[ SEMI-OPEN ]

[ct_7567]

WHO: Those who have been invited & anyone who would have a reason to visit Maurtia Falls #010! Wondering if you fit into that category? Just contact anyone with an involved character (Andy; Rex; Martin; Cassandra Igarashi; Dio; Archie) and ask!
WHERE: Maurtia Falls #010
WHEN: TONIGHT? TONIGHT.
WHAT: The soldierfam has decided that regular group dinners are good for Martin, and this time they've got a few party crashers!
WARNINGS: None anticipated; will change if necessary!



At a glance, one could easily mistake Maurtia Falls #010 for being entirely uninhabited. Dio rarely returns home and Rex and Marty only have a handful of belongings between the two of them and Rex is meticulously tidy, returning everything to exactly where it ought to be - if anything, it's Andy who makes the biggest mess around the place, and she doesn't even live here.

Despite every sign to the contrary, however, they do live here, and it winds up being a hub of activity whenever one of Martin's guardians - if that's truly what they can call themselves - decides that it's about time to get everyone together for dinner. In Anderson's absence, Rex has taken on the opinion that cooking can't be that hard, which is how they wind up with one window open, a casserole dish burned black soaking in the sink and an assortment of take-out on the table.

(As it turns out, it is that hard - and he found a combination pizza & Chinese food take-out place, whiich means that it can only be better.)

In all, there's not much to do or see here; there's food, Rex the goldfish in his tank, a soccer ball neatly tucked close to the house in the backyard, and a mysterious shelf called "Martin's Things" in the cupboard. Otherwise, you're stuck with nothing more than some potential awkward conversation. Have fun, kids!

Comments

[killtime]

The truth is Andy doesn't know much about Rex's social circle outside herself and Cassandra Anderson. She can only accept this person's answer with a little shrug of her own. He could be the milk man for all she knows.

"Sure," she agrees readily enough. "And Rex too. Before I knew we were both looking after Martin."

A pause, as she scrutinizes this man for a moment.

"Why wouldn't Rex invite you?"

[h2no]

Understandable; there's no real reason to know anything outside of your own bubble unless you really need to.

"That seems to be the story for most people here," he says with a small snort of amusement. "I, ah... I'm not sure, actually."

He watches the fish for a moment.

"Maybe because I accidentally convinced Martin to name a fish after him?"

[killtime]

Andy's eyebrows lift slightly. Then her eyes slide over towards the fish she'd been idly watching earlier. She'd seen the new pet in passing several times, coming and going from Rex and Martin's place, but she'd never thought to ask its name. Why bother? Human lifetimes are a flash in the pan for her, let alone a goldfish's.

"Accidentally," she echoes a bit skeptically. "You accidentally convinced Martin to name the fish after Rex?"

[h2no]

"Ah... yeah. I got the thing for him and suggested he went with Rex and doesn't seem to want to change it?"

He shrugs one shoulder. It's not a big deal, really.

"How did you meet Rex?"

[killtime]

She's not sure how accidental that sounds to her honestly — and she also isn't sure if she's amused by that or not. Maybe a little. Something to store away for later, to tease Rex about when everyone's back is turned.

"In a bar," Andy replies readily, though apparently she doesn't intend to volunteer more of an explanation than that. "How did you meet Rex?"

[h2no]

"Uh..."

It takes him a moment to think, while he tries to remember. How did they meet... oh, right.

"Ah, right, I messaged him because I found out Martin was staying with him and had met the kid first, wanted to see how he was." Does not mention how his first meeting with Martin involved spooking the shit out of the poor kid with his Sharpedo.

"Wild how this all happened cause of him. Martin, I mean."

[killtime]

It's... prooobably a good thing the Sharpedo doesn't get mentioned, in all honesty. Not that Andy has any fucking idea what a Sharpedo is. But she does remember Martin explaining to her about a giant shark-like monster, and it would not take a detective to put two-and-two together.

Instead, Andy dwells a little on that last comment: Crediting Martin for all this. Bringing them together. Helping her find common ground with people she knows. She's learned to trust Rex and Cassandra Anderson — that's rare. Meaningful. And it gives her some purpose, having Martin to take care of.

