riverviewlogs | ( closed ) I'll try not to sing out of key

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( closed ) I'll try not to sing out of key

who: Jim Kirk & close CR
what: a small get-together, and Jim introducing Victor to his friends
when: April 20th
where: a holosuite simulation of the Enterprise
warnings: none expected!

[ Jim's been in the Quarantine for a year now. Plenty of time to make connections, and establish a solid circle of friends that he cares for, trusts and relies on.

Granted, nothing's perfect. Plenty of people have come and gone. A number of names come to mind, too many people who left that he misses dearly. But the people he has here now, he cherishes them immensely. They're important to him, and some of them he'd almost consider family.

And Victor has mentioned more than once that he'd like to meet his friends. Jim's not keeping their relationship secret by any means, and after a month of going steady, he knows for sure how important Victor is to him, and that he'll be an important part of his life for as long as they're both in the Quarantine. So, it seems like the perfect time to set up a little get-together and invite his friends so he can introduce them to Victor.

Finding a place is a little tricky at first, because his loft is still inaccessible due to the flood, and it's not like he's gonna ask Victor to do it at his place. Beverly offers the perfect suggestion, though, and so Jim sets up one of the holosuites with his Enterprise program. Once arriving at the holosuites downtown and stepping inside, everyone will get to walk through a few of the various corridors of his ship, but the simulation is still fairly limited, and there's only so many areas one can visit. The small party itself is happening on the bridge, which would likely be the most inadequate location if this happened to be the real Enterprise. Seen as it isn't, though, no harm done.

There are a few snacks and sweets for people to help themselves to, plenty of drinks to go around (alcoholic and otherwise), and Jim has gone with a selection of old pop and rock music to be playing quietly in the background. It's not much, but it's really a very informal thing. His main purpose here —and he'll be going around the party making sure it happens— is to introduce Victor to his friends. ]

(( ooc: I'll be going around tossing Jim at people, possibly with Victor tagging along, but everyone's more than free to take this as an open log, so set up your own starters and tag around to your heart's content! ))

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[suspicion is his default state of existence.]

[cassian gives him an unimpressed look.] We live in the same place. Should we not have arrived together? [ur gonna have to try harder.] I have heard you talk about the Enterprise many times over. I would have come even if I was not your friend.

[there. tiny acknowledgement wrapped up in teasing jim.]

I didn't mean together. I meant together together. [ He raises his eyebrows slightly. ] I mean, I assume you talked, right? Or is she still going for 3am runs every time you kiss her?

[ Look, they can be here all day. He wants to be happy for you, Cassian!!! Might as well let him. ]

Ah! But you are my friend. [ There's a pleased little smile, and he rests a hand on Cassian's shoulder. ] I'm glad. I really like you a lot, Cas. [ Diminutives are a go, try and stop him. ]

[he sighs!!!! straight to the point, he should have not tried the evade vague questions route.] We did not come together, we came because you are friend to us both. [there's a pause.] But we did talk a little that first night, yes. No more late night runs.

[and that's... it. it's been over a month and they have not talked about any other feeling. it's great! they get to make out and don't have to deal with any of the complicated emotions involved! nothing can go wrong! :D]

[he makes a face over the use of cas. has anyone ever even given him a diminutive before coming to this place?? the thought is nice, but he's not sure he likes it. he does like jim too, but don't expect him to say it aloud!! he showed up, that should show it enough.] It's easier when they are smaller gatherings.

[ This is Jim "Straight To The Point" Kirk, what else were you expecting Cassian. Should know those evasive techniques don't work all that well with him. ]

Good. [ Is all he says at first. But his smile is honest, and there's not even a hint of teasing as he adds to that. ] Then I'm really glad for you two.

[ Not that he thinks they're in a totally healthy relationship with actual communication, but knowing the two of them, he knows that'll take a while. Not everyone's like Jim, and honestly there was a point in his life where he'd avoid a relationship and run from it like the plague too, so.

