memearium | after vivarium

after vivarium

after vivarium!

It may have been weeks, months, or even years, but finally, everyone makes it out of the warehouse just fine. The authorities have broken in and let everyone out, or maybe the characters managed to escape on their own. Either way, Zero and Calhoun vanish without a trace and they still haven't been caught to this day. It's infuriating, but the important part is that they're now free. What exactly entrails after that ending though?

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[ Jake can't even try to pretend to shrug this off, just like any other injury he might have had in the warehouse. Losing a limb is normally a pretty big deal (moreso for someone like him since his job wasn't exactly restricted to a desk), but he didn't want to be suddenly treated any differently because of it, so he just wave Hershel off (or attempts to). ]

I can still walk, you know. It's not going to kill me to walk a few blocks over to your place.

[ Yeah, you bet he's still going to be stubborn about this. ]

The sidewalks are busy, it'd just be easier- [Hershel starts, hovering a little because jesus, he didn't know exactly how to react to this. He sort of shuts up, regarding Jake for a long few moments before asking quietly:]

What happened? Was it recent?

[ Jake just... lets Hershel hover, since he can't exactly do anything. He just starts walking though, going down the usual path to the Layton household. He doesn't really want to talk about the whole incident but it's not like he can avoid it so in a gruff voice: ]

Long story short: one of my jobs didn't exactly go according to plan. Happened sometime last month.

[Hershel follows, keeping his pace in time with Jake's. He tries not to look at Jake's leg, more because he doesn't want to make Jake uncomfortable than anything else.]

Last month... [And here he was, walking around. Fucking figures. Hershel goes quiet for a moment, staring ahead before glancing back to Jake.] Stay with us for a while. You should have some time to recover, traveling around like this so soon after an accident...

[ Jake isn't going extremely fast. His bag is still just as heavy as ever and Hershel is right (for once): he needs to recover and take some time off. Getting on a plane and travelling for who-knows-how-many-hours then a train trip after was probably not the best way to go with this, but Jake is Stubborn... ]

I'll be fine. It's going to be the same this Christmas: I'll stay for a week or so then I'll be out of your hair. It's not going to be any different.

[Damnit Jake, always so stubborn. He really wants to try to take the bag but for now one battle at a time.]

It is different, though. [He sighs.] If you don't want to stay with my parents we can at least find you a place to stay for a while, there's rentals, Clive has a lot of room too, I'm sure if you asked he'd be willing.

Just... give it some thought? A little rest never killed anyone.

[ He'd have to wrestle it off Jake, and Jake has two crutches he can use as weapons so that might not be the best idea to do... ]

Yeah, maybe. Depends on whether I have another job lined up or not, but we'll see how that goes.

[ Man, how much further are they before they reach Hershel's place? It seems a bit further away when he's on crutches. Maybe they should catch a bus instead hmm ]

[He knows how to pick his battles. Hershel seems somewhat appeased by that answer- alright, he could work with that. Jake wasn't getting out of his clutches just yet.

He eyes the street for a minute.] You know, we could take the trolley instead, if you don't want to take a cab. [Just accept his help here!! Take a cab!!]

[ Jake's just glad that Hershel didn't start giving him shit on the fact that he might have another job lined up, that he's still going to try to stay in the mercenary business. However, even Jake knows that he probably can't return back to it so easily. His survival rates probably dropped to an all-time new low after losing a leg so even he's a bit unsure on what to do. Man, this AU sucks... But he thinks about Hershel's consideration for a second, staying quiet. ]

... Fine, but only this time.

[ He gave in so congrats?? ]

[Oh don't you worry, he'll latch onto that once he gets Jake somewhere safe and not in public since going 'you're going to keep being a merc??' is a little weird for people to hear.

Yes, another win. He leads them to a stop, checking the schedule.] It'll be by soon. [And then he turns to Jake fully.] You seem to be taking this well, I can't imagine it's all that simple though.

[ It can't be the weirdest thing they've heard. I mean, they live in London. Don't magical things like Voldemort and giant robots happen just about every day? Mercs are nothing compared to that. ]

[ Jake follows and just gives a half shrug. ]

Already got it out of my system before coming here. Figure I might as well stop grovelling about it now.

[ Truth be told, Jake is still pretty damn furious about it. Losing a leg is huge to him. He might have been better off if he lost an arm, he could still fight then, but a leg will limit his mobility. Yeah, prostetics are a thing, but it's never going to be as good as when he actually had a leg. It fucking sucks. ]

Edited 2015-02-04 17:24 (UTC)

[Look the proud British people repress those things so they have no idea what you're talking about. When the trolley pulls up he lets Jake get on first, hoping to be subtle about wanting to support Jake if need be. He'll pay their fare with his weird british money or hint coins or fucking galleons or whatever so there you go.]

No one would blame you if you didn't, you know. [He takes a seat wherever, trolleys hurray.] Prosthetics are really something else these days, though. Look at Snake's, I didn't even realize his arm was fake at first.

[ The British can only repress things for so long... They're going to crack one of these days and become like Alfendi, but Jake doesn't need your help. He can get onto the trolley by himself. It's decently crowded too, considering the holidays, so he'll just stand, he doesn't need to sit down. His crutches have those little rubber things on the end so he won't slip and fall. ]

For arms, maybe. You can't get away with the same for legs, at least not for my line of work. It'd need to be good enough that I can run with it.

[ Jake is just going to flip through prosthetic catalogues for this Christmas, hohoho... ]

[That does explain Alfendi, doesn't it. And Hershel doesn't try to push, a few people are probably looking over and considering moving so the wounded clearly a vet guy can take a seat, but in the face of his stubborn determination...]

Maybe it's time to retire then. [He's a little quiet as he says this, glancing over almost nervously at Jake.] You've spent your whole life getting hurt, at least it seems that way sometimes.

[ Alfendi finally cracked under all the pressure, it makes sense now. As for Jake, he'll just shake his head when some kind soul tries to offer him a seat. He does not want to be treated differently god dammit. ]

Yeah, and do what?

[get used to it, it's britain. being polite is a plague. hershel glances down, unsure of how to answer that.]

There's plenty you can do- you're very talented. You just need to find something that fits. [and have a glance again] Can you at least consider it? What if- [what if you had lost more than just your leg. what if you didn't come back and everyone just had to assume ofter years and years of no contact.]

[he sighs softly] It's just... something to consider.

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after vivarium

it's four in the morning, you fucking bet we're not going to have any self control at that time

this is true, why are we even awake

idk man, i should have been asleep four hours ago hmmm life choices

i for one am proud of you, despite all your flaws

excuse you, i have no flaws?? i am a perfect human being

"perfect" is a word that exists....

look in the dictionary and you shall find a picture of ichi

dictionaries don't have pictures, wow????

some do?? what kind of dictionaries are you looking at???

real ones not fake canadian ones??

wow canadian ones are so much better?? stop being jealous??

does it just have moose again and again all over the pages??

uh duh and if you scratch the letters, it smells like maple syrup

i'm so mad your money is actually like that

you're just jealous of our amusement park money

i can't believe monopoly managed to introduce it's money to a country