victory_road | video; backdated to the magnet event

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video; backdated to the magnet event

[A video clicks on, showing the bulbous face of a Capsakid. She’s staring directly into the communicator, then grins widely when she’s sure it’s on. She holds the communicator out at arm’s length—her stubby little arms keep most of her face in the frame, but never mind that—to show what’s going on behind her.]

[It’s a Sableye, crouched under a small table in a hallway. The Sableye is looking around furtively, and holding something in her paws. When she moves them, a Fire Stone glints between her fingers.]

[The Capsakid points at the Fire Stone, then chatters something into the communicator. From the glint in her beady little eyes, it’s clear she knows about that Fire Stone, and she’s gonna get it.]

[She’s Spicy Knoxville, and welcome to Jackass.]

[Spicy starts creeping down the hallway, keeping the communicator held up so her adoring fans can watch, but moving carefully so the Sableye doesn’t see her. Fortunately for Spicy’s budding Starrytube career, the Sableye is way too interested in her shiny snack to notice the impending chaos.]

[Spicy gets within a step or two, close enough that she could touch the Sableye’s back with one leafy stub, before grinning again. She takes a step back, gathers herself, and with a shriek, pounces.]

[The camera picks up what it can in the ensuing chaos, but it’s all shaky found footage from here on out. The Sableye yelps, there’s a bright flash of evolution light, followed by Spicy running down the hall and cackling. Is she taller now? The angle on the camera is different.]

[The Sableye takes off after her—her snack! Her delicious Fire Stone snack!—and Spicy runs into the kitchen. She divebombs the Durant that’s been living under the table for the last month and scrambles onto his back. The Durant, shocked and appalled out of his lethargy, knocks over a chair as he gallops out from under the table.]

[With the Sableye still in pursuit, Spicy steers the Durant into the living room. There’s a quick glimpse of the couch, and a flash of light off Mando’s armour as he sits up straight to see what’s going on. There’s someone else on the couch with him, who lifts his fashionable-coiffed head off Mando’s shoulder to see what’s going on. Mando, recognizing his problem child, lunges for Spicy and his communicator, but he’s somehow unable to disentangle himself from whoever he’s been canoodling with, and they both land on the floor with a crash and a puff of purple glitter.]

[Spicy roars with laughter and takes a victory lap around the coffee table. The camera catches a shot of Mando reaching for her, and if a helmet ever looked pissed, this helmet is pissed.]

SPICY!

[The video feed cuts out. Please like and subscribe.]

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I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T DATING?

[All the rest of that chaos? Ignored. Frankly, considering how Riz's last few days have been going, he doesn't get to judge anyone on that front. This though!! This is a betrayal. Its against the roommate law.]

We're... what?

[Sorry, Riz, he's a little distracted at the moment.]

I never talked to you about dating anyone.

Not you, him!

[There is some grumpiness on Riz's face, not at the concept of them dating, but just the fact that he asked and Shadowmaru denied it and somehow he hadn't been able to see the lie. Damnit, is being in this soft world ruining his perception?

(not that he has ever been able to tell if people are dating before, but ssh)]

I asked him and he said you weren't.

. . . .

[A lot to unpack here. Let's lead with a sigh, as Mando tries unsuccessfully to unstick himself.]

When did you ask? This is a recent thing.

Uh. Solstice? Around then, at least.

[Riz doesn't remember the exact date, but he does remember he had asked Shadowmaru for gift ideas for Allura. And one thing had led to another.]

This happened after that.

[As to the question of whether or not they are, in fact, dating... Mando just isn't going to comment on that.]

Okay.

[He's mollified somewhat. Good, it hadn't been a case of deception he hadn't picked up on, but instead just something that hadn't happened yet.]

Congrats. Don't, uh-- don't do anything on our couch, okay. Boober and I have to sit there.

Thanks.

[Yep, no weird deception or anything.]

I don't have any plans to do anything weird on the couch.

Cool, cool. This is all. Cool. We are all cool.

