Exposition and ice

[lt_blade]

"You could've told me that before I tried to fight him, y'know," Harry said, kind of amused by this revelation. He could already imagine the expression on Dick and Nix's faces when he told them he'd been beaten up by a ghost. It explained the guy's awkward demeanour, though; must be strange for him, being human again."

Sonya  didn't speak out when Scorpion left: there wasn't much of a point when he would've just gone off regardless of what she said.

Still, looking at him, she couldn't help but think of how far she'd had come, or maybe she was more 'human' than she thought. After all, her social skills may've sucked, but she did have some people she could open up to, to an extent. If this place was rough on her, how was it for him, becoming fully human-up until now she never much thought about it.

She finally spoke when she and Harry headed back to the compound as Scorpion headed to..wherever he was headed.

"He's human now. And in the tournament he was given a human form." She smirked. "On the outside anyway, but once he removed the mask, you saw that he had a skull instead of a human face. One of his ways to finish off his opponent would be to spew out hell fire from his mouth."

How Sonya hadn't gone vegetarian after her time in the tournament, she had no idea.

"Here, he has the skill and experience, but he's now as human as you and I am."  Well, more like her...Harry seemed more human than the both of them.

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[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

The ice in the dishtowel was starting to melt, so she went over to dump the rest into the sink, draping it over the edge to dry.

"Well I don't expect him to become a stand-up comedian anytime soon," She said, returning to her seat. "but yes, he does have his own 'dry and sardonic sort of humor when he feels like it."

She nodded, her jaw throbbing but not the worse pain she's experienced-which was quite a list. "I'm sure appearing here alive was a big enough shock, but he seems to be taking it better than I did." Scorpion seemed to be getting enough sleep atleast.

[realnicetrip.livejournal.com]

Her description of Scorpion's particular sense of humour made Harry smile. That sounded an awful lot like somebody he already knew, and if that was the case, maybe he could get on with this Scorpion guy after all. He adjusted the ice pack (which was more of a cold, wet cloth by now) and said,

"Everyone gets culture shock here. We'll just have to wait and see how things develop, and let's hope nobody else gets hurt in the meantime."

He glanced down at himself, and grimaced at the dried blood sticking his shirt to his skin.

"I really need to get washed and changed at some point," he said, "I think it's starting to smell." He raised part of his shirt to his nose, gave it a sniff, and let out a small cry, clamping the ice back to his nose. Oh, that was a stupid idea. Scorpion must've knocked out the last vestiges of his common sense.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

"Let it soak in cold water and bleach for an hour or so, then scrub." Sonya knew a thing or two about getting blood out of clothing.

"Still considering those sparring sessions after your nose heals?" She asked. "Lesson one-always expect your opponent to attack you at several points and lesson two," She held back a small smirk. "first session's always the most painful."

Kinda like military training, along with the mentality of wondering just what the hell did you get yourself into.

[realnicetrip.livejournal.com]

"I've been beat up much worse than this," Harry said, waving it off. "I wouldn't mind picking up a few tips, but I think in future, I'd rather take them from you." Sparring with Sonya might be awkward - despite his awareness she could more than hold her own he wouldn't feel right hitting a woman - but he knew that she'd be more accommodating than Scorpion. And if he learned from her, maybe he'd be able to take Scorpion by surprise one day.

"But not any time soon. I think I'll stick to more peaceful things until my nose stops aching; I ought to check how my garden's doing."

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

"Still, removing blood from clothes is a pain." Especially without dry cleaners.

She did nod at his reasoning. "It would be a better idea. Had Winters as a student when I taught in the weapon's class, so I know what I'm doing."

Sonya considered him a moment. "What're you trying to plant?" It didn't strike her as odd that he was starting a garden if it was for things like herbs, after all her own dad was much better in the kitchen than her mom, so such gender rolls didn't faze her.

"Just moved into my own hut a day ago, still working on making it 'mine'." Which felt strange when she thought about it actually-Sonya had never really had a place of her own: that wasn't the military's or her fathers.

