oo1. action.

[hotfrombehind]

[Six am. Dawn, a time when the desert isn't so hot and there aren't as many creatures milling about.

With a yawn, Pyro starts sitting up. He stretches his back, then his arms. Well, that's odd. He's sure he has burns all up his arms. Where'd they go? And... Well, fuck. What's up with this bed? It's so big and clean and holy fuck there's someone

Comments

Dawn? Oh for the love a'mike...

[ooeeooahah]

[ Welcome to Mayfield. Your assigned spouse is most definitely not a morning person. She's going to sleep through most of your panic attack, dragging awake when you start shouting on the front lawn. ]

Mph? Who's bleedin'?

[ When she focuses on the wedding photo on the dresser, she frowns, and gets up to get dressed. Unfortunately, Ilsa really isn't that together when she first wakes up, and by the time she's dressed, the new "mate" has taken off down the street. ]

[ When he eventually comes back, she's making breakfast. ]

The early bird gets the worm, so on so forth.

[hotfrombehind]

[Pyro smells coffee and goddamn you really don't want to get him near that stuff. He practically dives for it despite the fact that's it's stationary and in a mug sitting on the dining room table.

Once he's downed a few scathing gulps of the black coffee, he looks up to take a look at his not-wife from across the room.] Morning!

[Sniffs the air.]Been a while since I've had someone make breakfast in a place I live in. Does that mean I get some, too? 'Cause I guess I could try making some for myself, no big deal, just put stuff over that controlled flame over there, but you know, I guess you're my "wife" and all that, so I thought maybe you'd be cooking for me.

[ooeeooahah]

Maybe.

[ She raises an eyebrow and continues plating up several things. ]

Did you get the pamphlet while you were out?

[hotfrombehind]

[Contemplates as he drinks more coffee. When he puts the mug down, he begins to tap his foot against the leg of a table.] Uh. Uuuhhhh. Oh! Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I did, I actually did.

[He pulls out Riza's notes from his pockets.] Yeah, yeah, totally. Some nurse lady gave me this stuff, but she's not actually a nurse, she's from the army like me. This shit's still pretty fucked up, though. I mean, I feel especially bad for you, miss, seeing as you have to pretend to be my fucking wife and all.

[ooeeooahah]

Here, according to the drones out there, yes - I am your spouse. However, you replaced someone with little interest in me, and I normally sleep in the den. Apparently Mayfield decided you needed a greeter, but failed to take into consideration that I have never been a morning lark, and you apparently are up with the sun.

[ She chuckles and places a plate of bacon, toast and cheese omelet in front of him. ]

According to the drones, I am also a part-time secretary. However, at home, I am Dr Ilsa Higa. I am a psychiatrist, and I cook because I enjoy it, not because it is my assigned duty. Hakkai...

[ She stops a moment, and clears her throat. ]

Hakkai and I shared kitchen duties.

[hotfrombehind]

[He licks his lips at the sight of food in front of him, but if this is his family but not really family, maybe he oughta pay attention. Meanwhile, he picks up a fork and adds that to his restless tapping.]

Nice to meet you, then, doctor. I'm, uh-- y'know, I'm the BLU Pyro, but you can just call me Pyro. Easier that way, you know? Can't be hard to remember some guy who calls himself Pyro, haha.

Uh. [Blink blink. He takes another gulp of his coffee.] You want me to cook? I mean, I'm totally okay with that, I can do real basic shit, but like-- hmm. Maybe it'll be just like Medic's stupid-ass schedule, haha. I'm guessing you want to take turns?

[ooeeooahah]

I'm wondering if I ought to let a guy who introduces himself as "Pyro" play with the stove.

[ She chuckles as she starts on another omelet. ]

I think we can spit chores amicably, especially since there are some things the drones will expect to be done by you on the outside of the house. Barbecuing is one of those things, from the looks I got for buying charcoal for the grill.

By the way, the mail in the hall says your name is Adrian Anderson. Don't freak out if the drones call you that. They've gotten used to people using nicknames around here, but they don't use them. [ She rolls her eyes. ] and they'll be referring to me as Mrs Anderson.

[hotfrombehind]

Hey, I know how to handle fire perfectly, be it on a fucking stove or not. But hey, I wouldn't trust me if I were you, either.

