SPAM - Harper and DOCTOR HAWK.

[deusexmechanic]

[Harper's never been much of a man of action. There've been a couple of fights he's come across in his life that were worth fighting without being paid for his time by an invested third party, but the one he can feel building on the barge sure as heck isn't one of them. If he has to fight? He'll side with the inmates, but if there's any way out of it then he's sure as hell taking it.

Still, even if in a few days the concept of wardens and inmates has disintegrated into something else entirely, he feels a weird sense of duty to make sure that Rex is okay. So, abandoning the temporary safe house, he goes to knock on Rex's cabin door.]

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[requiresssacrifice]

[He jumps at the sound of a knock and wanders on over towards the door, opening it a crack to see who it is. Once he realizes it's Harper, he opens the door wide to let him in]

What're you doing? Are you-- did they drop the manhunt?

[deusexmechanic.livejournal.com]

[Harper scoots in quickly, shutting the door behind them.]

Nope, I just figured with everything hotting up out there, I should come check if you were okay.

[He glances across at his inmate with a quick, tight smile.]

So, are you okay?

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[He's a little surprised by the checkup, if only because... well, none of the other wardens would ever do this]

Yeah! [He answers that a little too quickly, so it's probably not convincing at all] I mean... I don't know. [He shrugs] A lot of people are getting hurt.

[deusexmechanic.livejournal.com]

Hey! [Harper claps a hand on Rex's shoulder] You don't have to join in with any of this if you don't want too!

[He gives Rex's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.] You're a little guy, little guys are allowed to stay out of the line of fire! No one even notices!

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[THIS FANTASTIC POINT RAISED BY HARPER SOOTHES REX. He offers a little grin in return] Hey, you're right! I mean, I could always just... do things from the sidelines, if I needed to.

[After a pause, he coughs nervously] So, uh. [Since Harper is his BIG BROTHER in such matters, he decides to talk about lady problems] I was trying to get Krysta to notice me and I think I made her cry.

...

And get shot.

[deusexmechanic.livejournal.com]

[Harper nods encouragingly] Right! You just do your thing, and stay out of the way.

[LADY PROBLEMS! Harper's specialty!] Krysta? She's that... sorta dumb chick, right? Eh, she's pretty hot. [That's not advice Harper.] Look, making a girl cry is no big deal, and? Chicks like that are way high maintenance. You don't want a chick like that.


And unless you like, took out a hit on her? It's not your fault she got shot.

[requiresssacrifice]

Yeah, but, she's so...

[Wait, what IS she? He doesn't really know a thing about her.]

Hot. And... and I'm sure she's got a personality, underneath the...

[Boy, this is weak. He shrugs]

No, I didn't do anything like that. She just went off to get drunk because I called her stupid, then the next thing I know, that cowboy blows her brains out.

[deusexmechanic.livejournal.com]

Dude, there are hot chicks all over the place, you can find one out there who isn't needy or stupid. Seriously. Forget about her.

[Harper gives his inmate a grin, and glances around the cabin.]

So, how are you liking the Hawk?

[requiresssacrifice]

[He nods reluctantly. It wasn't like he was ever going to hook up with her anyway. At Harper's question, the hawk just STARES at the two of them from its perch up on top of the opened closet door]

Oh, it's cool! Really, you know, fearsome.

[Of course, he's not too fond of it, since it likes to scream angrily and has those freaky red eyes. But, it's a gift from Harper that's a lot less likely to kill him than a cobra, so he wants to make sure his warden knows that the effort's appreciated]

Hey... Are you sure everything's going to be okay? I mean... with you.

[deusexmechanic.livejournal.com]

[There's a long pause, as Harper considers the hawk. Yeah, he doesn't like it either.]

Hey, don't you worry about me, right now there's way too much going on for anyone to be seriously concerned about where I am. [He hopes] You just take care of yourself, okay?

[Then he frowns, looking down a little uncomfortably.]

Uh, look, I've been hearing some stuff, and... I guess it looks like maybe after all of this is over, maybe you won't need a warden so much anymore. I mean... [He gives a sort of half laugh] Look, Ricky, you're really doing good, at this whole evil thing? But... I guess... It's never really felt like your heart was in it.

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[He looks away, actually feeling guilty at not being more evil]

I could be! I mean, I've got ideas for... for nanomites and mind control and, like... [FLAIL] warheads.

[deusexmechanic.livejournal.com]

Hey! Look, it's okay! [Harper clasps a hand on the side of Rex's neck, giving it an affectionate rub.] You're great at being evil. Seriously, great at it. You're a pro. But look, if things work out for the inmates in all this then... I guess... just don't beat yourself up over it, okay?

[requiresssacrifice]

[He frowns a little] But what's gonna happen to you if they win?

[deusexmechanic.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll be out of a job, won't I? [Harper jokes, before his expression softens a little.] Look, I'll be fine. Maybe I'll go back where I came from, or maybe I'll see if I've got enough people who don't hate me to let me stick around here. Either way, I'll get by. You just keep your head down, and get yourself through this in one piece.

[He rubs the hand on Rex's neck up a little to cup the back of his head, and leans forward, so his face is close to his inmates.] I really am proud of you. Whatever happens, don't you forget that. [This said, Harper plants a kiss on Cobra Commanders mouth. No tongue.]

[requiresssacrifice]

[He manages to grin now, despite how sucky everything around them is] Thanks. That really means a--

[AND THEN HOLY SHIT HE'S BEING KISSED. By a dude. For the first time ever.

...

Funny, he doesn't mind it as much as he thinks he should.]

[deusexmechanic.livejournal.com]

[That's right. A Nice, long, brotherly kiss.

Where I get to use both of these icons.]

[requiresssacrifice]

[YEAH WELL TWO CAN PLAY THIS GAME. Although seriously, Rex is now sexually confused, thanks a lot, Harper]

[deusexmechanic.livejournal.com]

[Harpers job here is done! Pulling away, he pats Rex affectionately on the cheek.]

I've got to run, but I'll catch you on the other side of this mess, okay? No matter what happens, you and me, we'll stick together, right?

[Until they remember they hate each other c:]

[requiresssacrifice]

[He's just sort of dazed and confused by the time Harper pulls back, but the pat on the cheek snaps him out of it a bit]

Yeah-- yeah. You and me.

[He offers a really confused smile]

Be-- uh. Careful.

[deusexmechanic.livejournal.com]

I will. You just worry about yourself, okay?

[And with that, Harper is gone.]