is this real life?

[airshow]

WHO: James Jesse and anyone who wants to put up with his whining
WHERE: Heropa 20
WHEN: Late September, after the SIM extravaganza
WHAT: James recuperates from getting totally owned by a speedster; annoys everyone.
WARNINGS: Nah.

[ So the thing about broken bones — and yes that's bones, plural, a rib and his arm in two places — is that even with nanite-enhanced healing, it sucks. Ever since getting his shit served up on a silver platter to him by the Roadrunner, James has been on a steady diet of painkillers, meaning he's even weirder than normal.

The first few days, it's not so bad. It sucks for him, sure, but he mostly sleeps it off, and the Rogue House is the quietest it's ever been. But the Trickster can only be cooped up in bed for so long. So after those first few groggy days, James takes over the couch with the best pillow fort ever built by someone with only one arm and a whole lot of pain meds in their system. And from there on out, it's an endless stream of home renovation reality TV and what he surely thinks are very charming and polite requests for soup/candy/juice/the remote/someone to tell him he's pretty. ]

Comments

[airshow]

Don't know what you're talkin' about.

[ He knows exactly what Piper is talking about, and he isn't a fan. He doesn't flinch, doesn't squirm, just puts that shield right back up. ]

One screwup after a real nice week is pretty damn good, if you ask me.

[socialactivillain]

[ They've known each other for ages. James doesn't have to flinch for Piper to know exactly what he's doing. So he backs off. ]

It was a pretty good week, huh? It was kinda great, being back in the middle of things.

[airshow]

[ He relaxes a little, tipping his head back to stare up at the ceiling. ]

Yeah. Not a lot of call for what we do here. Not like back home, anyway. We're... y'know, specialized.

[socialactivillain]

[ Piper takes a slow sip of his soda, nodding. ]

Hah, specialized. That's a good word for it.

[airshow]

Outstanding at taking down a very specific kind of superhero-slash-villain-slash-whatever. Don't know what else you'd call that.

[socialactivillain]

According to the news, there might be more of a call for it after this. Maybe we'll have to make a habit of this whole super crime fighting.

[airshow]

Get the gang back together? ... Again?

[socialactivillain]

Might be fun.

[ He's all contemplative smiles right now, and a part of him is genuinely considering it. ]

[airshow]

If you can take time out of your busy schedule saving the rest of the world, you mean.

[socialactivillain]

I'm a good multitasker. It's one of my many skills.

[airshow]

You'll need to sleep eventually!

[socialactivillain]

[ He looks away from the TV, making eye contact with James again. ]

There you go again, concerned about me.

[airshow]

[ That actually gets half a petulant frown from James. He feels caught out, even though... ]

It was a joke.

[socialactivillain]

[ He maintains eye contact as long as James will allow it, watching him for a moment. ]

You were concerned enough about me to step in and get your ribs broken when Roadrunner had me down.

[airshow]

[ Well, he doesn't look away, but there's a distinctly unhappy expression on his face — almost grumpy, but not sure where to direct it. It's the truth, after all, and he can't exactly deflect. Not without looking like more of an asshole than he wants to. Under these circumstances, anyway, with his head fuzzier than he'd like and his legs slung across his friend's lap and...

... damn it, he's floundering. ]

You'd have done the same for me.

[socialactivillain]

I'm trying to say thanks.

[ But it's something more than just thankfulness. He'd never call James heartless, no, nor would he ever not expect him to have his back when it mattered. They'd been Rogues together a long time, and friends even after that; of course Piper trusted him.

But it's not every day the Trickster throws himself into harm's way for someone else. ]

[airshow]

Well damn, then you should've just said it!

[ There's that deflection again; don't acknowledge the reason for any of it, just soak up the compliment. ]

You're welcome. But jeez, man, it's not like I was just gonna let you get your ass kicked...

[socialactivillain]

I know. But I always have been better at taking a hit than you...

[ He can't help making the joke at James' expense, letting him change the subject. ]

[airshow]

I'm a lover, not a fighter.

[ He winks. At least he's pretty sure it's a wink. Maybe he blinked. Just to make sure, he does it a second time, slower. ]

Wink.

[ To clarify. ]

[socialactivillain]

[ He laughs. ]

Well, my completely intact ribs thank you for giving the other way around a shot. Sorry about yours, though.

[airshow]

I'll live, I think. But you're welcome to compliment me some more in the meantime. And maybe hand me another fistful of painkillers.

[socialactivillain]

You can have one more painkiller for the next four hours, and you know it.

[ He reaches over for the bottle of pills, though, chuckling. He passes it to James, waiting until he's taken his pill before he says anything else. ]

[airshow]

Don't be so stingy, man. I do what I want.

[ He uncaps it and pops one, washing it down with the rest of his juice before flopping backwards, content that Piper's dropped the questioning. For now, at least. ]

[socialactivillain]

[ He lapses into silence, watching the show host drone on, explaining the benefits of one type of bathroom tile over another, until Piper is relatively sure James' meds are starting to kick in again. ]

...So why did you come running over to get between me and Roadrunner? I know how you fight, and it's from a distance. Not up close and personal.

[airshow]

What...

[ James squintfrowns blearily over at Piper, but doesn't quite have the neck muscles to lift his head. ]

C'mon, buddy, pal, Piperino, these people are trying to pick out a backsplash...