[Finally takes a bite of the food as he listens. It's good, and he picks up the pace somewhere in her explanation.] Yeah, yeah, yeah, sounds fair, yeah. I wouldn't really know what's fair or not, so if you want, you could split it yourself. I figure we have to keep the house tidy or some shit like that? General mundane crap.

[The idea of a "normal" life is already starting to unsettle him, but when she says his real name so casually, he almost spits his food out. He does, however, bang his knees against the table.] Fuck. People can see that? People can know what my name is? They're just handing it out, just like that? What the fuck, first they take my mask, then they give out my name like it's fucking candy--

[He stands and starts to pace the room, tugging at his shirt every now and then.] Fuck. Fuck. Yeah, real unfortunate that we live in such a fucked up town, but fuck--! Don't-- [He turns to look at her

[ooeeooahah]

Calm down!

[ She turns off the stove and goes to hold him at arms-length by his shoulders. ]

Look at me, and calm down. I'll call you Pyro, don't worry. Just keep you cool because the drones will be calling you by the other names. You have to maintain your temper outside. If you are hanging out with your buddies, there's a little leeway, but you don't want to give the powers-that-be an excuse to drone you!

I can let you vent here, but understand that this kind of reaction to loss of anonymity is kinda extreme, and we will be talking about it.

[hotfrombehind]

[He growls and dodges the attempt to touch him.] That's all I've been hearing, I need to calm the fuck down, right? That so?

You don't fucking understand, okay? Just-- yeah, back away a few steps, back the fuck away a few fucking steps. You haven't done a thing to me, I don't really want you to get caught up in anything I might do.

Look. Look-- [Fuck, where is he going with this. He closes his eyes for a few moments, and when he opens them again, he refuses to look at her.] I guess you could call it extreme, yeah, but-- people weren't supposed to know. It's been fucking years since people have seen my face, okay? Let alone know my goddamn name, fuck. And it's all been fucking ruined by this stupid town and I can't do a fucking thing--

[He's quiet for a while.] Yeah, you might want to keep watch over that stove. It might not be in one piece if I'm near it in the next bit. I won't guarantee that I'll get my shit together anytime soon, but it'll happen eventually. Also, hide any matches or lighters or whatnot. That might be a good

[ooeeooahah]

[ She is so wishing she could tranquilize him for this. ]

Fine. I hide the fire-starters from you.

You can swear and scream at me all you like.

However, there are two kids in the house.

[ Never mind one's a drone, he used to be Jeff. ]

Am I going to have to keep you separated from them?

[ Right now her glare could cut glass. ]

[hotfrombehind]

If you want, you could leave me to my own devices. Is there a room in here that no one uses? [His scowl softens a bit. This is a woman he's dealing with here, and he almost forgot that there are children here, too.] You know, fuck it, maybe I'll just go back outside.

[He does go back to down the rest of the coffee, making his hands shake a little.] Yeah, yeah, yeah, you probably shouldn't be near me-- no one should, really, at least people I don't know. I'm gonna go outside and get this the fuck out of my system. I'm--

[He looks at her, unaffected by her tone and her glare. He's seen worse.] I'm sorry. Like I said, I feel especially bad for you, doctor, since you're the one stuck with me.

[And so he starts towards the door.]

[ooeeooahah]

Wait, hold on a minute.

[ She motions him to the unfinished breakfast. ]

Please?

[hotfrombehind]

[He stops in the middle of the hallway and turns on his heel. When he sees that she's pointing to the fucking food on the goddamn table, he tries his very best not to scream again. Instead he pulls hard on the sleeve of his shirt, tearing a bit of the cuff off.]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, sorry about the wasted food, I promise to come back to it when I'm done with this shit outside. Unless you wanna eat it or something, don't really care. [A pause.] It's good, though. Thanks.

[ooeeooahah]

No, it's not that, I don't want you to... [ She takes a breath, visibly calming herself. ]

Look, the master bedroom can be yours, I was already starting on converting the basement over for me.

[hotfrombehind]

[He stares at her, contemplating her words and her expression. His brow relaxes a bit when he realizes what she means.] I also promise not to kill anyone, or set anything on fire.

[He holds up his hands.] No axes or matches or nothing. Though I'll look into the ax thing later, I could cut down trees or something one day.

Listen. [He leans against the wall, crossing his arms.] All I'm gonna do is take a run or something. Maybe even dive into a river if they got one, anything to get the fight outta me. And you have no idea how quick a swim would do that to a fucking Pyro. I just gotta get used to being a civilian, got it? Been too fucking long.