Webcam up in here.

[seems_legit]

[Hardison is sitting in a nondescript warehouse somewhere, chillin' at a desk, with a bottle of orange soda in hand. Clearly someone else must have gotten it for him, because he's still on Hypatia's shit list. He leans back in his chair and folds his arms over his chest--wait, the camera...he's using his netbook's webcam to broadcast onto the

Comments

Video

[theniputitback]

[Parker doesn't really look at the power readings or the logs, or pay much attention to what Hardison's saying about Zone 7. Instead, she's studying Hardison himself, trying to see if...

Well.

She's just studying him, okay.

The video clicks on to reveal Parker's face, and not much else. She's leaned in fairly close to the camera, and it's too dark to make out much of anything about what her surroundings might be.

There's also a weird sort of echo when she speaks.]

Hardison?

Action.

[theniputitback]

No, like from the Normandy.

[Hardison seems to be familiar with Zaeed and Garrus, though, even if he's confused about the name of their ship. She nods, not questioning this.]

Hardison...

[Parker shifts unhappily. It's possible that she moves a fraction of an inch closer to him as she does so.]

I don't like it here anymore.

Action.

[seems_legit]

[Hardison's expression is much more serious. He debates for a second but, dammit, if she's going to stab him, she's going to stab him. Without bothering to ask, he just wraps her in a big bear-hug.]

It's going to be okay, Parker.

[He wasn't really sure that was true, but Parker didn't get this upset. It just...didn't happen.]

Action.

[theniputitback]

[She doesn't stab him. She doesn't hug back, either, but after a moment, she does lean against him slightly. When she speaks, it's muffled against his shirt.]

I want to go home.

I miss Earth.

[And by 'Earth,' she mostly means 'the team.']

Action.

[seems_legit]

[Hardison's stomach does a small victory flip as Parker leans against him, and he rubs her back tentatively. That she's tolerated this is a massive success.]

I know, it's okay.

I miss Earth too. [Well, not that much, but enough to make that true. He pulls back and smiles at her.]

But I got you here, and that's like family.

Long as I got family, I'm good.

Action.

[theniputitback]

[Parker isn't at all sure how good of a substitute she is for a real family...but Hardison's smiling like he means it. And she's feeling a little better, since she made sure he wasn't getting killed.

After a moment, she smiles back tentatively.]

Just don't go crazy, okay?

Action.

[seems_legit]

[Alright. Parker's smiling. And he didn't get stabbed or beaten up? Win all around, baby. Hardison nods solemnly.]

Wasn't planning on it, now you have my word.

[He pressed a hand against his chest.]

Scout's honor. [He was never a scout.]

[After a long pause...Hardison drums his fingers on his leg.]

Hey Parker, there's a lot of weird tech stuff happening. When you leave...take my EMP gun.

Action.

[seems_legit]

[A beat.]

Not that you...

You know, have to leave.

Or anything.

Action.

[theniputitback]

[Social cues, how do they work. Parker's eyebrows furrow as she tries to read between the lines.

Well, she's got a fifty-fifty shot.]

Do you want me to leave?

Action.

[seems_legit]

No! No, no--

[Smooth, Hardison. So very smooth. He's just going to take a moment and play it cool.]

No, of course not. You know, just...if you leave, eventually, not now.

[Did the definition of cool change in the last five minutes?]

Action.

[theniputitback]

[It's okay, Hardison, Parker thinks you're cool. That's reassuring, right?]

Okay.

[She never would have said so, but she's glad he doesn't want her to go right away. With all that's going on out there...well, it's safer, here with Hardison.

He needs someone to make sure he doesn't get killed, after all.

So she just sits there on the couch for a moment, not saying anything, until: ]

...what do you mean, weird tech stuff?