nomans_land | Somewhere between July and December

Somewhere between July and December

1.
[ It wasn't the fastest car he'd ever driven, but it made better time than the old man's shitty station wagon had, and it was definitely faster than walking across the desert. None of the maps he'd found tucked under the seat had Hopeland on them, which was worrisome as all hell, but on one of the maps there was an orphanage marked, just off of a city called December.

The ghost he'd talked to on that mountaintop had told him he'd die in December, but that ghost had also ruined his last cigarette, so fuck that guy. If he died, he died, but first, he was going to make sure Miss Melanie and the kids were okay.

The sedan hums its way across the desert, kicking up a dust cloud that can be seen for miles. ]

2.
[ With a shudder and a hard jolt, the car comes screeching to a halt, the dash going dead as the engine seizes up. Wolfwood swears, punches the dash, then swears again when the solid dash nearly breaks his hand for his trouble. He'd managed to get the car hotwired, but apparently cars in this messed up version of Noman's were more different from the ones he knew than he'd realized. Is it out of oil? Out of charge? Not like he can do anything about it, whatever the problem.

Please ignore the man in black, standing next to a very dead car in the middle of absolute nowhere and screaming at the sky. It's therapeutic profanity, and it really is helping. ]

3.
[ Sunburned and exhausted, Wolfwood crests the hill and finally, there before him, sees the building that his map identifies as the December Orphanage. Even from a distance it's clear that the chaos that's affected the rest of the planet hit here, too -- there's clear bullet holes in at least one side of the building, walls that have collapsed, and the whole place seems as deserted as everywhere else he's been.

But he's here now, so he might as well have a look around.

He really wishes he still had his Punisher, though. ]

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I don't know if I knew he was going to-- I didn't want to kill him. I didn't-- Master Chapel, he--

[his breath hitches-- he isn't a crybaby, but his shoulders shake. he shouldn't have opened his mouth, huh.]

We just wanted to fight, me and Razlo. I wanted Master to...

[ Master Chapel. At least the dead Wolfwood was able to get his revenge on that asshole. That's what Livio had said right when they'd met, right? That Wolfwood was dead, but that Chapel was dead first. ]

Easy, buddy. It's over, right?

[ He doesn't hesitate for a moment, dropping an arm around Livio's shoulders. Come on, crybaby, no tears on mission. It's okay. ]

Look, if yours was anything like me, then he'd been expecting to get knocked off like that for years. I'm just sorry it had to be you, sorry you have to carry that.

[this was supposed to be a mission, protecting people, checking on their loved ones, saving everyone-- but he feels like he's going to fall apart.

he can't do that.]

He should have just killed me. It ain't over.

[it doesn't feel like it]

All the good he could've done? Shit.

[ Sorry Livio. This isn't a hugging Wolfwood. He's a 'loving slap upside the head when you say stupid shit' Wolfwood. ]

What good would killing you have done, huh?

[ There's anger in his voice, but it's not for Livio. It's for this whole fucking situation. It's for Chapel, and Knives, and even the dead Wolfwood, for dying and leaving Livio alone like this. ]

What kind of good was a guy like that going to do? If you feel that strongly about it, then whatever good you think he'd have done is your job now, you get to carry that torch. But don't you ever say things would be better if you were dead. Not to me. Not ever.

[he flinches-- not hurt, just startled, flabbergasted--]

It-- it would've been-- it would've been justice. It would've worked out. Maybe not cancel it out-- it's a lot to carry. I don't know if...

[ Wolfwood grabs a fistful of Livio's shirt and hauls him in, face to face, because he needs to be sure the man's listening. He gets enough of this self-sacrificing shit from Stampede, he doesn't want to hear it from Livio! ]

I don't give a shit about justice.

[ It doesn't matter what he did -- he can't do a thing about it if he's dead. ]

Stop apologizing for being alive!

[and now rightly chastised, but still just in shock--]

But...You don't get it, I--

What exactly do you think you're gonna say that'll make me wish you were in that grave instead?

[ The hand holding Livio's shirt tightens in warning -- he's not playing around. ]

I...I don't know. I don't know, Nico.

[he utters, dully, slowly.]

[ Wolfwood's response to upsetting things is to yell at them and punch them until they stop being upsetting, but here's Livio, folding into himself with grief over having killed his friend.

Maybe a guy who uses Stampede's stupid loci needs Stampede's stupid coping mechanisms, too? ]

Oh god dammit.

[ He's still got Punisher draped over his back, which means this is a one-armed hug. It's really more like a modified headlock, but the intent is hug, at least?

Look, Wolfwood's not good at hugging. But the thought has to count for something, right? ]

[he doesn't utter a sound-- well, maybe a tiny 'oh', but Wolfwood's warm next to him, and this is. this is okay.]

...I didn't mean to. He--

[he always folds in on himself like a chair when it gets too much. and showing it is his nightmare-- so this is very much horrific]

I know.

