Sunday (Not Frelling Friday), MHA #7

[stykera]

2 days ago, Stark had watched a friend bleed out and die. He'd felt him die. Yesterday that same friend had been alive until he'd caught on fire and died again. Stark had felt that, too. And there had been other deaths he'd been dimly aware of, all of them wrong somehow. All, he fervently hoped, just as impermanent, since today was apparently Friday for the third time. He'd taken the dog with him yesterday, and she'd vanished in the night when he ended up back in his own apartment. Again.

It was disturbing and it was distressing and it was confusing. Nothing made sense about any of it.

So he was going to do something that did make sense and just let himself into the apartment next door (the occupant of which, sadly, was going to think it was Friday again) because that's why he had a key. For when he needed it.

"Faye? Are you still here?" There was no reason to think she wouldn't be. He was still going to ask. And maybe attempt to keep her inside all day, just in case.

Comments

[flourish_or_perish]

Faye had painted her nails purple three times this weekend, not that she knew that. And Stark's timing was outstanding, because the top coat had just dried to her satisfaction when he let himself in.

"Too matchy with my hair?" she asked in greeting, dangling her head backwards off the arm of the couch and waving her newly painted nails at him.

So yeah, clearly Faye didn't know anything was going on. Just another Friday in for her. Again.

[stykera]

There had been no reason, aside from the island going mad, to think that Faye wouldn't be here and fine but Stark still let out a relieved sigh at having confirmation.

"No. No, not too matchy. I like the purple." He probably liked it the first 2 times, too.

"I'm glad you're here. I...I'm just glad you're here." Don't mind him flinging himself down on the couch next to you, Faye.

[flourish_or_perish]

"Where else would I be?" Faye wondered, making room for him easily before comfortably stretching her legs back across Stark's lap. "Class go okay?"

[stykera]

"Class was fine," Stark said with a sigh. "When we had it. 2 days ago. It's not supposed to be Friday again but it is and nothing makes sense and I just...wanted to make sure you were here and not out there." Where people kept getting dead even if it didn't stick.

"It isn't safe."

[flourish_or_perish]

Faye frowned at him, losing just a little of her flippancy at his tone. "Uh, it is too Friday," she argued lightly, moving to sit up. "What do you meant it's not safe?"

Because yeah, then she super wasn't going anywhere, no worries there.

[stykera]

"It was already Friday twice!" And they'd been very stressful Fridays with gunfire and deaths, too.

"There's...I don't know. We're stuck and there's people with guns and people getting shot." That did tend to follow when people were running around with guns, nevermind that he'd been carrying his own yesterday and today.

[flourish_or_perish]

"It's Friday on my phone," Faye offered, as though that argument was going to hold any water at this point. Get with the program, Valentine. "But wait, wait -- you went out and people are getting shot? Stark!"

Half pride, half worry, right there.

[stykera]

"I didn't know there were people with guns the first time!" Stark protested. The first time.

"I was just coming back from class and they were there and Travis got shot and he died. I felt it but it's all wrong nobody's going where they're meant to. I had my gun yesterday but...it didn't help. I was trying to help. But I'm fine. I didn't get hurt." Just traumatized. Like usual.

[flourish_or_perish]

"Wait, wait...." Faye protested, holding up a hand. "Travis died? And you're here now?"

Time loops, it turned out, were just as confusing if you didn't know you were in one, actually.

[stykera]

"Twice," Stark said miserably. "Both Fridays so far. But not the way he should have he just...disappeared. And everything keeps going back to the way it was and I don't want to go back there today it might be worse this time." It could always get worse.

"Staying here is better. Away from all of it."

[flourish_or_perish]

"So yesterday-Friday and the day before-Friday and maybe today but you're not sure?" Faye asked, trying to follow along and reaching over to rub her hand comfortingly along Stark's arm. "This is -- how come you know about this? Why don't I?"

She could buy into the premise that the island was doing A Thing, sure, but it sucked to be left in the dark about it. (Or was it better this way?)

[stykera]

"I don't know!" Stark shook his head, reaching across to cover her hand with his own. "I just do. I've remembered things before, once, that not everyone did but we did. Zhaan and I did. And we...we undid what happened. It didn't keep repeating like this and it was just our ship, we were stuck, and we got her back out."

"I don't know why you don't remember. Some people do. It's...none of it makes sense. I'm not making sense I think. I'm sorry."

Sorry for not making sense or sorry she couldn't remember or maybe sorry for both.

[flourish_or_perish]

"I never remember," Faye said, indulging herself in being sad about it for just a second before shrugging it off with a sigh. "You're making as much sense as anything, honey, don't worry about it. This seems like...a lot. All of it."

And that was a lame descriptor, but it also seemed pretty apt.

[stykera]

The next "I'm sorry" out of Stark's month was quieter. Of course she'd be thinking of that and he should have thought of that before he started babbling about remembering things.

"I don't know what to do," he admitted. "I should be doing something but I tried to help yesterday and it only made things worse and I don't know what I can do. So I just...came here."

[flourish_or_perish]

"Maybe this is all you need to do," Faye suggested, shrugging a shoulder. "I mean, does it...matter, if it's just gonna reset tomorrow anyway?"

She was kind of glad to not be remembering, actually. Like, her heart hurt for Stark right now, of course, and it stung to not remember things again, but a tiny part of Faye was a little grateful to not have to bear this burden.

[stykera]

"I don't know. Maybe this is enough." Maybe not going over to the fire station was enough. Maybe making sure Faye stayed out of range of any weaponry was enough. Maybe making sure Stark kept himself away from everyone else with guns was enough.

"Will...we can stay here? Until it resets again. If it does. I don't know that it will."

[flourish_or_perish]

"Well, yeah. Maybe we should just stay out. Then either way, we'll be together, right?" Faye pointed out.

She considered her nails thoughtfully for a moment. "Or we could try to leave?"

Which would have been the preferred option if it had just been Faye. (Not that she could leave, but she didn't know that.)

[stykera]

"Leaving doesn't always work," Stark said thoughtfully. "We could try? I don't know. Where would we go?" That was not a no.

"I just...I don't want anything to happen to you," he said, moving a little closer to her on the couch.

Even if it reset he didn't want anything happening. He didn't want to remember it happening.

[flourish_or_perish]

"We could go anywhere. I have a spaceship," Faye pointed out, tucking herself closer to him. "And I'm made of pretty tough stuff, you know. Nothing'll happen to me. I'd like to see them try."

Yeah, but Faye, Stark would not like to see them try, was the thing.

[stykera]

"I wouldn't like to," Stark said, echoing that narrative. "And I know you are. Of course you are."

"But," he added, putting his arm around her. "If we stay here, we don't have to test it. I don't know. Could we get to the ship, without anything happening?"

[flourish_or_perish]

"I don't know," Faye admitted, a little doubtful. "I mean, I could make a run for it and fly back and get you?"

Because Stark going ahead was obviously out of the question, for reasons beyond the whole piloting factor.

"Or we could just stay here." That idea did seem to have a lot of merit.

[stykera]

"I don't like the idea of you going out alone," Stark said quietly. "Even just to your ship. I would worry." And he would never forgive himself if something happened even if it got undone.

Sure, he'd gone out alone twice now but only once had been on purpose and today he was staying inside and away from any trigger-happy NPCs!

"Here might be better. Here is better." Maybe they'd have to have this conversation again tomorrow but he could handle that. "I was thinking of the clinic though. I could help there, if it was needed. But maybe tomorrow." Which would just be today again and she wouldn't remember.