"He does seem to have a knack for attracting protectors," she agrees wryly at length, "And for attracting trouble. Which half-begs the question of which category you fall into."

[h2no]

He got a scalding from Rex over it, though he's overdue a slightly more intense one, honestly. Either way...

"Yeah," he agrees, then flushes a little. It seems like it would be an obvious answer, but he thinks about it a bit more and realises he's not sure. Definitely biased from the shark-like monster event, even if it was months ago.

"I'd-- I mean, I'd hope not trouble? I've been trying to fuckin' avoid trouble, if anything!" he says, huffing a small uncomfortable laugh. "I'm gonna guess by the fact that you look like you could pick up this house you're the former?"

[killtime]

Andy leans towards one arm of the couch, resting her face against one hand as she eyes Archie — like she's trying to decide what to make of that reaction. It's not exactly an answer that inspires a whole lot of confidence per se, but it seems honest. Maybe that's preferable.

"Depends on the day." Her own honesty is nonchalant. It's hard to tell if she's fully serious or not. But she has definitely inconvenienced Martin before. Strong as she is, strength doesn't negate the numerous demons at her back. The woman's practically an alcoholic, among other things, and gets into fights more often than she should. "But Martin has Rex for reliability, so I guess I keep it interesting around here."

[h2no]

"That's fair," he says, "It's probably better for him to have a variety of people in his life; Rex is reliable in a lot of ways more people aren't. Plus it'll give him an idea of how to react..."

A pause. What's a nice way to put this?


"...Better. To people."

[killtime]

She knows what Archie means. Martin is... Sheltered. To say the least. And not particularly in the habit of interacting with people outside of what sounded like a very tight-knit family. Not that Andy herself is particularly good at social interaction, but she's a cranky old woman. It's good for a kid to know how to make friends.

"...He's learning," she settles on that answer, at length. She'd be quick to criticize a lot of things, but her soft spot for Martin makes it hard to call the kid out. "Probably not so much from me, but from other people. Maybe people like you. Fuck if I know."

[h2no]

"I don't know," he starts, cocking his head. "But I think you're helping regardless. It's kind of easy to tell if you're being an active detriment to him."

Archie says this confidently, despite barely knowing Andy. Terribly optimistic, this one.

"I think everyone here is helping him develop in one way or another, or we wouldn't be here."

[killtime]

That's probably true, though Andy somewhat doubts her own influence is as good for Martin as Rex's or Anderson's might be. Not a single one of them is really the ideal parent, but Andy might be a little less put together than the others. Her moral compass might also not be quite as straight. It's knowing this about herself that makes her half-amused at Archie's optimism.

"I'm sure you're right," she responds with a mild wryness. "Besides, the kid could learn from examples of what not to do."

[h2no]

That makes him laugh lightly, ending it with a light Aahhh, shit.

"That's a good point if anythin'." He runs a hand over his head, through his hair. "Could probably get enough examples from any of us to actually be okay. Some kinda weird reverse psychology parenting."

Seems like it would work in theory, at least.

"Alright, alright. I guess if we're gonna be in the Martysphere we might we all get each other's names, huh? I'm Archie."

[killtime]

A mild sort of recognition lights on Andy's face.

"Oh. So you're Archie," she answers after a beat.

Somehow, he's not exactly what she pictured — but then again, she hadn't really pictured much either. His name was just a passing mention between her and Rex, something fleetingly discussed when the subject of soccer club came up. Maybe she should have asked more then, but she trusts Rex, and more importantly, she tries not to involve herself any more than she has to — though that's a half-moot point by now. At least when it comes to Martin Darkov.

"I'm Andy. Just Andy."

[h2no]

He looks a little unsure.

"No-one... usually says that with good intent," He offers with a light laugh. Archie can't tell if it's a good thing? She doesn't seem to know about the Sharpedo Bullshit, so possibly.

"Nice to meet you regardless, Just."

Said with a shitty grin, like his heinous dad joke is the best thing ever.

[killtime]

It takes her a second to catch the joke, and her response is to exhale with a light roll of her eyes — but it's mostly for show. If anything, it's a bit reassuring, as far as first impressions go. Usually a person with a shit-eating grin and an arsenal of bad dad jokes isn't sinister at heart. Usually. That, and Rex's endorsement, make for a solid case in Archie's favor.

