open; i got issues, but you got 'em too

[operation]

Who: grant ward + you
Where: all over wonderland
When: 3/22-3/26
Rating: pg for now
Summary: ward's done hiding. it's time to make some connections.
The Story:

[ It's a good thing Ward's always been highly adaptable. Waking up in Wonderland? No problem. Realizing this is his afterlife because there is no way he could have survived getting his chest crushed? Well, he's learning to deal with it. It's not like he wasn't ready for it all to be over anyways. He just wasn't going to go down without a fight.

What's it been now? A week since he arrived to this ridiculous place? Ward hasn't seen a lot of Wonderland just yet as he's been cooped up in his room mostly; licking his wounds, biding his time, doing some research. But hey, what a room. Four walls. Literally. He probably could have come up with something better, but it's not like he needs much anyways. It could have been worse. He could have woken up in a coffin. Yikes.

All dressed up in a leather jacket, comfortable jeans and a crisp white shirt, Grant Ward takes a good look at himself in the mirror and asks himself who he wants to be today. Because walking out that door is a big deal. He's about to start a brand new chapter in his life. He can do anything. Be anyone. And what does a dead man want?

Well, freedom's out of the question. So -- how about a walk around Wonderland? And maybe some company? Come on. Is that really too much to ask for? ]

Comments

[hypoxic]

[Fitz might have been more conscious of it if he weren't fighting so hard to keep his own composure. He's fighting to keep his hands steady, to hold himself upright, to keep from making any sudden movements. He tries to go still, to disconnect. If he reacts, then Ward will know he's making progress.

He's terrible when being interrogated. Everyone knows that. Ward knows it most of all.]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[operation]

Simmons. Gorgeous hazel eyes, dirty brown hair, adorable smile. You know, if she hadn't already been crushing on me back then, I likely would have given her a little more of my attention. [ He knows what he's doing is just a little petty on his part, but Fitz had brought up Kara so -- payback's a bitch. He'd so wanted this to be a friendly conversation, but it's unfortunate Fitz here is still hanging onto past hurts. ]

But hey, I knew you were into her. So don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. [ He'd even gone out of his way to give Fitz some advice back then despite the fact everything around him had gone to hell. Because he cared. Stupidly enough. ]

It's okay. You can have your secrets.

[hypoxic]

[Her hair isn't dirty brown. It's a beautiful chestnut. An ochre, if he was feeling particularly artistic about it.

But Ward is doing it again. Ward knows all the right ways to dig into all of Fitz's pressure points. It brings the heat flushing back into his face despite all of his attempts to keep it squashed down.

Ward wins his silence; Fitz doesn't trust that his voice will stay steady if he tries to speak.]

[operation]

[ Ward clamps his hands down on Fitz's shoulder because he needs him to pay attention to what he has to say. It's important. Maybe he's just lost his patience a little. Maybe Fitz here has just annoyed him enough. Maybe in the end all that matters is his own survival. Whatever he thought he could salvage from this broken friendship is clearly gone. He sees that now. ]

You really need to understand that I am not the enemy. If you tell anyone who I am, if you mention anything about what I did, if your friends make the mistake of coming after me, if you try anything, let's just say it won't take me long to find five ways to be rid of anyone who gets in my way. [ Five lives, right? That doesn't seem like much. ] Tread carefully, Fitz.

Now go. [ He lifts his hands up and gives Fitz a bit of a smile, a little reassurance that everything's okay now. Just as he'd done with his brother, Thomas, all those years ago when he had been forced to hurt him. ]

[hypoxic]

[the hand on his shoulder has him flinching. He squeezes his eyes shut and waits, expecting pain. He doesn't know how the pain will happen or where it'll come from, but he knows it's coming. He knows it'll be soon.

Will it be like the last time? Will he have time to think about it before it happens?

The threats rain down, and that makes everything feel more final. It's going to be soon. He's being given a message to relay after he revives. Will he be alone here while he's dead? Will he be alone when he wakes? What does a second death feel like?

...And then the pressure lifts, and he bolts as quickly as he can manage. It's cowardace. He's ashamed of it. But they'll need time to prepare.

when Ward makes his move, they'll have to be ready.]