[Kinda awkwardly trailing off cause, really, what else is he supposed to say? He's happy enough for Mando, but also doesn't understand romance and the need for it at all. Is he supposed to offer more support? Gossip?

Usually when these sort of things happen (someone hooking up that is), they are in the context of the Bad Kids as a group, so it is much easier for him to fade into the background and let the more talkative members of the group dominate the conversation.]

Yes. It's cool.

[Mando pauses for a moment. He knows Riz doesn't like this particular topic, but he feels the need to clarify something.]

Nothing is going to change at home. You know that, right? I'll be spending more time with Shadowmaru, but that'll be the only difference.

[Riz groans like only an embarrassed teenager can and buries his face in his hands (in the process jostling Min's arm).]

Oh holy fuck, my actual mom already gave me this talk last year when she started dating Gortholax.

[And it had been every bit as awkward then too!! Except maybe slightly less awkward this time because at least Mando and Shadowmaru are roughly the same size.]

It's fine, Mando! It's fine. Go-- Go get your kisses in [A little strangled on the 'kisses' but otherwise fairly steady if not tinged with dying embarrassment.] I'm not gonna throw some fit about it.

[Min lets his arm bend without any fight, but otherwise he is trying very hard to sit as far out of the way as physically possible while his arm is stuck to Riz's.

Please, please no one acknowledge his presence. It's like he's not even here!]

Edited (Typos...) 2023-02-07 21:26 (UTC)

[Riz and Min don't often see eye to eye. They disagree more than they agree. But in this one moment, Riz catches Min's eyes where he is trying to lean as far away from the screen as their stuck arms will allow, and there is a very mutual look of understanding.

This is the worst thing ever]

Okay, okay.

[Mando holds up one hand--the one he can access, the other arm is still stuck around Shadowmaru's shoulders--in a peace gesture.]

Thank you for your blessing.

[That might have been slightly snarky, but hey, he keeps hanging out with teenagers, so it was bound to happen.]

Looks like you're stuck to someone too. Who is that?

Oh, this is Min.

[Riz angles the gear for a moment to show his face.]

His friend Ryan is here too, but he's having the opposite problem from us.

[The gear flips for a moment, to show Ryan, banished to the other end of the room just so he and Min won't accidentally set off their whole rejection thing.]

[Min offers a nervous grin for the brief moment that camera's on his face, glad that Riz pans past him again so quickly.]

I'm not listening in! I swear.

[From his tone it's very obvious that's a lie, but look. It's hard not to overhear when he's right there.]

[Ah, Riz is having the same problem. Mando takes in as much of Min as he can from that brief glance he's allowed, as well as Ryan.]

You're attached to Riz. Unless you're deaf, you heard everything.

[Not said in a judgmental tone! Just a factual one.]

It's fine. I haven't said anything I wouldn't say if you weren't attached.

(no subject)

outofsynth - 2023-02-17 17:08 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

singlespacedad - 2023-02-18 15:47 (UTC) - Expand

[Muffled, kind of in the background - someone's 'gear was in their butt pocket.]

- en you asked, we were not!!

Yeah, Mando clarified.

Just... Just don't get glitter on everything, okay? Or Boober is gonna freak.

[Do you know how difficult it is to wash that out of clothes!]

Good.

I... would have informed you at the time, otherwise. This is - new.

[And embarrassing that you found out like THIS, Riz.]

[Just a bit of a lopsided grin.]

Guess you won't need to get him a friendship bracelet after all, huh?

[Listen, Riz might be awkward when it comes to romance. He has his issues. But he also loves his friends very much, and loves when they are happy. Which means, yeah, he is real happy to Mando and Shadowmaru.]

No. No, it would appear that I don't.

[He really would have preferred this conversation to be private. And in person. But that doesn't seem to be the case here.]

... what does one provide their dates, anyway?

I'm absolutely the least qualified person to answer this.

[Slightly muffled, possibly with feedback from having two conversations going at one time.]

I wouldn't say no to a bracelet.

... Well, that settles it then.

My apologies, once again, Riz. It was not my intention to deceive.

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