there's nothing to get so worked up about. It's fine.

[terminarcher]

[One of these days you're really going to have to learn to stop approaching danger, yes, but today isn't that day. Archer manages to calm down again, though it's obvious that he's still jumpy. He knows Kimblee won't just leave it at that, but it's nice that he's trying to at least get Archer to settle.]

Yes. Yes, I know. It's nothing important anyway.

[explosivecombat]

...if you say so, Archer.

[He doesn't stop playing with Archer's hair, however.]

Regarding something you said earlier, however - you've been very good to me. You don't owe me anything; you know me well enough by now, I think, to know that I would be very irritable with you if I thought you hadn't repaid me for anything I've done.

[terminarcher]

Well, yes, that's true. It still feels as though I haven't done enough for you. Is that better?

[That's a genuine question, not a sarcastic one. Archer leans into Kimblee's touch after a moment, once again looking anywhere but at Kimblee, finding it hard to look at him while that subject is still on his mind. This would be easier if Kimblee would just sit down.]

[explosivecombat]

In some ways, it is, yes. At the same time...well. No talking you out of it, is there?

[Well, for the time being he's pretty content where he is. Unfortunately.]

[terminarcher]

Oh of course not.

[You don't mind if he just kind of stares at the floor over there, right. Because that floor is really fascinating. Much more fascinating than Kimblee being adorable, yep.

...He's totally not turning red again or anything! Except this time there's no escape so he really doesn't have anything to do other than sit there and tsun.]

[explosivecombat]

[Oh, of course it's more fascinating than -

...wait what]

You're blushing, you know.

[Well, you don't need to be looking at him to know that Kimblee is very, very amused; his tone says that much for him.]

[terminarcher]

I am not! I don't blush!

[TSUN TSUN TSUN if he tsuned any harder he'd die]

[explosivecombat]

[...Oh, Archer.]

Then how do you explain what you're doing now, hm?

[terminarcher]

Shut up.

[Oh my god he is so red right now thanks a lot, asshole. Just let him sulk forever, alright!!]

[explosivecombat]

[All right, all right, he'll back off - ]

...if it makes you feel any better, it's rather endearing~

[...or not.]

[terminarcher]

[Oh you douche, that's just going to make him go even redder (if possible) and sulk even more (which is always possible).]

Oh shut up.

[But that doesn't have nearly as much bite to it, maybe because he's kind of pleased. Endearing is good, right? Endearing is very good!]

[explosivecombat]

[...yes, Archer, endearing is very good.

As it stands, however, Kimblee finally moves to join him on the bed, keeping to Archer's right side; he doesn't stop with that hair-playing, though, continuing to tousle it lightly between his fingers.]

You know as well as I do that you don't want me to.

[terminarcher]

[Archer makes a sound that's somewhere between distressed and frustrated at that. Yes, that's true, but that doesn't mean Kimblee has to point it out!]

Are you forgetting I'm half-gun now?

[It's said in an incredibly sulky tone that implies Archer knows it isn't a valid threat at all.]

[explosivecombat]

Bringing that out, are we? What are you going to do to me, then?

[His tone is so flippant it hurts, good lord.]

[terminarcher]

[The sound he makes at that is definitely frustrated, but he concedes the point quickly enough, leaning into that hair-playing instead.]

You're so mean.

[The sulky tone hasn't left at all, but that's at least teasing too.]

[explosivecombat]

You like me like that.

[terminarcher]

[Well that causes the blush to rise again.]

I do not.

[SO EMBARRASSED UGH WHY DO YOU DO THESE THINGS, KIMBLEE]