Agent North

[bothbarrels]

● Agent North Dakota | Andrew Engelsen
Theta likes dealing with the messages so just leave something appropriate for him to respond to.
[video | audio | text]

Comments

[bothbarrels]

It's not as easy as it used to be to just doze off.

[ He shrugs. ]

I'm at least calmer.

[ He still doesn't really trust himself, should he run into the Counselor, however. ]

[infailtration]

[ He twirls a lock of North's hair around his finger and hums. ]

Calmer is good. You want me to grab some water and keep going, or we could do something else.

[bothbarrels]

Yeah...water and continuing, I think. I need to just hunker down and stay away from... Well, you know.

[infailtration]

I know. Here, hold our spot.

[ He passes North the book, climbing over his friend to get up and grab a cup he's got on the nightstand. ]

...and don't go anywhere. Promise?

[bothbarrels]

I won't.

[ While York's gone he realizes how restless he feels, and although York's probably going to be gone for a very short time, he sets the book on its face on the bed and starts doing some push-ups in the middle of the floor. ]

[infailtration]

[ York comes back to see North exercising, and quirks an eyebrow. ]

Would you rather spar or something?

[bothbarrels]

Nah, I just wanted to...

[ He pauses long enough to finish the rep he's on. ]

...just work some energy out.

[ He stands, gets back on the bed, and lounges back against the wall so York can lay his head in North's lap. He gestures to that effect—York'll understand. ]

[infailtration]

If you're sure.

[ York takes another sip of the water he got and sets it on the nightstand, then grabs the book and gets back in bed using North as a pillow this time. ]

This protagonist is a disaster, let's see what other trouble he gets into.

[bothbarrels]

Can't be any more than you've ever gotten into.

[ He's teasing, but his tone doesn't quite sound like it; it's still a bit flat. North starts running his fingers through York's hair, letting himself relax back against the wall. ]

Sorry, that was meant to be a joke.

[infailtration]

I know. It's also possibly the truth.

[ He grins up at North. ]

Like you've never been a troublemaker? Never?

[bothbarrels]

[ North manages a smile. ]

Now I never said that.

[infailtration]

[ York rests the book on his chest curiously. ]

Is it my turn to hear a story?

[bothbarrels]

[ He snickers. ]

I don't recall saying that.

[ He knows that if York wants to know, though, he'll drag it out of him. ]

[infailtration]

Aw, c'mon. Tell me more about you before we met, I've only gotten crumbs.

[ He pokes North's side playfully, the threat of tickling possibly imminent. ]

[bothbarrels]

[ North glances down at York with an amused smirk. They weren't supposed to share much about themselves back during Freelancer, and so North had only shared the occasional thing, and nothing about his teenage rebellious years. ]

All right, sure.

[ He shifts a little, drawing one leg up and the other down a bit. ]

Well, I had an emo phase in high school. Died my hair jet black, if you can believe it. Had a lip ring. All that.

[infailtration]

[ York presses his lips together like he's trying not to laugh, because that's exactly what he's doing. ]

I believe it, but picturing it is something else. You're too fair for black hair.

[ And he squints, looking for where the lip ring was. When he thinks he's found it he reaches up to poke the spot. ]

There?

[bothbarrels]

Yup.

[ He runs his fingers through York's hair once again, with an affectionate scritch to punctuate his words. ]

I got a fake ID when I was 16. I was tall, you know. We used to drink...

[ Here he shrugs a little. ]

...a lot. Me and South, I mean.

[infailtration]

[ York hums, both with amusement and pleasure at the scritch. ]

There's a little trouble, I guess. But what teenager doesn't drink, if they can? It's practically a rite of passage to get your fake ID.

[ ...maybe he was also a bit of a troublemaker. Not a huge one, but. A bit. ]

[bothbarrels]

Mm, yeah. I think I kind of fell into a pattern with it, lifelong, though. Being angry and fucked up when I drink. That's how...

[ He frowns slightly, though he doesn't stop affectionately rubbing York's head. ]

Well. My dad. He was kind of an asshole.

[infailtration]

[ That's how... what? York's brow furrows slightly too, as he watches North's expression. ]

You never mentioned that before.

[bothbarrels]

Don't like talking about it, I suppose. He only drank on his days off but boy, did he drink then. I kind of turned into his dad then. When he needed to get to bed or...to the bathroom. That kind of thing.

[ He no longer sounds amused. If York were to look at him now, he'd see that North is looking off into the middle distance. He's silent for a good long moment. ]

He worked thirds. Mom worked seconds, waiting tables. God, did she hate it that he spent so much on alcohol. She busted her ass and he...he...

Well.

[ He sniffs. ]

I know it's a big joke, that 'I learned it by watching you' thing, but...

[infailtration]

[ York didn't expect things to take this turn, honestly. He's quiet for a moment, then sits up to look his friend in the eye. ]

Hey. I'm sorry things were like that. But you don't have to be.

[bothbarrels]

[ He shakes his head. ]

It's like...it's like...

[ He has stopped fiddling with York's hair. ]

You know when you get in a rut? I mean like, physically. When the wheels are in a rut. It's really hard to get out.

[infailtration]

[ Yes, he knows what a rut is. But not what North is getting at, not exactly. ]

How does that relate to this? Specifically, I mean, it seems like you have something in particular on your mind.

[bothbarrels]

The drinking, I meant. How I act then.

[ He scoffs slightly. ]

It doesn't matter. I just tend to avoid it unless I feel like I need to get mad about stuff because that's what's going to happen.

[ He runs his hand over York's head, pats at the hair a bit. ]

I don't know how to stop it so I don't try anymore.