He's just learned to value the things he gets to experience, the people he gets to love. He doesn't like wasting time when he's sure how he feels about someone, and that he wants to be with them. ]

I agree with you there, actually. I liked crowds a little better when I was younger, but more often than not they just remind me of official Starfleet stuff now, you know? I prefer small and intimate. Like tonight, this... this is nice.

[are you sure though, because now that he's answered a LITTLE BIT he can evade other questions. give something, don't get pressured for more.]

[jim being glad for them is... odd. not in a bad way, just a strange way. people are usually only glad when he's done some kind of mission successfully.] Thank... you.

[now he almost feels like he needs to go talk to her again, just to prove everything is fine. which is dumb, because they're fine. they're happy! that feels important. it has nothing to do with the fact that he still doesn't know how to do any of this.]

When it comes to crowds, I am too used to trying to blend in. It's tiring. As myself, I still find them quite tiring. It helps that I know most of your guests, at the very least in passing.

[ That's not how friendship works, though. Sure, Jim can be a little pushy, but he wouldn't pressure or force Cassian to share more than he wants to.

He nods with a genuinely happy smile at the thanks. Not necessary, but he accepts it nonetheless. See, all good, no bragging about how he helped them get together, and definitely no need for Cassian to go prove that everything's alright with them. ]

For the record, if it gets to be too much for you, I won't take it to heart if you want to leave. I'm happy enough that you showed up.

[and that is why jim has managed to become his friend. he is not pushy! at least not in a way that gets to cassian. friendship in general is just weird and uncharted territory.]

[he appreciates it all. it even reminds him that if he did ever need more... advice, he probably could talk to jim about it, free of any teasing. that would involved talking to jyn again first though, so one step at a time!]

I know. [he and jyn already discussed that possibility.] But don't worry, I would at least tell you I was leaving. [unlike all the other much more public gatherings the city likes to have, where he just slips away in what the earth kids call an irish goodbye.] So far so good. Besides, there is still a lot I want to see in your ship.

[ He's pushy in the correct amount. He's good at reading people, knowing when they go from tolerant to irritated, annoyed or outright pissed. Once upon a time he enjoyed pushing them to the far end of that spectrum, but these days he much prefers using that skill of his to know when to push for more, and when to stop.

It's been more useful on Cassian and Jyn than just about anyone else, as of late. Jim's honestly glad for that. They've become two very important people for him. Even if, yes, he does know he can't actually say that to them, God forbid!!! ]

Alright. Good. Although for the record I won't be upset if you just need to leave. [ He smiles and glances around briefly. ] Yeah? Well, unfortunately I've only managed to program parts of her. It's a work in progress. But I could show you around some spots, if you want?

[it's probably exactly the kind of pushy cassian needs. he doesn't like to offer much of himself, but with the right prompting, it's... easier. he feels like all the people he considers his friend are figuring out the right level of it with him.]

[listen here jim kirk, emotions are stupid and difficult, and neither of them have much experience in the whole "important to someone" department!]

I would like that, yes. It's already much bigger than anything I have flown. [he's been on some big imperial starships, but his own piloting tends to better suit smaller ships. he isn't exactly a fighter pilot either.] Some of the technology is very similar, but I can see you have personalized parts.

[ They have plenty of experience with each other, at the very least. That's a start. They're just emotionally stunted, is all. It can be a chronic condition if not treated properly. ]

You couldn't pilot this ship on your own, for what it's worth. Takes at least about five people on the bridge alone just to monitor all the systems, and then you'd need dozens in other departments— engineering, for instance. This particular model isn't built to run on minimal crew requirements.

[ He nods as he leads the way towards the turbolift. The simulation isn't complete by a long shot, but he can still show Cassian around what few areas of the ship he's managed to recreate so far. ]

[a chronic case of emotional ineptitude, yeah that sounds about right. he's just beginning to open up a lot with jyn, and it probably helps that neither of them really know how to do that.]