[realnicetrip.livejournal.com]

Harry laughed awkwardly. "I'm planting flowers. You know how everyone got little gifts turning up in January? I found a bunch of packets of seeds on my nightstand - hadn't a clue what they were for until I put two and two together and realised I could make the dell look a bit less grim," he said. "They're just starting to sprout now - call me a sissy, but it looks much better with some life in it." The trees had leaves on them now, and in the sunshine, it had stopped looking so much like the place he was shot.

"Where's your hut? I wouldn't mind taking a visit," he said. "I wouldn't like to live out on my own, myself. I've always had other people around - lucky the Officer's Club was already built when I arrived."

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

It was strange to think of him planting a flower garden. "Can't argue there, after dealing with Outworld and that weekend I was 'sent back' I wouldn't be opposed to a flower garden either."

It wasn't her thing, but she wouldn't be opposed to it.

She laughed. "Just a ten-fifteen minute walk south from the officer's club." She stopped and her face turned solemn. "Had things turned out differently, may've moved into the Homestead, but it's current use is much nicer." Having a safe haven for young kids was always a good thing in her book.

It was true that the Homestead used to house enlisted men and not officers, but then Military protocol didn't hold the same presence here as it would've back home-except she was almost positive that no one would take to well to a female officer living with a bunch of male ones: hell, she didn't even think it set right.

[realnicetrip.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I like what they did with the place. It's a shame we didn't get much use out of our barracks before all its residents started disappearing, but it's there if anyone needs it," Harry said. He'd not visited the Homestead much, himself; there was that guy who had Buck Compton's face but was grumpier who hung round it, and that always made him kind of uncomfortable.

"You know, if you'd asked, we have a spare room at the Officer's Club," he said, "Though you'd probably have been sensible to turn it down, come to think of it. It's a bit of a boy's club, really - I don't care much about that, we've got drunk together, you've seen me in my skivvies before now, but the others might think differently."

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

Sonya's jaw was starting to ache a little more. "I've lived on army bases for eight years, female barracks to be sure, but still exposed to Fort life long enough for nothing to really shock me about it." Actually some of those antics made for some good times, but thinking about it hurt a little too much.

"Still, I would've turned it down-too many things could go wrong. And it wasn't like I meant to barge in on you in your drawers, but it was between decorum and fighting off 'would be' attackers-and you came in second."

[realnicetrip.livejournal.com]

"Hey, I'm not self-conscious," Harry said, shrugging. "Everybody's seen everybody else's ass in the army. But you're probably sensible getting your own place to live. Nice to have somewhere to get away from everybody for a while, if you need it."

The ice had completely melted; he used the wet towel to wipe his face and neck, and went to put it in the sink.

"Ah, I feel much better for that," he said.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

"I needed the change in atmosphere anyway. After everything that's been going on, the compound was starting to become claustophobic."

She headed over to the sink, intending to get some water.

"We'll wait till your nose heals before starting." She filled a glass with water. "I have training on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays." Actually she trained everyday, but those days were with a group. "But any other time's free."

[realnicetrip.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'm sure I can find time in my busy schedule of sleeping, drinking and getting into trouble to fit you in somewhere," Harry said, miming flicking through a diary. "How about Thursdays? Nothing ever happens on Thursdays."

He cautiously poked at his nose. It still ached like anything, but he could feel for himself now that it wasn't broken. "And that's in just under a week, so my nose'll probably be back to normal by then."

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

"You sure?" She said in mock seriousness. "I mean getting into trouble seems to keep you pretty busy."

"Thursdays sound great. Even if your nose is still a little sore, I'll make sure to not aim for your face." You actually weren't supposed to aim a direct hit in the face during a sparing match, but then Scorpion was probably too used to fighting to weaken or kill.

[realnicetrip.livejournal.com]

"Thanks," Harry said, "As I said earlier, it's the only face I've got, I'd rather like to keep it in good condition."

He got up from the table and stretched out - a little bit sore from the hard landing he'd had, but comparatively, not too bad.

"I need to go shower and change my shirt before I start attracting flies," he said. "Thanks for the ice."