"I didn't mean it with any particular intent," she responds mildly. "Rex mentioned you to me once. I didn't ask. But here you are, so." Another light shrug. "Don't worry. I won't bite, and I'm not judging. Not too hard, anyway."

[h2no]

"Well... I'd probably have it comin' anyway," he says with a shrug, leaning forward to grab his mug. "How long have you been here?"

He's digging, but... not with any particular intent. Archie's, unfortunately, the kind of person who'd rather have small talk filling the silence than have a silence at all, even if it's not awkward. Not to mention... it's kind of the expected line of questioning between imPorts, he feels. He's interested to get to know people, it's just how he is.

[killtime]

"A couple months."

Honestly, that's hardly any time at all. She's barely even keeping track of it right now — even a year or two isn't much to the likes of her. It is long enough to have gotten to know people though — well enough to feel invested, however reluctantly. She's even started forming routines around them. Now there's a disturbing thought she doesn't care to dwell on.

Still. If Archie's going to be hanging around anyway, she might as well know a few essential things.

"What do you do anyway?"

[h2no]

"Just wait until you hit the year mark. You'll be worn down enough to actually want to throw a party."

It's vaguely amusing to him how Andy asked him the same question in the same tone Rex had. Maybe they're from the same world? Maybe they're related? Wouldn't surprise him at this rate.

"I do underwater filming for a documentary network, swim lessons on the weekend and... pet healin' whenever I feel like it," he answers. It's a lot, but all things he genuinely enjoys, never work a day in your life, ect. "You?"

[killtime]

Truthfully, Andy somewhat doubts that. She's almost 7,000 years old — a year is heartbeat for her. But that isn't really the sort of thing you just say out loud to someone you just met. Besides, it's not like she needs an excuse to drink herself stupid — that's already her coping mechanism of choice. Why wait for a year?

"You're not very aerodynamic, for someone who spends so much time in the water." She might be joking. Mocking maybe, but it's almost friendly. "Less streamlined swimmer, more buff-and-bearded."

Pointedly, she has neglected to explain what it is that she does.

[h2no]

Archie almost slips up. He almost slips up and mentions his shark that helps with it, but stops himself at the last moment, leaving him opening his mouth and saying nothing for a few awkward, awkward seconds.

"Ah-- that's why they invented flippers. So bricks like me can actually move around."

He'd noted she hadn't mentioned anything and raises his eyebrows a smidge.

"If I had to guess... you're a cop like Rex?" He asks, figuring they have a similar personality. Sound logic.

[killtime]

Andy actually huffs out a light, amused breath at his response. At least he takes her teasing in stride — that's always a good quality for someone who's going to have to deal with her more than a few times. Truthfully, the better she gets to know a person, the worse the taunting gets.

"You think I look like a cop?" There's a certain entertained quality to her dry tone. "I guess that's flattering, depending on who you ask." Because while Rex is the epitome of a disciplined soldier, Andy spent most of the dinner party drinking in the bathroom, and while the comparison is probably an insult to Rex, it is, in turn, a compliment to Andy. "But no, I'm not a cop. I was a bouncer for a while, in De Chima."

[ Was. Past tense as of recently, because she was a little too rough with the rowdy drunks. ]

[h2no]

"Someone with authority," he follows up, "through literal means or just through how you carry yourself."

The anti-social part is definitely part of what made him think that. He hasn't seen Rex around recently... and the bathroom's presumably free now Andy is out of it.

"Close enough!" Archie chirps, not even close to derailed by being wildly wrong. "You sure got the face for being a bouncer, ha!"

[killtime]

It's probably the whole "been-alive-several-thousand-years" thing that gives her that air of authority — but Andy's just as full of shit as the next person, maybe even more so for having been rooted in her own ways for so long. Centuries of trial-and-error have given her that combination of apathy and confidence that makes it seem like she knows what she's doing.

"Yeah?" Her response comes dryly. "You saying I have a scary face, Archie?"

But she's not offended. Definitely still amused, and being a little mean by purposefully hiding that under the dryness of her voice.