Fighter starships are usually the only ones who do not require a copilot, but they are made for speed and maneuverability. [a beat.] My own copilot for many years was a droid, but we flew less... obviously, most of the time. The larger ships with such large crews were not the kind I frequently found myself on.

[he follows jim, easily fascinated by just about every little thing along the way. he's still a pilot, even if he hasn't flown more than the guard's shuttle in the last few months.]

[ Aren't they cute. Jim has every faith that they'll work it out eventually, in their own time. Probably too slow in Jim's personal opinion, but it's not like that has anything to do with it. As long as it works for them, then that's what matters. ]

We have a couple of shuttles that don't require a copilot either, although it's always advisable to not fly solo. I can see how fighters wouldn't need them, but we don't really have those sorts of ships where I come from. Well, at least not in Starfleet. Some races do have them.

[ His interest is piqued by the mention of a droid. ] Really? What's he like? Does he look... I mean, we don't really have androids where I'm from. Not yet, anyway. I've met one here who looks just like any other human, though. It's fascinating. What's your droid like?

[ Jim is in turn equally fascinated by Cassian's droid, apparently. He guides them across the ship, towards what would be the engineering room. It's far from complete, but it won't do any harm to show Cassian around a little anyway. ]

[they will be disasters in the process and probably forever, but cassian likes to think they'll make it. they've gotten through so much worse odds.]

The Rebellion always had more of a distinct variety. Our fleet was less standard issue and more made up of whatever ships we could get our hands on. [a beat.] Not always through the proper channels. Fighter starships, however, are quite common.

[HIS DROID IS THE BEST DROID AND CASSIAN MISSES HIM SO MUCH. a couple months ago, cassian might have hated the idea of talking about k2, but now he sort of wants people to know. at least people like jim.] His name was K-2SO. He was not an android, just a droid. They do not look very human in our universe. He was originally an Imperial Security droid, but I reprogrammed him. [that's right jim, he literally programmed his own friend. his only friend, for a long time.] He was about seven feet tall, black and lumbering. Absolutely no filter on anything he had to say, blunt often to the point of rudeness.

[he manages to sound both exasperated and fond.] But he made very good and precise calculations, for just about everything.

Yeah, I figured as much. [ It's a different reality, though. Starfleet does run into a few issues and conflicts every so often, but it's not a constant reality for them, like it is for the Rebellion. Maybe if it were, their fleet would be vastly different, as would be their principles and primary purpose. ]

Mm, right. [ He nods, cracking a bit of a smile as Cassian describes his droid. ] Reminds me a little of someone I know. Back home, that is.

[ But you know what, that sounds a little like Jyn too. Only sometimes. He narrows his eyes at Cassian. ] Did you program him that way on purpose, or was that just... a happy accident?

A droid or a person? [he uses person loosely. cassian never assumes human!]

[this is a call out even though jim is not actually doing so directly!!]

I could not quite remove some of his personality programming. [couldn't or wouldn't??? it is a mystery that cassian will never willingly solve. he loves his rude and mean droid.] I was fourteen at the time and still learning. [CUT HIM SOME SLACK. but he had over a decade to alter the personality and he did not, which should be telling.] The important part was making sure he would not revert to any imperial habits. That part was a success.

Person. Although... it could've fooled me, a couple times.

[ He kids because he loves, really. Spock probably wouldn't find that joke very funny if he were here, but then again the Vulcan always had a hard time finding humor in... well, just about anything. ]

Sounds to me like your project overall was a success. [ He shrugs, smiling a bit. ] Maybe that's just the way he is, or the way he turned out after you freed him. He sounds very— charming.

[ No lie though, he'd be thrilled to meet him. ]

Some people are just like that. [like HIMSELF?? people always teased him about being droidlike in his uber-professionalism. at least he has a sense of humor.]

