okay so funny story [closed]

[reunified]

who ; reunified & cousinisdeeeead
what ; Altman is apartment hunting. Alejandro is tagging along. ALL ALTMAN PUNCHING ALL THE TIME?
where ; Hawking (Residential Zone 02)
when ; nnnowish
warning(s) ; Language because Alejandro cusses like a 14-year-old boy, violence later.

Comments

[reunified]

[ Altman goes quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts, then starts. His voice is flat, although the more he talks the more it tightens. ]

I was working on the peninsula when we started getting weird readings from the crater. I... I poked into things too much, asked too many questions, and the next thing I knew Ada--my girlfriend--and I, and a bunch of other scientists, were being hauled off to some facility. They were trying to bring up the Marker, but... well, you know what it does to people. When people started worshiping the damn thing they thought I was chosen or something since I was the only one who'd come into direct contact with it and not gone totally crazy and offed myself.

[ He doesn't want to talk about this, but he has to. Even if Alejandro doesn't believe him, he needs to tell someone the truth. Altman swallows dryly, then continues. ]

Long story short, I tried to warn people about the Marker and the guys in charge didn't like it. They wanted to use the Marker and the people who worshiped it and--fuck, I don't know. Gain power, I guess? They killed Ada, then me. They said they were going to pin my death on the government, say I was martyred for the Unitologist cause.

[ He smiles slightly, but it's a bitter expression. ]

Guess it worked as well as they hoped, huh?

[cousinisdeeeead]

[For a long period of time, Alejandro is just. Quiet. Earth Gov's always been shady, and he's never been real fond of Tiedemann, either.

But hell if isn't a lot to choke down right now.

Abruptly, his mechanical arm reaches up and he grabs Altman by the throat. The look he gives isn't hatred, just burning anger. A quick debate about whether or not he should choke the life out of him.

The hand lets go and Alejandro backs away.]

Son of a bitch. Does Clarke know?

[reunified]

[ He fully expects Alejandro to choke him, or maybe just snap his neck, and for a horrible moment he isn't sure if he should fight back or not, but then the pressure is gone.

Altman swallows, his throat suddenly dry. ]

Yeah. I've spoken to Clarke about it.

[ And it went over about as well then. At this point he's considering changing his name, considering how people keep reacting to it. ]

Still not sure if he believes me or not. Last time I talked to him in person he broke my nose.

[cousinisdeeeead]

Can't say I blame him. I don't have a clue what that guy went through, but if it's anything like me, I'm surprised he didn't just kill you. ...No offense.

[Hell, he almost killed Kuttner a few times himself, but the bastard was nuts in seeing his dead daughter. Alejandro pitied him, but he mostly hated him. Still, he couldn't bring himself to off the guy, no matter how tempting.

Altman, though... he was sane enough, it seemed. Made into something he really wasn't. He didn't deserve it, if he's being honest.]

Let me sit on this information awhile, man.

[reunified]

None taken.

[ Honestly, he's almost gotten used to people wanting him dead for one reason or another. It's half of why he's so damn jumpy. ]

Look... if it's an issue, I can stay out of your way.

[ That station's big enough for that, at least, and if Alejandro's not comfortable with it Altman would rather stay the hell out of his way than risk unnecessary tension. Hell, he's already avoiding Clarke, if he has to do the same for Alejandro he will. ]

I don't want to stir up anymore trouble.

[cousinisdeeeead]

[Altman earns a slight smack on the shoulder. Fortunately, with Alejandro's flesh hand.]

Hey, if you're being honest with me, you don't have a damn thing to worry about. I just gotta think about this for a bit.

But we're better off sticking together to a point. In case shit hits the fan again.

[reunified]

[ Altman flinches and, even though it was only a reflex on his part, it's still obvious that he has to force himself to relax. ]

Sorry I can't really explain it any better. I'm not really sure what they said about me after I was [ slight hesitation, since um ] gone, besides the whole martyred prophet bullshit.

[cousinisdeeeead]

Shit happened, they made you out as some holy martyr, then there were zombies. Now we're here.

I dunno what to make of it, but it is what it is. So we'll deal.

[reunified]

[ Yeah okay, that gets a tiny half-smile out of him. ]

I doubt it was that simple, but I get the point.

[ He shifts slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. ]

...For what it's worth, I'm sorry about all this.

[cousinisdeeeead]

I hate explaining shit or over complicating it. Not my thing.

[There's a pause, then a bit of a weak shrug. Alejandro glances to the ground. Easier than seeing Altman eye to eye.]

Not your fault that he's dead. I can't change what the fuck happened, but we can go from there.

[reunified]

[ Ahah, guess who feels kind of intensely responsible about everything that happened because of the Marker. He opens his mouth to say as much, but at the last second decides no that's... really being way, way too melodramatic. No reason to drag down the mood any further. ]

If... you ever want to talk about what happened, I'm here. [ Not that he'll be much help, but still. ]

Are you still game for helping me looking around?