Video; Round-Trip Home

[ragnarsson]

[The video opens up with Ivar sitting on the edge of his bed, phone recording in one hand, and a knife being fiddled around with in the other. It's clear he's got something on his mind.]

So it turns out if you properly motivate people, they can get that portal fixed up to get you back home.

[It's best not to ask what motivation that was, but Ivar being Ivar, most everyone watching can probably figure it out.]

I'm going back home for a while to take care of some unfinished business. I left in the middle of a war and I need to see that through before I come back. [He pauses.] And don't bother trying to talk me out of this, I've already made up my mind. I'll see you all in two weeks.

[He waves goodbye with the knife and then cuts the video. Looks like the Quarantine has a reprieve from the crazy Viking for the next fourteen days. But he'll be back. Ivar's far too tough to do something as basic as dying back in his home world.]

Comments

[ragnarsson]

[He wonders if Marco knows what he wants to ask and that's the reason he takes so long in responding. The Viking is on pins and needles the entire time waiting.

Ivar actually looks a little apprehensive when Marco finally responds, maybe even a touch scared. Impossible though. He faced down men on the battlefield without batting an eye. Asking this shouldn't be that difficult. But his emotions were always the area he was least comfortable with discussing.]

What do I-- [Deep breath. He can do this.] --What do I mean to you? What is this thing we have between us?

[brightline]

[When Ivar asks his question, Marco's mouth twitches, and he's quiet for a moment, shaking his head.]

Are you kidding me right now?

[Laughing a bit, he pushes his fingers back through his hair, combing it behind his ears, dark eyes moving away from the screen.]

I don't know. But man, it's kind of messed up asking me right before you leave.

[ragnarsson]

I'm being serious!

[Ivar seems to bristle like an angry tomcat when Marco laughs. Oh, it's a good thing they're not in the same room together. He'd be even more pissed off.]

You don't know? Well, that makes two of us. [He snorts indignantly.] I didn't want to leave with this on my mind. Do you really want me focused on this when I'm on the battlefield trying to survive?

[brightline]

[It's not a humorous laugh, though he wouldn't blame Ivar for misunderstanding it. After all, Marco likes to laugh, he does it as often as he can. But this one, it's not at Ivar's expense. Maybe at his own, a little bit. Either way, it's bitter.]

No, of course I don't. I mean, it'd be cool if you didn't go at all, but I know there's no talking you out of it, so why bother?

[A pause, and he presses his lips together hard.]

I like you.

[ragnarsson]

I like you too. But-- you also flirt with a lot of other people.

[Ivar had noticed that. It was lucky he'd accepted it as part of Marco's personality. Otherwise, his jealousy would have been a terrible thing.]

[brightline]

So do you.

[Marco shrugs, tilts his head, dark eyes flicking back up to the screen.]

I figured it was probably okay for me to do it too.

[ragnarsson]

I do not!

[At least not intentionally. Ivar barely is cognizant of his own emotions half the time, no matter how good he is at reading those of other people. He sounds irritated when Marco points that out.]

[brightline]

Come on man, you're trying to tell me you haven't got a thing for anyone else here? Besides the fact your ex is hanging around and you're coparenting, that's a total recipe for getting back together, and we haven't even talked about that.

[For a moment, he looks furious, his eyes sharp, but then he takes a breath.]

What do you want?

[ragnarsson]

Of course things are going to be complicated with Letha. She's the mother of my child. And I don't know how to deal with that either.

[He won't even focus on how he also has feelings for Rey here. Ivar's love life is just one bundle of complications.]

I wanted to know...if I'm first in your mind. If you want to be with someone else, I won't say no. But I don't want to just be convenient for you.

[brightline]

Well yeah, obviously it's gonna be complicated.

[He sounds a little petulant, and he couldn't care less about it, he even punctuates it with an attempt at a careless shrug.]

Dude. Convenient for me is a bubbly blonde popstar on my arm that I slide past the bouncer with. You're pretty much the opposite of convenient.

[A little half-smile that falls away after a moment.]

Anyway, I've never even made out with anyone besides you since the first time we did. [Another shrug.] You?

[ragnarsson]

I'm working on it. Not that I'm going away with anymore answers regarding her than when I started.

[She'd yelled at him over the network and then insulted him. Pretty much par for how he and Letha communicated.

There's a twitch of his lips that might almost be a smile as well. He likes hearing that.]

I haven't either. So guess that does sort of say better where we stand with each other.

[brightline]

[The whole thing is really complicated. Especially when he factors in his own feelings for Rey, and the fact that he's aware of Ivar's feelings for her too. After all, it's not like Ivar is subtle about it. Then there's Chyler, and a bunch of other things too, all twisted up.

But it's still nice to hear Ivar hasn't made out with anyone but him since they started making out. He's even pretty sure he believes it.]

Yeah. It does.

[Licking his lips, he turns his dark gaze back to the camera, blunt, bitten fingernails scraping over the knee of his sweatpants.]

So I guess. That's where we stand, then.

[ragnarsson]

[It wasn't a complete answer, but then, maybe neither of them even had a complete answer to give. At least Ivar knew he was first in Marco's heart and that was enough for the Viking. He was so desperate for love and so terrified of it at the same time.]

So I'll see you in two weeks then. I-- [It seems like he might say something else, but then he can't quite get the words out.] --I'll miss you.

[brightline]

[And Marco...he's not sure what he's feeling. Sometimes he wonders if he's even capable of loving anyone he didn't go through the war with. Sometimes he thinks he is, sometimes he thinks he isn't. Even if he was sure, he's not sure what this is. He just knows he likes it.]

Okay. Yeah. You...you better be back.

[He licks his lips, eyes down, then glances back up.]

I'll miss you too.