[cassian almost sort of smiles. it hurts to think about k2 sometimes, but right now he's glad someone else knows his droid existed.] He would hate for you to call him charming. But it was definitely a success. He had my back for a long time, when no one else did.

[and some of that was the loyalty cassian programmed, but he also knows his droid displayed unusual levels of it through the years. he might have programmed a friend, but over time it became very real.] I have his memory core. It arrived during Hygge.

Yeah. Kinda grows on you, though. [ Quite literally, in Spock's case. God knows they didn't get along at first, and even after growing closer they still hit a lot of bumps along the way. They're very different now, though. Which is a good thing. Five years is a long time. ]

Lots of people hate me at first, it's fine. I'd warm up to him. [ He smiles, confident that Cassian knows that. But it's sweet, how the man talks about his droid. He may have reprogrammed him for a purpose, but clearly K2 had become a lot more than just a droid to him. ]

I'm guessing you can't do anything with the memory core.

There is probably some phrase about the more time you spend with a person. [it almost applies to he and jyn, but before coming to the quarantine, they hadn't known each very long in reality.]

[he laugh-sighs.] You would warm up to him much faster than the other way around.

[but if k2 can warm up to jyn, he definitely would have come around to jim. it makes him a little sad, that they probably won't get to meet.]

I have been hesitant to try. I would not want to damage the core as it is. I know it would work into another droid body but. [the specific kinds are lacking here.]

The more time you spend with somebody, the more your relationship grows. [ Jim smiles. ] Can't remember who said it, sadly. Probably a couple hundred years before my time.

[ Jim laughs a bit at that. ] Everybody warms up to me eventually. [ Yes even your grumpy droid. Still, Jim's a little sad he won't get to meet him either. Sounds like a really interesting guy. ]

Yeah, I get you. Besides, you might've been able to access his memories, but not... his essence, I guess. Who he was.

It may not always grow well. [for someone who doesn't know how to handle real relationships, cassian can steer fake ones pretty well.]

Do they warm up to you, or do you wear them down? [it's probably the former, but cassian will pretend the latter.]

I think it would be worse to try and face someone who was not him. [it's a droid, but cassian definitely talks about k2 like a person.] I have time to decide, I suppose.

But it will grow. And in any case, in this situation I think it'll always grow for the better, don't you? [ Maybe he's talking about his droid, maybe he's talking about Jyn. Who's to say? Either way, does it even change Cassian's answer? ]

Maybe it's a little of both. [ He grins, eyes wrinkling at the corners. ] But if it works, I'm not gonna cherrypick.

[ He nods. ] Yeah. I wouldn't make any rash decisions either, in your place. But... you have a part of him with you here. That's kind of nice, isn't it?

[there's a pause.] I hope so, for the better.

[cassian is a very cynical person, particularly when it comes to himself, but if he didn't have the capacity to hope on some level, he would not have lasted as long as he did in the rebellion.]

Yes. It was... surprising when it arrived, but I like having it with me now. He was all I had for a long time. I thought there was nothing left of him, and maybe there is not at home - but there is here.

[opens up about his droid, look at this emotional progress.]

[ Jim will be the optimistic one on his behalf, if need be. Not that he thinks that he has to, anyway. Here on the moon, Jyn's the person Cassian's closest to, and he gets the distinct feeling that he wouldn't know how to even be away from her— and the reverse applies just the same. ]

There will always be something left of him. Here— [ He presses a finger lightly to Cassian's temple, meaning his mind, his memories. ] —and here. [ That finger moves to tap on Cassian's chest, over his heart. He doesn't have to say it for Jim to be able to tell that he cares about K2SO. ]

Come on. There's plenty of the ship for me to show you. [ Resting an arm loosely around Cassian's shoulders, he guides him down the hallway so they can explore the rest of the ship. ]

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( closed ) I'll try not to sing out of key

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