[ This is the gentlest and kindest that Wolfwood gets. He tightens his hold on Livio, squeezing the huge guy who used to be his annoying little brother -- it's bad, but he's not alone anymore, okay? Livio's tough -- he can get through this.

After Livio died -- his Livio, in his world -- everyone was so focused on Vash being a plant that he'd been able to avoid the inevitable questions that otherwise would have followed, about who that masked guy was, and how Wolfwood knew him. About how he was feeling. He didn't want to talk about his fucking feelings, then or now. He wanted to push them down into the dark, pour a couple drinks on top of them, and get on with his life.

Livio's not like him, though, apparently. Crybaby always did have a big soft heart. ]

It's okay, buddy, I know.

[he-- this is stupid. he hates this, he really hates this-- they're on a mission, they're trying to do some good and he's getting upset--]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry, this is-- I'm sorry. Forget it.

[and he's crying (well not really) all over someone who isn't even involved.]

[ Of course he's involved! See any other Wolfwoods around? (Don't answer that.) Any other Livios? All they've got is each other.

But there's really only so much crying and comfort Wolfwood can handle. If Livio needs a shoulder to cry on, there's a thousand Vashes -- Wolfwood's brand of comfort is a little more percussive. ]

I'm gonna sock you every time you apologize, starting right now.

[ He pats Livio on the back, solid, warm pats -- c'mon, buddy, breathe through it. Come on back. ]

[and that does get him a tiny little laugh, though a wet one]

How could I forget how eager you are to kick some ass? No time for this shit.

[ A tiny laugh is better than a tiny sob! Look at that progress! ]

Cold blooded murderer, that's me!

[ Can he let go? He doesn't know when to end this hug, you see -- does Livio still need him holding on? ]

We've got bastards to kill, buddy. Are you up for it?

Nah, you're-- you're not that bad.

[he wants to tell him he's his hero-- yes, him too. just for being himself. but Livio just wipes his eyes and nods]

Yeah. It'll make us feel better. Sorry.

[ That's his cue to let go, then, since he needs that hand free to punch Livio square in the shoulder. ]

What'd I just say? None of that shit!

Ow-- [and he punches him back just as hard]

Fine. Just sayin'. And thanks-- how's that?

[ Ow! Wolfwood reels back, exaggerating how hard that blow was. ]

That's more like it!

[ Ready to get moving again? The facility should be just around that pile of rock up ahead. ]

But save some for the Eye, all right?

[ He's not touching that thank you. He hasn't done anything to be thanked for. ]

[he's done so much a thank you doesn't even cover it, and probably never will.

Livio grins]

Yeah. Let's knock some heads in.

[ Please never bring it up again. He's bad with gratitude, and that whole spectrum of human experience in general, really. He likes punching, though, so... find him things to punch? ]

Now you're talking!

[ And there's plenty of heads up ahead to knock in, hopefully! Just past that blind curve, the canyon opens out into a valley of sorts, and at the far end, facing the entrance and the entire valley, sits a square, three- or maybe four-story building, made of the same white stone and plaster that most of the planet uses for building. It's good sized, but otherwise unremarkable -- there's only a few windows on the lower floors, more on the upper stories, there's a big gravel area to one side that's clearly a parking lot with a loading dock, and the main entrance is the large double doors right in the center. It could be a facility for processing literally anything -- stone, foodstuffs, medicines. There's no signs, and no sign of any people. No vehicles parked out front, no lights visible inside. It looks deserted.

Wolfwood gestures for Livio to stay low, and sneaks around behind a big pile of rocks, peering over top to scope the place out. ]

I don't see anyone. You figure they've got sentries in any of those windows?

[well-- he's going to bring it up again. not today, or tomorrow, next week either! when Wolfwood's vulnerable and least expects it...beware

this may not be a facility he's been at before, specifically, but the vibe immediately sends shivers down his spine, and ice through his blood. it's quiet. ghostly. and when he squints, so far he doesn't see the glint of anyone's guns, or crosses.

he stays as low as he can, following at Wolfwood's heels, big body forced to be stealthy]

So far, no. Maybe on the roof up there-- sleeping.

Yeah, maybe.

[ Whether they've got sentries on duty or motion detectors in the eaves, their best bet is just to stay low, stay quiet, and try to get in someplace out of view -- that loading dock might be a promising starting point, actually. The front door is way too exposed to be worth the risk -- if they go in that way, they go in guns blazing, and he doesn't really want to get shot right now. ]

I want to do this quietly, and see how far we can get in before we're spotted. Is that good with you?

[ If he had his vials, it'd be a different story. Going in balls out through the front door is one of the most fun ways to storm a building. 10/10, highly recommended. ]

[not to mention just cutting through the side to find a window in the back to possibly break-- not going to do it, it'll put them in the middle of it all, easily seen even if they just dart through the dark. not great also, for a huge guy like him.

but Wolfwood's plan is better than going in, guns blazing.]

Sounds good. The dock first?

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